US07846299B2
A paper machine includes equipment for processing or producing a product in a continuous manner, such as a paper sheet. A grade change occurs when the equipment transitions from producing or processing a product having a first grade to producing or processing a product having a second grade. To support the grade change, a target for at least one controlled variable and a target for at least one manipulated variable are identified. The at least one manipulated variable and the at least one controlled variable are associated with the production of the product. A trajectory for the at least one manipulated variable and a corresponding trajectory for the at least one controlled variable are identified using the targets. The grade change is implemented using the trajectories so as to transition from production of the product having the first grade to production of the product having the second grade.
US07846292B2
A gas injector includes: a plate including at least one first injection hole; and at least one nozzle module combined with the plate, the at least one nozzle module including at least one second injection hole connected to the at least one first injection hole.
US07846287B2
There are provided apparatuses and related methods for preforming sheets to form preforms for forming ducts. The preforms can be formed of a thermoplastic material, such as flat sheets of reinforced thermoplastic, which can be lightweight, strong, and perform well in flammability, smoke, and toxicity tests. The apparatus includes a heater for heating the sheet to a processing temperature and a structure for configuring the sheet to a desired shape of the duct. For example, rollers, rods, tubes, or a funnel can be used to bend the sheet.
US07846284B2
A process for recycling scrap of shoe stiffener comprising the steps of: 1. Kneading the collected scrap of shoe stiffener, having a core layer of TPU resin material (with filler) sandwiched in between two opposite net fabric layers, to be dense clumps; 2. Freezing the dense clumps to be hard frozen clumps; 3. Crushing the hard frozen clumps to be a crushed product including pellets of resin material, and short fibers; and 4. Extruding the crushed product including pellets and short fibers to produce a regenerated core layer; and covering or laminating two net fabric layers on opposite sides of the regenerated core layer to obtain a regenerated shoe stiffener sheet to enhance environmental protection and prevent from wasting of material resources.
US07846275B2
Disclosed is a hot rolled steel sheet in which it includes a steel having a chemical composition of 0.03 to 0.10% (the percent hereinafter representing % by mass) of C, 0.2 to 2.0% of Si, 0.5 to 2.5% of Mn, 0.02 to 0.10% of Al, 0.2 to 1.5% of Cr, 0.1 to 0.5% of Mo, and the residue of iron and inevitable contaminants, and in this steel sheet, at least 80% by area in longitudinal cross section has a martensitic structure. As a consequence, a high strength hot rolled steel sheet having a tensile strength of the level as high as 980 MPa or higher simultaneously with an excellent forming workability, and in particular, excellent stretch flangeability is provided at a relatively low cost.
US07846265B1
Exemplary embodiments provide a cleaning composition that can include alkane components for cleaning printer members made of elastomeric materials.
US07846261B2
Methods for cleaning surface deposits, such as sulfidation deposits or dust particles, from a surface bounding an internal passage in a turbine engine component. The surface deposits are cleaned by placing a halogen-containing organic compound, such as a fluorine-containing organic compound, into the internal passage and heating the component and organic compound to chemically react the halogen-containing species in the liquefied and boiling organic compound with the deposits. The temperature is further elevated to vaporize the chemically-modified deposits, which are moved by mass transport through the internal passage and out of the turbine engine component. An optional protective coating, such as a chromium or aluminum coating, may be applied to the cleaned surface of the internal passage.
US07846258B2
A cleaning sheet comprises a cleaning layer provided on one side of a base material, from which cleaning layer F−, Cl−, Br−, NO2−, NO3−, PO43−, SO42−, Na+, NH4+ and K+ are extractable with pure water each in an amount of not greater than 20 ppm, when extracted under boiling at 120° C. for 1 hour, and a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer provided on the other side of the base material, a carrying material with cleaning capacity comprising the aforementioned cleaning sheet laminated on a carrying material with a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer. The present disclosure also relates to a method for cleaning a substrate processing equipment which comprises conveying the aforementioned carrying material with cleaning capacity into the substrate processing equipment.
US07846254B2
A heat transfer assembly having a heat spreading member sandwiched between a heat source and a heat sink is disclosed. The heat sink, the heat spreading member, and the heat source are pressed against the bottom of a substrate support plate by a bias member.
US07846239B2
An automatic selector valve including a box body having an internal space portion, framed partition plates separating the space portion into four rooms, each framed partition plate having an opening portion, plate-shaped turnable valve bodies opening or closing the opening portions of the framed partition plates, an inflow port letting a gas flow in, an inflow/outflow port letting a gas flow in and flow out alternately, an outflow port letting a gas flow out through, and an inflow/outflow port letting a gas flow in and flow out alternately with the port, the ports provided in the separated four rooms, and a driving mechanism turning the plate-shaped turnable valve bodies about a rotation shaft.
US07846228B1
Extraction devices are disclosed for extracting liquid particulates from a gaseous stream. The extraction devices may have a powered or free spinning rotating extractor that may be mounted in the extraction device's source or extraction duct. During operation, liquid particulates impinging on the rotating extractor form a thin film of extracted liquid that travels due to centrifugal force to the periphery of the extractor's exterior surface where the extracted liquid may be flung to the inner surface of the extraction duct and collected.
US07846224B2
The present disclosure provides an amide friction modifier which exhibits improved low temperature compatibility with fuel. The amide friction modifier is formed from a hyper-branched fatty acid and an amine. Methods to reduce the frictional property of a fuel and a fuel composition including the amide friction modifier are also disclosed.
US07846217B2
The present subject matter includes a method that includes joining a first connection member to an unetched connection area, the unetched connection area located on a single major surface of a first planar anode, forming a capacitor stack by aligning the first planar anode with at least a second planar anode, the second planar anode including at least a second connection member, the first connection member and the second connection member for electrical connection of the first planar anode to the second planar anode, aligning the first connection member and the second connection member to define an anode connection surface and joining the first planar anode and the second planar anode.
US07846213B2
The present foot prosthesis includes various structural features that provide the foot with advantageous rollover properties. In certain embodiments, the foot guides rollover toward the medial side. For example, an asymmetrical upper element and a correspondingly shaped resilient ankle member support more of the wearer's weight on the lateral side as the foot rolls over. In another embodiment, stiffeners added to the resilient ankle member increase the stiffness on the lateral side relative to the medial side. In certain other embodiments, the foot provides progressively increasing support from mid stance through toe off. For example, a gap between the resilient ankle member and the lower element closes during the later portion of the wearer's gait. The closing gap increases a contact area between the resilient ankle member and the lower element, providing progressively increasing support. In another embodiment, the foot includes a gap between a lower front edge of an attachment adapter and the upper element. The gap may be filled with a resilient material.
US07846210B2
A minimally invasive interbody device assembly that includes an interbody device that restores the disc space height between two vertebrae and an instrument detachably coupled to the interbody device for positioning the device in the disc space and delivering bone material to the disc space that is distributed on both sides of the interbody device. The device is inserted into the disc space using the instrument in a direction so that the wide dimension of the device is substantially parallel to the body of the vertebrae. The device is then rotated by the instrument so that the wide dimension of the device becomes perpendicular to the vertebral body so as to cause the disc space height to be restored. Bone graft material is then forced down the instrument so that the bone graft material is distributed on both sides of the device. The instrument is then detached from the device.
US07846194B2
A side branch stent graft (1) suitable for the iliac arteries has a main tubular body (3) of a biocompatible graft material and a tubular side branch (5). The tubular side branch is affixed into the main tubular body so that a side branch lumen is in fluid communication with a main lumen. There is at least one external zig-zag stent (13) on the main tubular body proximal of the tubular side branch, one central external stent (14) which also encompasses the side arm, at least one external zig-zag stent (16) on the main tubular body distal of the tubular side branch and one internal zig-zag stent (15) at the distal end of the main tubular body. A reinforcing ring (9) is around the proximal end of the main tubular body and stitched thereto.
US07846193B2
A method for treating acute coronary syndromes (i.e., unstable angina or non-Q-wave MI) or transient ischemic attacks in a human or animal patient by placing a heat exchange apparatus in the patient's vasculature and using that heat exchange apparatus to cool the patient to a temperature (e.g. 30-36° C.) at which platelet inhibition (i.e., inhibition of platelet activation and/or aggregation and/or adhesion) occurs. Anti-shivering drugs or anesthesia may be administered to patients whose body temperature is cooled below that patient's shivering threshold (typically approximately 35.5 C). If it is determined that platelet inhibition is no longer desirable, such as when the patient is about to undergo a surgical or interventional procedure wherein bleeding could be problematic, the hypothermia-induced platelet inhibition may be rapidly reversed by using the intravascular heat exchange apparatus to re-warm the patient's body to normothermia or near normothermia.
US07846190B2
Apparatuses, systems and methods for bone fixation are disclosed herein. A fixation apparatus is disclosed having a head portion having outer wall sections at least partially surrounding a central hollow area, and the head portion also having an inner bottom surface. A shank portion can extend from the head portion. An expander hub is provided for positioning at least partially within the central hollow area of the head portion and can be seated at least partially on the inner bottom surface of the head portion. The expander hub is rotatable to force the outer wall sections of the head portion outwardly for engaging and locking the fixation apparatus in place when the fixation apparatus is positioned within a hole of a plate. The fixation apparatus can advantageously be used with a plate whereby the fixation apparatus and plate can compress bone separately from locking the fixation apparatus in a desired position. Also, the angle, alignment or position of the fixation apparatus can be changed if desired even after locking of the fixation apparatus. Separate drivers can be used to drive the fixation apparatus, to rotate the expander hub to lock it in place, and to remove the fixation apparatus. The drivers can be cannulated as desired such that the drivers can be assembled in a nested and concentric configuration and can be used without removal from the nested configuration.
US07846187B2
A closure for an open headed medical implant, such as a bone screw. The closure having a cylindrical body having an axis of rotation and also having a threaded radially outer surface. The body having a plurality of bores that open onto a top surface of the body and that are parallel to but spaced from the axis of rotation. In one embodiment the closure also has a break-off head centrally attached by a neck to the top surface of the body. Preferably, the body also includes an axial threaded bore that extends from a bottom to the top of the surface body, but that is only exposed when the break-off head breaks away. In another embodiment a tool is used to insert the closure in the implant without a break-off head and a central threaded bore of the closure receives a set screw.
US07846183B2
Devices and methods for altering the spacing and motion at the facet joints of the vertebral column are provided. One embodiment of the invention comprises a prosthesis with surfaces configured to articulate with the facets of the facet joint. A retaining member for anchoring the prosthesis within the facet joint is optionally included. Methods for surgically and less invasively implanting the prosthesis and securing the prosthesis to the articular processes or surrounding soft tissue are also provided.
US07846174B2
A bariatric device includes a body having a wall defining a lumen, the wall configured to generally conform to the shape and size of at least one chosen from i) the abdominal portion of the esophagus, ii) the esophageal-gastric junction, and iii) the proximal cardiac portion of the stomach, with the wall adapted to exert pressure on the at least one chosen from i) the abdominal portion of the esophagus, ii) the esophageal-gastric junction, and iii) the proximal cardiac portion of the stomach, thereby influencing a neurohormonal feedback mechanism of the patient to cause at least partial satiety by augmenting fullness caused by food and simulating fullness in the absence of food.
US07846163B2
Disclosed herein is a device destined to be coupled to at least one support, and in particular a surgical implant destined to be coupled to a bone. The invention relates generally to a device (1) including a fixing element (3) including a head (3A) and a pin (3B) destined to be anchored in a support. The device further includes an assembly part (4) including a through hole (5), and a ring (6) housed in a manner that can be oriented within the through hole (5). The ring (6) has a passage (6A) shaped so as to allow passage of the pin (3B) and to stop the head (3A). The ring (6) is expandable according to its axial direction between a configuration wherein the ring (6) can be oriented and a configuration wherein the ring (6) is blocked.
US07846162B2
Apparatus for bone reinforcement, fixation and treatment of diseased or fractured bones including a supporting structure optionally coated with therapeutic agent is provided. The supporting structure or device may be collapsible upon deployment at the surgical site, and include fixation features such as anchors to securely position in place once deployed. Bone cement or other material may be provided to alternatively secure the positioned supporting structure for treatment. A lockable bone fixation device is described that comprises: a sleeve adapted to be positioned in a space formed in a bone; a guidewire adapted to guide movement of the sleeve; and an actuable lock adapted to secure the sleeve within the space of the bone from an end of the device.
US07846159B2
A tissue-separating catheter assembly comprises a rotatable shaft, having a distal shaft portion, and a tissue separator device extending along the shaft. The tissue separator device has a distal separator part at the distal shaft portion movable between a retracted state, towards the distal shaft portion, and an outwardly extending, operational state, away from the distal shaft portion. A localization device is movable to a radially expanded state. An expandable tubular element is movable so that its outer end is generally axially aligned with the localization device so to capture a separated tissue section therebetween to aid removal of the separated tissue section from the patient.
US07846156B2
An electrosurgical generator apparatus controls a variable output signal to electrodes. The generator apparatus operates in a cut mode, a coagulation mode or a stimulate mode. The generator apparatus comprises a DC power supply that provides regulated low voltage and high voltage outputs and a radio frequency (RF) waveform generator circuit that provides pulse duration modulation (PDM) of a carrier signal. The carrier signal directly affects the variable output signal to the electrodes. A control circuit controls a variable output signal to electrodes used in electrosurgical procedures. The control circuit comprises a DC power supply circuit that provides regulated low voltage and high voltage outputs and an RF waveform generator circuit that provides pulse duration modulation of a carrier signal. The carrier signal directly affects the variable output signal to the electrodes.
US07846154B2
The present invention is of device, system, and method for cooling and heating an operating tip of a cryoprobe using a single source of compressed gas. Cooling of the operating tip is effected by Joule-Thomson expansion of a high-pressure cooling gas through a Joule-Thomson orifice into an expansion chamber. Heating of the operating tip is effected by electrical resistance heating. In preferred embodiments, heating of the operating tip is effected by electrical resistance heating of low-pressure gas flowing towards the operating tip. Preferably, gas from a single gas source is supplied to the probe during both cooling and heating phases, a cooling gas being supplied at high pressure when used for cooling and at low pressure when used for heating. Low-pressure gas supplied during the heating phase is heated as it flows towards the operating tip, preferably by electrical resistance heating within the body of the probe. A single gas input lumen is used during both cooling and heating phases to transport gas into the probe, and a single gas exhaust lumen is used during both cooling and heating phases to conduct gas out of the probe.
US07846151B2
A medical laser apparatus for irradiating an affected tissue with a laser beam to treat the affected tissue, comprises: a laser source unit which emits an infrared beam as a fundamental wave having a spectral bandwidth; a wavelength demultiplexing optical system which spatially demultiplexes the emitted infrared beam by wavelengths; a wavelength converting optical system including a wavelength converting element disposed in correspondence with an optical path position of each of the demultiplexed infrared beams and for converting each of the infrared beams to a visible beam as a second harmonic wave; a wavelength multiplexing optical system which multiplexes the visible beams obtained by the conversion; and a delivery optical system which guides the multiplexed visible beams to the affected tissue.
US07846148B2
The present invention includes catheters and catheter shafts having a curved portion, for example, a curved distal portion. The curved distal portion may be formed by subjecting the distal portion, which might include one or more polymeric segments or layers, to heat at or above the melt temperature thereof. Heating at or above the melt temperature may to reduce residual stress and eliminate heat history.
US07846144B2
An ostomy appliance body side member or an ostomy appliance including an adhesive wafer having a first adhesive surface for securing the appliance to the user's skin, and a second surface provided with a hydrophobic adhesive. The part of the adhesive wafer surrounding the stoma shows balanced plastic and elastic properties allowing the hole of the ostomy appliance to be enlarged by rolling up the inner rim around the hole to form a torus. The torus is locked in the rolled up position by adhesion between the hydrophobic adhesive on the second surface and the first adhesive surface, the hydrophobic adhesive ensuring that the torus does not unroll even when the first adhesive surface is exposed to moisture, thereby reducing the risk of causing injury to or constriction of the stoma.
US07846136B2
The invention relates to a gripping edge (1) for a syringe with: a sleeve (7) with a first opening (9) for attachment to a barrel (2) of the syringe and a second opening (10). The gripping edge (1) comprises a flange (8) that is attached to the sleeve (7) at a distance from the first opening (9). A large number of catches (11), which project radially toward the inside from the inside wall (21) of the sleeve (7), are provided to engage in a groove attached to an outside surface of the barrel (2) or projections (13) and to fasten the sleeve (7) and, over this, the gripping edge (1) to the barrel (2), whereby a considerable number of openings, in particular a considerable number of lengthwise openings (14) and/or a considerable number of transverse openings (15), are cut out in the sleeve (7). As a result, a locking of the gripping edge (1) to the barrel (2) in the case of lower assembly forces is possible, by which a bursting tendency of the barrel (2), in particular during assembly, is considerably reduced.
US07846131B2
An administration feeding set for use with a flow control apparatus to deliver fluid from at least one fluid source to a patient. The feeding set includes tubing adapted to extend from the fluid source for flow of fluid through the tubing from the fluid source toward a patient. A locating finger projects outwardly from the tubing and is positioned on the tubing so that when received on the flow control apparatus in an operating position the finger permits a locating member of the flow control apparatus to close. However, when the tubing is received on the flow control apparatus in a non-operating position the finger does not permit the locating member to close thereby to verify whether the tubing is in the operating position on the flow control apparatus.
US07846130B2
The present invention discloses a portable intravenous fluid heating system comprising (a) a metallic heated conduit for warming IV fluids passed therethrough at a continuously regulated normal body temperature and transporting said IV fluids; and, (b) a controller unit including a power source operative to apply an electric potential across said conduit. The conduit comprises a wall made of a metallic material capable of producing resistance heat by the passage of electric current, such that said IV fluid is heated by the contact with said wall.
US07846124B2
A device and method for performing stenting and intubation of the nasolacrimal system to treat for stenosis or obstruction includes a semi-rigid tubular guide sleeve through which a flexible tubular stent, having an oversized length, is inserted from a punctal opening into the nasal cavity. The guide sleeve is removed and a resilient, radially expandable punctal anchor is placed through the punctal opening, to contact the stent and hold it in place. An introducer device having a hollow tubular core and a coaxially mounted, axially translatable outer sheath is provided to facilitate placement of the anchor. The anchor is stretched over the distal end of the core and the stent threaded into the central lumen of the core. Once the anchor is in place, the sheath is translated to push the anchor off the distal end. Excess stent at its proximal end is then trimmed off.
US07846123B2
Various embodiments of the present invention provide a conduit device including an attaching device configured for defining a helical pathway through a tissue wall and complementary ring in cooperation for securing the device within an aperture defined in the tissue wall. Some embodiments of the present invention further provide a system for implanting a conduit device in a tissue wall. More specifically, some embodiments provide a system including a coring device for defining an aperture in a tissue by removing and retaining a tissue core and securely implanting a conduit device therein so as to provide fluid communication between a first and second surface of the tissue wall via the conduit device.
US07846118B2
A cervical immobilization collar incorporates one or more cooling elements for inducing a mild cerebral hypothermia by transcutaneous cooling of oxygenated blood flowing through carotid arteries. The immobilization collar includes an annular support structure having an extended axial length for limiting cervical compaction of a wearer's neck and a chin rest for limiting cervical rotation of the wearer's neck. In addition, the one or more cooling elements, which function as a heat extractor, are carried by the support structure in positions for inducing transcutaneous conduction of heat through an anterior portion of the wearer's neck from at least one of the wearer's carotid arteries.
US07846116B2
The present invention relates to a device for fixation to a head of a patient during neurological diagnosis, therapy or surgery, in particular during MRI diagnosis. The device comprises at least one fixation pin for fixation to the head, a sleeve member (5) having an internal threaded through bore to at least partly receive and hold said fixation pin, and a pin support member for supporting said fixation pin and sleeve member. The sleeve member is exchangeable and provided in at least two different lengths in order to allow adaptation of the sleeve member to the size of the head to improve the fixation of the head and avoid the fixation pin to protrude beyond the outer boundary of the pin support member. The invention also relates to a method for fixation of a head.
US07846101B2
An ultrasound transducer assembly of the present invention includes a flexible circuit to which an ultrasound transducer array and integrated circuitry are attached during fabrication of the ultrasound transducer assembly. The flexible circuit comprises a flexible substrate to which the integrated circuitry and transducer elements are attached while the flexible substrate is in a substantially flat shape. The flexible circuit further comprises electrically conductive lines that are deposited upon the flexible substrate. The electrically conductive lines transport electrical signals between the integrated circuitry and the transducer elements. After assembly, the flexible circuit is re-shapable into a final form such as, for example, a substantially cylindrical shape.
US07846100B2
A medical imaging system is proposed. The system includes means for providing a plurality of echo signals indicative of a response of a body part to a plurality of ultrasound pulsed waves having different acoustic pressures, the body part including a tissue being perfused with a contrast agent, and means for discriminating in the echo signals a contribution of a first type of contrast agent from a contribution of a second type of contrast agent and/or of the tissue, at least one harmonic component of the contribution of the first type of contrast agent having an acoustic power changing according to a first dependency law on the acoustic pressure and the at least one harmonic component of the contribution of the second type of contrast agent and/or of the tissue having an acoustic power changing according to at least one second dependency law on the acoustic pressure, wherein the means for discriminating includes means for significantly reducing the at least one harmonic component of the contribution of the second type of contrast agent and/or of the tissue with respect to the at least one harmonic component of the contribution of the first type of contrast agent according to the corresponding dependency laws.
US07846099B2
A method of performing a scanning sequence for an ultrasound scan includes establishing a number of ultrasound beams to be transmitted during an ultrasound scan, establishing a pulse repetition interval to be used for performing the ultrasound scan, and establishing a number of firings of each of the ultrasound beams to be performed during the ultrasound scan. The method further includes performing a scanning sequence based on a processing of one or more parameters selected from the group consisting of the number of ultrasound beams, the pulse repetition interval, and the number of firings of the ultrasound beams, wherein the processing of the one or more parameters is configured to provide a continuous interleaving in the transmitted beams thereby avoiding a generation of beam interleaving discontinuities and a formation of artifacts in a resulting image.
US07846089B2
A bendable portion control mechanism of an endoscope including a control portion and an insertion portion, includes two manually-rotatable control knobs, one of which being provided on top of the other and disposed coaxially with each other, for bending the bendable portion in two orthogonal directions, each of the control knobs including a water-sealed internal space; and two bent state holding mechanisms, provided in the two water-sealed internal spaces, respectively, for holding a bent state of the bendable portion in the two orthogonal directions by exerting frictional resistance on rotating operations of the two control knobs. The two control knobs detach from and attach to the control portion without interfering with the two bent state holding mechanisms so that it is possible to adjust operational characteristics of each of the two bent state holding mechanisms upon detaching the two control knobs, respectively.
US07846085B2
A kit for treating a gastrointestinal tract of a mammal and including a package and a tubular needle, an end piece and a container of an implant-forming material carried within the package. The end piece has an outer surface provided with at least one recess and an internal passageway communicating with the recess. The end piece is mounted on the distal extremity of an elongate probe member and introduced into the upper portion of the gastrointestinal tract. A portion of the wall of the gastrointestinal tract is drawn into the recess and the tubular needle is extended through the elongate probe member and the internal passageway into the portion of the wall in the recess. Material from the container is loaded into the tubular needle and injected into the portion of the wall to form an implant in the wall.
US07846080B2
A machine and method of stretching and exercising the human body, specifically the head, neck, and upper shoulder region. The machine employs three separate user-controlled actuators to allow the user to move and adjust her head, neck, and upper shoulders to almost limitless positions and with utmost precision, thereby effectively stretching and exercising the user's occipital region to achieve the desired comfort level. Because the user is in control of the precise actuator movements, and hence the exact positioning of her occipital region, the machine is much easier and safer to operate and more effective than other exercise and/or physical strengthening devices.
US07846077B2
An apparatus for exercising the abdominal muscles of a user includes an elongate track having first and second ends and a middle portion wherein the elongate track is positionable transverse to a user. The apparatus further includes a carriage movable along the track, wherein that carriage is biased toward the middle portion of the track, and an arm extending substantially perpendicular from the carriage. The arm has a free distal end such that application by user of an alternating torque to the free distal end of the arm urges the carriage in a corresponding reciprocating motion on the track.
US07846062B2
A motorcycle includes a transmission, a CPU, an engine, a load sensor and a notification lamp. The load sensor detects a shift operation by a driver. When the shift operation is performed by the driver, an output of the engine is adjusted by the CPU so that a torque (driving force) transmitted between the engine and the transmission is reduced. The CPU does not adjust the output when the torque is transmitted from the transmission to the engine when an up-shifting operation is performed by the driver. Moreover, a notification lamp is lit by the CPU when the torque having at least a predetermined value is transmitted from the transmission to the engine when the up-shifting operation is performed by the driver.
US07846059B2
An automatic transmission including a first number of dry clutches; a second number of brakes; a third number of actuators; and transfer elements. The transfer elements are connected to respective clutches and brakes by respective uninterruptible mechanical paths. The actuators are arranged to displace respective transfer elements to operate the dry clutches and brakes. The third number is less than a sum of the first and second numbers. The transmission can include an input to a drive unit; a gear set; a damper connecting the drive unit and gear set; and an uninterrupted torque path between the drive unit and gear set. The transmission can include: a fluid chamber; dry portions; a six speed gear set at least partly in the chamber; three shafts at least partially disposed in the chamber; and three sealing elements forming a fluid-tight seal among the shafts, chamber, and dry portions.
US07846057B2
A power train of an automatic transmission with eight forward speeds and two reverse speeds includes: a speed reduction unit including a first variable input member connected to an input shaft via a first clutch, first and second variably stopped members connected to a transmission case, and a reduced speed output member; an output unit including a reduced speed input member connected to the reduced speed output member, second and third variable input members connected to the input shaft via second and third clutches, respectively, a third variably stopped member connected to the transmission case, and a shifted speed output member connected to an output gear. A first brake variably stops the third variable stopped member; a second brake variably stops the first variable stopped member; and a third brake variably stops the second variable stopped member.
US07846056B2
A drive assembly for use between an axle differential and a sideshaft comprises an intermediate shaft that is rotatably supported around a rotation axis and has a first end fixedly connected to an output gear of the axle differential and a second end fixedly connected at least indirectly to the sideshaft. A controllable coupling unit comprises a coupling cage with outer plates and a coupling hub with inner plates. The coupling cage is rotatably supported around the rotation axis relative to a bearing support. The coupling hub is connected to the intermediate shaft. The outer plates and the inner plates are arranged so as to axially alternate and jointly form a plate package. The coupling cage extends in the axial direction from the differential carrier to the bearing support and is sealed by first and second rotary seals.
US07846052B2
A self-propelled harvesting machine is provided that has operating devices to take-up and/or process harvested crop, which can be driven by means of a drive belt, that can be driven by a belt pulley about an axis of rotation extending horizontally and transverse to the forward operating direction of the harvesting machine. Two internal combustion engines are provided on the harvesting machine and each are supported on the frame arranged side by side alongside each other relative to the forward operating direction, with crankshafts extending in the forward operating direction. A connecting gearbox is arranged ahead of the internal combustion engines in the forward direction of operation and is connected or can be connected so as to drive with the first crankshaft, the second crankshaft and the belt pulley. The connecting gearbox includes two angle gearboxes that are connected to a transverse shaft arranged in the transverse direction that is connected or may be connected, in turn, with the belt pulley.
US07846048B2
A multi-speed sprocket assembly is suggested, including at least a larger sprocket and at least a smaller sprocket. The smaller sprocket has a trailing tooth which is last to engage the chain before moving onto the larger sprocket. The larger sprocket has a leading tooth which either is the first to engage between a first outer link plate pair of the chain or is located adjacent to a first inner link plate pair of the chain. At least the larger sprocket has an upshift transitional region which has a double spacewidth created by omitting a tooth and is immediately followed by the leading tooth. In the region of the double spacewidth, the larger sprocket is embodied in such a way that a crossing chain link comes into contact with the larger sprocket only in the region of the leading tooth.
US07846047B2
A sprocket comprises a sprocket body; a plurality of teeth extending radially outwardly from the sprocket body and dimensioned to engage a bicycle chain; and a spline extending radially inwardly from the sprocket body, wherein the spline includes a radially outer surface facing radially outwardly.
US07846041B2
Embodiments of movable weights, such as weight assemblies and weight screws, for a golf club head are disclosed herein. One embodiment for a weight assembly, for example, comprises a mass element having a first end, a second end and a sidewall extending between the first end and the send end. The sidewall of the mass element defines a first bore extending through the mass element and at least a portion of the sidewall of mass element tapers in a direction from the first end to the second end. This embodiment further includes a retaining element configured to engage the first bore adjacent the first end of the mass element and defining a second bore. The weight assembly further includes an elongate fastener having a first end configured to be received within the second bore of the retaining element and a second end extending through the first bore and beyond the second end of the mass element when the mass element, retaining element and fastener are assembled together.
US07846036B2
A golf putter head includes an opening, a deflectable plate and a cutout. The opening is located behind a putter face, and is larger than a golf ball. The deflectable plate is coupled to the golf putter head, with a first end of the deflectable plate projecting into the opening. The cutout is located above the deflectable plate, the cutout having a width that is greater than or equal to a width of the deflectable plate.
US07846035B2
A golf swing exercising and training apparatus for assisting a user to improve a golf swing may include a curvilinear track sized and shaped to simulate a golf swing. A frame may be situated on a ground surface to keep the track at a stable position. The track may be angularly offset such that a beginning point is situated anterior to a finishing point of the track. A mechanism may be included for teaching users to maintain a desired spine angle, and the desired head and arm positions during operation. The teaching mechanism may include a moveable guide member slidably coupled to the track, a mechanism for maintaining direct and continuous contact between the guide and track, and a mechanism for prohibiting the user's head from rising beyond a predetermined height during operation. In addition, a mechanism for indicating proper arm movement during an initial backswing may be included.
US07846031B2
A universal joint having a spider provided with four staggered journals. A socket having an axial bearing in addition to a radial bearing is associated with each journal. The axial bearing has rolling bodies that are guided between a front surface of the journal and the bottom of the universal joint socket.
US07846028B2
Interactive methods and apparatus for infrared (IR) shooting games between participants are disclosed. The infrared transmitting and receiving toy has an interface display, switches, and an IR device for transmitting and receiving first or second data between participants, including tag or hit information and special attack information in response to user actuation of one or more inputs. The information processor generates a hit or tag tally upon receiving first data from IR receiver, and generates an activity upon receiving second data including a video-game or puzzle style activity on the interface display. In a further embodiment, the information processor is capable of storing gameplay experience, and the information processor may alter gameplay capabilities based on the accumulated gameplay experience of many games.
US07846025B2
A gaming system includes a hard disk drive for storing applications and other data. The hard disk drive has multiple regions for storing different types of data. Each application executed on the gaming system has an associated storage area on the hard disk drive. A console application executing on the gaming system prevents a particular application from accessing data in an area of the hard disk drive that is not associated with the particular application. The gaming system also maintains a list of recently used nicknames to simplify entry of nicknames by a user of the gaming system.
US07846008B2
A polishing pad includes a guide plate, a porous slurry distribution layer and a flexible under-layer. Polishing elements are interdigitated with one another through the slurry distribution layer and the guide plate. The polishing elements may be affixed to the compressible under-layer and pass through corresponding holes in the guide plate so as to be maintained in a substantially vertical orientation with respect to the compressible under-layer but be translatable in a vertical direction with respect to the guide plate. Optionally, a membrane may be positioned between the guide plate and the slurry distribution layer. The polishing pad may also include wear sensors to assist in determinations of pad wear and end-of-life.
US07846006B2
A dressing apparatus for dressing a polishing pad includes a dressing member engageable with the polishing pad. The dressing apparatus is adapted to change the amount of force exerted by the dressing member on the polishing pad as the dressing member moves radially along the polishing pad. A controller for controlling the dressing apparatus has pre-programmed recipes that are selectable based on the radial profile of a measured polished wafer.
US07845993B2
The present invention relates to a female electrical terminal destined to couple with a male blade terminal (60), comprising a body (12) equipped with a bottom wall (15) having projections (18-21) for the electrical contact with the male terminal and two side walls (16, 17) defining with the bottom wall a housing seat (14) for the male terminal, the female terminal comprising a pushing elastic element (28) suitable for use to push the male terminal towards said bottom wall (15). Said contact projections (18-21) are at least four, the terminal comprising a shell (26) carrying the pushing elastic element (28) and being equipped with portions (31-34) for coupling with said body (12) that externally embrace said two side walls (16-17) of the body.
US07845992B2
An electrical terminal including a first connection section; and a second connection section. The second connection section includes at least two cantilevered deflectable contact arms configured to contact a mating electrical terminal. A front end of each of the arms is outwardly flared including opposite sides of each front end being outwardly flared in general opposite directions relative to each other. The front ends combine to form a general tulip shaped entrance into the electrical terminal for the mating electrical terminal.
US07845973B2
A contact has at least one contact portion adapted to contact a first connecting object and a connection portion to be connected to a second connecting object. The contact is provided with an protruded contact portion positioned between the contact portion provided at a free end of the contact and the connection portion and curved and substantially aligned with the contact portion. A member having a pushing portion for pushing the first connecting object is so arranged that the pushing portion is in a position facing to the protruded contact portion. With the contacts thus constructed, even if a great number of the contacts are arranged, large forces are not required for inserting and fitting a connecting object in a connector using the contacts, thereby achieving a stable electrical connection. Moreover, the contacts can be arranged with extremely narrow pitches in a connector, and using the contacts, it is possible to construct reduced overall height connectors, and connectors miniaturized particularly in the inserting direction of a connecting object.
US07845972B1
The present invention provides a high-temperature ceramic lampholder with an integral thermal switch for use in recessed or portable recessed lighting fixtures for general lighting in residential, institutional and commercial buildings. Lampholders according to the invention extend lamp life by reducing lamp base temperatures; improve fixture safety by lowering the heat on wire insulation; and lower fixture toxicity and enhance fixture reliability by eliminating solder joints with spade connectors.
US07845965B2
A cable connector assembly includes an insulative housing (1) with a number of passages (101), a shell (3) covering the insulative housing, a number of contacts (2) received in the passages of the insulative housing, and a spacer (5) assembled to the insulative housing. The contact includes a retaining portion (22), an extending portion (25) extending form the retaining portion and a soldering portion (23) bending from the end of the extending portion, and the all soldering portions are coplanar. The spacer includes a pressing portion (52) and a vertical wall (53). The pressing portion presses on the retaining portion of the contact, and the vertical wall engages with the soldering portion of the contact.
US07845959B2
A power distribution block includes a housing, a plurality of terminals situated in the housing, a plurality of electrical components, each of the electrical components mechanically and electrically engaged to respective terminals, wherein a portion of at least one electrical component protrudes from the housing, and a component position assurance element substantially enclosing the protruding portions of the electrical components.
US07845957B2
An IC socket, adapted for electrically connecting an IC package and a printed circuit board, includes a base, a socket body received in the base, a plurality of contacts received in the socket body, and an actuating mechanism moveably assembled on the base. The socket body includes a first insulative housing and a second insulative housing located under the first insulative housing. The actuating mechanism can actuate the first insulative housing and a second insulative housing to move in a horizontal direction relative to each other and drive the contact to stretch in a vertical direction.
US07845951B1
One embodiment of an adapter for an electrical plug may include a bottom connector, a top connector and an electrical connection mechanism. The bottom connector may include a plurality of male connectors capable of being inserted in a wall socket. The top connector may be rotatably coupled to the bottom connector. The top connector may be capable of rotating in a plane parallel to a plane of the wall socket. The top connector may include a plurality of female connectors for receiving the electrical plug. The plurality of female connectors may be electrically coupled to the plurality of male connectors, and may be disposed perpendicular to the plurality of male connectors. The electrical connection mechanism may be configured to electrically coupling the plurality of male connectors and the plurality of female connectors.
US07845950B2
A computer-based test creation system and method for generating test items. The test creation process includes creating items in electronic form and allowing access by a plurality of reviewers via a network. The reviewers may review the item for content, fairness and format, and collaborate with each other before indicating that the item is acceptable for inclusion in a test. After the administration of the items to test takers, item performance may be evaluated on-line by reviewing electronic feedback from the administrations and creating electronic evaluation reports. Since the items are created in an electronic form, the items may further include new forms of stimuli such as graphics and multimedia.
US07845949B2
The ultrasound training mannequin (100) is a device that provides a realistic medical training device for use by medical personnel, especially those in the field of emergency medicine, to gain experience in applying and analyzing the results of common ultrasound examinations. The mannequin (100) comprises a life-size model of the male torso. The mannequin (100) has a simulated human skin (20) and tissue structure (22) made of a silicone. Internal organs, such as the lungs, heart, liver, kidneys, gall bladder, urinary bladder, and spleen are placed inside the model in their normal occurring relative positions. Heavier organs are modeled with a variable density silicone material to simulate the actual sonic density of these organs. The lungs are modeled with a variable density foam material to simulate the sonic density of actual lungs. The mannequin (100) also includes artificial venous and arterial channels emanating from and terminating at the heart.
US07845945B2
An anchoring element for use in bone has a proximal end and a distal end. The distal end may be embedded in bone with the proximal end exposed. An abutment surface is disposed toward the proximal end. The anchoring element includes four surfaces that define the distal end. A generally cylindrical first surface defines an exterior of the anchoring element and includes a first external thread having a pitch. An annular second surface is disposed toward the distal end and joined to the first surface along an outer circumference of the second surface. A third surface concentric with the first surface is joined to the second surface along an inner circumference of the second surface. A fourth surface disposed between the distal end and the proximal end of the first surface is joined to the third surface along an outer circumference of the fourth surface.
US07845937B2
A specific electrode arrangement for a burner already exists with which the flame of the burner is influenced by using electrical fields, whereby these electrical fields pass through only areas of the flame in which a stabilizing and pollutant-reducing action occurs. According to at least one embodiment of the invention, the electrodes used to this end simultaneously serve both as probes for detecting flame properties as well as active field electrodes for influencing the flame properties. The probe signals can react to the voltage applied in an inertia-free manner to the electrodes without the involvement of mechanical elements. According to the associated device equipped with a burner and associated electrodes and with a power supply unit, the power supply unit furnishes a voltage that varies over time, and at least one measuring transducer exists that detects the current generated in the flame by the voltage between both electrodes and provides feedback to the power supply unit after amplification.
US07845936B2
An injection molding apparatus having a sealing arrangement between a hot runner manifold and edge-gated nozzle that accommodates thermal expansion during operation is disclosed. A spacer element is axially fixed in position between the manifold and a mold plate in which the nozzle sits. The nozzle includes a reduced diameter spigot portion on an upstream end that is in a telescopic/slidable relationship with a bore of the spacer element. The nozzle includes radially extended nozzle tips axially fixed in position at a downstream end of the nozzle that are in fluid communication with respective mold gates and corresponding mold cavities. In the cold condition, a gap G exists between a shoulder of the nozzle proximate the spigot portion and a corresponding surface of the spacer element bore. Under operating conditions, thermal expansion of the nozzle is accommodated in a direction of the manifold by the gap.
US07845929B2
A device for controlling the condensate or frost formation in chocolate shell production has a mould (2), provided with a plurality of recesses (3) for liquefied of softened chocolate (4) and a die (5) cooled by cooling means (7) and including a plurality of protrusions (6), each fit to be inserted into a respective below recess (3) to mould a chocolate shell, in cooperation therewith, in a maximum approach condition (A) between the die (5) and the mould (2). The device (1) further includes: at least one supply means (8) whose outlet (9) flows directly into the environment and it is orientated in the direction of protrusions (6); dehumidification means (10) to feed the at least one supply means (8) with dehumidified air (50). The supply means (8) is fit to blow dehumidified air (50) nearly at ambient pressure, at least in mutual detachment conditions (D) of mould (2) and die (5), toward the protrusions (6) so preventing the formation thereon of water condensate or frost.
US07845926B2
A mold apparatus includes a female mold combined with a male mold. The female mold and male mold respectively include at least one female mold unit and one male mold unit, at least a pair of screw tooth blocks, a first fastener, and a second fastener. The female mold unit and the male mold unit respectively include a space with an opening and a through hole connecting with the space. The screw tooth block is mounted in the space. The screw tooth block includes an inserted concavity in a pair of opposite surfaces respectively and a through hole in the other opposite surfaces, the inserted concavity comprising an inner screw. The fastener, through the through hole of the mold unit and the through hole of the screw tooth block, fastens the screw tooth block in the space of the mold unit.
US07845914B2
A fast fill pump system for a self-propelled field sprayer includes high capacity centrifugal pump for tank filling. The centrifugal pump is connected in parallel with the fill connection and primed by a lower capacity diaphragm spraying pump. Two check valves and a pressure sensor allow the sprayer control to automatically control the pump priming and tank filling with the activation of one switch. The two-pump system preserves tank filling speed, even during operation of eductor or tank agitation functions. The centrifugal pump can be removed and the spraying pump operated to fill the tank without substantial base machine modification.
US07845912B2
A driving controlling apparatus for a linear compressor, comprises: a storing unit for storing a reference phase difference to judge an overload state; and a controlling unit for judging an overload state based on a comparison result between the reference phase difference and a phase difference between a current and a stroke, and controlling a voltage or a current applied to a linear motor based on the judgement result.
US07845910B2
A propeller blade mounted with a preload adjacent a propeller blade root retention which increases the moment capacity of the retention for a given pitch diameter, yet permits pitching of the propeller blade about a blade axis in response to a propeller pitch change actuation system. The propeller blade retention assembly includes a tapered roller bearing set having a multiple of tapered roller bearing cartridge assemblies. Each tapered roller bearing cartridge assembly includes a retention cartridge and at least one tapered roller bearing element to facilitate installation and retention during assembly.
US07845900B2
A discharge region of a centrifugal compressor is provided. A scroll casing is asymmetrically formed in a circumferential direction and configured to be positioned in different angular positions in the circumferential direction. A vaned diffuser is configured to be positioned in different angular positions in the circumferential direction. The vaned diffuser includes a plurality of guide elements configured to be arranged in a distributed manner in the circumferential direction. Means are provided for positioning the vaned diffuser with regard to an angular position of the asymmetrically formed scroll casing. An angular spacing of two guide elements which are arranged adjacently to each other differs from an angular spacing of two other guide elements which are arranged adjacently to each other. By varying the angular spacings between two adjacent guide vanes of a diffuser along the circumference, the resonance vibration of the compressor can be reduced.
US07845898B2
A system and method for cargo handling is provided. The system includes a transport vehicle including a cargo bay capable of housing a plurality of cargo containers, and a loading dock for coupling to the cargo bay. The system also includes at least one railcar and pylons positioned along a floor of the cargo bay. A predetermined number of pylons are operable to elevate and lower a cargo container within the cargo bay. The present invention also provides a railcar for transporting cargo containers, as well as an apparatus for positioning at least one cargo container within a transport vehicle. The present invention also provides a system for aligning a loading dock and a transport vehicle that includes a mechanism for adjusting the height of the transport vehicle or loading dock, or a plurality of engagement members that are capable of aligning the loading dock and transport vehicle.
US07845897B2
Substrates are transported to accurate positions, while mounted on one hand of a transport robot. When substrates are to be transported from transporting chamber into processing chamber, a first mounting portion of a hand is located immediately above first processing position provided in processing chamber; and the substrate placed on first mounting portion is lifted up. Then, a second mounting portion is located immediately above second processing position by finely moving the hand. Next, the substrate on second mounting portion is lifted up. When the hand is pulled out from between the substrates and first and second processing positions and the substrates are lowered, the substrates are accurately arranged on first and second processing positions. When substrates are mounted on the hand in an order reverse to the above, the substrates in processing chamber can be accurately mounted on first and second mounting portions and be carried out.
US07845895B2
A spare tire carrier featuring an integrated automotive jack, the jack used for manipulating the carrier into and out of a configuration suitable for transit. The jack may also be removed from the carrier, and used to elevate the vehicle. A strap and ratchet mechanism is also provided, helpful for securing the tire upon the carrier and also for leveraging the tire into place upon the carrier.
US07845888B2
A fastener assembly for use in a fastener driving tool is formed as a row of fasteners arranged substantially parallel to each other and a supporting strip. The strip has a supporting substrate and an adhesive composition thereon. The supporting substrate has an elongated dimension extending generally in the direction of the row of fasteners. The supporting substrate defines upper and lower edges, at least one of which has a scallop formation therein between the fasteners. The scallop formation defines a 3-dimensional profile to stiffen the fastener assembly. The adhesive composition bonds to the fasteners to maintain the fasteners in the substantially parallel arrangement in the row. A method for making the assembly is also disclosed.
US07845882B2
A subsea suction pile crane system comprises a suction pile and a crane mounted on the suction pile. The crane comprises a rotatable mounting surface, a winch, and a boom having a proximal section attached to the rotatable mounting surface such that the boom can pivot with respect to the mounting surface, and a distal section opposite the proximal section. In embodiments, a plurality of suction piles may be sed. The crane system is typically hydraulically operated. A preferred embodiment of the invention may further comprise a remotely operated vehicle comprising a hydraulic power supply operatively coupled to the crane, and a manipulator arm mounted on the distal section of the boom and operatively coupled to the hydraulic power supply.
US07845881B2
Method and apparatus for the maintenance of pipelines. The method includes selecting a number of points along the pipeline and raising the pipeline at these points by an amount that the height difference between these points does not exceed the international flexibility standards. The apparatus includes at least one lifting frame, telescopic lifting arms and a flexible device connected to the lifting arms for engaging the pipeline.
US07845874B2
A packaging and dispenser device for a composition may include: a casing containing a reserve of composition; a composition-dispenser mechanism including a rotary member, which, when turned in a first direction, is accompanied by the composition being dispensed; and an actuator system configured to turn on the rotary member of the composition dispenser mechanism. The actuator system may include: a first pushbutton configured to turn the rotary member in the first direction; and a second pushbutton configured to turn the rotary member in a second direction, opposite to the first direction. The rotary member being turned in the first direction may be independent of the rotary member being turned in the second direction.
US07845873B2
A mascara applicator with vibrating applicator head. The head is caused to vibrate in a controlled manner through electro-mechanical urging. The frequency, amplitude and geometry of the vibrating head are sufficient to significantly alter the rheological properties of thixotropic and anti-thixotropic mascara compositions, including an effect that persists after the vibration has stopped. The present invention allows the mascara to be manipulated for improved results, greater flexibility in formulation, benefits in manufacture, as well as other benefits.
US07845865B2
A method of controlling a plurality of shutter blades activated by a solenoid to move the plurality of shutter blades between an open position and a closed position includes reducing an electrical signal applied to the solenoid while the plurality of shutter blades is in transit between the open position and the closed position.
US07845862B2
A communications device may include a connector block. The connector block may include a port. The port may be sized and configured to couple an optical fiber plug. The communications device may include an optical subassembly that may be connected to the connector block. The connector block may include a mount. The mount may be sized and configured to align the connector block and the optical subassembly. The mount may be configured as an EMI shield.
US07845858B2
The proposed optic-fiber connector is used for interconnecting optic-fiber cables. It comprises a receptacle with spring-loaded centralisers and two plugs with ferrules. The centraliser at each side includes an embracing portion, fixed end, movable end furnished with projections. The receptacle includes two sliders, each having a lock with a releasing knob. Each plug is provided with —a movable grid for compressing a spring-loaded insertion, —an arm for moving the grid, and —a fixing device. The embracing portions tightly encompass the ferrules. The slider essentially fixes the plug in the receptacle, and releases the grid for displacement. The insertion produces a force required for compressing the counterpart ferrules. The connector's design facilitates connection and disconnection, provides a small size, while connecting a multitude of optic-fibers, increases the adjustment accuracy producing a required force to depress the ferrules of connected waveguides, eases field connection works, and allows avoiding switches in fiberoptic networks.
US07845854B2
A motion guide device 10 includes a track rail 11 as a track member and a movable member 13 mounted to the track rail 11 via a plurality of balls 12. The plural balls 12 of the motion guide device 10 are disposed in an endless circulation passage 20 composed of a loaded rolling passage 15 formed between the track rail 11 and the movable member 13, and a non-loaded rolling passage formed to the movable member 13 so as to connect one and another ends of the loaded rolling passage 15. A portion of the track rail 11 or movable member 13 in the vicinity of the rolling member rolling surface thereof contacting to the plural balls 12 is formed of a metal material, and the other portion thereof is formed of an FRP. According to such structure, there can be provided a motion guide device 10 having a high strength and a high rigidity as well as a reduced weight.
US07845851B2
Iso-centering a volume of interest (VOI) (170) within a patient (168) to undergo examination on a rotational X-ray apparatus (100) is achieved by taking two differently-angled pictures (S210) and updating positional settings (172) for the patient's table (112) responsive to respectively displayed centering of the VOI (152). Alternatively, the operator identifies respective VOI centers (S410, S450) for each of the two displayed pictures, and corresponding table movement is automatically calculated (S420).
US07845847B2
A thermometer and extensometer for cables and conductors is described. The travel time of one or more acoustic signals along a conductor is used to determine the temperature along the conductor and the length of the conductor. The acoustic frequency is selected to minimize temporal dispersion of the propagating acoustic energy. The technique can be used to measure the temperature of the windings in a transformer or other electrical apparatus.
US07845845B1
A vessel with an engaging configuration for facilitating supporting the vessel on a supporting structure, such as for example, a surface, tray, agitator, stirrer, or other processing device, which has a corresponding matingly engagable structure for engaging with the vessel engaging configuration.
US07845844B2
An extruder device includes an extruder worm and a worm drive that has a drive motor, which is provided with a rotor. The rotor is connected to the extruder worm during operation in such a way that the rotor and extruder worm rotate at the same speed during operation. The rotor can be connected to detachable torque-transmitting elements which transmit torque between the rotor and the extruder worm and which can be detached when refitting occurs. The detachable torque-transmitting elements include a torque-transmission point at which torque is transmitted from a bushing to a connecting section which is at least partially encompassed by the bushing. The torque-transmission point in an axial direction is located outside the rotor.
US07845842B2
A frame member of a back lighting module includes a housing and a plastic frame. The housing defines a basic plate and a plurality of lateral plates bending from the basic plate. At least one lateral plate is warped to form a buckling portion with a concave-convex shape. The plastic frame is integrally bonded to the housing. The plastic frame has a plurality of sidewalls attached to insides of the corresponding lateral plates. At least one of the sidewalls has a mating portion integrally engaged with the buckling portion for fastening the housing and the plastic frame tightly.
US07845838B2
A light emitting diode (LED) lamp includes a lampshade, a light guide pole and a plurality of LEDs. The light guide pole is of light permeable material and received in the lampshade. A plurality of irregular elements is formed on an outer surface of the light guide pole. A distribution density of the irregular elements decreases gradually from two ends of the light guide pole towards a middle of the light guide pole. The LEDs are mounted at the two ends of the light guide pole. Light emitted by the light emitting diodes falls incident into the light guide pole and exits the light guide pole from the outer surface thereof.
US07845835B2
A saddle-ride type vehicle includes a vehicle body, a housing body holding a rear-view mirror, and a stay structure provided between the vehicle body and the housing body. The stay structure secures the housing body to the vehicle body. A front blinker is provided in the stay structure.
US07845834B2
The present invention discloses a lighting system with an adjustable illuminated area. The lighting system comprises a light source for outputting a light, a first refractive optical element and a second refractive optical element. The first and second refractive optical elements have continuous curvature. The first refractive optical element is movable along a first direction, while the second refractive optical element is movable along a second direction. The light passes through the first refractive optical element and the second refractive optical element to form an illuminated area. The shape and the size of the illuminated area are adjusted when the relative position of the first refractive optical element and the second refractive optical element is adjusted.
US07845832B2
A device and method for retrofitting a light fixture from use with a lamp socket that employs an incandescent or metal halide lamp, to use with another lamp assembly. The lamp fixture has a collar with a base and an annular outer wall extending out from the base. The LED lamp device includes a neck base having an annular outer wall having a shaped outside surface that is placed into direct surface contact with the inner surface of the annular outer wall of the collar, to establish an effective heat-transferring interface. The shaped outer surface of the neck base provides proper fitting of the LED lamp device into the lighting fixture, and provides a heat-transferring interface over substantially all of the outer surface of the neck base, to dissipate heat away from the LED module. Aluminum material provides high thermal conductivity, light weight, availability, and low cost.
US07845823B2
Provided herein are methods and systems for providing controlled lighting, including methods and systems for providing both white and non-white colored lighting, including color temperature controlled lighting. Such methods and systems include optical facilities for modifying light from a lighting unit, such as an LED-based lighting unit, including variable optical facilities and fixed optical facilities. Also provided are methods and systems for using multi-color lighting units in a variety of commercial applications. Also provided are methods and systems for lighting control, including methods to assist lighting designers and installers to improve the quality of lighting in environments. Also provided are intelligent dimmers, switches, sockets and fixtures, as well as facilities for programming and using them. Also provided are various sensor-feedback applications of lighting technology, including sensor-feedback involving light sensors and forward voltage sensors. Also provided are lighting methods and systems that operate on time-based parameters.
US07845822B2
An illumination source includes at least one light emitting diode, e.g., in array of LEDs that produce short wavelength light. One or more wavelength converting elements, such as phosphor elements, convert at least a portion of the short wavelength light from the LED(s) to longer wavelengths, such as Red and Green. A dichroic element positioned between the LED(s) and the wavelength converting element(s) transmits the light from the LED(s) and reflects the longer wavelengths from the wavelength converting element(s). A color selection panel selects the colors of light to be produced by the illumination device and to be recycled for another opportunity to be converted by the wavelength converting element(s) or to be reflected by the dichroic element. The color selection panel may operate in one or both of the spatial domain and the temporal domain.
US07845819B1
A holiday lights device for use on a building during the holiday season is provided. The holiday lights device comprises an elongated bracket railing having a first end, a second end, a front surface, and a rear surface. A securing mechanism secures the bracket railing to the building. A first latch is secured to the front surface of the bracket railing with the first latch having a first opening and a second latch is secured to the front surface of the bracket railing and spaced from the first latch with the second latch having a second opening. A light railing is provided having a first end, a second end, a front surface, and a rear surface. A first slider bracket is pivotally secured to the rear surface of the light railing and a second slider bracket pivotally secured to the rear surface of the light railing and spaced from the first slider bracket. A string of lights is mounted to the rear surface of the light railing wherein the first slider bracket is receivable within the first opening of the first latch and the second slider is receivable within the second opening of the second latch thereby releasably securing the light railing to the bracket railing and spacing the light railing from the bracket railing and wherein the lights are movable into and out of the space between the light railing and bracket railing.
US07845818B2
There is disclosed a showcase provided with a light device capable of simplifying a maintenance operation and improving a cooling efficiency in a display chamber. In a showcase 1 of the present invention, a display chamber 11 is formed in an insulating wall 2 to display commodities on a plurality of steps of shelves 32 disposed in the display chamber 11 and cool the commodities, the showcase includes LED lights 40 which illuminate the inside of the display chamber 11 from the upside, and light guide plates 48 provided on lower surfaces of the shelves 32, light inlet portions 49 of the light guide plates 48 are provided so as to protrude forward from the shelves 32, and a light emitting surface 52 of each light guide plate 48 faces the shelf 32 under the shelf 32 provided with the light guide plate 48.
US07845812B2
An exemplary backlight module includes a light guide plate and light sources. The light guide plate includes a block body and the recessed parts. The block body has a top light output surface and a bottom surface. The recessed parts are provided at the bottom surface. The light sources are disposed at least partly in or adjacent to the recessed parts.
US07845805B2
A discharge lamp lighting apparatus for lighting a discharge lamp, comprises an inverter which reverses a polarity of an output voltage and applies alternating voltage to the discharge lamp, and an inverter control circuit which generates an inverter control signal defining a polarity reversal operation of the inverter, based on a polarity reversal timing signal, wherein when the number of polarity reversals in one cycle of the polarity reversal timing signal is even, the inverter control circuit intermittently performs a first operation in which successive pulse-like part of the polarity reversal operation based on the polarity reversal timing signal is disregarded by odd number of times.
US07845801B2
A lightweight, compact image projection module has a controller operative for causing selected pixels in a raster pattern to be illuminated to produce an image of high resolution of VGA quality in color. The controller has a video data channel for receiving video data from a host, and a control data channel for bidirectionally transmitting and receiving control data to and from the host. A plurality of input communication ports is provided on the controller. Each input communication port is operative for communicating the control data at a different communication standard. A selected one of the input communication ports having a communications standard matching the communications standard of the host is connected over the control data channel to the host.
US07845791B2
A stackable printer module includes a housing surrounding a frame. The housing defines footing holes and print head assemblies are housed within the housing. The print head assemblies are configured to engage with print media and effect double-sided printing on the print media. A print media loading mechanism is housed within the housing and includes a pair of opposed endless drying belts between which the printed print media can be loaded. Feet extend from the housing and are spaced apart to engage in respective footing holes defined in the housing of another printer module so that the printer modules can be stacked together.
US07845785B2
A printing method includes jetting a curable ink including at least one of an oxetane compound, a siloxane compound, or a sulfide compound onto a substrate.
US07845784B2
An ink supplying mechanism includes a circulating system that connects an ink jet head having a nozzle, a pressure chamber opposed to the nozzle, and an upstream port and a downstream port that communicate with the pressure chamber, an upstream side tank that communicates with the ink jet head via the upstream port and is capable of storing an ink, a downstream side tank that communicates with the ink jet head via the downstream port and is capable of storing the ink, and a circulating pump that feeds the ink from the downstream side tank back to the upstream side tank. The ink supplying mechanism has a relief valve that is capable of opening and closing at least a liquid surface of the downstream side tank with respect to the atmospheric pressure, closes the relief valve to drive the circulating pump, sets the liquid surface of the downstream side tank to a negative pressure, and feeds the ink from the downstream side tank back to the upstream side tank via a feedback channel to circulate the ink.
US07845778B2
An inkjet printer that has a printhead cartridge with a pagewidth printhead defining an array of nozzles for ejecting ink onto a media substrate. The printhead cartridge has a fluid coupling in fluid communication with the array of nozzles. The printer also has a cradle for supporting the printhead cartridge such that the array of nozzles is adjacent a media feed path extending through the printer, the cradle having a latch mechanism for retaining the printhead cartridge, an ink reservoir for containing supply of ink and a complementary coupling for fluid communication with the ink reservoir. The fluid coupling and the complementary coupling are configured to establish a sealed fluid connection using mechanical advantage provided by user actuation of the latch mechanism to retain the printhead cartridge in the cradle.
US07845777B2
Two yellow buffer tanks communicate with each other through a communication portion so that yellow ink in the yellow ink cartridge is supplied to two nozzle arrays for yellow ink independently provided apart from each other. In the ink outlet provided in each of the yellow buffer tanks, a check valve is provided that allows supply of yellow ink to the corresponding nozzle array and inhibits an ink flow in the opposite direction.
US07845764B2
Provided is an inkjet printhead having a plurality of nozzle arrangements for ejecting ink onto a printing medium. Each nozzle arrangement includes a substrate defining an ink chamber having an ink inlet and a plurality of ink ejection ports, the chamber and ink supply channel being in fluid communication via the ink inlet. Each arrangement also includes a pivot anchor arranged on the substrate, and an actuator fast with the pivot anchor and arranged to cause selective ejection of ink from any one of the ejection ports while simultaneously causing an inflow of ink from the ink supply channel into the chamber via the ink inlet.
US07845760B2
The image forming apparatus for applying a liquid on a medium to form an image, includes: a liquid absorbing member which absorbs at least a portion of the liquid applied on the medium; and a liquid recovery device which suctions and recovers the liquid absorbed in the liquid absorbing member while being in contact with the liquid absorbing member.
US07845754B2
A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a recording head, a vibrator, and a controller. The recording head further includes a nozzle and is configured to eject a liquid onto a recording medium through the nozzle. The vibrator is disposed on the recording head and is configured to vibrate the recording head in a direction in which the recording medium is conveyed. The controller is configured to control the vibrator to vibrate the recording head in the direction and to control the recording head to eject the liquid during vibration.
US07845752B2
A liquid-discharge-failure detecting apparatus includes a light-emitting unit, a light-receiving unit, and a light-trapping unit. The light-emitting unit emits a detection beam. The light-receiving unit is located at a position offset from an optical axis of the detection beam, and receives a scattered light generated by scattering of the detection beam by a droplet of ink (liquid). The light-trapping unit traps a detection beam that travels straight without striking the droplet so that the detection beam does not enter the light-receiving unit as a stray light.
US07845746B2
An ink container which includes an ink supply port for supplying ink to a recording head, and is formed with a flexible member shaped like a bag, which deforms in accordance with an amount of remaining ink contained therein, the ink container including: a sensor module serving as vibration activating and detecting unit, provided on one of the surfaces of the ink container, for emitting a vibration to the ink; and a rigid member provided on a location of the other surface of the ink container, which is opposed to the sensor module; wherein an amount of remaining ink is detected based on a vibration characteristic of the vibration activating and detecting unit which depends on a distance between the vibration activating and detecting unit and the rigid member.
US07845736B2
A method and a device for the open- and/or closed-loop control of a generator or a dynamo in a vehicle. The generator supplies, at least part of the time, an electric motor located in a braking system, e.g., a pump motor, with electrical power. A main feature is that the generator is activated as a function of the pressure in the brake master cylinder, it being activated as soon as the pressure in the brake master cylinder exceeds an initial threshold value.
US07845729B2
A vehicle seat device includes a seat cushion frame and a seatback frame including a lower-side frame supported at a lower end portion thereof to be tiltable relative to a rear end portion of the seat cushion frame, an upper-side frame arranged at an upper portion of the lower-side frame, and a center bending mechanism coupling the lower-side frame and the upper-side frame to be bendable forward, wherein the center bending mechanism bends the upper-side frame about a rotational center that is ahead of a seatback outer layer covering a front surface of the seatback frame. The movement of the upper-side frame when tilted comes close to the movement of the passenger who bends forward. The slip between the seatback outer layer and the back of the passenger can be minimized, and thus, it becomes possible to lessen an uncomfortable feeling of a passenger.
US07845722B1
An infant seat base removably retaining an infant seat having a seat forward end which a seated infant faces and for simulating the sensations of travel in a road vehicle includes at least one vibration mechanism transmitting vibration into the seat for simulating vehicle vibration from tire movement over road surface irregularities; a recorded sound storing and playing mechanism for playing the sound of a moving road vehicle to an infant in the seat; a view simulation back drop structure having the appearance of a road vehicle seat backrest secured to the base at the seat forward end; and a base circuit including a power source delivering power through the circuit to the at least one vibration mechanism and to the recorded sound storing and playing mechanism.
US07845721B2
A movable headrest provided on a seat back of a seat mounted in a vehicle and capable of changing a position from a normal position to an emergency position, the headrest including a headrest support supported by the seat back and having a guide section, a rotary support member pivotally supported by the headrest support and rotatable between a first position corresponding to the normal position and a second position corresponding to the emergency position, and a headrest body pivotally supported by the rotary support member and having a headrest body support which moves along the guide section, whereby as the rotary support member rotates relative to the headrest support, the position of the headrest body relative to the headrest support changes while the headrest body support moves along the guide section.
US07845702B2
A stake system for providing a removable support for articles being transported on flatbed vehicles is provided. The stake system has a composite body with a cap on one end and a boot on the opposite end. A cover layer is shrink wrapped over the composite body and may include a heat-activated adhesive. The boot includes a flange that contacts the flatbed vehicle when the stake system is inserted into pockets formed in the flatbed vehicle. A pin is tethered to the boot and may be inserted into a hole in the boot adjacent to the underside of the flatbed vehicle. The pin provides a convenient means for locking the stake system to the vehicle and prevents the stake system from disengaging during operation.
US07845688B2
The piping component is comprised in part of a metal housing that is positionable with a metal pipe. The metal housing forms an opening in which a piping component body is inserted. The body of the piping component can be fastened to the metal housing using an epoxy adhesive, a set screw connection, a threaded connection, press fit connection, a key connection or a pin connection or a combination of these connections. The body is comprised of plastic, which is less expensive than metal and facilitates forming, including machining or molding, while maintaining its structural integrity in a hostile fluid environment, such as in oil or gas. Piping components such as flowmeters, flow conditioners, small volume provers, static mixers, samplers, and valves are contemplated for use with these multiple materials.
US07845675B2
The present invention provides a side airbag device which can be rapidly and reliably deployed even in the small space between a door trim and a passenger. The side airbag device includes an inflator, an airbag including an upper cushion to be deployed by a gas pressure supplied from the inflator, an upper guide connected at a first end thereof to the upper cushion of the airbag to lead deployment of the airbag, and a medial unit coupled to a second end of the upper guide to provide an actuating force to the upper guide using the gas pressure from the inflator.
US07845672B2
An airbag cover for maintaining a folded shape of an airbag when the airbag is folded and accommodated within a casing, is designed to bulge from an opening formed on a panel constituting a vehicle inner wall for deploying between the panel and an occupant. The airbag cover includes a flat structure for covering at least a side of the airbag facing the opening before a deployment, and a tear line located on the flat structure and facing the opening so as to allow the airbag to bulge from the opening when deployed by cleaving the flat structure. The tear line is located on a side closer to the occupant relative to a center of the airbag cover in a direction of a vehicle length.
US07845669B2
A safety restraint for use with a towing assembly. The towing assembly is attached at a first end to a towing vehicle and at a second end to a towed vehicle. The restraint includes an elongate, hollow body that receives the towing assembly. The body is formed from at least two fibers that are woven into a multi-axis braid pattern. The cylindrical body at least partially encapsulates the towing assembly. For example, the body may include a first set of fibers arranged into a first ribbon of a particular width and a second set of fibers arranged into a second ribbon of a particular width, and the two ribbons are woven into a biaxial braid to provide the hollow body. The restraint also includes coupling mechanisms that retain the ends of the body and attach these ends to the towing vehicle and to the towed vehicle.
US07845667B2
A device to help an individual with a disability carry his or her bag or storage unit on their wheelchair or other mobility device, without requiring a large space to deploy the storage and retrieval product. The invention consists of a set of arms, connected to a sliding mechanism along a track. When the user wishes to access his or her belongings, the bag slides from a storage position behind the wheelchair to a retrieval position perpendicular to the wheelchair's armrest. The deployment process is accomplished without rotating the entire mechanism around a central axis. Thus, the invention keeps the storage unit close to the wheelchair and therefore takes up less space during retrieval and increases stability during deployment.
US07845663B2
The arm (14) comprises a first transverse connecting element (18), articulated at its transversely outer end to a wheel-carrier (10) by means of a pair of bushes (22, 24) and at its transversely inner end to the vehicle body by means of a bush (20), a second transverse connecting element (28), articulated at its transversely outer end to the wheel-carrier (10) by means of a bush (32) and at its transversely inner end to the vehicle body by means of a bush (30), and a longitudinal interconnecting element (34) which connects the first and the second connecting element (18, 28) to each other at transversely inner portions thereof. The first and the second connecting elements (18, 28) converge towards the outside of the vehicle. The first connecting element (18) is stiff in torsion, whereas the second connecting element (28) and the interconnecting element (34) have cross-sections such that the vertical stiffness of the arm (14) at the point of articulation of the second connecting element (28) to the wheel-carrier (10) is negligible with respect to the vertical stiffness at the point of articulation of the first connecting element (18) to the wheel-carrier (10). Torques acting on the wheel-carrier (10) around a transverse axis (ESAy) are thus only reacted by the first connecting element (18).
US07845658B2
A liftable independent suspension system which may also be steerable. In a described embodiment, a liftable suspension system for use on a vehicle includes wheel spindles positioned to extend outwardly at each respective lateral side of the vehicle. The spindles are displaceable independent of each other. An actuator is operable to raise at least one of the spindles, so that a tire rotatably connected to the spindle is liftable out of engagement with a road surface when the actuator raises the spindle.
US07845655B2
A factory layout including a track circuit, one or more wheeled carts for traversing the track circuit and a tire/wheel assembly carried by the wheeled cart. One or more work stations can be positioned at locations along the track circuit. Various wheeled cart embodiments are disclosed and various work station configurations are disclosed.
US07845651B2
A chuck includes a generally cylindrical body and a plurality of jaws moveably disposed with respect to the body in communication with the body's axial bore. A generally cylindrical sleeve is rotatably mounted about the body in operative communication with the jaws so rotation of the sleeve in a closing direction moves the jaws towards the axis of the axial bore and rotation of the sleeve in an opening direction moves the jaws away from the axis. A bearing has a first race adjacent the body, a second race adjacent the sleeve and at least one bearing element disposed between the first race and the second race. One of the first race and the second race defines a ratchet. The other of the first race and the second race defines a pawl biased toward the ratchet. The ratchet and the pawl are configured so that when the pawl engages the ratchet, the ratchet and pawl prevent the second race from rotating in the opening direction with respect to the first race. The generally cylindrical sleeve is movable between a first and a second axial position, the first axial position serving to rotationally immobilize the sleeve with respect to the body, and the second axial position allowing the sleeve to rotate freely with respect to the body.
US07845650B2
A drill chuck has a body formed with a forwardly open threaded bore and a holder sleeve rotatable on the body and formed with a plurality of forwardly open angled guides angularly equispaced about the axis. Respective jaws are shiftable radially along the guides between a widely spaced outer position and a closely spaced inner position. Each jaw has a central tool-engaging tooth and a pair of faces flanking the respective tooth, and each tooth and the adjacent flanking faces are so dimensioned and oriented relative to each other that in the inner position the flanking faces of adjacent jaws bear on one another. A pusher threaded into the bore bears axially forward on the jaws and is angularly coupled to the jaws and holder sleeve so that relative rotation or the chuck body and pusher moves the jaws between their inner and outer positions.
US07845639B2
A print interface system includes a printer integrated in combination with a sheet handling system such as a mailpiece inserter. The print interface system facilitates the handling of sheet material in various operating modes, including conventional printing, duplex printing, and mailpiece creation modes. The system includes an interface module having upper and lower housing segments defining first and second feed paths. A first feed path directs sheet material to a stacking surface of the upper housing segment and a second feed path directs sheet material to a downstream module of the sheet handling device. A repositionable diverter bifurcates the path exiting the printer to direct sheet material to one of the two feed paths. Furthermore, the upper housing segment is pivotally mounted to the lower housing segment to provide internal access to one of the first and second feed paths.
US07845635B2
Methods and systems feed media sheets along a media path within an apparatus in a media path direction from a media source to a destination and align the media sheets as the media sheets travel along the media path using a media alignment unit. The methods and systems move the media alignment unit in a direction perpendicular to the media path direction using movable supports to position the media alignment unit at a location equidistant from sheet width edges of the media sheets.
US07845634B2
A shifting mechanism includes a guide plate, a bearing, a rotating shaft, a delivery roller, and a bearing unit. The shifting mechanism delivers a sheet of paper along a delivery passage and offsets the sheet horizontally and perpendicularly to the passage while delivering it. The guide plate has an opening forming part of the delivery passage and an end hole formed through the front end of the plate horizontally and perpendicularly to the passage. The rotating shaft extends through the end hole. The delivery roller is fixed to the rotating shaft. The sheet passes through the nip between the delivery roller and the guide plate. The bearing unit extends movably through the end hole and includes a sleeve, which supports the rotating shaft horizontally and perpendicularly to the delivery passage. The bearing unit rotates the rotating shaft.
US07845630B2
A sheet feeding device includes a pick roller and a resilient element disposed above the pick roller. The pick roller has a roller surface. The resilient element includes two side resilient arms and a center resilient arm located between the two side resilient arms. Free ends of the two side resilient arms are pushed forward by all sheets when the sheets arrive between the free ends of the two side resilient arms and the roller surface. A free end of the center resilient arm faces the roller surface of the pick roller and maintains a gap therebetween. When too many pieces of paper are drawn forward to the resilient element, the side resilient arms are pushed forward further more, the uppermost paper contacts the center resilient arm. The center resilient arm cooperates with the side resilient arms to provide the paper a pressure big enough to be conveyed forward.
US07845627B2
A bookbinding apparatus including: a gathering tray device that collates sheets sequentially fed thereto into a sheet bundle; a sheet bundle conveying device that conveys the sheet bundle collated by the gathering tray device to an adhesive coating position located downstream of the gathering tray device; an adhesive coating device that coats the sheet bundle located at the adhesive coating position with an adhesive; a cover sheet stitching device that stitches a cover sheet with the sheet bundle; and a control device that controls a bookbinding process executed by the sheet bundle conveying device, the adhesive coating device, and the cover sheet stitching device, wherein, upon receiving a bookbinding process stopping signal before the sheet bundle is coated with the adhesive by the adhesive coating device, the control device controls the adhesive coating device to coat the sheet bundle in process with the adhesive.
US07845625B2
Provided is a sheet folding apparatus for folding a sheet stack, including a sheet stack support member for supporting a sheet stack by being abutted against a lower edge of the sheet stack, an abutting member for folding the sheet stack by making the sheet stack supported by the sheet stack support member abutted against a leading edge of the abutting member, and paired folding rollers for sandwiching the sheet stack folded by the abutting member to fold the sheet stack at a fold position, in which a position where the sheet stack is abutted against the leading edge of the abutting member with respect to the fold position is varied based on sheet stack information.
US07845614B2
A shock-absorbing wheel mounting structure used in a horizontal jack is disclosed. The wheel mounting structure includes an axial sleeve (4) affixed to a rear wheel mount (5) of the horizontal jack (100), and a shaft (2), vertically slideably mounted in the axial sleeve (4) and riveted to a bracket (1). The bracket (1) supports a wheel (71). A compression spring (3) is sleeved onto the shaft (2) and stopped between a stop flange around the periphery of the shaft (2) and the top wall of the axial sleeve (4). This arrangement serves to impart a downward pressure to the shaft (2) relative to the axial sleeve (4).
US07845613B2
A ground securing rod includes a hollow metal rod (1), whose drive-in end has a flat helical section whose diameter is slightly larger than that of the bar (2), terminating in a tip (3). The section is made with the body of the rod (1) itself by a reduction in its diameter in combination with stamping of the rod in order to flatten it, whereby it is twisted until the helical section is formed, which has a cone-shaped reinforcement at its base (4), while at its upper end the rod (1) has an attached upper reinforcing piece (5), having a seat (6) for a torsion lever (7) that can be inserted into a through opening (8) located at the upper end of the rod and is positioned in the area covered by the upper reinforcing piece (5).
US07845602B1
A telescoping support stand comprising a first tube partially defining a first enclosed area and a second tube partially defining a second enclosed area. A first end of the second tube may be telescopically slidable within the first tube. The telescoping support stand may also comprise a first locking mechanism attached to the second tube. The first locking mechanism may releasably secure the first tube to the second tube to prevent longitudinal movement of the first tube relative to the second tube. The telescoping support stand may also comprise a first air exchange aperture dimensioned to allow air to flow between the first and second enclosed areas. A corresponding method of assembly is also disclosed.
US07845596B2
A system for detecting a hot surface is provided. The system includes a sensor for sensing an infrared radiation radiating from the hot surface and a high pass filter to eliminate low frequency components from the sensor signal. The system also includes an absolute value module to compute absolute values of a filtered signal, a first comparator to compare output of the absolute value module to a first threshold and a peak detector to report a peak value of the sensor signal's output. The system further includes a second comparator to compare output of peak detector to a second threshold.
US07845595B2
The present invention is directed to an aerial delivery system that provides for the controlled delivery of items from an aircraft into a selected drop zone. In accordance with the present invention, the aerial delivery system includes a base and a sidewall arrangement adjacent the base. The sidewall arrangement generally acts as a sleeve defining an inner volume. Within the inner volume is a tray or cassette configured to be moveable within the inner volume. Adjacent the sidewall arrangement opposite the base is a top cover. The top cover is generally oversized relative to the shape defined by the sidewall arrangement. A plurality of straps connects the top cover, sidewall arrangement and, optionally, the material within the inner volume. The aerial delivery system is activated by an air stream that catches the oversized top cover, forcing the separation between the top cover and the other portions of the aerial delivery system. The separation of top cover places a load upon the straps that initiate the release of materials contained within the aerial delivery system.
US07845592B2
A reel-up for reeling a fiber web where the fiber web to be reeled and a supporting body form a reel nip. The reel-up has at least one measuring body which is arranged in order to be influenced by a turning torque which is a function of the linear load in the reel nip.
US07845588B1
A portable tool for effectively reducing medicine solids during compound leveraged actuation. The portable tool may include a first handle adapted to receive a downward force during actuation, a second handle adapted to receive an upward force during actuation, a first reducing jaw pivotally connected to the first handle and a second reducing jaw, and a second reducing jaw pivotally connected to the second handle and the first reducing jaw. The first reducing jaw and the second reducing jaw may be adapted to receive a medicine solid therebetween in an open-jaw position. Then, in response to applying a force to one or both of the first and second handle(s), a leveraged actuation simultaneously causes the first reducing jaw to pivot with the first handle and the second reducing jaw to pivot with the second handle, such that the received medicine solid is reduced between the first and second reducing jaws as the portable tool achieves a closed-jaw position.
US07845586B2
Disclosed herein is a food garbage disposer including: a reaction vessel which includes a hopper into which food garbage is introduced, a heating tank filed with heat-medium oil to heat the hopper, and at least one heater to heat the heat-medium oil in the hopper; an automatic filter which includes an automatic injection nozzle and filters vapor discharged from the reaction vessel; a condenser which condenses the vapor passed through the automatic filter and separate the vapor into condensed water and air; a condensed-water purifier which purifies the condensed water produced by the condenser and supplies the purified water to the automatic injection nozzle of the automatic filter; a deodorizer which purifies and deodorizes the air produced by the condenser; and an air circulation adjuster which mixes the air passed through the deodorizer with external air and reintroduces the mixed water into the reaction vessel. With this configuration, the food garbage disposer is improved in not only preventing an offensive odor from generating since the condensed water produced in the condenser is utilized for filtering the vapor discharged out of the reaction vessel, but also automating a full operation thereof since temperature of the reaction vessel is automatically controlled to facilitate drying and decomposition of the food garbage.
US07845585B2
A machine configured to distribute blowing wool from a bag of compressed blowing wool into distribution hoses includes a shredding chamber having an outlet end. The shredding chamber includes a plurality of shredders configured to shred and pick apart the blowing wool. A discharge mechanism is mounted at the outlet end of the shredding chamber. The discharge mechanism is configured for distributing the blowing wool from a discharge mechanism outlet end into an airstream. An outlet plate assembly is mounted at the outlet end of the discharge mechanism. The outlet plate assembly is configured to receive distribution hoses of different size diameters. The outlet plate assembly is configured to provide a sealing transition for the airstream from the discharge mechanism outlet end to the distribution hoses. A blower is configured to provide the airstream flowing through the discharge mechanism and the outlet plate assembly.
US07845577B2
Disclosed is an inflatable cushion configured with a substantially flattened tubular shape such that in an inflated state the inflatable cushion is highly adaptable so as to readily conform to the terrain of the underlying surface on which it is deployed and to the footprint of the vehicle tire as the vehicle is driven across the device. During typical use the cushion is not fully inflated and operational inflation pressure is generally less than 10 PSI and preferably 5 PSI. For use the cushion is deployed such that the central axis of the tube is substantially parallel to the driving direction of the vehicle. The inflatable automotive traction recovery tool of the present invention simultaneously lifts the vehicle and provides a driving surface with sufficient pressure against the tire and underlying surface to allow the vehicle to drive on it. The inflatable automotive traction recovery tool of the present invention is able to negotiate a wide variety of obstacles such as, but not limited to, bridging over a ditch, providing a ramp to climb a steep step, providing traction on soft ground and low friction surfaces, and providing support when one or more wheels of the vehicle lose contact pressure with the ground.
US07845574B2
The cartridge comprises two ceramic disks (20, 24) for regulating the temperature and flow of a mixture (M) of two entering fluids. In order to ensure that the temperature of the mixture remains lower than a predetermined value, the cartridge comprises thermostatic means (16) designed for, in the event of a high-temperature mixture, automatically shutting off, upstream from these disks, the circulation of the entering fluid (C) of the highest temperature. In order to limit their size, these means comprise: a closure element (34), which serves to close a passage (56) of the fluid (C) having the highest temperature and which is delimited by the cartridge, and; a thermostatic element (36) including a thermosensitive part (38) placed along the flow path of the mixture and a mobile part (40) connected in translation to the closure element, said closure element being mounted in a manner that enables it to slide in an area (42A) of the passage of the fluid of the highest temperature, with the interposition of a packing seal (58), which is joined to this area and which, when the temperature of the mixture is greater than the predetermined value, is capable of forming a sliding tight contact with the closure element.
US07845569B1
An integral, one-piece, resiliently flexible, planar, reusable, programmable radio frequency identification (RFID) luggage tag blank has a planar flexible sheet core of at least first and second microporous polymer material strips fixedly and permanently joined together completely surrounding an RFID transponder assembly, the transponder assembly collapsing the microporosity of the core strip material enough to maintain an essentially uniform core, the transponder assembly including non-volatile memory containing a non-alterable permanent unique code assigned to the transponder assembly and space to receive externally programmable information; and a first cover strip selected to receive a dye diffusion thermal transfer image and secured to the first major outer side of the core.
US07845559B2
A hand-supportable digital image capture and processing system including a hand-supportable housing having an imaging window. A printed circuit (PC) board is mounted in the hand-supportable housing, and has front and rear surfaces and a light transmission aperture formed centrally therethrough. An image formation and detection subsystem has image formation optics for projecting a field of view (FOV) through the imaging window and upon an object within the FOV, and an area-type image detection array for forming and detecting 2D digital images of the object during object illumination and imaging operations. A first FOV folding mirror is supported above the rear surface of the PC board over the light transmission aperture, and a second FOV folding mirror is supported above the rear surface of the PC board and over the area-type image detection array. These mirrors fold and project the FOV through the light transmission aperture and the imaging window. An automatic targeting illumination subsystem is disposed in the hand-supportable housing, and has a plurality of visible light sources mounted on the rear surface of the PC board for generating a targeting illumination beam, which reflects off at least one beam folding mirror, and then off the first FOV mirror and then projects the targeting illumination beam through the light transmission aperture and the imaging window, into a portion of said FOV extending outside of the hand-supportable housing and onto the object therein.
US07845554B2
A point-of-sale self-checkout terminal includes a code reader device for automated entry of a product identification code present on items for purchase and a customer input device for receipt of data from a customer. A customer can initiate a purchase of a non-scannable item and, in response, a database is queried to identify items based on a prediction of purchase of the items, and the identified items are displayed for selection by the customer to purchase the item. Inage processing and voice processing, can also be implemented to assist customers with the purchase of non-scannable items.
US07845552B2
An exemplary system includes an ATM (322) which is operative to conduct transactions including cash dispensing for users responsive to communication with a transaction host (336). The ATM is also operative to provide output signals which drive external displays (328, 330) which are separate from the ATM. The processor in the ATM is also operative to cause the ATM to receive visual and/or audio content from one or more content sources (342, 343) and to store data corresponding to such content in the ATM. Such content is then output through the external displays. The ATM is also operative to receive and store a plurality of advertising messages. The advertising messages are output in a targeted manner to users of the ATM.
US07845545B2
A friction stir tool is provided to perform friction stir riveting using a partially consumable pin, wherein the pin includes a cutting edge on a bottom surface thereof, wherein the tool is rotated at a first speed to enable cutting by the pin into a first material that is overlapping a second material, wherein after the pin has cut to a sufficient depth, the rotational speed of the tool is increased to thereby enable plasticization of the consumable pin, the first material, and the second material, wherein the tool is then rapidly decelerated until stopped, enabling diffusion bonding between the pin, the first material and the second material.
US07845542B2
A process control procedure for a bonding process includes predetermining a deformation limit and a deforming time limit is for deforming a bonding precursor member. The bonding precursor member is deformed while monitoring instantaneous deformation values and instantaneous deforming time values for the bonding precursor member. A deforming shut-down time value is set at an instantaneous deforming time value corresponding to an occurrence of a first condition or a second condition. The first condition is an instantaneous deformation value for the bonding precursor member reaching the deformation limit and the second condition is an instantaneous deforming time value for the bonding precursor member reaching the deforming time limit. Deformation of the bonding precursor member is shut down at the deforming shut-down time value, thereby producing a deformed bond member from the bonding precursor member.
US07845538B2
A cutting and stapling device for use as an attachment to an electromechanical device driver comprises an upper jaw and a lower jaw which separate and close against one another in a continuously parallel alignment. The upper jaw includes a series of staple guides corresponding to one or more staples in a removable staple tray disposed within a lower jaw, whereby a blade and wedge having a threaded bore travel upon a matching threaded shaft in a channel disposed in the lower jaw below the staple tray, such that rotation of the threaded shaft causes movement of the wedge through the channel while a sloped surface of the wedge contacts the staples to push the staples against the staples guides, closing the staples.
US07845537B2
A surgical instrument. The surgical instrument has an end effector and a trigger in communication with the end effector. The surgical instrument also has a first sensor and an externally accessible memory device in communication with the first sensor. The first sensor has an output that represents a first condition of either the trigger or the end effector. The memory device is configured to record the output of the first sensor. In various embodiments, memory device may include an output port and/or a removable storage medium.
US07845533B2
Systems of releasably connecting staple line buttress material to the jaws of a surgical stapling instrument are provided. The systems include retainers configured to engage the buttress material and releasably retain the buttress material on the jaws of the surgical stapling instrument prior to stapling tissue. In certain embodiments, the retainers remain with the jaws of the instrument after stapling of tissue. In alternative embodiments, the retainers remain with the buttress material after being stapled to tissue.
US07845521B2
Mechanically pressurized dispensing systems are disclosed that are manually charged by the user and that dispense substances from a pressurized dispenser as an aerosol. The dispensing system comprises in various embodiments mechanical pressurization assemblies, and particularly an actuator assembly and a collar cap assembly. Preferred embodiments incorporate a spindle and a piston to mechanically charge the dispensing system when an actuator housing of the actuator assembly is manually rotated. Other dispenser systems are disclosed providing a threaded piston utilized in the mechanical charging of the dispensing system. Methods of pressurizing dispensing systems and other methods are also disclosed.
US07845518B2
A product packaging and dispensing assembly includes one or more containers containing a product. The assembly includes a dispensing device which is movable relative to the container in a swiveling or rocking motion to actuate an actuator rod of the container. In addition, an arrangement is provided which limits displacement of the dispensing device to prevent or minimize movement of the dispensing device in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the actuator rod, and also to limit swiveling movement in a direction opposite to that utilized for actuation of the actuator rod.
US07845511B1
The invention consists of non-self supporting containment bag used in conjunction with a dumpster container. The bag and liner each have a zipper, where the zippers are centered on the bag top and the bag is constructed one piece of material.
US07845508B2
A convertible device that converts between an activity mat and a storage container to capture and store numerous articles. Upon reclosing the activity mat, the articles are recaptured into the storage container. The device includes walls and a base, webbing connected between each adjacent wall pair, and a joint connected between the base and walls so that they are foldable into a third configuration wherein the footprint of the folded device is roughly the size of the base. In the third configuration, the walls are stacked relative to the base. The convertible device may further include two zippers for releasably holding the walls in a rigid and upright position in the first configuration. The webbing can be inwardly biased such that when the walls are urged from the second to the first configuration, the webbing folds toward the interior of the convertible device.
US07845502B1
A tapering-depth shelving unit is disclosed. The tapering-depth shelving unit is particularly suitable for use in the space behind a door. The shelving unit has two generally vertically extending support members spaced horizontally from one another, with a plurality of shelves mounted generally horizontally between them. The first support member has a depth less than the depth of the second support member, and each of the shelves matches the depth of the first support member on one side edge and matches the greater depth of the second support member along the other side edge. Each of the shelves increases gradually in depth between the first support member and the second support member. The shelves have a generally trapezoidal shape in plan view.
US07845501B1
A device to be mounted permanently or removably to the side wall of a rolling tool cart for the carrying of tools and other shop paraphernalia such as extension cords, solder rolls, masking tape, and hand tools. The device has a peripheral rectangular frame of four framing segments, which frame is integrated with and surrounds a forwardly raised portion with an inclined surround interposed there between. The panel has a series of rows and columns with ⅓-inch spaced bores for the conventional mounting of tools and other shop items. The top of the frame has a flange that fit over a lip of a rolling tool cart. Two legs, vertically adjustably mounted outside of the central portion on the side framing, each have a bottom flange to engage a downward depending edge of a tool cart side wall.
US07845492B2
A golf ball storage system is provided herein. The system may be configured on an exterior of a golf bag and generally includes an upper aperture and a lower aperture that may be substantially vertically aligned. The first and second apertures are connected by an internal sleeve. The sleeve may have a generally tubular configuration to contain golf balls within the storage system in a single file, stacked arrangement. The sleeve may be substantially vertical when the golf bag is in an upright position such that gravity will force balls inserted into the upper aperture to fall to a bottom portion of the sleeve, adjacent the lower aperture, for ease of removal.
US07845490B2
A cigarette package, which includes an outer box and an inner frame. The outer box includes a lower box portion and a side opening hinged lid. The inner frame includes a front panel, a back panel, and a side panel extending between the front panel and the back panel. The outer box includes a tab and the inner frame includes a notch, such that the notch engages the tab when the hinged lid is in a closed position.
US07845484B2
A storage module for flat postal items includes a storage area, an infeed function to transfer postal items from a stream of postal items into the storage area, and an extraction function to extract postal items from the storage area. The infeed and extraction function have a common roller conveyor unit and a feed stop. The infeed function guides the postal items in a direction of travel of the roller conveyor unit from the roller conveyor against the feed stop for a transfer into the storage area. The extraction function extracts the last stacked postal item from the storage area in the direction of travel of the roller conveyor unit through an extraction opening. The storage area includes a separating knife to exert a first pressure and a second pressure.
US07845475B2
The present invention provides a controller for a magnetic wheel, which is added with an alternated adjusting seat within the external rotary disk of the magnetic wheel controller. A flexible locker of alternated adjusting seat can be flexibly locked into second latch groove of external rotary disk. When a cam shaft of a tester has not reached a signal locating point, but the cable of magnetic component has been fixed during initial assembly of the magnetic wheel and controller, the flexible lock is flexibly locked with a second latch groove, such that the external rotary disk and alternated adjusting seat will continue to rotate until the tester senses the locating signal. Thus, no manual adjustment of cable is required in order to shorten assembly time and improve manufacturing efficiency for a higher practicability.
US07845468B2
A ladder bracket for hanging a ladder in a trench box is disclosed. The bracket includes a frame, a first arm and a second arm, and a lip. The first arm and second arm each have a first end attached to the frame and a second end extending in a direction away from the frame. The lip is attached to the second end of the first arm and to the second end of the second arm. A distance between the frame and the lip accommodates the bracket being removably hung from a top edge of the trench box. A method of use is also disclosed.
US07845467B2
A belaying device for a rope comprises a cam able to rotate between a securing position corresponding to securing the rope by jamming effect against the stud and a separated position allowing the rope to run freely in the gap between the cam and the stud. The cam is associated with a triggering ratchet able to occupy either a locked position blocking the cam in the separated position or an unlocked position following a deliberate control action releasing said cam.
US07845461B2
An acoustic diaphragm includes a diaphragm formed of a uniform material and a first standing wave suppression member provided on a surface of the diaphragm along a first direction of passing through a center of the diaphragm.
US07845459B2
An electric power steering apparatus includes an electric power supply device that includes a main electric power unit that supplies high-tension electric power and a sub-electric power supply unit that supplies low-tension electric power, the main electric power unit and the sub-electric power supply unit being connected to each other in parallel, and that supplies electric power to the electric motor from one of the main electric power supply unit and the sub-electric power supply unit. An assist ECU calculates a correction coefficient based on which a d-axis target current increases with a decrease in voltage output from the electric power supply device, and calculates a final corrected d-axis target current by multiplying the d-axis target current by the correction coefficient.
US07845457B2
Disclosed herein are embodiments of a vehicle transmission shifter and methods of adjusting the vehicle transmission shifter. The vehicle transmission shifter comprises a stalk, a paddle extending from the stalk, and an adjustment mechanism responsive to a driver input to position the paddle in relation to the steering wheel. The paddle is configured to receive a driver's fingers while manually engaging the steering wheel. The method comprises providing driver input to the adjustment mechanism through a user control and adjusting the adjustment mechanism in response to the driver input to position the paddle in relation to the steering wheel.
US07845450B2
A rear frame attachment structure for a two-wheeled motor vehicle includes a main frame supporting an engine, a pair of right and left center frames extending vertically behind the engine, and a rear frame supporting a seat and a side cover. An end section of the rear frame is attached to the center frame by a fastening member. A concave section of the center frame is formed in an outside surface of the center frame and is attached to the end section of the rear frame. Further, an end section of the side cover extends to a periphery of a head section of the fastening member. The concave section and the end section of the side cover surround the periphery of the head section of the fastening member.
US07845447B2
A vehicle body and vehicle frame assembly is disclosed that includes a complete rolling chassis with wheels, motor, drive train, transmission and all other components found in contemporary automotive vehicles with the addition of a scissor lift situated in the center of the vehicle frame that is connected to the chassis frame at the lower end and to the body of the vehicle at the upper end through a frame and turntable device. Controls are used to lower, elevate and rotate the body of the vehicle relative to the chassis, so that observers may readily view the chassis components.
US07845442B2
A handle structure of a walk-behind working machine includes: a handle having left and right raised portions extending upward from a handle frame and a cross portion interconnecting the left and right raised portions; and a main clutch lever shiftable from a clutch-OFF position to a clutch-ON position by being pivoted into pressed abutment against the cross portion. The main clutch lever is constructed in such a manner that, when the main clutch lever is in abutment against the cross portion, a space for allowing a human operator to grip the left and right raised portions is secured between the left and right raised portions and the main clutch lever.
US07845439B2
A device for reversing a steering movement of a steering wheel shaft of a vehicle includes a switching element movable between two switching positions to activate or deactivate the reversal of the steering movement. A mechanical actuating device includes a shaft which is rotatable in different rotational directions, and a slide for actuating the switching element. The slide can be moved along the axial direction of the shaft as a function of the rotational direction of the shaft in order to transfer the switching element between the switching positions.
US07845436B2
A subterranean drilling system may include a drill string and a rotary drill bit coupled to the drill string. The rotary drill bit may include a bit body and a cutting element coupled to the bit body, with the cutting element being structured to rotate in response to torque applied to the cutting element. The system also may include a cam assembly coupled to the drill string, a cam follower assembly in contact with a cam surface of the cam assembly, and a torque-applying structure coupled to the cam follower assembly. The torque-applying structure may be configured to apply torque to the cutting element in response to relative rotation between the cam assembly and the cam follower assembly.
US07845420B1
Well bore servicing equipment is provided. The well bore servicing equipment comprises a first manipulator to grip a well bore work string, to raise the work string, and to lower the work string. The well bore servicing equipment further comprises a controller to receive a work string trajectory input and to automatically control the first manipulator to raise and lower the work string substantially in conformance with the work string trajectory input.
US07845410B2
An underbalanced perforating system is disclosed for use in openhole completions to maximize the wellbore and matrix cleanup efficiency, to connect natural fracture patterns, and/or to enable application of new drilling fluid technology in difficult subsurface environments. The perforating system can be used for any hydrocarbon bearing formations with any lithology.
US07845404B2
A system includes a Christmas tree assembly mounted to a hydrocarbon well, an optical feedthrough module, and a plurality of optical sensors. The optical feedthrough module is operable to communicate through a pressure boundary of the Christmas tree assembly. The plurality of optical sensors is disposed within the Christmas tree assembly for measuring parameters associated with the Christmas tree assembly and is operable to communicate through the optical feedthrough module.
US07845401B2
A wiper plug has a telescoping feature to allow it to be shorter while in a lubricator so as to reduce lubricator length as compared to an extended length for proper propulsion past off center openings such as side pocket mandrels in the string. The wiper has a telescoping feature that allows it to extend when dropping or being pumped from a lubricator. Once extended, it can lock in the extended position so that it doesn't collapse on the way down the string. Centralizers can optionally be used between an upper and a lower wiping section.
US07845398B2
An apparatus for performing earth borehole operations comprising a base or substructure, a mast mounted on the base, a top drive mounted on the mast for longitudinal movement therealong, the top drive having an opening therethrough and a coiled tubing injector mounted on the mast above the top drive such that coiled tubing from the tubing injector can pass through the opening in the top drive, the apparatus being operable to selectively use the top drive to engage and manipulate a component used in borehole operations while the coiled tubing injector is substantially inoperative and selectively operable to use the coiled tubing injector to inject coiled tubing into an earth borehole while the top drive is substantially inoperative or alternatively using the coiled tubing injector to inject coiled tubing into a tubular string being manipulated by the top drive.
US07845394B2
A heat pipe includes an elongated casing (10), a wick (13), at least one artery mesh (12), and working medium filling in the casing. The casing has an evaporating section (101) and a condensing section (102). The wick is disposed on an inner wall of the evaporating section. The at least one artery mesh includes a large portion (121) and a small portion (122) with an outer diameter smaller than that of the large portion. The small portion is located within and contacts with the wick, and the large portion contacts with the inner wall of the condensing section of the casing. The working medium saturates the wick and the at least one artery mesh.
US07845391B2
Sharp bends in a defrost duct extending from a defrost outlet to a windshield, and in a face duct extending from a face outlet to both sides of a front passenger seat, are eliminated and the duct resistance of these ducts is reduced. Moreover collision safety of passengers is improved, and an interior space of a vehicle is expanded forward. In an air-conditioning unit to be positioned to the front of a front seat of a vehicle, an evaporator is positioned below and behind a blower, and a heater core is positioned below and in front of the blower. Preferably the air-conditioning unit is of a crushable structure wherein, in the event of a vehicle collision, a wall of the main cover behind the evaporator is broken, or component parts housed within the main cover are moved, to thereby absorb the impact energy.
US07845377B2
A purse or handbag is provided with a coin separator tray to facilitate access to coins that have been dropped into the purse. The coin separator tray has an elongated pan dimensioned to match the length and width of the base of the purse or handbag, and is open at one end wall. A coin-separating cover fits onto the side walls of the pan. The cover has generally horizontal shelves that overlap to define a generally horizontal elongated coin slot. Any loose coins in the purse or handbag migrate to the base and pass through the coin slot into said pan. The coins can be dispensed by opening a flap at the base of the purse.
US07845370B2
Disclosed herein is an electronically controlled valve. The electronically controlled valve includes a valve body and a spool. The valve body includes at least one fluid inlet port, at least one fluid outlet port, an upper cavity, and a lower cavity. The spool is disposed within the valve body. The spool includes a first end and an opening. The opening allows the lower cavity to be in fluid communication with the upper cavity.
US07845364B2
A portable golf shelter that protects one golfer from inclement weather as he or she swings a golf club or practices their putting, chipping, or pitching. The golf shelter comprises a three-sided frame with at least one pair of wheels mounted on the opposite side frames. The frame is made of lightweight material and the wheels are mounted on the side frames so that the front edges of the two side frames can be easily lifted by one person forcing the rear frame downward with light pressure. When the rear frame is forced downward and the front edges are lifted, the shelter can be easily moved on its wheels to different locations on the golf course. An optional rearward extending handle is mounted on the rear frame member to assist the person while moving the shelter. The shelter also includes a lightweight retractable roof that may be folded downward to reduce the shelter's overall side profile. When the roof is extended, the space inside the shelter is sufficient to allow a golfer and instructor to stand and swing a golf club unencumbered.
US07845361B1
A fluid dispensing system for a dishwasher is disclosed, wherein the dishwasher comprises a housing, a wash chamber enclosed by the housing, and a door for accessing the wash chamber. The dispensing system, in particular, comprises a fluid reservoir for containing a wash aid (such as detergent or a rinse aid) which may be used to treat dishes in the dishwasher wash chamber during a dish cleaning cycle. The system further comprises a pump for dispensing a predetermined quantity of the wash aid from the reservoir into the dishwasher wash chamber and into the reservoir from a supply reservoir one or more times during the dish cleaning cycle. A dual purpose check valve is provided for controlling fluid flow in two opposing directions between the pump and the fluid reservoir. The dual purpose check valve comprises a duckbill valve portion for controlling fluid flow in a first direction, and an umbrella valve portion for controlling fluid flow in an opposing second direction.
US07845360B2
The present invention is directed to hair styling tools having the ability to distribute a therapeutic agent into the hair via a porous material.
US07845353B2
Mask apparatus and methods for providing positive airway pressure therapies are disclosed. The mask apparatus includes a mask secured to the mount with the mask cantilevered from the mount. A circumferential band, a first lateral stabilizing band and a second lateral stabilizing band secure the mount to the head of a user. The methods include securing a mask apparatus to the head of a user and administering a positive airway pressure therapy.
US07845344B2
The invention comprises a fuel package comprising a vessel, a fuel, a combustion-restricting choke plate and a sealed lidding.
US07845337B2
A fuel vapor recirculation device may includes: a canister that is connected with a fuel tank through a vapor line and a purge line configured with a pressure control solenoid valve; a vapor control valve that is disposed on the vapor line and selectively connects the fuel tank and the canister corresponding to operation of an engine control unit; a vapor recirculation valve unit that is connected with the canister, receives fuel vapor from the canister, discharges the fuel vapor to the atmosphere or recirculates the fuel vapor to the canister, and supplies air to the canister; and a one-way check valve that is disposed between the purge line and the canister, wherein the one-way check valve supplies air to the vapor recirculation valve unit when a negative pressure is generated in the purge line.
US07845336B2
A fuel delivery system is provided for a combustion engine having an exhaust treatment device. The fuel delivery system includes a fuel supply, an injector configured to pressurize fuel and inject the pressurized fuel into the combustion engine, and a transfer pump configured to direct fuel from the fuel supply to the injector. The fuel delivery system also includes an electric pump configured to selectively direct fuel from the fuel supply to the injector during a priming event, and to selectively direct fuel from the fuel supply to the exhaust treatment device.
US07845326B2
A variable valve lift apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes an inner body contacting an input cam, an outer body connected with a valve, a lost motion spring disposed between the inner body and the outer body for supplying restoring force to the inner body, a return pin assembly supplying connecting force to the inner body and the outer body, and an operating portion selectively disconnecting the inner body from the outer body.
US07845321B2
One-way valves (30, 31) are provided in a hydraulic supply passage (28) in an advance chamber (18) and a hydraulic supply passage (29) in a retard chamber (19) respectively for preventing reverse flow of oil from each chamber (18, 19) and drain oil passages (32, 33) bypassing the one-way valves respectively disposed in the hydraulic supply passages (28, 29) of the respective hydraulic chambers (18, 19) are provided to be in parallel therewith. Drain switching valves (34, 35) are disposed in the respective drain oil passages (32, 33). A hydraulic control valve (21) for controlling a hydraulic pressure supplied to the advance chamber (18) and the retard chamber (19) includes integrally a drain switching control function (38) for controlling a hydraulic pressure supplied to the respective drain switching valves (34, 35). A point where a VCT response speed rapidly changes by switching opening/closing of the drain switching valves (34, 35) is learned to improve a control characteristic in the vicinity of the rapidly changing point of the VCT response speed.
US07845315B2
A fuel delivery system for an internal combustion engine including a fuel tank, a membrane dividing the fuel tank into at least a first and second portion, the membrane preferentially diffusing a substance from a mixture, the substance having an increased knock suppression relative to the mixture, and a controller adjusting delivery of condensed water to the tank responsive to an operating condition.
US07845313B1
Device for storing and protecting data for domestic animals includes housing configured for and sufficiently strong for being worn by an animal in an outside environment. There may be an attachment device, such as a collar, configured for attaching housing to an external portion of the animal, in use. There may likewise be provided an electronic data storage device within the housing. The electronic data storage device may include software written for storing animal medical and ownership identification data, veterinarian, and medical records, and which records relate to the animal wearing the device. The housing may be sufficiently water-proof for being continually worn outdoors by the animal. The identification device may include a type-A USB connection so that the information stored on the data storage device may be easily accessed and read by a large portion of the population, without the a specialized data reading device.
US07845305B2
A temperature-indicating element for a refrigeration device, including a support or backing, a thermochromic layer applied to the backing for indicating the temperature is suitable for items stored in the location of the element. A transparent potting compound encompasses and protects the thermochromic layer on the backing.
US07845304B2
A removable boat windshield is provided that includes a transparent pane with a top end and a bottom end. At least one male portion is attached to the pane. At least one female portion is attachable to a deck of a boat. The at least one female portion defines a receiving opening for receiving at least a portion of the at least one male portion therein. The removable boat windshield also includes a securement device, operable with the at least one female portion, to releasably connect the male portion to the female portion.
US07845294B1
An apparatus for uniformly planting seeds into the earth that can accommodate a even a small quantity of any size seed. An embodiment of the apparatus has a frame, at least one wheel affixed to the frame, and a conveyor belt mounted to the frame. The conveyor belt is connected to the wheel or wheels such that it moves in relation to the rate of rotation along the earth of the wheel or wheels. The conveyor belt has a surface on a top thereof suitable for receiving seeds. A seed box is hingedly affixed to the frame and is movable from a first position over the conveyor belt to a second position away from the conveyor belt. In the first position, the seed box allows seed and soil mixture to be uniformly placed on the conveyor belt.
US07845292B2
A slag and corrosion control process is described. The process entails: identifying the location of at least one slagging problem area in a boiler; introducing a slag control chemical comprising magnesium oxide or hydroxide into combustion gases in a location identified as having a slagging problem; identifying the location of at least one corrosion problem area in a boiler; and introducing a corrosion control chemical comprising a sulfate salt, bisulfite salt, sulfuric acid, or sulfur into combustion gases in a location identified as having a corrosion problem. In operation, these slag deposits will be sufficiently friable to be removed by relatively moderate application of physical energy, thus saving time and reducing any damage to the tubes by the cleaning process. The slag deposits are less voluminous and less in weight and are removed quickly. It is an advantage of the invention that slag can be removed with little or no shut down of a boiler.
US07845284B2
A safety frame is provided to face a lid at a position where an article is held by an overhead traveling vehicle. A lower frame of the safety frame is movable upwardly relative to an upper frame of the safety frame. Further, an optical axis of a photoelectric sensor is provided between the lower frame and the upper frame.
US07845280B2
A diversionary device has a housing having dimensions which are selected such that when the device is thrown or dropped, the device will come to rest only on one of its two primary sides. Each primary side has a circular dispersion port formed therethrough. The device includes means for blocking the first dispersion port if the device comes to rest on the first primary surface and for blocking the second dispersion port if the device comes to rest on the second primary surface. A firing mechanism is operable to discharge an ignitable composition out of a removable cartridge within the housing. The ignitable composition is discharged through the first dispersion port when the device rests on the second primary side and through the second dispersion port when the device rests on the first primary side. The composition then forms a cloud above the device and may be ignited.
US07845276B2
A printing system includes a first printing machine that is provided in the form of a newspaper printing machine and which comprises at least two first printing units that are provided in the form of printing towers and with a number of printing machines arranged one above the other for effecting double-sided printing of a substrate in multiple colors. A first folding funnel is arranged in a machine exit of these first printing units. A second printing machine is provided with at least one second printing unit and with a dryer that is situated in the machine exit of the second printing unit. The at least one second printing unit is positioned with respect to its printing location, and when viewed from above, is arranged next to the machine exit of the first printing units provided in the form of printing towers. A web, or a partial web, which has been printed by the second printing unit, and which has passed through the dryer, can be diverted by 90° from a direction of conveyance that is perpendicular to a machine exit and can be guided in a direction of conveyance that is parallel to the machine exit.
US07845270B2
Disclosed is a beverage brewer for brewing a beverage using a beverage brewing substance pod. The pod may include substances such as coffee for producing a desired brewed beverage. A pod holder, having at least one wall, defining a cavity in the pod holder for retaining the pod for brewing. Water is dispensed into the pod and drained through a drain in the pod holder. The pod holder is removable from the brewer for placing a pod therein. The pod holder is slideably inserted into the brewer for brewing. One or more ramps are provided on the brewer for engagement with corresponding ramps on the pod holder for positioning the holder relative to the sprayhead for infusing the pod retained in the holder. Water is introduced to the pod without piercing the pod. Legs are provided on a portion of the pod holder for positioning the pod holder in an upright position when removed from the brewer.
US07845267B2
Attachment mechanisms for attaching firearms to support structures are disclosed herein. An attachment mechanism for attaching a firearm to a support structure according to one embodiment includes a mounting member coupled to an interface member having an aperture, and a latching subassembly having an attachment portion and a latching arm. The attachment portion is configured to engage a connector fastened to the firearm through the aperture, and the latching arm lockably engages the mounting member and is coupled to the attachment portion proximate to the interface member.
US07845263B1
A new bomb release mechanism which allows an RC aircraft to carry an unlimited number of model bombs. The new bomb release mechanism allows the pilot to release these model bombs in any sequence using only one unused channel on the receiver in the aircraft. The present invention accomplishes these objectives by employing a special alloy metal wire which shrinks when subjected to an electric current. A programmed circuit is used to energize the metal wire upon receipt of the designated control signal.
US07845258B2
Safety systems for power equipment and components and brake cartridges for use in those safety systems are disclosed. The safety systems, components and brake cartridges are specifically applicable for woodworking equipment such as saws. An exemplary brake cartridge includes a housing and a braking component configured to engage a moving part of the power tool upon occurrence of a predetermined event. The brake cartridge may further include a switch configured so that proper installation of the cartridge in the power tool triggers the switch.
US07845253B2
The invention relates to a transmission arrangement (10). Said transmission arrangement (10) comprises a transmission housing (16), a transmission chamber (12) surrounded by the transmission housing (16), a first shaft (20) mounted in the transmission housing (16), a cavity (88) embodied in the first shaft (20) eccentrically to the rotational axis (18) with the cross-sectional centre of gravity thereof, and a channel (156) embodied in the first shaft (20). Said channel (156) connects the transmission chamber (12) to the cavity (88) of the first shaft (20). The aim of the invention is to improve the lubrication process of the transmission arrangement (10) and the operating reliability, thus extending the maintenance intervals. To this end, the channel (156) is provided with a component (162) which is used to reduce the passage cross-section of the channel (156), and by which means only an optimised quantity of lubricant is transported through the channel (156). One such transmission arrangement is used for example for driving a cutter on a combine harvester.
US07845222B1
A method and an assembly for sensing a process parameter are provided. The sensor assembly includes a base, a pedestal including a body extending between a leading edge and a trailing edge in a direction of fluid flow past the body, a first edge of the pedestal coupled to the base, a second edge opposes the first edge. The sensor assembly also includes an airfoil extending from the pedestal, a leading edge of the airfoil aligned with the leading edge of the pedestal, the airfoil extending in a direction of a flow of fluid along the second edge. The sensor assembly further includes a sensor element extending from the second edge spaced apart from the airfoil by a first gap, and a shield at least partially surrounding the sensor element, the shield spaced apart from the airfoil by a second gap defining a fluid flow inlet to the sensor element.
US07845213B2
Dispensers and refills for volatile liquids, such as fragrances, are disclosed. Dispensers and refills in combination with dispensers according to the present invention may comprise a volatile liquid and a housing. In certain embodiments, the volatile liquid of the present invention has a predetermined evaporation rate, measured and calculated by the method described herein. In other embodiments, the volatile liquid exhibits a predefined relative evaporation rate. In addition to the housing, the present invention includes optional components, such as a motorized fan and/or a wick, to facilitate release of the volatile liquid into the atmosphere.
US07845211B2
A pipe forming and testing apparatus includes a frame supporting a mandrel, the mandrel being adapted for positioning within the pipe, and two sealing devices connected to the mandrel and adapted to seal opposite ends of the pipe to create an annular space between the mandrel, the pipe, and the sealing devices. The pipe is formed from two or more pipe segments that are welded together. The apparatus includes at least one welding device for joining the pipe segments and preferably includes a rotating device for axially rotating the mandrel and pipe combination to facilitate the welding process. Once formed, the integrity of the pipe is tested by pressurizing the annular space and monitoring such pressure.
US07845203B2
The invention relates to a new preparation technique of composites, in details, i.e. a method of producing laminated composite materials of different alloys. In the preparation method, the bi-layer or multi-layer composites are prepared by means of the equal channel angular extrusion/pressure (ECAE/ECAP). Firstly, the appropriate alloys pairs or groups are selected, and the rational arrangements are carried out after pre-treating surfaces; then, the clad process is performed by extrusion and shear deformation in ECAE die; finally, the composite material is produced after one single pass or multiple passes clad extrusion. The annealing treatment can be performed subsequently to enhance the interfacial bonding strength by diffusion after the clad extrusion, and the heat treatment parameters consist of annealing temperature and holding time, which are chosen carefully to meet the demands of the refining microstructures and good properties for both the interfaces and individual component metals. Consequently, the layer-metal composite is produced with the firmly bonding interface, good microstructures and excellent properties. In the invention, the selection and assembling manners of the materials are very free, such as composites with bi-layer or interval multi-layer manners, and the method is suitable for most of the metal materials. The invention is a new method of fabricating composites and the preparation cost is low enough to meet the demand of large-scale industrial production.
US07845202B2
The invention concerns an electromechanical lock. More specifically, the invention concerns an interchangeable electromechanical lock core that is equipped with a blocking cam that secures the lock core in a mating housing. The blocking cam may be coupled to a plug and the plug may be coupled to a knob. Once both couplings have occurred, the knob can be turned to actuate the blocking cam.
US07845201B2
An electronic access control device with an actuator that requires little energy to change between the coupled and decoupled states. The actuator can have levers that interact to bias the control actuator in the decoupled state. The actuator can be changed between coupled and decoupled states by magnetizing and demagnetizing an armature that interacts with the levers. The electronic lock can include a security apparatus that prohibits the electronic lock from changing between the coupled and decoupled states when an external magnetic field is applied.
US07845187B2
A thermal management system for an automotive vehicle includes air cooled heat exchangers for an HVAC system, for a prime mover, and for various electronics componentry. All heat exchangers are cooled by a common air stream flowing from the ambient. The amount of heat imparted to the air stream through the HVAC system is controlled as to permit optimal cooling of the vehicle electronics and vehicle prime mover.
US07845178B1
An apparatus and methodology are provided for advantageously increasing heat transfer between the evaporator/oil separator (“accumulator”) and condenser of a refrigerant recovery/recycling system, to increase the efficiency of the system and to simplify the system. Embodiments include a refrigerant recovery/recycling device comprising a compressor having a suction inlet and a discharge outlet; an accumulator fluidly connected to a refrigerant source and to the compressor suction inlet; a recovery tank fluidly connected to the compressor discharge outlet; and a heat exchanger for transferring heat from the recovery tank to the accumulator, for raising the temperature of the accumulator and lowering the temperature of the recovery tank.
US07845160B2
Provided is a control device for an internal combustion engine, which can enable stable and fine control of an average air/fuel ratio of an exhaust gas on the upstream side of a catalyst. The control device for an internal combustion engine includes: a catalytic converter; an upstream O2 sensor to the upstream of the catalyst; a downstream O2 sensor to the downstream of the catalyst; a first air/fuel ratio feedback control unit for controlling the air/fuel ratio of the exhaust gas based on an output value of the upstream O2 sensor and a controlling constant group; a second air/fuel ratio feedback control unit for calculating a target average air/fuel ratio AFAVEobj based on the output value of the upstream O2 sensor and an output target value VR2; and a conversion unit for calculating at least two controlling constants by using the target average air/fuel ratio AFAVEobj as a common index.
US07845155B2
The invention relates to a side wall segment for a line guiding device consisting of links connected to each other in pivoting fashion, each of which displays two opposite side parts that are connected to the immediately adjacent side parts in a manner permitting pivoting in a pivoting plane, and display stops for limiting the pivoting angle, where multiple side parts connected to each other form the side wall segment. The invention furthermore relates to a line guiding device with a side wall segment, and a method for manufacturing the side wall segment.It is proposed that the side parts of the side wall segments be connected to each other in one piece by a connecting web that runs in the longitudinal direction of the side wall segment and is flexible in the pivoting plane, and display a web, running essentially perpendicularly to this connecting web in the pivoting plane, that has a T-shaped longitudinal section with a base web and a cross-web, where the base web is connected to the connecting web and the cross-web is located on the end of the base web opposite the connecting web, and the face ends of the cross-webs pointing in the longitudinal direction of the web form the stops for limiting the pivoting angle.
US07845150B2
A horse halter comprising a nose band, chin strap, hitching strap, jaw strap, throat strap, two cheek straps, and poll strap, wherein a lead rope is attached to the hitching strap, and wherein when the lead rope is pulled downward, the nose band and chin strap exert a clamping action on the horse's nose and mouth.
US07845146B2
An apparatus for manufacturing dunnage including a plurality of rollers for pulling a web of material through the machine, a nozzle with at least one port through which gas or liquid flows, a plurality of ceramic elements in opposing positions such that the web of material can pass between the plurality of ceramic elements. A heating element is routed through each of the plurality of ceramic elements such that heat will radiate through openings in the top surfaces of the ceramic elements that will melt the portion of the material that is passing between the opposing ceramic elements. The apparatus may be equipped to manufacture multiple pieces of dunnage simultaneously.
US07845142B2
In certain example embodiments of this invention, a window unit may include a vacuum IG (VIG) unit as an inboard lite and a monolithic lite (e.g., with an optional low-E coating thereon) as an outboard lite. A dead air space may separate the inboard and outboard lites. A highly insulated frame may be used to support the inner and outer lites. The VIG unit may be partially embedded or supported in the insulative frame, so that the insulating frame separates the VIG unit inboard lite from the outboard lite thereby reducing conductivity around the edges of the window unit so that R-value can be increased (and U-value decreased). In certain example embodiments, the total R-value of the window unit is at least about R-8, and more preferably at least about R-10 (compared to the much lower R-values of conventional IG units).
US07845140B2
Floorboards for mechanical joining of floors in a herringbone pattern and in parallel rows with horizontal connectors which on the short sides have cooperating locking surfaces which are designed differently from the cooperating locking surfaces on the long sides.
US07845129B2
A floor support for a grain bin floor made from a sheet of galvanized steel. The support having an upper flange or rail that extends upwardly from an upper shelf and is interposed between notches. A plurality of columns that extend downwardly from the upper shelf to a base to provide added stability to the support. A bend in the support which allows the support to stand upright without the need for additional supports.
US07845128B2
An energy conversion device is adapted to be housed within a unitized curtain wall unit as part of an exterior shell or façade of a building structure. The device can be a photovoltaic module that includes other power generating system components—including control units and associated power/signal wiring—within the façade.
US07845121B2
There is proposed a preferably transportable (mobile) and/or re-usable production facility, as is quick and easy to erect virtually at any location in this world. This production facility virtually comprises a tent structure, wherein the roof of the facility is held by at least one carrier (support) and at the same time at least one device for raising or lowering or moving goods or parts thereof, for example crane structures, is also provided on the carrier itself. Such a crane structure can be of a variable configuration and facilitate in particular the production of goods which are heavy and/or which for assembly can no longer be raised or moved by human strength.
US07845116B2
When a sliding door (3) as a plate-like object is moved in a front and rear direction from a closed position to an opening preparation position, a rotatable rail (20) rotates from a horizontal lying position to a vertical standing position about a rotation axis (L1). When the sliding door is in the opening preparation position, a roller (40) of the sliding door (3) rides on a running track (25b) of the rotatable rail (20). When the sliding door (3) is further moved from the opening preparation position to an open position, the roller (40) transfers from the running track (25b) to an auxiliary track (26) of an adjacent rotatable rail (20). The rotatable rail (20) is biased toward the standing position by an elastic force of a torsion spring (18) and maintained in the standing position by an arm (13). This allows the sliding door (3) to be returned to the opening preparation position.
US07845106B2
An automatic jigging device is described that utilizes a cam to move a fishing rod upwardly and downwardly in a manner based on fish behavior and psychology for a particular type of fish to increase the probability that a fish of the prescribed type will bite. Embodiments of a fishing rod holder are also described that can be used with the automatic jiggers or separately. The holder is adapted to lockably retain a fishing rod therein without the use of additional pieces.
US07845080B2
A tubing cutter apparatus including a rotary cutting mechanism having an open area for receiving a length of tubing and a cutting blade for engaging the tubing may be driven by a rotary power source such as a handheld power tool or a self-contained drive motor. The apparatus includes a gear system for rotating the cutting mechanism about the tubing and a coupling mechanism for coupling the rotary power source to the gear system. A clamp comprising a slotted tubular plate spring protruding from a handle case of the apparatus in longitudinal alignment with the open area of the cutting mechanism enables the apparatus to clampingly engage a length of tubing to be cut by pushing flanged edge walls of the slot against the length of tubing, which may be in a location with limited accessability, such as within the wall of a structure.
US07845078B2
A rotary electric shaver including an outside outer cutter and an inside outer cutter capable of mutually moving up and down independently, a drive shaft to which an upward return tendency is imparted, an outside inner cutter guide that engages the drive shaft and rotates integrally therewith, an outside inner cutter secured to the outside inner cutter guide, an inside inner cutter guide having a plurality of engagement pawls that engage the outside inner cutter guide from above so as to be able to move up and down and that rotates together with the outside inner cutter guide, an inside inner cutter secured to this inside inner cutter guide, and an upward-pushing spring mounted between the upper surface of the outside inner cutter guide and the lower surface of the inside inner cutter guide, for urging the inside inner cutter guide upward.
US07845073B2
A method of manufacturing a circuit board embedding a thin film capacitor, the method including: forming a sacrificial layer on a first substrate; forming a dielectric layer on the sacrificial layer; forming a first electrode layer on the dielectric layer; disposing the first substrate on the second substrate in such a way that the first electrode layer is bonded to a top of a second substrate; decomposing the sacrificial layer by irradiating a laser beam onto the sacrificial layer through the first substrate; separating the first substrate from the second substrate; and forming a second electrode layer on the dielectric layer.
US07845072B2
A probe card assembly comprises multiple probe substrates attached to a mounting assembly. Each probe substrate includes a set of probes, and together, the sets of probes on each probe substrate compose an array of probes for contacting a device to be tested. Adjustment mechanisms are configured to impart forces to each probe substrate to move individually each substrate with respect to the mounting assembly. The adjustment mechanisms may translate each probe substrate in an “x,” “y,” and/or “z” direction and may further rotate each probe substrate about any one or more of the forgoing directions. The adjustment mechanisms may further change a shape of one or more of the probe substrates. The probes can thus be aligned and/or planarized with respect to contacts on the device to be tested.
US07845070B2
A manufacturing method of an ink jet head has: a step of forming a flow path hole on each of first plates to be flow path plates; a step of laminating one or plurality of said flow path plates on which said flow path hole is formed and a second plate to be a nozzle plate to each other; a step of laminating a protective film to said second plate; a step of laminating said plurality of flow path plates on which said flow path holes are formed to each other; a step of forming a nozzle hole on a region where the protective film is laminated, in said second plate to which the protective film is laminated; and a step of removing said protective film from said nozzle plate, after the step of laminating said plurality of flow path plates and said nozzle plate to each other.
US07845065B2
A method of making a motor stator core having a back iron and a plurality of teeth extending radially inward from the back iron includes providing the plurality of teeth and the back iron from oriented steel so that a magnetic flux transmission path is formed with superior properties in essentially one direction. At least one of the plurality of teeth and the back iron is annealed in selected portions so as to improve magnetic flux transmission in a second direction, different from the one direction.
US07845060B2
A method of providing a linear drive with an axially play-free entrainment connection between at least one linearly travelling rod (5) and a guide unit able to be moved parallel thereto. Between a coupling member (26), projecting to the fore of the rod (5), of the guide unit and the terminal face (27) of the rod (5) adhesive (34) is applied and then the components are so screwed together that athwart the direction of displacement relative motion is still possible. Then the entire unit is shifted between its two terminal positions even prior to curing of the adhesive (34), the components then aligning themselves. After the adhesive is cured the screw connection is finally drawn tight.
US07845059B2
An insert for a drill bit that includes diamond particles disposed in a matrix material, wherein the diamond particles have a contiguity of 15% or less is disclosed. A method of forming a diamond-impregnated cutting structure, that includes loading a plurality of substantially uniformly coated diamond particles into a mold cavity, pre-compacting the substantially uniformly coated diamond particles using a cold-press cycle, and heating the compacted, substantially uniformly coated diamond particles with a matrix material to form the diamond impregnated cutting structure is also disclosed.
US07845039B2
Disclosed is an electrical connector having particular application in an oral care implement having a removable and/or replaceable head. In particular, an electric toothbrush having a removable brush head and/or head and neck assembly and a severable electrical connector is disclosed in which the brush head includes one or more elements requiring a source of electrical power. The severable electrical connector provides electrical communication between the brush head and a power source retained within the handle or handle portion of the toothbrush.
US07845038B2
A fluid-filled structure, such as a bladder, is disclosed. The bladder has a first surface and an opposite second surface that are peripherally joined to define various edges. The bladder encloses a fluid between the first surface and the second surface. A portion of the edges may have a concave configuration, or the edges may have both concave and convex configurations. A shape of the bladder may be a tessellation pattern so that a plurality of the bladders may be efficiently manufactured.
US07845031B2
A mat can be connected to a pillow, a sleeping bag, or other mats, and is comfortable to sleep on, sturdy, and convenient to carry around. A strap is provided on a mat body for attaching a pillow A mat may include multiple mat bodies each having first engaging members located near at least two corners located at the ends of a first diagonal line, and second engaging members for engaging with the first engaging members and located near at least two corners located at the ends of a second diagonal line intersecting with the first diagonal line, to connect mat bodies together. A mat body may be made of multiple laminated layers, with edges of an outer layer forming a joint distal from the mat edges on a surface where a user of mat lies down, or the reverse surface thereof.
US07845030B1
A collapsible and portable frame apparatus and storage system for bed mattresses replacing standard box springs is herein disclosed. The apparatus is intended for residential use or where space limitations restrict the delivery or movement of conventional box spring units. The apparatus consists of vertical sections that provide support for a platform for a conventional top mattress a typical distance above the floor. The perimeter base frame comprises attached lockable furniture casters and a plurality of interior compartments for storage. The apparatus comprises width adjustable inserts and is provided in a variety of sizes corresponding to common standard mattress sizes. The use of this apparatus with a mattress does not impede that making of the bed with standard bedding in a normal manner.
US07845029B2
In one of its aspects, the invention provides a cover for a body of water, the cover comprising one or more tiles. Each tile comprises a generally flattened tile body floatable atop the body of water to cover a surface area thereof. The tile body defines an enclosure wherein at least a portion of the tile body that defines the enclosure is deformable. Each tile also comprises a ballast having a density greater than water and a port for conveying a fluid having a density less than water into and out of the enclosure. Upon conveying the fluid into the enclosure via the port, the portion of the tile body deformably expands to increase a volume of the enclosure and increase a buoyancy of the tile and, upon conveying the fluid out of the enclosure via the port, the portion of the tile body deformably contracts to decrease the volume of the enclosure and decrease the buoyancy of the tile.
US07845026B2
A portable urinal device that is particularly adapted to be used by a small child. The device includes a receptacle and a head member disposed on the receptacle, where the head member is placed beneath a user who can then urinate into the receptacle. The head member can include anterior side segments that are angled upwardly and are adapted to urge against the user's bladder to encourage urination. The device can advantageously be placed on a level surface so that the user can sits upon the head member. The device is useful when other bathroom facilities are not available and for potty-training a child.
US07845020B2
An article of clothing or a decorative article, at least one portion of which is made of chain mail fabric made of interweaved metal rings, wherein the chain mail fabric portion is associated with at least one resilient member arranged so as to tighten the chain mail fabric on a part of the user's body and/or to draw and tension a portion of the chain mail fabric so as to absorb a local excess of material. At least one of the resilient members is in the form of a flat spring (4) of pin type, consisting of a juxtaposition of elongated wire arms (5) connected in pairs by an elastic joint (6), where an articulation axis of the elastic joint is perpendicular to a plane containing the respective pair of wire arms.
US07849515B2
A nanotweezer (1) according to the present invention includes: a supporting member (25); an observation probe (10) that projects out from the supporting member (25), and is used when observing a surface of a specimen; a movable arm (20) that is arranged next to the observation probe (10) projecting out from the supporting member (25), and makes closed or opened between the observation probe (10) and the movable arm (20) to hold or release the specimen held between the observation probe (10) and the movable arm (20); and a drive mechanism that drives the movable arm (20) so as to make closed or opened between the observation probe (10) and the movable arm (20), and the supporting member (25), the observation probe (10) and the movable arm (20) are each formed by processing a semiconductor wafer (30) through a photolithography process.
US07849505B2
The present disclosure is directed to a system and method of selecting a virtual private network access server. In a particular embodiment, the method includes receiving a request from a client device to access a network resource via a virtual private network (VPN). The method also includes sending operational data related to each of a plurality of VPN access servers to the client device. The method also includes receiving a selection of one of the plurality of VPN access servers from the client device and communicatively connecting the client device with the selected one of the VPN access servers.
US07849504B2
An OSI layer 2 network device on the edge of a network such as a SAN is configured to replace the original source address of traffic entering the network with a known identifier or address, which is used to signify that entry point as the traffic source to the other nodes of the network. Nodes of the network recognize the new source address as a valid source address. The network device also maintains state (e.g., association of original source address with new source address/identifier) so as to translate addresses to enable reply traffic to be sent back to the original sender.
US07849502B1
A data processing apparatus can perform HTTP traffic monitoring and filtering of HTTP requests from clients and responses from servers. Example apparatus comprises a processor, a first network interface to a protected network, a second network interface to an external network, and a traffic monitor having an address-domain name database, a firewall rules manager, and a DNS snooper. The traffic monitor accesses a blacklist and can perform receiving, from a client computer, a request to access a resource in the external network; blocking the request to the resource when a user agent of the client is in the blacklist as malicious software or when a file extension in a response to the request is in the blacklist; requesting, from a web reputation service, and receiving a reputation score indicating a reputation of the resource; blocking sending the request to the resource when the reputation is below a specified threshold.
US07849497B1
Described herein are a method and system for analyzing the security of a computer network. According to various implementations, there is a device adapter associated with each device that has a significant impact on the security of the network (e.g., routers, switches, gateways, or “significant hosts”). The device adapter, which may be implemented as a piece of software executing remotely from the device, queries the device to determine what its security settings are (e.g., its firewall rules). The device adapter conducts the query using whichever form of communication the device requires (e.g., telnet, HTTP) and using whichever command set the device requires. Each type of device on the network has a software model associated with it. For example, there may be a router model, a switch model, a firewall model, and a gateway model. The model is made up of a series of rule sets. Each rule set includes rules that are derived from the configuration of the device (obtained by the device adapter). The rules are expressed in a canonical rule set language. A global view of the security policy of the network is generated based on the modeled behaviors of the security devices (i.e., devices that have an impact on security) of the network, and is displayed on a user interface.
US07849496B2
A method of managing online communities within an online community management system can include declaratively specifying a taxonomy of online community types, declaratively specifying a plurality of roles for members of online communities, and declaratively specifying a security policy that associates permissions with roles and online community types. A plurality of online community profiles can be maintained. Each online community profile can represent an online community, specify an online community type from the taxonomy, and specify a list of members of that online community as well as an associated role for each member. Access can be provided to a selected online community according to the online community type of the selected online community, a role within the selected online community that is associated with a user attempting to access the selected online community, and the security policy.
US07849495B1
Techniques for passing security configuration information between a security policy server and a client includes the client forming a request for security configuration information that configures the client for secure communications. The client is separated by an untrusted network from a trusted network that includes the security policy sever. A tag is generated that indicates a generic security configuration attribute. An Internet Security Association and Key Management Protocol (ISAKMP) configuration mode request message is sent to a security gateway on an edge of the trusted network connected to the untrusted network. The message includes the request in association with the tag. The gateway sends the request associated with the tag to the security policy server on the trusted network and does not interpret the request. The techniques allow client configuration extensions to be added by modifying the policy server or security client, or both, without modifying the gateway.
US07849484B2
A digital television (DTV) receiver and a decoding method are discussed. According to an embodiment, the DTV receiver includes: a receiving unit for receiving a digital broadcasting signal including a plurality of extended text tables (ETTs) that appear in transport stream packets having common PID values, each ETT comprising a section header and a message body, wherein the section header contains a table identification extension field that serves to establish uniqueness of each ETT, and wherein the message body includes an extended text message (ETM) which provides detailed descriptions of a virtual channel or an event associated with each ETT; and a program and system information protocol (PSIP) decoder for detecting the table identification extension field to determine uniqueness of each ETT and detecting at least one pertinent ETT from the plurality of ETTs using the determined uniqueness of each ETT.
US07849482B2
A method and system for generating an electronic program guide includes a receiving unit 28 having a controller module 60. The controller module 60 receives television content and electronic programming guide data. The controller module 60 separates the program guide data from the television content and stores the program guide data. The controller 60 determines user preferences and changes a display of the electronic program guide in response to the user preferences.
US07849478B2
It is the objective of the present invention to easily change between an image display application and the viewing of a program for a digital television, and to improve the usability of the television for operating an image display application. The display change list for a (channel) Up/Down key of a remote controller is dynamically altered so that, during the execution of an image display application, an application screen is displayed by using the Up/Down key. Further, when a memory card is loaded immediately after the television is powered on, a display application can be automatically activated. Furthermore, while a user is watching the television, the contents of a memory card is displayed on a small window in one part of the screen, and execution of the image application controlled by the user. In addition, no icons are displayed while an important program is on displaying. Moreover, since the same color and the same arrangement are used for the four function icons as are used for the four color keys on the remote controller, various processes can be performed for the image application.
US07849472B1
An approach is provided in embodiments of the present invention for utilizing Java™ Management Extensions (JMX) as a back end to “instrument” (i.e. monitor and control) computer system resources, including servers, devices, and applications etc., within standard resource management model(s) that are external to Java™. For example, JMX can be used as a back end to instrument WS-Management resources—in particular, JMX MBeans can be used to implement Common Information Model (CIM) WS-Management resources.
US07849465B2
Method, apparatus, and system for a programmable event driven yield mechanism that may activate other threads. The yield mechanism may allow triggering of a service thread that may execute currently with a main thread upon occurrence of an architecturally-defined condition. The service thread may be activated, in response to the condition, with limited intervention of an operating system. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes execution resources to execute a plurality of instructions and a monitor to detect an architecturally-defined condition. The apparatus may include an event handler to handle a yield event generated when the architecturally-defined condition has been detected. An architectural mechanism, including processor instructions and channel registers, may be utilized to allow user-level code to enable the yield event mechanism. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
US07849460B1
A framework for defining and performing installation prerequisite checking using a generic template includes identifying a candidate agent and a corresponding prerequisite check from among a plurality of predetermined prerequisite checks. The prerequisite checks are indicative of installability of the candidate agent on a host computer. An install engine generates a prerequisite script bundle based on a set of configuration parameters corresponding to the candidate agent and the identified prerequisite check. The configuration parameters are defined in a template format adapted to define a plurality of configuration parameter sets, enabling a single generic prerequisite check format to define the configuration parameters. The install engine invokes the script bundle inclusive of the script on the host computer for computing the installation status, (i.e. prerequisite check results) of the candidate agent based on the results.
US07849459B2
Methods, systems, and products are provided for deploying Java applications in resource constrained environments. Embodiments include identifying a resource constraint of a target system and filtering the Java application in dependence upon the identified resource constraint. In many embodiments, identifying a resource constraint of a target system includes identifying limited runtime processing capabilities of the target system and filtering the Java application in dependence upon the identified resource constraint includes preprocessing a tag library of the Java application. In some embodiments, preprocessing a tag library is carried out by identifying a tag library descriptor of the Java application and copying a listener from the tag library descriptor to a deployment descriptor for the Java application.
US07849457B1
A software/website system that allows a user to resolve software-related problems on a PC remotely via a web site. The system then uses a software package that automatically erases the contents of the computer's hard drive and then automatically reinstalls the Operating System and all requested applications in a fully unattended way. During the process, all programs needed for a complete and functional PC are automatically installed. As part of the process, the program updates and installs program patches. It then prompts a message to the user that it has finished. The result is a computer that performs at optimal speed and efficiency and with little to no effort on the user's part.
US07849452B2
The present invention discloses a modified computer architecture which enables an applications program to be run simultaneously on a plurality of computers. Shared memory at each computer is updated with amendments and/or overwrites so that all memory read requests are satisfied locally. During initial program loading, or similar, instructions which result in memory being re-written or manipulated are identified. Additional instructions are inserted to cause the equivalent memory locations at all computers to be updated.
US07849443B2
Method and apparatus for managing software configurations include a version history member representing changes between versions of artifacts forming different configurations of a subject software program. Indicated in version history member is any selective merge between artifact versions. Also indicated in the version history member is any subtractive merge between artifact versions. A selective merge arc and a subtractive merge arc are respective examples.
US07849442B2
A client receives an input of a new case, extracts a common framework corresponding to the new case from a common framework database, and extracts existing contents corresponding to the new case from an existing contents database. The client assigns the extracted existing contents to the extracted common framework to create an assignment by common framework table and then extracts application requirements regarding the new case according to the table.
US07849441B2
A method for specifying stateful, transaction-oriented systems is provided. The method initiates with designating a plurality of primitive FlowModules. The method includes defining at least one FlowGate within each of the plurality of FlowModules, wherein each FlowGate includes a non-interruptible sequence of procedure code, a single point of entry and is invoked by a named concurrent call. An Arc is designated from a calling FlowGate to a called FlowGate and a Signal is generated for each named invocation of the called FlowGate. A Channel is defined for carrying the Signal. Methods for synthesizing a semiconductor device and routing signals in the semiconductor device are provided.
US07849426B2
The embodiments of the invention provide a design structure for detection and compensation of negative bias temperature instability (NBTI) induced threshold degradation. A semiconductor device is provided comprising at least one stress device having a voltage applied to its gate node and at least one reference device having a zero gate-to-source voltage. A controller is also provided to configure node voltages of the device and/or the reference device to reflect different regions of device operations found in digital and analog circuit applications. Moreover, the controller measures a difference in current between the stress device and the reference device to determine whether NBTI induced threshold degradation has occurred in the stress device. The controller also adjusts an output power supply voltage of the stress device until a performance of the stress device matches a performance of the reference device to account for the NBTI induced threshold degradation.
US07849418B2
Segregation of redundant control bits in an ECC permuted, systematic modulation code. Appropriately encoding of user information via combined modulation and RS (Reed-Solomon) encoding ensures segregation of scrambled user information, modulation redundancy bits, and RS redundancy bits in such a way that each of the components thereof are segregated and stored within any desirable digital information memory storage device. By providing this segregated capability, when accessing a portion of a RS codeword from the memory, an entire RS codeword need not be read from the memory. In fact, only the particular field (or bits) needs to be accessed to perform correction thereon. This segregation provides for a reduction in the hardware complexity of translation between user information and a modulation codeword. Also, this segregation provides for the ability to perform correction of only one of the scrambled user information, the modulation redundancy bits, or the RS redundancy bits.
US07849408B1
A system containing a visualization application which enables the user or other user to obtain information about various types of transactions involving the respective activities of the components. The user selects filtering criteria that identify various types of transactions performed on each network component from the visualization application and the visualization application uses these criteria in compiling the appropriate records from the network information files. The visualization application then forms the data that represent the records that meet each selected criterion and stores the data in a local file. Thereafter, the user may view the network activity through the visualization application which displays a map of the network and overlays the map with graphical moving images that represent the data for each selected criterion. The graphical images change with time to reflect changes in the underlying data.
US07849407B2
This disclosure describes content distribution circuitry that supports content distribution between one or more users. The disclosure describes a system including circuitry for receiving a request for at least a specific instance of content from a user; circuitry for receiving a request to notify at least one remote user that said specific instance of said content has been selected by said user; and circuitry for transmitting said specific instance of said content to said user and said at least one remote user.
US07849406B2
The present invention is designed to display a matrix plane on which a time axis and an axis of applicable levels corresponding to a predetermined keyword cross each other, arrange and display identifiers indicating scenes obtained by dividing a moving image file into predetermined segments on the matrix plane and decide, when the positions of the identifiers arranged on the matrix plane are moved to desired positions, the applicable levels corresponding to the positions of the identifiers arranged on the matrix plane as the applicable levels of the scene corresponding to the identifiers. This makes it possible to improve the operability of assignment of keywords and applicable levels to a picture scene and visually check the situation of assignment of the keywords and applicable levels.
US07849392B2
Systems and methods are provided for generating technical documentation from content, such as enterprise SOA content. In one implementation, a computer-implemented method is provided that comprises receiving an identifier of a service interface description that defines an interface for implementing a service and processing one or more packages associated with the service interface description by reading data from one or more files of enterprise SOA content stored in a database. In addition, the method generates the technical documentation using the data read from the one or more files.
US07849388B2
An LDPC unit decoder included in a signal decoding device is provided with a parity checking unit that is a multiplier for performing multiplication of a check matrix (parity check matrix) and temporary estimated values of an encoded signal, computed by a temporary estimated value computation unit. A check matrix holding unit holds the check matrix. If s and t are natural numbers, s≧t≧2, among s columns extracted from this check matrix, t columns or less have a linearly independent relationship. These s columns are multiplied at locations where error occurrence frequency is relatively high, with regard to the temporary estimated values. According to this mode, the matrix is composed to include t columns that are linearly independent, that is, t columns that are not linearly dependent.
US07849387B2
In one embodiment, a quantum detector is provided to detect a vulnerability measure for a processor based on a processor metrics each associated with operation of a processor structure during a quantum, along with a controller to control an error mitigation unit based on the vulnerability measure. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US07849386B2
A decoder and method for decoding a tail-biting convolutional encoded signal using Viterbi decoding scheme performs a traceback operation for a first portion of a total code block, which includes a code block of the tail-biting convolutional encoded signal and a padded block. During the traceback operation for the first portion, a particular state at a predefined position within the first portion is stored as a circular state. The circular state is used as a traceback starting state for at least one subsequent portion of the total code block to produce a decoded signal of the code block.
US07849384B2
The present disclosure is directed to a system and method of correcting video data errors. In a particular embodiment, the method includes receiving a stream of data packets at a re-generator of an Internet Protocol (IP) video transport stream. The stream of data packets includes a plurality of IP media packets and a plurality of forward error correction (FEC) packets. The method also includes determining an error profile of an error within the plurality of IP media packets. The method includes identifying one of the plurality of FEC packets, where the identified FEC packet is associated with an error correction code corresponding to the error profile. The method also includes selecting an inverse FEC function from a plurality of inverse FEC functions. The selected inverse FEC function corresponds to the identified FEC packet.
US07849382B2
An address at which a writing error occurs is held, and after a completion of a series of writings, the data of the held address is read. Then, a faulty-block processing is performed only for the addresses, for which it is determined that retry of writing is required, thereby preventing an increase of faulty-blocks. This can suppress the problem that when a writing is performed in a particular flash memory, a writing error frequently occurs and a large number of faulty blocks occur.
US07849379B2
A device and method for determining a defective area on an optical media (disc) by counting the number of errors within ECC blocks of the data stored thereon. The defect detection is generally performed by Error Counters and Comparator circuits, for counting the number of occurrences of errors (e.g., parity errors) in an ECC block of the data and for comparing the counted number of occurrences of errors with a supplied threshold. The threshold may be preset at a maximum to distinguish between “correctable” and “uncorrectable” numbers of errors, or may be set lower to better secure the recorded data and to improve the resiliency of the media to subsequent scratches, fingerprints, etc. When the threshold is exceeded, the area is determined to be defective. A position-determining unit keeps track of the location of the ECC block under examination and flags the position of the defective area based on the position of the ECC block containing a number of errors exceeding the threshold.
US07849370B2
To facilitate measurement of the jitter tolerance of circuitry such as serializer/deserializer (SERDES) circuitry, test circuitry is provided that can add jitter to a data signal. The jitter added is preferably controllable and variable with respect to such parameters as jitter frequency (i.e., how rapid is the jitter) and/or amplitude (i.e., how large or great is the amount of the jitter).
US07849350B2
A technique responds to a storage processor failure. The technique involves performing write-back caching operations using a cache of a first storage processor, and mirroring data from the cache of the first storage processor to a cache of a second storage processor. The technique further involves, after of a failure of the second storage processor in which the second storage processor becomes unavailable, continuing to perform write-back caching operations using the cache of the first storage processor while the second storage processor remains unavailable. A cache controller is capable of being modified so that any write data in the cache of the first storage processor persists if the first storage processor encounters a failure thus preventing loss of the cached write data.
US07849348B1
A programmable delay clock buffer circuit, preferably implemented in a single IC, includes a clock circuit and a plurality of variable delay lines. The clock circuit receives an input clock and is clock feedback signal and generates an intermediate clock. Each of the delay lines is configured to receive the intermediate clock and to receive at least one delay control input. A first variable delay line of the plurality is configured to generate, based on a first delay control input, a first delay from the intermediate clock to produce a clock output signal. A second variable delay line of the plurality is configured to generate, based on a second delay control input, a second delay from the intermediate clock to produce a clock feedback signal. A method of distributing clock with through programmable delay lines is also presented.
US07849345B1
A computer system for writing data to a memory is disclosed. The memory controller in the computer system comprises a system clock, which is generated by the memory controller. A first register captures the lower data word based on the rising edge of the system clock. A second register, coupled to the first register, captures the output of the first register based on the rising edge of the system clock. A third register, captures the upper data word based on the falling edge of the system clock. A forth register, coupled to the third register, captures the output of the third register based on the falling edge of the system clock. A first multiplexer is coupled to a forth register and a second register. A delay element, coupled to the system clock and a first multiplexer, adjusts the phase of the system clock. A second multiplexer, coupled to the system clock, generates a data strobe.
US07849343B2
A method and apparatus for preventing harmful transients resulting from a probing routine for a valid powered device detection signature in a network, the method comprising: operating power sourcing equipment to provide via its output port a pre-detection output voltage; obtaining an indication of the pre-detection output voltage; comparing the indication of the pre-detection output voltage with a pre-determined value; and in the event that the indication of the pre-detection output voltage is less than the pre-determined value; initiating a probing routine for a valid powered device detection signature. The higher voltage of the probing routine is thus not present at the output port in the absence of pre-detection of a potentially valid powered device detection signature.
US07849342B2
A method and system for implementing a generalized system stutter are disclosed. Specifically, one embodiment of the present invention sets forth a method, which includes the steps of blocking a first request received from a first of a plurality of bus masters during a low power state of a computing device for as long as permissible by the timing requirements of the computing device, wherein the first request is capable of triggering the computing device to transition out of the low power state, and during an active state of the computing device, servicing the first request along with other pending requests from the rest of the plurality of bus masters before the computing device transitions back to the low power state.
US07849337B2
The present invention is to provide a network system for transmitting various signals and power, which comprises at least a power sourcing equipment and at least a powered device over a network. Each of the power sourcing equipment and the powered device has at least a port, wherein a first isolated conductor is disposed at one side of the port while a second isolated conductor is disposed at the other side of the port and creates a power circuit for transmitting power in combination with the first isolated conductor. Four differential signal pairs of the port, each with two conductors, are disposed between the first isolated conductor and the second isolated conductor, wherein each of the power sourcing equipment and the powered device transmits Ethernet signals through two of the differential signal pairs of its port and transmits other network signals through the other two differential signal pairs.
US07849320B2
Methods and systems for establishing a consistent password policy. A plurality of password policies is described in a computer usable password policy data structure. The computer usable password policy data structure is accessed by a password policy enforcement agent. Optionally, the computer usable password policy data structure is validated for authenticity by the password policy enforcement agent. Optionally, the password policy enforcement agent can report back to a centralized configuration and aggregation point repository in order to provide a consistent view of policy enforcement.
US07849311B2
The present invention is a system that switches between non-secure and secure modes by making processes, applications and data for the non-active mode unavailable to the active mode. That is, non-secure processes, applications and data are not accessible when in the secure mode and visa versa. This is accomplished by creating dual hash tables where one table is used for secure processes and one for non-secure processes. A hash table pointer is changed to point to the table corresponding to the mode. The path-name look-up function that traverses the path name tree to obtain a device or file pointer is also restricted to allow traversal to only secure devices and file pointers when in the secure mode and only to non-secure devices and files in the non-secure mode. The process thread run queue is modified to include a state flag for each process that indicates whether the process is a secure or non-secure process. A process scheduler traverses the queue and only allocates time to processes that have a state flag that matches the current mode. Running processes are marked to be idled and are flagged as unrunnable, depending on the security mode, when the process reaches an intercept point. The switch operation validates the switch process and pauses the system for a period of time to allow all running processes to reach an intercept point and be marked as unrunnable. After all the processes are idled, the hash table pointer is changed, the look-up control is changed to allow traversal of the corresponding security mode branch of the file name path tree, and the scheduler is switched to allow only threads that have a flag that corresponds to the security mode to run. The switch process is then put to sleep and a master process, either secure or non-secure, depending on the mode, is then awakened.
US07849310B2
A data processing system including a processor operable in a plurality of modes and in either a secure domain or a non-secure domain. The system includes at least one secure mode being a mode in the secure domain, at least one non-secure mode being a mode in the non-secure domain, and a monitor mode. When the processor is executing a program in a secure mode the program has access to secure data which is not accessible when the processor is operating in a non-secure mode. Switching between the secure and non-secure modes takes place via the monitor mode and the processor is operable at least partially in the monitor mode to execute a monitor program managing switching between the secure and non-secure modes.
US07849306B2
The relay method for relaying an encryption communication in a gateway server between a client device and a content server includes the steps of receiving an encryption communication connection message to the content server from the device; producing a temporary encryption communication permit and a private key of its counterpart for the content server of a destination server name included in the connection message; sending the permit to the device; performing an End-End encryption communication with the device, receiving an encrypted access request message sent by the device, and decrypting and converting the request message to an access request message of a plain text; performing an End-End encryption communication with the content server, and acquiring content information instructed by the access request message; and performing value added processing for the acquired content information and its communication header, encrypting the information and the header, and sending them to the device.
US07849303B2
In a typical peer-to-peer network, any user of the peer-to-peer network may request a lookup of a key and its associated value. To limit access to a stored key-value pair, a user node may register a key-value pair in a peer-to-peer network associated with an access list listing those user nodes which are authorized to access the key-value pair. The access list may include one or more retrieval identifiers. To further secure the information, the retrieval identifiers and/or the payload may be encrypted. To allow the retrieving user to decrypt an encrypted payload, the payload may be encrypted using a group key associated with the stored key-value pair. The group key may be encrypted using a key known to the retrieving user.
US07849301B2
A processor-based system, including systems without keyboards, may receive user inputs prior to booting. This may done using the graphics controller to generate a window which allows the user to input information. The system firmware may then compare any user inputs, such as passwords, and may determine whether or not to actually initiate system booting.
US07849297B2
A multithreading microprocessor has a plurality of thread contexts (TCs) each including sufficient state, such as general purpose registers and program counter, to execute a separate thread of execution as one of a plurality of symmetric processors controlled by a multiprocessor operating system. However, the microprocessor hardware does not support the ability for one TC to direct an exception to another TC, i.e., to specify to which of the other TCs the exception is directed. A first thread running on a first TC of the operating system executes architected instructions to halt a second thread (either user or kernel thread) running on a second TC, save state of the second TC, write the second TC state to emulate an exception—including writing a restart register with the address of an exception handler, and unhalt the second TC to execute the exception hander.
US07849296B2
There is provided a method of controlling a monitoring function of a processor, the processor being operable in at least two domains, comprising a first domain and a second domain, the first and second domains each comprising at least one mode, the method comprising the steps of: setting at least one control value, the at least one control value relating to a condition and being indicative of whether the monitoring function is allowable in the first domain; and only allowing initiation of the monitoring function in the first domain when the condition is present if its related control value indicates that the monitoring function is allowable. In some embodiments the first domain is a secure domain and the monitoring function is a debug or trace function.
US07849292B1
A method and apparatus for optimizing a sequence of operations adapted for execution by a processor is disclosed to include locating an operation, if any, that is next within the sequence of operations and setting a current operation to be that operation. The current operation is processed as follows: a) de-activating, if not already de-activated, a consumed indicator associated with the current operation; and b) when the current operation is of the producer type, then activating, if not already activated, a producer indicator associated with the current operation, and locating a first set of operations, if any, that i) are earlier in the sequence of operations than the current operation, ii) have their associated producer indicator activated, and iii) have their associated consumed indicator de-activated, and then de-activating the producer indicator associated with each operation in the first set. When the current operation is of the consumer type, then locating a second set of operations, if any, that are earlier in the sequence of operations than the current operation, and then activating, if not already activated, the consumed indicator associated with each operation in the second set.
US07849284B2
A message memory (1) with a flexible association between the message-object memories of the message memory (2) and the segments of a physical memory (3). The association is made through configuration, wherein one or more memory segments form a cluster as a function of the length of the message content to be stored.
US07849281B2
The invention is for a method of mapping hierarchical volume permission to top level permissions in a layered volume graph of a virtual data storage system with hierarchy of storage volumes requiring permission at every volume level and the top level volume exposed to the hosts via intelligent switches comprising: applying volume level permissions on a volume of the volume graph and mapping condensed permission hierarchically for the entire volume graph to the top level volume from said individual volume level permission.
US07849273B2
Techniques for time-dependent storage management with a portable application programming interface are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method for time-dependent storage management. The method may comprise interfacing with a host and a storage system having one or more storage devices. The method may also comprise intercepting all write commands that the host issues to the storage system. The method may additionally comprise performing a copy-on-write operation for each intercepted write command, wherein copy-on-write data and metadata associated with each intercepted write command are recorded, the metadata including at least a timestamp associated with each intercepted write command.
US07849260B2
Proposed is a storage controller and its control method for speeding up the processing time in response to a command in a simple manner while reducing the load of a controller that received a command targeting a non-associated logical volume. This storage controller includes a plurality of controllers for controlling the input and output of data to and from a corresponding logical unit based on a command retained in a local memory, and the local memory stores association information representing the correspondence of the logical units and the controllers and address information of the local memory in each of the controllers of a self-system and another-system. Upon receiving a command sent from a host computer, the controller determines whether the target logical unit is associated with the controller of a self-system or another-system based on the association information, and, when the logical unit is associated with the other-system controller, the controller transfers and stores the command to and in the corresponding other-system controller based on the address information.
US07849255B2
A memory comprises at least one array of memory elements, a partition of the at least one array into a plurality of sub-arrays of the memory elements, and an array configuration circuit for selectively putting the at least one array in one of two operating configurations. In a first operating configuration, the memory elements of the at least one array are coupled one to another to form a monodimensional sequentially-accessible memory, while in a second operating configuration the memory elements in each sub-array are coupled to one another so as to form an independent monodimensional sequentially-accessible memory block, a data content of any memory element of the sub-array being rotatable by shifts through the memory elements of the sub-array. A sub-array selector, responsive to a first memory address, selects one among the at least two sub-arrays according to the first memory address, and enables access to the selected sub-array. A memory element access circuit, responsive to a second memory address, enables access to a prescribed memory element in the selected sub-array after a prescribed number of shifts of the data content of the memory elements in the selected sub-array depending on the second memory address.
US07849248B2
At least one first numbered phy of a first SAS expander is grouped with at least one second numbered phy of a second SAS expander physically separate from the first SAS expander into at least one common SAS wide port. An identical SAS address is assigned to the first SAS expander and the second SAS expander for operating the first SAS expander and the second SAS expander to behave and respond as a single, cohesive SAS expander. The first SAS expander is directly connected to the second SAS expander for inter-expander communications.
US07849244B2
An apparatus for resolving conflicts happened between two I2C slave devices with the same addressed address is provided. The apparatus is composed by all cheap electronic devices, so as to achieve a purpose of lowering a cost for design. In addition, in the apparatus for resolving conflicts happened between two I2C slave devices with the same addressed address of the invention, all the I2C slave devices are addressed by an I2C master device to perform the data transmission subsequently before a basic input/output system (BIOS) completes a power-on self-test (POST), but all the I2C slave devices are addressed by a system chip (for example, a baseboard management controller (BMC)) to perform the data transmission subsequently after the BIOS completes the POST. Therefore, the purpose of performing the data transmission for all the I2C slave devices on real time is achieved.
US07849238B2
The present invention is a multiple-apparatus connection system; the multiple-apparatus connection system comprises a USB port, a controller, and a voltage determining device. The USB port connects to a peripheral device. The voltage determining device connects to the USB port to generate a detection voltage signal. The controller receives the detection voltage signal and determines the type of the connected peripheral device according to the detection voltage signal.
US07849237B2
An interconnect configuration technology of making an access from an IP mounted on a semiconductor chip to an IP mounted on another semiconductor chip by transmitting and receiving a packet transferred through an interconnect built in a semiconductor chip among the chips using the 3D coupling technology. The device according to the technology has an initiator for transmitting an access request, a target for receiving the access request and transmitting an access response, a router for relaying the access request and the access response, and a 3D coupling circuit (three-dimensional transceiver) for performing communication with the outside, wherein the 3D coupling circuit is disposed adjacent to the router.
US07849236B2
A control equipment with a built-in communication apparatus is provided which realizes a delay required for communication without a software intervention while at the same time reducing a load of the communication processing. The control equipment with a communication apparatus includes: a communication device to communicate with a plurality of destinations; and a decision device to determine a mode requiring a reception completion interrupt and a mode not requiring the reception completion interrupt. If the decision device decides that the reception completion interrupt is not necessary, the communication device transmits data to one or more destinations and also virtually transmits data to a second destination different from the first intended destination.
US07849230B2
A request control apparatus and a request control method are configured such that when an A type request that is an overtaking acceptable request allowed to overtake and to be overtaken among the other requests is turned to a retry matter on a pipeline, a request-order control unit performs an information renewal such that the A type request is rearranged to a place immediately preceding a B type request that is an overtaking inhibited request inhibited to overtake or to be overtaken among the other requests, and a request fetching unit fetches requests from ports by using the information renewed by the request-order control unit. Moreover, the request-order control unit is configured to perform request order control per request source.
US07849227B2
Provided is a stream data processing method that can effectively handle delay data. In the stream data processing method of processing data whose lifetime is defined by a window, an operation result excluding a delay tuple is immediately output along with an unconfirmed flag according to delay processing HBT while a midway processing result necessary for reproduction is retained along with the lifetime, and when the delay tuple arrives, a correct processing result is calculated from the delay tuple and the processing result restore tuple.
US07849226B2
A viewer of television programming is alerted to the availability of content related to the programming (e.g. an associated Internet web page) by an icon momentarily displayed on the screen. Using a remote control, the viewer can select the icon. A control panel then appears, superimposed over the television image, and provides additional detail about the related content. By further operating the remote control, the viewer can select the associated content for viewing, or return to watching the television. Various other features and variations are disclosed.
US07849222B2
A method of synchronizing a plurality of content-directory service (CDS) devices is provided. The method includes retrieving and discovering N CDS devices in a home network by a control point (CP), transmitting a StartSync message that requests the start of synchronization to a certain CDS device of the N CDS devices by the CP, forwarding a StartPeerSync message that informs remaining N-1 CDS devices of the fact that synchronization will be started by the CDS device that has received the StartSync message, and synchronizing each of the N CDS devices with the remaining N-1 CDS devices, in a home network that includes N CDS devices that provide metadata of multimedia content existing in the home network, and the CP that receives metadata from the N CDS devices and requests the media renderer to replay the multimedia data.
US07849215B2
Methods, edge routers and an edge-router-refresh network signalling message used to update state information in edge routers. A data session is established on a path from a source towards a destination connected from the source via a plurality of Autonomous Systems (AS). The edge-router-refresh network signalling message is created by an edge router acting an an ingress edge router. The edge-router-refresh network signalling message comprises an identifier of the data session, an identifier of the edge router, which issued the edge-router-refresh message and an indication that the edge-router-refresh message is meant to be used by the edge routers present on the modified path. Optionally, the edge-router-refresh network signalling message further comprises a list of the plurality of AS traversed by the path before the modification.
US07849213B1
A trusted network system includes a data center, a gateway, and a trusted sender registry that provide a secure network to allow one or more user clients to generate and send communications to one or more recipients. The data center, gateway and trusted sender registry act independently and/or conjunctively to increase the likelihood that only desirable communications enter the secure network formed by the data center and bounded by the gateway. The systems and methods of the present invention drastically reduce spam and network resources as well as provide enhanced messaging, document management, and tracking features that make communications more meaningful and more versatile to senders and recipients.
US07849205B2
A method and apparatus turns a typical home telephone system into a platform for delivery of web based content and services. The preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a broadband enabled telephone system for the home and a series of web servers that collect, package, and deliver personalized content and services to all of the telephone handsets throughout the home. With this end-to-end solution, any information or services available via the web can be delivered through a broadband enabled telephone system. Through the web, each member of a family can build a profile which defines what information and services they want available through the handset. In addition, each handset can be dynamically personalized for any family member. The color screens on the handsets become windows through which an individual can view and interact with a broad range of content and services. The audio channels thus become an extension of the voice based services, such as messaging and voice chat.
US07849199B2
A method, apparatus and system for routing changes to information between a plurality of content nodes and a command memory of a content router. Content nodes may be user devices (such as mobile phones) and user accounts (such as email accounts). Content nodes may hold one or more content types such as email, contacts, tasks, events and library items. A command memory centralizes conflict detection, resolution and error handling within a content routing system.
US07849194B2
Method, computer program product and server computer system for use in a client server computer architecture. The server sends media assets over computer network to client computer and maintains file system organized into plurality of asset groups, each asset group comprising plurality of media assets, wherein media assets share storage medium bandwidth and storage space on server computer that is reserved for asset group to which plurality of media assets belong. An asset group placement policy module is provided that evaluates attributes of asset group to determine optimal placement of asset group within the file system of server computer system, avoiding replication of assets and spreading asset group across multiple file systems wherever possible. A media asset placement policy module is provided that evaluates asset bandwidth to determine optimal placement for asset and available resources and use this evaluation to distribute media assets within asset groups.
US07849185B1
A method for correlating event information comprises receiving a query associated with an attribute value of a detected event. The method continues by identifying a rule for determining the attribute value, the rule associated with a rule identifier. The method continues by identifying in a first table a rule update time associated with the rule. The method continues by determining attribute values for a plurality of detected events stored in a second table, wherein the plurality of detected events occurred after the rule update time and are associated with event identifiers. The method continues by storing in a third table the determined attribute values and the event identifiers. The method concludes by identifying in the third table one or more event identifiers associated with one or more attribute values that satisfy the query.
US07849178B2
A method, apparatus, and program product that facilitates the implementation of grid or distributed network computing by automatically organizing a group of computers into a hierarchical, or tree networked system. The computer servers are selected into subgroups with each subgroup selecting a server to act as its leader. The leader is responsible for reporting performance characteristics of the servers in the subgroup to a master catalog server housed in a centralized management facility. The hierarchical system contemplated by embodiments of the invention reduces the number of messages that must be sent between the servers in the system necessary to monitor and manage the system. This reduction in the number of messages that must be sent between the servers in the system reduces the amount of server resources dedicated to overhead monitoring and managing, freeing these resources to be dedicated to performing the common processing task that grid or distributed network system was established to perform.
US07849177B2
A roaming company makes payments to an aggregator of independent WLAN operators in exchange for providing Internet access services to subscribers of the roaming company. Independent WLAN operator accounts are maintained at the aggregation company.
US07849173B1
A roaming company makes payments to an aggregator of independent WLAN operators in exchange for providing Internet access services to subscribers of the roaming company. Independent WLAN operator accounts are maintained at the aggregation company.
US07849168B2
A network switching apparatus, a server system and a server migration method for the server system are provided which can perform server migration easily. The server system has a physical server, a physical server having a server virtualization mechanism, a network switching apparatus having a plurality of ports and a management server connected to the network switching apparatus for managing a server migration process for using a migration destination virtual server as the physical server of a migration source, wherein the management server has a migration mechanism for transmitting setting information to be designated to the plurality of ports to the network switching apparatus during the server migration process, and the network switching apparatus changes settings of the plurality of ports in accordance with the transmitted setting information on the plurality of ports.
US07849163B1
A system and method for transferring Very Large Files (VLFs) from a content provider to a requesting node over a network via a proxy are provided. The content provider processes a VLF to provide a chunked VLF. The chunked VLF includes a number of chunks each including a portion of the VLF. A transfer is initiated when a request for the VLF is sent from the requesting node to the proxy. The proxy then determines if any of the chunks of the chunked VLF are stored in proxy cache associated with the proxy. If not, the proxy directs the request to the content provider. In response, the content provider sends the chunks of the chunked VLF to the proxy. Upon receiving each of the chunks, the proxy stores the chunk in the proxy cache and sends the chunk to the requesting node.
US07849161B2
A system and methods are provided for remotely recovering and purging data from a wireless device in a communications network. The system includes a wireless device capable of executing a data recovery/purge application program for receiving a message from a communications device in the network. The application program retrieves the data in the wireless device, purges the data from the wireless device, and sends a return message, including the data retrieved from the wireless device, to the communications device.
US07849147B2
The present invention discloses a pre-processing summarization technique that makes use of knowledge specific to the electronic mail domain to pre-process an electronic mail message so that commercially-available document summarization software can subsequently generate a more useful summary from the message. The summarization technique removes extraneous headers, quoted text, forward information, and electronic signatures, leaving more useful text to be summarized. If an enclosing electronic mail thread exists, the summarization technique uses the electronic mail message's ancestors to provide additional context for summarizing the electronic mail message. The disclosed system can be used with IBM Lotus Notes and Domino infrastructure, along with existing single-document summarizer software, to generate a summary of the discourse activity in an electronic mail thread dynamically. The summary may be further augmented to list any names, dates, and names of companies that are present in the electronic mail message being summarized.
US07849146B2
Detecting and blocking spam messages using statistical analysis on distributions of message sizes for a given IP address. Mail volumes are examined to model a distribution of volumes to cluster IP addresses. The messages sizes may distributed across ranges of message sizes, which is then used to determine an entropy of message sizes for the given IP address. The entropy of the given IP address may be compared to entropies of known good IP addresses, and if a difference between the entropies is statistically significant, then the given IP address may be determined to be an IP spammer. User feedback may also be employed to further characterize an IP address. For example, a number of messages from the IP address may be sent to intended recipients. User feedback may then be monitored to determine whether to the IP address should be reclassified.
US07849137B2
A system and a method for facilitating interactions between users such as social interactions across computer networks such as the Internet are disclosed. In one embodiment herein, a plurality of distributed user computers, each user computer capable of accessing a webpage is provided. An interactive contribution widget (ICW) is provided that comprises an ICW server application for providing social interactions, and an ICW player for allowing the users to interact with each other. As per the embodiments of the invention, the ICW player is executed on a small space on the webpage being accessed by the user computer, thereby facilitating the users to interact with each other while staying on the said webpage.
US07849135B2
Sharing content among users of mobile devices is facilitated by a system and method that employs a content sharing application to receive requests to share content with one or more users of mobile devices. Content providers provide some of the information in such requests to share content by including, in addition to the content, links or other user-selectable options to share the content. A provided application program interface makes it easy for content providers to participate. Users of devices such as personal computers or mobile devices browse content and select content to share with friends or other users of mobile devices using an intuitive interface. Recipients of shared content receive messages from the content sharing application indicating that they have been selected to receive shared content. Such messages may provide direct or indirect access to the shared content via the recipient mobile device.
US07849119B2
An integrated circuit for pattern detection including: an arithmetic logic unit coupled to a comparison circuit, where the arithmetic logic unit is programmed by an opcode; a selected pattern of a plurality of patterns selected by a first multiplexer, where the first multiplexer is coupled to the comparison circuit; and a register coupled to the comparison circuit for storing at least a partial comparison between an output of the arithmetic logic unit and the selected pattern.
US07849110B2
A database garbage collector that removes appropriate database entries accessed during a recent transaction.
US07849108B1
In one embodiment, a system for converting a flat-file containing pooled endowment fund data into a fund management database is provided. The system comprises a client computer, an import template, and a server. The server further comprises a database and an import utility, wherein data is moved from a previous source to the import template on the client computer and sent to the server. The import utility receives, parses and rationalizes import template data, converts balances, loads historical data and configures a relational database for use. The system allows a user to create a relational database from a flat-file, such as a spreadsheet.
US07849099B2
A check-out document cannot be updated by another operator unless an operator who checked out that document cancels the check-out status or checks in the document. To remove this inconvenience, document data is set in an exclusive state with respect to another user, and a password required to cancel the exclusive state is generated. The exclusive state of the document data is canceled based on an instruction of a user who instructed the exclusive state or an instruction of the other user with the password, thus updating the document data.
US07849095B2
A method for finding sets of data (SDDs) for presentation in two-dimensions, which are similar to a target SDD, is invented. The method leverages a new category of signatures, called equivalence signatures, to characterize the SDDs. The equivalence signature is computed as the action for the motion of a string which sweeps out a sheet specified by the values of the digital data. These signatures have the salient feature that, at worst, they change in a bounded manner when small changes are made to the SDDs and when used to find SDDs that are similar to a target SDDs, they allow for a significant reduction in the number of SDDs to be compared with the target. This is an improvement over the state of the art wherein the computational expensive process of performing a complete search against the entire corpus must be applied.
US07849079B2
An information dissemination system ranks the search results based on a temporal weight assigned to each search result. The temporal weight is an indication of the importance to a user that varies with time. For each search result, the information dissemination system calculates a temporal weight that is based on the temporal proximity of the event that is related to the search result. The temporal weight may be used to re-rank the search results.
US07849073B2
Methods, systems, and apparatuses for improving performance of parallel database query plans are described. An exchange operator is positioned in a query tree. A child operator of the exchange operator is parallelized into a plurality of parallel child operators, each of the parallel child operators coupled to the exchange operator in a respective branch of a plurality of parallel branches of the query tree. An output of each of the plurality of parallel child operators may be buffered at the exchange operator. Furthermore, child operators of the plurality of parallel child operators may also be parallelized. Query plans of any form and containing any number of operators may be parallelized in this manner. Any number of parallel branches may be used, independent of the number of operators in the original plan. The parallelized query plans achieve effective load balancing across all branches.
US07849065B2
Embodiments are provided to manage information associated with a number of disparate information sources. Metadata and/or other information can be extracted from a file, data stream, or other information source. The extracted metadata and/or other information can be used when performing indexing and searching operations. In one embodiment, a system includes a data structure having a uniform metadata representation and metadata handler for interacting with the data structure. The data structure can be associated with an underlying file or some other information source. The embodiments provide extensibility and can be tailored according to a desired implementation.
US07849059B2
Systems and methods for managing electronic data are disclosed. Various data management operations can be performed based on a metabase formed from metadata. Such metadata can be identified from an index of data interactions generated by a journaling module, and obtained from their associated data objects stored in one or more storage devices. In various embodiments, such processing of the index and storing of the metadata can facilitate, for example, enhanced data management operations, enhanced data identification operations, enhanced storage operations, data classification for organizing and storing the metadata, cataloging of metadata for the stored metadata, and/or user interfaces for managing data. In various embodiments, the metabase can be configured in different ways. For example, the metabase can be stored separately from the data objects so as to allow obtaining of information about the data objects without accessing the data objects or a data structure used by a file system.
US07849054B2
A method and system creates and maintains a version-specific attribute or property that is stored as part of a file in a file system, contains specific version information relating to how or when the attribute was created and is automatically invalidated when a predetermined “update” event occurs. Third party applications generally create and access these versions-specific attributes to thereby eliminate the need for external logs or databases to store persistent state information.
US07849047B2
Methods and systems to analyze domain rules based on domain coverage of the domain rules are provided. First, the system receives a first plurality of data items from a database utilized by an information storage and retrieval platform, respectively counting the first plurality of data items to determine a total quantity of data items. Next, the system applies a plurality of rules to the first plurality of data items to identify a second plurality of data items associated with a first domain based on the respective rule, respectively counting the first plurality of data items to determine a first quantity of data items. Next, the system determines a percentage of coverage for the first domain, the percentage of coverage based on the first quantity of data items and the total quantity of data items. Next, the system represents the percentage of coverage as a first interface element within an interface.
US07849046B2
The system includes at least one server, at least one query terminal and at least one answer terminal. The query terminal can utilize the online consultation apparatus of the invention, and transmit at least one query and a coordinate point of the query terminal to the server based on the position of the query terminal. The server then actively transmits the query to the potential answer terminals in the vicinity of the coordinate point of the query terminal. Accordingly, the query terminal could obtain at least one response/answer and a coordinate point of the answer terminal through the server.
US07849044B2
A system and method for automatic task prioritization comprises one or more task queues, a monitoring module, and a decision engine. The decision engine receives tasks and assigns a priority code to each task. Each task is inserted into one of the task queues according to its priority code and the priority codes of other tasks which may be present in the task queues. Agents select tasks to perform from the task queue according to priority guidelines established by a system user. The monitoring module may monitor the order of the tasks selected by the agents and each task's priority code. The monitoring module feeds this information back to the decision module. In one embodiment, the decision module is a learning system that updates stored data using feedback from the monitoring module to determine priority of each task.
US07849034B2
A method of emulating the human brain with its thought and rationalization processes is presented here, as well as a method of storing human-like thought. The invention provides for inclusion of psychological profiles, experience and societal position in an electronic emulation of the human brain. This permits a realistic human-like response by that emulation to the people and the interactive environment around it.
US07849032B1
A method, system, and computer program product provides automated determination of the size of the sample that is to be used in training a neural network data mining model that is large enough to properly train the neural network data mining model, yet is no larger than is necessary. A method of performing training of a neural network data mining model comprises the steps of: a) providing a training dataset for training an untrained neural network data mining model, the first training dataset comprising a plurality of rows of data, b) selecting a row of data from the training dataset for performing training processing on the neural network data mining model, c) computing an estimate of a gradient or cost function of the neural network data mining model, d) determining whether the gradient or cost function of the neural network data mining model has converged, based on the computed estimate of the gradient or cost function of the neural network data mining model, e) repeating steps b)-d), if the gradient or cost function of the neural network data mining model has not converged, and f) updating weights of the neural network data mining model, if the gradient or cost function of the neural network data mining model has converged.
US07849018B1
Recording information used in determining a licensing fee related payment is disclosed. An application is provided without a component associated with the application, where the component is associated with a licensing fee. Information associated with obtaining the component for use with the application is received. At least some of the received information is recorded, where the recorded information is used in determining licensing fee related payment to be paid for the component.
US07849015B2
Provided is an electronic postal money order system and method comprising the purchase and fulfillment of a money order, having the steps of inputting, through a computer, money order identifying data, comprising at least the amount of the money order and addressee data and inputting payment authorization data through a payment authorization terminal. The system also transmits the money order identifying data and payment authorization data to a central server, authenticates the payment authorization data and, upon such authentication, prints a money order corresponding to the inputted money order identifying data and mails the money order to the addressee.
US07849006B2
A method for paying for an auction item at least partially using an online payment system by a payor to compensate a payee includes receiving at a host computer system payment information relating to a transaction. The payment information includes comprising at least a payee identifier, a first payment amount, and an auction identifier. The auction identifier relates to an auction that was won by the payor that was for the auction item. The method also includes generating a transaction identifier at the host computer system and transmitting the transaction identifier to the payor. The method further includes receiving at a retail location a payment and using the transaction identifier to relate the payment to the transaction. The method further includes making a second payment amount available to the payee. The second payment amount may be based on the payment.
US07848995B2
The financial decision system provides for real-time calculation of buying pressure and selling pressure for any tradable instrument market. Additionally, it provides real-time visual simultaneous plots and charts of buying pressure and selling pressure. Further, the system automatically presents buy and sell indicators and expert commentary based on automatically detected market trend changes. The system automatically analyzes market trends and changes in multiple timeframes simultaneously to identify, in real time, multiple confirmations of suggested trading actions, such as buying or selling. The system also encompasses training materials and methods necessary for teaching concepts and methods of usage to improve the likelihood of success for new users.
US07848992B2
A method and system for managing and selling investments via electronic means. An investor can establish sell order criteria based upon a preset desired rate of return. The broker thereby monitors the investment and automatically sells it on behalf of the investor once the prescribed sell order criteria are met. The investor can effectively lock in a rate of return prior to its sale without monitoring. Also provided is a method and system for returning to the investor a portion of the initial investment. Once the investment reaches a predetermined value, three simultaneous events occur. A portion or all the initial invested capital is returned to the investor for purposes of reinvestment. The investment instrument is transferred to the broker as collateral, given that its value appreciated relative to the initial purchase amount. Yet the investor still owns the “rights” to the capital appreciation for the life of the investment.
US07848991B1
A system and method are provided for implementing an electronic exchange-based transaction message policy. One example method includes defining a message usage threshold to be used in relation to a client entity that utilizes one or more trading strategies and sends transaction messages to an electronic exchange. The method further includes dynamically monitoring the message usage at the client entity and comparing it to the defined message usage threshold. If the message usage exceeds the threshold limit, the method includes adjusting one or more trading strategies at the client entity in attempt to not violating the exchange-based transaction message policy.
US07848989B2
A computer implemented data processing system and method administers a deferred variable annuity contract during the accumulation phase for a relevant life. The annuity contract has a payment base value, a contract value, and a step-up provision. Administration of the product determines whether a step-up of the payment base value is applicable. If applicable, the product determines a step-up, wherein the step-up is guaranteed at a predetermined percentage. The investments of the deferred variable annuity contract are not limited to a specific asset allocation in order to qualify for the step-up provision.
US07848982B2
A method, apparatus and system of method and system of aggregating consideration associated with a request is disclosed. In one embodiment, a method includes generating a request (e.g., may include a performance request, an article request, a mission and/or an altruistic request) of an entity based on a set of parameters provided by an initiating patron of the entity, allocating an initial consideration to the request from the initiating patron, generating a profile of the request having the initial consideration in a request aggregation environment and allocating, to the initial consideration, an additional consideration provided when a different patron contributes the additional consideration to the request. The method may include determining whether contact information of the entity provided by the initiating patron and the different patron references to a verified contact data and communicating the request to the entity based on the contact information and the verified contact data.
US07848980B2
Methods and systems are disclosed for allowing financial transactions to be conducted using mobile phones. A payer initiates a transaction by sending a payment request message from a mobile phone which specifies the payee and amount to be paid. Payees are identified by unique aliases, which are maintained in a database. Methods for assembling the enrollment and alias database are included.
US07848953B2
In one embodiment, an order pertaining to one or more items available at multiple inventory locations associated with an organization is received, and a preference order fulfillment list is created for the multiple inventory locations based on one or more criteria configurable by the organization.
US07848952B2
A system and method are described for increasing advance orders for goods or services. In one embodiment, the method comprises receiving advance orders for a product with a specified release date from a plurality of buyers and moving up the release date if a goal is met, wherein the goal is based at least in part on the number of advance orders received.
US07848946B2
A statistical system and method for filters sales history to yield two demand series—one that is time insensitive (i.e. function of price and promotional activities only) and another that is price & promotional activities insensitive (i.e. function of temporal factors only). Once this task is completed, then specialized econometric techniques can be used to model the former and specialized time series techniques can be used to model the latter. In one embodiment, the present invention provides method and related system comprising the iterative steps of: mapping definitions of sales data; time slotting of the sales data; aggregating the sales data; initial estimating of a trend in the sales data; computing de-trended sales history using the trend estimate; regressing to remove price, seasonal, and marketing instruments effects; removing the estimated seasonal, price and marketing instrument effects from the sales data; re-estimating trend effects from the sales data having the removed estimated seasonal, price and marketing instrument effects; and computing a de-trended and de-seasonalized sales data.
US07848943B2
To support a purchase or a production of a product by accurately predicting a sold amount of the product. A system that supports a purchase or a production of a product, the system including an input section for accepting an input of a history of a supplied amount and a sold amount of the products, a function generating section for representing a conditional probability function showing probability distribution of a sold amount when the sold amount is restricted by the supplied amount by means of a potential demand probability function including a parameter showing probability distribution of the sold amount when it is supposed that the sold amount is not restricted by the supplied amount and computing a value of the parameter maximizing a value of a likelihood function of the conditional probability function using the input history as a sample to generate the potential demand probability function, and a supplied amount computing section for computing a supplied amount of the product maximizing a profit by a sale of the product, based on the generated potential demand probability function and a predetermined selling price and supplying price of the product, and outputting the amount as a quantity of the product to be purchased or produced.
US07848942B2
A process modeling tool provides a process designer with the ability to design an integrated business process model that includes a series of tasks for achieving a desired result. The process modeling tool allows the process designer to associate sub-sets of the tasks with entities who will perform the task sub-sets, and to extract distributed process models that each include one of the task sub-sets from the integrated process model for distribution to, and execution, by, the various entities. The distributed process models execute independently and in synchronization with one another, and transfer control therebetween as necessary to achieve the result of the integrated process model. Accordingly, the process designer is allowed to use established techniques for the design, verification, and monitoring of the integrated process model, while the entities are allowed to use local process enactment engines for implementing their portion of the overall process.
US07848940B1
A conditional purchase offer (CPO) management system, including bounce back capability, provides for receiving CPOs from one or more customers, such as airline passengers, and for evaluating the received CPOs against a number of CPO rules defined by a plurality of sellers, such as airlines, to determine whether a principal (any seller, agent or operator of the CPO management system) is willing to accept a given CPO. A customer whose CPO has been accepted may receive a bounce back offer from a vendor (supplier-partner) of other services or products—e.g., an automobile rental. The bounce back process determines whether a supplier-partner can participate in a bounce back transaction. For example, in the case of an airline passenger in need of an automobile rental, the bounce back process determines whether an automobile rental company is located in the flight destination area and has excess capacity. If an automobile rental company is located in the customer's destination area and has excess capacity, a bounce back offer may be made to the customer in accordance with a supplier-partner allocation process. If a bounce back transaction is effectuated between the customer and supplier-partner the partner notifies the principal of the transaction. In the case of automobile rentals, the bounce back process permits a traveler to recognize reduced automobile rental rates while enabling a rental agency to more effectively manage its excess capacity. The CPO management system employing bounce back capability can be utilized to acquire any underlying product and/or service and bounce back product and/or service.
US07848932B2
A stereo audio encoding apparatus capable of preventing degradation of the sound quality of a decoded signal, while reducing the encoding bit rate. A spatial information analyzer analyzes spatial information for each of a L channel signal and an R channel signal. A similarity raiser corrects, based on an analysis result of the spatial information analyzer, a difference between the spatial information of the L channel signal and that of the R channel signal, to raise a similarity between the L and R channel signals. A channel signal encoder uses a sound source common to the two channels to encode the L and R channel signals as raised in similarity and output the resultant single encoded information. A spatial information encoder encodes the analysis result of the spatial information analyzer to output the resultant encoded information.
US07848926B2
A speech recognition system is provided where a user may more efficiently and easily correct a recognition error resulting from speech recognition. The system compares multiple inputted words with multiple stored words and determines a most-competitive word candidate. The system selects one or more competitive words that have competitive probabilities close to the competitive probability of the most-competitive word candidate and displays the one or more competitive words adjacent to the most-competitive word candidate. The system selects an appropriate correction word from the one or more competitive words and replaces one of the most competitive word candidate with the correction word.
US07848924B2
An apparatus for providing voice conversion using temporal dynamic features includes a feature extractor and a transformation element. The feature extractor may be configured to extract dynamic feature vectors from source speech. The transformation element may be in communication with the feature extractor and configured to apply a first conversion function to a signal including the extracted dynamic feature vectors to produce converted dynamic feature vectors. The first conversion function may have been trained using at least dynamic feature data associated with training source speech and training target speech. The transformation element may be further configured to produce converted speech based on an output of applying the first conversion function.
US07848922B1
An apparatus and method for encoding and decoding a voice signal. The apparatus includes an encoder configured to generate an output bitstream signal from an input voice signal. The output bitstream signal is associated with at least a first standard of a first plurality of CELP voice compression standards. Additionally, the apparatus includes a decoder configured to generate an output voice signal from an input bitstream signal. The input bitstream signal is associated with at least a first standard of a second plurality of CELP voice compression standards. The CELP encoder includes a plurality of codec-specific encoder modules. Additionally, the CELP encoder includes a plurality of generic encoder modules. The CELP decoder includes a plurality of codec-specific decoder modules. Additionally, the CELP decoder includes a plurality of generic decoder modules.
US07848915B2
A concept-based back translation system includes a target language semantic parser module, a source language semantic parser module, a bi-directional machine translation module, a relevancy judging module, and a back translation display module.
US07848912B2
A computer simulation method is disclosed for simulating an electrical cable having a stranded conductor surrounded by a conductor shield encased in an insulation jacket and having an interstitial void volume in the region of the conductor injected with a fluid composition comprising at least one dielectric enhancement fluid component so as to at least partially fill the interstitial void volume at an initial time. The simulation method comprises for a selected length of the simulated cable, defining a plurality of radially arranged finite volumes extending the selected length of the simulated cable, and estimating the radial temperature of each finite volume. For a selected time period after the initial time, performing a series of steps at least once and outputting or otherwise using the value of the new concentration for the dielectric enhancement fluid component within each finite volume.
US07848895B2
Stress rotation due to depletion can be estimated in reservoirs having an impermeable reservoir boundary. More specifically, the isotropic change in stress due to depletion, and the uniaxial stress resulting from a change in pore pressure across an impermeable boundary are both modeled as perturbations to an initial stress state. These perturbations can result in a rotation of the principal stress directions. Estimates of the stress rotation are helpful for hydraulic fracturing operations, because fracture tends to occur in a plane perpendicular to the least principal stress.
US07848888B2
The present invention provides a method for screening for the effect of a test agent on a population of biological specimens, preferably insects, comprising the steps of providing a population of specimens, administering at least one test agent to the population, creating a digitized movie showing the movements of members of the population, measuring at least one trait of members of the population, and correlating the traits of the population with the effect of the test agent. The invention also provides a method for preparing a medicament useful for the treatment of a mammalian disease.
US07848886B2
A collision prediction ECU of a collision prediction apparatus estimates a state of presence of a detected front obstacle. At this time, the collision prediction ECU estimates the state of presence on the basis of road shape data supplied from a navigation ECU of a navigation apparatus. Further, the collision prediction ECU checks and corrects the calculated road gradient value. At this time, the collision prediction ECU corrects the gradient value on the basis of road gradient data supplied from the navigation ECU. Further, the collision prediction ECU changes a collision avoidance time on the basis of travel environment data supplied from the navigation ECU. Moreover, the collision prediction ECU obtains an ETC gate pass-through signal from the navigation ECU and determines whether the vehicle is passing through the gate. The collision prediction apparatus performs collation prediction on the basis of the corrected values.
US07848881B2
A system is provided for tracking and maintaining an inventory of location of containers that are stored on cargo ships or in a container yard. The system includes one or more sensors, such as GPS and INS sensors for obtaining real-time position information, as well as a processor configured to automatically provide post processing to recover lost data and to correct erroneous data, such as when real-time position signals are blocked or distorted, the post processing performed by estimating trajectories and correcting the location errors. Post-processed positioning techniques are continuously applied to the stored position data to iteratively determine calibrated position locations to provide calibrated second trajectory segments in a real-time fashion. The calibrated second trajectories are then used to identify the errors in the past real-time position data as soon as a segment of the second calibrated trajectory becomes statistically trustworthy. Corrections can be automatically made in inventory locations stored in a database to correct position errors for the containers.
US07848878B2
Provided is a geographic information transceiving system and method using a digital broadcasting network. The system and method segments new geographic and map data of a region, on which a geographic information service is provided, makes data segment files of different sizes, and multiplexes and transmits the files. A geographic information transmitting system includes: a geographic information collector for receiving real-time geographic information and real-time traffic information; a geographic information processor for extracting/processing local geographic information and local traffic information from the geographic information collecting means and outputting whole area information, geographic information and traffic information for a plurality of resolution levels; a digital broadcasting unit for converting and transmitting the geographic information/traffic information data in conformity to digital broadcast signals; a geographic information multiplexer for multiplexing the geographic information/traffic information data; and a transmitter for transmitting the multiplexed geographic information/traffic information data to a corresponding region.
US07848871B2
This apparatus equally divides an injection period TAU into three periods; i.e., front, intermediate, and rear periods, and assumes that first injection (mass Q(1)) corresponding to the “front period” is executed at one time at a fuel injection start timing, second injection (mass Q(2)) corresponding to the “intermediate period” is executed at one time when ⅓ TAU has elapsed after the first injection, and third injection (mass Q(3)) corresponding to the “rear period” is executed at one time when ⅓ TAU has elapsed after the second injection. A first gas mixture based on the first injection, a second gas mixture based on the second injection, and a third gas mixture based on the third injection are individually handled, and the excess air ratio of gas mixture, the state (temperature, etc.) of gas mixture, and the emission generation amounts in gas mixture are estimated for each gas mixture.
US07848862B2
An on-vehicle device with a storage unit that includes a transfer unit that transfers data stored in the storage unit to another on-vehicle device of equal capability that is also equipped with a storage unit. In the on-vehicle device, the transfer unit is configured by a data transfer jack provided to each of the on-vehicle device and the another on-vehicle device, and a data transfer cable for connecting the transfer jacks.
US07848859B2
A device and a method for evaluating a sensor signal indicating the position of an accelerator pedal of a motor vehicle. For this purpose, the device compares the sensor signal to a first comparison level, and an idle state is ascertained if the first comparison level is undershot. When a start of the motor vehicle from rest is detected, a departure from the idle state is inferred if a second comparison level, which is lower than the first comparison level, is exceeded.
US07848853B2
A system and method are provided to control hydronic systems having a plurality of on-demand sources, semi-on-demand sources, and intermittent sources that are fluidly or thermally coupled to a plurality of load zones. The hydronic system device obtains performance measurements for system components to provide system metrics, including failure diagnostics, energy capture, and usage optimization. The hydronic system device may also calculate British Thermal Units produced and used by the plurality of sources and loads to calculate incentives, including renewable energy credits.
US07848849B2
A controller of a leg type moving robot determines an action force to be input to an object dynamic model 2 such that a motion state amount (object model velocity) of the object dynamic model 2 follows a desired motion state amount based on a moving plan of an object, and also determines a manipulated variable of the motion state amount (object model velocity) of the object dynamic model 2 such that the difference between an actual object position and a desired object position approximates zero, and then inputs the determined action force and manipulated variable to the object dynamic model 2 to sequentially determine the desired object position. Further, a desired object reaction force to a robot from the object is determined from the determined reaction force. This arrangement causes the robot to perform an operation of moving an object while securing stability of the robot by determining the desired motion of the object and the desired value of an action force between the object and the robot while minimizing the difference between a motion state of the object on the object dynamic model and an actual motion state.
US07848844B2
A grinding method wherein the correlation between the amount of inertial grinding occurring in performing spark-out by a grinding unit and the maximum load current in a motor of the grinding unit is grasped, and a correction value for the amount of inertial grinding corresponding to the maximum load current is preliminarily obtained. When the wafer thickness measured by a thickness measuring gauge has reached the sum of a desired value and the correction value (=the amount of inertial grinding) corresponding to the maximum load current, the spark-out is started. Accordingly, the wafer thickness becomes the desired value after the inertial grinding in performing the spark-out.
US07848842B2
A sewing machine including a needle-swing mechanism that swings a needle bar; a cloth-feed mechanism that feeds a workpiece cloth by a feed dog; an imaging unit that captures an image of a baseline drawn on a surface of the workpiece cloth; a baseline-color detection portion that detects a baseline color of the baseline based on an image data of the baseline captured by the imaging unit; a first storage portion storing a mapping of a plurality of baseline colors to stitch data of a plurality of normal patterns; and a control portion that forms normal pattern stitches along the baseline by reading stitch data corresponding to the baseline color detected by the baseline-color detection portion from the first storage portion and controlling the needle-swing mechanism and the cloth-feed mechanism based on the stitch data read.
US07848841B2
Customers obtain customized textile materials by selecting style, shape, size, pattern and color for an undyed textile product. Based on a selection made by the customer, the textile product is transformed by a dyeing operation performed on a single item to yield a product, such as a shirt, pants, or jacket, which has a color and pattern of his or her own choosing, in the size and style he or she desires. The process can be performed in a retail setting using a dye machine which allows the process to be viewed by the customer. Preferably, the textile material is constructed from yarns which include cationic cotton alone or in combination with natural cotton or other natural or synthetic fibers, and using anionic dyes, such as a fiber reactive dye, such that the dye is exhausted during the process and effluent from the dye machine is environmentally friendly without excess dye, salts, and alkalis.
US07848840B2
Methods and systems for adaptively controlling process parameters in semiconductor manufacturing equipment. An embodiment provides for gain scheduling of PID controllers across recipe steps. One embodiment provides a method for controlling a chuck temperature during a semiconductor manufacturing process, the method employing a first set of proportional-integral-derivative (PID) values in a PID controller to control the chuck temperature at a first setpoint in a first step of a process recipe and employing a second set of PID values in the PID controller to control the chuck temperature at a second setpoint, different than the first setpoint, in a second step of the process recipe. The methods and systems provide reduced controller response times where process parameter setpoint between steps of a process recipe span a wide range.
US07848835B2
A pulsed DUV workpiece treatment apparatus and method for delivering light to irradiate the workpiece, for crystallization of a material on the workpiece, carried on a work stage, which may comprise a pulsed laser DUV light source and an optical train producing a very narrow width very elongated beam of light pulses with a set of parameters required to be maintained within a respective selected narrow range of values on a pulse to pulse basis is disclosed, which may comprise: a laser controller; a work stage controller; a system controller receiving process recipe control demands from a customer recipe control command generator and providing control signals to the laser controller and the workstage controller, which may comprise: a database driven process controller which may comprise: a database containing generic process command steps selectable by a user through an external process user interface.
US07848834B2
A computer system used for carrying out engineering tasks as a part of an engineering project. The system includes a plurality of client computers and one or more server computers accessible by the client computers via a communications network. Distributed across these computers is a multi-tiered software system that includes system programs, application programs, and database programs. The system programs include a system objects module, a job manager module, an event manager module, and a workbook module. The system objects module provides security and authentication services. The application programs carry out at least some of the engineering tasks. The job manager module manages use of the application programs. The event manager module receives and distributes notifications between at least some of the modules. The workbook module provides a user of the application programs with engineering information related to one or more of the engineering tasks.
US07848832B2
To be able to restrain a height of a machine even when the machine is large-sized and smoothly move a table in XYθ directions.An alignment apparatus includes two translational freedom degree guide portion (13), one rotational freedom degree guide portion (12), a translational drive/translational/rotational freedom degree mechanism module (6) including a linear motor provided at one of the translational freedom degree guide portion (13), a machine base portion (7), a reference generator portion (8), a two-dimensional position sensor (9), a calculating portion of compensation value (10). At least three of the translational drive/translational/rotational freedom degree mechanism modules (6) are uniformly arranged to a table (4).
US07848830B1
A system (10) for carrying out transactions between a customer at a customer station (14, 21, 202, 204) and a service provider at a service provider station (12, 194), includes transferring items through transaction devices such as pneumatic carrier delivery and receiving device (21, 200) and a deal drawer (20, 208). The customer at the customer station provides inputs corresponding to a financial account through input devices on the body which is stored in the memory (82, 158) on the body. After transfer to the service provider station, data in the memory is output to a charge device (56) which is operative to assess a charge to the customer's account responsive to data output from the memory. Vehicle sensors (230, 234) sense a vehicle adjacent the respective transaction device. At least one computer calculates at least one time value corresponding to each vehicle and stores the at least one time value and other data values concerning the respective transaction.
US07848823B2
Some embodiments of pacing systems employ wireless electrode assemblies to provide pacing therapy. The wireless electrode assemblies may wirelessly receive energy via an inductive coupling so as to provide electrical stimulation to the surrounding heart tissue. In certain embodiments, the wireless electrode assembly may be pivotable so that the proximal end of the wireless electrode assembly may be shifted to a position against the heart wall after the distal end has been secured to the heart wall.
US07848811B2
A system and method determines the posture of a body. The system is first calibrated by attaching it to, or implanted it into, a body, placing the body in particular postures, and generating spectral signatures for each of those postures. Thereafter, the system generates spectral signatures for particular instants in time, correlates these instant signatures with the stored signatures, from which the posture of the body at that instant in time is determined.
US07848798B2
Method and sensor assembly determining the condition of a structure, especially for confirming if a measured fingerprint is on a live finger, by measuring characteristics of close to the structure surface, the sensor comprising a first pair of current supply electrodes coupled to a current source, providing an electrical current to the skin, at least two pickup electrodes at chosen and different positions relative to the current supply electrodes, at least a first of said pickup electrodes being coupled to an instrument for measuring the voltage between said first pickup electrode and at least one of the pickup or current supply electrodes, storage means for a predetermined set of values characterizing a certain condition of the surface, and means for comparing the characteristics from each pickup electrode with the measurements of the other pickup electrodes and with the predetermined set of characteristics for determining the surface condition.
US07848795B2
The invention relates to a mechanism for determining the depth of sleep of a subject. In order to obtain information about the continuum of the depth of sleep in a user-friendly way without a need for high computational power, EEG signal data is obtained from a subject, REM sleep periods of the subject are detected, and a measure indicative of irregularity in the EEG signal data is derived. Based on the measure and the depicted REM sleep periods, a sleep depth index and state information are produced, where the index is indicative of the depth of sleep of the subject and the state information indicates whether or not the EEG signal data is obtained during a REM sleep period. The detection of the REM periods may be based on a bioimpedance measured from EEG electrodes simultaneously with the EEG measurement or on EOG signal data measured from the subject.
US07848791B2
In one aspect, the invention relates to an imaging probe. The imaging probe includes an elongate body having a proximal end and distal end, the elongate body adapted to enclose a portion of a slidable optical fiber, the optical fiber having a longitudinal axis; and a first optical assembly attached to a distal end of the fiber. The first optical assembly includes a beam director adapted to direct light emitted from the fiber to a plane at a predetermined angle to the longitudinal axis, a linear actuator disposed at the proximal portion of the elongated body, the actuator adapted to affect relative linear motion between the elongate body and the optical fiber; and a second optical assembly located at the distal portion of the elongate body and attached thereto, the second optical assembly comprising a reflector in optical communication with the first optical assembly, the reflector adapted to direct the light to a position distal to the elongate body.
US07848790B2
A system and method of medical imaging using a variable speed patient positioning table are provided. The patient positioning table is configured to operate at a plurality of table speeds during acquisition of data from a selected region, such as the thorax region baying predefined cardiac and non-cardiac regions. In a non-cardiac region, the table is controlled to move at one speed and when the cardiac region is detected, the table is controlled to move at another speed, preferably faster than in the cardiac region to speed data acquisition and eliminate motion artifacts.
US07848788B2
Herein is disclosed a magnetic resonance imaging probe, having a probe shaft including a magnetic resonance antenna, and a spring tip attached to a distal end of the antenna.
US07848784B2
An apparatus and method of saving power using location information, which can control power consumption of a mobile terminal in a sparse cell environment is provided. The power saving apparatus using location information comprises a transceiver for receiving a location information set from a base station having the stored location information set, a controller for receiving the location information set from the transceiver, and activating any one of a plurality of modes by using the location information set, where each of the plurality of modes utilizes a different power consumption level.
US07848761B2
A telecommunications system includes a plurality of network clients (150) including a positioning controller (504) and a communications controller (502); and a positioning server (152) including a coordinating controller (161) for maintaining a database of network clients to be tracked and provide updates of position-related information to a presence server (104). The plurality of network clients (150) are configured to transmit position information received via the positioning controller (504) to the positioning server (104) using the communications controller (502).
US07848759B2
A frequency planning method for use in an IEEE 802.11 wireless network is described. The frequency planning method obtains traffic load information associated with access points belonging to a multi-cell wireless network and assigns channels to the access points based on the traffic load information.
US07848758B1
Methods and systems are provided for dynamic allocation of carrier frequencies in wireless wide area networks (WWANs). A first base station among a plurality of base stations in a WWAN determines that a level of load in a wireless coverage area exceeds a load threshold, and responsively (i) obtains a first keycode from a keycode library, wherein the first keycode then becomes unavailable to the other base stations of the plurality of base stations, (ii) identifies a carrier frequency, and (iii) uses the first keycode to activate the identified carrier frequency in the wireless coverage area.
US07848755B2
In an Automatic Repeat reQuest (ARQ) method for recovering ARQ data by a target base station when handover of a mobile terminal is performed from a serving base station to the target base station in a portable Internet system is provided. First ARQ data, which includes a first service data unit (SDU), a first ARQ block sequence number, and a first sub-ARQ block sequence number, that are buffered in the serving base station are received and second ARQ data, which includes a second SDU, are received from the serving base station. The received first SDU is divided into ARQ blocks and is transmitted to the mobile terminal; and the received second SDU is divided into the ARQ blocks and is transmitted to the mobile terminal.
US07848746B2
A first processing device, which may be, for example, a wireless authentication token or an RFID tag, comprises a memory, a processor coupled to the memory, and interface circuitry coupled to the processor. The processor is operative to control the output of authentication information via the interface circuitry, where the authentication information comprises a sequence of values corresponding to images of a hash chain. A given one of the values of the sequence is utilized by a second processing device to generate a modified value suitable for providing joint authentication of the first and second processing devices.
US07848741B2
One or more electromagnetic energy measurements are generated. Each of these measurements corresponds to an available communications bandwidth for a communications device and indicates a frequency of a radio frequency (RF) signal source. From these measurement(s), one or more interference sources are identified. These measurements may include a series of electromagnetic energy measurements over a predetermined time period. An interference source may be identified when each measurement in the series of electromagnetic energy measurements indicates an RF energy source at the same frequency. Each of these measurements may be stored. In addition, statistics regarding these measurements may be generated.
US07848733B2
A wireless location system may include geolocation of a wireless device connected to Voice-over-Internet-Protocol (VoIP) adapter. The VoIP adapter may include a wireless transceiver or a wireless location determining receiver that facilitates the location of a wireless device connected to the VoIP adapter. The wireless transceiver or the location determining receiver may provide location information to an emergency dispatcher.
US07848728B2
A broadband balanced frequency converter (“BBFC”) in signal communication with a frequency source is disclosed. The BBFC may include a mixer and an active balancing element in signal communication with the mixer.
US07848724B2
An integrated communications system. Comprising a substrate having a receiver disposed on the substrate for converting a received signal to an IF signal. Coupled to a VGA for low voltage applications and coupled to the receiver for processing the IF signal. The VGA includes a bank pair having a first bank of differential pairs of transistors and a second bank of differential pairs of transistors. The bank pair is cross-coupled in parallel, the IF signal is applied to the bank pair decoupled from a control signal used to control transconductance output gain of the bank pair over a range of input voltages. A digital IF demodulator is disposed on the substrate and coupled to the VGA for low voltage applications, for converting the IF signal to a demodulated baseband signal. And a transmitter is disposed on the substrate operating in cooperation with the receiver to establish a two way communications path.
US07848723B2
An information processing apparatus executes processing based on received information conforming to IEEE 802.11n, and includes: an incident angle measuring unit acquiring a received signal and measuring an incident angle of the received signal's radio wave; a reliability estimating unit estimating reliability of a measurement result of the incident angle, by analyzing a state of occurrence of fading using a relationship between frequency and signal intensity of the received signal; and a processing unit executing or controlling processing utilizing the measurement result of the incident angle. The processing unit executes or controls the processing utilizing the measurement result of the incident angle if the estimating unit judges that the reliability of the measurement result of the incident angle is high, and prohibits the processing utilizing the measurement result of the incident angle if the estimating unit judges that the reliability of the measurement result of the incident angle is low.
US07848706B2
A receiver includes a receiving unit for scanning a dedicated signaling channel for the presence of an announcement signal. The announcement signal indicates a transmitter willing to access a transmission medium. The receiving unit is further operative to receive a data signal from a further transmitter on a dedicated traffic channel. Furthermore, the receiver includes an interference estimator for estimating, whether an interference caused by a new transmitter is allowable or not. A processor is provided for applying an interference counter-measure, when the interference is not allowable. A transmitter can, without any limitation, transmit the announcement signal. The transmitter will start transmitting, when it receives a ready-to-receive signal from the addressed receiver and when it does not receive an objection tone from another receiver in the network.
US07848697B2
A sheet processing apparatus including: a conveying unit, which conveys a sheet; a stacking unit on which the conveyed sheet is stacked; a processing unit, which processes the stacked sheet; a buffering unit, which allows the sheet conveyed to the stacking unit by the conveying unit to pass, and buffers a predetermined number of sheets to be passed during an operation of the processing unit; a transferring unit, which receives the buffer sheets and transfers the predetermined number of buffer sheets from the buffering unit to the stacking unit; and a controlling unit, which controls a sheet conveying speed to make a speed when the transferring unit transfers the buffer sheet lower than a speed when the transferring unit receives the buffer sheets to prevent the sheet conveyed by the conveying unit from interfering the transferring unit during an operation of transferring the sheet.
US07848694B2
An image forming device including toner image forming means that forms toner images on the surface of an image carrier, transfer means that transfers the toner images on the surface of the image carrier onto a transfer member, and a plate shaped cleaning blade. The cleaning blade is configured to contact the surface of the image carrier at a pressure of greater than 40 N/m and to scrape off residual toner remaining on the surface of the image carrier after the transfer process by the transfer means has been completed. The surface of the image carrier has a static coefficient of friction with a sheet as measured by the Euler belt type coefficient of friction measurement method of 0.5 or greater, and the cleaning blade has a static coefficient of friction with a polytetrafluoroethylene tape in the range 1.0 to 2.0.
US07848690B2
A color registration method of an image forming apparatus, including forming a plurality of front detection marks corresponding to a plurality of colors on a transfer belt, forming a first rear detection mark to at least one of the plurality of colors, except at least one of the plurality of colors, using a color registration reference, and performing auto color registration (ACR) to align the colors on the basis of the first rear detection mark.
US07848686B2
A developing device uses a two-component developer including at least carriers and toners. The toners are supplied to an image bearing member bearing an electrostatic latent image so that a toner image is developed from the electrostatic latent image. The developing device has a developing roller arranged to oppose the image bearing member; and a magnetic roller arranged to oppose the developing roller. The magnetic roller retains the two-component developer to supply toners to the developing roller. The developing roller and the magnetic roller are rotationally driven in directions to be opposite from one another at an opposed position, and a magnetic pole of the magnetic roller and a magnetic pole of the developing roller have magnetic polarities different from one another at the opposed position. A surface roughness of the magnetic roller is greater than a surface roughness of the developing roller.
US07848684B2
A developer supply cartridge supplies a developer into a process cartridge, and is detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus. The process cartridge includes a drum, a developing roller, a receiving-side shutter portion opening and closing a developer receiving opening, a receiving-side movable portion to move the receiving-side shutter portion, and a regulating member for regulating movement of the receiving-side movable portion. The developer supply cartridge includes a supplying-side developer accommodating portion, a developer supply opening supplying the developer from the supplying-side developer accommodating portion into the process cartridge through the developer receiving opening, a supplying-side shutter portion opening and closing the developer supply opening, and a supplying-side movable portion to open the supplying-side shutter portion when the developer supply cartridge enters the main assembly and the process cartridge is set in the main assembly, by engagement with the receiving-side movable portion.
US07848682B2
A powder supplier is provided. The supplier including: a non-cylindrical housing that stores a powder; a rotating member that is arranged rotatably inside the housing; a sheet-shaped conveying member that is fixed to the rotating member and has a free end side that differs from a fixed portion thereof, the sheet-shaped conveying member sweeping against inner walls of the housing due to rotation of the rotating member, and conveying the powder in an axial direction of the rotating member; a powder supply port provided in the housing at a downstream side of the direction in which the powder is conveyed; and an assisting member that is provided at a region of the conveying member opposite to the powder supply port and performs agitation of the powder and conveying of the powder to the powder supply port.
US07848681B2
According to an embodiment of the invention, a revolver unit is rotationally driven by using three stepping motors. The weight of developing cartridges loaded on the revolver unit is identified on the basis of the quantity of remaining toner in toner cartridges. At the time of rotationally driving the revolver unit, output timing of the stepping motor closer to the developing cartridge which has a large quantity of remaining toner and has a heavy weight is made earlier, and output timing of the stepping motor far from this developing cartridge is delayed.
US07848679B2
An image forming apparatus includes a standard exposure device (1) adjusted to emit light of a predetermined light quantity, and a control device configured to determine light quantity of the pre-charge exposure device in an image-forming period based on the first and the second charging current values, wherein first charging current value is detected when an area on a photosensitive member surface is recharged by the contact charging member, in a case where the photosensitive member is exposed by turning on the standard exposure device without turning on a pre-charge exposure device, and second charging current value is detected when an area on the photosensitive member surface is recharged by the contact charging member, in a case where the photosensitive member charged by applying a predetermined voltage by the contact charging member is exposed by turning on the pre-charge exposure device without turning on the standard exposure device.
US07848676B2
An image forming apparatus includes a main apparatus body, an image reading block located above the main apparatus body, a sheet output portion provided with a sheet output tray onto which each sheet is ejected upon completion of image forming operation, the sheet output portion being located between the main apparatus body and the image reading block and opening at least frontward to permit retrieval of sheets from the sheet output tray, and a front cover section provided on a front side of the main apparatus body, the front cover section including front openable covering members. The front cover section has a striped portion having a surface in which ridges and furrows are formed and a flat portion having a flat surface. The flat portion includes a first flat portion located in an area adjacent to the sheet output tray.
US07848666B2
A control unit separately drives an image carrier driving unit that drives an image carrier motor, a developing roller driving unit that drives a developing roller motor, a developer stirring member driving unit that drives a developer stirring member motor, and a fan driving unit that drives a fan motor. The control unit causes the fan driving unit to operate if the image carrier driving unit or the developer stirring member driving unit is operating.
US07848656B2
A method of operating a WDM transmission system with at least one transmitter and at least one receiver connected by means of a dispersive transmission line. The proposed method comprises the successive steps of successively: a) setting a tunable dispersion pre-compensation value at a transmitter-side Tunable Dispersion Compensation Module in operative connection with the transmitter to a first predetermined value (PRE°); b) setting or adjusting a tunable dispersion post-compensation value at a receiver-side Tunable Dispersion Compensation Module (7) in operative connection with the receiver to a second value (POST°) in order to optimize at least one characteristic (monitored performance like BER, eye opening, Q factor BER) of a transmitted signal at the receiver; and then c) simultaneously tuning the transmitter-side Tunable Dispersion Compensation Module and the receiver-side Tunable Dispersion Compensation Module with opposite respective dispersion shifts in order to further optimize said characteristic of the transmitted signal.
US07848645B2
The location or identification of a waveguide is determined, in particular where a disturbance is applied to the optical waveguide. This is achieved by: (a) monitoring the waveguide at a first location to sense a disturbance along the waveguide; (b) causing a disturbance to the waveguide at a second location; (c) transmitting a sensor signal to the second location; and (d) inferring, from the sensor signal, the presence or identity of the waveguide at the second location.
US07848642B1
A method and system provide capacity-efficient restoration within an optical fiber communication system. The system includes a plurality of nodes each interconnected by optical fibers. Each optical fiber connection between nodes includes at least three channel groups with different priority levels for restoration switching in response to a connection failure. The system maintains and restores full-capacity communication services by switching at least a portion of the channel groups from a first optical fiber connection to a second optical fiber connection system based on the priority levels assigned to the channel groups. Service reliability is effectively maintained without to incurring additional costs for dedicated spare optical fiber equipment by improving idle capacity utilization.
US07848641B2
A digital camera has a housing and an exposure circuit in the housing. The digital camera further includes a locating post fixed on the housing, a rotatable assembly, and a shutter button electronically connected to the exposure circuit. The rotatable assembly has a hole for passage of the locating post and can rotate round the locating post. The shutter button is disposed on a side of the rotatable assembly. The rotatable assembly may help users to select one of the left side and the right side of the digital camera as desired for left-handed or right-handed operation of the digital camera.
US07848636B2
A microscope digital camera includes a camera head unit and an operation display unit. A display portion of the operation display unit displays an observed image acquired by a microscope body. A CPU in an operated portion of the operation display unit detects a change of the observed image. By turning on an objective warning LED provided for the operated portion, notification information indicating a detection result of a change of the observed image by the CPU is output.
US07848629B2
An exemplary auto-focus method includes the following steps. An ambient brightness is measured before a pre-flash. Then, a pre-flash ambient brightness is also measured during the pre-flash is fired. A main flash ratio is subsequently calculated using the ambient brightness, the pre-flash ambient brightness, and a preset desired brightness. Next, an object distance is indexed using the calculated main flash ratio and a table. The table includes a collection of main flash ratios and a collection of object distances, where each flash ratio is associated with a corresponding object distance. Then an image distance corresponding to the indexed object distance is calculated using the imaging formula. The calculated image distance is converted into a number of focus steps of a focus lens. Finally, the focus lens is moved with a corresponding number of focus steps.
US07848613B2
Systems and methods for managing time-shift buffering in a digital media recording device are disclosed. One embodiment of a method comprises receiving media content through at least a first tuner of the digital media recording device, the media content comprising at least a first instance of media content received consecutive to a second instance of media content. The method further includes directing the first instance of media content into a first time-shift buffer, the first instance of the media content received through the first tuner of the digital media recording device. After directing the first instance of the media content into the first time-shift buffer, the second instance of media content is directed into one of the first time-shift buffer and a second time-shift buffer while continuing to direct media content received through the first tuner of the digital media recording device into the first time-shift buffer for at least a predetermined duration of time.
US07848606B1
A method is provided for eliminating crystals in non-oxide optical fiber preforms as well as optical fibers drawn therefrom. The optical-fiber-drawing axis of the preform is aligned with the force of gravity. A magnetic field is applied to the preform as it is heated to at least a melting temperature thereof. The magnetic field is applied in a direction that is parallel to the preform's optical-fiber-drawing axis. The preform is then cooled to a temperature that is less than a glass transition temperature of the preform while the preform is maintained in the magnetic field. When the processed preform is to have an optical fiber drawn therefrom, the preform's optical-fiber-drawing axis is again aligned with the force of gravity and a magnetic field is again applied along the axis as the optical fiber is drawn from the preform.
US07848600B2
A driving circuit of a semiconductor optical amplifier type gate switch constituting a matrix optical switch is provided with an operation amplifier into which a driving signal is input and from which a current corresponding to the driving signal is output, an inductance element provided at an output terminal of the operation amplifier, and a circuit composed of a diode element and a resistor element connected in parallel and provided between the inductance element and the semiconductor optical amplifier.
US07848598B2
Desired data can be easily retrieved from material image data associated with video data. For material image data associated with video data, character strings contained in relevant material images are extracted, and keywords input to keyword input parts of a user interface are matched with the extracted characters to retrieve data of the relevant material images. The retrieved material images are changed in size according to their importance before being displayed on a screen.
US07848596B2
In a computer implemented method of generating a collage of images, image saliency data is received for a plurality of images that are to be collaged within a templated viewing region. The templated viewing region is generated by scaling a template relative to the plurality of images that are to be collaged. An initial collage layout is generated within the templated viewing region from the plurality of images. The initial collage layout is optimized, where the optimizing comprises iteratively adjusting the initial collage layout by selecting a minimized layout occlusion cost.
US07848595B2
A method for processing data pixels in a holographic data storage system is disclosed. The method includes assigning predetermined reserved blocks throughout each data page, where each reserved block comprises known pixel patterns, determining position errors of the data page by computing the best match between regions of the data page and the predetermined reserved blocks, and compensating the data pixels at the detector in accordance with the corresponding position errors of the data page.
US07848593B2
In the method of obtaining captures images, there is overlaps in images in the flight direction and in a direction (cross direction) that crosses the flight direction. A predetermined number of the captured images containing overlapping sections that include a target point are selected out of the obtained images in the flight direction and/or the cross direction. From the overlap sections of these captured images, selected images are obtained by selecting image sections within a specific range that contains the target point. Using the flight direction and the cross direction as axes for a matrix, the selected images are arranged to create an aerial photograph data set.
US07848588B2
Without use of special hardware such as an angular rate sensor, a direction of blur can be judged with high accuracy. A parameter acquisition unit obtains weighting parameters for principal components representing directions of blur in a predetermined structure in an image by fitting to the structure a mathematical model generated by a method of Active Appearance Models (AAM) using a plurality of sample images representing the structure in different conditions of blur. A blur direction judgment unit judges the direction of blur based on the weighting parameters, and a blur width acquisition unit finds a width of blur based on an edge component found by an edge detection unit in the direction perpendicular to the direction of blur. A blur correction unit corrects the blur in the image based on the direction and the width of blur.
US07848579B2
An image coding device in which entropy coding is applied to binarized data. An image coding unit codes image data; an entropy coding unit binarizes the coded image data and applies entropy coding to the binarized data; and a coding amount prediction unit obtains a predictive value corresponding to a coding amount of the image data on a predetermined data unit basis prior to the actual binarizing. A coding amount comparing unit compares the predictive value to a predetermined threshold value; a I_PCM decision unit outputs a selection signal indicating the image data on a predetermined data unit basis or I_PCM data, which is selected based on a result of the comparing; and an output selection unit and an output unit output the selected data indicated by the selection signal.
US07848577B2
Image processing methods, image management systems, and articles of manufacture are described. According to one embodiment, an image processing method includes accessing image data of a plurality of images, defining a plurality of regions in individual ones of the images, wherein the regions individually comprise a plurality of image forming elements having a common characteristic, comparing a region of one of the images with respect to regions of a plurality of others of the images, and providing information indicative of similarities of the one image relative to the others of the images using results of the comparing.
US07848576B2
To provide an image matching method, an image matching apparatus, and a program able to perform a matching images at a high accuracy. A Hough transform unit 15 performs a Hough transform processing to a registered image AIM and an image to be matched RIM, in detail, an image processing by which points in each image are transformed to a curved pattern and linear components in each image are transformed to a plurality of the overlapped curved-patterns, based on a distance ρ from a reference position to a shortest point in a straight line L passing through a point in the image and an angle θ between a straight line n0 passing though the reference position and the shortest point and a x-axis as a reference axis including the reference position, and generating a transformed image S1621 and a transformed image S1622. A judgment unit 164 performs a matching of the registered image AIM and the image to be matched RIM based on a degree of an overlap of the patterns in the transformed image S1621 and the transformed image S1622 and a matching or mismatching of the patterns in the same.
US07848569B2
Pixels from an image are sampled for gray world statistics. To avoid the effect of saturated regions, the pixels are pruned. If a predetermined percentage of the pixels are included in the gray world statistics, color channel gain is calculated and applied to the image. As a result, color balance is achieved in a simple and efficient manner.
US07848565B2
A method for generating a saliency map for a robot device having sensor means, the saliency map indicating to the robot device patterns in the input space of the sensor means which are important for carrying out a task; wherein the saliency map comprises a weighted contribution from a disparity saliency selection carried out on the basis of depth information gathered from the sensor means, such that a weighted priority is allocated to patterns being within a defined peripersonal space in the environment of the sensor means.
US07848564B2
In one general aspect, a method is described. The method includes generating a positional relationship between one or more support structures having at least one motion capture mark and at least one virtual structure corresponding to geometry of an object to be tracked and positioning the support structures on the object to be tracked. The support structures has sufficient rigidity that, if there are multiple marks, the marks on each support structure maintain substantially fixed distances from each other in response to movement by the object. The method also includes determining an effective quantity of ray traces between one or more camera views and one or more marks on the support structures, and estimating an orientation of the virtual structure by aligning the determined effective quantity of ray traces with a known configuration of marks on the support structures.
US07848562B1
The time required to perform a passive voltage contrast test of an area of interest of a layer of interest is substantially reduced by digitizing a passive voltage contrast image to form contrast data that represents the image, and comparing the contrast data to computer aided design (CAD) data that defines the semiconductor device.
US07848556B2
A method and apparatus is disclosed for creating a single plane of reference, also referred to herein as a virtual image plane, as a function of image planes of individual segments of a reconstructed MRI image. In particular, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, such a virtual image plane is calculated by constraining the distance of all points in a reconstructed volume from a virtual image plane to be within a specific tolerance. More specifically, in accordance with another embodiment, a virtual image plane is calculated by minimizing the maximum distance of the plane from points in the composed volume, such as those points that are on the image planes of the individual segments. Calculating such a virtual image plane in this manner is advantageous in that it provides a single reference plane that is useful, for example, in making measurements associated with surgical procedures.
US07848552B2
The present invention relates to processing a material. The material lies on a carrier and is cut by irradiation with a laser beam, or an object of the material is catapulted from the carrier to a collection device by means of the laser beam. An image of the material on the carrier is generated. The image is evaluated automatically in order to identify structures in it. A region of the image is automatically selected on the basis of the identified structures. The selected region is then used for automatically cutting the material and/or catapulting the object, or serves as a working region in which the material is cut or from which the object is catapulted. Parallel sections through the material may in particular be employed.
US07848550B2
The invention relates to a sensor chip, especially for measuring structures in a finger surface, comprising an electronic chip of a per se known type being provided with a number of sensor electrodes for capacitance measurements, the chip being positioned on a substrate being provided with a number of openings or slots through which electrical conductors are provided, the ends of said conductors constituting a sensor array for capacitance measurements so that the sensor array is positioned on a first side of said substrate and the electronic chip is positioned on the other side of the substrate.
US07848546B2
This invention is directed to reduce the correction load on a user when a plurality of images are to be grouped. An information processing method of discriminating an object contained in a first image and grouping the first image to a plurality of grouping destinations for each object includes a discrimination step of discriminating an object from the first image, a grouping destination determination step of determining, on the basis of the discrimination result obtained in the discrimination step, to which one of the plurality of grouping destinations the first image is to be grouped, and a display control step of displaying, on a window, a process of moving the first image to a position of the second image corresponding to the grouping destination determined in the grouping destination determination step.
US07848545B2
A trimmed image is obtained by trimming for cutting out from a photographic image obtained by taking a photograph of an object including a reference part, and one or more other part which has a common centerline with the reference part and is arranged in a direction in which the centerline of the reference part extends, an image of an area including a part or the whole of the reference part and said other part along a trimming centerline. The centerline of the reference part is obtained and the degree and the direction of inclination of said other part are detected from the photographic image. The trimming centerline is inclined by a larger angle away from the centerline toward the direction of the inclination of said other part as the degree of inclination increases.
US07848541B2
Acceleration of a set of three frames of video with N movers may be determined by generating an inverse Fourier transformation of a differential phase correlation matrix of the three frames. The resultant acceleration estimate may be integrated with the velocity and offset estimates for the second frame so as to provide an offset estimate for the third frame. The third frame may then be co-registered with a reference frame. This process may be repeated for subsequent frames so that subsequent frames may also be registered to the reference frame so that video jitter that was caused by platform shake may be reduced or eliminated.
US07848538B2
A thread winding part or a reinforcing wire winding part is formed by winding a heat resistant fiber thread or a reinforcing wire around the voice coil bobbin in contact with both coil ends of the wire winding part or a coil end of the same on a magnetic-circuit side. A bent part bent outward is formed on the lower end of the voice coil bobbin on the magnetic circuit side. This prevents the wire winding part from shifting from its mounting position and from coming off to the lower side. In the resulting voice coil, the wire winding part hardly comes off the voice coil bobbin even if the wire binding of the wire winding part is loosened by Joule heat, speaker vibrations, etc.
US07848537B2
A voice coil bobbin is formed by skinpass rolling of pure titanium. A manufacturing method of a voice coil bobbin includes a process which manufactures a rolled pure titanium material, a process which executes skinpass rolling of the rolled material, and a process which forms the rolled material after the skinpass rolling to manufacture the voice coil bobbin. For example, the rolled pure titanium material is manufactured by a standard manufacturing process of a normal rolled material defined by JISH4600, and the cold rolling for the purpose of the strengthening is executed. The cold rolling is executed under a condition of a rolling ratio equal to or larger than 60%. Thereby, it becomes possible to obtain double hardness of JIS No. 1-kind titanium material (TR270C) and tensile strength larger than double of the JIS No. 1-kind titanium material (TR270C) and close to 6-4 titanium. By applying this thin voice coil bobbin with the high strength, the speaker device applicable for the high power input can be obtained.
US07848533B2
A loudspeaker includes a frame and a toroidal magnet that is affixed to the rear of the frame. The toroidal magnet has a central passageway that opens into the frame. A cap is affixed to the rear of the magnet and closes the central passageway. A guide rod is affixed to the cap and projects forwardly from the cap into the central passageway. A tubular former is slidably positioned upon the guide rod. A voice coil is wound about, and is affixed to, the tubular former. A forward cone has a narrow, rear end that is affixed to the tubular former and a wide, front end that is affixed to the front of the frame. A rearward cone has a narrow, forward end with a central opening that loosely receives the rear end of the forward cone. The rearward cone also has a wide, rearward end that is affixed to the frame rearwardly of the front end of the forward cone. A forward spider is affixed to the forward end of the rearward cone and is affixed to the rear of the frame. A rearward spider is affixed to the rear end of the forward cone and is affixed to the rearward end of the rearward cone.
US07848532B2
To operate from any of phantom power sources of 12 V, 24 V and 48 V and secure a maximum output level according to each of the power sources. A condenser microphone including a microphone unit MU containing a diaphragm and a fixed pole, an FET Q1 of a built-in bias circuit type for operating as an impedance converter of the microphone unit MU and an output transformer TRS connected to a phantom power source with a midpoint of a primary winding of the output transformer TRS connected to a drain of the FET Q1 via a constant current diode D2, and a transistor Q2 of an emitter follower for current amplification connected between a source of the FET Q1 and a secondary winding of the output transformer TRS, wherein a diode D3 is connected between the source of the FET Q1 and a base of the transistor Q2 to have an anode thereof on the source side of the FET Q1 so as to provide forward voltage generated by the diode D3 to the base of the transistor Q2.
US07848531B1
The overall loudness of an audio track is calculated by combining a number of weighted loudness measures for segments of the audio track, where the weight applied to each individual loudness measure is a function of the loudness measure. By comparing the original overall loudness measure to a desired overall loudness measure, a gain can be determined that will adjust the loudness level to the desired value. Also disclosed is a dynamic compression method that analyzes the dynamic characteristics of an audio track and determines appropriate compressor parameters. Additionally, the loudness of a post-compressor audio track can be estimated for any given compressor parameters, thus permitting post-compression loudness matching to be done even if the compression is performed in real-time.
US07848526B2
A method of receiving a session key in a home network and a method of reproducing content using the same. The method of receiving a session key from a home server in a home network, includes: (a) whenever one of members of the home network changes, receiving and storing the session key and a session version indicating a session key generation sequence; (b) receiving a license necessary for reproducing predetermined content; and (c) determining a session key necessary for reproducing the predetermined content based on an encoding session version (ESV), which is a session version extracted from the license, and the stored session version. A home server transmits a session key and a session version to a user device whenever a subscriber to a home network changes, and the user device determines a session key using the session version, thereby performing a variety of domain administration by freely transmitting content between user devices.
US07848525B2
A hybrid broadcast encryption method is provided. The hybrid broadcast encryption method includes setting initialization values, generating a node secret using the initialization values; generating a private secret using the node secret; sending the node secret and the private secret; generating a broadcast message based on a revoked group; encrypting a session key using a key encryption key (KEK) which is allocated to every user group and the broadcast message; and broadcasting to every user the encrypted session key and the broadcast message.
US07848522B2
The invention relates to a method for authenticating the user of a terminal (5), in which terminal a device (15) for verifying the rights to use is applied for running an authentication protocol. The device (15) for verifying the rights to use is connected to the terminal (5). In the device (15) for verifying the rights to use, an extensible authentication protocol interface is applied, via which at least some of the authentication functions are carried out.
US07848517B2
A secure, open-air communication system utilizes a plurality of “decoy” data signals to hide one or more true data signals. The true data signal(s) are channel hopped with the plurality of decoy data signals to form a multi-channel “scrambled” output signal that is thereafter transmitted in an open-air communication system. The greater the number of decoy signals, the greater the security provided to the open-air system. Further security may be provided by encrypting both the true and decoy signals prior to scrambling and/or by utilizing a spatially diverse set of transmitters and receivers. Without the knowledge of the channel assignment(s) for the true signal(s), an eavesdropper may be able to intercept (and, with time, perhaps descramble) the open-air transmitted signals, will not be able to distinguish the true data from the decoys without also knowing the channel assignment(s).
US07848516B2
This invention discloses a symmetric encryption/decryption method with asymmetric keys processed by diffusion algebra, and more particularly to a multiplication method using one-dimensional matrix displacement and addition to generate a ciphertext by multiplying a public (or private) key with a plaintext or obtain the plaintext by multiplying the private (or public) key with the ciphertext.
US07848510B2
A method for recording automatic call distributor calls includes receiving from a caller a call for distribution to one of a plurality of agents and distributing the call to a first agent of the plurality of agents for handling. The method includes creating a call signature associated with the call for recording verification and recording communications of the call to a recording file. The method also includes embedding the call signature in the recording file.
US07848506B1
A communications system is designed to present a number of options to a caller who is attempting to reach a call-waiting subscriber already busy on a first call. The options are presented to the caller via an announcement that offers the caller the alternative of either sending immediately a conventional call-waiting alert signal to the subscriber, or leaving a message that is automatically delivered to the subscriber immediately after the subscriber terminates the first call.
US07848504B2
A method is described of providing validation data associated with a subscriber line of a telecommunication network using a validation system. The method includes obtaining line data of the subscriber line wherein the line data is suitable for interrogating a line identification database (LIDB). The method interrogates the LIDB with the line data to obtain reference subscriber data associated with the line data, and processes the reference subscriber data to obtain validation data associated with the subscriber line. The method includes identifying a local exchange carrier (LEC) associated with the subscriber line to determine if a billing arrangement exists between the validation system and the LEC. The invention extends to a subscriber line validation system to validate a subscriber line of a communication network.
US07848499B2
A method of advertising a product, comprising assigning a respective telephone number to a plurality of advertising media elements is disclosed. Telephone numbers are assigned and calls are forwarded to be answered by a sales person or persons. The assignment of the telephone numbers to the sales person or persons is communicated to a computer based telephone services provider. The associated telephone number assignments are imprinted, audibly communicated or otherwise included in their respective advertising media elements. Response information such as the number of calls received by the telephone numbers in response to the advertising is recorded.
US07848495B2
A voice communication apparatus is interposed between a telephone set and a public switched telephone network (PSTN) or a broadband network which can provide a frequency bandwidth broader than a frequency bandwidth of the public switched telephone network. The apparatus selects one of the PSTN and the broadband network, from which a voice signal is input. The apparatus takes account of the selected network, frequency characteristics of the selected network and of the telephone set, and appropriately adjusts frequency characteristics of a voice signal transmitted between the telephone set and the selected network by means of transmitter and receiver band-pass filter units. As a result, both the telephone set and the counterpart communication terminal can receive a voice signal of better transmission quality.
US07848490B2
A method for obtaining an x-ray image stores an association between a digital radiology receiver panel, a label that is applied to one or more surfaces of the digital radiology receiver panel, and an x-ray imaging room. A response to an operator instruction designates the digital radiology receiver panel having the stored association as an active digital radiology receiver panel in the x-ray imaging room. Instructions are transmitted wirelessly to the active digital radiology receiver panel. Image data is obtained from the active digital radiology receiver panel following exposure to x-ray radiation.
US07848483B2
The present invention provides a multilayer structure including a substrate having formed on a surface thereof at least one period of individual layers, the period having at least two layers including a first layer which includes magnesium silicide and a second layer which includes at least one of tungsten, tantalum, cobalt, nickel, copper, iron, chromium, alloys, oxides, borides, silicides, and nitrides of these elements, silicon, carbon, silicon carbide, boron, and boron carbide. If the period includes three layers, the second layer includes one of silicon, carbon, silicon carbide, boron, and boron carbide and a third layer includes one of tungsten, tantalum, cobalt, nickel, copper, iron, chromium, and alloys, oxides, borides, silicides, and nitrides of these elements, the second layer being disposed between the first and the third layers. If the period includes four layers, a fourth layer includes one of silicon, carbon, silicon carbide, boron, and boron carbide, the third layer being disposed between the second and fourth layers, and the fourth layer being disposed between the third layer of multilayer period n and the first layer of multilayer period n−1.
US07848481B2
In an X-ray CT apparatus, an X-ray source and an X-ray detector mounted in a guide arm are freely movable in such a direction as to approach to and separate from a sample. With respect to this movement, the center of gravity of the whole containing respective constituent elements mounted in the guide arm is kept on the rotational axis by a weight balance adjusting mechanism. The weight balance adjusting mechanism contains a movable weight which is freely movable to the guide arm. The movement of the movable weight is controlled so that a difference between the rotational moment around the rotational axis is offset and substantially equal to zero. The moving passage of the movable weight is set on a straight line which is parallel to the moving direction of the X-ray source and the X-ray detector and does not pass through the rotational axis.
US07848465B2
Joint decoding of ISI (Inter-Symbol Interference) channel and modulation codes. A single, combined ISI and modulation decoding module is operable to process a signal received from an ISI communication channel and directly to generate a soft estimate of information encoded therein. A single module employs a decoding transfer function that is substantially matched to the communication channel that introduces the ISI and the modulation encoding performed on the information before being launched into the ISI communication channel. Such operations and functionality are adaptable to a variety of modulation coding systems that are tailored to deal with communication systems that introduce ISI. Moreover, such operations and functionality are extendable to communication systems employing an error correction code (ECC) such as Reed-Solomon (RS) coding as well as ECCs of an iterative nature such as LDPC (Low Density Parity Check) coding, turbo coding, and/or turbo trellis code modulation (TTCM) coding.
US07848460B2
A composite baseband signal includes a desired signal component modulated according to a first modulation scheme and an interfering signal component modulated according to a second modulation scheme. Information is recovered from the composite signal by applying a phase rotation associated with the second modulation scheme to the composite signal to generate a rotated signal. Based on the rotated signal, a channel model associated with the desired signal component and interference cancelling filter coefficients associated with the interfering signal component are generated. The rotated signal is filtered according to the interference cancelling filter coefficients to suppress the interfering signal component from the rotated signal. The filtered signal is equalized based on branch metrics derived from the channel model and symbol hypotheses rotated in accordance with a difference in phase rotations associated with the first and second modulations to recover information from the desired signal component.
US07848453B2
A transmitter includes a first amplifier to amplify an in-phase oscillator signal to produce an in-phase mixing signal and a second amplifier to amplify a quadrature-phase oscillator signal to produce a quadrature-phase mixing signal. A first mixer mixes the in-phase mixing signal with a first information signal to produce a first output signal. A second mixer mixes the quadrature-phase mixing signal with a second information signal to produce a second output signal. The first output signal and an inverted second output signal are summed to produce a transmitter output signal that includes an image signal caused by a phase imbalance between the in-phase and quadrature-phase mixing signals. An image monitor monitors the image signal and reduces or eliminates the phase imbalance by independently adjusting a phase of the in-phase mixing signal and/or a phase of the quadrature-phase mixing signal. Consequently, a power of the image signal is reduced or eliminated.
US07848449B2
In an electronic device having a circuit outputting a vector sum of two quadrature vector signals, an offset compensating device compensates the offset contained in the vector sum. The offset compensating device aims to flexibly adapt to deviation in characteristics and performances and various fluctuations, and to compensate offset stably and accurately. The offset compensating device includes a deviation monitor unit creating a vector signal by A/D-converting the aforementioned vector sum and by quadrature-demodulating it and monitoring the deviation of the DC components superposed on the vector signal, and an adaptive control unit updating the compensation vector determined in advance, based on adaptive algorithm minimizing expectation value of the product of the inner product between an increment vector and the compensation vector, and the latest deviation vector, and adding the compensation vector to an offset vector to be inputted, while being superposed on the input signal, to a circuit.
US07848440B2
A technique for estimating channel data probability in a multi-user or multiple-input multiple-output communication system is disclosed. The technique uses parallel Markov Chain Monte Carlo simulation to select a plurality of hypothetical channel data patterns. Channel data bit probabilities are obtained by summing conditional bit probabilities, where the conditional bit probabilities are conditioned on an observation of the multi-channel signal and the hypothetical channel data patterns.
US07848438B2
A pilot (or reference) transmission scheme is utilized where different transmitters are assigned pilot sequences with possibly different cyclic time shifts. A pilot signal is transmitted concurrently by the transmitters in a plurality of pilot blocks, and a receiver processes the plurality of received pilot blocks to recover a channel estimate for at least one of the transmitters while suppressing the interference due to the pilot signals from the other transmitters.
US07848427B2
For each pixel in an operation block, an effective pixel determining unit sets a predetermined pixel difference (threshold value) on a time-base pixel difference. When the time-base pixel difference is less than the set predetermined pixel difference, it is determined that the pixel contributes to (or are effective in) motion vector detection, and uses the pixel in the gradient method in the case of performing motion vector detection. When the time-base pixel difference is not less than the set predetermined pixel difference, it is determined that the pixel is regarded as having a possibility to generate irregularity in movement, and the pixel is excluded from the gradient operation in the case of performing motion vector detection. The present invention is applicable to a signal processing apparatus for performing frame frequency conversion from a 24 P signal to a 60 P signal.
US07848418B2
A video encoding method includes selecting one combination, for each block of an input video signal, from a plurality of combinations. Each combination includes a predictive parameter and at least one reference picture number determined in advance for the reference picture. A prediction picture signal is generated in accordance with the reference picture number and predictive parameter of the selected combination. A predictive error signal is generated representing an error between the input video signal and the prediction picture signal. Encoding the predictive error signal, information of the motion vector, and index information indicating the selected combination is included.
US07848416B2
A video signal encoding apparatus comprises a decoding unit for decoding each compression still image data into a frame image; a supplementary information, extracting unit for extracting supplementary information added to each compression frame image data; a motion prediction process adoption judging unit for judging, on the basis of the supplementary information, whether the frame image can be subjected to a motion prediction process; and a compression moving image generating unit for selecting the inter-frame prediction encoding method and the intra frame encoding method on the basis of a judgement result by the motion prediction process adoption judging unit to generate the moving image data.
US07848407B2
A method of processing H.264 compliant can include allocating a plurality of regions in a memory internal to an H.264 compliant syntax parser circuit for concurrent storage of a plurality of slice headers associated with respective H.264 slice data to be processed. Related circuits and computer program products are also disclosed.
US07848406B2
A DPWM (1) has a delay lock loop (4) which receives an input clock signal and provides an out-of-phase delayed clock at the output of each of eight delay cells (35). A multiplexer (5) selects one of the delay cell outputs at any one time. This allows the DPWM (1) to have eight times the resolution which would otherwise be achieved with the same input clock. A programmable module (2) has a control block (20) which interfaces with external CPU and DSP hosts and transmits programmed parameters to finite state machine controllers (15), each providing an independent output.
US07848405B2
Forward and backward equalization processes are effectively used in a communication system for equalizing a received signal of a frame including a known symbol part. The known symbol part is provided in a position other than both ends of the frame. An equalization filter unit acquires a signal of an equalization process result by performing an equalization filter process based on a signal serving as an equalization process target and a tap gain coefficient. An update unit updates the tap gain coefficient using a predefined algorithm. A first or second transmission unit transmits a received signal posterior or prior to the known symbol part to a first or second memory in a forward direction or reverse order. A first or second control unit performs a forward or backward equalization filter process with the equalization filter unit by receiving memory content transmitted from the first or second transmission unit in the forward direction or reverse order and employing a total or part of the known symbol part contained in the memory content as the equalization process target.
US07848403B1
A technique for enhanced reconditioning equalizer filter chain for multi-carrier signals is described. The input to a transmitter chain is modified by an enhanced reconditioning equalizer filter chain, prior to being applied to the transmitter. The enhanced reconditioning equalizer filter chain modifies and smoothen the amplitude of the signal. The modified and smoothen signal has its picks reduced which results to lower Crest Factor. The input to the enhanced reconditioning equalizer filter chain could be a baseband, an intermediate frequency (IF) or radio frequency (RF) signal. When the signal is an IF or RF signal it needs to be down converted to baseband before applied to enhanced reconditioning equalizer filter chain. The enhanced reconditioning equalizer filter chain could be implemented in digital or analog domain.
US07848400B2
A method having enhanced decoding operations associated with receiving multiple Radio Frequency (RF) Burst(s) is provided. Multiple RF burst(s) are received where the multiple RF Burst(s) include first RF bursts and second RF Burst(s). The second RF bursts may be transmitted in parallel or in response to a decoding error associated with the first RF burst. The received RF burst(s) are equalized and deinterleaved to yield extracted soft samples. Then the first estimated bit sequences and second estimated bit sequences are decoded from the extracted soft samples. A set of possible bit sequences may then be pruned based on based on combined knowledge of the first estimated bit sequence and the second estimated bit sequences. This pruned set may be compared using a sequence detector and the combined first estimated bit sequences and second estimated bit sequences to select a decoded bit sequence. This allows a sequence detector to use a combination of the original decoded data and the reordered decoded data as constraints when applying a turbo code technique to decode the data. The combination of the original coded data and reordered coded data results in a performance enhancement by providing further constraints.
US07848394B2
A first serial transceiver has a reference clock, a first transmitter, and a first receiver. The first receiver includes (i) a phase detector, and (ii) a phase rotator. The phase rotator is driven by the reference clock. A first multiplexer is coupled to the first receiver. The first multiplexer receives the phase detector output and a control signal. When the first serial transceiver is in a test configuration, the first multiplexer passes the control signal to the phase rotator, thereby varying the frequency of the phase rotator output. A second multiplexer is coupled to the first transmitter. The second multiplexer receives a reference clock signal and the phase rotator output. When the first serial transceiver is in a test configuration, the second multiplexer passes the phase rotator output to the first transmitter. The first transmitter thereby transmits a serial data stream that varies in frequency from said reference clock.
US07848390B2
RAKE-based receivers utilize lattice reduction for improving symbol estimation accuracy. Channel response estimates and received signal streams are transformed from a constellation lattice basis to an integer lattice basis to increase the orthogonality of symbol estimation decision regions. In one embodiment, received signal streams are processed by generating despread signal samples from received signal streams transmitted using different spreading codes. Channel response associated with the different received signal streams is estimated and transformed from a first lattice basis to a second lattice basis having greater orthogonality between decision regions than the first lattice basis. The despread signal samples are aligned to the second lattice and combining weights generated based on the transformed channel response estimate. Symbol estimation decision statistics are generated based on the combining weights and the aligned despread signal samples. Soft bit values are generated for decoding based on the symbol estimation decision statistics.
US07848387B2
A parametric form of G-Rake and chip equalization for closed-loop transmit diversity is provided, that accounts for impairment correlation between transmit antennas. In a closed-loop transmit diversity system, the base station transmits a signal from two or more antennas, using one of a predetermined set of relative phase offsets at one of the antennas. The parametric estimation of the impairment or data covariance is performed by summing terms, including a term for each possible phase offset. The terms are weighted by fitting parameters. The fitting parameters are jointly solved by fitting the impairment or data covariance estimate to a measured impairment or data covariance. In another aspect, a measured impairment covariance is formed by exploiting a special relationship between the pilot channels of the different transmit antennas.
US07848385B2
Provided is a radio communication device which can make ACK reception quality and NACK reception quality to be equal to each other. The device includes: a scrambling unit (214) which multiplies a response signal after modulated, by a scrambling code “1” or “e−j(p/2)” so as to rotate a constellation for each of response signals on a cyclic shift axis; a spread unit (215) which performs a primary spread of the response signal by using a ZAC sequence set by a control unit (209); and a spread unit (218) which performs a secondary spread of the response signal after subjected to the primary spread, by using a block-wise spread code sequence set by the control unit (209).
US07848382B2
A laser source (10) for emitting a set of sequential, different wavelength output beams (12) includes a gain medium (16), a feedback assembly (26) and a control system (30). The gain medium (16) includes a first facet (16A), and the gain medium (16) generates a beam (12A) that exits the first facet (16A). The feedback assembly (26) includes a feedback device (40) and a device mover (42). The feedback device (40) is positioned in the path of the beam (12A) that exits the first facet (16A) and the feedback device (40) redirects at least a portion of the beam (12A) back to the gain medium (16). The device mover (42) continuously adjusts an angle of incidence (θ) of the beam (12A) on the feedback device (40). The control system (30) selectively directs pulses of power to the gain medium (16) as the device mover (42) is continuously adjusting the angle of incidence (θ) of the beam (12A). Further, the laser source (10) can include a position detector (28) that generates a position signal that relates to the angle of incidence (θ) of the beam (12A) on the feedback device (40). In this embodiment, the control system (30) can selectively direct pulses of power to the gain medium (16) based on the position signal from the position detector (28). Further, the control system (30) can determine a center wavelength of the output beam (12) based on the position signal.
US07848377B2
A vertical-cavity, surface-emission-type laser diode includes an optical cavity formed of an active region sandwiched by upper and lower reflectors, wherein the lower reflector is formed of a distributed Bragg reflector and a non-optical recombination elimination layer is provided between an active layer in the active region and the lower reflector.
US07848369B1
A modulator drive circuit provides a modulator drive signal to modulate an optical signal for transport across a network infrastructure. The modulator drive circuit powered by an adjustable voltage source, such that the modulator drive signal is generated from a data signal and the adjustable voltage source, an AC component of the modulator drive signal being derived from the data signal while a DC component of the modulator drive signal being derived from the adjustable voltage source. An array of such modulator drive circuits are provided on a single substrate.
US07848361B2
A time-triggered communication system in a dual-channel network of singlechannel architecture, wherein in each case one communication controller (2, 6) is assigned to one channel, and two corresponding communication controllers (2, 6) communicate with one another via an inter-channel interface (1a, 1b). Said inter-channel communication contains information about limiting points (G1, G2 . . . G12) of a time path. A limiting point (G1, G2 . . . G12) is, for example, the point in time when a cycle starts. The interchange of limiting points enables the temporal offset of the two channels to be determined as well as a correction value. After every two cycles also the rate error of the local clocks can be ascertained and a suitable correction value determined. The reliability of safety-relevant networks is increased by the time-triggered communication system described hereinabove.
US07848359B2
A system for executing distributed software under hard real-time conditions comprises a plurality of nodes and a communication channel. Nodes are allowed to transmit data across the communication channel within time windows relative to repetitive communication time intervals of the communication channel, wherein a number of bytes transmitted within the communication time windows may vary from communication time window to communication time window. The data may be transmitted as a message comprising a representation of an identifying tag and a representation of the data. Also a number of bytes representing respective tags may vary from communication time interval to communication time interval.
US07848357B2
In a point to multi-point share-media network, method and apparatus of media access control (MAC) for a modem termination system (MTS) to communicate with a plurality of modems over a set of downstream and upstream channels comprising the steps of designating a MAC domain comprising the set of downstream and upstream channels, in which a primary downstream channel and a primary upstream channel being chosen from the set of channels for MAC message exchanges between the MTS and the modems; establishing synchronization with the modems; calibrating upstream transmission parameters and registering each of the modems; receiving without error a bandwidth request from the modem in one of the allocated contention transmission time slots; and transmitting a bandwidth grant to the modems to transmit a number of bytes, starting at a specified time and at a periodic time interval thereafter, with a specified burst profile, and in a specified upstream channel.
US07848341B2
Discloses a switching arrangement for packets of data, with several input ports and several output ports and which is determined for the transportation of incoming packets to one or more designated of the output ports and from there to a subsequent device. More particularly it relates to a switching arrangement and method wherein for each input port a set of output buffers is arranged, each set comprising an output buffer for each output port.
US07848340B2
A packet ring network system is disclosed which enables plurality of packet rings to perform packet transfer via a plurality of links while preventing multiple reception of packets and broadcast stream in a normal state where no failure has occurred. The packet ring network system includes a first packet ring and a second packet ring, each packet ring having a plurality of inter-ring connecting nodes, and each of the plurality of inter-ring connecting nodes in the first packet ring is connected with each of the plurality of inter-ring connecting nodes in the second packet ring in a one to one relationship so that the packet rings are connected with each other. When one of the inter-ring connecting nodes receives a packet to be broadcasted via a link connecting the first and second packet rings the node performs bidirectional flooding of the broadcast packet such that the packet arrives at a predetermined cleave point, and the node uses the source address of the other node so as to falsify the source.
US07848337B1
In one embodiment, a method for automatically probing endpoint in a network for performance and fault management is provided. The method may comprise receiving instructions to auto probe endpoints, the instructions comprising probe characteristics and endpoint indicators. The method may further comprise querying an information base to identify endpoints and to obtain information on the identified endpoints that conform to the endpoint indicators. Based on the instructions and the information obtained for the identified endpoints, one or more probe packets may be generating to be transmitted to the identified endpoints. The generated probe packets may further be scheduled for transmission to the identified endpoints. New endpoints may continue to get discovered based on a notification mechanism which exists. Likewise, endpoints leaving the discovery domain may be identified.
US07848334B2
A device is coupled to a first network and a second network and comprises a first storage element and a second storage element. The device stores data packets originating from the first network in the first storage element and stores data packets destined for the second network in the second storage element. In particular, the device slaves the writing of a data packet intended for the second network into the second storage element to the reading of the data packet from the first storage element so that the transfer time inside the device is constant for all the data packets.
US07848311B2
An internal terminal that connects to a DNS server, the server storing and managing a telephone number for communication and an external NAPTR record, the internal terminal including: a terminal communication controller that accesses the DNS server and notifies the DNS server of a telephone number for the communication; a terminal-side controller that obtains, when the DNS server is informed of the communication telephone number, an external NAPTR record being corresponding to the communication telephone number; an IP service presence determination unit that determines whether the external NAPTR record has function service information related to IP communication; and a display that displays the available IP communication service function of the destination corresponding to the communication telephone number, when it is determined that the external NAPTR record has the IP communication service function.
US07848308B2
A method for transmitting radio resources in a mobile communication system is disclosed. The method includes receiving a random access channel (RACH) preamble from a plurality of UEs and transmitting response information associated with the received preambles over a common channel wherein the plurality UEs can access the common channel and receive corresponding information. If a HARQ scheme is used when a UE transmits data to the eNode-B using uplink radio resources allocated over the RACH, the eNode-B does not pre-allocate uplink radio resources required for re-transmission and performs allocation of radio resources for a first transmission of HARQ. If the re-transmission is required, the eNode-B allocates the radio resources required for the re-transmission with the NACK signal. If re-transmission is not required, the present invention can reduce an amount of wasted radio resources.
US07848307B2
Disclosed is a method and apparatus for managing transmission airtime in a wireless network communication system transmitting at least one data flow in a plurality of data packets (210) in service intervals (215). The method comprises the steps of determining an accumulated time of data packet transmissions in the service interval (215) for each of the data flows, determining an estimated time of the next data packet transmission in the service interval (215) for each of the data flows, and allowing the transmission of the next data packet (330) when the combined accumulated time and the estimated time for a flow to which the data packet belongs is less than a predetermined value (320).
US07848305B2
To access a first communication system, a terminal determines a transmission time for an access probe, an expected response time from the system, and a protected time interval based on the transmission time and/or expected response time. The terminal determines a starting time for sending the access probe such that the protected time interval does not overlap a tune-away interval in which the terminal is to monitor anther frequency/air-interface. This starting time may be set initially to the end of a prior access probe plus a pseudo-random wait duration and may be advanced forward or moved backward in time, if needed, by a time duration selected such that the protected time interval does not overlap the tune-away interval.
US07848304B2
Multiple transport channels (405, 406, 407) are multiplexed and transmitted in a single physical channel. A code (TFCI) is added to the transport channel data flows to indicate which processing schemes, from a set of available schemes, are being employed and the resultant blocks are interleaved. The depth of the interleaving is set in dependence on the transmission time intervals associated with the schemes in the set of processing schemes.
US07848300B1
A method and apparatus in which multiple Internet Protocol (IP) based wireless data transmissions are simultaneously provided between a wireless device and a server, including providing multiple antennas, multiple T/R units, multiple processors and multiple I/O ports on the wireless device. The method includes receiving multiple IP data packets on the I/O ports at substantially the same time, and sending multiple data packets from the wireless device to the server, whereby the transmission rate between the wireless device and the server is increased.
US07848295B2
A method for allocating a band Adaptive Modulation and Coding (AMC) channel in a wireless communication system that divides a full frequency band into a plurality of subcarrier bands and includes subchannels, each of which is a set of a predetermined number of neighbor subcarrier bands. Upon recognizing a need for a band AMC channel, a subscriber station (SS) sends a request for allocation of the band AMC channel to a base station (BS). Upon receiving the band AMC channel allocation request, the BS determines if it can allocate the band AMC channel requested by the SS, considering a resource situation of the BS, and transmits information on the determination to the SS.
US07848289B2
According to the present invention, the bandwidth of a TDD channel is increased where multiple slave devices communicate with a master device over the channel. According to an aspect of the present invention, the master device can increase channel bandwidth by utilizing available transmit slots that occur during receipt of a multi-slot packet from a slave device. For example, the master device receives a first packet at a first frequency from a first slave via the channel. The master determines whether the first packet is a multi-slot packet, and if so, transmits a second packet to a second slave via the channel at a second frequency different from the first frequency. The second packet is transmitted after receipt of the first packet, but prior to the end of the first packet.
US07848285B2
In a data communication system capable of variable rate transmission, high rate packet data transmission improves utilization of the forward link and decreases the transmission delay. Data transmission on the forward link is time multiplexed and the base station transmits at the highest data rate supported by the forward link at each time slot to one mobile station. The data rate is determined by the largest C/I measurement of the forward link signals as measured at the mobile station. Upon determination of a data packet received in error, the mobile station transmits a NACK message back to the base station. The NACK message results in retransmission of the data packet received in error. The data packets can be transmitted out of sequence by the use of sequence number to identify each data unit within the data packets.
US07848279B2
The invention describes user equipment for communicating data in a communications system comprising a set of user equipment; comprising a transceiver arranged to receive a first data packet over a communications data channel and an associated second data packet over a communications control channel. The second data packet comprises a first identifier arranged to identify a subset of the set of user equipment and the first data packet comprises a second identifier arranged to identify at least one of the subset of user equipment. The user equipment further comprising a processor arranged to determine from the second data packet first identifier if the said user equipment is one of the said subset of user equipment and from the second identifier if the said user equipment is said the at least one of the subset of user equipment. Wherein the processor is further arranged to decode the first data packet if the processor determines the said user equipment is one of the said subset of user equipment and is the said at least one of the subset of user equipment.
US07848277B2
Power management methods and systems for a first station and a second station in an ad-hoc network. Each station enters the normal beacon interval (NBI) every certain number of beacon intervals (BIs) for data transmission, a Listen Interval (LI). When a station switches to a power-saving mode, it first determines the number of “beacon-window-only beacon intervals (BBIs)” within a LI. In addition, each station broadcasts a beacon frame comprising at least information about “the remaining number of BIs (RBI)” within a beacon window. Once the first station correctly receives the beacon frame from the second station, the first station predicts the NBI of the second station according to the RBI. At the NBI of the second station, the first station transmits data frames to the second station.
US07848276B2
Apparatus and method for transmitting and detecting subchannel constitution scheme information in a multihop relay Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) communication system. The method includes determining a subchannel constitution scheme for fixing a start zone of BW-RS link according to channel information (e.g., channel condition information, interference, and mobility), transmitting determined subchannel constitution scheme information of the start zone using a FCH preamble, detecting physical channel signals of subchannel constitution schemes from the received FCH preamble, checking preset codes, and detecting the subchannel constitution scheme of the start zone using the detected physical channel signals of the subchannel constitution schemes and the codes. The subchannel constitution scheme of the BS-RS link can be adaptively applied based on the channel information.
US07848269B2
A mobile communication system for relaying user data includes a plurality of base station apparatus and a core network apparatus. Each of the base station apparatus forms a cell for connecting to a terminal through a wireless link. The core network apparatus can be connected to the base station apparatus. Even when the terminal moves between the base station apparatus while the terminal is in an active mode in which the terminal is communicating, the core network apparatus which is connected to the terminal keeps itself connected to the terminal.
US07848266B2
Synthesizers are configured with first and second phase-locked loops (PLL's). The first PLL is arranged to include a digitally-controlled oscillator (DCO) and to respond to an input signal to provide a reference signal with a plurality of selectable reference frequencies. The second PLL is arranged to include a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) to thereby provide output signals in response to the reference signal. This synthesizer structure is particularly effective when responding to a noisy input signal as may be the case, for example, in wireless communication systems that provide a network clock to transceivers through lengthy optical links.
US07848265B2
In some embodiments, an automatic conference initiator system may include one or more of the following features: (a) a memory having, (i) an automatic conference initiator program that initiates a conference when conferees are determined available based upon presence information, and (b) a processor coupled to the memory that executes the automatic conference initiator program.
US07848263B2
An ad-hoc network approach for addressing ad-hoc network address assignment, name resolution, and service discovery in ad-hoc networks. The size of the ad-hoc network may be limited to a selected number of ad-hoc network stations. A first portion of the ad-hoc network address assigned to stations joining the ad-hoc network may be fixed and a second portion of the ad-hoc network address may be selected dynamically, as each new station joins the ad-hoc network. A station may generate an information element that may be included in ad-hoc network messages. An exemplary information element may include a last byte of the ad-hoc network address associated with the transmitting station, a 4-byte timestamp field which indicates a number of milliseconds since the station claimed the network address, a user-friendly name to identify the station, a universally unique identifier (UUID) for each service offered by the transmitting station, and a network-address-in-use bitmap.
US07848255B2
A controller apparatus of this invention includes a topology information managing unit configured to manage topology information showing a topology, a location information acquiring unit configured to acquire location information on a plurality of mobile terminals, a link information acquiring unit configured to acquire link information at the mobile terminals, a determining unit configured to determine a way to change the topology, based on the location information, the link information and the topology information, and a transmitting unit configured to generate instruction information for changing the topology, based on the determined way to change the topology, and to transmit the instruction information to a certain mobile terminal.
US07848247B2
Provided is a method for providing a service based on a subscriber level. The method includes the steps of: a) initializing a Data Back-off Start (DBS) value and a Data Back-off End (DBE) value; b) acquiring subscriber information from an external management system; c) acquiring service flow identifier (SFID) and service identifier (SID) information from an object model for quality of service (QoS) based on information on Service Class Name (SCN) of the subscriber acquired in the step b); d) creating manufacturing automation protocol (MAP) according to a priority by grasping the SID information based on the service level and controlling the DBS value and the DBE value of a cable modem (CM); and e) transmitting the created MAP to the cable modem.
US07848245B1
An improved mechanism for analysing connection establishment/teardown process or identifying failure points (i.e. nodes) in a PNNI network through the use of a novel debug IE (information element) that is propagated along the communication path for a given connection to activate diagnostic functions on targeted switching devices. The mechanism comprises a method that is initiated by embedding a debug information element (IE) in a data packet that is propagated to various switching devices (the nodes) along the communication path. The debug IE is encoded such that it will be recognized by selected switching devices along the path, but ignored by other non-selected switching devices. Further encoding identifies targeted switching devices that are suspected to be possible failure points to confirm that they are functioning properly. Upon receipt and extraction of the debug IE from the data packet, the targeted switching devices are instructed to automatically perform one or more analysis functions to verify their operation. The results of these tests are then forwarded to an operator of the targeted switching devices, such as a network operator or a vendor that supplies the targeted switching devices to the network.
US07848240B2
A method is disclosed of forwarding data in a data communications network comprising a plurality of nodes and links therebetween, each link having an associated usage cost and a load capacity. A forwarding node identifies a lowest cost route, comprising one or more links, to a destination node. If a plurality of lowest cost routes is identified, then the forwarding node allocates data for forwarding along each of the lowest cost routes dependent on a relative load capacity of that route.
US07848239B2
A network system capable of dynamically controlling a data flow is disclosed. The network system includes: a forwarding unit, for receiving a packet and for providing a QoS (quality of service) function; and a processor, for accessing data from the forwarding unit through an interface and setting at least one parameter of the forwarding unit. The interface is coupled between the forwarding unit and the processor, and the processor executes a software program to set the at least one parameter of the forwarding unit.In this way, the forwarding unit can classify received packets into different QoS levels according to their transmission properties, and can provide different forwarding methods and QoS services to reduce the amount of the output queues physically.
US07848230B2
In one embodiment, performance measurements may be obtained at a local domain from a set of one or more responding targets of a particular remote domain. The performance measurements may then be applied to prefix-specific policies of any corresponding destination address prefix within the particular remote domain, such that traffic destined to a particular prefix of the particular remote domain may be routed from the local domain based on the corresponding prefix-specific policies and applied performance measurements.
US07848228B2
A communication system that enhances the efficiency of network operations in response to a request for a transfer bandwidth increased locally. A physical links are installed at a span where a transfer bandwidth is locally increased in a network, and the physical links can cover the increased transfer bandwidth. A load sharing section regards the physical links as one virtual link called a link aggregation, and performs load sharing and outputs data to the plurality of physical links. A collecting section collects data transmitted through the plurality of physical links and outputs the data according to the destination of the data. Any nodes are connected by a link aggregation to configure an RPR ring network having non-uniform transfer bandwidth.
US07848220B2
A system samples data of a digital pulse. The system includes a processor, an integrator, and a converter. The processor computes a discrete Fourier transform of frequency data of the digital pulse. The discrete Fourier transform includes a first output. The integrator integrates the first output to produce phase data. The phase data includes a second output. The converter applies an inverse discrete Fourier transform to the second output to produce a continuous signal that may be sampled at a predetermined time instant.
US07848218B2
Provided are a virtual multi-antenna method for an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) system and an OFDM-based cellular system. The virtual multi-antenna method includes grouping sub-carriers in a frequency domain of an OFDM symbol and generating at least one group including G sub-carriers; and regarding the G sub-carriers included in the at least one group as multiple channels used in a multi-antenna technique and virtually applying the multi-antenna technique to the transmission and reception of the OFDM symbol. The virtual multi-antenna method can effectively reduce an interference signal and obtain the effects of a spatial division multiple access (SDMA) technique without physically using multiple antennas.
