US07641846B2
A method and a structure are disclosed for adjusting the distance between two preforms. Thus, the distance between two preforms is changed by adjusting the proportion in the number of two carriers on the track. In addition, the possibility of wear of the carriers is greatly reduced. Further, it is only necessary to prepare carriers of fewer sizes so as to satisfy the distance required by diverse different containers during fabrication.
US07641842B2
This invention is an indicia transfer and method for its use to impart indicia to polyolefin objects during rotational molding. The transfer is a laminate of at least two, and preferably, three coats on a carrier sheet, which is preferably a flexible, transparent polymer sheet. The coats, as successive layers on the carrier sheet are: an optional backing coat of a backing-coat pressure sensitive adhesive, an indicia coat of a colorants in a graphic or alphanumerical array, and a top coat of a pressure sensitive adhesive. The pressure sensitive adhesive used for the backing coat has a transition melting temperature less than the surface temperature of the mold to which the transfer is to be applied while the top-coat pressure sensitive adhesive has a temperature sensitive adhesive which becomes tacky at the demolding temperature to enable transfer of the coats to the interior surface of a rotational mold. All the coats have melting temperatures which are less than the molding temperature to enable transfer and fusing of the transfers into the surface of the molded part.
US07641840B2
The present invention is directed towards a method of expelling a gas positioned between a substrate and a mold, the substrate and the mold further having a liquid positioned therebetween.
US07641836B2
A device for use in tissue repair procedures, a surgical tissue repair procedure, and a method of making the device. Specifically, the device is an assembly of a cannulated anchor member with a cord passed through it, and a stopper mounted to an end of the cord to prevent the cord from passing back through the anchor member.
US07641833B2
An object of the present invention is to economically produce a resin composition pellet with the degradation of resin suppressed, by using an ordinary extruder, the resin composition pellet being filled with a desired filling amount of a uniformly compounded fibrous filler, and having a required weight average fiber length, in particular, to produce a resin composition pellet used for a socket of a planar socket pin in which the pitch interval of a lattice area of a semiconductor device is 2.0 mm or less, the thickness of the lattice area is 0.5 mm or less, and the height of the socket is 5.0 mm or less. To achieve the object, in supplying 80 to 55% by weight of resin and 20 to 45% by weight of the fibrous filler with a weight average fiber length of 1 mm or more to an extruder to produce a resin composition pellet in which a weight average fiber length of a fibrous filler is 180 to 360 μm, a part of an amount (x) of the resin is supplied through a main feed port of the extruder, and the fibrous filler and a remaining amount (1−x) of the resin are supplied through a side-feed port so that x/(1−x) becomes 50/50 to 10/90% by weight.
US07641825B2
Absorbable polyester fibers, braids, and surgical meshes with improved handling properties have been developed. These devices are preferably derived from biocompatible copolymers or homopolymers of 4-hydroxybutyrate. These devices provide a wider range of in vivo strength retention properties than are currently available and have a decreased tendency to curl, in the preferred embodiment, due to the inclusion of relaxation and annealing steps following methods are characterized by the following physical properties: (i) elongation to break from about 17% to about 85% (ii) Young's modulus of less than 350,000 psi, (iii) knot to straight ratio (knot strength/tensile strength) of 55-80% or (iv) load at break from 1100 to 4200 grams.
US07641824B2
An apparatus for preparing an inorganic spheroidized particle, wherein an inorganic powder is fed from a feed pathway for an inorganic powder to a combustion flame in a powder melting furnace, and melted or softened and spheroidized, and wherein the apparatus comprises a powder dispersing plate in the feed pathway for an inorganic powder; and a process for preparing an inorganic spheroidized particle comprising the step of preparing inorganic spheroidized particles with the apparatus for preparing inorganic spheroidized particles as defined above. The inorganic spheroidized particle prepared by the above process and apparatus can be suitably used for a spherical molding sand, a filler, a pigment or the like, especially in the case where the inorganic spheroidized particle is a ceramics particle.
US07641806B2
By steps of forming first masks 13, 14 each having a first pattern on a first surface of a substrate 11 on which a membrane is to be formed, etching the first surface of the substrate 11 by using the first masks 13, 14 to forming first support beams 15, positioning a second surface of the substrate 11 on the basis of the first pattern on the first surface, forming a second mask 17 having a second pattern on the second surface of the substrate 11 based on the alignment and etching the second surface of the substrate 11 in dry by using the second mask 17 to form the second support beams 20, a membrane member 22a where the first and second support beams 15, 20 are formed on both surfaces of the membrane 12 is manufactured. Consequently, it is possible to provide the membrane member that is sufficient in strength and is hard to be deformed by heat.
US07641798B2
A waster water treatment apparatus has micro-nano bubbles generation tanks, mixing tanks, a submerged membrane tank, a contact oxidation tank, and an activated charcoal adsorption device. In the micro-nano bubbles generation tanks, micro-nano bubbles are added to the waste water. In the mixing tanks, the waste water containing micro-nano bubbles is mixed with sludge containing microorganisms. In the contact oxidation tank, the waste water containing organofluoric compounds is microbially treated by the micro-nano bubbles added to the waste water. The micro-nano bubbles activate microorganisms in the waste water. Thereby organofluoric compounds are microbially decomposed with effect.
US07641796B2
An anaerobic digestion process for the treatment of domestic wastewater sludge that requires less space and funding to construct. Sludge to be treated is combined with recycled anaerobic digester sludge to form a blended sludge. The recycled anaerobic digester sludge provides a source of microorganisms necessary to initiate the breakdown of organic matter in the sludge to be treated. The sludge is then concentrated to increase total solids content to about 10-20%. Excess liquid is removed from the concentrated sludge. The concentrated sludge is then digested in an anaerobic reactor system such as a plug-flow reactor. Some benefits of the system's reduced volume, as a result of concentration of the sludge, include elimination of the necessity of substantially continuous stirring and the new possibilities for the types of construction to be used for the reactor. In addition to the reduced cost of the process itself, the process creates biogas that can be used to offset energy requirements for the process.
US07641788B2
A process for hydrocracking a hydrocarbonaceous feedstock into a middle distillate utilising a hydrocarbon conversion catalyst comprising a modified beta zeolite and a modified Y zeolite, an amorphous inorganic oxide and a hydrogenation component, wherein the said middle distillate is characterised by having a low aromatics content and/or a low pour point.
US07641773B2
A method of producing substrates with functional layers which have high optical properties and/or a high surface smoothness, in particular a low turbidity and significantly lower roughness, is provided. The method includes a sputtering process for coating a substrate with at least one functional layer, the sputtering process being interrupted at least once by the application of an intermediate layer with a thickness of less than 20 nm.
US07641771B1
A system for generating purified water from polluted water which includes an entry chamber communicating with a source of polluted water, a pump for delivering water vapor from the entry chamber to the vapor chamber, and a passageway for delivering condensed water from the vapor chamber to a reservoir of purified water.
US07641769B2
The present invention is a suction box for dehydrating the intermediate form of an inorganic building board during manufacturing or dehydrating the material slurry which is eventually molded into inorganic building boards. The suction box can change the open area ratio of dehydration space easily and can be used with pressure forming machines. The suction box has a frame member with a bottom plate, plural bridge members, plural spacer members and a pair of fixture members. The open area ratio is the space formed between each bridge member, including an interval with the bridge member and an outer frame portion in the frame member with the bottom plate.
US07641766B2
A method of enhancing the dewatering of a paper sheet on a paper machine comprising adding to the paper sheet about 0.05 lb/ton to about 15 lb/ton, based on dry fiber, of one or more aldehyde functionalized polymers comprising amino or amido groups wherein at least about 15 mole percent of the amino or amido groups are functionalized by reacting with one or more aldehydes and wherein the aldehyde functionalized polymers have a molecular weight of at least about 100,000.
US07641762B2
Stress within a suspension wall for suspending a showerhead in a process chamber is ameliorated by one or more of: (1) A gas sealing skirt that helps protect the suspension wall from direct contact with process gas. The gas sealing skirt is connected to either the chamber wall or the showerhead but is not connected to both. (2) Openings in the suspension wall that reduce exposure of the suspension wall to process gas or ambient atmosphere when the chamber lid is opened. (3) A substantially vertical arrangement of one or more rifts in the suspension wall which facilitate horizontal buckling or flexing of the suspension wall. (4) A plurality of suspension walls whose respective central portions are coplanar.
US07641759B2
The present invention relates to a method of joining surfaces, comprising in the following order: applying an adhesive composition (A), comprising a solvent, onto a first surface, drying off the solvent, partially or completely, by forced drying, to give the adhesive composition (A) a solids content of X weight %, directly after the drying step, applying a component (C), comprising a solvent, having a solids content of Z weight %, onto a second surface, wherein Z
US07641757B2
A method of forming a tubular body for a catheter, sheath or lead comprises extruding a polymer core having an integrally formed core wall, first lumen, and second lumen, placing a first layer over an outer circumferential surface of the extruded polymer core, and bonding the first layer to the circumferential surface of the extruded polymer cover via a reflow process. The first and second lumens are mandrel free during the reflow process, and a temperature of the reflow process is below a softening point of the polymer core to maintain a collapse free first and second lumen.
US07641756B2
A method for lining a pipe conduit with a coated textile tubing that adheres to the inner walls of the pipe conduit by means of an adhesive. The coated textile tubing can be filled with a long pot life adhesive and the textile tubing turned inside out (inverted) while being introduced into the pipe conduit. A fast curing adhesive is substantially simultaneously applied to the inner wall of the pipe conduit in as short a distance as possible to the moving tubing inversion point. The introduced tubing is then subjected to an inner pressure to force the tubing into contact with the pipe inner wall until the fast curing adhesive has cured. Alternatively, an impregnated textile tubing can be substituted for the tubing filled with the long pot life adhesive. As a further alternative, conditions are controlled to cause curing of the adhesive only in the inverted portion of the tubing.
US07641745B2
A soft magnetic material used for producing a powder compact has a plurality of iron particles having a Vickers hardness HV of less than 800 and satisfying the relationship of α/β≧2.5, where α represents the specific surface area of the iron particles measured by a gas adsorption method (Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) method) and β represents the apparent specific surface area of the iron particles calculated from the average particle diameter measured by a laser diffraction/scattering method.
US07641736B2
A method of manufacturing an SiC single crystal wafer according to the present invention includes the steps of: (a) preparing an SiC single crystal wafer 10 with a mirror-polished surface; (b) oxidizing the surface of the SiC single crystal wafer 10 with plasma, thereby forming an oxide layer 12 on the surface of the SiC single crystal wafer; and (c) removing at least a portion of the oxide layer 12 by a reactive ion etching process. Preferably, the surface of the wafer is planarized by repeatedly performing the steps (b) and (c) a number of times.
US07641735B2
Fabrication of doped AlN crystals and/or AlGaN epitaxial layers with high conductivity and mobility is accomplished by, for example, forming mixed crystals including a plurality of impurity species and electrically activating at least a portion of the crystal.
US07641733B2
A method and apparatus for growth of uniform multi-component single crystals is provided. The single crystal material has at least three elements and has a diameter of at least 50 mm, a dislocation density of less than 100 cm−2 and a radial compositional variation of less than 1%.
US07641728B2
An ink composition includes an at least partially intercalated metal oxide colorant and an ink vehicle.
US07641725B2
A mixture of compounds of Formula (1) and salts thereof: wherein: M is 2H, Si, a metal, an oxymetal group, a hydroxymetal group or a halometal group; Pc represents a phthalocyanine nucleus; R1 is H or optionally substituted C1-4alkyl; R2 is optionally substituted alkyl or optionally substituted heterocyclyl; R3 is H or optionally substituted C1-4alkyl; R4 is optionally substituted hydrocarbyl; w is 0.1 to 3.7 x is 0.1 to 3.7; y is 0.1 to 3.7; z is 0.1 to 3.7: and provided that the groups represented by y and z are different. Also compositions and inks, printing processes, printed material and ink-jet printer cartridges.
US07641722B2
An ink composition includes a self-dispersible coloring agent that includes an ionic group and a non-ionic linear or cyclic ester or amide moiety on a surface of the coloring agent at a mole ratio of about 1:10 to about 10:1, an organic solvent, and water. The coloring agent has a modified surface, so that stability of the ink can be increased due to an interaction between the coloring agent and the organic solvent, the particle size of the coloring agent can be kept uniform, an adhering force with respect to a substrate is increased to minimize bleeding between colors of a printed image, waterfastness and rubfastness in dry and wet conditions are increased to obtain an excellent colorfastness, and resulting in a high quality printed image and an excellent storage stability.
US07641721B2
Disclosed is an aqueous solution of a chromium salt, in which the oxalic acid content is 8% by weight or less relative to chromium. In the aqueous solution of the chromium salt, the total organic carbon content is 4% by weight or less relative to chromium. The chromium salt is preferably a chromium chloride, a chromium phosphate, or a chromium nitrate. The chromium chloride preferably contains a basic chromium chloride represented by the composition formula Cr(OH)xCly (wherein 0
US07641717B2
Ultra cleaning of combustion gas to near zero concentration of residual contaminants followed by the capture of CO2 is provided. The high removal efficiency of residual contaminants is accomplished by direct contact cooling and scrubbing of the gas with cold water. The temperature of the combustion gas is reduced to 0-20 degrees Celsius to achieve maximum condensation and gas cleaning effect. The CO2 is captured from the cooled and clean flue gas in a CO2 absorber (134) utilizing an ammoniated solution or slurry in the NH3—CO2H2O system. The absorber operates at 0-20 degrees Celsius. Regeneration is accomplished by elevating the pressure and temperature of the CO2-rich solution from the absorber. The CO2 vapor pressure is high and a pressurized CO2 stream, with low concentration of NH3 and water vapor is generated. The high pressure CO2 stream is cooled and washed to recover the ammonia and moisture from the gas.
US07641716B2
A pressure swing adsorption process including the step of separating a gas mixture by absorbing at least one gas component in an adsorbent mass provided within each vessel of a plurality of vessels. The separating step has a single pressure equalization cycle. The separating step is preferably performed with only four valves per vessel of the plurality of vessels. Additionally, a pressure swing adsorption system of the invention includes a plurality of vessels each containing therein an adsorbent mass configured to separate a gas mixture by absorbing at least one gas component in said adsorbent mass, where the system is configured to separate the gas mixture using a single pressure equalization cycle and includes only four valves per vessel of the plurality of vessels.
US07641709B2
Discontinuous diamond particulate containing metal matrix composites of high thermal conductivity and methods for producing these composites are provided. The manufacturing method includes producing a thin reaction formed and diffusion bonded functionally graded interactive SiC surface layer on diamond particles. The interactive surface converted SiC coated diamond particles are then disposed into a mold and between the particles and permitted to rapidly solidify under pressure. The surface conversion interactive SiC coating on the diamond particles achieves minimal interface thermal resistance with the metal matrix which translates into good mechanical strength and stiffness of the composites and facilitates near theoretical thermal conductivity levels to be attained in the composite. Secondary working of the diamond metal composite can be performed for producing thin sheet product.
US07641705B2
An electrochemical cell including a cell enclosure, a fill tube, a ball, a closing button, an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte. The cell enclosure defines an internal volume and includes a cover forming a fillport through hole. The fill tube is separately formed, and defines a leading section, a trailing section, and a passageway. The leading section is secured within the fillport through hole. The ball is sealingly secured within the passageway. The closing button is also separately formed, and is sealingly secured within the fillport through hole adjacent the leading section of the fill tube. The anode, cathode, and electrolyte are maintained within the internal volume. By configuring the fill tube such that the leading section thereof is secured within the fillport through hole, an overall extension of the fill tube relative to the internal volume is greatly reduced, thereby maximizing a volumetric efficiency.
US07641704B2
A method for the preparation of carminic acid lakes, novel carminic acid lake compositions and their uses in foods, such as yogurt, fruit preparations, beverages, other miscellaneous food products that may need a stable red color, and in cosmetics.
US07641703B2
Disclosed herein is the use, in the coloring of keratinous fibers, such as human keratinous fibers, such as the hair, of a composition comprising at least one compound chosen from the compounds of formula (I) comprising a cyclic group G including a ring H capable of opening, the dyes corresponding to the compounds of formula (I) wherein the ring H is open, and the addition salts thereof: and a method for treating keratinous fibers employing this composition.
US07641701B2
This invention relates to a spinal fusion system and method for use as a prosthetic implant. The system and method includes a housing dimensioned to be situated between adjacent spinal bones, such as adjacent vertebrae. The housing cooperates with the spinal bones to define a graft area for receiving graft material, which may be inserted anteriorly into the housing during a surgical operation such as a vertebrectomy or discectomy. A housing may have various features such as migration preventers to prevent the housing from migrating posteriorly towards a spinal column and can be used with a cover that permits the housing to “float” relative thereto. Screws are provided in one embodiment and are dimensioned or configured to lock against each other to retain the screws and, consequently, the cover in place.
US07641697B2
A method of installing an ankle prosthesis system provides an artificial talar joint surface and a family of talar stem components having different physical characteristics. Each talar stem component in the family is sized and configured to be attached to the artificial talar joint surface. The method selects an ankle region to be treated and analyzes the morphology of the ankle region. The method selects among the family one of the talar stem components having a desired physical characteristic based upon the analysis. The method forms a prosthesis-receiving cavity that traverses the joint between the talus and a calcaneus and installs the selected one of the talar stem components in the prosthesis-receiving cavity to prevent movement of the joint. The method attaches the artificial talar joint surface to the selected one of the talar stem components.
US07641696B2
Hemi joint replacements for the base of the first metacarpal of the CMC joint are provided which can effectively restore and reestablish functional joint mechanics while preserving the soft tissues that contribute to joint stability and function. The implants have a unique head shape with a saddle-like articular surface that is shaped somewhat similar to a conventional bicycle seat. A set of four proportionately larger and smaller implants allows a surgeon to choose the appropriately sized prosthesis for implantation in respect of the metacarpal osteotomy.
US07641694B1
A system for restoring articular cartilage has a cover, an anchor, and a tether that cooperate to retain graft tissue with respect to a graft site. The cover is attached to the anchor via the tether. The tether passes through a tunnel through a bone to which the articular cartilage is attached. The tunnel may be blind or may extend through the bone. The anchor is retained within the tunnel such that tension in the tether keeps the cover in place over the tissue graft. The anchor may receive the tether such that the tether can only pass through the anchor along one direction. Thus, tension applied to the tether between the anchor and the tissue graft is automatically maintained by the anchor. After passing through the anchor, the tether may exit the tunnel through the graft site, or through the opposite side of the bone.
US07641690B2
Disclosed is a bone fusion cage that contains bone graft and is implanted between bones in a skeletal system. The cage bears structural loads that are transmitted through the bones of the skeletal system and at least partially shields the contained bone graft from the structural loads. The cage is configured to provide a secondary load to the bone graft independent of the structural load to promote fusion of the bone graft to adjacent bones.
US07641689B2
A prosthesis is provided for implantation into a knee joint compartment between a femoral condyle and its corresponding tibial plateau. The prosthesis is configured to be translatable with respect to the tibial plateau during knee articulation, and includes a body having a generally elliptical shape in plan and a pair of opposed surfaces including a substantially flat bottom surface and an opposed top surface.
US07641675B2
A plating system and method include a bone plate with at least a first vertebral engaging portion and a second vertebral engaging portion connected by flexible intermediate portions to permit translation of the vertebrae to which the bone plate is attached. The bone plate may further include a guide assembly extending between the vertebral engaging portions that permits at least uni-directional translation while enhancing resistance of the bone plate to bending forces.
US07641673B2
The invention relates to a connecting member for maintaining the spacing between at least two anchor members screwed into vertebrae. It comprises two rigid rod-forming parts (12, 14) made of a first material and each having a fixing, first portion (16, 18) adapted to be fixed into an anchor member and a fastening, second portion (20, 22), said rods (12, 14) being aligned with each other and said fastening portions (20, 22) facing each other, and a connecting body (24) made of a second material which is more elastically deformable than said first material and which interconnects said rigid parts (12, 14) by means of the facing fastening portions (20, 22) so that said connecting body (24) is able to deform elastically, whereby the vertebrae, which are held spaced from each other, are movable relative to each other.
US07641667B2
A tissue cutting instrument includes an outer member, an inner member received within the outer member, and a cutter coupled to the inner and the outer members such that rotation of the inner member about an axis causes off-axis movement of the cutter. A method of cutting tissue includes positioning an outer member such that the outer member is adjacent tissue, engaging the tissue with a cutter coupled to the outer member, and moving the cutter to end-on cut the tissue. The extended portion of the cutter extends distally beyond a terminal end of the outer member.
US07641665B2
Instrumentation for implanting an intervertebral disc replacement device includes an insertion handle comprising a shaft having a proximal end and a distal end and an engagement member disposed at the distal end of the shaft and operable to detachably engage an insertion plate that maintains first and second members of an intervertebral disc replacement device in registration with one another for substantially simultaneous insertion into an intervertebral disc space of a spinal column. The invention also comprising a method for replacing at least a portion of an intervertebral disc in a spinal column, comprising the steps of removing the portion of the intervertebral disc from the spinal column and manipulating an insertion handle that is detachably engaged with an insertion plate that is coupled to first and second members of an intervertebral disc replacement device such that the first and second members may be substantially, simultaneously inserted into an intervertebral disc space of the spinal column, wherein the first and second members are engageable with and operable to permit the vertebral bones to articulate with respect to one another.
US07641664B2
Instrumentation and method for treatment of a spinal structure, comprising an elongate member including a deformable distal portion having an initial configuration for placement within the spinal structure and a deformed configuration wherein the distal portion is outwardly deformed to form a cavity in the spinal structure. The elongate member comprises a cannula member and an actuator member that is removably positioned within the cannula member and configured to transition the deformable distal portion from the initial configuration toward the deformed configuration. The actuator member is selectively removed from the cannula member to provide a passageway for delivery of a material into the cavity formed in the spinal structure.
US07641663B2
A femoral reference tibial cut guide for cutting the proximal tibia to receive a tibial implant. The cut guide references the femur to determine the appropriate tibial resection.
US07641661B2
An adjustable resection guide is provided for guiding cutting of the tibia and/or femur during knee replacement surgery.
US07641659B2
A method of, and surgical instrument for accessing first and second pedicle locations of a spinal column area. The surgical instrument including a blade member slidably positionable along first and second wires. The instrument having a nested arrangement of members, including a portal member having an elongated aperture to access the first and second pedicle locations. The nested arrangement further including a plurality of members configured and sized to incrementally expand the access opening to the spinal column area.
US07641658B2
Methods and devices for treating diseases and conditions that change the spacial relationship between the vertebral bodies and the intervertebral disks, or that cause instability of the vertebral column, or both, and a method and devices that allow the surgeon to access the intervertebral space to restore a more normal three-dimensional configuration of the space, with or without additionally fusing two adjacent vertebrae.
US07641648B2
A low profile adaptor for use with a medical catheter. In one embodiment, the adaptor comprises a lower connector portion, an upper connector portion and a valve. The lower connector portion comprises a tubular portion and an annular portion, the annular portion radially surrounding the tubular portion along an intermediate length thereof. A helical thread is formed on the inside surface of the tubular portion. A circular lip projects upwardly a short distance from the top surface of the annular portion. The upper connector portion comprises a tubular section adapted for insertion into the tubular portion of the lower connector portion. An external helical thread is formed on the tubular section of the upper connector portion for mating engagement with the thread on the interior of the tubular portion of the lower connector portion. The upper connector portion also includes an annular base. The top of the base is shaped to include a cavity for receiving the valve, the cavity being in fluid communication with the tubular section. A double-walled circular lip is formed on the bottom of the base, the double-walled lip being sized and shaped to define a groove adapted to matingly receive the lip on the upper connector portion. In use, the lower connector portion is inserted into the end of a catheter, and the tubular section of the upper connector portion is screwed into the tubular portion of the lower connector, with the catheter being ensnared between the lips of the upper and lower connector portions.
US07641646B2
An elongate catheter shaft is provided, having a side port aperture through a side wall of the catheter shaft between proximal and distal ends of the shaft. The side port aperture is open to a lumen. Embodiments of the present invention are directed to attached structures disposed in the side port aperture. The attached structures described herein are directed to biasing the catheter shaft in the region of a side port aperture in a straight or curved configuration that resists undesired flexure in the region of the side port aperture and to providing ease of wire guide passage.
US07641641B2
A product line of absorbent articles includes a first absorbent article with a first elective component secured to the first absorbent article in a first configuration of the component. The first elective component is selectively configurable to a second configuration different from the first configuration of the component. A second absorbent article of the product line has a second elective component that is selectively configurable from a first configuration of the second elective component to a second configuration different from the first configuration of the second elective component.
US07641631B2
Dilation catheters including a mechanism used in, for example, removing gas or air from the catheters are disclosed. A dilation catheter may include an elongated tubular member having a distal end and a proximal end, a proximal handle proximate the proximal end of the tubular member, and an inflatable balloon proximate the distal end of the tubular member with inflatable balloon being in fluid communication with a fluid port to supply inflation liquid to the inflatable balloon. The inflatable balloon may include an opening for permitting gas to exit the inflatable balloon. In the proximate location of the opening, an expandable material or a barrier material that permits gas to exit through the opening, while retaining inflation liquid in the inflatable balloon.
US07641628B2
A system and method for generating a gas-supersaturated fluid and delivering the fluid at high delivery pressures to thereby prevent bubble nucleation is disclosed. The system comprises a housing for containing a removable fluid assembly for housing a fluid to be gas-supersaturated and a drive assembly for delivering the fluid to a delivery site. The housing assembly comprises a cylinder and a piston which may be advanced along the inner surface of the cylinder to pressurize and to deliver the fluid. To generate a gas-supersaturated fluid, the housing assembly is removed from the system housing, filled with a fluid, and gas is introduced at or slightly above the desired gas partial pressure into the cylinder. To deliver the gas-supersaturated fluid, the fluid assembly is returned to the system housing and the drive assembly advances the piston to increase the hydrostatic pressure to the desired delivery pressure and, after opening a valve, to deliver the gas-supersaturated fluid at the desired high delivery pressure to a delivery site.
US07641617B2
A convenient, inexpensive wrist blood pressure gauge whereby a cuff can easily be adjusted to the height of the heart merely by adding a simple structure. A lenticular sheet (display body (14)) whose visible image varies according to an angle in relation to a sight line (S) of a measurement subject is provided to a wrist blood pressure gauge (1) worn on a wrist (Mt) of the measurement subject (M), wherein a specific image is visible to the eyes (Ma) of the measurement subject when the wrist is set at the correct height in relation to the heart (H), and a different image is visible to the eyes of the measurement subject when the wrist is not in an appropriate height range.
US07641599B2
An exercise therapy device includes pedals, a pedal rotation shaft connected to the pedals, a load motor for driving the pedal rotation shaft, and a load control device for controlling the load motor to cause rotating motion of the pedal rotation shaft to be started by the load motor.
US07641597B2
An exercise apparatus for the simultaneous lower body and upper body exercise of the user. The lower body exercise may include a treadmill, ski machine, stepper or the like, while the upper body exercise includes an Isokinetic grip mechanism. This grip enables the user to exercise at any variable resistance while maintaining a constant speed.
US07641595B2
An exercise device is provided that comprises a support arm having an upper support arm member defining an upper support arm axis and a lower support arm member defining a lower support arm axis. The exercise device further comprises a support structure to which the support arm is pivotably attached by a longitudinal pivot mechanism and a lateral pivot mechanism. The longitudinal pivot mechanism is adapted so that the support arm may be selectively rotated about a longitudinal pivot in a pitch plane that includes the upper support arm axis. The longitudinal pivot mechanism is also adapted so that the support arm may be selectively locked at a selected pitch rotational position. The lateral pivot mechanism is adapted so that the support arm may be selectively rotated about a lateral pivot point in a vertical plane that is orthogonal to the pitch plane. The lateral pivot mechanism is also adapted so that the support arm may be selectively locked at a selected lateral rotational position. The exercise device also comprises a yoke pivotably attached to the upper support arm at a yoke attachment point so that the yoke may be rotated about the upper support arm axis. The yoke is adapted for being grasped by a user for rotating the yoke about the upper support arm axis.
US07641591B2
A lower limb function training device which the patient themselves can use safely with no sense of fear, which is used to prevent or improve a drop foot contracture or to expand the excursion of a joint while preventing the patient from using it over an appropriate amount of exercise to the utmost, which allows the patient to select the type of exercise, and which enables measurement of state of the body. The device is provided with a foot rest support structure, a foot rest drive mechanism and a round-trip movement sensing device, and a brake device for braking the round-trip movement of the foot rest when the count reaches a preset value. The device is provided with a foot rest support structure, a foot rest drive mechanism and at least one contact sensor on a surface of the foot rest, and a brake device for braking the back-and-forth movement of the foot rest when the at least one contact sensor detects the soles of the feet contacting.
US07641581B2
A differential device is provided with a case rotatable about an axis; an input member configured to receive the torque from the input shaft, the input member being housed in the case and including an engaging outer periphery drivingly engaged with the case; first and second output gears configured to respectively drivingly link with the output shafts, the first and second output gears being rotatably housed in the case to form a row with the input member along the axis; one or more first pinions being rotatably housed in the case in parallel with the axis and meshing with the first output gear, the first pinions having no overlap with the engaging outer periphery of the input member and the second output gears; and one or more second pinions being rotatably housed in the case in parallel with the axis and meshing with the second output gears and the first pinions, the second pinions extending beyond the input member to reach the first pinions.
US07641579B2
An eccentric gear mechanism, comprising an input drive having a centric portion rotated about an axis and an eccentric portion; a movable inner ring gear having outer circumferential gear teeth, so that said centric portion and said eccentric portion of said input drive turn in one direction against said movable inner ring gear, said inner ring gear being configured in such a way that it allows an eccentric movement by said inner ring gear and transfers a given turning force derived by said inner ring gear in an opposite direction to said one direction; an outer ring gear having inner circumferential gear teeth partially engaged with said outer circumferential gear teeth of said inner ring gear, so that when said given turning force is derived by said inner gear ring in said opposite direction said outer ring gear rotates around said axis, and said outer ring gear transfers said given turning force in said one direction outwardly along said axis.
US07641560B1
A linkage coupling a drum foot pedal rotor to a drum beater apparatus comprising in combination an elongated link, a first universal joint coupling the rotor to the link, and a second universal joint coupling the link to the apparatus, at least one of the universal joints coupling first and second components relatively rotatable about a transverse axis, two transversely spaced bearings carried by the first component, each bearing including annular inner and outer races and bearing balls located between the races, there being members tightly coupling the inner races to the second component at transversely spaced locations, whereas the inner races are offset transversely relative to the outer races to thereby clamp the balls transversely between the races, and immobilizing means joining the outer races to the first component, and/or the members to the second component.
US07641549B2
A method of distributing, managing, and exchange entries in one or more activities is provided. The entries may be distributed by any suitable process including, without limitation an auction or lottery process. The distributed entries may be exchanged in a market environment. The exchange may operate on an electronic platform. Revenues may be collected from distributions and/or exchanges of entries. A portion of the revenues may be paid to one or more users who hold an one or more particular winning entries determined by any number of parameters and at the occurrence of any number of events.
US07641545B2
An airflow window system that includes at least three glazing layers positioned roughly parallel to each other to define at least two internal airflow cavities within the window system. A first of the glazing layers is adjacent a first of the airflow cavities, a second of the glazing layers is adjacent a second of the airflow cavities, and a center glazing layer is between the first and second glazing layers and separates the first and second airflow cavities. Airflow cavity openings are located adjacent the uppermost and lowermost extents of each airflow cavity, and airflow is enabled through the first airflow cavity between the openings thereof and enabled through the second airflow cavity between the openings thereof. The window system operates as a crossflow heat exchanger capable of supplying fresh outdoor air to an enclosed indoor space, while thermally tempering the incoming fresh air with outgoing indoor air.
US07641544B2
The present invention relates to a coin bank. The coin bank includes a housing and a coin sorting mechanism mounted to the housing. At least two rows of coin tubes, for holding associated sorted coins, are selectively positioned in the housing. Each row includes a plurality of coin tubes meant for holding sorted coins of multiple denominations, wherein a plurality of columns of coin tubes, each holding one denomination of associated sorted coins, is defined. The coin tubes in each column is positioned at descending levels. At least two deflector wall sections are mounted to the housing. Each deflector wall section is positioned generally above a respective one of the at least two rows of coin tubes. Each deflector wall section directs a coin into a respective coin tube. A respective exit aperture is defined below a lower edge of each respective deflector wall section and above an upper edge of a respective coin tube. The descending levels of coin tubes allow a coin to travel away from a first row of coin tubes and contact a respective deflector wall section of a next row of coin tubes.
US07641543B2
A process for cutting sausages from a sausage link by a cutting device to which the sausages in the sausage link are conveyed together and a cutting site between two successive sausages is recognized by a sensor device, the sausage link being retracted with the front most sausage behind the sensor device after a predetermined number of sausages has been cut. This permits a specific indexing of the sausages in the sausage link after the sensor device and prevents bottlenecks between the cutting machine and the packaging machine.
US07641541B2
Multi-layer arrangement of a tubular net on a support tube, and device and method for obtaining same
A multi-layer arrangement of a tubular net is first positioned on a transfer tube. A toothed loader is used to slide the net along the outside of the transfer tube, to an end zone thereof which is slightly conical. When the net reaches the end zone, it falls onto a support tube in an arrangement of concentric layers. In this way, the outer layers of the loaded net have a maximum diameter equal to that of the transfer tube while the inner diameter of the loaded net, which corresponds to the outer diameter of the support tube, is less than the maximum diameter of the stretched net.
US07641538B2
An abrasive article includes a plurality of abrasive particles securely affixed to a substrate with a corrosion resistant matrix material. The matrix material includes a sintered corrosion resistant powder and a brazing alloy. The brazing alloy includes an element which reacts with and forms a chemical bond with the abrasive particles, thereby securely holding the abrasive particles in place. A method of forming the abrasive article includes arranging the abrasive particles in the matrix material, and applying sufficient heat and pressure to the mixture of abrasive particles and matrix material to cause the corrosion resistant powder to sinter, the brazing alloy to flow around, react with, and form chemical bonds with the abrasive particles, and allow the brazing alloy to flow through the interstices of the sintered corrosion resistant powder and form an inter-metallic compound therewith.
US07641537B2
A rotating cutting tool (2, 14, 16) for machining a workpiece on a machine tool, in particular for dressing the grinding worm of a tooth flank grinding machine, having an electronic data carrier for storing data relevant to the use of the tool, has an annular data carrier (7) arranged concentrically to the rotation axis of the tool and having an above-average storage capacity, and said data carrier (7), during the machining process, with the tool (2, 14, 16) rotating, exchanges tool-relevant data, at a high transmission rate, with a likewise annular write/read head (10) arranged concentrically thereto on the machine.
US07641529B2
This present invention relates to a life jacket that includes a collar that is intended to be positioned behind the head of the wearer, and a main body attached to two lateral extremities of the collar. This life jacket includes positioning resources designed to pass the collar from a down position, in which it is intended to rest upon the top of the back, to an up position, in which it is intended to rest behind the head of the wearer.
US07641527B1
A marine outboard engine has an upper motor cover, a lower cover, an engine, a driveshaft, a gear case, a rotor shaft, and a bladed rotor. First and second exhaust housings are disposed in the lower cover below the engine. The second exhaust housing at least partially surrounds the first exhaust housing. A first exhaust chamber is formed by the first exhaust housing. The first exhaust chamber fluidly communicates with the engine. A second exhaust chamber is formed between the second exhaust housing and the first exhaust housing. The second exhaust chamber fluidly communicates with the first exhaust chamber. A third exhaust chamber formed between the second exhaust housing and the first exhaust housing below the second exhaust chamber is also disclosed. The third exhaust chamber fluidly communicates with the second exhaust chamber and an exterior of the marine outboard engine.
US07641524B2
A wave-powered water vehicle includes a surface float, a submerged swimmer, and a tether which connects the float and the swimmer, so that the swimmer moves up and down as a result of wave motion. The swimmer includes one or more fins which interact with the water as the swimmer moves up and down, and generate forces which propel the vehicle forward. The vehicle, which need not be manned, can carry communication and control equipment so that it can follow a course directed by signals sent to it, and so that it can record or transmit data from sensors on the vehicle.
US07641519B1
A USB connector includes an electrically insulative housing, which has an exposed space area defined in the bottom wall of a tongue plate at the front side of an upper base member thereof and terminal grooves formed in the bottom wall of the tongue plate, first metal terminals embedded in the upper base member and the tongue plate each having a contact end positioned in a respective locating groove in the exposed space area and a bonding end extended out of the upper base member for bonding, and second metal terminals each having a base portion respectively upwardly forced into the terminal grooves in direction perpendicular to the insertion direction of a matching plug and a front contact end suspending outside the terminal grooves and a rear bonding end extended out of the rear side of the upper base member for bonding.
US07641515B1
A connector assembly includes a shielding cage and a center plate. The shielding cage includes side walls with ports disposed between the side walls. The ports are configured to receive a mating connector through a mating interface of the shielding cage. The center plate is disposed between and couples the side walls to one another. The center plate separates the ports and includes dividing plates and a connecting plate formed with the dividing plates. The dividing plates include spring members extending into the ports to engage the mating connectors received in the ports. The connecting plate extends along the mating interface to interconnect the dividing plates at a location proximate to the mating interface.
US07641506B2
The disclosure relates to a connection device, in particular a heavy-duty plug-type connection, with a first connector and a second connector, which each have a contact-making element in order to produce an electrical connection in the connected state of the connectors; the connectors bearing against one another at a connection region in the connected state; at least one of the connectors comprising a coolant line with one or more access points for the supply and discharge, respectively, of a coolant; the coolant line being provided at the contact-making element in order to dissipate heat from a contact point between the contact-making elements; all of the access points of the coolant line being arranged outside of the connection region.
US07641503B1
A combined cable strain reliever and cable rotation restrainer is disclosed. The combined cable strain reliever and cable rotation restrainer comprises a first part, a second part and a cable. The first part is adapted to be connected to the cable and to the second part, wherein the first part and the second part are arranged to interact for absorbing/taking up forces exerted on the cable connected to the first part. The cable strain reliever and cable rotation restrainer is adapted to be used with a portable electronic device. The cable strain reliever and cable rotation restrainer prevents the cable from being damaged and rotated inside the second part when being assembled therein.
US07641502B2
Front shake preventing ribs (37) are provided at positions spread over the entire inner periphery of a front end of an inner housing (23) and contact a receptacle (14) of a male housing (10) to prevent shaking between an inner housing (23) and a receptacle (14). A wall (31) faces an opening edge portion of the receptacle (14) at a rear end of the inner housing (23) with respect to the connecting direction with the male connector (10). The receptacle (14) is formed with an annular rib (18) projecting in a connecting direction the connectors (10, 20) at a position to surround the inner housing (23) over the entire periphery. The wall (31) has an annular groove (32) that engages the annular rib (18) to prevent shaking between the connectors (10, 20).
US07641496B2
An electrical connector (1) of the present invention includes an insulative base (10) defining a plurality of passageways (101) to receive a plurality of conductive terminals (19) therein, a base plate (142) retained in the insulative base, a cover (12) movably assembled on the base, a cover plate (142) retained in the cover and a cylindrical actuator (16). The base defines a through hole (1021) thereof. The base plate defines a through hole (1421) and a guiding slot (1422). The cover defines a plurality of passages (124) corresponding to the passageways of the insulative base and a through hole (123). The cover plate defines a through hole (1411) and a guiding portion (1413) sliding in the guiding slot. The cylindrical actuator is received and rotating in said through holes. At least one inner edge of the through hole of the base plate extends outwards to form an edge portion with a smooth surface thereon.
US07641494B2
In a waterproof connector and a method for the same, the waterproof connector includes a plurality of electrically conductive terminals, an electrically insulating base, an electrical wire, a hollow cylinder and a cladding. The electrically insulating base has a receiving section. The electrical wire has a plurality of cores. Each core is connected to one end of each electrically conductive terminal. The hollow cylinder is connected to the receiving section and located to one side of the electrical wire. The cladding is used to cover the receiving section, the hollow cylinder, the core and one end of electrically conductive terminal. Further, the present invention provides a method for manufacturing the waterproof connector so as to enhance the yield rate and prevent the penetration of moisture.
US07641487B2
A cable connection device (7) for operatively connecting two sections of cable (3) (see FIG. 1) comprises: first and second parts (9, 10) for respective connection to the first and second cable sections, said first and second parts (9, 10) having mutually engageable components (15, 16) for releasably locking the two parts together; and a release mechanism (17, 19, 31) which when activated permits the first and second parts to separate, said mechanism comprising means (31) for forcibly separating the first and second parts.
US07641484B2
Disclosed is a connector cover structure of a bill storage box, which can prevent a connector for electric power supply from being exposed to dust or foreign substances, during the process of mounting or dismounting a cassette box in or from the bill storage box. The disclosed connector cover structure includes: a connector-fixing bracket fixedly assembled with the connector, and having assembling holes formed through opposite sides of the connector-fixing bracket; a cover having a hinge shaft rotatably fitted in the assembling holes of the connector-fixing bracket, thereby covering a connecting pin; a contact part protruded by a certain length in front of one end of the cover, and having a curved shape; and elastic springs fixedly assembled to the hinge shaft in such a manner that the cover can be returned to its original position. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent poor connection or electrical short circuiting by preventing the exposure of the connector to dust or foreign substances.
US07641480B1
A connector assembly is disclosed for coupling a signal wire bundle from a controller console to a hand-operated catheter assembly. The connector includes a female connector component having a cylindrical cavity, wire fingers disposed within the cylindrical cavity, a guide peg disposed on a surface of the cylindrical cavity at a point proximate an opening of the cylindrical cavity, and a central pin disposed on a base surface at a closed end of the cylindrical cavity. The connector also includes a male connector component having a substantially cylindrical shape having a non-uniform transverse cross-section radius. The male connector component comprises a set of signal leads disposed along arcs of a cylindrical surface of the male connector, a slot defined within the male connector's surface is arranged to accept the guide peg of the female connector component and constrain the relative positions of the male connector and female connector during engagement.
US07641469B2
The invention relates to fastener molding. In one aspect, a molding apparatus includes a cylindrical member defining a void extending radially inward from a peripheral surface of the member. The molding apparatus also includes an insert member configured to be disposed within the void.
US07641456B2
A scroll compressor is provided with a cavity in its back pressure chamber to increase a volume of the back pressure chamber. In this manner, at start-up, the back pressure chamber will not be effective to bias the two scroll members together until this enlarged volume is filled with a compressed refrigerant. This reduces the load on the electric motor at start-up.
US07641450B2
The present invention aims to provide a transfer method and a transfer facility for an easily polymerizable substance that limits standing retention of the easily polymerizable substance in the feed pump, etc., and the generation and adherence of solid matter such as polymer or precipitate that accompanies such retention, in a facility in which respective feed pumps are disposed at the plurality of passages that branch off at the easily polymerizable substance inflow side and converge at the easily polymerizable substance outflow side. In this easily polymerizable substance transfer method, in the case where one feed pump 13 operates and the other feed pump 14 is stopped, a portion of the easily polymerizable substance is fed to feed pump 14 and second passage 12 in a direction that is opposite to the direction of flow of the easily polymerizable substance when feed pump 14 is activated. In this easily polymerizable substance transfer facility, a check valve 22 provided downstream to feed pump 14 has a hole in the valve plug that permits passage of the easily polymerizable substance.
US07641445B1
A turbine rotor blade for use in a gas turbine engine, the blade including a serpentine flow cooling circuit that includes a first leg forming a leading edge cooling channel, a second leg that includes an upper channel with trip strips and a lower portion with near wall cooling channels that split off from the upper portion of the second leg to form near wall cooling channels extending along the pressure side and the suction side of the blade, the near wall cooling channels being separated by a dead cavity, and a third leg formed along the trailing edge of the blade with a collecting cavity formed in the blade root and providing the fluid communication between the trailing edge third leg and the near wall cooling channels. The trailing edge channel is connected to a plurality of metering and diffusion holes spaced along the trailing edge. These exit holes include a metering hole, a first diffusion hole, and a diffusion slot located on the pressure side of the trailing edge of the blade. A plurality of the metering and diffusion holes opens into a single diffusion slot. The diffusion slots each include a second diffusion hole and a third diffuser arranged in series.
US07641444B1
A turbine blade having a three pass forward flowing serpentine flow cooling circuit with a first leg connected to exit cooling holes along the trailing edge of the blade, a third and last leg discharging cooling air from the serpentine flow circuit through pressure and suction side film cooling holes, and two blade tip peripheral cooling channels extending along the pressure side and the suction side of the blade tip to provide cooling. Each peripheral channel includes film cooling holes on the blade tip side walls and exit cooling holes on the tip cap. All of the cooling air from the first leg channel that does exit out the trailing edge holes flows into the last leg without discharging through holes in the blade tip. All of the cooling air flowing out the peripheral channel cooling holes flows out from the last leg of the serpentine flow circuit.
US07641441B2
A fan device for use in an electronic apparatus is proposed, the fan device being installed adjacent to a back-panel formed with an emitting diode component and composed of: a fan body, a fastening member and a light-guiding member, wherein the fan body is provided with a plurality of positioning holes for accommodating the light-guiding member, which is then fastened by the fastening member such that the end of the light-guiding member is close to the back panel to provide for a light source by means of the emitting diode of the back panel, allowing the light-guiding member to receive and guide the light to the front of the fan body, whereby the use can observe and judge if the fan device works normally or not from the varied brightness of light shown by the light-guiding member.
US07641438B2
A tray denesting apparatus is provided comprising a receptacle for holding at least one nested stack of packing trays. A conveyer belt is further provided for receiving each of the packing trays upon release from the receptacle. The denesting apparatus has at least one set of soft flexible suction cups disposed below the conveyer belt and which are disposed on a bellows assembly which is moveable between a first position and a second position so that at least one of the soft flexible suction cups may adhere to a first one of the packing trays, and successive packing trays. The tray denester further may include an automatic adjustment apparatus to correspond with selected size parameters of the trays being utilized. As a result, an individual tray may be removed from the receptacle, deposited on the conveyer belt and the conveyer belt then advancing the selected tray to the required area of use.
US07641435B1
A method and apparatus for placing a protective sheet over a load. The apparatus includes a chassis having outer and inner wheels adapted to allow the chassis to traverse along a horizontal path of motion. A mandrel support beam is attached to the chassis adjacent its inner end, the outer end extending beyond the chassis with its longitudinal axis being substantially perpendicular to the horizontal path of motion of the chassis. A mandrel is rotatably attached to the chassis, the outer end of the mandrel being rotatably supported by the mandrel support beam. At least one of the inner wheels of the chassis is in contact with the mandrel adjacent its inner end in a manner adapted to cause the mandrel to rotate upon rotation of the wheel. Pockets located along the mandrel allow the sheet to be releasably attached for winding up onto the mandrel.
US07641434B2
One embodiment relates to a loadlock having a first support structure therein to support one unprocessed substrate and a second support structure therein to support one processed substrate. The first support structure is located above the second support structure. The loadlock includes an elevator to control the vertical position of the support structures. The loadlock also includes a first aperture to permit insertion of an unprocessed substrate into the loadlock and removal of a processed substrate from the loadlock, as well as a second aperture to permit removal of an unprocessed substrate from the loadlock and insertion of a processed substrate into the loadlock. A cooling plate is also located in the loadlock. The cooling plate includes a surface adapted to support a processed substrate thereon. A heating device may be located in the loadlock above the first support structure.
US07641422B2
A cutting tool for parting and grooving operations of the kind including a coupling part, which is intended for mounting the cutting tool in a machine tool, and a tool head detachably connected to the coupling part. The tool head includes a basic holder part and, joined to the basic holder part, a blade part, in front portion of which an insert pocket is formed, in which a cutting insert is fastenable. The cutting tool also includes means for supplying cooling agent to the cutting insert. The cooling agent supplying means includes a tube member, which is mounted in a recess, which is transverse to the longitudinal direction of the blade part and arranged in the tool head. The tube member has an inlet for connection to a cooling agent source and an outlet for leading the cooling agent in a direction towards the cutting insert.
US07641418B2
In one aspect of the invention a method includes the steps of providing a channel attached to a vehicle adapted to transverse an area, the channel being in communication with at least one supply of pavement rejuvenation material, and the area having a layer of pavement aggregate; positioning the channel so that at least a portion of the channel is disposed within the layer; and adding the pavement rejuvenation material into the layer from an opening in the channel positioned below the surface of the layer.
US07641416B2
A vehicle barrier deployment system comprises a base member, at least two lifting members, at least one barrier member, and an actuation assembly. The lifting members are pivotally secured to the base member, and are operable to be selectively raised and lowered in a vertical direction relative to the base member. The at least one barrier member is in communication with the lifting members, and is configured to stop a moving vehicle when the lifting members are in a raised position. The actuation assembly is in communication with the lifting members, and is operable to selectively raise and lower the lifting members by moving at least a portion of each of the lifting members in a direction transverse to a traffic lane. The barrier member may comprise chains, a guardrail, or other structures. The system may be mobile or may be fixed (e.g., embedded in ground) in a particular location.
US07641401B2
Disclosed are an optical element holder and an optical communication module. The optical element holder comprises a pedestal having a pair of fixing sections, a pair of holding sections and a stress-suppressing section. The fixing sections are formed in opposing end portions of the pedestal for being welded to a carrier. The holding sections are formed to face the pedestal in an inner position than positions where the fixing sections are formed so as to hold the optical element by pinching it therebetween. The stress-suppressing section prevents a welding stress, which is generated when the fixing sections are welded to the carrier, from affecting the holding sections.
US07641394B2
A vehicle wheel bearing apparatus has an outer member and inner member. The inner member includes a wheel hub and inner ring. The outer member and inner member include respective raceway surfaces. Double row rolling elements are freely rollably contained between the outer and inner raceway surfaces, respectively, of the outer member and the inner member. At least the inner side rolling elements of the double row rolling elements are tapered rollers. A pitch circle diameter of the inner side rolling elements is set smaller than a pitch circle diameter of the outer side rolling elements. A substantially conical recess is formed at an outer side end portion of the wheel hub. The depth of the recess extends near to a shaft shaped portion beyond the bottom of the inner raceway surface of the wheel hub. The thickness of a portion of the wheel hub where the inner raceway surface is formed is set within a predetermined range. The outer side wall of the wheel hub is formed to have a substantially constant thickness along the inner surface of the recess.
US07641392B2
A hydrodynamic plain bearing is provided and includes a raceway which is rotatable about an axis of rotation and which is mounted in the axial direction on a plurality of carrying segments (12). A lubricating oil film is formed between the raceway and the carrying segments (12) in a bearing gap. In such a plain bearing, a circulation of the lubricating oil is brought about in a simple way in that the plain bearing is equipped with an integrated pumping device (15) for pumping the lubricating oil around in a circuit.
US07641385B2
A fixing apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention includes a non-contact temperature detecting element 81 allocated in non-contact with a heat roller, the sensing element detecting a temperature of the heat roller. The non-contact temperature sensing section 81 includes a thermopile P which detects a target temperature Pt of a heat roller 2, a temperature element CPU 100 which estimates an ambient temperature at the periphery of the thermopile P and computes an estimated ambient temperature SQt, and a thermister Q which detects an ambient temperature Qt at the periphery of the thermopile and outputs the ambient temperature Qt at an output voltage of a predetermined rate with respect to a total output voltage value corresponding to the estimated ambient temperature SQt.
US07641378B2
A backlight module including a first frame, a light guide plate, and a light source is provided. The inner surface of the first frame has at least a first reflection area. In addition, the light guide plate is disposed in the first frame and located beside the first reflection area, and the light guide plate has a light incident surface. Moreover, the light source is disposed in the first frame and between the first reflection area and the light incident surface. The first reflection area is suitable for reflecting a part of the light emitted from the light source to the light incident surface. A liquid crystal display using the backlight module is also provided.
US07641376B2
The present invention provides a surface light source device capable of reducing luminance non-uniformity near point light sources and near between the point light sources adjacent to each other, and a display device of high display quality. The surface light source device includes: a plurality of LEDs arranged at a predetermined spacing; a light guide plate that emits, as a surface light, light emitted from the point light sources and entered into at least one side surface, through a light emission surface perpendicular to a light incident surface; reflecting sheets disposed respectively on a light anti-emission surface and near the LEDs in the light guide plate; and a casing having an opening part at a location corresponding to the light emission surface of the light guide plate, and holding the LEDs and the light guide plate and the reflecting sheets. The surface light source device further includes, near between the LEDs adjacent to each other, light introducing means for introducing the light emitted from the LEDs into the light emission surface or the light anti-emission surface.
US07641372B2
An advanced headlamp system is proposed for providing a headlamp assembly for vehicles that has peripheral beam technology built in that has a multiplicity of filaments and reflectors built in to provide at least one forward beam and at least one or more peripheral light beams offset in angles to the left (for the driver side) and to the right (for the passenger side) of the forward beam in each assembly each also having a low-beam and a high-beam. The filaments and reflectors are located within a single sealed compartment. An example of a headlamp depicted would have (3) light filament bulbs, (3) reflectors, one pointing forward, one at a 45-degree angle, and one at a 90-degree angle. Included are circuitry and switches to program and to turn the bright lights and the peripheral beam system on or off and to turn the beams on or off automatically when an oncoming car comes within a certain distance.
US07641371B2
A motor vehicle light including a plastic cover disc and a light unit that is mounted behind the surface of the cover disc is provided. The light unit is at least partially encased by the plastic of the cover disc and is fixed in position against the cover disc by the casing.
US07641366B1
A lighting fixture capable of mounting in a plurality of orientations comprises a wall mount assembly having a front canopy rotatably secured to a rear canopy and a lamp housing assembly capable of a plurality of orientations secured to said rotatable front canopy and capable of rotation therewith. The lamp housing assembly may further include a motion sensor integral thereto whereby the rotation of the housing assembly does not affect the performance of the motion sensor.
US07641364B2
An adapter device for a lamp or light fixture includes a male connector, a female socket and control circuitry. The adapter supports at least one RGB LED cluster positioned so as to emit a colored light show. The male connector is configured to be received in a conventional light socket. The adapter also includes a slot for receiving and securing a replaceable volatile active insert for enabling the device to emit an active ingredient from the insert when the insert is secured in the slot. A conventional light bulb or a CFL may also be connected to the female socket as a source of illumination. Thus, a single adapter is used to combine a conventional light source/colored light show source/volatile active source.
US07641360B2
A light-emitting unit includes a bounding frame, a first light-emitting element, a second light-emitting element, and a first reflecting sheet. The first light-emitting element and the second light-emitting element are disposed in the bounding frame, and emit light in different directions. The first reflecting sheet is disposed on the bounding frame, and has a reflecting surface on one side away from the bounding frame.
US07641356B2
A bedside flashlight cradle for supporting a flashlight from the side of a bed frame for ready access. The cradle includes a grasper end for connection to the bed frame, a middle section, and a cradle. The grasper end may attach to the bed frame without fastener, for example, by sliding over the vertical side wall of the bed frame. The middle section may cant backward in order to support the flashlight flush with the edge of the bed frame. The cradle may be provided in spaced apart pairs to support the flash light or in other configurations such as an integral unit that has sufficient width to support a flashlight or an integral unit that has a single grasper end of sufficient width with a pair of spaced-apart cradles.
US07641353B2
A light attachment for fastening to a carrier structure including a light source (4), a battery (5) and a light source controlling switch (23) comprising a casing (1) with a front side and a rear side and including a head portion (16) with a first opening (17) for the light source (4) in the front side and an elongated body portion with a second opening for a switch actuating arm in the front side and further comprising a removable elastic sleeve (6) for surrounding at least partially the elongated body and the carrier structure to urge and fasten the rear side of the casing (1) to the carrier structure.
US07641352B2
A backlight unit usable in a liquid crystal display. In one embodiment, the backlight unit includes a substrate, a first plurality of light emitting elements positioned on the substrate, and a second plurality of light emitting elements positioned on the substrate, where the first plurality of light emitting elements positioned on the substrate are arranged in rows, such that two neighboring rows define a first pitch therebetween and the second plurality of light emitting elements positioned on the substrate are arranged in a row such that the row of the second plurality of light emitting elements is separated from the closest neighboring row of the first plurality of light emitting elements by a second pitch, where the first pitch is less than the second pitch.
US07641349B1
As disclosed herein, a device may comprise an optic disposed in a near vacuum environment, the optic formed with a surface portion; a temperature controlled member formed with a surface portion conforming to the optic surface portion; and a liquid interposed between the optic surface portion and the member surface portion to conduct heat therebetween.
US07641348B2
An integrated portable computer projector system comprises an image projector integrally couplable to a computer device.
US07641342B2
In an information system and a method for providing information in correlation with light that is incident on an eye, a pair of spectacles includes a holographic element that is supported in front of the eye of a wearer of the spectacles. An optical scanning device detects light that is incident on the eye via the holographic element.
US07641341B2
Technique for providing an indication of viewer interest in response to visual stimuli. A viewer is exposed to visual stimuli. The viewer's saccadic eye motion occurring while the viewer is being exposed to the visual stimuli are measured. The visual stimuli are displayed together with the measured saccadic eye motion that occurred while the viewer was being exposed to the visual stimuli as an indication of the viewer's interest in such visual stimuli.
US07641340B2
A fundus camera of which the operability in alignment when photographing a fundus is enhanced includes a photographing optical system having a photographing optical axis which photographs the fundus, a fundus observation optical system picking up a fundus observation image, an anterior-segment observation optical system picking up an anterior-segment observation image, a photographing unit housing the optical systems, a moving mechanism moving the unit for alignment of the axis, a display unit, and a controller controlling the display unit and making display switching between the images on a screen of the display unit, wherein the controller includes a program for forming and displaying a reticle mark both in displaying the fundus observation image and in displaying the anterior-segment observation image while forming and displaying an alignment mark of which a relative distance from the reticle mark varies with an alignment deviation amount of the axis with respect to an eye.
US07641338B2
Image forming part 220 forms a 2-dimensional image of the surface of the fundus oculi Ef (fundus oculi image) and a tomographic image of the fundus oculi Ef. The fundus oculi image 212a and the tomographic image Ga captured at the first examination time and the fundus oculi image 212b and the tomographic image Gb captured at the second examination time are stored in an image storage part 212. Position information generating part 214 generates the position information 213a indicating the position of the tomographic image Ga in the fundus oculi image 212a and the position information 213b indicating the position of the tomographic image Gb in the fundus oculi image 212b. The generated position information 213a and 213b are stored in information storage part 213. Image processing part 230 adjusts the position between the tomographic images Ga and Gb based on such position information 213a and 213b.
US07641335B2
The entire front portion of eyeglass frames for medical, surgical or dental applications are constructed from a solid piece of machined metal, preferably titanium. This results in no welding of the nose bridge, resulting in a one-piece frame that is substantially more stable than existing designs. In a preferred embodiment, the basic shape is cast or stamped from plate stock from titanium, then machined down, if necessary, to a desired finished product. Holes are provided on the bridge portion for the mounting of medical, surgical or dental optics or other accessories.
US07641332B2
An imaging and punching system and related method for a plate imaging system that can record an image on recordable media and punch the imaged media. The imaging and punching system includes a punching apparatus that is a part of the imaging and punching system that can precisely punch an imaged plate in a punch area. The system also includes a transfer assembly, including the imaged media support, having a pivot for moving the imaged media from the imaging system to the punching system. The pivot having a fixed relationship to said imaging system and said punching system and movable about the pivot between a first position proximate the imaging system and a second position proximate the punching system.
US07641331B2
A star wheel releasing mechanism for a printing apparatus is described. The star wheel releasing mechanism comprises a base, the exit wheels disposed at the base, a star wheel module, a pair of supporting plates and a front cover. The base includes a first side and a second side. The star wheel module having a plurality of star wheels is movably disposed on the base. The supporting plates are oppositely disposed at the first side and the second side of the base. Each supporting plate has an arc slot. Two ends of the star wheel module are respectively slidable within the arc slots of two supporting plates. The front cover pivoted on the supporting plates and connected to the star wheel module is movable between a first position and a second position.
US07641330B2
A liquid ejecting head has a head face on which nozzles adapted to eject liquid toward a first face of a target medium are arranged. The liquid ejecting head is adapted to move in a first direction. A conveyance guide member is adapted to support a second face of the target medium so that a distance between the head face and the first face of the target medium is made to be a prescribed value. The conveyance guide member includes a plurality of ribs arrayed in the first direction at a fixed pitch and extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. A medium conveyer is adapted to convey the target medium in a second direction while causing the second face of the target medium to be abutted against the conveyance guide member. A controller is operable to cause the liquid ejecting head to complete liquid ejection toward a leading end portion of the target medium while the leading end portion is located at a region in which an abutment force generated by the medium conveyer becomes maximum.
US07641325B2
A fluid droplet characterizing apparatus and method includes a pressurized source of a non-conductive fluid in fluid communication with a nozzle channel and a characterization electrode. The pressurized source is operable to form a jet of the non-conductive fluid through the nozzle channel. At least one portion of the characterization electrode is electrically conductive and contactable with first portion and thereafter a second portion of the non-conductive fluid jet. The at least one electrically conductive portion of the characterization electrode is operable to transfer a first electrical charge to a region of the first portion of the non-conductive fluid jet and transfer a second electrical charge to a region of the second portion of the non-conductive fluid jet.
US07641324B2
Provided are, a liquid-jet head capable of enhancing durability thereof when it is driven, and of making an arrangement density of piezoelectric elements high-density, a method of manufacturing the same, and a liquid-jet apparatus. The liquid-jet head includes: piezoelectric elements which are provided on a passage-forming substrate with a vibration plate interposed therebetween, and are respectively configured of a lower electrode, piezoelectric layers and upper electrodes, the passage-forming substrate having pressure generating chambers, which communicate with nozzle orifices for ejecting liquid droplets, formed therein, in which, while the lower electrode is continuously provided across plural piezoelectric elements, near-end portions of the lower electrode at least in regions of the lower electrode between adjacent ones of the piezoelectric elements are formed into thin-thickness portions thinner than portions of the lower electrode in other regions of the lower electrode.
US07641321B2
The method of manufacturing a liquid ejection head includes the steps of: forming a groove section in a first layer of a substrate including at least the first layer and a second layer, the groove section having a bottom face constituted by the second layer and being formed in a ring shape; forming a protective film on the groove section; forming a diaphragm on a surface of the first layer where the groove section is opened; forming a piezoelectric element on the diaphragm; forming an opening section in the diaphragm so as to expose a portion of a region of the first layer surrounded by the groove section; and etching the first layer via the opening section so as to form a pressure chamber, using the second layer as an etching stop layer.
US07641311B2
An ink jet print head includes a print element substrate having an ink ejection energy generator, a support substrate to support the print element substrate, and an ultraviolet light and heat combination setting adhesive bonding the print element substrate to the support substrate. A bonding surface of the support substrate on which the print element substrate is supported is formed with an ultraviolet light reflection prevention surface that prevents a reflection of ultraviolet light.
US07641309B2
A present invention reduces the generation of periodic uneven print density in the image in a main scanning direction. The present invention focuses attention on a fact that, when a printing head including a plurality of nozzle arrays for ejecting different inks is used to print an image and when the same pixel is printed by a combination of nozzle arrays in which an interval in the main scanning direction is relatively short, the displacement of ink impact positions is smaller when compared to a case where the same pixel is printed by a combination of nozzle arrays in which an interval in the main scanning direction is relatively long. Thus, a dot arrangement pattern allocated to the pixel data is selected so that the same pixel is printed by a combination of nozzle arrays in which an interval in the main scanning direction is relatively short.
US07641306B2
A wiper blade member can maintain a high water repellency even for a pigment ink. The wiper blade member, which can eliminate a deposit on an ink discharge face of an ink jet recording head, is made water repellent by a condensate of a fluorine-containing hydrolysable compound. The condensate increases a fluorine content significantly and shows a strong adhesion to a substrate (blade) by the presence of the hydrolysable group. The condensate strongly adheres to the substrate by a condensation reaction only by hydrolysis, but the adhesion can be further improved by photo- or thermocuring. The curing reaction can be executed at a relatively low temperature, without causing damage to the blade constituting the substrate.
US07641300B2
The liquid ejection head has an ejection unit which includes: a nozzle ejecting a droplet of liquid; a pressure chamber connected to the nozzle; a displacement generating device which changes a volume of the pressure chamber; and a supply flow channel which is connected to the pressure chamber and supplies the liquid to the pressure chamber, wherein a resonance frequency f (kHz) of the ejection unit and an ejection speed v (m/s) of the droplet ejected by the nozzle satisfy a following relationship: f>31×v+80.
US07641295B2
A foldable host unit case for a computer with joint mechanisms includes four holding posts and the upper ends of the holding posts connect with a neighboring holding post with first foldable connecting rods and second foldable connecting rods respectively. The lower ends of the holding posts are joined to four ends of a cross connecting rod set such that the holding posts are capable of being extended to constitute a firm structure. Hence, the host unit case is capable of being extended conveniently and quickly and being folded conveniently to reduce the volume thereof during being packaged.
US07641290B2
A valve has a valve body with first and second intake passages, first and second supply passages and a reservoir return passage defined therein. A shuttle member is movable within the valve body between a first flow position and a second flow position. In the first flow position, the shuttle member defines a first fluid flow path between the first intake passage and the first supply passage and a second fluid flow path between the second supply passage and the reservoir return passage. In the second flow position, the shuttle member defines a third fluid flow path between the second intake passage and the second supply passage and a fourth fluid flow path between the first supply passage and the reservoir return passage. The valve is useful in a bi-directional hydraulic power system having at least one hydraulic component, a reservoir for hydraulic fluid, and a bi-directional pump.
US07641288B1
This invention relates generally to an apparatus design that minimizes fabrication and assembly costs for an omni-directional wheel.
US07641287B2
Method for manufacturing brushes, whereby bundles of fibers (12) are provided in a brush body (13), whereby this method also comprises a step whereby the far ends (2) of the fibers (3) are subjected to a processing by bringing them into contact with a processing equipment (5), characterized in that, during the aforesaid step, the fibers (3) and the processing equipment (5) are mutually put into contact whereas the fibers (3) are being held loosely together.
US07641278B2
Disclosed is a passenger seat, especially an airline passenger seat, comprising seat components such as a seat part, a backrest, and an armrest (3), at least one of which is movably disposed relative to the other seat components to adjust the position, and a partition (9, 11) that can be transferred between an operational position in which the same extends in a lateral shielding area of the seat and a non-operational position in which the same unblocks the shielding area. The partition is composed of several wall parts (9, 11) which extend in the shielding area in the operational position and interact via a guiding device (43, 45) such that the movement of one wall part (9) during the transfer between the non-operational and the operational position entrains another wall part (11).
US07641277B2
A seating unit that includes a linkage mechanism adapted to move the seating unit between extended and reclined positions, and a chassis is provided. The linkage mechanism includes a seat-mounting link, a base plate fixedly mounted to the chassis, a back-mounting bracket rotatably coupled to the seat-mounting link, a back drive link in generally laterally-spaced relation to the seat-mounting link, and a front-lift assembly that is rotatably coupled to the seat-mounting link. In operation, a rearward occupant force on the back-mounting bracket generates a rearward bias that is converted to a laterally-directed force through the back drive link to the front-lift assembly. Upon receiving this force, the front-lift assembly translates the seat-mounting link forward and upward in relation to the base plate, such that, the seat-mounting link is consistently biased in a particular inclination angle with respect to the base plate throughout adjustment.
US07641271B1
A vehicle body pass-through structure is basically provided with a seal member, a rigid mounting member and a grommet. The seal member includes a first side, a second side and an access opening extending through the seal member between the first side and the second side. The rigid mounting member overlies the second side of the seal member so that the access opening of the seal member aligns with an attachment aperture of the mounting member. The grommet includes a first open end portion, a second open end portion, and a passageway extending between the first open end portion and the second open end portion. The first open end portion is disposed in the attachment aperture of the mounting member.
US07641269B2
In a vehicular body structure, left and right front pillars are provided closer to the longitudinal centerline of a vehicle than left and right corner sections of a compartment of the vehicle. First corner window (26) provided adjacent to one of the left and right front pillars (13) which is more remote from a driver's seat (24) has a greater opening area than a second corner window (25) provided adjacent to the other of the left and right pillars (11) which is closer to the driver's seat.
US07641268B2
In an assembly of a bodywork part and a headlight glass for a motor vehicle that cooperate by elastic deformation, the headlight glass has an outline designed to be engaged in an opening in the bodywork part. The opening is defined by an outline in the bodywork part that is substantially complementary to the outline of the headlight glass. At least part of the outline of the bodywork part cooperates with the outline of the headlight glass by elastic deformation.
US07641266B2
An automotive vehicle is provided having a vehicle body with a passenger compartment between a vehicle floor, a vehicle roof and side pillars. A pair of passenger seats are oriented within the passenger compartment with a center console mounted therebetween. A central structural pillar extends from the center console to the vehicle roof for supporting a central region of the vehicle roof. A ducting assembly is provided with a central duct extending upward from the center console adjacent to the pair of passenger seats and in fluid communication with a heating and cooling system. An outlet port is provided on the central duct for directing the air to the seating row.
US07641262B2
An air deflection apparatus for reduction of vehicular air drag comprises at least one air deflection element coupled to a rear portion of the vehicle but not to the rear-facing surface of the vehicle or, in other embodiments, at least one air deflection element coupled to a rear portion of the vehicle but not to any rear door which the vehicle may have. The air deflection elements are displaceable, preferably in unison, between a retracted position and at least one deployed position in which the air deflection elements intersect with the air flowing around the top and sides, and preferably also the bottom, of the vehicle, and in which they divert that airflow in a manner that enhances the aerodynamic characteristics of the vehicle and thereby improves its fuel economy, resulting in a reduction in fuel cost. The air deflection elements may be deployed and retracted manually, or remotely with powered assistance, or under microprocessor control, with the latter allowing for optimal positioning of the air deflection elements based either on pre-stored values, or on values derived, utilizing an optional feedback mechanism, from real-time vehicular speed and fuel consumption data. Vehicles equipped with the apparatus, and methods of reducing vehicular air drag using the apparatus, are also disclosed.
US07641250B2
A body molding with integral lock feature that is located within a channel formed in a body of a vehicle includes an elongated cover portion that is generally planar, with opposed side edges, an upper surface and a lower surface and opposed side edges. A retention member projects radially from the lower surface of the cover portion. The retention member includes at least two links interconnected via a joint, and each link is formed from a thermoplastic material having a predetermined link durometer. The joint is made from a thermoplastic material having a predetermined joint durometer. The link durometer is greater than the joint durometer, so that the retention member has a first predetermined shape prior to installation in the channel and a second predetermined shape after installation in the channel, to maintain the retention member in the channel via interference contact between a contacting joint and the channel.
US07641243B2
An improved latch incorporating adjustable backset and cylinder latch bolt assemblies, working in cooperation with a door handle, mounting rods and spindle. The backset latch includes novel configured inner and outer casing parts through which extend the mounting rods and spindle, and which sandwich therebetween an actuating plate and follower plate arrangement. The cylinder latch bolt further includes a novel subassembly including a bolt mounted in spring biasing fashion via a stem portion extending therefrom and interengaging the actuating plate to selectively retract the bolt into a cylinder shaped and interiorly open body.
US07641241B2
A pipe joint, and a method of forming a pipe joint between two metallic pipes which have been internally and/or externally coated with a material to prevent corrosion includes a spigot and a socket. The socket has, or is formed with, an internal circumferential groove (6) that provides a seating for an elastomeric sealing ring (8). An extension or lip (13) forward from the groove provides a welding location (14) remote from the sealing ring. The coating on the end of the socket if necessary is removed to facilitate welding. The spigot has a heat sink member (9) to enable the lip of the socket to be welded to the metal of the spigot.
US07641240B2
A removable pressure sealing assembly for connecting two pipes includes a single piece cylindrical cover placed over a gap between the pipes, the pipes being aligned with each other. Various annular seals are positioned on the pipes to create a sealing mechanism in the gap between the cover and the pipes before the cover is finally positioned over the gap between the ends of the pipes. Once the annular seals are correctly positioned, the cover can be moved over the gap and end piece rings bolted to both the pipes and the cover to secure the assembly in place.
US07641239B2
The diameter of a front end opening section (20-1) extending rearward over a predetermined length from a front end opening of a male member reception hole (20) is larger than a diameter of a male member reception section (20-2) of the male member reception hole that follows the front end opening section. The backup ring (18) is allowed to engage an inner wall surface (20-3) of a front end opening section (20-1) as a backup ring (18) is pressed radially outward from an annular groove (24) by a seal ring (16) that is deformed by engagement with the inner wall surface of the male member reception hole (20) when a male coupling member (12) begins to be inserted into the male member reception hole (20), which prevents the backup ring (18) from coming out, in a radially outward manner, from the annular groove (24).
US07641233B2
An occupant restraint system which is activated instantaneously at an vehicle accident to protect an occupant's body against a disaster. An occupant restraint system (A) is provided on the back (1a) of a seat (1) with a shoulder top restraint device (4) for restraining the right shoulder portion of the occupant (2). The occupant restraint system (A) is provided on the side portion of the back (1a) of the seat (1) with a shoulder side restraint device (5A), which includes: a motor (12) adapted to be actuated by a sense signal of a motor vehicle accident; an instantaneous turning mechanism unit (13) driven by the motor (12); bifurcated arms (14A) mounted on the instantaneous turning mechanism unit (13); and a shoulder receiving portion (15A) mounted on the other ends of the bifurcated arms (14A) for protecting the shoulder side (3b) of the body of the occupant (2).
US07641216B2
A folding chair includes handle frames, and front legs and rear legs configured to support the chair in an upright position. The front legs are pivotally attached to respective rear legs. A chair portion, includes a back rest, a seat and a leg rest pivotally attached to the seat. Pivot frames are pivotally attached to respective handle frames, the back rest and the rear legs. Sliders are pivotally attached to respective pivot frames, the back rest, respective arm rests and the seat and are configured to slide along the front legs.
US07641212B1
A bicycle frame includes an axle, a hub and freewheel assembly, two fork end members, two axle pegs, and two locking nuts. Thus, the first ramp of each of the axle pegs is rested on the second ramp of the respective fork end member to prevent each of the axle pegs from being rotatable relative to the respective fork end member, so that the first end of each of the axle pegs is clamped exactly between the respective fork end member and the respective locking nut to prevent each of the axle pegs from being rotatable freely on the axle to ensure the safety of a user who treads the axle pegs.
US07641207B2
The present invention offers a front suspension and steering system for cycles and motorcycles. A mainframe with two front wheels and one rear wheel, the front wheels have flat surface tires, a 2-axial hub, having a wheel axle to support the two front wheels and a tilting axis below the wheel axle, a steering arm, having a tilting axle, the tilting axle can rotate in the tilting axis when the steering arm is tilting, the steering arm is connected to the mainframe by two wish bones and can rotate in the steeling axis. During turning, the body and the rear wheel are tilting to the side of turning to keep the center of gravity on the side of turning to balance the centrifugal force, but the front wheels and the 2-axial hub do not tilt, such that it is more stable and safe during turning.
US07641202B1
Apparatus for manipulating an article, such as a cutting tool. A moveable jaw member includes first and second inclined surfaces, with the second inclined surface being substantially parallel to the first inclined surface and non-parallel to a central axis. A support structure provides stationary first and second guide surfaces along which the respective first and second inclined surfaces contactingly move. This maintains the jaw member in a selected angular alignment with the central axis as the jaw member advances in a direction orthogonal to the central axis to engage a side of the article. A second jaw member is preferably provided so that the article is clamped between the first and second jaw members. A spring preferably biases the jaw members apart and resists inward movement thereof. A base surface advances along the central axis to contactingly advance and retract the jaw member(s).
US07641196B2
A game and method including providing a game board having a plurality of nodes, a source node for each player and a plurality of playing pieces. Each piece has multiple states and represents each state. The game is played by starting the playing pieces via a single starting position, and moving the pieces by each player, in turn, by having one of the player's pieces act on another of the player's own pieces, a piece of another player, or an empty node according to its predetermined movement abilities and then removing the acting piece. The player backfills the empty node with another piece linked to the emptied node, and continuing to the player's source node. Finally a new piece is placed on the source node in any chosen state. Play continues until one player removes a piece from another player's source node.
US07641191B2
An oblique feeding roller and a reference guide are provided on a re-conveying path for conveying a sheet in which an image has been formed on one side by an image forming unit to the image forming unit again. The sheet is obliquely fed by the oblique feeding roller. A side edge of the sheet abuts to a reference surface provided for the reference guide along a sheet conveying direction, thereby correcting the oblique motion and a positional deviation of the sheet. The reference guide is moved to a position according to a length in a width direction of the sheet which is conveyed by a movement of a cam.
US07641186B2
A sheet material feeding apparatus has a rotatable pressure plate for stacking sheet materials, a pickup roller for feeding the sheet material stacked on the pressure plate, a feed roller for feeding the sheet materials fed by the pickup roller and a separation roller contactable with the feed roller. A registration roller corrects oblique feeding of the sheet material by being abutted against the separated sheet material by the feeding roller and the separation roller, and after the registration roller rotates in synchronism with the pickup roller and the feed roller to start feeding the sheet material, pressure of the pressure plate against the pickup roller is released, and thereafter the feed roller and the separation roller are spaced apart from one another.
US07641182B2
A rigid jounce bumper includes a body and at least one support segment projecting axially from an end of the body. The rigid jounce bumper is formed from a substantially non-elastic material such that the rigid jounce bumper can support axially-applied loads without undergoing substantial axial deflection. The at least one support segment is capable of displacement relative to the body when under laterally-applied loads. A gas spring assembly having such a rigid jounce bumper is also included.
US07641176B2
A tensioning tool for applying tension to string-like material includes a first member having a first handle section and a first engaging section opposite the handle section facing a first direction for receiving and engaging a first strand. A second member is pivotally connected to the first member and has a second handle section and a second engaging section opposite the second handle section. The second engaging section faces a second direction opposite the first direction for receiving and engaging a second strand, and moving the handle sections of the first and second members towards each other urges the first and second engaging sections apart. The first strand can be attached to the second strand so that when the first and second handle sections are moved toward each other the first and second engaging sections move away from each other thereby tensioning the first strand.
US07641169B2
A preparing method for a substrate for a stamper where the entirety of the metal rolled plate can be used as the material for the substrate so that a high yield in the preparation can be maintained is provided. A metal is rolled so as to generate a metal rolled plate, the metal rolled plate that is generated is cut to a predetermined size, and metal plating is operated on the front surface or the rear surface, or both the front and rear surfaces, of the metal rolled plate that has been cut to a predetermined size, and then, a polishing process is operated. A target plate thickness that is set when the metal rolled plate is rolled is smaller than the plate thickness that is required at the time of completion of the polishing process.
US07641161B2
A bathroom accessory mounting assembly and method of mounting are provided. The mounting assembly includes a mounting bracket, fastener, flange and post. The mounting bracket includes an axially extending body portion that receives the post. The mounting bracket includes a snap flange that cooperates with the post to secure the post to the mounting bracket.
US07641151B2
A spacecraft propulsion system includes a plurality of wires (102) or other electrically conductive elongated members deployed from a main body (101) into respective radial directions. An electric potential generator (605) generates an electric potential on board the main body (101). The electric coupling between the electric potential generator (605) and the elongated members is controlled (604) so that all or some of the elongated members (102) assume a high positive potential. An auxiliary propulsion system (203) rotates the main body around a rotational axis (502) that is perpendicular to the radial directions, thus creating a centrifugal supporting force to the elongated members.
US07641143B2
A web dispenser comprising a housing for holding at least one roll of web material therein. A mandrel connects to the housing for maintaining at least one roll of web material thereon and facilitating the rotation of the roll of web material to dispense the web material from the roll. A mounting block is affixed to the housing for mounting the housing to a wall at an acute angle relative to the wall. This results in the ergonomic presentation of web material to a stationary user.
US07641142B2
A log multiprocessing apparatus winds a web material around a winding core to form a log. Once the log is about to be completed, the web material is severed to form a tail of the log, and a pattern including at least one glue layer is applied on the tail of the log. The log then is decelerated and the tail is pressed on the log to form a final sealed log of web material.
US07641136B2
The present invention discloses a cutter structure of a paper shredder, which comprises a pull-rod (23), paper guide combs (24), cutter arbors (21), and at least one cutter-blade set composed of two cutter-blades (22), with said cutter-blade set being slipped on said cutter arbor (21), said pull-rod (23) being passing through the hole set on said paper guide combs (24), at least two lugs (222) being set on the bore (32) of said cutter-blade (22) and extending toward a cutter spoke (35), the height of said lug (222) along axial direction of the cutter-blade (22) is greater than the thickness of said cutter blades (22); with recesses (221) being set on cylindrical cutter arbors (21), the number of which is no less than that of said lug (222) which can be placed into said recess (221); said paper guide combs (24) being set between said cutter-blade sets; said paper guide combs (24) being slipped on said cutter arbor (21). The present utility model can omit a cutter ring used in conventional cutter structure, thus reducing the components in whole cutter structure, simplifying the fixing and increasing the radial amount of feed of the cutter-blade while decreasing the cost.
US07641134B2
The invention relates to a method and device for separating a mixture made of particles of a first particle type and a second particle type, especially aleurone particles and shell particles made of comminuted bran, said particles being scarcely distinguishable in terms of size and density, into various types of particles. Separation occurs according to particle-type specific triboelectric charging of said particles in a first active area and subsequent separation of the differently charged moving particles in an electric field.
US07641132B2
A dispersion and aeration apparatus including a nozzle portion (11) having a first passage (14) having at least one inlet (15) and at least one outlet (16) for a first fluid, and a second passage (17) having at least one inlet (18) and at least one outlet (19) for a second material, the first passage outlets (16) located so that the first fluid mixes with the second material as it exits the second passage outlet (19) to aerate and disperse the second material in a predetermined direction.
US07641130B2
The invention is an apparatus and methods for optimizing the performance and protecting one or more aerosol generating transducers from deterioration while operating in a chemically reactive aqueous solution by utilizing one or more protective barrier techniques to eliminate chemical interaction between the aqueous solution and the transducers. The method of the present invention produces an aerosol producing transducer with the transducer housing and assembly to be constructed in such a way as to assure its efficient and effective long-term and problem free operation in an aqueous solution that is chemically reactive.
US07641123B2
An integrated circuit card includes a plurality of electrical contacts; and a memory to store information, the memory being allowed to communicate with a processor via the plurality of electrical contacts. One set of electrical contacts are allowed to be allocated by the processor to support an operation in at least one mode depending on a presence of a certain protocol mode detected by the processor. The integrated circuit card is operable in various modes including both contactless and high speed protocols, a contactless only without the high speed protocol and the high speed protocol only without the contactless protocol.
US07641119B2
Bar code label sticker including a base having a first cutoff line for separating the base into two parts, and a sticker attached on the base, the sticker having a second cutoff line parallel to the first cutoff line at a position spaced a predetermined distance to one side from the first cutoff line, thereby permitting easy management of goods.
US07641117B2
A portable, hand-held data terminal of modular structure includes a base module with a keyboard and a display screen. A data and communications module may be selected from a number of different data and communications modules, each having different types of data communications transceivers, or including in addition data collection devices, such as shelf label readers or bar code readers. The base module includes a microprocessor-controlled data communications and control interface having a predetermined protocol. To adapt the various types of data and communications modules for selection of any one thereof to become attached to the base module and function therewith, each of the data and communications modules includes a microprocessor operable to function as an emulator to interact with the microprocessor of the base module and communicate with the microprocessor of the base module in accordance with the protocol of the data communications and control interface of the base module.
US07641113B1
Systems and methods for generating revenue from banking transactions use a kiosk to perform financial services. The kiosk determines a stored-value account related to a stored-value card for a user of the kiosk. The kiosk performs a banking transaction using the stored-value account. The kiosk then determines a service fee for the banking transaction. The kiosk deducts the service fee from the stored-value account or a value of the banking transaction.
US07641097B2
A wire bonding machine includes a moveable arm assembly and at least one component for a ball bonding operation of the wire bonding machine supported by the moveable arm assembly. The moveable arm assembly is configured to move between a ball bonding position and a wedge bonding position. When the moveable arm assembly is in the ball bonding position the at least one component for the ball bonding operation is in a predetermined position for use in the ball bonding operation.
US07641094B2
Apparatus and method for applying fasteners during endoscopic surgery. The apparatus vertically stacks fasteners in a fastener applicator which is detachable and replaceable from a handle portion by a rotational locking system. The fasteners are applied by moving them to a driving channel by a biased fastener positioning spring as a slide is retracted; the slide is then advanced until it engages a fastener in the driving channel and drives the fastener over an anvil. During advancement of the slide a biased stop spring is forced back into a recess thereby allowing the next fastener to move forward in the storage channel; the slide is then retracted, freeing biased ejector springs to kick the formed fastener off the anvil; finally the slide is further retracted, until the fastener positioning spring is once again free to move the distal-most fastener from the storage channel into the driving channel.
US07641083B2
A garment hanger for use with a top sizer clip that has locking tabs formed along an interior thereof includes a body having a hook member including a web portion and a platform extending at least partially around the web portion. The web portion has a first surface, an opposing second surface, and a pair of locking apertures for receiving the locking tabs to securely attach the top sizer clip to hanger. The web portion has at least one beveled cam surface that includes a first edge that defines an entrance into an adjacent locking aperture and an opposite second edge that interfaces with the first surface for allowing the top sizer clip to be moved to an unlocking position.
US07641080B2
A fountain-style carbonated soft drink dispenser includes a housing adapted to attach to a beverage container, an actuator for selectively opening a fluid conduit, and one or more long tubes that vary a pressure drop across the dispensing assembly and convey fluid. The resistance through the tube(s) is decreased as the pressure within the container decreases so as to maintain a substantially constant flow rate throughout dispensing.
US07641075B2
A device for dispensing a multicomponent composition composed of a mixture of different fluid components includes a first and at least a second fluid component inlet. The device also includes a mixing area located downstream from the fluid component inlets and an outlet extending from the mixing area. Each of the fluid component inlets is adapted to communicate with a source of a different fluid component. The mixing area is adapted to receive a flow of a first and at least second fluid component. Within the mixing area, the flow of the first fluid component is disrupted to allow mixing with the flow of a second fluid component to form a flow of multicomponent composition. The mixing area is further adapted to disrupt the flow of the multicomponent composition before the flow of the multicomponent composition exits through the outlet.
US07641074B2
A flow circuit connector provides the capability to change the flow paths of a product valve in a beverage dispenser. The flow circuit connector includes a first member that connects two unconnected flow paths, and a second member that stops the flow of fluid within the flow paths not being utilized. In a first embodiment, the flow circuit connector allows an operator to select between two diluent flow paths representing either a chilled diluent or a chilled and carbonated diluent. Configuration may be accomplished on location, and is not a permanent rerouting. In a second embodiment, the beverage dispenser further includes an ambient flow circuit and additional flow circuit connector components as required to complete or cap any exposed flow circuits. In a third embodiment, the beverage dispenser includes at least two product flow circuits representing the delivery of ambient product or a conditioned product.
US07641059B2
A modular device for the support of casks includes a base structure on which the casks are supported in multiple rows and/or columns formed by at least two, substantially parallel bars, with specular form and geometry, with one end of each of the bars being fitted with a male joining element and the opposite end fitted with a complementary female joining element. Each bar includes at least one pair of upper facing support elements in the form of wedges with facing inclined surfaces, arranged with a mutual separation on the upper side of each of the bars so that they support a cask in a stable position, and at least one other pair of respective lower facing support elements, which are separated, but arranged on the lower side of the bar and in positions that are supported on a lower cask in use.
US07641055B2
A polymer alloy has been developed comprising a polysulfone and a vinyl lactam polymer. The resulting alloy has excellent thermal characteristics and even in the presence of substantial quantities in vinyl lactam polymers, has solvent resistance to both organic and aqueous solvent materials. The materials, when dissolved in solvents, can be spun from a variety of solvents into a variety of useful fiber materials. The resulting fine fiber, microfiber and nanofiber materials have excellent thermal and chemical resistance for a variety of fiber applications. The polymer alloys of the invention can be spun into nanofiber mats that can act as a filtration media and can also be combined into conventional substrate materials for fabrication into filter structures.
US07641043B2
The present invention provides a loading and unloading apparatus comprising in mutual cooperation a conveyor device (3) adjacent a roller table (2), where said conveyor device and roller table are pivotably mounted on a carrying structure (5), which structure, in use is vertically extendable and retractable.
US07641039B2
A positive displacement article sorter and method of monitoring a positive displacement article sorter, wherein the article sorter includes a frame, an endless web traveling in a longitudinal direction about the frame and an electric motor driving the endless web. The endless web is defined by a pair of continuous chains and a plurality of cross members connected at opposite ends with the chain. The positive displacement sorter includes a plurality of pusher shoes, each laterally traveling along at least one of the cross members. A sensing assembly is provided that has first and second portions. The first portion of said sensing assembly is positioned at the web. The second portion of said sensing assembly is positioned at a stationary location. The first portion of said sensing assembly is sensed with the second portion of the sensing assembly as the first portion of said sensing assembly travels about the frame. A parameter of the web is determined from an output of the sensing assembly.
US07641038B2
A passenger conveyor (20) includes a handrail assembly (30) comprising a handrail (32) having a plurality of co-extruded polymer materials (34, 36). In one example, an outermost portion (34) establishes a passenger gripping surface (38). One example includes an extruded soft, low cost polymer in the middle of the handrail cross section to reduce cost and weight. A disclosed example includes a toothed driving surface (40) on an inner side made of a selected one of the polymer materials (34, 36). In one example, the driving surface (40) and the gripping surface (38) comprise the same polymer material.
US07641035B2
An out-feed roller support stand having a sturdy, stable base that folds for compact storage. A support mast that telescopes into and is adjustable within the base supports a work support head that includes an adjustable cross bar on which a row of pivoting caster wheels are mounted. An alternative embodiment includes a ramp for guiding sagging ends of work-pieces up onto the caster wheels. Both the height and angle between the adjustable cross bar and floor are adjustable after the position of the support mast has been adjusted in order to position the support head in roughly the correct location.
US07641029B2
A piston assembly for a monotube shock absorber includes a piston body with a non-symmetrical outer band that provides a bearing surface against a shock tube wall. The outer band defines a first diameter that is a maximum outer diameter of the piston assembly. The piston body also includes an outer surface portion that is defined by a second diameter less than the first diameter, and which comprises a non-contact surface. The outer band extends in a serpentine manner about an outer circumference of the piston body such that recesses are formed between the shock tube wall and the non-contact surface. Side ports are located within these recesses to allow a blow-off area to be increased by incorporating annular lands into the piston assembly.
US07641028B2
An integrated and self-contained suspension assembly having a gas spring integrated with a shock absorber (damper) is described. The rigid gas cylinder of the air spring is divided into a first gas chamber and a second gas chamber. A flow port connects the first and second gas chambers, and can be manually opened or closed by valve and a simple one-quarter turn rotation of an external knob to instantly switch the gas spring between two different spring rates. The different spring rates are functions of the separate or combined volumes of the two gas chambers. The integrated suspension assembly is compactly packaged and self-contained, i.e., does not require any externalities, such as gas sources or electricity, to operate.
US07641026B1
A brake assembly for a motor, the brake assembly comprising a stack of brake elements, at least one of which is rotatable with an output shaft of the motor, in use, and at least one of which is non-rotatable relative to a housing, and actuator means controlling the magnitude of a compressive load applied to the brake elements, wherein the brake elements are provided, at least in part, with a surface coating which raises the coefficient of friction of the brake elements to a value greater than 0.2. The invention also relates to a brake assembly comprising a plurality of brake elements and an electromagnetic actuator arranged to permit control of a compressive load applied to the brake elements, wherein the actuator includes a winding located such that the brake elements are accessible without requiring removal of the winding from the motor.
US07641023B2
The invention concerns a sound generator mechanism including a control member (10) and a mechanism (14) for locking/unlocking the control member (10), the control member (10) being able to move between a first position in which the control member is held by the locking/unlocking member (14) and in which it holds the vibrating member (12) away from the rest position thereof, and a second position wherein the control member is released by the locking/unlocking mechanism (14) and wherein it simultaneously releases the vibrating member (12), which starts to vibrate and to produce a sound.
US07641020B2
A hand rail for a walkie/rider truck and a conversely U-shaped hand rail has a grab bar, and a control housing being arranged on the grab bar which includes control elements for the lifting and lowering of the load carrying fork, for the horn and for a fast speed mode. The housing is located at the lower side of the grab bar such and the grab bar in the area of the control housing is formed such that the grab bar can be seized by the operator above the control housing in order to obtain a secure support and/or to actuate a control element.
US07641016B2
A straddle-type vehicle that can be accelerated rapidly by a simple operation irrespective of a selected drive mode includes a control unit that executes first control of switching between a plurality of drive modes A and B, and in each of at least two of the drive modes A and B, and second control of shifting the change gear to a kick-down state A1 or B1 in which the speed change ratio is lower than that of the drive mode A or B, according to operation of a shift-down operation member.
US07641006B2
A military vehicle, e.g., tank, that includes a turret, a gun mounted on the turret, a plurality of belts, wherein each of the plurality of belts encompass a front wheel and a rear wheel to provide a positive belt drive system for rotating the belt, at least one suspension system for absorbing load stresses, each suspension system having a suspension cylinder that is operatively and pivotably mounted to a military vehicle frame pivot on a main frame of the military vehicle, at least one belt tensioning system for maintaining tension on the plurality of belts, by moving the axle of the at least one of the front wheel or the rear wheel in a horizontal direction, and at least one electric drive system that includes electric drive motors for rotation of the at least one of the front wheel and the rear wheel and braking.
US07641005B2
A wind-powered pneumatic engine including one or more impeller chambers and one or more impellers disposed in the impeller chambers is provided. One or more air inlets for receiving external wind resistance airflow are disposed on the impeller chambers, and the external wind resistance airflow entering the air inlets drives the impellers to operate to generate power output. The wind-powered pneumatic engine further includes an air-jet system for jetting HPCA into the impeller chambers, and the internal high-pressure compressed air jetted by the air-jet system in conjunction with the external wind resistance airflow entering the air inlets drives the impellers to operate to generate power output. In the present invention, the external resistance airflow around a motor vehicle moving at a speed is converted into power for use, which greatly reduces energy consumption and improves the moving speed of a motor vehicle. A motor vehicle equipped with wind-powered pneumatic engine is also provided.
US07641003B2
A drill bit assembly comprises a bit body intermediate a shank and a working face. The shank is adapted for connection to a drill string. The drill string comprising a fluid passage at least partially disposed within the body. A hammer assembly is movably disposed within the fluid passage along it central axis, the hammer assembly comprises a proximal end stabilized by a centralized upper bearing and a distal end stabilized by centralized a lower bearing. The distal end protrudes out of the working face and the hammer assembly comprises a carrier between the upper and lower bearings. Wherein, under normal drilling operations the carrier is adapted to resist a fluid pressure within the fluid passageway such that the fluid pressure will further extend the distal end of the hammer assembly from the working face by pushing on the carrier.
US07641000B2
System for directional boring including a drilling head with overrunning clutch and method of boring
A drilling system including a drill head configured to couple to a drill string. The drill head including an offset adapter, a one-way clutch, and a drill bit. The drill head being configured to provide straight drilling along a first axis, and deviated drilling along a second axis. The drilling system further including a gearbox configured to provide selective rotational operation corresponding to the straight drilling and the deviated drilling. The drilling system also including control systems to control the selected rotational operation of the gearbox.
US07640999B2
A technique facilitates combined drilling and coiled tubing operations from a single bed of a rig. A mast is mounted to the bed, and a coiled tubing injector is connected to the mast. The coiled tubing injector is able to move coiled tubing into and out of a wellbore. A starter head also is mounted to the mast. The starter head is rotatable to make and break connections of tool string components. However, the starter head generally is rotationally stationary during drilling operations.
US07640996B2
An earthmoving scraping device has a bowl-shaped frame with walls and a frame floor that define an interior for transporting material and a walking beam system for the rear wheels thereof that includes a suspension arm pivotally connected between the back end of the frame and a beam, the beam having first and second axles on separate sides of the beam. Connected to the axles is a tire system that includes a cylindrical metal rim with an outer surface and a plurality of solid tire segments, each of the tire segments having at least one track that is connected to a mounting plate, the mounting plates being circumferentially positioned adjacent to the outer surface of the rim.
US07640985B2
Methods of drilling a well bore in a subterranean formation comprising placing a self-degrading kickoff plug or the like in the well bore are provided. An example of a method is a method comprising: providing a self-degrading cement composition that comprises a degradable material, an acid source, a base source, and a water source; placing the self-degrading cement composition in a desired location in a well bore that penetrates a subterranean formation; and allowing the self-degrading cement composition to set to form a hardened kickoff plug.
US07640984B2
A cement float collar is disclosed that can be positioned downhole and used in a wellbore completion operation after drilling a wellbore with casing. A wellbore drilling and completion method is also disclosed. The cement float collar is made for pumping downhole and into engagement with a groove formed in the casing, called the profile nipple. As such, no restriction is needed in the casing for accepting or latching the float collar and the portion of casing including the groove can be installed at the start of the drilling operation. In addition, the profile nipple can be used to engage other drilling tools and, therefore, can already be in place when the final well depth (TD) is reached.
US07640976B2
A method and apparatus for expanding tubulars are disclosed. In one embodiment, an apparatus for radially expanding a tubular in a wellbore is disclosed. The apparatus includes an expansion swage. In addition, the apparatus includes at least one anchoring device for selective and releasable anchoring of selected parts of the apparatus to an inner surface of the tubular. The apparatus also includes a thruster providing a force for longitudinal movement of the expansion swage inside the tubular. Moreover, the apparatus includes a hydraulic valve for selective control of a flow of operating fluid to the thruster. The hydraulic valve includes a valve cylinder slidably positioned on a shaft and a position control device for selective and releasable securing a position of the valve cylinder on the shaft. The hydraulic valve also includes an elastic device for shifting the valve cylinder between two end positions.
US07640968B2
A heat dissipation device includes a base (10), a heat radiator (40) mounted on the base (10), and two heat pipes (20) connecting the base (10) and the heat radiator (40). The base (10) has a bottom face adapted for contacting with a heat-generating electronic component. The heat pipes (20) each comprise an evaporating portion (22) embedded in the base (10) and a condensing portion (24) extending from an end of the evaporating portion (22). The heat radiator (40) comprises first and second fin assemblies (42, 44) each having two contacting faces (43, 45), the condensing portions (24) of the heat pipes (20) are sandwiched between the contacting faces (43, 45) by the first and second fin assemblies (42, 44), and an opening is enclosed by the first and second fin assemblies (42, 44) and receives an electric fan (50) therein.
US07640963B2
A tire/wheel bead entrapment remover is disclosed. The tire/wheel bead entrapment remover includes one or more working assemblies having a circumferential perimeter that substantially engages a tire. The one or more working assemblies axially-moves one of a wheel of the tire mounted to the wheel while axially-fixing the other of the tire or the wheel to remove one or more entrapments between a bead of the tire and a beat seat of the wheel. According to an embodiment, a tire/wheel bead entrapment remover includes one or more wheels that engages an outboard surface or an inboard surface of a tire mounted to a wheel. The radial axis extends through the one or more wheels. The radial axis traverses a radial line that radially extends from a common axis of rotation of the tire and the wheel. A method for removing an entrapment from a tire/wheel assembly is also disclosed.
US07640961B2
A 360° tool for making a one-piece composite tubular structure, such as a skin of an acoustic liner, is adjustable between a molding position and a non-molding position. The tool includes a base, a fixed segment mounted to the base, first and second doors hingedly connected on either side of the fixed sector, and third door hingedly connected to the second door. The third door has a circumferential extent that is less than one-fourth that of either the first or second door. Sealing members are provided between the doors. Collectively, the fixed sector, and the first, second and third doors have a predetermined shaped surface that corresponds to a portion of the contour of the tubular structure to be formed. After composite material is applied on the outer surfaces of the fixed sector and the doors, a vacuum bag is formed to surround the composite material and also the joint areas on the inner surface of the tool. The entire tool may be placed in an autoclave for curing. The tool may also be used for the layup and bonding of an acoustic core sandwiched between pre-cured skins.
US07640953B2
In a continuous machine for filling containers with a product, each container is fed along a given path in time with a relative metering device, which withdraws the product from a tank, feeds the withdrawn product into the container, and has a piston moved with respect to a cylinder by an actuating device having a tappet, which is carried by the piston and maintained contacting a cam by a pneumatic push assembly.
US07640952B2
A method for manufacturing the surgical device for removing a foreign object from a body and a retrieval basket of the device are described. The retrieval basket is adapted for entrapping and retaining the object located in the body. The basket comprises a structure having a proximal end and a distal end. The structure is formed by a plurality of filaments fabricated from a single or several wires. The filaments extend from the proximal end towards the distal end, and are bound together to define a plurality of strands. The strands ramify at corresponding branching points into loops having various shapes and sizes. At least a part of the loops are overlapped and/or interlaced so as to define a net, and thereby impart structural rigidity and dilatation ability to the basket when opened. The method of manufacturing the retrieval basket includes selecting at least one wire; weaving the basket from the wire by overlapping and/or interlacing the filaments so that to form a net at least in the vicinity of the distal end; and binding the filaments for forming a shape of the retrieval basket.
US07640951B2
Glass cloth which is formed of a warp yarn and a weft yarn of the same glass yarn, wherein a ratio of warp yarn width to weft yarn width is not less than 0.80 and not more than 1.20 and a ratio of an elongation rate in a length direction when a load in a range of 25 N to 100 N per 25 mm width of the glass cloth is added in a warp yarn direction, to an elongation rate in a width direction when said load is added in a weft yarn direction is not less than 0.80 and not more than 1.20.
US07640946B2
A vacuum treating device, comprising a treatment container having a container body (111) and a lid (112) and allowing an internal pressure to be reduced and a lid support mechanism (130), wherein an upper opening (111a) formed in the container body can be closed airtight by the lid (112). The lid support mechanism (130) opens and closes the upper opening (111a) of the container body by moving the lid (112) so as to be translatingly moved in the vertical direction and, when the lid (112) is moved upward from the container body (111), supports the lid (112) so as to be rotated around a vertical axis disposed around the lid.
US07640943B2
The collapsible shelter includes a truss and canopy framework that permits a flexible, collapsible canopy to be moved between a raised position and a lowered position. The collapsible shelter includes at least three legs supporting flexible poles removably mounted to the tops of the legs and forming the framework of the canopy. X-shaped truss pairs of link members are connected to each of the legs on each side of the shelter between adjacent legs.
US07640931B2
A revolutionary solar collecting system for effectively and efficiently harnessing the sun's energy is shown. The system tracks the sun and maintains a constant spatial focal point or sub-focal point to at least partially condense the sun's rays into a high-energy beam that may or may not be redirected to a predetermined location or locations for generating electrical power, heat energy, steam, and/or any other well-known applications In industry and research areas. The revolutionary system of the invention is low-cost, low maintenance, and is capable of significantly reducing energy costs.
US07640929B2
The present invention provides a barbecue grill assembly comprising a cooking chamber with a cover and a firebox. The cover is moveable between an open position and a closed position. The cover has an inner surface and an internal lip extending from a lower edge region of the inner surface. The firebox has a rim at an upper portion of the firebox wherein the rim defines a periphery of the firebox. When the cover is in the closed position, the internal lip is positioned inward of the firebox periphery. This means that the internal lip is positioned within the perimeter of the firebox, as defined by the rim. The grill assembly further comprises a burner element positioned in the firebox, a cooking grate positioned in the firebox above the burner element, and a frame assembly adapted to support the cooking chamber.
US07640925B2
A pneumatic assembly for a paintball gun preferably includes a bolt slidably arranged on a valve stem. The bolt is preferably moveable between an open and a closed position. The bolt preferably provides a firing mechanism for the paintball gun by permitting compressed gas from a compressed gas storage area to flow through the bolt to fire the paintball gun when the bolt is closed but preventing the transfer of compressed gas through the bolt when the bolt is open. An internal area of the valve stem can be arranged to communicate with the compressed gas storage area to increase the effective volume of the compressed gas storage area without increasing the size of the paintball gun. This can permit lower pressure operation of the paintball gun. A supply of compressed gas to the compressed gas storage area can be cut off during firing to improve gas efficiency.
US07640922B2
The present invention includes a foam dart gun having a cylindrically shaped, typically hollow barrel with a plurality of hooks disposed at a first end of the barrel. Inner and outer elastic bands engaged with one another to form an elastomeric band assembly, which is typically engaged to the barrel at least proximate the end of the barrel opposite a trigger.
US07640921B2
An injector bracket 10 is provided inside an air cleaner 5. The injector bracket 10 comprises a rectifying wall 10a bulging into a main chamber 5b, and a stream-line guide wall 10b in opposition to an air current M having passed through an element 8. The injector bracket 10 functions as a partition and forms a separate chamber 10e partitioned from the main chamber 5b in the air cleaner 5. An upstream injector unit 7 is arranged in the separate chamber 10e. The rectifying wall 10a is in the form of a symmetric blade.
US07640914B2
A system for an engine, comprising a cylinder located in the engine, a turbocharger coupled to the engine, a first injector for injecting a first fuel into said cylinder, wherein said first injector is a direct cylinder injector where said direct cylinder injector delivers a liquid including an alcohol, a second injector for injecting a second fuel into said cylinder, wherein said second injector is a port injector, where said port injector delivers a liquid including gasoline, a catalytic device configured to receive exhaust gases produced by at least the cylinder, and a controller configured to vary an amount of said first and second fuel injection during engine operation based on operating conditions, where amounts of variation of said first and second fuels are set to maintain a substantially stoichiometric mixture, the controller further configured to increase a relative amount of injection of the second injector in response to an indication of engine knock during a first operating condition, decrease engine boosting in response to the indication of engine knock during a second condition; and retard ignition timing in response the indication of engine knock during a third condition.
US07640911B2
A method for combusting fuel in an engine using a two-stroke homogeneous charge spark-ignition cycle. The method involving injecting fuel into partially compressed hot air to provide a homogenous charge to the cylinder before second stage compression in the cylinder, the engine having two variable compression ratios, a first variable compression ratio such that spark ignited HCCI-like combustion being emission free, and a second variable compression ratio for preventing pre-ignition at high loads. The expansion process of the engine having a chosen expansion ratio much greater than the compression ratio.
US07640909B2
A vehicle, such as a motorcycle, includes an engine having at least one intake port. An air intake assembly introduces air into the intake port. In one arrangement, the air intake assembly includes a stationary funnel and a movable funnel positioned on the inlet side of the fixed funnel and selectively cooperates with the stationary funnel to deliver air to the intake port of the engine. A seal member creates at least a substantial seal between the fixed funnel and the movable funnel when the funnels are in cooperation with one another. A retention mechanism inhibits the seal member from disengaging with the funnel onto which the seal member is positioned. In one arrangement, the movable funnel is formed with one or more projections and the seal member is formed with one or more recesses that accommodate the projections. The projection may be a flange or a boss, among other possibilities, and the recess is configured to accommodate the specific projection.
US07640906B2
A hydraulic valve lash adjuster with idle stroke function for a valve train of an internal combustion engine, said hydraulic valve lash adjuster comprising a piston (2, 2′, 2″) that is guided for displacement in a piston housing (4) and elastically supported against said housing (4), said piston (2, 2′, 2″) comprising a low pressure chamber (3) that communicates via an axial opening (7) in a piston bottom (8) with a high pressure chamber (5) defined by the piston housing (4) and the piston (2, 2′, 2″), and further comprising a control valve (9, 9′, 9″, 9′″) acting between said pressure chambers (3, 5), said control valve (9, 9′, 9″, 9′″) comprising a valve closing body (10, 10′, 10″) that can be brought to bear sealingly against a valve seat (15, 15′) that surrounds the axial opening (7) on a piston body undersurface (18) and is received in an element (12, 12′) that limits a closing body stroke (17), and said control valve (9, 9′, 9″, 9′″) further comprising a control valve spring (11) that loads the valve closing body (10, 10′, 10″) with a spring force in opening direction, and an idle stroke being produced during a collapsing movement between the piston (2, 2′, 2″) and the piston housing (4) during which said valve closing body (10, 10′, 10″) is hydraulically loaded in closing direction against the action of the control valve spring (11) by a pressure build-up in the high pressure chamber (5), whereby a retarded pressure build-up can be obtained through a flow control device (23, 23′) arranged on a high pressure chamber-side and comprising a flow control element (24, 24′) and a medium pressure chamber (19) that extends between the flow control element (24, 24′) and the axial opening (7) of the piston (2).
US07640905B2
In an engine cover mounting structure, an internal portion of an elastic member comprises a small diameter hole portion having a small inside diameter and a large diameter hole portion having a large inside diameter which continues to the small diameter hole portion, the relationship between an outside diameter W1 of a head portion which engages with the elastic member and an inside diameter W2 of the small diameter hole portion is set to be W1>W2, and the relationship between an inside diameter W3 of the large diameter hole portion and an outside diameter W4 of a leg portion is set to be W3≧W4, the large diameter hole portion and the small diameter hole portion are made to communicate with each other in a step-like fashion, and at least part of a portion to be restrained is provided on an outer circumferential side of the large diameter hole portion.
US07640903B2
A device for adjusting the position of the angle of rotation of the camshaft of a reciprocating piston internal combustion engine relative to the crankshaft in a motor vehicle is provided, which includes an adjusting gear mechanism in the form of a triple shaft gear mechanism having a drive shaft fixed to the crankshaft, an output shaft fixed to the camshaft and an adjustment shaft which is drivingly connected to an electric motor which can be positioned using an electric control device. The ignition of the internal combustion engine is connected to the motor vehicle battery via an ignition switch. The motor vehicle also includes at least one device which can be adjusted by a user of the vehicle. A monitoring circuit provided with at least one sensor for detecting a change of state of the at least one device. The monitoring circuit is connected to the control device when the latter is switched off, such that the control device is switched on when a change in state is detected.
US07640899B2
A system and method for controlling electromechanical valves operating in an engine is presented. According to the method, valve operation can be adjusted in a number of ways.
US07640896B2
Ammonia is used as precursor source of hydrogen fuel in an on-vehicle internal combustion engine. Ammonia is stored as, for example, a ligand in an on-vehicle transition metal composition. Upon demand for hydrogen by the vehicle's engine control system, ammonia is expelled as a gas from some of the composition and the ammonia gas is dissociated into a mixture of hydrogen and nitrogen and delivered as a fuel-containing mixture to the engine. In a preferred embodiment, the hydrogen is used as a supplement to gasoline as a fuel for engine operation.
US07640895B2
A significantly improved leash has a strap or belt with a carabiner at a lower end and a loop at an upper end. The loop may be a preconfigured holding loop or it may be an adjustable loop that can be adjusted by clipping a carabiner into eyelets in the leash. The leash permits even an animal that is pulling strongly on the leash to be held in check, by a hand grip disposed in the holding loop, or adjacent to the holding loop.
US07640894B2
A treat dispenser for animals, especially in the form of a rubber chew toy for dogs. The treat dispenser comprises a housing having a hollow interior and at least one aperture adapted to receive and dispense treats. The treat dispenser also has an at least partially helically extending insert disposed in the hollow interior of the housing and adapted to advance treats to the at least one aperture of the housing.
US07640888B2
The invention relates to a method for operating a carousel milking facility (1) comprising a plurality of milking stations (3), which are arranged on a platform (2). According to said method, a positional modification of the platform (2) is determined in relation to a reference point and the position of at least one milking station (3) can be calculated.
US07640887B2
The present invention provides a surface wave excitation plasma generator in which surface wave excitation plasma is efficiently generated. A surface wave excitation plasma generator including an annular waveguide and a dielectric tube is provided. The annular waveguide 2 includes an inlet 2a for introducing a microwave M, an end plate 2b for reflecting the microwave M introduced and propagating within the waveguide, and a bottom plate 2c on which slot antennas 2d are formed at a predetermined interval. When the wavelength of the microwave M in the waveguide is λg, the length from position b through positions c, d, e to position f on the bottom plate 2c, i.e. the circumferential length (π×D1) of the annular waveguide, is set as 2 λg, and the positions b, c, d, e, f are spaced apart at an interval of λg/2. Since the slot antennas 2d are arranged at two positions c and e, the interval between these two slot antennas 2d is equal to the wavelength λg in the waveguide.
US07640885B2
In a nozzle unit 4 equipped with processing-liquid nozzles 4A to 4J, an air layer 73 and a solvent layer 74 for processing liquid are successively formed outside a processing-liquid layer 71 included in the tip of each nozzle 4A (4B to 4J). Next, the solvent layer 74 in the nozzle 4A is thrown out into a drain part 62 of a standby unit 6 and subsequently, the processing liquid is supplied from the nozzle 4A to the surface of a wafer W, performing a coating process. After completing the coating process, the processing liquid remaining in the nozzle 4A is sucked and continuously, respective tips of the nozzles 4A to 4J are dipped into respective solvents in solvent reservoir 62A to 62J, respectively. From this state, by sucking in the nozzle 4A, there are newly formed, outside the processing layer 71 in the tip of the nozzle 4A, an air layer 73 and a solvent layer 74. Thus, in supplying a substrate, such as semiconductor wafer, with a processing liquid by use of a nozzle unit having a plurality of processing-liquid nozzles integrated, it is possible to prevent dryness of the processing liquids in the respective nozzles while preventing the nozzle unit from being large-sized.
US07640881B1
There is provided a dock having a pair of primary frame members and a pair of secondary frame members. The primary and secondary frame members are formed of a fiber-reinforced resin material. The primary frame members extend parallel to a primary axis and are arranged in opposed, spaced parallel relation to each other. Likewise, the secondary frame members extend parallel to a secondary axis and are arranged in opposed, spaced parallel relation to each other. Each secondary frame member is connected to the pair of primary frame members. The dock also includes a plurality of cross members. Each cross member is connected to and extends between the pair of primary frame members. Each cross member includes an upper platform contact face disposed within a common upper platform contact plane.
US07640879B2
A fabric-processing device includes a body, a presser foot attached to the body, and a heater attached to the presser foot. The heater is in a heat-exchange relationship with the presser foot.
US07640872B2
Combustion residue can be partially melted and/or sintered in the combustion bed of a grate furnace system. By returning the unmelted and/or unsintered combustion residue, completely sintered inert granulates are obtained. To control the melting and/or sintering processes, at least one of the following process steps is implemented: the residues are returned only as long as, and only in such an amount that the changes thus caused in the essential combustion parameters remain within previously defined tolerance limits; the combustion conditions of the combustion process are changed in such a way as to counteract the changes in the combustion parameters produced by the return; the material composition of the combustion residue is changed by the return of selected fractions of the combustion residue so that the melting and/or sintering process of the combustion residue is influenced; and the material composition of the combustion residue is changed by the addition of additives is that the melting and/or sintering process of the combustion residue is influenced.
US07640865B2
A rail car mover for road-rail operation is enabled for shunting rail cars that are guided on two parallel rails. The rail car mover has a bogie and wheels which are mounted thereon and have rubber tires. Each wheel is assigned a bolt element, or a disk, which can be moved by way of an adjusting device from a first retracted position for the road mode in which the ground-side end face of the bolt element is located above the rolling level of the wheel, beyond the rolling level in the direction of the ground into a second deployed position for the rail mode in which the ground-side end face of the bolt element is located underneath the rolling level in such a way that the external circumferential faces of the bolt element of two wheels which are assigned to one another extend along the inner lateral edges and/or the outer lateral edges of the rails in order to guide the wheels.
US07640859B1
A stacked ordnance device provides a disposable and non reusable projectile weapon for passive area defense or denial. A stacked ordnance device has multiple projectiles and charges positioned sequentially in a barrel. A sensing module triggers a control module to enter a firing sequence. The firing sequence is the order and timing by which an electronic ignition system ignites firing charges and thereby shoots the projectiles. A mount positions the stacked ordnance device. The controller can also trigger a disabler that renders the stacked ordnance device unfit for subsequent use.
US07640851B2
An apparatus for storing both coffee in a reservoir and nested stacks of cup-shaped coffee filters, and then automatically filling individual filters with selected amounts of coffee and brewing the coffee while protecting the reservoir. Through a series of gears, an electric motor rotates an elastic projection with teeth and a disengaging curved tooth against the topmost filter in the stack, dragging it into a filter well beneath a coffee storage receptacle and then dropping it. Simultaneously, a rotating coffee dispenser fills with a selectable quantity of coffee and then dumps the coffee into the filter. The apparatus also includes a stirring device for insuring the stored coffee falls to the bottom of the coffee receptacle. A hot water dispenser operates in conjunction with a valve means for cutting off steam from the coffee reservoir.
US07640850B2
A vacuum tank for removing air from a food product includes an inner sleeve forming a first and second region in the tank. Air is removed from the food product as the food product moves from the first region to the second region of the tank.
US07640846B2
The invention relates to a brewed beverage maker with a diverter valve assembly placed between a heater and a showerhead, the diverter valve assembly fluidly connected to both the heater and showerhead. Opening the beverage maker during a brew cycle automatically causes at least a portion of the fluid passing through the diverter valve assembly to be diverted to a channel that directs the fluid to a point downstream of the showerhead in the brew cycle. In one embodiment of the invention, the diverted fluid is directed to a filter basket. The channel may optionally include a basin to collect and direct the diverted fluid. The outlet of the diverter valve assembly may form the showerhead.
US07640845B2
A method and apparatus for draining a component of a beverage forming system such as a coffee brewer. A tank used for holding and/or heating a beverage precursor liquid may be automatically drained. A beverage forming machine including a drain system may be self-contained in that the liquid drained from the tank is held by another tank that is part of the beverage forming machine. The tank into which the drained liquid is deposited may be removable from the beverage forming machine.
US07640837B2
A table saw having an adjustable blade, a detection system to detect contact between a person and the blade, and a brake mechanism to engage and stop the blade upon detection of contact between the person and the blade is disclosed. The saw includes a brake positioning system that adjusts the position of the brake mechanism to maintain the brake mechanism in an operative position relative to the blade as the position of the blade is adjusted. The saw also may include a retraction system that urges the blade downward, away from a user, upon detection of contact between a person and the blade. The retraction system may include a releasable gear. The saw may be constructed so that the blade is adjustable up and down around a pivot point downstream of the blade relative to the feed direction.
US07640836B1
Web processing method and apparatus (30, 300) is provided for high speed, extremely accurate die cutting or lamination operations. Processing station (32,300) includes a vacuum hold down plate (32,308) which receives and holds an image bearing incremental segment of the web. In feed and out feed tension on the web is released while a segment of the web is held by the hold down plate. The hold down plate with a segment of the web thereon is selectively shifted about X, Y, and θ axes as required to bring the image on the web segment into alignment with a web processing component at the processing station.
US07640834B2
Systems and methods for trimming a roll of sheet material are provided. A representative system incorporates a core anchor that is configured to be inserted into the hollow core of a roll of sheet material and removably secured therein. The system also includes a cutting tool rotatably attached to the core anchor. During trimming of a roll of sheet material to which the core anchor is secured, the core anchor rotates with the roll as the roll is rotated.
US07640829B2
A drive unit for a motor vehicle, having an engine unit and an axle differential arranged on the engine unit, as well as having drive shafts for the vehicle wheels disposed at least partially in the crankcase. The separating plane between the crankcase bottom part and the oil bearing housing of the crankcase acts as the bearing for at least one drive shaft.
US07640828B2
A housing is held by a bracket of a vehicle seat and receives a worm wheel and a threaded shaft. The shaft is driven linearly through the worm wheel. One end of the housing contacts the bracket and includes a receiving recess, which is recessed in the axial direction of the worm wheel. A sensor unit is installed in the recess of the one end of the housing and includes a support wall, which supports the housing relative to the bracket in the axial direction of the worm wheel.
US07640819B2
An internal combustion engine including a transmission for transmitting power from a crankshaft to an output shaft through speed change, with the speed change in the transmission being performed by the driving of a speed change electric motor through a speed change drive mechanism, wherein power transmission control means for controlling the transmission of power from the crankshaft to the transmission is provided at one end of the crankshaft, and at least a part of the speed change electric motor and the speed change drive mechanism is disposed on the outside of the power transmission control means. This configuration of the internal combustion engine is reduced in size because of the layout of the speed change drive mechanism and the speed change electric motor.
US07640809B2
A spot welding inspecting apparatus is provided with: a gun chip; a signal transmitting part; an ultrasonic sensor; an inner cylinder; a through hole; a partitioning cylinder; a first flow path; a second flow path; and a third flow path.The inner cylinder is inserted to an outer cylinder of spot welding gun and holds the ultrasonic sensor. The through hole is provided on the inner cylinder. The partitioning cylinder surrounds the through hole and is inserted into a gap between the ultrasonic sensor and the outer cylinder. The first flow path is formed between the inner cylinder and the partitioning cylinder by passing the through hole from an inner portion of the inner cylinder. The second flow path is formed at the gun chip to be circulated around a front end of the partitioning cylinder. The third flow path is formed between the outer cylinder and the partitioning cylinder. A cooling agent flows in an order of the first flow path, the second flow path and the third flow path.
US07640806B2
A capacitive physical quantity sensor includes a sensor element and a detecting element. The sensor element includes first and second fixed electrodes facing a movable electrode. A first voltage is applied to the first fixed electrode and a second voltage is applied to the second fixed electrode. The detecting circuit includes a capacitance-voltage conversion circuit, in which an operational amplifier, a capacitor and a switch including a P-channel MOS transistor and a N-channel MOS transistor are disposed. The transistors have a back gate potential, which is approximately equal to an average voltage of the first voltage and the second voltage.
US07640802B2
A method of analysing tachometer and vibration response data from an apparatus having one or more rotary components is provided. The method comprises the steps of: providing vibration response data and corresponding tachometer data from the apparatus for a period over which a rotary component of the apparatus varies in rotational speed, the tachometer data being for that component; repeatedly performing at intervals throughout the period the sub-steps of: determining a forcing frequency of the component from the tachometer data and a corresponding vibration response frequency of the apparatus from the vibration response data, comparing the forcing and vibration response frequencies to determine the relative phase difference between the frequencies, and determining the corresponding amplitude of the vibration response from the vibration response data; and plotting the relative phase differences and vibration amplitudes on a polar diagram. The plot trajectory is characteristic of the behavior of the apparatus over the period.
US07640793B2
Systems and methods for determining airflow parameters of gas turbine engine components are provided. In this regard, a representative method includes: receiving information from multiple test systems regarding a first airflow parameter of a gas turbine engine component; and using the information to establish a desired performance parameter that is to be exhibited by a repaired component.
US07640781B2
A rescue device and a method of using same, for opening a jammed or stuck door of a vehicle, including a door having battle latches.
US07640778B2
A servo drive system of a press machine includes a ram, an operation shaft which vertically moves the ram, and a servo motor which operates as a power source of the ram and which generates ram pressure using a torque based on at least one speed-torque characteristic of the servo motor. The operation shaft is directly driven using the servo motor. The at least one speed-torque characteristic of the servo motor is set in a manner such that a motor torque of the servo motor at which a capacity of electric energy supplied by a servo amplifier is determined becomes the motor torque at which an optimal punching pattern of the ram is generated from a light load to a heavy load according to a type of workpiece to be worked by the press machine.
US07640777B2
The present invention provides a punch press with forming dies which reduces the limitation on the number and positions of forming dies attached to the die supporting member, the punch press enabling a device that elevates and lowers forming dies to operate appropriately without being affected by slag. The punch press with forming dies includes a die supporting member 2 that supports a plurality of forming dies 5 so that the forming dies 5 can be elevated and lowered, a die elevating and lowering driving device 16 that elevates and lowers the forming dies 5, and a die supporting member moving device that moves the die supporting member 2 so as to locate one of the forming dies 5 at a punch position P. The die elevating and lowering driving device 16 includes an elevating and lowering device 30 having an elevating and lowering member 35 that elevates and lowers the forming die 5 located at the punch position P and an elevating and lowering driving member 39 that drivingly elevates and lowers the elevating and lowering member 35, and further includes position switching means 31 for switching the elevating and lowering device 30 between a position B below the die supporting member 2 and a retracting position A outside the die supporting member 2.
US07640774B2
A wire drawing machine comprises a wire supply unit with an unwinding bobbin for unwinding a wire, a wire drawing unit or units for drawing and reducing the diameter of the wire, and a wire winding unit for winding the drawn wire. Each wire drawing unit comprises: a dancer roller for applying back tension to the wire; a wire drawing die for reducing the diameter of the wire; and a capstan for winding and transporting the wire without slip to apply front tension to the wire. The dancer roller is linearly moved substantially in parallel to direction of wire drawing of the wire drawing die, whereby the wire drawing unit can be reduced in width. A plurality of such wire drawing units can be placed between the wire supply unit and the wire winding unit in multiple rows so as to further reduce the width of the wire drawing machine.
US07640767B2
The present invention is directed to a power transformer and VSD mounted on the chiller equipment. The transformer is preferably a liquid-filled transformer rated for medium/high voltage input, and at least two output low voltages, one voltage for the VSD and other power equipment, and another voltage for the control panel and control equipment. The placement of the power transformer on the chiller eliminates the need to allocate additional floor space for an auxiliary transformer or medium/high voltage VSD. The transformer also includes cooling means in the form of a heat exchanger in which the liquid is cooled by circulating condenser water, chilled water or refrigerant from the chiller system. The cooling means may also be connected to cooling coils connected to the VSD. The size of the power transformer is significantly reduced by the use of the chiller system to remove heat from the transformer while in operation, thereby maintaining the ambient temperature rise of the transformer within its rated operating temperature range. The transformer and VSD heat is discharged to the outside ambient eliminating additional cooling requirements for the equipment room.
US07640766B2
A method and apparatus for providing sanitized water in a cabinet and spigot type bottled water dispenser features an ozone generating system to generate ozone for sanitizing the water. Ozone is generated and collected within an ozone generator housing. A blower transmits air to the ozone generator housing. The air carries the ozone that is generated through a flow line to an air diffuser that is positioned upstream of the spigot (or spigots) used to dispense water. In one embodiment, a valve that is activated on the spigot to dispense water also activates the blower and ozone generator. In other embodiments, a flow sensor activates the ozone generator and blower. Various spigot and flow sensor arrangements are disclosed as a part of the overall apparatus and method.
US07640763B2
A hot water supply system (10) is provided which includes a first refrigerant circuit (20), an intermediate temperature water circuit (40), a second refrigerant circuit (60), and a high temperature water circuit (80). The first refrigerant circuit (20) constitutes a heat pump which uses the outdoor air as a heat source, and heats heat transfer water in the intermediate temperature water circuit (40). In the intermediate temperature water circuit (40), the heat transfer water is circulated between a radiator (45) for floor heating and a first heat exchanger (30) and between a second heat exchanger (50) and the first heat exchanger (30). The second refrigerant circuit (60) constitutes a heat pump which uses the heat transfer water in the intermediate temperature water circuit (40) as a heat source, and heats water for hot water supply in the high temperature water circuit (80).
US07640761B2
An HVAC system includes a variable speed electric motor driven fan for circulating air to an enclosed space through an indoor unit for providing heating or cooling effect to air circulated through the indoor unit. A controller with user or system installer actuatable switches includes a programmable microcontroller providing a pulse width modulated (PWM) signal to a motor control unit to select a predetermined air flowrate less than full air flowrate during system startup and shutdown. User input parameters include selected percentages of full air flowrate to satisfy requirements for reduced noise level, lower humidity and for improved sensible heating of air being circulated, the latter being effective particularly for heat pump applications. Selection of pre-run, short run and shutdown cycles may be provided.
US07640754B2
A climate control device comprises a housing, the housing having a first intake port, a first exhaust port, and a second exhaust port, wherein the first exhaust port opens in a different direction than the second exhaust port. A fan is disposed within the housing and is configured to draw air through the first intake port and expel air towards the first exhaust port and the second exhaust port. a separate insert piece configured to be inserted within the housing and adapted to direct substantially all the expelled air through one of the first or second exhaust ports.
US07640751B2
A fuel heating system for fuel usable in a turbine engine. The fuel heating system may include at least one fuel heating chamber in communication with an exhaust stack of a turbine engine. The fuel heating chamber may be configured to allow exhaust gases to flow through the at least one fuel heating chamber. The fuel heating system may also include at least one conduit positioned in the fuel heating chamber. The conduit may be configured to receive fuel from a fuel source at a first temperature, allow the fuel to flow through the conduit, and exhaust the fuel at a second temperature that is higher than the first temperature.
US07640730B2
This catalyst system simultaneously removes ammonia and enhances net NOx conversion by placing an NH3—SCR catalyst formulation downstream of a lean NOx trap. By doing so, the NH3—SCR catalyst adsorbs the ammonia from the upstream lean NOx trap generated during the rich pulses. The stored ammonia then reacts with the NOx emitted from the upstream lean NOx trap—enhancing the net NOx conversion rate significantly, while depleting the stored ammonia. By combining the lean NOx trap with the NH3—SCR catalyst, the system allows for the reduction or elimination of NH3 and NOx slip, reduction in NOx spikes and thus an improved net NOx conversion during lean and rich operation.
US07640720B1
A draper platform includes a frame, a cutter bar, at least one conveyor assembly with two rollers, and a conveyor belt surrounding both rollers. Each of the rollers are mounted to a respective support frame that is independently pivotally mounted to the frame around a transverse axis at its rear end. An assembly for guiding the conveyor belt on the rollers is provided. It includes a ridge on an interior side of the belt and a groove within the roller. The ridge and the groove are provided in the vicinity of the rear end of the rollers.
US07640717B2
The invention relates to a counter element (22) being adapted to apply a pressure to a first portion of a packaging material in association with heating of the packaging material in order to seal the first portion of the packaging material to a second portion of the packaging material. The element (22) being provided with an abutment surface (23) adapted to at least abut said first portion of the packaging material. The abutment surface (23) is provided with a plurality of indentations (24) adapted to entrap fluid or gas present in the vicinity of the abutment surface (23) and the first portion of the packaging material. The inventions also relates to a method of providing a counter element (22) as described above.
US07640715B2
A multi-substrate sheet for forming an at least partially open mesh fabric bag using a form, fill and seal machine and a bag formed of this sheet are provided. The sheet includes at least one strip formed of an open mesh polymeric fabric and at least one strip formed of a polymeric film. The fabric and film strips are secured to one another to form a web that can be formed into a roll and utilized with a form, fill and seal machine. The bag resulting from the processing of the web by the machine includes a substantial open mesh fabric portion to provide adequate ventilation to the product positioned within the bag and a printable film portion.
US07640709B2
An insulated frame member 10 comprising first and second frame components 12, 14 interconnected by first and second thermally insulating connectors 24, 26 each connector 24, 26 defining, with the first and second frame components 12, 14 a channel 28, 30 containing a resin material 32, the connectors 24, 26 being off-set from one another.
US07640699B2
There is provided a flashing panel mount adapted for an air conditioning unit which is located about an exterior of a building. The panel mount features a generally rigid panel that is attachable to the building. The panel mount further features a hood member which extends outward from the panel. A plurality of panel apertures is formed through the hood member and is configured to extend through the panel. Each of the panel apertures are sized and configured to accommodate a respective one of the air conditioning lines extending from within the building.
US07640697B2
A guide piece, for connecting the fixing region of a guide rail to the door frame of a vehicle door, whereby the guide piece may be fixed in the external skin thereof, houses a fixing means and the fixing region of the guide rail which may be adjusted in the direction of the vehicle transverse axis (Y-axis) within the guide piece. The guide piece with fixing clips in slots in the external skin can be adjusted in the direction of the vehicle longitudinal axis (X-axis) as required, relative to the external skin of the door frame and may be pre-positioned on the fixing region of the guide rail with a positive fit. The guide piece is embodied in two pieces and comprises a cover which may be connected to a baseplate, between which a part of the fixing means is positively fitted and a part of the fixing region of the guide rail is adjustably arranged perpendicular to the plane of the vehicle door (Y-axis).
US07640694B1
A headstone flower mounting system includes a headstone that has an upper edge, a front side and a back side. A block has a top side, a bottom side, a first end, a second end, a first lateral side, a second lateral side. The bottom side of the block abuts the upper edge of the headstone. The block is comprised of a material capable of receiving flower stems. A plurality of hook members is extended into the block. A pair of eyebolts extends into the upper edge of the headstone. Each of a plurality of bands is attached to and extends between one of the eyebolts and one of the hook members. A plurality of flowers is extended into the top side of the block.
US07640692B1
A trolling system for mounting a plurality of fishing rods to extend from selected peripheral sides of a boat. The system includes a pair of mounting members attached to the deck and mounting rods extending parallel or transverse opposing sides of the boat. A trolling bar, which is secured with the mounting rods and rod supports in spaced positions. In use, fishing rods are mounted in the rod supports and extend from the stern of the boat.
US07640691B2
A dual sighting optical sight is provided. The sight provides non-inverted images through a rear window and at least one side window so that a user may view a target from either a rear or a side, respectively, of the weapon to which the sight is mounted. The sight is adjustable to a plurality of different positions so that the user can use the sight and weapon from other than directly behind the sight weapon.
US07640685B2
A coupling arrangement for securing two separable components in an excavating operation includes a wear component, a base component and a lock. The lock has a body having a configuration adapted to be received in a hole in the base component, and a rotatable locking member. The locking member includes a flange that is movable between a locking position wherein the flange holds the lock in the assembly and a release position wherein the flange permits the lock to be removed from the assembly. In the release position, the flange sets within the axial extension of the outline of the body. In the locking position, at least part of the flange sets outside the axial extension of the outline of the body. In one construction, the rotation of the locking member to the locking position tightens the fit of the wear component on the base component.
US07640679B2
An article of footwear is disclosed that includes an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper. The sole structure has a midsole element that defines a void, and the void may extend substantially vertically through a central area of the midsole element. The void may also extend between an upper surface and a lower surface of the midsole element to define an interior surface. A plurality of bores are also defined in the midsole element. The bores may extend substantially horizontally through the midsole element, and the bores may extend between an exterior surface of the midsole element and the void.
US07640677B2
A tape measure (10) including a housing (12) and a measuring tape that can be rolled up into it or drawn out of it, the tape extending from a drum (48, 50) disposed in the housing, the drum being rotatable by means of a holder element (40) extending from a handle (32) and at least in part passing through the first external surface (18) of the housing and originating from a support (46). In order to carry out internal measurements and measurements with a corner-stop position without problems from any orientation, there is provision for the handle (32) to be displaceably arranged along the drum axis inside the housing (12), for the handle (32) and the support (46) to merge flush with the first outer lateral surface in a first position (measuring position) or run offset to this surface, and in a second position (use position) to protrude, at least in part, above the first outer lateral surface, in order to engage the element.
US07640673B2
A method is provided for calibrating a sensor pod of a wheel alignment system, the sensor pod including a housing rotatably mounted on a spindle, and an image sensor in the housing having a viewing axis oriented in a direction substantially normal to an axis of rotation of the spindle for imaging a target affixed to an object such as a vehicle wheel. An example of the method includes mounting the pod on a fixture via the pod spindle such that the pod spindle is stationary, and positioning a target to allow imaging of the target with the pod image sensor. The pod is rotated such that its image sensor obtains images of the target in at least two rotational positions, and the images of the target at the at least two rotational positions are processed to determine the location of the axis of rotation of the spindle relative to the image sensor.
US07640670B2
An inspecting tool for inspecting whether inside dimensions of a server chassis is qualified or not is presented. The inspecting tool includes a rectangular frame and a handle attached to the fame. A width of the frame is equal to a minimum desirable value of an inside width of the server chassis, and a height of the frame is equal to a minimum desirable value of an inside height of the server chassis.
US07640668B2
A cutting head for a rotary trimmer is provided. The cutting head of the present disclosure provides a control mechanism for loading a spool member of the cutting head quickly and efficiently without having to disassemble the cutting head. In one embodiment, a control mechanism is provided in the cutting head interacting between a follower member and a spool member so as to provide for one way rotational loading of flails, e.g., cutting line, into the cutting head; in other words, to load the flails, the spool member is rotated continuously 360° in one direction only, e.g., clockwise. In another embodiment, a cutting head allows the flails to be loaded by a ratcheting-type operation, i.e., a back and forth rotational movement, which is less fatiguing and even more efficient in its loading operation.
US07640663B2
A method for fabricating a filtering member in which overlapping portions of a wire are bonded together in a layered manner through thermal treatment for forming a mesh is disclosed. In accordance with the method, a contact surface pressure between portions of the wire to be bonded together is maintained as equal to or higher than a predetermined level set depending on a thermal treatment condition. In this state, the thermal treatment is conducted such that a bonding portion of the wire has a strength equal to or greater than 4N.
US07640662B2
The heat exchanger is made economically by pressure-forming cavities in relatively thick thermo-plastic panels, interleaving them with other thermo-plastic panels having separate gas flow conduit structures, and securing the panels together. Preferably, the heat exchanger is an opposed-flow-heat-exchanger giving improved heat-transfer efficiency.
US07640656B2
A method for manufacturing a pre-molding leadframe strip with compact components is disclosed. The method forms a leadframe strip with an array of component regions, each component region including two metal parts for using as a chip-attached portion, a wire-bonded portion and two external electrical connection conductors. Next, the leadframe strip is plated with a metal layer having high conductivity and die bonding adhesion. Finally, a pre-molded structure on each of the component regions is formed to surround all the other portions of the leadframe strip with an exception of only the two external electrical connection conductors through a multiplicity of pre-molding processes, each pre-molding process molding the leadframe strip at an interval of one or more than one component regions.
US07640655B2
A second substrate 12 is provided above a first substrate 11, and an electronic component 13 is arranged between the first substrate 11 and the second substrate 12 so that between the first substrate 11 and the second substrate 12, the electronic component 13 is sealed and a photosensitive resin 14 having adhesion is provided to bond the first substrate 11 and the second substrate 12 to each other.
US07640654B2
A pickup device comprising a pickup surface to which an electronic component retaining liquid is to be applied and capable of adjusting a wet area of the electronic component retaining liquid on the pickup surface is prepared, and the electronic component retaining liquid is applied to the pickup surface in a first step. The electronic component is retained on the pickup surface via the electronic component retaining liquid in a state where the wet area is extended in a second step.
US07640650B2
A method of making a magnetoresistive sensor includes defining a track width of a magnetoresistive element stack of the sensor. Further, processes of the method enable depositing of hard magnetic bias material on each side of the stack. These processes may permit both milling of excess depositions of the material outside of regions where the hard magnetic bias material is desired via use of a photoresist and making the material have a planar surface via chemical mechanical polishing, which also removes the material on top of the stack. The method includes removing excess material outside of the photoresist, wherein the excess material includes part of the hard bias layer, while a portion of the hard bias layer remains directly above the MR sensor stack.
US07640645B2
A method for automation of conventional manual operation of setting the work-pieces on the hanger (H) for transporting the work-pieces, which moves such as in the surface treatment equipment (300), so as to provide the labor and power saving effect, to improve the efficiency on the operation, and to further improve the quality of the surface of the work-piece after treatment, comprises the process to separate and align plural work-pieces which are joined and aligned; the process to support the skewer-shaped supporting member (K) supporting plural separated and aligned work-pieces while maintaining the separated and aligned configuration; and the process to hang the skewer-shaped supporting member (K) supporting the work-pieces in the separated and aligned configuration on the hanger (H).
US07640643B2
An apparatus and method converts a power generation combined cycle (CC) power plant to a load management compressed air energy storage (CAES) power plant. The CC power plant includes at least one combustion turbine, a heat recovery steam generator (HRSG) to receive exhaust heat from an associated combustion turbine, a steam turbine associated with the HRSG, and an electric generator associated with the steam turbine. An air storage stores compressed air. At least one compressor supplies the air storage with compressed air so that off peak energy can be converted to compressed air energy stored in the air storage. Compressed air from the storage is received by the HRSG and the HRSG provides heat to compressed air received from the air storage. The steam turbine receives heated compressed air from the HRSG and expands the heated compressed air to produce power.
US07640635B2
A fixing clip for fixing an interior part of a vehicle is provided. The fixing clip is assembled in a body with the interior part via a headlining by a screw and is fixed to a mounting bracket provided in a vehicle body. The fixing clip includes a bottom part provided with a screw hole through which the screw is fastened and being in close contact with an upper surface of the interior part, a pair of body parts extending and being bent upwardly from both ends of the bottom part to face each other, and a pair of coupling parts extending and being bent outwardly and downwardly from upper ends of the body parts and being inserted into clip insertion holes provided on the mounting bracket. Accordingly, the clip can firmly and easily mount/separate an interior part on/from the vehicle body with its deformation, damage, or unexpected seceding due to an external force prevented.
US07640633B2
A buckle set, which fits onto a strap for adjusting the strap to a desired length, generally fits onto the strap attached to goggles of almost any application, such as swimming goggles, scuba mask, or dust and wind goggles. Specifically, a buckle set allows a strap to easily and quickly be adjusted to a desired length from its two ends.
US07640628B2
A hinge assembly (300) for use in a flat display monitor includes a base seat (10), a fixing seat (20), a pivotal shaft (30), a resilient element (80) and a plurality of washers. The base seat includes a pivot flange (14) having a retaining hole (12) formed therein. The pivot flange defines a protrusion (18) therein, and the protrusion extending into the retaining hole. The fixing seat includes an extending portion (26) defining an engaging hole. The resilient element resists between the base seat and the fixing seat. The pivotal shaft has at least one flat surface, and the pivotal shaft is positioned within the retaining hole of the pivot flange. One of the at least one flat surface pivotably engages with the protrusion. The pivotal shaft extends beyond the retaining hole of the pivot flange, and the plurality of washers is fastened together to the pivotal shaft.
US07640626B2
A suction brush of a vacuum cleaner for both vacuum cleaning and steam cleaning is provided. The suction brush includes a brush main body connected to a cleaner main body; a steam generating unit for heating water being supplied from a water storage tank mounted on the brush main body and spraying steam generated by heating the water on the surface to be cleaned; a turbine fan, installed in the brush main body, for generating a rotating force by the drawn-in air that flows into the brush main body; a power transfer unit for being driven by the rotating force of the turbine fan; and at least one pair of duster rotating plates, arranged on a lower part of the suction brush, for being rotated by power being transferred through the power transfer unit.
US07640624B2
A floor cleaning appliance includes a housing carrying both a suction generator and a dirt cup. The dirt cup includes a sidewall, a top wall and a dump door. A latch is provided to secure the dump door in a closed position. An actuator for releasing that latch is remotely positioned on the top wall. A linkage is carried on the sidewall and operatively connects the actuator with the latch.
US07640623B2
A vacuum cleaner is provided. The vacuum cleaner includes suction means that provides suction force, a suction nozzle that uses the suction force provided by the suction means to draw in particle laden air, a dust collecting box that receives the particle laden air drawn in through the suction nozzle, an upper cover having an opening at a central portion thereof that provides for selective opening/closing of an upper portion of the dust collecting box, and a filter assembly that is selectively fastened to an edge of the opening, for filtering dust from the particle laden air and discharging the air upward. This structure simplifies cleaning and replacement of the dust collector assembly.
US07640622B2
Floor surface scrubbing and resurfacing equipment including a hydraulic system and adjustable linkages to allow a user to adjust particular features to suit the equipment for different applications.
US07640613B2
A method of manufacturing an article of foot apparel that includes a platform curved to anticipate the natural movement of a foot. The method includes forming the platform with a heel pad having a geometric center point. The method also includes connecting a retaining covering to the platform that is configured to retain a foot at the front of the platform and to allow the heel of the foot to move freely relative to the heel pad. The article of foot apparel conforms more closely to the actual physiology of the foot and allows the heel of the foot to remain centered in the heel pad when worn.
US07640606B2
A bed rail structured to minimize the gap between the mattress and the bed rail and including a leg portion and a rail portion. The rail portion extends upwardly on a first side of the mattress to extend beyond the sleeping surface of the mattress and prevent a person from rolling out of bed. The leg portion is sandwiched between the mattress and the box spring and extends toward a second side of the mattress. In one embodiment, the leg portion includes a distal end that is engaged to the second side of at least one of the mattress and box spring such that the distal end and rail portion hug the mattress. In another embodiment, the bed rail includes a relatively rigid cover depending from an upper portion of the rail portion to the sleeping surface so as to cover a gap that may exist between the first side of the mattress and the rail portion. In still another embodiment, the rail portion is set at an acute angle relative to the leg portion so as to tend to close off any gap between the first side of the mattress and the rail portion. In another embodiment, the wall of the rail portion may include tubing and the rail portion may be drawn against the bed with a strap extending about the periphery of the bed.
US07644440B2
An implementation of a technology, described herein, for facilitating the protection of computer-executable instructions, such as software. At least one implementation, described herein, may generate integrity signatures of one or more program modules—which are sets of computer-executable instructions—based upon a trace of activity during execution of such modules and/or near-replicas of such modules. With at least one implementation, described herein, the execution context of an execution instance of a program module is considered when generating the integrity signatures. With at least one implementation, described herein, a determination may be made about whether a module is unaltered by comparing integrity signatures. This abstract itself is not intended to limit the scope of this patent. The scope of the present invention is pointed out in the appending claims.
US07644434B2
A method of providing access to an authenticated user, and restricting access to an unauthorized user, of a computer system, is provided. The method includes determining whether a user is authenticated to access at least one resource included in the computer system. The method also includes establishing a session and a session identifier such that the user has access to the at least one resource if the user is authenticated to access the at least one resource. The method also includes changing the session identifier each time the user completes an interaction with the computer system during the session.
US07644425B2
The PIP system enables display of a mosaic of favorite channels in a Picture-in-Picture (PIP) format to a subscriber terminal. Picture-in-Picture support is efficiently provided by sending only I-Frames of the secondary video channel to the end-user. That is, any unnecessary packets (null, B-P frames, audio, etc.) in the secondary video channel are stripped away. This method uses very little bandwidth and is STB agnostic.
US07644417B2
A disc apparatus is provided in which a disc inserted by automatic loading by a plurality of arms supporting outer peripheral edges of two kinds of discs with different diameters can be loaded into the disc apparatus or a disc accommodated within the disc apparatus can be unloaded from the disc apparatus. This disc apparatus includes an elevation frame for swinging a turntable on which the disc is fixed and rotated in the upper and lower direction, wherein a rotary base plate of a disc supporting arm is slightly distorted in the initial state in which the elevation frame is lowered, whereby a tip end of a holder provided at a tip end of the disc supporting arm approaches or contacts the surface of the elevation frame to prevent a rear end side of a large-diameter disc or a small-diameter disc from entering the lower surface of the holder.
US07644412B2
A computer algorithm is encapsulated in at least two modules: at least one communication operation of the computer algorithm is encapsulated in a communication module, separately from the rest of the operations of the algorithm which may be encapsulated in an algorithm module. The separately encapsulated communication operation is made available to the algorithm module during its execution. Modules for data objects encapsulating data communicated may also be provided. A framework may be provided to ensure compatibility between different modules, wherein a plurality of protocols are provided and each module implements a corresponding protocol. All environment-dependent communication operations may be separately encapsulated so that one of the communication module and the algorithm module may be modified without modifying the other.
US07644411B1
An apparatus for and method of permitting a CORBA user terminal to request services from an enterprise server having XATMI applications, wherein the process is controlled by an integrated two-phase commit protocol. The service request is generated and transmitted to a server. The user terminal transmits a prepare. When the server acknowledges the prepare, a log entry is made. The user terminal transfers a commit which when acknowledged by the server causes deletion of the log entry. Each of the request/acknowledge communications is performed in both CORBA and XATMI protocols.
US07644404B2
Disclosed herein is a network having a customizable update generator and electronic devices having customizable updating software adapted to dynamically incorporate support for new instruction extensions in an existing instruction set. The customizable generator may be adapted to generate updates employing instruction sets executable by the customizable updating software in the electronic devices. The customizable updating software may be adapted to be dynamically enhanced and to support an enhanced instruction set. The updating software may be adapted to retrieve a complementary updating component during execution of an update. The electronic device may be adapted to employ at least one of several available and retrieved complementary update components during execution of an update. In conjunction with retrieved complementary update components, the updating software may be adapted to update the firmware, the software, the operating system, and other application components while employing an appropriate update to the electronic device.
US07644393B2
In a software development environment, a system and method for associating an assert with a unique identifier (“assert tag”), and using the unique identifier to store information associated with the assert in a database. Based on the unique identifier, information associated with the assert can be stored in a database or repository that contains assert information. This information can be updated, as well as displayed to the developer or tester. Information for the bugs associated with the assert can be retrieved from a database containing bug information and displayed to the developer or tester. Once the developer or tester has been presented with the information concerning the bugs associated with the assert, or other information associated with-the assert, the developer or tester can choose to enter or log-in a new bug into the database containing bug information.
US07644391B2
An engine is provided for displaying an application for hosting a second application. The hosting application can be a sidebar on a display. The engine can contain a part or program which can include a manifest file, a definition file and/or a script file. The manifest file may contain a pointer to at least one of the definition file and the script file. The engine may also contain a loader that can locate the definition file and/or script file (e.g., via pointers in the manifest file) and load the definition file and/or script files of the part for processing. The engine may also execute script associated with the part and convert an object model into a user interface which can be displayed at a predetermined location on a display or docked onto a sidebar. The user interface can further be manipulated or relocated within the sidebar or removed (i.e., undocked) from the sidebar. The sidebar may be exploded or imploded with the corresponding parts on the sidebar displayed on the desktop or another application (exploded) or returned to the sidebar (imploded).
US07644388B1
A printability simulation is performed on a mask layout over a range of lithography process conditions. A layout configuration capable of inducing functional or parametric failure in a semiconductor device is identified in the mask layout. A test structure representative of the identified layout configuration is obtained. A design of experiment is associated with the test structure. The design of experiment is defined to investigating effects of variations of one or more layout attributes in the test structure. Multiple instance of the test structure are fabricated on a wafer according to the design of experiment. Electrical performance characteristics of the fabricated test structures are measured. Based on the measured electrical performance characteristics, one or more layout attributes of the test structure capable of causing functional or parametric failure are determined.
US07644385B1
Methods and apparatus for designing and producing programmable logic devices are provided. A logic design system may be used to produce configuration data containing alternative configuration memory settings each of which is optimized for programmable logic devices with different performance characteristics. During manufacturing, programmable logic devices are tested to identify their performance characteristics. A bin code is stored in non-volatile memory in each device to specify which performance characteristics are associated with that device. During programming, the bin code of a given device is used to decide which of the alternative configuration memory settings are to be discarded. The retained subset of the configuration data is loaded into configuration memory in the given device.
US07644383B2
A system and method for repairing crosstalk delays are disclosed herein. By modeling the change in effective capacitance, one may determine the delay attributable to crosstalk, and upsize cells in the failing net according to a mathematical formula in order to counter the delay.
US07644376B2
Described is a method and system a unified mechanism for storing device, application, and service state, as well as a rich notification brokerage architecture. Clients register with a notification broker to receive notifications for changes to state properties. When a registered state property changes, a notification broker determines which clients to notify of the state change and provides the client with a notification regarding the change. Clients may be notified whenever a state changes, when a state change meets a predetermined condition, or based on a schedule. An application may also be launched in response to a state change. An application programming interface (API) is provided that provides a unified way of accessing state change information across different components within the device.
US07644374B2
Methods and systems providing a user interface control allowing a user to specify a scope of items on a computer system or network is disclosed. Certain aspects provide an input control through which a user can specify an explicit scope, or range, of items, while also identifying explicit exclusions from the specified scope, thereby reducing ambiguity regarding identification of items included and items excluded from the scope. When a user explicitly selects an item for inclusion in the scope, the explicitly selected item is added to the scope definition, and all descendants of the explicitly selected item are implicitly selected for inclusion. When a user explicitly selects an item for exclusion from the scope, the explicitly selected item is added to the scope definition as an exclusion from an explicitly included item, and all descendants of the explicitly selected item are implicitly selected for exclusion.
US07644372B2
System and method of adjusting selection areas of menu options in a radial menu utilize the frequency of selection of each of the menu options to adjust the size of various selection areas over time. The sizes of menu options or selection areas with relatively high frequency of use may increase, while the sizes of the selection areas of the remaining menu options may decrease. In addition, the size of the menu options may be further adjusted to return to the original arrangement, e.g., in which the size of each of the selection areas is equal or occupies some predetermined area. The user may hold an electronic pen over the radial menu or select an icon from the radial menu to resize the selection areas to return to the original arrangement.
US07644369B2
Computer screen legibility is controlled. A logically topmost software window of a particular color and of a certain transparency is created. Additionally, a pattern is used to further control legibility. The window allows screen objects logically beneath it on a z-axis to be viewed and manipulated and the window reduces a contrast of screen objects logically beneath it on the z-axis.
US07644367B2
A method and system providing a client with user interface information are described. The method and system implement a set of application program interfaces for providing user interface information to a client through an accessibility system. The accessibility system includes a mechanism for transferring user interface information from a provider side to the client side and a logical tree for selectively revealing user interface information. The application program interface system includes client side application program interfaces for assisting the client in obtaining user interface information. The client side application program interfaces include an automation class, a logical element class, a raw element class, control pattern classes, and an input class. The provider side application program interfaces include a provider automation class, a provider automation interface, a raw element interface, and control pattern provider interfaces.
US07644360B2
A system and method for facilitating patent grant and patent application claims examination; including the functions of automated importing of patent claims, automated parsing of the claims into their hierarchy, and compression/expansion of the parsed claims to/from the independent claim level.
US07644355B2
Shiny or reflective portions of a product surface, such as areas covered by foil, are represented to a user viewing a product image by a looped animation that simulates the visual effect of light on those reflective portions. The animation comprises a sequence of images generated by applying a gradient function to an image of the areas corresponding to the reflective portions of the product. To generate the individual images for use in the animation, the gradient function is applied at different offset positions relative to the product image.
US07644351B1
Systems and methods for data collection and processing. A system includes a forms processing subsystem including a form designer and a form processing and workflow module, and a client subsystem including a form submission manager and a client data store. User provided information is maintained locally in the client data store.
US07644345B2
In a multicarrier transmitter that transmits two or more spatial data streams, a bit distributor assigns encoded bits to the spatial data streams based on bit-loading capabilities of the streams and in a manner to intermix the bits among the spatial streams.
US07644340B1
A circuit is provided for performing interleaving and deinterleaving functions in a digital communication system. The circuit includes a single-port memory that reads first data units from a first interleaved sequence of address locations to generate a first data stream and that writes second data units from a second data stream to the address locations. A first address generator module communicates with the single-port memory and generates a first interleaved sequence of addresses that correspond to the address locations and correspond to one of an interleaving function and deinterleaving function between the first data stream and the second data stream.
US07644338B2
A method of constructing an effective generator polynomial for error correction by which a unique set of syndromes for each error event is produced is provided. The method includes preparing a set of dominant error events from the intersymbol interference characteristics of media; and generating a codeword from the data using a non-primitive generator polynomial that produces a unique syndrome set which can completely specify each dominant error event.
US07644337B2
An encoder divides the data in which sector data is adjacently connected to a first RS parity generated in Reed Solomon encoding into blocks to and subjects each of the blocks to cyclic Hamming encoding so as to generate Hamming parities. Subsequently, the data in which the Hamming parities are aligned in a row is subjected to Reed Solomon encoding so as to generate a second RS parity, and encoded data in which the first RS parity and the second RS parity are adjacently connected to the sector data is output. A decoder s divides the sector data and the first RS parity into n blockes and cyclic Hamming encoding, aligns the parities thereof, corrects errors in the parities by Reed Solomon decoding by the second RS parity, then corrects 1-bit errors in blockes by cyclic Hamming decoding, and further corrects errors of 2 or more bits by Reed Solomon decoding by the first RS parity.
US07644328B2
A device shares an existing test signal routing trace with an alternative power supply delivery channel to portions of registers located in combinatorial logic sections.
US07644322B2
Systems for detecting unexpected program flow may include a hardware program flow monitor to generate an interrupt signal if a software program flow value does not match an incrementally updated hardware value when a processor executes a program flow check instruction. In some examples, a program of instructions may include a number of program flow check instructions. When a program flow check instruction is executed, the processor may send the software value to be compared to the hardware register value. In an illustrative example, program execution causes the hardware value to be incremented in a hardware register. Upon execution of a program flow check instruction, the hardware value is compared to a software value associated with the program flow check instruction to determine if the program instructions have been executed in an expected sequence (e.g., according to an expected program flow).
US07644321B2
A load balancer detects a server failure, and sends a failure notification message to the remaining servers. In response, one or more of the remaining servers may autonomically adjust their configuration parameters, thereby allowing the remaining servers to better handle the increased load caused by the server failure. One or more of the servers may also include a performance measurement mechanism that measures performance before and after an autonomic adjustment of the configuration parameters to determine whether and how much the autonomic adjustments improved the system performance. In this manner server computer systems may autonomically compensate for the failure of another server computer system that was sharing the workload.
US07644317B1
Apparatus and method of detecting a fault in a network service includes an Ethernet access network domain in which a heartbeat message is broadcast at a periodic interval by each of a plurality of edge devices associated with an instance of the network service. Each of the edge devices also receives the heartbeat messages broadcast at the periodic interval from other edge devices. A fault occurrence is identified when the edge device fails to receive an expected heartbeat message at the periodic interval from one of the other edge devices.
US07644315B2
Content requests are debugged in accordance with a presence of a flag in a request to a publisher. A document received from the publisher contains a script to debug requests for content to a content provider. The requests are examined to determine the presence of informational, warning and error conditions. The conditions are written to a debugging user interface.
US07644312B2
A method and system for monitoring the operation of an application in a virtual machine. The system can include a debug script processor programmed to command an application executing within the virtual machine according to instructions specified in a debug script. The system further can include a monitor component implemented according to a virtual machine debugging interface and coupled to the virtual machine. Importantly, the monitor component can have a configuration for collecting debug data produced in consequence of the application executing within the virtual machine according to the instructions specified in the debug script.
US07644307B2
A validation system is disclosed for validating function of a packet-management unit operationally coupled through a system interface to a processing unit of a processor system. The validation system comprises a user interface for creating an inputting test parameters and test code into the system, a test generator coupled to the user interface, the test generator for generating input packet activity in the form of a packet stream, a model coupled to the test generator for emulating separate and integrated function of the packet management unit, the system interface, and a stream-processing unit and an evaluation software for checking and validating or not validating results. The system validation function relies, in a preferred embodiment, on comparing output results with criteria of the selected test code resulting in an indication of pass or failure of the test. In a preferred embodiment, the system also notifies to cause of failure.
US07644305B2
A cluster system including as few as two cluster nodes and a plurality of links, each one of the plurality of links coupling one of the cluster nodes to a voting device wherein a single surviving cluster node obtain a vote from the voting device. A method of establishing quorum in a cluster system including as few as two cluster nodes, the method comprising determining a single surviving cluster node of the as few as two cluster nodes, obtaining a vote from a voting device, and establishing quorum such that cluster operations are continued by the single surviving cluster node. A method for preventing a partition-in-time quorum establishment problem in a cluster system including as few as two cluster nodes, the method comprising determining that a revived cluster node is also a sole active cluster node of the cluster system, checking a last-surviving flag of the sole active cluster node, and if the last-surviving flag is set to FALSE, not restarting cluster operations.
US07644300B1
A method for resynchronizing a first copy of data on a first storage system from a second copy of the data on a second storage system includes, at a regular checkpoint interval, the first storage system pushing data in its cache that were modified prior to a checkpoint time to its nonvolatile storage and saving the checkpoint time to its nonvolatile storage. The method further includes, at a regular snapshot interval greater than the checkpoint interval, the second storage system taking snapshots of the second copy of the data. When the first storage system has an uncontrolled shutdown, the second storage system determines the snapshot closest in time to the last checkpoint time and sends the difference between the last snapshot and the second copy of the data to the first storage system to recover data lost during the uncontrolled shutdown.
US07644291B2
An array of electronic devices includes at least one throttlable device in the array of devices and a management module connected to the at least one throttlable device for reducing heat effects to an overheating device from neighboring devices in the array of electronic devices device. The management module is configured to detect the overheating of the overheating device, detect at least one throttlable device neighboring the overheating device and in the array of devices, and throttle the at least one throttlable device. The array of devices are an array of blade servers within a blade center, and the management module is separate from the at least one throttlable device.
US07644277B2
In an authentication apparatus 300, so as to confirm whether a user is legitimate in supplying key information to a resource 500, discernment information for identifying the user is caused to be input, and only in a case where this discernment information coincided with the stored discernment information of the user, the key information is supplied to the resource. Also, in causing the authentication apparatus 300 to register the discernment information of the user, the discernment information is caused to be input, this discernment information is collated with the discernment information registered in a key information management center 200, and in a case where it coincided, the authentication apparatus 300 is caused to register the discernment information. Further, in having caused the authentication apparatus 300 to register the discernment information, this legitimate discernment information is transmitted to the key information management center 200, the key information caused to correspond to the legitimate discernment information is transmitted to the authentication apparatus 300 from the key information management center 200, and the authentication apparatus 300 is caused to store the key information.
US07644271B1
A method and computer program product for providing enforcement of security policies for kernel module loading is presented. File paths for shared library executable files opened by user processes are cached. When a request to load a kernel loadable module (KLM) is received, a previously cached file path for said KLM is retrieved, said file path mapping a location of an executable file from which said KLM was produced. A security policy is applied to said file path, wherein when said file path triggers a security policy rule then an action associated with a triggered rule is taken, and wherein when said file path does not trigger a security policy rule then said KLM request is allowed to proceed.
US07644269B2
To control access to elements within a bus system or network, an external device identifies itself with a bus manager or network manager via a device-specific identifier. After authentication on the basis of a digital key, access is granted to the external device in accordance with its membership in a certain class of elements of the bus system or network.
US07644263B2
A PLD is interposed on the communication route between a microprocessor (hereinbelow called MP) and boot memories. The boot memories store MP start-up data needed to start up the MP and start-up protection code constituting protection code for the MP start-up data. The PLD reads the MP start-up data and the start-up protection code thereof from the boot memories, performs, in hardware fashion, a check of the validity of the MP start-up data using this start-up protection code and, if a negative check result is obtained, resets the MP and if a positive check result is obtained, inputs the start-up data that is thus read to the MP.
US07644262B1
A system and method adapted to modify or configure an application based, at least, upon a parameter of an operating environment. An interrogation component adapted to interrogate an operating environment receiving defining parameters. A modification component adapted to modify the application based, at least, upon the defining parameters of the operating environment.
US07644254B2
A method and apparatus for dynamically rerouting node processes on the compute nodes of a massively parallel computer system using hint bits to route around failed nodes or congested networks without restarting applications executing on the system. When a node has a failure or there are indications that it may fail, the application software on the system is suspended while the data on the failed node is moved to a backup node. The torus network traffic is routed around the failed node and traffic for the failed node is rerouted to the backup node. The application can then resume operation without restarting from the beginning.
US07644250B2
An orientation detector within a device package is used to establish the device orientation. A host controller coupled to the device supplies a control signal to at least one of the pins on the device during a setup phase. The pin that receives the control signal is used for active signaling during normal operations of the device. Based on the control signal, the orientation detector generates an orientation signal within the device. An analog or digital selector circuit connects the pins to correct internal circuit components according to the device orientation.
US07644244B2
A highly advantageous storage system and a snapshot management method. In the storage system, write target data sent from a host computer to a first storage controller is duplicated and stored in the first storage controller and also in a second storage controller; when the first storage controller receives a request from the host computer to create a snapshot in the second storage controller, it suspends transferring differential data to the second storage controller, creates a new first snapshot, and transfers differential data for the created first snapshot together with the untransferred differential data for a previous first snapshot for which transferring had been suspended, to the second storage controller.
US07644233B2
A single unified level one instruction cache in which some lines may contain traces and other lines in the same congruence class may contain blocks of instructions consistent with conventional cache lines. A mechanism is described for indexing into the cache, and selecting the desired line. Control is exercised over which lines are contained within the cache. Provision is made for selection between a trace line and a conventional line when both match during a tag compare step.
US07644232B2
A cache method and a cache system for storing file's data in memory blocks divided from a cache memory are disclosed. The cache method for storing data of a file in memory blocks divided from a cache memory includes: receiving a request command for first data of a first file from an application; retrieving a memory block that stores the first data; setting reference information which indicates that the memory block storing the first data is referred to by the application; transmitting the first data stored in the memory block to the application; and resetting the reference information for the memory block that stores the first data.
US07644228B2
A data storage system apparatus and associated method with a virtualization engine connectable to a remote device over a network for passing access commands between the remote device and a storage space. A plurality of intelligent storage elements (ISEs) are configured for replicating data from a first ISE to a second ISE independently of access commands being simultaneously passed between the virtualization engine and the first ISE.
US07644223B2
This invention discloses a system comprising a first comparator circuit configured to assert a first control signal in response to a first input number matching one of a first numbers stored therein, a second comparator circuit configured to assert a second control signal in response to: (i) at least one latched assertion of the first control signal; (ii) a second input number matching an intermediate number produced by incrementing the first input number; and (iii) an assertion of an input signal, and to de-assert the second control signal absent of either the matching between the second input number and the intermediate number or the de-assertion of the input signal, and a generator circuit configured to output a predetermined instruction data stored therein in response to the assertion of the first control signal, and to output a third number in response to the assertions of the second control signal.
US07644208B2
A terminal of a plurality of terminals that is located at the farthest position from a host has a return signal generator section, the return signal generator section transmits a return signal at a timing when data transmitted from the host to the terminals arrives at the terminal located at the farthest position, the return signal is returned to the host successively passing through interfaces of the terminals connected to a data bus, and each terminal originates data to be transmitted from the terminal to the host or from the terminal to a particular another terminal in synchronization with the return signal and delivers the data from the terminals to the host or the terminal in synchronization with the return signal.
US07644205B1
One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for mapping a small computer system interface (SCSI) architecture model-3 (SAM-3) task priority to an IEEE Standard 802.1q tag control information (TCI) field. Four bits that define a SAM-3 task priority are mapped to the three user priority bits within a standard 802.1q TCI field. By enabling the SAM-3 task priority of a given SCSI command to determine the user priority within a related IEEE 802.1q Ethernet frame, the Ethernet network is enabled to substantially honor the requested task priority for the SCSI command.
US07644204B2
A Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) input/output (I/O) coordinator of an apparatus in an example caches in memory local to the SCSI I/O coordinator one or more I/O request contexts stored in memory non-local to the SCSI I/O coordinator.
US07644202B2
A disk array device includes at least one channel control section for receiving data input/output requests from an information processing device, at least one disk control section for sending data input/output requests to hard disk drives based on the data input/output requests received by the channel control section, and a shared memory for the channel control section and the disk control section to read and write data. Information concerning ports that are actually used by the user is stored in a port control table in the shared memory, and the channel control section refers to the port control table and controls whether to make each port available for use by deciding whether to respond to a primitive sequence in a link initialization received from the information processing device regarding each of the plurality of ports.
US07644201B2
A method of verifying the passage of a data write across a bus is provided including sending the data write from an originator across the bus to a target, counting the number of data entries received at the target with a counter, and transmitting a return echo write from the target across the bus to a return address. The method further includes attaching the counter value to other data associated with the return echo write and polling the return address. The method allows determination of the completion of a data write by comparing the number of data entries included in the data write with the counter value polled from the return address. Alternatively, in a data streaming environment the progress of a data write may be determined by comparing the number of data entries included in the data write at a select point in time with the counter value polled from the return address. Typical data entries which are counted may include, but are not limited to, bytes, words, double words, or similar data quantities.
US07644198B2
An improved DMAC translation mechanism is presented. DMA commands are “unrolled” based upon the transfer size of the DMA command and the amount of data that a computer system transfers at one time. For the first DMA request, a DMA queue requests a memory management unit to perform an address translation. The DMA queue receives a real page number from the MMU and, on subsequent rollout requests, the DMA queue provides the real page number to a bus interface unit without accessing the MMU until the transfer crosses into the next page. Rollout logic decrements the DMA command's transfer size after each DMA request, determines whether a new page has been reached, determines if the DMA command is completed, and sends write back information to the DMA queue for subsequent DMA requests.
US07644193B2
A recording device control apparatus includes a reception unit operable to receive transfer requests and a transfer request specification unit operable to perform transfer criterion judgment processing and same-area judgment processing. When a targeted transfer request fulfills a condition of a negative judgment result in both processes, the apparatus specifies the related data of a targeted transfer request as a transfer target. The same-area judgment process is for judging whether or not a transfer request that has area information identical to area information included in the targeted transfer request was received before the targeted transfer request was received. Furthermore, the apparatus includes a transfer unit operable to transfer the data specified by the transfer request specification unit. By transferring data to the same area in the order specified by the transfer specification unit, inconsistencies are avoided in the data in the recording device control apparatus.
US07644190B2
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for pipelined processing of data packets. A pipeline in a processor comprises an access point providing simultaneous access to one or more devices, said devices mainly for data processing operations not provided by the pipeline. The access point comprises at least one FIFO store for storing data entering the access point, a response FIFO store for storing responses received from the device(s), and a synchronization mechanism adapted to synchronize the fetching of the first entry in the FIFO store(s) and the first entry in the response FIFO store. The synchronization mechanism could advantageously be a fixed time delay mechanism. When the fixed time initiated by the fixed time delay mechanism has elapsed, the first response in the response FIFO store is merged into the data stored in the first entry in the FIFO store(s) for storing data entering the access point.
US07644189B2
A network server having a current lower packet-interfacing layer and a current upper packet-processing layer is updated by providing an updated process having an updated packet-interfacing lower layer, an updated packet-processing upper layer packets, and a communication channel for diverting network packets from the updated lower layer to the current upper layer. First the current lower layer is replaced with the updated lower layer. Then the packets in the updated lower layer are checked to determine if they relate to transactions already under way on the current upper layer or new transactions. The current upper layer processes the packets relating to transactions already under way, and the packets relating to new transactions are processed the updated upper layer. When all the under-way transactions on the current upper layer have been completed the communication channel is closed.
US07644179B1
Disclosed are apparatus and methods for facilitating communication between two devices from two different VSANs by propagating each device's presence from a first VSAN to the other device's different VSAN using a network address translation (NAT) mechanism. For instance, a first device, such as a host H1, from VSAN_A is allowed to access data from a second device, such as disk D1, of VSAN_B by propagating D1's presence into VSAN_A and H1's presence into VSAN_B. This awareness is accomplished by propagating an identifier for each device into the edge VSAN of the other device, as well as into any transit VSAN. So as to not duplicate identifiers in any one of the VSANs, a device's presence is propagated into a particular VSAN by assigning an unused domain for use by such device in the particular VSAN.
US07644175B2
Systems and methods are described for streaming multimedia data from a client to a server using HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP). A session is initiated with a header that identifies a content length header that is a maximum allowed by the server, regardless of the actual length of the data to be streamed. If a firewall or proxy server limits access to the server, the content length of the data is specified to be about an amount of data that can be streamed to the server in one minute. If more data remains to be streamed when an amount of data approximating the content length has been streamed, a continuing streaming session is requested and subsequent data is streamed to the server in the continuing streaming session. The process repeats until all data has been streamed.
US07644174B2
A method of and an apparatus for transmitting a universal plug and play audio/video (UPnP-AV) stream is disclosed, which transmits a media stream from a media server to an media renderer, using an integrated protocol which combines an universal plug and play (UPnP) audio/video (AV) protocol and a residential Ethernet (ResE) subscription protocol. According to the method, an integrated protocol combining an UPnP-AV protocol and an Ethernet protocol can be used. Additionally, a secured quality of service (QoS) can be provided for the UPnP-AV stream.
US07644172B2
Data can be streamed from a server to a client via an established connection. Commands (e.g., commands to navigate the streamed data) can be communicated to the server and streaming can continue (possibly from a different location) without breaking the connection. In one implementation, the connection is an HTTP 1.1 (HyperText Transfer Protocol version 1.1) connection.
US07644150B1
The present invention relates to a method of managing a network. The method steps includes extracting a signature from a first traffic flow of a plurality of traffic flows on the network based on layer-3/layer-4 information of the first traffic flow, storing the signature and an identification of a layer-7 application associated with the signature in a signature repository, identifying a second traffic flow of the plurality of traffic flows being associated with the layer-7 application by correlating the second traffic flow to the signature, and managing the network based on layer-7 application identification of the plurality of traffic flows.
US07644149B2
An improved handheld electronic device includes an Application Programming Interface (API) that generates various notifications in certain circumstances. The handheld electronic device provides an improved method of employing the notifications to enable another device to reflect an addition to a browser cache on the handheld electronic device.
US07644147B1
An apparatus having a corresponding method comprises a memory; a plurality of ports comprising one or more network ports to send and receive data packets and to receive management packets, wherein each of the management packets comprises one or more commands, and wherein the commands comprise one or more of the group consisting of a command to read data from the memory, and a command to write data to the memory, and a central processing unit (CPU) port to transmit packets addressed to a CPU; a forwarding engine to transfer the data packets between the ports according to a forwarding table stored in the memory; a protocol unit to identify the management packets; and a management unit to execute the commands; wherein the management packets bypass the CPU port.
US07644144B1
A system for optimizing the value of communications between communicating parties is provided. The system includes a communication group manager that facilitates specifying policies, preferences and/or automated analysis of ideal communication channels, routing and/or scheduling in terms of communicating party groups that can be pre-populated clusters of communicating parties, assembled based on relationships (e.g., organizational), and/or assembled based on satisfying inclusion criteria (e.g., age, location, competence, communication history, meeting history). The communication group manager maps communicating parties into predefined and/or dynamically created groups that facilitate specifying and/or automatically computing ideal communication actions like selecting a channel, displaying lists of potential channels sorted by communicating party preferences, and (re)scheduling communications to different channels and/or times. Ideal communication actions can be identified by maximizing a measure of expected communication utility, where groups provide simplifying abstractions to facilitate assessment of outcome utilities. The method can employ representations of preferences of the contactor and contactee that allow for group-specific preference considerations that weight differentially contactor and/or contactee preference considerations in communication action optimization. The system includes a group wise communication coordinator that identifies optimal group communication sets. The method facilitates a recipient communicating with a group member where the communication utility is optimized based on a preference, and a context associated with the group to which the member belongs.
US07644141B2
An apparatus and method is described for identification of applications that benefit from HA features and assisting a system administrator in the installation of the applications in an application server with HA features configured properly for run-time operation. In preferred embodiments, an HA policy engine allows a system administrator to set up one or more general HA policies in a policy table. In a preferred embodiment, an HA run-time engine uses the policies in the policy table to configure new applications being installed in the application server. Other embodiments include an application inspection unit that introspects the byte code of the application as well as deployment descriptors to determine which features and APIs are being used that can take advantage of HA functions.
US07644140B2
In one embodiment, a system and method for proliferating a computing device configuration relates to generating a categorized registry file including at least one registry entry that is categorized relative to a feature of the source computing device to which the at least one registry entry pertains, providing the categorized registry file to a target computing device, determining whether to import the at least one registry entry relative to a category to which the at least one registry entry is related, and importing the at least one registry entry into a registry of the target computing device if it is determined to so import it.
US07644139B2
A method and system of optimizing content delivery at a processing element in a dynamic content delivery architecture, the method having the steps of: receiving a content and metadata envelope at the processing element; checking the content and metadata envelope to determine whether the content and metadata envelope includes metadata for the processing element; if the content envelope contains metadata for the processing element, extracting and caching the metadata; if the content envelope does not contain metadata for the processing element, retrieving metadata for a content provider associated with the content from a cache on the processing element; and applying the extracted or retrieved metadata to the content and metadata envelope.
US07644138B2
The present invention is directed to an electronic forensic method for electronic discovery and computer forensics. The invention allows a user to conduct limited preliminary examination of computers using a client program on a physical memory device, whereby limited information about the examination result is displayed. To further access and examine the actual underlying data, the user must obtain additional functionality by obtaining a command block from a control server. The additional functionality will allow the client program to extract, copy, export, or further access the data of interest.
US07644133B2
System and program product are provided for facilitating on-line help information in an office application which includes one or more objects. The on-line help information is dependent on content of a selected object of the office application. A user of the office application is provided with help information setting forth an example directly derived from content of the currently selected object or cell. Content of a user entry field within the object is parsed to determine whether a predefined keyword is present, and if so, at least one parameter associated with the keyword and at least one format or rule related to the at least one parameter are identified. The at least one format and rule specified in the help information are employed in correcting content of the user entry field, for example, for display to the user.
US07644132B2
A home telematics system providing a synchronization service between a telematics terminal and a computer, and a method thereof are provided. The system includes a telematics system having a telematics center; a home network system having a home network center and a home server; the telematics terminal for, upon generation of a synchronization service request, connecting with the home network center through the telematics center, transmitting a synchronization data request message to the home network center, and displaying synchronization data received in response to the synchronization data request message; and the computer for receiving the synchronization data request message through the home network center and the home server, and transmitting the synchronization data stored in a previously allocated storing region to the telematics terminal.
US07644130B2
A message passing interface (“MPI”) cluster may be initialized and configured by reading a list of node identifiers from a file, starting a process on each node whose identifier was listed, and providing a second list of node identifiers to the process.
US07644126B2
Described are techniques and mechanisms for easily allowing a user to unsubscribe (“opt out”) from receiving subsequent messages in a particular message thread. Generally stated, a component maintains information about a message thread that a user has indicated a desire to opt out of. The information includes identifying information about the message thread and an indication that a particular user desires to receive no further messages in the thread. New messages that are identified as belonging to that thread are handled in some fashion that differs from ordinary messages. For example, the messages may simply be deleted, may be held at a message server, may be redirected to a special storage location, or the like. The user indicates the desire to opt out through a user interface mechanism that is available in connection with the user viewing a message in the particular thread. Optionally, the user may have the ability to re-subscribe (“opt in”) to the thread.
US07644122B2
The present invention comprises a method, apparatus and business system for allowing on-line communications with members of a group of recipients for whom the invention has been implemented. A group may, for example, comprise members of a particular business or profession. For example, a group may consist of doctors admitted to practice medicine in the United States. Individual members of the group may or may not have existing internet presences. The invention allows online users to communicate with each member of a given group regardless of whether or not the member has an existing internet presence. In one or more embodiments, the invention does so by setting up a database of contact information for members of the group, creating an internet presence for each member of such group, creating an on-line user interface allowing a user to access the member's created internet presence, and providing means of communications between the created internet presence and the member recipient.
US07644117B2
A reseller program may be used to increase the number of Customer desired domain names that are registered by a Registrar. There are two main embodiments of this reseller program. In the first embodiment, Resellers guide Customers to a Registrar web site through the use of advertisements, links in various web sites and/or links from search engines. The Registrar web site communicates directly with the Customer and registers the Customer desired domain names and compensates the Reseller for guiding the Customer to the Registrar web site. In the second embodiment, Resellers have their own reseller web sites that communicate directly with the Customers and communicate the desired domain names to the Registrar web site so the Registrar web site can register the Customer desired domain names. In this embodiment, the Customer may compensate the Reseller and the Reseller may compensate the Registrar for the services rendered.
US07644115B2
Systems and methods for performing large-radix numeric operations. A first number may be segmented into large-radix segments, wherein numbers of the segments are generated such that radix of the segment is greater than radix of the first number. As a result, a plurality of disparate processor-based computing systems may be configured to perform various numeric operations on the large-radix segments of the number and output results of a numeric operation as a number whose radix is equal to the radix of the first number.
US07644114B2
A method that allows use of a memory page dirty bit by a number of modules.
US07644110B2
A stream data processing system restrains the generation of communication traffic in the case of distributing loads by using a plurality of information processing devices. The global query is divided into a plurality of processes. At every divided process, a local query which includes the corresponding process is generated and each local query is set to a query processing device different from each other. In addition, the stream data is transmitted among a plurality of query processing devices in order so as to execute the local query in each query processing device. At this time, the entire stream data does not transmitted among the query processing devices in order. At least a part of the corresponding stream data is stored in a proxy device. When data received from an information processing device located in immediately before does not include the target data of the local query, the query processing device reads the corresponding data from the proxy device and executes the local query.
US07644105B2
Techniques are provided for efficient information dissemination and discovery in large scale networks such as ad-hoc networks, sensor networks, vehicle networks, virtual networks and the like. The spatial information for a plurality of network elements within a network is determined and an interesting node identified. A variable resolution communication structure of inter-connected nodes is determined based on spatial information for the interesting node and a map. The map may be based on an equation, a formula, coordinates or other methods of extensibly specifying spaces. Information about the interesting node is propagated via the inter-connected nodes of the variable resolution communication structure.
US07644103B2
A MediaDescription data structure that includes both descriptive metadata, such as EPG information, about a multimedia content item and instructions for acquiring the content item is assigned to each multimedia content item in a multimedia system. A MediaDescription data structure is transferable as a token for representing the content item. The acquisition information may also include information about presenting the content item in different view contexts, as well as information about relationships to other pieces of content, and information about how each different version of the content item is to be acquired and displayed. MediaDescription data structure tokens can be used to facilitate digital video recording (DVR) processes, Internet content rendering processes, multimedia search processes, search results aggregating processes, video-on-demand (VOD) processes, pay-per-view processes, and program guide rendering processes.
US07644096B2
A method for storing data in an electronic device, using tags to mark events carried out in the electronic device during a certain time period. The method involves defining a tag which is assignable to data related to events which are carried out and stored using the electronic device; defining a time period for using the tag; and configuring the electronic device to assign the tag to data related to all events stored using the electronic device during said time period. The tag may be used for all events of only one type, such as pictures captured using a digital camera. Alternatively, the tags may be used for a plurality of types of events, such as for captured pictures or videos, received virtual business cards, calls dialed or received, messages sent or received, and so on. Data associated with an event related to a certain occasion may then be searched and accessed using a tag register.
US07644092B2
A file management system comprises a free-cluster queue describing cluster information indicating a cluster of a memory device in which “data has not been deleted yet but a file will be written preferentially only when a file write request is received”; means deleting, via a preferential input/output request queue in a driver, management information of data according to a deletion request for a file; means selecting either a non-preferential input/output request queue or the free-cluster queue to which the cluster information of the cluster in which the file whose management information has been deleted; means setting the cluster information of the data to which the deletion request is given, to either the non-preferential input/output request queue or the free-cluster queue, depending on selected results; and means providing the cluster information set in the free-cluster queue to a preferential input/output request queue of the driver, when a predetermined event occurs.
US07644091B1
Systems and methods to receive HL7 electronic medical data and to create an electronic indexing medical record based upon the received HL7 electronic medical data. The indexing medical record is provided to a document management system, wherein the document management system is configured to use the provided indexing medical record to index a medically-related document.
US07644087B2
A data access system decouples the data processing from the data storage to provide improved accessibility, integrity, scalability and other features. The system comprises: database units arranged in virtual partitions each independently accessible, a plurality of data processing units, and a switching network for switching the data processing units between the virtual partitions, thereby to assign data processing capacity dynamically to respective virtual partitions.
US07644085B2
Techniques are disclosed for generating a representation of an access control list, the representation being utilizable in a network processor or other type of processor to perform packet filtering or other type of access control list based function. A plurality of rules of the access control list are determined, each of at least a subset of the rules having a plurality of fields and a corresponding action. The rules are processed to generate a multi-level tree representation of the access control list, in which each of one or more of the levels of the tree representation is associated with a corresponding one of the fields. At least one level of the tree representation comprises a plurality of nodes, with two or more of the nodes of that level having a common subtree, and the tree representation including only a single copy of that subtree. The tree representation is characterizable as a directed graph in which each of the two nodes having the common subtree points to the single copy of the common subtree.
US07644082B2
Abbreviated index of parameter patterns. An abbreviated index includes indicators that a parameter pattern may be in a set of parameter patterns. To create the abbreviated index, indicators for overlapping parameter patterns of a given parameter pattern are placed in the index. Different patterns may have the same indicator, so the abbreviated index does not necessarily give an absolute indication of the presence of a parameter pattern in the set of parameter patterns, but rather may give an indication of the possible inclusion of a parameter pattern. The use of indicators for overlapping patterns can be used to increase confidence as to the existence of a given parameter pattern in the set of parameter patterns. The absence of an indicator for a parameter pattern or an overlapping parameter pattern will indicate with certainty that the parameter pattern is not present in the set of parameter patterns.
US07644072B2
Methods and apparatus assessing, ranking, organizing, and presenting search results associated with a user's current work context are disclosed. The system disclosed assesses, ranks, organizes and presents search results against a user's current work context by comparing statistical and heuristic models of the search results to a statistical and heuristic model of the user's current work context. In this manner, search results are assessed, ranked, organized, and/or presented with the benefit of attributes of the user's current work context that are predictive of relevance, such as words in a user's document (e.g., web page or word processing document) that may not have been included in the search query. In addition, search results from multiple search engines are combined into an organization scheme that best reflects the user's current task. As a result, lists of search results from different search engines can be more usefully presented to the user.
US07644070B2
Disclosed are methods for processing distribution channel data integrating business information with geographic data to produce integrated data, wherein the integrated data has greater resolution than the business information. Distribution channel data is captured and correlated with the integrated data to increase the resolution of the distribution channel data.
US07644069B2
The present invention provides a search ranking method suitable for a file system, including receiving a query, calculating final relevance scores of individual file items with respect to the query at least partially in accordance with energy scores of individual nodes on a current file system energy tree, and outputting a list of search results based on the final relevance scores. The file system energy tree is updated in response to an operation on the file system performed by a user, wherein the file system energy tree has a tree structure corresponding to that of the file system, and the individual nodes thereof respectively corresponds to the individual file items in the file system
US07644060B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide for a computer program of a dialog player. An artificial psychology dialog player is a software program that picks a sentence line from a repertoire according to probabilistic rules and artificial personality states. The personality for the purpose of this invention optimally has four motivational dimensions, one of which is paired with the remaining three; each pair is identified with a stage of human age. The user of the dialog player selects or identifies an age value; the software uses this value in order to determine a set of probabilities of activation for the three stages. The simulation of aging is implemented by automatically activating one of the stages according to these probabilities whenever the personality is prompted for a sentence.
US07644056B2
The present invention provides a system and method for providing terrorism intelligence indications and warning consisting of multiple tasks that create warning products on a Website and in which the associated computer program maintains a Webpage that tracks and displays each analyst's pending tasks based on their assigned responsibilities in the system.
US07644052B1
The present disclosure includes systems and techniques relating to building and using hierarchical knowledge structures. In general, embodiments of the invention feature a computer program product and a method including receiving a first ontology including initial categories, an indication of sample data for a given category of the initial categories, and an indication of symbolic knowledge for the given category; and populating the first ontology with new features to form a second ontology, the populating comprising determining the new features from the sample data using a statistical machine learning process and retaining the new features and the symbolic knowledge within the second ontology in association with the given category. In another aspect, embodiments of the invention feature a knowledge management system including a hierarchical knowledge structure that categorizes information according to cognitive and semantic qualities within a knowledge domain.
US07644047B2
A method and apparatus are provided for generating, from an input set of documents, a word replaceability matrix defining semantic similarity between words occurring in the input document set. For each word, distinct word sequences of predetermined length are identified from the documents of the set, each word sequence being indicative of the context in which the word was used and, according to the relative frequency of occurrence of the identified word sequences for the word, fuzzy sets are generated for each word comprising membership values for corresponding groups of word sequences. For each pair of words occurring in the document set, their respective fuzzy sets are used to calculate the probability that the first word of a pair is semantically suitable as a replacement for the second word of the pair, these probabilities being collated to form a word similarity matrix for use in an improved method of determining document similarity and in information retrieval.
US07644041B1
An automated teller machine (ATM) (10) includes a display device (14), an input device (16), a cash acceptor (22), and a cash dispenser (24). The ATM also has access to a network, such as the Internet. The ATM enables a user thereof to make online purchases of goods and to receive from the user a cash payment for the purchase through a cash acceptor. The ATM administrator pays the merchant who supplies the goods. An ATM may be operative to also dispense purchased digital content and/or gift certificates. Purchased goods may also be hand delivered to an indicated address. The ATM may be further operative to charge a user fee for transactions.
US07644025B2
The present invention relates to a method and system for offering a novel mandatorily convertible securities (e.g., DECS) by using a third party entity (either a corporate entity or a newly-formed independent trust) to: 1) issue and sell novel DECS to market investors; 2) obtain from a first entity shares of common stock in a second entity, or rights to receive such shares in the future, to satisfy the mandatory conversion requirement of the DECS; 3) sell or retain the rights to any residual value obtained after satisfying the obligation to DECS investors; and 4) use the proceeds from such sale or retained value to fund a portion of the DECS coupon. As compared to a traditional DECS, the use of the third party intermediary allows the first entity to: 1) recognize an accounting gain/loss on its underlying position in the second entity up front on the day of sale of the novel DECS; 2) avoid the creation of debt on the balance sheet of the first entity; 3) avoid any mark-to-market through the income statement each fiscal quarter, which would produce income statement volatility.
US07644010B2
A system and method to provide identification codes to track outbound mail and corresponding replies. Tracking is enabled where an intended recipient is not determined until after physical components of the mailpiece are assembled. A first ID code is associated with a second ID code on a return envelope. The first ID code is positioned on a front of the return envelope proximal to a return address on the return envelope. The second ID code is positioned on a back of the return envelope proximal to a recipient address region on the return envelope. The return envelope is inserted into a carrier envelope with the front of the return envelope facing the back of the carrier envelope, and the second ID code and the recipient address region being visible through a front window in the front of the carrier envelope. A recipient address is printed in the recipient address region of the reply envelope, through the front window on the carrier envelope. To allow mail piece tracking, the first and second ID codes are associated with the intended recipient of the outbound mail.
US07644009B2
A method and system that enables users to generate and manage forecasts through an integrated software tool. Forecast administrators are enabled to create forecast series data that define a forecast's structure and provide search criteria that is used in generating forecasts. These data also define who may participate in creating forecasts, and their relative position in an organization's hierarchy. Users are also enabled to enter a variety of forecast data that are stored by the system. Various forecast data are then retrieved corresponding to the user, applicable subordinates, and parameters defined by the forecast series. Users may then fine-tune their forecasts and submit their forecasts to their managers. The managers are enabled to adjust and roll up their subordinate's forecasts to produce their own forecasts. This process may be recursively applied while moving up through various layers of management defined by the organization's hierarchy.
US07644007B2
a method and apparatus is disclosed for scheduling construction projects based on the available finance using integer programming. This method renders CPM/PERT schedules of construction projects executable using bank overdrafts of specified credit limits. Conveniently, the method is organized in three stages; input preparation, schedule extension, and model formulation. Input preparation stage supports preparing CPM/PERT schedule and financial data of the project. Schedule extension stage supports developing a scheme for schedule extension. The scheme is a framework of the original schedule that allows a definite extension increment in the critical path of the CPM. Model formulation stage supports building an integer programming model for the scheme and involves the components of formulating an objective function, setting constraints, and searching for a model solution. The model solution determines the activities' shifts that fulfill the constraints of the specified credit limit while minimizing the schedule extension. A search for a solution of the model is performed. If no solution is found, a repetition of the last two stages of the method is performed after allowing longer extension increment.
US07644000B1
A system receives a spoken utterance, identifies at least one keyword within the spoken utterance, and identifies a function using the identified at least one keyword. The system further performs the identified function on at least a portion of the spoken utterance to create a voice file.
US07643994B2
A method for analyzing audio data (AD) is provided wherein a signature (SAD) is generated based on a feature set (FS) comprising a plurality of time domain related features (TDFk). The signature (SAD) is formed in order to represent a plurality of temporal positions or ranges of a plurality of characteristics of time domain related features (TDFk) within said audio data (AD).
US07643988B2
A method for analyzing fundamental frequency information contained in voice samples includes at least one analysis step (2) for the voice samples which are grouped together in frames in order to obtain information relating to the spectrum and information relating to the fundamental frequency for each sample frame; a step (20) for the determination of a model representing the common characteristics of the spectrum and fundamental frequency of all samples; and a step (30) for determination of a fundamental frequency prediction function exclusively according to spectrum-related in formation on the basis of the model and voice samples.
US07643981B2
The present invention provides for simulating signal transitions. Circuit characteristics are generated. Circuit characteristics are loaded into memory. Circuit behaviour is simulated. A non-leading edge circuit transition is captured. This occurs in software.
US07643978B2
A method for simulating an electric circuit comprising components and receiving external stimuli, wherein the determination at a given time of the voltages at the circuit nodes comprises several iterations, each consisting of defining a probable voltage for each node, of calculating the currents of each component based on the component model, then of repeating until the mesh equation is verified, and wherein for the first time, a current of a component is calculated based either on the full accurate model, or on the simplified linear model, or on the compound model which is a fitting, according to the interval between the voltages at the component's terminals between the initial time and the first time, and the simplified, full or compound model is used respectively if the interval is smaller than a first threshold, greater than a second threshold or between the first and second thresholds.
US07643970B2
A tape course generator produces tape course definitions for use in programming a CNC composite tape lamination machine. The tape course generator includes a reference surface parameterizer that maps a contoured surface onto a parametric reference surface, and a reference plane instantiator that maps the reference surface onto a reference plane. The tape course generator also includes a tape boundary plotter that plots a tape boundary, and a boundary mapper that maps the tape boundary and a ply boundary into the reference plane. In addition, the tape course generator includes an intersection locator that identifies intersections of the ply boundary and the tape boundary, and a tape course delimiter that defines tape cuts and determines which points in the reference plane are within a tape course. Moreover, the tape course generator includes a tape course transformer that maps the defined tape course back onto the contoured surface.
US07643967B2
A method of designing fold lines in sheet material includes the steps defining the desired fold line in a parent plane on a drawing system, and populating the fold line with a fold geometry including a series of cut zones that define a series of connected zones configured and positioned relative to the fold line whereby upon folding the material along the fold line produces edge-to-face engagement of the material on opposite sides of the cut zones. Alternatively, the method may include the steps storing a plurality of cut zone configurations and connected zone configurations having differing dimensions and/or shapes, defining a desired fold line in a parent plane on a drawing system, selecting a preferred cut zone and/or a preferred connected zone which have a desired shape and scale, locating a preferred fold geometry along the fold line, the preferred fold geometry including the selected cut zone and the selected connected zone, and relocating, rescaling and/or reshaping the preferred fold geometry to displace, add and/or subtract at least one of the connected zones, whereby upon folding the material along the fold line produces edge-to-face engagement of the material on opposite sides of the cut zones. A computer program product and a system configured for implementing the method of designing fold lines in sheet material is also disclosed.
US07643966B2
A computer model of a physical structure (or object) can be generated using context-based hypothesis testing. For a set of point data, a user selects a context specifying a geometric category corresponding to the structure shape. The user specifies at least one seed point from the set that lies on a surface of the structure of interest. Using the context and point data, the system loads points in a region near the seed point(s), and determines the dimensions and orientation of an initial surface component in the context that corresponds to those points. If the selected component is supported by the points, that component can be added to a computer model of the surface. The system can repeatedly find points near a possible extension of the surface model, using the context and current surface component(s) to generate hypotheses for extending the surface model to these points. Well-supported components can be added to the surface model until the surface of the structure of interest has been modeled as far as is well-supported by the point data.
US07643960B2
A method for measuring and storing values of sensor bias in acceleration values for a vehicle, obtained over a plurality of time periods from a sensor having a specified range of expected variability of sensor bias values, includes measuring a first value of sensor bias obtained during operation of the vehicle in a first time period, storing the measured first value of sensor bias for use in one or more subsequent time periods, measuring a second value of sensor bias obtained during operation of the vehicle in a second time period, subtracting the measured second value of sensor bias from the stored first value of sensor bias, thereby generating a sensor bias difference, and storing the measured second value of sensor bias, for reference in one or more subsequent time periods, if the sensor bias difference is within the specified range of expected variability of sensor bias values.
US07643953B2
The accumulated change in values representative of actions taken by a processor, such as the number of email messages processed by an email server, in a given time period is determined. Actions are represented as data points on a plot. Look-ahead intervals are defined for each point. Candidate pairs of points are determined for each look-ahead interval by comparing the first value in the look-ahead interval with other values in the look-ahead interval. A candidate pair comprises the first point and another point having a lesser value. If a candidate pair has a value therebetween, the candidate pair is discarded. If, however, a candidate pair has no value therebetween, the first value of the candidate pair is a peak value for the look-ahead interval. The accumulated change is determined by calculating the sum of the peak values, plus the final value, minus the initial value, for the given time period.
US07643944B2
A measuring device is provided for a motor vehicle, with a bracket (1), with a joint (8), which is connected to the bracket (1) and which has a joint housing (20) and a pivot pin (19) mounted movably in same. A component (2) is provided which is connected to the joint (8) and which is mounted pivotably on the bracket (1) via the joint (8). An angle measuring device (17, 18) is provided, by which the angle (φ) of the component (2) in relation to the bracket (1) can be determined. An analyzer (23) is connected to the angle measuring device (17, 18) and has a double differentiator (24), which is connected to the angle measuring device (17, 18) and which is followed downstream by a summer or integrator (26) via the intermediary of a calculating unit (25).
US07643932B2
An engine ECU executes a program including a step of calculating intensity values LOG(V) based on signals transmitted from a knock sensor; a step of deciding a maximum value V(MAX) in frequency distribution of intensity values LOG(V) for N cycles (N is a natural number); a step of calculating a knock determination level V(KD) based on the frequency distribution; a step of, when the knock determination level V(KD) is smaller than the maximum value V(MAX), removing V(MAX) from the frequency distribution; and a step of counting the total frequency of removed maximum values V(MAX) as knock occupancy KC. Maximum values V(MAX) are removed until the knock determination level V(KD) and the maximum value V(MAX) coincide, and the knock determination level V(KD) is recalculated.
US07643927B2
A distance measuring device in a vehicle is used for controlling a device located outside the vehicle. The controller causes a control signal to be emitted, the control signal being emitted by distance sensors located on the vehicle.
US07643926B2
A rolling motion stability control apparatus restrains a roll increasing tendency of a vehicle, with each wheel of the vehicle being braked by a wheel brake device. A first braking force control device is provided for applying a first braking force to the wheel, when the vehicle is turned to one direction. A second braking force control device is provided for applying a second braking force to the wheel, when the vehicle is turned to the other direction. References for starting controls of the first and second braking force control devices are set to be of predetermined values, respectively. The reference for starting the control of the second braking force control device is modified to be smaller than a predetermined value, when the vehicle is turned to the one direction.
US07643914B2
A method for controlling a drive assembly of a vehicle including applying a conduction angle set value greater than 180° to a variable reluctance machine such that the machine operates in a continuous current mode adjustable according to the controlled measurement of operation stability of the machine in the continuous current mode.
US07643911B2
A vehicle periphery display control system displays peripheral images of a vehicle which are captured by a plurality of cameras mounted on the vehicle in respective different positions thereon. A storage medium stores road configuration information of a road. A positioning unit identifies the present position of the vehicle on the road. A image switching decision unit selects either one of images captured by the cameras based on specific road configuration information of a peripheral area around the vehicle, which includes the present position identified by the present position identifying unit, of the road configuration information stored in the storage medium. The image switching decision unit controls a display unit to display the image selected by the selecting unit.
US07643908B2
A system is provided for use in a multi-unit building by which an occupant of a unit of the multi-unit building controls an appliance associated with the unit and includes an actuator which is accessible to the occupant, a processing unit to control the appliance, operative in the first mode, based on occupant instructions, to change the mode of the appliance based on an actuation of the actuator and to control the appliance, operative in the second mode, according to a preselected schedule, and a networking unit to inform, via communications, a monitor of the multi-unit building as to when the appliance operates in the second mode.
US07643903B2
While a biped walking mobile body is in a motion, such as level-ground walking, the position of the center of gravity (G0) of the biped walking mobile body, the position of an ankle joint (12) of each leg (2), and the position of a metatarsophalangeal joint (13a) of a foot (13) are successively grasped. The horizontal position of any one of the center of gravity (G0), the ankle joint (12), and the metatarsophalangeal joint (13a) is estimated as the horizontal position of a floor reaction force acting point on the basis of the combination of the contact or no contact with the ground at a spot directly below the metatarsophalangeal joint 13a of the foot 13 and a spot directly below the ankle joint 12, which is detected by ground contact sensors 51f and 51r, respectively, provided on the sole of the foot 13. The vertical position of the floor reaction force acting point is estimated on the basis of the vertical distance from the ankle joint (12) to a ground contact surface.
US07643876B2
Systems and methods include sensing whether a shock to a heart is needed, and prior to delivering the shock, causing at least a partial contraction of a musculature in a chest, and delivering the shock while the musculature is at least partially contracted to reduce the pain of shock therapy.
US07643874B2
The invention is generally directed to a kit and patch for transdermal or intradermal delivery of at least one substance into the skin. The kit includes a dermal patch having an electrochemical cell with two electrodes and a retainer for retaining a conductive fluid which further includes an active substance. The conductive fluid can be deposited on at least one of the two electrodes. Alternatively, the conductive fluid can be applied topically to the skin.
US07643872B2
A technique is provided for detecting episodes of cardiac ischemia based on an examination of the total energy of T-waves. Since cardiac ischemia is often a precursor to acute myocardial infarction (AMI) or ventricular fibrillation (VF), the technique thereby provides a method for predicting the possible onset of AMI or VF. Briefly, the technique integrates internal electrical cardiac signals occurring during T-waves and then compares the result against a running average. If the result exceeds the average by some predetermined amount, ischemia is thereby detected and a warning signal is provided to the patient. The maximum slope of the T-wave is also exploited. Techniques are also set forth herein for reliably detecting T-waves, which help prevent P-waves from being misinterpreted as T-waves on unipolar sensing channels. The T-wave detection technique may be used in conjunction with ischemia detection or for other purposes.
US07643869B1
The primary objective of the present method and apparatus is to provide a portable and new diagnosis system for quickly and reliably examining tissue conditions. The method uses the most advance miniaturized micro-opto-electro-mechanical systems (MOEMS) system for generating a rapid variable optical delay line capable of generating wideband terahertz pulses. The method detects and analyzes cancerous tissues by comparing a plurality of spectrum resolved images of suspected tissue without applying harmful agents into the tissue to facilitate interaction with illumination sources. The method employs non-evasive, real time terahertz imaging systems and techniques to diagnose tissue for detecting the presence of cancer. A map showing, which tissue is healthy and which is cancerous can aid in the accurate removal of cancerous tissue.
US07643867B2
This document discusses, among other things, fiducial marker devices, tools, and methods. One example illustrates a combined computed tomography (CT) imagable fiducial locator head, an integral bone screw, and an integral divot for receiving a positioning wand of an image-guided surgical (IGS) workstation. A further example includes a fluid/gel-absorbing coating or cover into which a magnetic resonance (MR) imagable fluid is introduced, thereby permitting both CT and MR imaging. Protective caps and collars may be used to protect the fiducial marker from mechanical impact and/or to guide the fiducial marker during affixation. A bull's-eye or other template is used to select a center of a substantially spherical fiducial marker head on an image, such as for use during patient registration.
US07643843B2
The present invention is related to a method and system for transmit power control in a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) wireless communication system. Both a transmitter and a receiver comprise multiple antennae for transmission and reception. The transmitter comprises a power allocation unit for controlling transmit power based on a feedback received from the receiver. The receiver comprises a channel estimator and a singular value decomposition (SVD) unit. The channel estimator generates a channel matrix from a signal received from the transmitter and the SVD unit decomposes the channel matrix into D, U and V matrices. The receiver sends a feedback generated based on output from the SVD unit to the transmitter for controlling the transmit power. The feedback may be one of an eigenvalue, a transmit power level or a power control bit or command. A hybrid scheme for selecting one of them based on channel condition may be implemented.
US07643842B2
Techniques to adjust the setpoint of a power control loop in a wireless communication system. The setpoint may be adjusted based on frame status indicative of erased/good decoded frames, one or more (typically soft) metrics indicative of the confidence in the decoded results, power surplus/deficit indicative of the difference between the received signal quality and the setpoint, setpoint surplus/deficit indicative of the difference between the setpoint and a threshold Eb/Nt needed for the desired level of performance, or a combination thereof. The metrics may include re-encoded symbol error rate, re-encoded power metric, modified Yamamoto metric, minimum or average LLR among decoded bits, number of decoding iterations, and possibly others. The setpoint may be adjusted in different manners and/or by different amounts depending on the above-noted factors. The techniques may be employed for forward and/or reverse links in CDMA systems.
US07643835B1
A system and method are provided for determining a nearest network resource using GPS coordinates. A GPS enabled device may obtain its location by requesting its GPS location. A list of network resources storing the desired data may be obtained by the GPS enabled device and the distance between each of the network resources and the GPS enabled device may be calculated. The system then connects to the resource having the shortest distance without requiring a user to know and decide which network resource is closest to their location.
US07643833B2
Methods and systems for proximity based communication between users of proximity communication devices (“PCDs”). A localized communication network is established by peer-to-peer communication between PCDs. Each PCD communicates with other PCDs in a wireless, localized, peer-to-peer network structure. Each PCD is identified to other PCDs in its own localized area by its geographical position and/or other attributes. A user may therefore establish communications with another user based upon the other user's proximity to the first user's PCD or other attributes rather than by a fixed ID code such as a phone number or address. The PCDs may share multiple synchronization channels derived from multiple timing sources and may select among the synchronization channels when establishing a connection. The PCDs may provide a user interface to permit filtering of display of PCDs in the proximity of communication and may also provide multi-player video gaming through the proximity communication features hereof.
US07643832B2
In a wireless communication system, a method and apparatus for reference signal selection is disclosed. In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a first reference signal in a first cell is pseudo-randomly selected from a predetermined limited set of reference signals for transmission on a first channel resource. A second reference signal in the cell is pseudo-randomly selected from the predetermined limited set of reference signals for transmission on a second channel resource, where the predetermined limited set of reference signals is common among the first cell and at least a second cell.
US07643830B2
Methods, apparatus, processors and computer readable medium for inter-radio access technology (RAT) handover are provided that incorporate a soft-decision making process. By implementing configurable functions, soft-decision making allows for handover measurement limits to fall within a prescribed acceptable range and for the totality of the handover measurements to be used in making a final decision on inter-RAT handover. Thus, the currently described aspects provide for more flexible handover decision-making and better utilization of network radio resources. Further, in some instances, the currently described aspects may provide for the weighting of handover measurements, thereby allowing network administrators to place more or less emphasis on a selected handover measurement and, thus, better manage the handover process.
US07643829B2
Time required for location registration is reduced and concentration of location update signals caused when a group moves is prevented. Each mobile node and a mobile router sends a location update request to a local location manager near to the area in which it exists, so that time required for location registration can be reduced, and it is possible to prevent pressure on wireless resources and temporary increase in communication traffic within a mobile network, which may be caused by concentration of location update signals when a group moves as in the case of a train with a lot of passengers having mobile nodes. Thereby, even if location registration is not correctly performed by a mobile router, which sends a location update request on behalf of mobile nodes existing in the space of a moving body, due to the communication condition or a failure, it can be dealt with.
US07643818B2
Systems and methods for sharing an e-mail address between a host system (100) and a mobile terminal (102) addressable by a temporary wireless identity (122D) in an access network (114). A terminal identifier (122A) is assigned to the mobile terminal (102) or its user. The system comprises a connectivity function (600) and a messaging centre (110) that collectively maintain an association (610, 612) between the terminal identifier (122A), encryption information (122C) and the temporary wireless identity (122D). When detecting an e-mail message addressed to the terminal identifier (122A), the connectivity function encrypts the e-mail message with the encryption information (122C). The messaging centre determines the temporary wireless identity (122D) of the mobile terminal and transmits the encrypted e-mail message to the mobile terminal which receives and decrypts the encrypted e-mail message.
US07643801B2
A transmitter clips a transmission signal before transmission in order to reduce the strength of at least one peak of the transmission signal exceeding a predetermined threshold. The transmitter includes a clipper having a minimizer, a filter and an adder. The minimizer minimizes of a cost function with respect to an optimization signal, the cost function having weighted terms as a function of the optimization signal. The terms relate to an effective modulation distortion and an effective overshoot exceeding the predetermined threshold. The filter forms a clipping signal by filtering the optimization signal formed as a result of the minimization according to the spectrum emission mask requirements of the radio system. The adder subtracts the clipping signal from the transmission signal.
US07643792B2
Provided is a satellite ground control system and method based on a communication satellite. The system includes: a communication satellite link means for monitoring and controlling a system device and transmitting remote measurement data and a process result to the central control station; an interface for analyzing the command, transmitting the command to a processing means and transmitting remote measurement data and a process result to the communication satellite link means; a satellite operating means for receiving a command from the interface, transforming the command into a remote command and transmitting remote measurement data to the interface; and a control satellite link means for transmitting the received remote command, receiving the remote measurement data, transmitting the remote measurement data to the satellite operating means, and transmitting a process result of monitor and control of a corresponding system device to the interface.
US07643789B2
In a portable multimedia device, data is passed between a sender and receiver unit by way of voice channel only. Multimedia data is vocalized and then forwarded to a receiver unit by way of the voice channel without the use of a backend server. Once received at the receiver unit, the vocalized data can be converted to an audio signal that can then output by way of an audio output device (such as a speaker, earphone, etc.).
US07643783B2
A CMOS sensor scans an image that is either on a transfer material carrier or on a transfer material that is placed on the transfer material carrier. A sampling timing controller samples an image signal at a predetermined sampling rate and computes a position of a predetermined pattern contained within the sampled image signal. A speed computation processor computes a moving speed of either the transfer material carrier or the transfer material, based on the position of the predetermined pattern thus sampled at the predetermined sampling rate and computed, as well as the predetermined sampling rate. The image region that the CMOS sensor scans is determined in accordance with the rotational speed of the drive motor and the sampling rate.
US07643782B2
A belt driving apparatus for driving a belt has the belt hung around and between rollers, and has a meandering prevention member provided in each end part of each roller to restrict the meandering of the belt in the roller axial direction. A cut is formed to be open toward the roller end face and to extend in the roller axial direction, and a boss that fits into the cut is formed on the inner circumference of the meandering prevention member.
US07643774B2
A roller spacing apparatus and an image forming device including the same. The roller spacing apparatus includes a frame, a first rotatable roller member having a first shaft, a second rotatable roller member having a second shaft and being rotatable in a close contact with the first roller member under a predetermined pressure, and at least one spacing part to space apart the first and the second roller members from each other by a predetermined gap such that the first and the second roller members are not in contact with each other when the first and the second roller members are not in use. The at least one spacing part includes a bushing member that has a bushing to rotatably support one of the first and second shafts on the frame, and a lever positioned at the bushing to rotate the bushing, the bushing having an outer diameter part and an inner diameter part to support the one of the first and second shafts, the inner and outer diameter parts being non-concentric circles such that a center point of the inner diameter part is at a different location from a center point of the outer diameter part, a stopping member disposed on the frame to restrict an operation range of the bushing, and a power transmitting member to selectively transmit an external rotation force to the bushing such that the bushing rotates in a direction.
US07643771B2
A developer cartridge includes a casing, a developing roller, a sheet member, and a plurality of seal members. The casing accommodates developer and is formed with an opening for communicating inside of the casing with outside thereof. The developing roller is disposed on the opening and is rotatably supported on the casing. The sheet member is disposed between the casing and the developing roller. The plurality of seal members is attached to the sheet member in order to prevent the developer from leaking through the opening.
US07643763B2
A density counting unit of an image forming apparatus for forming a monochromatic image or a color image represented by a plurality of color components on a photosensitive member includes: first totaling means for totaling pixel values of monochromatic component of each pixel of an image when a monochromatic image is formed; second totaling means for totaling pixel values of monochromatic component of each pixel of an image when a monochromatic image is formed, and totaling pixel values of predetermined color component when a color image is formed; and third totaling means for totaling pixel values of color components other than the predetermined color component when a color image is formed. When a monochromatic image is formed, the first totaling means and the second totaling means total the pixel values of the odd number lines and the even number lines, respectively.
US07643759B2
Provided are a signal-quality evaluation device and a signal adjustment method which require shorter evaluation time and which have high flexibility of application. A signal quality evaluation device 100 includes an optical component 110 and an optical output detector 120. In the optical component 110, an output optical power Pout is a function of an input optical power Pin, and this function Pout(Pin) has at least one maximum point. The optical output detector 120 detects the time-average power of light output from the optical component 110.
US07643758B1
Methods and apparatus for providing amplification to coarse wave division multiplexing channels or signals are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, an arrangement that adds gain to a set of signals that may be divided into a first band including signals of lower wavelengths and a second band including signals of higher wavelengths includes a multiplexer, first and second optical amplifiers, and a processing arrangement. The multiplexer multiplexes the set of signals. The first optical amplifier has a first gain peak and provides amplification to the set of signals, while the second optical amplifier has a second gain peak and provides amplification to the second band but not to the first band. The processing arrangement passes the second band from the first optical amplifier to the second optical amplifier, and substantially prevents the first band from passing from the first optical amplifier to the second optical amplifier.
US07643755B2
A high-speed optical communications cell is integrated at the interior of a two-dimensional imaging array. The combined receiver and imager carries out both photodetection (converting photons to electrons) and circuit functions (e.g. amplifying and integrating the signals from the photodetectors). The high-speed receiver cell comprises a photodetector and a high-speed amplification circuit, providing an electrical output which can follow a rapidly varying optical signal falling on the photodetector. The imaging array comprises an array of photodetectors and readout circuits, providing an electrical representation of the variation of light with position across the receiver surface. The presence of an imaging array surrounding the communications receiver, and in the same plane as it, allows a single optical path to be used for source acquisition and tracking as well as for data reception.
US07643750B2
A photographing apparatus which performs an image-blur suppression properly even through a computation device disposed in a main body of the photographing apparatus and a photographing element movable along an XY plane are electrically connected is provided according to the present invention. The image-blur suppression mechanism comprises a flexible base plate 20 including a second linear part 210 and a fourth linear part 212 which are plastically deformed along Z axial direction, meeting such a condition that an intersection line between a plane containing the second linear part 210 and the XY plane and an intersection line between a plane containing the fourth linear part 212 and the XY plane are intersected with XY axes, respectively.
US07643748B2
There is disclosed a platform suited for use in dual camera, stereoscopic digital cinema. The fixture may have a base, a first convergence plate and a second convergence plate. The base may be mounted to a tripod, steadicam, crane, boom or other device for supporting a platform used in stereoscopic cinematography. The base may have two platforms attached to each other via a linear slide. The convergence plates may be attached to the respective platforms via an XY slide.
US07643742B2
An electronic camera detects a person's face image from an object image obtained by photographing an object, executes an enlarging process on the detected face image so as to obtain a face image whose face size is suitable, and displays the face image which is enlarged into the suitable size on a display device. When a plurality of people are present on the object image, the enlarged face images are switched by an image operating switch. As a result, the switched face image is displayed on the display device.
US07643740B2
Provided is a hand-shake correction module for a digital camera, which has a small volume and small operational load when moved. The hand-shake correction module includes a base plate; a first sliding member which moves in a first axis direction with respect to the base plate; a second sliding member including an image pickup device, the second sliding member being movable with respect to the first sliding member in a second axis direction perpendicular to the first axis; and a pressing means which generates a magnetic force preventing the first sliding member and the second sliding member from being separated from the base plate.
US07643734B2
The present invention is directed toward apparatuses, devices, methods, kits, programs, and combinations to eject a bottle or container from a compartment. For example, in one embodiment of the present invention an ejector is provided that cantilevers over the bottle and is configured to eject the bottle from the container when sufficient force is applied to the ejector. In other embodiments, an ejection mechanism is disposed on a housing assembly of a device at a position to eject the container from the compartment, wherein the ejection mechanism is disposed in a non-retaining relationship with the container. The ejector mechanisms of the present invention can be used with a variety of devices, including, for example, a diffuser used to disperse an active material and/or generate an aesthetic lighting display, such as multicolored displays, color-changing displays, projection displays, shine-through displays, or the like. The diffusers may also provide control over varying emission of light and/or fragrance.
US07643728B2
A video signal recording apparatus with a video and audio memorizing section for temporarily memorizing an inputted video audio signal, a time code generating section for generating a time-code of said video audio signal an auxiliary information memorizing section for temporarily memorizing auxiliary information appended to said video audio signal including said time code generating a regeneration value obtained from a time code to which one frame time is added to said recorded time code when a recording starts and correcting said regeneration value for an amount of delay corresponding to a storage volume temporarily memorized in said auxiliary information (time code, metadata, CUE audio signal, and the like) memorizing section and thus obtaining a corrected time code, and thereafter sequential time codes are generated from said corrected time code though said time code generating section.
US07643726B2
The present invention relates to a recording medium containing moving picture data and additional information thereof and to reproducing method and apparatus of the recording medium. The present recording medium has script files including additional information about moving picture data, e.g., scene descriptive text and introduction of characters, etc. In addition, information linking each script file with a section of moving picture data to be presented with contents of the script file is included in a link data file or is contained in a filename of the script file. In reproduction of the recording medium, a script file linked with presently reproduced moving picture data section is determined and searched for based on the link data file or every filename of the script files, and contents of the found script file are presented together with the presently reproduced moving picture data. Furthermore, previously presented additional information is removed depending on data or filename of the found script file.
US07643723B2
In an image processing apparatus, when a plurality of items of moving-image data, modified data obtained by modifying the plurality of items of moving-image data, and presentation-description data which indicates the presentation order of the plurality of items of moving-image data and the modified data, are processed, an editing screen formed of representative images of moving-image data for which presentation is specified in the presentation-description data, and of a representative image of the modified data is generated according to the presentation-description data, and the representative images of the moving-image data and the representative image of the modified data can be distinguished from each other.
US07643720B2
A retention mechanism for an electronic or optoelectronic module. In one example embodiment, an optoelectronic module retention clip includes a base, a pair of arms extending from the base, and a protrusion extending from each arm. Each protrusion is configured to engage a complementary structure defined in a de-latch slide and a complementary structure defined in an optoelectronic module shell so as to prevent motion of the de-latch slide relative to the shell when the optoelectronic module retention clip is attached to the optoelectronic module.
US07643715B2
An optical transmission system comprising a laser light source arranged to emit light having a frequency ω; and an optical transmission line adapted to guide the light, wherein said optical transmission line includes a photonic bandgap optical fibre having a core guided mode at frequency ω and an attenuation band at a frequency of ω-13 THz. The optical transmission system suppresses Raman scattered light thereby allowing high optical powers to be transmitted through optical fibre.
US07643708B2
Herein disclosed is an optical modulator, comprising: a substrate (1) having an electro-optic effect; an optical waveguide (3) formed in the substrate; a traveling wave electrode (4) including a center electrode (4a) and ground electrodes (4b, 4c) to have a high frequency electric signal applied thereto, the traveling wave electrode and the optical waveguide collectively forming a high frequency interaction portion (20) to have the incident light phase modulated under the condition that the high frequency electric signal is applied to the traveling wave electrode; and bias electrodes each including a center electrode (22a, 23a) and ground electrodes (22b, 22c, 23b, 23c) to have a bias voltage applied thereto, each of the bias electrodes and the optical waveguide collectively forming a bias voltage interaction portion (19, 21) to have the incident light phase modulated under the condition that the bias voltage is applied to the bias electrode, in which the traveling wave electrode and the bias electrodes are extended in a propagation direction of the incident light with the traveling wave electrode (20) positioned between the bias electrodes (19, 21).
US07643706B2
Techniques are provided for automatically organizing and presenting photographs based on the date information associated with photographs. In one embodiment, a calendar-like user interface is provided. By interacting with the user-interface, the user can select specific dates. In response to the user's selections of the specific dates, the image organization tool displays all photographs that are associated with date information that falls within the specific dates.
US07643684B2
An apparatus for generating a multi-view face descriptor includes a multi-view face database storing sets of training face images and sets of test face images, each set including a mosaic view of a single identity; a basis matrix generator generating a basis matrix of the training face images shown from respective viewpoints searched from the multi-view face database; a feature extractor extracting feature vectors of a test face image shown from each viewpoint using the basis matrix of the training face images searched from the multi-view face database; a to-be-registered view selector searching the test face images using the feature vectors extracted by the feature extractor and selecting a plurality of viewpoints as registered viewpoints according to the search results; and a face descriptor generator generating a multi-view face descriptor by synthesizing face descriptors having the plurality of selected viewpoints.
US07643676B2
A adaptive filter interpolation method and system for the demosaicing of color images. In general, input pixels are input in a Bayer-mosaiced pattern (only one color per pixel), and output pixels are in full RGB mode (three color values per pixel). For each pixel location, in raster scan order, the processing steps can be summarized as follows. Following a regular raster scanning order (from left to right and top to bottom), for each pixel location horizontal and vertical gradients are first computed (whose computation depends on the available color for that pixel), and from those the appropriate interpolation filters are chosen from a small set of predetermined filters. Then, the chosen filters are applied to interpolate the missing data.
US07643671B2
A facial identification system corrects lighting and pose in images prior to comparison with stored images. A three dimensional image is created from an original two dimensional image by combining the image with shape information. An iterative process is used to adjust the shape in order to match the original two dimensional image. A final image is rendered, with adjustments for lighting and pose, from the shape information.
US07643660B1
A computer program product comprising a computer readable medium carrying program instructions for verifying a fingerprint when executed using a computing system, the executed program instructions executing a method, the method: producing a test image of a fingerprint-under-test; producing a test ridge map from the test image and a reference ridge map from each of one or more reference fingerprint images; extracting fingerprint points of interest from the ridge maps; screening candidate reference ridge maps based upon a correspondence between the points of interest from the reference ridge maps and the points of interest from the test ridge map wherein the correspondence includes a first threshold and one or more candidate ridge maps having the correspondence within the first threshold are included in a set of candidate ridge maps; comparing local ridge data surrounding one or more points of interest of the test ridge map within a second threshold with local ridge data surrounding corresponding one or more points of interest of each of the test ridge maps in the set of candidate ridge maps; and asserting a comparison signal responsive to a correspondence between the local ridge data of the test ridge map and the local ridge data from one or more candidate ridge maps of the set of candidate ridge maps.
US07643659B2
Locating an eye includes generating an intensity response map by applying a 3-rectangle filter and applying K-mean clustering to the map to determine the eye. Locating an eye corner includes applying logarithm transform and grayscale stretching to generate a grayscale eye patch, generating a binary map of the patch by using a threshold based on a histogram of the patch, and estimating the eye corner by averaging coordinates weighted by minimal eigenvalues of spatial gradient matrices in a search region based on the binary map. Locating a mouth corner includes generating another intensity response map and generating another binary map using another threshold based on another histogram of the intensity response map. Locating a chin or a cheek includes applying angle constrained gradient analysis to reject locations that cannot be the chin or cheek. Locating a cheek further includes removing falsely detected cheeks by parabola fitting curves through the cheeks.
US07643656B2
A method of evaluating an image, including: (a) obtaining evaluation-image data of an evaluation image to be evaluated, the evaluation-image data including coordinate-position data indicative of coordinate positions in the evaluation image and optical-characteristic-value data indicative of optical characteristic values at respective coordinate positions; (b) identifying, based on the evaluation-image data, a characteristic-value fluctuation which is a fluctuation of the optical characteristic values of the evaluation image in relation to the coordinate positions; (c) estimating, based on the evaluation-image data, an unperceivable low-frequency-fluctuation component which is one component of the characteristic-value fluctuation and which is a component that cannot be perceived due to a considerably low frequency of the fluctuation; and (d) evaluating the evaluation image based on the characteristic-value fluctuation and the unperceivable low-frequency-fluctuation component.
US07643654B2
An image processing apparatus is disclosed that displays a three-dimensional map including displays of a road and a three-dimensional building on a display unit. The image processing apparatus includes a managing unit that divides bearings into a predetermined number of bearing regions and manages identification information of a distant view pattern assigned to each of the bearing regions for each of a plurality of locations, an acquisition unit that acquires identification information of the distant view pattern assigned to each of the bearing regions for a current location, and a depiction unit that depicts a background image behind a display area for displaying the road and the building based on the acquired identification information of the distant view pattern.
US07643647B2
A speaker support system is adapted for use in a suspended ceiling with grid openings and ceiling panels. The system has a speaker support base capable of supporting at least one speaker within a ceiling opening without interfering with the operation of the speaker. A guide flange is integral to the speaker support base and is adapted to align at least a portion of a ceiling tile within the grid opening. A support flange having an offset at each end is integral to the system, connected to the guide flange, and supports at least a portion of the ceiling tile within the ceiling grid opening so that the opening is filled with the speaker support base and the remaining portion of the opening is filled with ceiling tile. The base and guide flange are formed from a single piece of material, which is perforated substantially to at least some of the edges thereof.
US07643645B2
A vehicular interior packaging system includes a holder for the stowage and ready access of an audio headset. The holder is provided on a headrest of the vehicle, and has an arcuate recess which provides a stowage cradle seat for the headset.
US07643636B2
A plurality of storage location numbers (“SLNs”), each having a cryptographic period, is received at a first device (100). A system cryptographic period is determined based on the SLN cryptographic periods. Prior to expiration of each system cryptographic period, if at least one SLN requires an updated, the first device sends updated key material for the at least one SLN. A second device (102) maintains first, second, and third keysets, wherein the first and second keysets comprise key material. The second device receives a message to make the first keyset active, and a second message for updating at least a portion of the key material in the second keyset with updated key material for at least one SLN. The second device makes the third keyset equivalent to the second keyset, updates the second keyset with the updated key material, and receives a third message to make the second keyset active.
US07643633B2
A mobile wireless communication device is provided with an integral transducer used to refresh a random data pool without connection to an external source of new random data.
US07643621B2
Picture and speech communication between plural terminals connected to different networks, such as a circuit-switched network and IP network. A converting apparatus 400 for control information or media information for picture/speech communications is provided across first and second terminals 301, 302 connected to respective different types of networks. Converting apparatus 400 includes control information converter 420, transcoder 450 and ability information converter 460. In case the ability information extracted from the decoding information, received from the first terminal 301, is not coincident to the ability information extracted from the call control information received from the second terminal 302, it is further checked whether or not there is picture format size coincidence. If the picture format size coincidence persists in one direction, processing is carried out for converting part of the decoding information or the control information, without causing the operations of the transcoder. In case there is no picture format size coincidence, the transcoder 450 is booted to convert the bitstream.
US07643615B2
A radiography marker for indicating the inclination angle of a radiography imaging receiver has a portion defining at least one area transparent to x-radiation and an angle indicator element attached to the portion defining at least one area at a pivot point and manually adjustable along the portion defining at least one area to set any of a plurality of angular positions over at least a portion of the at least one area transparent to x-radiation. At least a portion of the indicator element is opaque to x-radiation.
US07643610B2
A radiation delivery system generally includes either a synchrotron source or a support frame and a plurality of microbeam delivery devices supported on the support frame, both to deliver a beam in a hemispherical arrangement. Each of the microbeam delivery devices or synchrotron irradiation ports is adapted to deliver at least one microbeam of radiation along a microbeam delivery axis, wherein the microbeam delivery axes of the plurality of microbeam delivery devices cross within a common target volume.
US07643602B2
A method is provided for estimating a frequency offset value. This method includes: receiving a signal from the transmitting device at the receiving device, the received signal having a transmitter frequency (510); generating a local signal at the receiving device, the local signal having a starting frequency (520); comparing a received signal phase and a local signal phase to determine an adjusted error signal representing a phase difference between the received signal and the local signal (530); adjusting a current frequency of the local signal from the starting frequency to the transmitting frequency over a time period (540); integrating the adjusted error signal over the time period to generate an integrated error signal (550); and filtering the integrated error signal to generate a frequency difference estimate indicative of the frequency difference between the transmitter frequency and the starting frequency (560).
US07643601B2
The invention concerns an optical transmitter and receiver, and provides an improved timing extraction circuit for use in an optical receiver that uses a clock of a frequency equal to one half the data transmission rate, and a duty cycle deviation handling circuit for use in the optical transmitter and receiver. The timing extraction circuit uses a PLL circuit containing a phase comparator circuit for performing a phase comparison between a data signal of bit rate B (bits/s) and a clock signal of B/2 (Hz) at intervals of 2/B (sec), and comprises: a detection circuit for detecting the absence of an output of phase comparison information from the phase comparator circuit by receiving a data signal of a prescribed pattern; and a control circuit for controlling, upon detecting the absence, the phase of the clock signal in order to maintain synchronization. Based on the result of evaluating the duty cycle between the input data before and after the point at which the PLL circuit is locked, the duty cycle deviation handling circuit controls the data discrimination phase before and after that point.
US07643600B2
A receiver (300) includes a first mixing digital-to-analog converter (DAC) (336, 332), a second mixing DAC (338, 334), a direct digital frequency synthesizer (DDFS) (302), a phase correction circuit (340), a selectable load (306) and a magnitude correction circuit (350). The first mixing DAC (336, 332) includes a first input for receiving an input signal, a second input for receiving a digital first local oscillator (LO) signal and an output. The second mixing DAC (338, 334) includes a first input for receiving the input signal, a second input for receiving a digital second local oscillator (LO) signal and an output. The DDFS (302) is configured to provide the first and second LO signals, which are quadrature signals. The phase correction circuit (340) is configured to provide a phase correction signal to a control input of the DDFS (302). The first selectable load (306) includes an input coupled to the output of the first mixing DAC (336, 332) and a control input. The magnitude correction circuit (350) is configured to provide a first magnitude correction signal to the control input of the first selectable load (306).
US07643593B1
A method for recovering data includes generating a plurality of out-of-phase clock signals. The method also includes generating samples of an incoming data signal, where a plurality of samples are generated using each of the plurality of clock signals. The method further includes selecting one of the plurality of clock signals and providing the samples generated using the selected clock signal. The incoming data signal may be received over a serial interface that includes a clock line for transporting a main clock signal. The out-of-phase clock signals could be approximately 0°, 90°, 180°, and 270° out-of-phase with respect to the main clock signal. The out-of-phase clock signals could be used to clock different registers that sample the incoming data signal. The selected clock signal could be selected by identifying a transition that occurs between samples associated with two of the clock signals and then selecting another of the clock signals.
US07643580B2
A signal generator circuit includes an oscillator operative to generate a first signal having a first frequency associated therewith, and a phase stepper circuit coupled to the oscillator. The phase stepper circuit is configured to receive a plurality of control signals indicative of respective phases of the first signal, and to generate a second signal as a function of the plurality of control signals. The second signal has a second frequency associated therewith that is a fractional multiple or a fractional division of the first frequency. The second signal has a phase associated therewith which changes with periods of the second signal.
US07643578B2
Angle estimation for modulated signal. A novel compensation technique is presented by which angle estimation may be performed for a modulated signal. More specifically, the angle between a constellation corresponding to a received signal and a constellation corresponding to a received signal may be very efficiently estimated using any one of the possible embodiments corresponding to various aspects of the invention. After this angle has been estimated, the received signal or the expected constellation may be rotated (or de-rotated) to compensate for this angular difference. In doing so, better estimates of the information bits that are demodulated and decoded from the received signal may be made. This approach may be implemented and adapted to any of a wide variety of communication systems including, but not limited to, single-input-multiple-output (SISO), single-input-multiple-output (SIMO), multiple-input-single-output (MISO), multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO), and even space-time block code (STBC) communication systems or other communication systems.
US07643577B2
A carrier and symbol timing recovery apparatus usable in a VSB (Vestigial Side Band) receiver, and a method thereof. For a carrier and symbol timing recovery, error information is detected using a pilot signal, an upper sideband and a lower sideband of a received signal. Each of the detected error information is multiplied by a predetermined weight, respectively, and the results of the respective multiplications are added/combined. Therefore, even though the pilot signal may be corrupted, the carrier recovery can nevertheless be accurately performed. Additionally, even though the upper sideband of a received VSB-modulated signal may be corrupted, the lower sideband can be utilized to perform the symbol timing recovery. As a result, performance of a receiving system can be improved even under unfavorable channel characteristics. Moreover, since the carrier recovery and the symbol timing recovery are executed through a single apparatus, it becomes possible to simplify a hardware implementation thereof.
US07643574B2
A transmitting apparatus and method in a transmit diversity system, which transmits a plurality of block-coded symbols over a plurality of antennas are provided. The transmitting apparatus includes N+M antennas where N is an integer equal to or greater than two and M is an integer equal to or greater than one; a switch which forwards N-ary block-coded symbols to N-ary antennas of the N+M antennas; and a switch controller which controls switching of the switch, and when a receiving end which receives the N-ary block-coded symbols informs the switch controller of a poor reception state, the switch controller forwards the N-ary block-coded symbols to other N-ary antennas which include at least one antenna different from the N-ary antennas. The block-coded symbols can be transmitted by selectively using more antennas than block-coded symbols.
US07643572B2
The modulator according to the invention is based on the modulation of a PLL, with the bandwidth of the PLL being variable. The modulator also has a means (14, 15) for determination of a signal (φr(kTs); FDEV) which is characteristic of the modulation shift of the modulated signal. Furthermore, the modulator contains a comparison means (16) for comparison of this signal with a signal (φ(kTs+τ); FDEVNOM) which is characteristic of the nominal modulation shift, as well as a means (18) for variation of the bandwidth as a function of the output signal from the comparison means (16).
US07643569B2
A communication system for transmitting encoded signals over a communication channel is disclosed. The system includes a transmitter, which has a source that is configured to output a plurality of input signals. The transmitter also includes an encoder that is configured to generate a plurality of output signals in response to the plurality of the input signals to output a code word according to the plurality of output signals, wherein the code word has a predetermined algebraic construction for space-frequency coding based upon the communication channel being characterized as a frequency selective block fading channel. Further, the transmitter includes a modulator that is configured to modulate the code word for transmission over the communication channel, and a plurality of transmit antennas that configured to transmit the modulated code word over the communication channel. The system encompasses a receiver that includes a plurality of receive antennas, in which the receiver is configured to receive the transmitted code word via the plurality of receive antennas. The receiver employs an OFDM-front end to transform the Intersymbol Interference (ISI) channel characteristics of the communication channel to selective block fading characteristics.
US07643558B2
Method, apparatus, and system for encoding and decoding side information for multimedia transmission
According to one aspect of the present invention, a method and apparatus is provided in which input data (e.g., input video data) is encoded in accordance with a first coding standard (e.g., MPEG-4) to generate encoded data. The input data is also encoded based on a reconstruction of the input data to generate encoded side information associated with the input data. The encoded data are transmitted to a destination (e.g., a decoding subsystem) over a first channel and the encoded side information are transmitted to the destination over a second channel. The encoded data and the encoded side information are decoded and combined at the destination to generate output data.
US07643551B2
A method includes generating first difference frames and compressing the first difference frames to form compressed difference frames. The compressed difference frames are decompressed to form decompressed difference frames, and the decompressed difference frames are used in the generation of the first difference frames.
US07643549B2
The present invention provides an equalizer processing module within a wireless terminal having an equalizer interface that receives an incoming baseband signal from a baseband processor operably coupled to the equalizer processing module and outputs soft decisions. A processor or advanced reduced instruction set computer (RISC) machine (ARM) couples to the equalizer interface while an equalizer accelerator module operably couples to the processor or ARM. Processing of the incoming baseband signal to produce soft decisions is performed by the combination of the processor and equalizer accelerator module. A sample capture buffer and an equalizer output buffer which may or may not be within the equalizer processing module allow data to be sampled and serves as the input and output for the equalizer processing module. This equalizer accelerator may specifically perform compute intensive operations such as Trellis computations for MAP equalization or MLSE equalization.
US07643547B2
An object of the present invention is to provide a radio quality estimation system, a base station, a mobile station, and a radio quality estimation method whereby, regardless of influence of fading, a radio quality of a predetermined measurement period is more accurately estimated. An interference power calculator calculates an interference-signal power of each of local estimation intervals which are parts of the predetermined estimation interval. An SIR calculator calculates an SIR of the predetermined estimation interval based on the interference-signal powers calculated by the interference power calculator.
US07643540B2
The frame words of the embodiments are suitable for frame synchronization and/or channel estimation. By adding the autocorrelation and/or cross-correlation functions of frame words, double maximum values equal in magnitude and opposite polarity at zero and middle shifts are obtained. This property can be used to slot-by-slot, double-check frame synchronization timing, single frame synchronization and/or channel estimation and allows reduction of the synchronization search time. Further, the present invention allows a simpler construction of a correlator circuit for a receiver. A frame synchronization apparatus and method using an optimal pilot pattern is used in a wide band code division multiple Access (W-CDMA) next generation mobile communication system.
US07643538B2
A communication system performs burst noise cancellation. A transmitter produces and transmits a spread signal that comprises at least one known-value symbol spread by a plurality of non data-carrying orthogonal codes and data symbols spread by at least one data-carrying orthogonal code. The transmitter transmits the spread signal across a communication link that introduces burst noise. A burst noise detector determines burst noise affected chips of the orthogonal codes. A weight computation functional block calculates a plurality of complex-valued combining weights based upon the burst noise affected chips. A vector de-spreader and a linear combiner operate in combination to use the plurality of non data-carrying orthogonal codes, the at least one data-carrying orthogonal code, and the plurality of complex-valued combining weights to de-spread the received spread signal to produce the data symbols with the burst noise substantially removed.
US07643536B2
A system provides for remote monitoring using asynchronous code division multiple access (CDMA) communication techniques between a base station and one or more transponders. Each transponder is attached or otherwise associated with an object or an environment to be monitored. Upon receipt of an interrogation signal, a transponder generates and transmits a coded transponder signal containing the monitored data. The coded transponder signal is generated using a spreading code. Each transponder is associated with a unique, mutually exclusive set of spreading codes. Each spreading code is based on a unique transponder address and the monitored data to be sent. A detector asynchronously monitors received signals for any of the available spreading codes. Once the detector detects a particular spreading code, the base station can identify the source transponder and extract the monitored data.
US07643535B1
The preambles of narrow band signals and DSSS signals are prepared for compatible detection. The preamble is encoded by encoding a sequence of identical preamble blocks with sequentially corresponding code elements of a preamble encoding sequence. Each of the identical preamble blocks has the same predetermined pattern of code elements. When the signal is a DSSS signal, the preamble is a spread preamble in which each of the blocks has a number of code elements corresponding to a spread-factor multiple of the number of code elements in a block of an unspread preamble for a narrow band signal. The preambles of both types of received signals are detected by processing a metric representing detected coherent energy with a metric representing detected noncoherent energy, after first determining that the detected noncoherent energy is greater than the average energy of the received signal.
US07643529B2
An apparatus/method may comprise a line narrowed pulsed lithography laser light source which may comprise: a seed pulse providing laser system which may comprise: a first pulsed seed laser producing seed pulses at a rate of X kHz; a second pulsed seed laser producing seed pulses at a rate of X kHz; an amplification system which may comprise: a first amplifier gain system which may comprise a first and a second pulsed gas discharge amplifier gain medium, each with a nominal center wavelength in the UV range, and each operating at ½ X kHz on output pulses from the first seed laser; a second amplifier gain system which may comprise a first and a second pulsed amplifier gain medium, each with a nominal center wavelength in the UV range, and each operating at ½ X kHz on output pulses from the second seed laser.
US07643522B2
A gas discharge laser system bandwidth control mechanism and method of operation for controlling bandwidth in a laser output light pulse generated in the gas discharge laser system is disclosed which may comprise a bandwidth controller which may comprise an active bandwidth adjustment mechanism; a controller actively controlling the active bandwidth adjustment mechanism utilizing an algorithm implementing bandwidth thermal transient correction based upon a model of the impact of laser system operation on the wavefront of the laser light pulse being generated and line narrowed in the laser system as it is incident on the bandwidth adjustment mechanism. The controller algorithm may comprises a function of the power deposition history in at least a portion of an optical train of the gas discharge laser system, e.g., a linear function, e.g., a combination of a plurality of decay functions each comprising a respective decay time constant and a respective coefficient.
US07643516B2
To compensate for jitter in the delay of data packets (1) which are transmitted over a transmission link (40), e.g. a data network, the data packets (1) are buffer-stored in a jitter buffer (10) and are then played out of the jitter buffer (10) at preset intervals of time, after an additional play-out delay (ΔT). The additional play-out delay (ΔT) is set in this case as a function of a magnitude that is determined of the delay jitter, for which purpose differences in delay between successive data packets (1) are determined and an integrated value of the differences in delay is formed by integration. The additional play-out delay (ΔT) is then set on the basis of the integrated value of the differences in delay.
US07643512B2
A communication system includes a first communication unit, which is arranged to communicate with a remote communication system over a first communication link having a first, variable data rate. A second communication unit is arranged to exchange data with the remote communication system by communicating with the first communication unit over a second communication link having a second data rate. The first and second communication units are arranged to modify the second data rate responsively to variations in the first data rate, so as to match the second data rate to the first data rate.
US07643495B2
A switching interface comprising a switch having an input and a plurality of outputs, and a memory associated with the switch. The switch is adapted to receive a packet from the input, the packet to be forwarded to a destination device coupled to a one of the plurality of outputs. The switch is responsive to store the packet in the associated memory. The switch is further responsive to a signal from the destination device to forward the packet from the associated memory to the destination device through the one of the plurality of outputs. Optionally, the switching interface may further comprise a packet encryption engine coupled between the input and the associated memory. Typically, the output devices coupled to the plurality of outputs will each have its own separate encryption process; in these scenarios the encryption engine will have logic for determining the appropriate encryption for the output device.
US07643492B2
A method of reserving bandwidth in a network includes the steps of receiving a reservation request for a bandwidth for a hose having one ingress point and at least one egress point, and reserving the requested bandwidth for each link in the hose and assigning a reservation identifier to the hose.
US07643491B2
Various embodiments can utilize a distributed solution for scheduling connections between peers in a file sharing environment. In accordance with at least some embodiments, individual nodes in a peer-to-peer system include scheduling software that enables the nodes to make scheduling decisions with regard to how, when and where connections are made with other peers. Scheduling decisions can be based on a number of different parameters. In at least some embodiments, a synchronization negotiation manager is embodied with logic that drives the negotiation and scheduling process. This logic is represented by an innovative state machine that is designed to implement the negotiation and synchronization process.
US07643478B2
A process for secure distribution of digital audiovisual streams according to a standard, normalized or proprietary format including separating an original stream into two parts, transmitting the parts to addressee equipment, generating a modified main stream having a format of the original stream and complementary information with any format including digital information suitable to permit reconstruction of the original stream, and transmitting the modified stream from a distribution server via separate paths during distribution in an extended, secure multicasting mode to the addressee equipment from a secure central server passing via at least one router and at least one switch connecting the addressee equipment to the central server via at least one access point.
US07643476B2
Methods of transferring data to a target device are presented. A protocol supports sending packets to individual disaggregated elements of the target device. Each packet can be individually addressed to an element using a distinct network address. Data is sent to the target device by sending one or more packets encapsulating protocol commands that provide instructions to the elements.
US07643475B1
A communication network comprising a first node and a second node. The first node is configured to transfer a first control message for a call having an inbound call path and an outbound call path wherein the first control message indicates a release request. The second node is configured to receive the first control message from the first node and process the first control message to determine if the second node has two legs of the inbound call path. If the second node has two legs of the inbound call path, a second control message is transferred to a third node in the outbound call path wherein the second control message indicates the release request.
US07643458B1
A message is received from a first wireless node in a first wireless community. The message is for a second wireless node in a second wireless community. Location information for the second wireless node is determined using a distributed hash table (DHT) overlay network. The message is routed to a second wireless community using the location information.
US07643454B2
In a method of avoiding multiple detection of the same random access channel (RACH) preamble in a wireless communication system, and within a given set of access slots, a given sub-set of available preamble signatures corresponding to a RACH preamble of a user may be detected, so as to avoid multiple RACH preamble detection in a given access slot. Another method may be directed to switching operations of a base station in a communication network. Base station operations may be switched back and forth between multi-sector/single cell operations and single sector/multi-cell operations without changing an existing antenna configuration.
US07643442B1
Methods, apparatuses and systems directed to the dynamic configuration of QoS policy for sessions in wireless network environments. Certain embodiments of the present invention feature the transparent processing of session initiation messages associated with wireless clients and the dynamic configuration of QoS policy for the wireless clients having no QoS configuration mechanism. In certain embodiments, the dynamic QoS configuration mechanism is transparent to the wireless clients, requiring no QoS functionality to reside on the wireless clients. Certain embodiments of the present invention transparently process SIP messages to dynamically configure QoS policy for the resulting sessions. As discussed below, the dynamic QoS configuration functionality described herein can be applied to a variety of wireless network system architectures.
US07643439B2
Method and system for reducing the power consumption in a receiver. A power consumption control module reconfigures the receiver for every packet received by the receiver, by setting the receiver's modules to an optimal mode of operation from a power consumption perspective, based on parameters extracted from each packet header.
US07643436B2
An audio management apparatus manages simultaneous streams of packet-switched audio data for a network conference tool, and allows the combining of conferences that are not co-located. The apparatus uses at least two audio bridges, each of which receives audio inputs from a plurality of local connection points, does mixing of the audio data for each local connection point and provides the audio outputs thereto. Also provided is a communications link between the two audio bridges, and each of the audio bridges creates an audio mix from its local connection points and outputs it over the communications link to the other audio bridge. Each bridge may treat the audio data from the other audio bridge as it does any other call. In this way, the combining of the two conferences is accomplished in a simple and straightforward manner.
US07643433B2
A method and apparatus is disclosed for configuring a local LAPB device in accordance with a remote LAPB device using a received frame provided by the remote LAPB device.
US07643425B2
A telecommunications system in a DiffServ aware Traffic Engineering (DS-TE) environment includes a plurality of source nodes from which LSPs arise. The system includes an MPLS network having DS-TE compliant routers and links with available bandwidth between the routers. The links having equal cost paths. Each router adding an LSP to a link as a function of available bandwidth. The plurality of source nodes in communication with the network. The MPLS network using a DS-TE bandwidth constraint model. The system includes a plurality of destination nodes in communication with the network which receives LSPs. A method for LSP path selection in a DiffServ aware Traffic Engineering environment.
US07643424B2
A method of encapsulating data packets for use in a distributed computer network is disclosed. The method includes providing a data packet for transmission over the distributed computer network, the data packet selected from one of a customer data packet and an OAM data packet; and encapsulating the data packet with a medium access control outer packet. The disclosed data packet handling method includes receiving a data packet from a customer facing data port, the customer facing data port within a network node of a computer network; performing medium access control (MAC) learning for the received packet; determining whether the data port is a MAC-in-MAC port; performing a packet mapping to a destination address based on a service provider destination address; and encapsulating the received data packet with a header associated with the service provider.
US07643400B1
An optical data storage medium comprises an optical medium with multiple data marks. Each data mark is arranged for modifying a portion of an optical reading beam incident thereon. At least one of the data marks is a delocalized data mark comprising a set of multiple diffractive elements collectively arranged for modifying a portion of the optical reading beam incident thereon. A method for recording data on an optical data storage medium comprises forming on or in the optical medium multiple data marks encoding the recorded data, including the at least one delocalized data mark. A method for reading an optical data storage medium comprises: successively illuminating with the optical reading beam the multiple data marks; sensing variations among the respective portions of the optical reading beam modified by the multiple data marks; and decoding from the sensed variations data encoded by the multiple data marks.
US07643394B2
In an optical disk recording method of recording data onto a recordable optical disk which includes a data zone where data is recorded and a management data zone where management data indicating the recorded part of the data zone is recorded, an extended management data zone in which the management data is to be recorded is set in the data zone in response to an extension instruction.
US07643393B2
Theft, distribution, and piracy of digital content on optical media (software, video, audio, e-books, any content of any kind that is digitally stored and distributed) is often accomplished by copying it directly to another disc using commonly available copy tools and recordable optical media, or the copying of media to another mass manufactured disc. Methods which cause the copy process to become lengthy and inconvenient, or which produce copies that are significantly measurably different from the original and therefore be recognizable as copies, may deter or prevent an unauthorized individual from making copies. In addition, methods which generate an intended slow-down in the read process of the media can be used to authenticate the media at run time. This offers significant advantages to content creators who wish to protect their products.
US07643391B2
When the tilt of an optical disk is detected using a light source of an optical head, the optical head cannot be simplified enough and an optical-disk tilt cannot be detected adequately. The optical head includes: an LED chip; a light-converging element that converges the light which is emitted from the LED chip upon an optical disk; a light-converging element driving means which drives the light-converging element; and a sensor which detects a tilt or a positional shift of the optical disk. In the sensor, the LED chip is placed on a semiconductor substrate which is provided with a plurality of light-receiving chips; the light emitted from the LED chip irradiates the optical disk; the light which is reflected from the optical disk is received by the plurality of light-receiving chips; and based upon the quantity of light which is received at the plurality of light-receiving chips, a tilt or a positional shift of the optical disk is detected.
US07643389B2
A file-based recordable disc playback apparatus includes a signal decrypting means 4 for decrypting a signal read from a recordable disc 1, a subcode analyzing means 5 for extracting subcode data from the decrypted signal, and for analyzing the subcode data, a decoding means 6 for decoding the decrypted signal, a file system analyzing means 10 for analyzing a file system on the basis of a decoded output, a TOC information processing means 11 for analyzing TOC data from a subcode analyzed output, a session information processing means 12 for processing session information on the basis of the analyzed data, a memory for storing various data from the above-mentioned analyzing means 10 and processing means 11 and 12, and an external interface 14 for changing a procedure for analyzing the file system according to an instruction from outside the apparatus.
US07643386B2
An optical pickup actuator comprises a lens holder having an object lens which focuses a laser beam onto an optical information storage medium mounted thereon. In the optical pickup actuator the lens holder is movably supported by a support member with respect to a base. The optical pickup actuator also comprises a magnetic circuit to drive the lens holder in a focusing direction and a tilt direction independently.
US07643384B2
Optical discs may support “Out Of Multiplex” formats, meaning that different presentation components, like video, audio and subtitles, are stored on different files on the disc, e.g. Blu-ray discs. The different data streams are read by a single pick-up, requiring frequent pick-up jumps and extensive data buffering. The method for operating a scheduler for an optical pick-up reduces the number of pick-up jumps while optimizing the required buffer space. The scheduler is based on a static schema, meaning that the buffer for the data stream with the highest data rate is of minimal size, and therefore refilled in short periods, while the buffers for the lower rated streams are dimensioned such that they can be refilled in multiples of the short period. Deviations from the static schema may be allowed, e.g. due to multi-angle video technique. Afterwards the scheduler returns to the original schedule.
US07643381B2
A balanced hands clock. The clock utilizes a single movement, which movement may be located in the minute hand. A gear drive mechanism provides leverage from said movement via a first pivot shaft to drive the hour hand. The clock is mounted in a base for time indicating movement. Covers may be provided to hide the single movement and the gear mechanism, so that no visible drive configuration is visible to an observer.
US07643377B1
A system applicable to acoustic, seismic, electromagnetic, hydrodynamic, and shock waves utilizing a map between signal time series and signal vectors defining the mathematical wave field model characterizing the signal's wave field. This map is developed from wave models relating field values to those on surfaces and corresponding uniqueness theorems. The system should allow for improved resolving power in bearing and elevation for discrimination of sources; detection and direction finding for signals below the average background level; detection based upon resolving power and signal vector characteristics rather than signal to noise ratio; reconstruction of signals of resolved sources for their transmitted information content; and multiple modes of operation. Adaptive incorporation of known undesired signals into the noise background and/or treatment of asymmetric background noise fields is permitted through use of a noise metric-based map yielding signal direction in the presence of diffraction effects.
US07643375B2
A seismic data acquisition system includes a connector housing and a mating electrical circuitry module. A single interface couples electrical circuitry housed in the electrical circuitry module to one or more signal data carriers that are consolidated at a single location in the connector housing. Preferably, the connector housing and electrical circuitry module each have a substantially contaminant-free interior regardless of whether these two parts are mated. An alternate connector housing has two plug casings, each of which are provided with a plug. A complementary alternate electrical circuitry module includes two receptacles complementary to the plugs and an interior space for holding the electrical circuitry. A locking pin disposed within the plug casing selectively engages the electrical circuitry module. A method for establishing communication between electrical circuitry and the carriers and external devices includes providing a single communication interface between the carrier and the electrical circuitry.
US07643359B2
A clock generating circuit includes a phase comparison circuit that generates a delay control signal corresponding to the relative phases of an output clock signal and a reference clock signal. A voltage controlled delay circuit generates the delayed clock signal by inverting a signal applied to its input and delaying the signal by a delay that is determined by a delay control signal. A selection circuit couples either the reference clock signal or the delayed clock signal to the input of the voltage controlled delay circuit. When the reference clock signal is coupled to the input of the voltage controlled delay circuit, the clock generating circuit functions as a delay-lock loop. When the delayed clock signal is coupled to the input of the voltage controlled delay circuit, the voltage controlled delay circuit operates as a ring oscillator so that the clock generating circuit functions as a phase-lock loop.
US07643354B2
A method and design is provided for distributing and storing sets of temporally ordered information in a systematic and sequential fashion. This method is based on a model of how the brain functions in the distribution and storage of temporally ordered memories, but it can also be applied to the design of new biological, electronic or optical devices. These devices may be used in the testing and development of new therapeutic drugs, in the detection of toxic agents or impaired performance, or in the development of new industrial and consumer devices in which the orderly storage of sequential information is important.
US07643353B1
A content addressable memory (CAM) device includes a CAM array, a programmable interconnect structure, and a priority encoder. The CAM array includes a plurality of CAM rows, each row including a number of CAM cells for storing a data word and coupled to a match line that indicates a match result for the CAM row. The programmable interconnect structure is coupled to each CAM row and is configured to selectively route the match results from a first CAM row as an input match signal to any number of arbitrarily selected CAM rows at the same time.
US07643328B2
An NMOS transistor 14 having one end connected to one end of a resistance memory element 10 is provided, and when a voltage is applied to the resistance memory element 10 via the NMOS transistor 14 to switch the resistance memory element 10 from the low resistance state to the high resistance state, the gate voltage of the NMOS transistor 14 is set at a value which is equal to or greater than the total of the reset voltage of the resistance memory element 10 and the threshold voltage of the NMOS transistor 14 and is smaller than the total of the set voltage of the resistance memory element 10 and the threshold voltage of the NMOS transistor 14, whereby the voltage applied to the resistance memory element 10 is set at a value which is equal to or greater than the reset voltage and is smaller than the set voltage.
US07643327B2
A memory matrix (10) comprises rows and columns of cells, each cell comprising a resistance hysteresis element (24) and a threshold element (22) coupled in series between a row terminal and a column terminal of the cell (20). The resistance hysteresis element (24) has a mutually larger and smaller hysteresis thresholds of mutually opposite polarity respectively. Voltage differences are applied between the column terminals and the row terminals of cells (20) in a selected row, so as to perform read actions. These voltage differences have a read polarity so that the voltage across the cell (20) is in a direction corresponding to the larger hysteresis threshold. Voltage differences are applied between the column terminals and the row terminals of cells (20) in a selected row, so as to perform erase actions, all cells (20) of a selected row being erased collectively in the erase action. The voltage differences for erase actions have the read polarity. Furthermore voltage differences are applied between the column terminals and the row terminals of cells (20) in a selected row, so as to perform write actions. The voltage differences for the write actions have a write polarity corresponding to the smaller hysteresis threshold, for updating cells (20) that are selected dependent on write data.
US07643325B2
A nonvolatile decision memory unit stores decision data indicating whether data stored in the normal memory cells is true or false. An inversion control circuit sets the inverting signal to a valid level with a predetermined probability. A write circuit writes data having logic which is inverse logic of data to be rewritten to the normal memory cells and writes decision data indicating false to the decision memory unit when the inverting signal indicates a valid level. Since inverse data is rewritten at a predetermined frequency, an imprint is prevented when a read operation is executed repetitively. Moreover, since frequent repeating of reverse polarization of the ferroelectric capacitor due to a rewrite operation is prevented, deterioration of the ferroelectric capacitor due to reverse polarization is minimized. Thus, occurrence of the imprint and deterioration of characteristics in the ferroelectric capacitor is prevented, and the reliability of the ferroelectric memory is improved.
US07643323B2
A power converter of the present invention is connected between a direct current power source and controls power to a load by switching equipment. The converter is equipped with a first conductor for connecting a negative pole of the power converter and the switching equipment, and a second conductor for connecting a housing of the power converter and the negative pole of the power converter to the first conductor through a resistor.
US07643322B1
A circuit for improving the regulation of a current or voltage output using a constant-on-time regulator. The circuit uses a dual sense loop design. One sense loop is used to adjust a reference signal or a sense signal. A second sense loop compares the adjusted reference signal to a sense signal or compares the adjusted sense signal to a reference signal. Accordingly, the use of dual sense loops may maintain more accurate output regulation while enabling an increased dynamic response to changes in output voltage or current.
US07643319B2
A 7-level wye-connected H-bridge converter that provides redundancy for continued operation when one bridge phase has failed and more particularly to a topology that includes multiple semiconductor H-bridges and a three-phase semiconductor mid-bridge. The converter may continue operation with failure of any bridge, as a three-phase, wye-connected H-bridge by bypassing the failed bridge. Individual bridges of the converter may be operated at different dc-bus voltages to maximize power output. The converter may employ synchronous gating signals for the semiconductor devices of the bridges, including a zero-current notch waveform for minimizing harmonic distortion of the output waveform.
US07643311B2
An electronic device protected against electromagnetic disturbances comprising: a support structure having a first and second electronic component, wherein the support structure includes a conductive means surrounding each of the first and second electronic components; a first and second insulating block formed overlying the first and second electronic components on the support structure; and a metal layer overlying the first and second insulating blocks that are formed over the first and second electronic components, wherein the metal layer is electrically connected to the support structure through the conductive means to protect the first and second electronic components from the electromagnetic disturbances irradiating from each of the first and second electronic components.
US07643309B1
A ruggedized electronics sub-system module is disclosed. The ruggedized electronics sub-system module includes a ruggedized housing and an electronic sub-system environmentally sealed within the ruggedized housing. At least one electrical interface is configured to couple to an external electrical connector.
US07643308B2
A device for damping cavity resonance effects in a multilayer carrier device, having a first conductive device for making available a reference potential layer of the carrier device; a second conductive device that is electrically insulated from the first conductive device for making available a voltage supply layer of the carrier device; and at least one discrete, lossy circuit component, which is connected between the first and the second conductive device and is dimensioned as a function of at least one cavity resonance of the carrier device. Also provides a method for damping cavity resonance effects in a multilayer carrier device.
