US08092827B2
A medical non-crosslinked pressure-sensitive adhesive composition which not only has relatively high resistance to water during perspiration or the like and shows a sufficient skin adhesive force, but also can contain a large amount of a liquid plasticizer and hence have reduced skin-irritating properties. These compositions comprise an adhesive polymer A having a weight-average molecular weight of 500,000-1,000,000, an adhesive polymer B having a weight-average molecular weight of 1,000,000-1,500,000, and a liquid plasticizer, wherein the adhesive polymer A is a polymer obtained by copolymerizing one or more alkyl (meth)acrylates with N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone and the adhesive polymer B is either a polymer obtained by the polymerization of one or more alkyl (meth)acrylates or a polymer obtained by copolymerizing one or more alkyl (meth)acrylates with one or more comonomers other than N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone. Also provided are a medical adhesive sheet and a process for producing the medical non-crosslinked pressure-sensitive adhesive composition.
US08092826B2
The present invention provides improved confectionery compositions which have a substantial reduction in the unpleasant organoleptic sensations associated with the release of functional ingredients from the confection in the oral cavity. The confectionery composition comprises a confectionery base, a functional ingredient which is a botanical or a mineral or a mineral salt having an unpleasant mouthfeel, and from about 0.5% to about 5.0% by weight of the composition of one or more fats, said amount being effective to suppress the unpleasant mouthfeel of the functional ingredient. For botanicals the confectionery composition is a hard boiled candy composition or a hard gum composition and the fat is one or more partially hydrogenated vegetable oils or saturated fats. For minerals or their salts the confection is a hard boiled candy composition and the fat is one or more partially hydrogenated vegetable oils. As a result of the present invention, improved hard confectionery products are provided which have a substantial reduction in the unpleasant organoleptic sensations associated with the functional ingredients upon release of the functional ingredient from the confection in the oral cavity.
US08092818B2
According to an aspect of the present invention, medical devices are provided, which contain (a) a substrate and (b) a polymeric region disposed over the substrate which contains at least one block copolymer. The block copolymer, in turn, contains at least two polymer blocks which phase separate into two or more immiscible phase domains within the polymeric region. Moreover, a bioactive species is covalently attached to at least one of the polymer blocks. By attaching the bioactive species selectively to at least one polymer block, self-assembled clusters of the bioactive species are created as the blocks phase separate into immiscible phase domains.
US08092816B2
The present invention relates to an insecticidal composition comprising a pyrethroid and a second insecticide selected from the group consisting of imidacloprid, nithiazine, thiamethoxam, dinotefuran, nitenpyram, thiacloprid, clothianidin and chlorfenapyr, with significantly improved knockdown and mortality characteristics when applied to general household pests.
US08092810B2
The present invention relates to the use of polypeptides related to a Bacillus licheniformis polypeptide (amino acids 1-85 of SEQ ID NO: 2) as antimicrobial agents, for example in pharmaceutical applications, including veterinary applications, as well as for preservation, cleaning and disinfection of various surfaces, objects and substances. The polypeptides may in particular be used to treat textiles or laundry, e.g., in detergents, for reducing microbes on textile or laundry, and/or for odor reduction. The invention also relates to use of Bacillus strains producing these polypeptides as antimicrobial agents. Examples of microorganism inhibited by Lento are Gram positive bacterial strains, such as Bacillus cereus, and various species of Corynebacterium, Enterococcus, Micrococcus, Streptococcus, and Staphylococcus.
US08092802B2
The present invention provides methods for treating one or more diseases or disorders which are improved, inhibited or ameliorated by reducing interleukin-4 (IL-4) activity. The methods of the invention comprise administering to a patient an antibody, or antigen-binding fragment thereof, which specifically binds to a human IL-4 receptor.
US08092797B2
Anti-VEGF antibodies and variants thereof, including those having high affinity for binding to VEGF, are disclosed. Also provided are methods of using phage display technology with naïve libraries to generate and select the anti-VEGF antibodies with desired binding and other biological activities. Further contemplated are uses of the antibodies in research, diagnostic and therapeutic applications.
US08092787B2
The present invention relates to compositions comprising a structured benefit agent pre-mix or delivery vehicle comprising benefit agent structured with crystalline materials, as defined, which when separately prepared and combined after preparation, provides enhanced delivery of optical modifier carried on, trapped within or in the presence of the structured benefit agent.
US08092779B2
A post-biopsy cavity treatment implant includes a radiopaque element, a core portion and a shell portion. The core portion is coupled to the radiopaque element, and includes a first porous matrix defining a first controlled pore architecture. The shell portion is coupled to the core portion and includes a second porous matrix defining a second controlled pore architecture that is different from the first controlled pore architecture.
US08092776B2
A process and method for recovering elemental selenium, selenite or selenate from minerals and selenium salts solutions using a reducing sugar to reduce selenium before precipitating the elemental selenium, selenite and/or the selenate.
US08092771B2
The present invention provides a process for producing a nitrogen-containing carbon material, comprising a first step of subjecting azulmic acid to a first heat treatment in an oxygen-containing gas atmosphere, thereby preparing a heat-treated product, and a second step of subjecting the heat-treated product to a second heat treatment in an inert gas atmosphere.
US08092769B2
A process and apparatus are described for converting a feed that is substantially comprised of halogenated materials, and especially byproduct and waste chlorinated hydrocarbons as are produced from a variety of chemical manufacturing processes, to one or more higher value products via a partial oxidation reforming reaction step. These products can be in the form of a useful or salable acid product and/or a product synthesis gas comprised of carbon monoxide and hydrogen, or the reaction product including the same hydrogen halide, carbon monoxide and hydrogen components can be employed as a feed in the synthesis of a different useful or salable product.
US08092763B2
An apparatus for positioning a cuvette in an optical beam path of an optical measuring instrument, with a shaft for axially inserting a cuvette, and means for pressing a cuvette against at least one wall surface of the shaft, which comprise at least one arrangement of a magnet, stationarily arranged with respect to the shaft, and a magnet movable with respect to the same, which are oriented such that the movable magnet tends to occupy a certain position with respect to the stationary magnet, in which the movable magnet engages at least partially into the shaft.
US08092759B2
Microfluidic sample processing disks with a plurality of fluid structures formed therein are disclosed. Each of the fluid structures preferably includes an input well and one or more process chambers connected to the input well by one or more delivery channels. The process chambers may be arranged in a compliant annular processing ring that is adapted to conform to the shape of an underlying thermal transfer surface under pressure. That compliance may be delivered in the disks of the present invention by locating the process chambers in an annular processing ring in which a majority of the volume is occupied by the process chambers. Compliance within the annular processing ring may alternatively be provided by a composite structure within the annular processing ring that includes covers attached to a body using pressure sensitive adhesive.
US08092756B2
Catalyst withdrawal apparatuses and methods for regulating catalyst inventory in one or more units are provided. In one embodiment, a catalyst withdrawal apparatus for removing catalyst from a FCC unit includes a vessel coupled to a flow control circuit. Another embodiment of a catalyst withdrawal apparatus includes a vessel, a delivery line, and control valve. The control valve is configured to control the amount of gas to the delivery line and entrained with the catalyst. Another embodiment of catalyst withdrawal apparatus includes a vessel coupled to a heat exchanger. The heat exchanger includes a first conduit; a housing confining a coolant volume around a portion of the first conduit; and a sliding seal sealing the housing to the first conduit in manner that allows longitudinal expansion. A fluid catalyst cracking system coupled to a catalyst withdrawal apparatus and method for withdrawing catalyst from a unit are also disclosed.
US08092752B2
An apparatus and method for extracting oils and fats from oil-bearing substances without using degrading temperatures. The apparatus may comprise an extraction chamber containing an oil-bearing substance, an oil-collecting chamber, a recovery pump, a first jacket adjacent at least a portion of the extraction chamber, and a second jacket adjacent at least a portion of the oil-collecting chamber. The method involves heating a solvent and reducing pressure to facilitate a low-temperature vacuum boil; delivering the heated solvent into the extraction chamber configured to facilitate the low-temperature vacuum boil of the solvent within the extraction chamber; pumping the solvent in vapor form out of the extraction chamber with the recovery pump; delivering the oil and fat extracted in the extraction chamber to the oil-collecting chamber; pumping solvent in vapor form out of the oil-collecting chamber with the recovery pump; and delivering the solvent received by the recovery pump to the first and second jackets to provide heat to the chambers.
US08092748B2
A housing for a component of an exhaust system, in particular for an exhaust gas purification device, has an envelope that comprises a shrunk clamping portion for the component, a transition portion that adjoins the clamping portion in an axial direction, and a connecting portion that adjoins the transition portion in the axial direction. The diameter of the connecting portion is larger than that of the clamping portion. A method of producing the housing for the component includes providing a tubular envelope, and inserting the component into the envelope. A shrinking step is then carried out in the clamping portion which terminates spaced apart from ends of the envelope as viewed in the axial direction, whereas the axial ends of the envelope are not acted upon.
US08092747B2
Modular reactor for exothermic/endothermic chemical reactions which take place in three-phase systems, comprising a series of modules, superimposed with respect to each other, fixed to each other by means of coupling flanges, each module consisting of an external cylindrical body and a series of tube bundles, for the circulation of a thermal-exchange fluid, positioned inside said body.
US08092745B2
The present invention provides a magnetic sensor which detects a target substance indirectly by making a labeling substance larger than the target substance bond with the target substance contained in a sample in a detection area, and detecting the labeling substance, comprising a capture area which is relatively easy to capture the target substance, and a non-capture area which is relatively hard to capture the target substance, on a surface of a member which is comprised in a detection area, wherein the capture area is surrounded by the non-capture area. Thereby, the sensor enables to detect comparatively accurately the number and concentration of substances which cannot be directly detected, and enables to be used for detection of various target substances.
US08092741B2
A water chlorinating device having a vessel (2) in turn having a bottom portion (6) for containing water; a grille (10) located over the bottom portion and for supporting a solid chemical chlorinating substance (11); a spray device (13) for directing at least one water jet on to the grille (10); and a mixing nozzle (29) located inside the bottom portion (6), at the bottom of the vessel (2), and for agitating the water in the bottom portion (6) by means of a water jet.
US08092737B2
Disclosed is a method of micro/nano imprinting, which applies soft mold, pre-shaping sealing film, and soft holder arrangements to the micro/nano structure imprinting process of the curved substrates. The method of the present invention can prevent the curved surface from crumbling, which may result from high gas pressuring, and can obtain uniform imprinting pressure distribution throughout the whole curved substrate. Moreover, replicating micro/nano structures onto double-sided curve, both convex and concave, surfaces can also be achieved.
US08092734B2
Covers for microelectronic imagers and methods for wafer-level packaging of microelectronics imagers
Methods for forming and attaching covers to microelectronic imaging units, packaging microelectronic imagers at the wafer level, and microelectronic imagers having covers that protect the image sensor are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a method includes providing a first substrate having a plurality of covers, the covers including windows comprising regions of the first substrate and stand-offs projecting from the windows. The method continues by providing a second substrate having a plurality of microelectronic dies with image sensors, integrated circuits electrically coupled to the image sensors, and terminals electrically coupled to the integrated circuits. The method includes assembling the covers with corresponding dies so that the windows are aligned with corresponding image sensors and stand-offs contact corresponding dies inboard of the terminals and outboard of the image sensors. The first substrate is then cut to singulate the individual covers, after which the second substrate is cut to singulate individual imaging units.
US08092733B2
A method of manufacturing decorative plastic composites having a decorative layer, a backing layer and a clear outer layer which provides exceptional “depth of image” is disclosed. Decorative or protective appliqués' having a wide range of decorative patterns may be formed by injection molding a backing layer behind and a clear outer layer on the top surface of a relatively thin foil, film, fabric, veneer or sheet of paper.
US08092729B2
A steam dispersion system including insulation is disclosed. The steam dispersion system may include a steam dispersion tube with at least one opening defined on an outer surface of the steam dispersion tube and a hollow interior. The insulation covers at least a portion of the steam dispersion tube, the insulation defining an opening aligned with the opening of the steam dispersion tube, wherein the insulation meets 25/50 flame/smoke indexes for UL723/ASTM E-84 and has a thermal conductivity less than about 0.35 Watts/m-K (2.4 in-hr/ft^2 deg F.). A nozzle defining a throughhole may be placed within the opening of the steam dispersion tube, the throughhole being in fluid communication with the hollow interior of the steam dispersion tube to provide a steam exit.
US08092727B2
The invention a method of forming complex shape of styrenic polymer foams in which a pressing surface is created, for example, by planing/machining a layer of an as formed extruded styrenic polymer plank, contacting said plank with a contoured die face and pressing the foam to form the complex shape.
US08092726B2
Method of making eyeglass lens are disclosed where the lens are made of layers which include an outer, convex hard coating, a layer of hard epoxy, a laminated PVA film where one of the layer of the PVA film is dipped in high contrast dye, a layer of soft epoxy, a base material, and an inner, concave hard coating. Other methods configuration of lens also include a camouflaged patterned lens, a layer of hard epoxy, a polyurethane mixture, a laminated PVA film where one of the layer of the PVA film is dipped with high contrast dye, a layer of soft epoxy, a base material, and an inner, concave hard coating.
US08092721B2
Methods and compositions for the deposition of ternary oxide films containing ruthenium and an alkali earth metal.
US08092715B2
A terpene alcohol premix formulation raises the flash point of a volatile organic solvent to a level that results in a solvent solution that is less volatile. The catalytic formulation consists of a blend of two or more terpene alcohols and acetone. The blended terpene alcohols are present in the catalytic formulation in an amount of from about 5% to about 40%, by weight, based on the total weight of the terpene alcohol premix formulation. The remainder of the terpene alcohol premix formulation consists of from about 60% to about 95% acetone, by weight, based on the total weight of the terpene alcohol premix formulation.
US08092713B2
The invention concerns a method for marking a material characterized in that it consists in incorporating into the material: either a phosphor capable of producing, following excitation, two light emissions whereof the respective wavelengths and the emission decay times are different, or several phosphors capable of producing, following excitation, a light emission whereof the wavelength and the emission decay time are different from the wavelength and emission decay time of the other or other phosphors. The material can in particular be of the paper, board, paint, textile, ink, glass or macromolecular material type.
US08092705B2
The present invention provides a simple method for introducing magnetic particles into a polymer for further preparing a magnetic polymer, the method using the capability of polymer to absorb Fe3+ and other divalent metal ions M2+, adding alkali immediately each time after absorbing Fe3+ or M2+, thereby generating hydrated oxide of the Fe3+ and hydrated oxide of the divalent metal ions in sequence inside the polymer, and then heating, so that the hydrated oxide of the Fe3+ and the hydrated oxide of the divalent metal ions are transformed into magnetic particles MFexOy, where M may be Fe2+, Zn2+, Mg2+, Cu2+, Ca2+, Ba2+, Sr2+, Ni2+, Co2+, Mn2+ and the like, and x=1.0˜2.0; y=3.0˜4.0. Compared with the prior art method, the present one is simpler, wider in application, and more operable.
US08092702B2
A method of multi-stage substrate etching and a terahertz oscillator manufactured by using the method are provided. The method comprises the steps of forming a first mask pattern on any one surface of a first substrate, forming a hole by etching the first substrate using the first mask pattern as an etching mask, bonding, to the first substrate, a second substrate having the same thickness as a depth to be etched, forming a second mask pattern on the second substrate bonded, forming a hole by etching the second substrate using the second mask pattern as an etching mask, and removing an oxide layer having the etching selectivity between the first substrate and the second substrate, whereby the etched bottom is made uniformly even in a deep step, the edge curvature is minimized, and a T-shape is prevented from being formed on the etched wall face to thereby improve the etching quality. Further, the etching depth is previously controlled by lapping or polishing, the upper and lower substrates are precisely boned to each other using the alignment key, and a multi-layer processing is possibly performed thereto, so that the precision and the uniformity in structure of the oscillator or amplifier is obtained.
US08092699B2
A method for forming a phase grating is disclosed. First, a substrate is provided. Second, a first dielectric layer with a tapered recess or bulge is formed on the substrate. Later, a second dielectric layer is formed to fill the tapered recess and to cover the first dielectric layer. Afterwards, the second dielectric layer is selectively etched to form the phase grating. The phase grating includes a column and multiple rings. The column and multiple rings are concentric and the multiple rings are disposed on the tapered side so that the height of each ring is different.
US08092689B2
A method of reducing styrene emissions in aqueous cured-in-place pipe closed molding processes and other aqueous environments using a styrene reduction agent. The reduction agent generally comprises a calibrated mixture of salts including sodium chloride plus three persulfate salts: ammonium (APS), potassium (KPS), and sodium (NPS). These ingredients are combined in powder form and are compressed into soluble capsules containing calibrated amounts of the mixture. The capsule(s) may be prescribed through the use of software. Capsule(s) are added to the cure water prior to starting the boiler equipment for the Cured-In-Place Pipe process in order to reduce the residual monomer content in either process or waste streams.
US08092688B2
A method for treating water in a ballasted flocculation system comprises directing water into a ballasted flocculation zone and adding ballast and a flocculation reagent to the water to form a water-floc mixture. The water-floc mixture is directed into a settling zone to form treated water and sludge containing ballast. The ballast is then directed to a recirculation line where the ballast is recirculated to the ballasted flocculation zone. The method further includes determining the ballast concentration and comparing the ballast concentration with a predetermined threshold value. The rate at which ballast is recirculated to the ballasted flocculation zone is adjusted based on the determined ballast concentration and the predetermined threshold value. A ballasted flocculation system for treating water comprises a ballasted flocculation zone, a water inlet for directing water into the ballasted flocculation zone, and a flocculation reagent inlet for directing flocculation reagent into the ballasted flocculation zone. The system includes a settling zone for separating treated water from sludge containing ballast and a recirculation line for recirculating ballast from the settling zone to the ballasted flocculation zone. A first ballast inlet is operatively connected to the recirculation line for directing ballast into the ballasted flocculation zone. Finally, the system includes a sensor for measuring a parameter of ballast in the system.
US08092685B1
Methods and systems for growing algae are disclosed. For example, disclosed is an exemplary bioreactor for growing algae that includes a chamber, a liquid-permeable membrane that includes a plurality of hollow fiber membranes disposed within the chamber. Each hollow fiber membrane can include a hollow interior and may be made of a liquid-permeable, algae-impermeable membrane, and each hollow fiber membrane may be disposed within the chamber. The respective interiors of the hollow fiber membranes may at least partially define an inner-capillary space (ICS). The interior of the chamber and respective exteriors of the hollow fiber membranes may at least partially define an extra-capillary space (ECS). When algae is grown in the ECS, lipids produced by the algae may be extracted from the ECS to the ICS via the hollow fiber membranes without killing the majority of algae and while containing the algae to the ECS.
US08092683B2
The present invention relates to a method of preparing a library of resins which are useful in chromatography, which method comprises creating a diversity of multi-modal ion exchange resins; and providing the diversity in a parallel system in which each resin is presented separated from the other resin(s).
US08092676B2
A tank for use in a system that outputs a liquid at a user defined constant temperature in order to regulate the temperature of a piece of equipment includes a body of material defining a chamber for receiving and storing the liquid. The top wall has a fill port and one of the other walls includes an outlet port. An auxiliary port and fluid return port are also included. The body further includes a well, sized to accommodate a deionizer cartridge, extending down into the chamber from an opening in top wall that can be removed. A flow velocity reducer is disposed in the auxiliary port for reducing the velocity of the liquid entering the auxiliary port from the return fluid port and then passing into the fill port so that the liquid does not spray or splash onto the walls of the fill port.
US08092667B2
An electrochemical deposition method to form uniform and continuous Group IIIA material rich thin films with repeatability is provided. Such thin films are used in fabrication of semiconductor and electronic devices such as thin film solar cells. In one embodiment, the Group IIIA material rich thin film is deposited on an interlayer that includes 20-90 molar percent of at least one of In and Ga and at least 10 molar percent of an additive material including one of Cu, Se, Te, Ag and S. The thickness of the interlayer is adapted to be less than or equal to about 20% of the thickness of the Group IIIA material rich thin film.
US08092663B2
A gas sensor control device is disclosed as including a sensor cell having a negative terminal, to which a current-voltage converter is connected, and a differential amplifier is connected to the current-voltage converter to provide a current measured result applied to a microcomputer. The current-voltage converter has an opposite-to-sensor terminal to which another differential amplifier is connected. A sensor-side terminal of the current-voltage converter and another differential amplifier is electrically connected to each other via an electric pathway having a sensor-current flow disabling pathway in which a switch circuit is provided. Closing the switch circuit allows a potential difference between both terminals of the current-voltage converter is zeroed. With the switch circuit closed, the microcomputer calculates an element current correcting value, while detecting an electromotive force of the sensor cell based on which a failure is determined.
US08092661B2
The invention relates to novel electropolymerisable monomers which are to be polymerised in an aqueous solution and comprise: an electropolymerisable pattern selected from acetylene, pyrrols, thiophenes, indols, anilines, azines, p-phenylene vinylenes, p-phenylenes, pyrenes, furanes, selenophenes, pyrridazines, carbazoles, acrylates, methacrylates and the derivatives thereof, and a metalloporphyrine which is substituted by at least two ionised or ionizable entities in an aqueous solution. The invention also relates to a method for the polymerization of such monomers, to the electroactive probe that can be obtained by the polymerization of such monomers, and to a method for detecting a target ligand in a biological sample using one such electroactive probe.
US08092654B2
A process belt for papermaking with a long operational life comprises an integrated structure of a reinforcing fibrous base material 6 and a polyurethane layer, the reinforcing fibrous base material being embedded in the polyurethane, wherein an inorganic filler selected from calcined kaolin clay, fused silica and zeolite is homogeneously dispersed in the polyurethane.
US08092650B2
This invention relates to a method for producing or treating a fibrous web, in particular a paper web or paperboard web, with which at least one property of the fibrous web, in particular a CD (cross direction) profile, such as the moisture CD profile, is established such that a preselected quality range is adhered to or a predefined quality value is undershot by no more than a predefined deviation, wherein the power consumption of the method, in particular the heat energy input, is reduced therewith by establishing at least one property such that the lowest permissible value of the quality range or the maximum permissible deviation is reached at least approximately on a straight line.
US08092647B2
The present invention is a method for producing a pulp from a fibrous lignocellulose material or source using a treatment or pretreatment step which exposes the material to oxalic acid derivatives, particularly dialkyl ester derivatives, particularly in the vapor phase. Once treated, the material may be refined using any one of the several pulping methods to produce a final pulp product and the production of the product is accompanied by strength increases in paper made from the pulp and energy savings in making the pulp, hi addition the treatment or pretreatment produces a soluble carbohydrate source and other components (e.g. acetic acid, other wood components) for further product development. In certain cases a pulp product is not produced and all of the carbohydrate present in the lignocellulose is converted into soluble sugars.
US08092646B2
A vaporization apparatus and related vaporization method is provided that relies on thermocapillary convection. The apparatus of a thermocapillary evaporator has three sections: an evaporation section, a displacement section, and a storage system for storing the liquid to be evaporated. The evaporation section is operable to distribute thermal energy substantially along the entire liquid-gas interface. The method of the present invention includes providing a thermocapillary evaporator. Advantageously, the present invention provides substantial evaporation from relatively low temperature heat sources, compared to conventional evaporators.
US08092645B2
During detachment of a die from an adhesive tape, the inner and outer portions of a first side of the die which is in contact with the adhesive tape is supported with a support surface. A collet contacts the inner and outer portions of a second side of the die opposite to the first side. Support is withdrawn from the outer portion of the die such that the outer portion of the second side of the die bends away from the collet while the support surface only supports the inner portion of the die. Vacuum suction from the collet is applied to attract the outer portion of the die towards the collet and the vacuum suction pressure is monitored until a threshold pressure is reached indicating that the outer portion of the die is contacting the collet. Thereafter, the collet is lifted while holding the die with vacuum suction to completely separate the die from the adhesive tape.
US08092642B2
Provided is a plasma processing apparatus capable of generating a uniform plasma by preventing a nonuniformity of a current flow in a slot antenna. A dielectric plate is disposed to close a top opening of a plate cover and a slot antenna for generating plasma is disposed on the dielectric plate. By allowing an outer periphery of the slot antenna to make direct contact with an inner wall portion of the plate cover by using a conductive member having elasticity, when a microwave is supplied to slot antenna, it is possible to make an electrical resistance between the inner wall portion of the processing vessel and the outer periphery of the flat plate antenna substantially the same at any point in the entire circumference of the processing vessel, so that magnitude of the microwave current flowing in the slot antenna can be made approximately the same.
US08092639B2
A plasma reactor having a reactor chamber and an electrostatic chuck with a surface for holding a workpiece inside the chamber includes a backside gas pressure source coupled to the electrostatic chuck for applying a thermally conductive gas under a selected pressure into a workpiece-surface interface formed whenever a workpiece is held on the surface and an evaporator inside the electrostatic chuck and a refrigeration loop having an expansion valve for controlling flow of coolant through the evaporator. The reactor further includes a temperature sensor in the electrostatic chuck and a memory storing a schedule of changes in RF power or wafer temperature. The reactor further includes a thermal model capable of simulating heat transfer between the evaporator and the surface based upon measurements from the temperature sensor, and a control processor coupled to the thermal model and to the memory and governing the backside gas pressure source in response to a prediction from the model of a change in the selected pressure that would compensate for the next scheduled change in RF power or implement the next scheduled change in wafer temperature.
US08092636B2
An anisotropic conductive adhesive for anisotropic conductive connection of an electronic component to a wiring board under no pressure or a low pressure is prepared by dispersing conductive particles in a binder resin composition. A metal flake powder having a major axis of 10 to 40 μm, a thickness of 0.5 to 2 μm, and an aspect ratio of 5 to 50, is used as the conductive particles. The amount of the conductive particles contained in the anisotropic conductive adhesive is 5 to 35 mass %. This anisotropic conductive adhesive is supplied to a connection terminal of a wiring board, and a connection terminal of an electronic component is preliminarily connected to a connection terminal of a substrate while arranging the anisotropic conductive adhesive therebetween. Then, the electronic component is heated without applying a pressure or while applying a low pressure to the electronic component to connect the substrate with the electronic component.
US08092633B2
Deadhesion of an IC tag inlet during vulcanization molding of tire is suppressed, while preventing adhesion of a portion other than a sticking out portion. An IC tag comprises a sheet-like IC tag inlet 2, a protective cover 3 of an unvulcanized rubber sheet adhered to the surface Sf of the inlet 2 through a primer layer 10 and an adhesive layer 11, and an antiadhesive layer 4 formed on the rear surface Sr of the inlet 2, wherein a maximum value Ga′max of storage shear modulus Ga′ of a rubber of the protective cover 3 at a temperature of 150 to 200° C. and a storage shear modulus Gb′0 of the primer layer 10 at a temperature T0 showing the maximum value Ga′max satisfy the following equation: Ga′max×10−2
US08092613B2
A method of warewashing for the removal of starch is described herein. The method includes applying an alkaline composition to a dish, then applying an acidic composition to a dish, and then applying a second alkaline composition to the dish. The method may include additional steps. Compositions for using with the method are also disclosed. Finally, dish machines that may be used in accordance with the method are disclosed.
US08092608B2
The present invention relates to a composition comprising prebiotic (prebiotic adjuvant) for decreasing inflammatory process by improving the homeostasis of non-specific immune parameters and of lymphocyte subpopulations. It also relates to the use of a prebiotic formulation in the manufacture of a medicament or a food or petfood composition for decreasing inflammatory process and/or abnormal activation of non-specific immune parameters, such as phagocytes.
US08092607B2
In a vacuum coating installation to coat planar substrates, comprising a vacuum chamber and a transport device arranged in the vacuum chamber for transporting the substrates along a transportation path through the vacuum chamber, with the transport device comprising a multitude of transport rollers arranged successively along the transportation path, each transport roller is adapted to be mounted at least at two different positions, vertically distanced from each other. A carrier frame has a substrate accepting structure and a guiding rod arranged at the bottom of the carrier frame in the direction of transportation to create a friction connection with the transportation device, connected to the carrier frame at the connection points, with the guiding rod being connected at least at one connection point to the carrier frame such that a relative displacement is possible of the guiding rod relative to the carrier frame in the direction of transportation.
US08092604B2
A solid organometallic compound novel filled container stably supplies an apparatus for vapor phase epitaxial growth such as an MOCVD apparatus with a solid organometallic compound over a long term. The solid organometallic compound-filled container has a carrier gas inlet and a carrier gas outlet. The interior of the filled container is separated into a plurality of vertical compartments. A carrier gas introduced via the carrier gas inlet flows through each of the vertical compartments and is then discharged via the carrier gas outlet.
US08092595B1
A method for forming an ordered array of nanocrystals where a hydrophobic precursor solution with a hydrophobic core material in an organic solvent is added to a solution of a surfactant in water, followed by removal of a least a portion of the organic solvent to form a micellar solution of nanocrystals. A precursor co-assembling material, generally water-soluble, that can co-assemble with individual micelles formed in the micellar solution of nanocrystals can be added to this micellar solution under specified reaction conditions (for example, pH conditions) to form an ordered-array mesophase material. For example, basic conditions are used to precipitate an ordered nanocrystal/silica array material in bulk form and acidic conditions are used to form an ordered nanocrystal/silica array material as a thin film.
US08092592B2
Exemplary embodiments as disclosed herein are directed to setting and curing accelerators for hydraulic binders, including at least one ester of a polyhydric alcohol with an acid and/or salts thereof, where the acid is a phosphoric acid, phosphorous acid or a C2 to C20 carboxylic acid. Compositions including at least one accelerator as disclosed herein can accelerate the setting and curing of hydraulic binders and mortar or concrete produced therefrom, such as quick-setting cement. Methods for accelerating the setting and curing of hydraulic binders and mortar or concrete produced therefrom are also disclosed.
US08092584B2
Disclosed is a process for making an animal blood adhesive and the resulting adhesive composition. The adhesive is made by adding to fresh, whole animal blood, without dewatering the blood, an anticoagulant and a preservative. Lime is then added to the anticoagulated, preserved blood, and the pH is adjusted to between about 9 and about 11. A curing agent (such as potassium silicate, sodium silicate and aluminum dihydrogen phosphate) and ammonia are then added to the mixture to yield the animal blood adhesive. The adhesive can be made from any animal blood, such as bovine, porcine, or avian blood. The resulting adhesive is useful for adhering wood-based products, such as plywood and particle board.
US08092577B2
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for removing chemical sterilant molecules from a medium, such as a carrier gas. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a housing that defines an internal cavity. The housing has an inlet and an outlet fluidly communicating with the internal cavity. An electrode is dimensioned to be received in the internal cavity of the housing. The electrode is made of a material that is chemically active with respect to molecules of a chemical sterilant and conductive to electricity. The electrode is connected to a source of an electrical charge such that an electrical field gradient is formed in a region of space surrounding the electrode. The electrical field gradient is operable to force the chemical sterilant molecule toward the electrode.
US08092573B2
A process for the production of a purified PGM selected from the group consisting of platinum and rhodium from an impure PGM source, the process comprising (a) obtaining an anhydrous PGM halide from the impure PGM source; (b) treating the PGM halide with carbon monoxide at an effective temperature; pressure and time to form the PGM carbonyl halide; and (c) (i) wherein the PGM is platinum, heating the platinum carbonyl halide at an effective platinum decomposition temperature to produce the purified platinum; (ii) wherein the PGM is rhodium, heating the rhodium halide at an effective rhodium decomposition temperature to produce the purified rhodium; and (iii) wherein the platinum carbonyl carbonyl halide and the rhodium carbonyl halide are in a gaseous mixture, effecting step (i) at a temperature lower than the rhodium effective decomposition temperature prior to effecting step (ii). The process is of particular value in the recovery and recycle of PGM materials from vehicle exhaust catalytic converters.
US08092569B2
This invention includes uses and methods of preparing phosphites and/or hyposphosphites (and their polymeric forms and/or their salts) and phosphite-based agrochemicals (fertilizers and biocides) from phosphate or other naturally occurring or synthetic phosphorus sources using anaerobic microbial fermentation. The fermentation process produces both a liquid and solid phase phosphite/hypophosphite salts which can be used as an agrochemical product.
US08092568B2
A ceramic honeycomb filter comprising a honeycomb structure having large numbers of flow paths partitioned by porous cell walls, and plugs alternately formed in the flow paths on the exhaust-gas-inlet and outlet sides, the outlet-side plugs having porosity of 65% or less, and the upstream-side end surfaces of the outlet-side plugs having surface roughness Ra of 13-50 μm.
US08092551B2
A method for producing pantyhose and other nylon or spandex hosiery with a long-lasting aloe finish is provided. A first step of the method is to place the pantyhose in a dye tub with a quantity of dye mix and ammonia sulfate. The contents of the dye tub are then heated until the pores in the nylon fibers of the pantyhose open and accept the dye molecules. A color fix is then added to the dye tub along with an acid substitute for creating a strong bond between the dye molecules and the nylon fibers. A softening mix containing a cationic nylon softener and a diluted silicone softener is then applied to the pantyhose. Lastly, an aloe finish containing a silicone micro-emulsion is added to the dye tub followed by another quantity of acid substitute for creating a strong bond between the aloe finish and the nylon fibers of the pantyhose.
US08092546B2
A knee arthroplasty prosthesis includes a femoral component having multiple pieces with engagement means provided for engaging various pieces of the femoral component to one another following their insertion in the incised area of the femur. A tibial component includes multiple pieces designed for assembly following positioning in the incision. The tibial component includes a Morse taper cavity on one piece of the tibial component and a Morse taper extension on another member of the component for receipt therein.
US08092545B2
A knee arthroplasty prosthesis includes a femoral component having multiple pieces with engagement means provided for engaging various pieces of the femoral component to one another following their insertion in the incised area of the femur. A tibial component includes multiple pieces designed for assembly following positioning in the incision. The tibial component includes a Morse taper cavity on one piece of the tibial component and a Morse taper extension on another member of the component for receipt therein.
US08092544B2
An orthopaedic implant includes a patella component having a posterior bearing surface configured to articulate with the femoral condyles of a femur, and an anterior surface having a number of pegs extending outwardly therefrom. The superior edge of the patella component is thickened relative to conventional dome-shaped patella components.
US08092542B2
The invention relates to a surgical implant that provides an artificial diarthroidal-like joint, suitable for use in replacing any joint, but particularly suitable for use as an intervertebral disc endoprosthesis. The invention contains two rigid opposing shells, each having an outer surface adapted to engage the surfaces of the bones of a joint in such a way that the shells are immobilized by friction between their outer surfaces and the surfaces of the bone. These outer surfaces are sufficiently rough that large frictional forces strongly resist any slippage between the outer surface and the bone surfaces in the joint. They may be convex, and when inserted into a milled concavity, are immediately mechanically stable. Desirably, the outer surfaces of the shells are adapted to allow for bony ingrowth, which further stabilizes the shells in place. The inner surfaces of the shells are relatively smooth, and adapted to slide easily across a portion of the outer surface of a central body disposed between the shells. The central body has a shape that cooperates with the shape of the inner surface of the shell so as to provide a range of motion similar to that provided by a healthy joint. A flexible sheath extends between edges of the opposing shells. The inner surface of this sheath, together with the inner surfaces of the rigid shells, defines a cavity encasing the central body. At least a portion of this cavity is filled with a fluid lubricant, further decreasing the frictional force between inner surfaces of the shell and the surface of the central body.
US08092537B2
Instrument and implants are disclosed which provide for insertion of an implant into an intervertebral disc space from multiple approaches to the spine. Specifically, as a preferred aspect of the invention the implant includes a tapered portion and the implant may be inserted from multiple approaches to the spine with the orientation and taper properly oriented in the disc space regardless of the approach.
US08092533B2
Implants and methods for dynamic stabilization and/or fusion of vertebral members. The implant includes relief cuts that provide flexibility to accommodate relative movements of the vertebral members. The number, size, and shape of the relief cuts may vary depending upon the desired flexibility. Shims are sized to fit within the relief cuts to adjust the flexibility of the implant. The shims may be placed within the relief cuts to adjust the overall flexibility of the implant. In general, the stiffness of the device increases with an increase in the number of shims. Shims may also be placed within specific relief cuts to adjust the flexibility for predetermined vertebral movement.
US08092522B2
An implantable valve prosthesis including a frame defining a lumen extending between a proximal frame end and a distal frame end and a leaflet positioned within the lumen and having a distal edge attached to the frame and a proximal edge free of the frame. The leaflet includes a first and a second slit extending distally from the proximal edge and defining a free portion of the leaflet between the first and second slits. The leaflet is movable between a position that allows fluid flow in an antegrade direction and a second position that restricts flow in a retrograde direction.
US08092519B2
Method and apparatus for implanting radially expandable prostheses in the body lumens rely on tacking or anchoring of the prostheses with separately introduced fasteners. The prostheses may be self-expanding or balloon expandable. After initial placement, a fastener applier system is introduced within the expanded prostheses to deploy a plurality of fasteners at least one prosthesis end, usually as each end of the prosthesis. The fasteners are usually helical fasteners which are delivered from a helical track in the fastener applier by rotation with a rotator wire. The fasteners will be applied singly, typically in circumferentially spaced-apart patterns about the interior of each end of the prosthesis.
US08092512B2
An intraluminally implantable stent is formed of helically wound wire. The stent has a generally elongate tubular configuration and is radially expandable after implantation in a body vessel. The wire includes successively formed waves along the length of the wire. When helically wound into a tube, the waves are longitudinally nested along the longitudinal extent of the stent so as to form a densely compacted wire configuration. After radial expansion the stent maintains high radial compressive strength and wire density to retard tissue ingrowth.
US08092510B2
A delivery system for self-expanding stents is provided. The delivery system includes a wire releasably attached to a portion of the self-expanding stent. The wire restrains movement of the stent when the stent is released from the delivery system. Thus, more accurate placement of the stent may be possible.
US08092493B2
The surgical stapling apparatus includes a handle assembly, an elongated body extending distally from the handle assembly, and an articulation mechanism for articulating a tool assembly. The articulation mechanism includes a first gear rotatably mounted on a transmission shaft and configured to engage a second gear, a clutch interconnecting the second gear and a main shaft; and a yoke shaft coupled to the main shaft and adapted to linearly advance a J-channel, the J-channel operatively connected to an articulation link. A motor assembly may rotate the transmission shaft of the articulation mechanism. Alternatively, the articulation mechanism may include an articulation knob. Users may manually rotate the articulation knob to articulate the tool assembly of the surgical stapling apparatus.
US08092489B2
A tissue grasping apparatus includes a control member, an elongated shaft, and a tissue grasping member attached to the distal end of the elongated shaft. An activation mechanism provides an user-operable connection between the control member and the tissue grasping member. In an embodiment, the tissue grasping member includes a pair of jaws configured to open to an included angle between the jaws of 180 degrees or more. In an embodiment, the activation mechanism includes a flexible drive wire attached to the penetrating member.
US08092480B2
This invention relates to devices, such as cannulas or needles, which are used for inserting expandable structures, such as medical balloons, into interior regions of a human or animal body, as well as methods for their use. In various embodiments, insertion devices described herein are capable of flaring at their tip to ease insertion and removal of expandable structures and reduce the risk of damaging such expandable structures during their insertion, inflation and removal. In other embodiments, insertion devices described herein are capable of directionally guiding and/or inhibiting expansion of an expandable structure within an interior region of an animal or human body to create optimally placed cavities for repair, augmentation and/or treatment of fractured and/or diseased bone.
US08092476B2
Disclosed are cap embodiments each comprising a body having a skin-engaging end defining a piercing aperture, a lancet receiver, and an intermediate member. A first cam path is located on one of the lancet receiver and the intermediate member, and a first cam follower is located on the other of the lancet receiver and the intermediate member that engages the first cam path. A second cam path is located on one of the cap body and the intermediate member, and a second cam follower is located on the other of the cap body and the intermediate member that engages the second cam path. The first and second cam paths are configured such that rotation of the intermediate member by an actuating mechanism causes the cap body to move forward and rearward and the lancet receiver to move forward and rearward. Also disclosed are lancing devices and methods of use.
US08092458B2
The present invention describes a magnetic targeting system suitable for guiding a biocompatible device to a target area within the body (in vivo) and method of using the same. The system includes a targeting member having a steering material and is attached to the biocompatible device. The system also includes at least one anchoring member constructed and arranged for the inclusion of a magnetic material effective for influencing the traversal of the steering material, in vivo. The magnetically influenced anchoring member interacts with the targeting member such that the biocompatible device is positionable relative to the target area.
US08092454B2
A fixation instrument for treating a bone fracture including a bone screw and a nail, wherein the bone screw extends through an opening in the head or proximal end of the nail. A movable insert is disposed within a chamber located at the proximal end of the nail. The insert engages the bone screw to prevent rotation thereof once the bone screw is placed in position.
US08092453B2
Medical kits for treating fractures in or adjacent the wrist and distal forearm employ an intramedullary interlocking fixation rod (i.e, it interlocks the distal and proximal fracture fragments together) to stabilize the skeletal structure in a manner which can inhibit the amount of collapse or loss in skeletal length exhibited by a patient with a distal radius fracture.
US08092444B2
An articulation segment for a catheter includes a tube formed with a first plurality of axially aligned slits that are respectively oriented in planes perpendicular to the axis, with each slit extending azimuthally in an arc partway around the axis. The tube is also formed with a second plurality of similarly formed slits that are axially offset and diametrically opposed relative to the slits of the first plurality to allow for a bending of the catheter in a plurality of different planes. In a particular embodiment, the slits are arranged to allow the articulation segment to be reconfigured from a straight, substantially cylindrically shaped tube to a configuration in which a portion of the articulation segment is formed in the shape of a ring.
US08092440B2
An absorbent article of the kind which is worn as a pair of absorbent pants with a waist opening defined by a rear waist edge and a front waist edge, and two leg openings. The absorbent article preferably includes an absorbent body attached to a covering. The covering preferably includes an elastic material arranged within an area which extends at least from the front waist edge to the leg openings. The elastic material is preferably treated. The treated elastic material preferably has no or reduced elasticity within a portion of the covering overlapping the absorbent core.
US08092436B2
A bodily fluid drainage assembly having one or more covers and a fluid bag. The fluid bag has a first and a second volume indicator. The first volume indicator is employed by comparing a top level of a fluid with graduations that make up the first volume indicator. The second volume indicator and one of the covers can be used to appreciate an approximate volume of the fluid without directly observing the fluid. Any covers present on the assembly can be removed.
US08092428B2
Systems and methods are disclosed for adjusting the delivery times of an insulin delivery profile of an insulin pump, wherein the insulin pump is operable to automatically deliver insulin to a person having diabetes based on an operating time of the internal clock and a delivery time of an insulin delivery profile. The method may comprise receiving a local time zone time from an external local clock, determining whether the operating time of the internal clock differs from the local time zone time by at least a first predetermined amount of time, requesting the person provide a time adjustment value when the operating time of the internal clock differs from the local time zone time by at least the first predetermined amount of time, receiving the time adjustment value from the person, and adjusting the delivery times of the insulin delivery profile based on the time adjustment value when received.
US08092426B2
A regional anesthesia system and a cart for aiding in the placement of a regional anesthesia block without the need of ancillary assistance. The invention includes equipment for use in the performance of a regional anesthesia block which is carried on a cart for transporting and providing a stable foundation for the equipment. The equipment includes a nerve localization means such as ultrasound or a peripheral nerve stimulator for locating a target nerve of a patient, a position assist arm for maintaining the position of the localization means over the target nerve while the operator inserts an anesthetic needle over the target nerve, and an anesthetic infusion device for infusing or aspirating through the anesthesia needle. The infusion device includes an infusion pump controlled by a foot pedal. The system may be easily transported to a patient requiring a regional anesthesia block, and allows the regional anesthesia block to be performed with minimal ancillary assistance.
US08092419B2
A disposable injector with a housing (10) in which are arranged at least one mechanical spring energy reservoir (50), at least cylinder/piston unit (100) filled with an injection solution, at least one piston-actuating ram, and at least one trigger unit. The spring-loaded piston-actuating ram is supported on the housing via at least one support rod (21), wherein the contact zone located between an individual support rod and the piston-actuating ram represents a wedge gear pairing that forces the respective support rod radially outwards. The support rod or support rods bear on at least one activation element (82) that is mounted on the housing and positioned in a locking position. The activation element can be brought by displacement into a triggering position that releases the piston-actuating ram.
US08092417B2
The present invention relates to a device for injecting a liquid medicine such as a Ringer's solution, and more particularly, to a device for regulating the amount of liquid medicine to be injected. According to the present invention, there is provided with a device for regulating the flow rate of a liquid medicine on a flow path of the liquid medicine, comprising an inflow passage for allowing the liquid medicine to be introduced therethrough; a discharge passage for allowing the liquid medicine to be discharged therethrough; a space for storing the liquid medicine introduced through the inflow passage therein; a capillary unit placed between the space and the discharge passage and having at least two capillaries and a plurality of outlets formed on the side of the discharge passage to correspond to the respective capillaries; and a discharge amount regulating valve that is placed between the capillary unit and the discharge passage and is movable to change the number of capillaries communicating with the discharge passage.
US08092405B2
A self-contained oral vibrator featuring an elastomeric band that is generally used as a sexual novelty apparatus. The apparatus is made of two basic parts. The first part, the integrated vibrator, is comprised of a motor used to cause vibration, a small battery power source and an external barrel 4. The second primary element of the apparatus is the elastomeric band itself. The band is designed to both fasten to the tongue during use and also house the vibration apparatus. The elastomeric band is essentially made of two parts; the first part, the bottom part, is a flat loop that wraps around the tongue during use while the second part, the top part, is designed as a barrel 4 to hold in place the vibration barrel in place. The vibration barrel and band together form an integrated tongue vibrator absent the necessity for multiple parts to achieve the same end result.
US08092401B2
The invention describes a method and an apparatus for producing shock waves in a fluid for medical applications. In a work volume filled with fluid, the pressure is increased mechanically by pulses. The pressure pulse produced in the work volume is transferred to the fluid volume by means of a partition, in order to produce shock waves in the fluid volume.
US08092391B2
An ultrasonic imaging catheter apparatus and a method of using the same to scan the inner wall of a body lumen. The ultrasonic imaging catheter apparatus comprises: (a) a flexible elongate element adapted for insertion into a body lumen, the elongate element having distal and proximal ends; (b) an ultrasonic transducer generating and detecting ultrasonic energy disposed proximate the distal end of the elongate element; (c) a reflective member disposed proximate the ultrasonic transducer and optionally rotatable with respect to an axis of the body lumen, wherein the reflective member is adapted to reflect (i) ultrasonic energy generated by the ultrasonic transducer to a wall of the body lumen and (ii) ultrasonic energy reflected by the wall back to the transducer; and (d) an actuator, for example, an electroactive polymer actuator, adapted to change the angle of incidence of the ultrasonic energy relative to the reflective member.
US08092366B2
The present disclosure is generally directed to surgical articles useful for implanting support members in patients. The articles disclosed herein include a support member, such as a sling for urinary incontinence, tissue anchors, filamentary elements for associating the support member with the anchors, and introducer needles for placing the anchors in a patient. The support members can also be configured for use in pelvic floor repair, such as for treating cystoceles, rectoceles, and enteroceles.
US08092363B2
The present invention relates to an external heart device, having a layered band dimensioned to be received around a patient's heart, which also includes at least one fillable chamber between the layers in the band that functions to apply localized pressure to the outside of the heart when filled. More particularly, the fillable chambers are positioned such that they exert an inward radial force on a heart valve. Areas between the fillable chambers may also be sized and positioned to form a bridge of little to no pressure over the vascular structures of the heart.
US08092360B2
Methods for making multi-walled containers from a single blank, preferably using a continuous process approach, and the resulting containers are disclosed. Various embodiments of the invention include, alone or in combination, intermediate panels formed from flap precursors that are in- or out-folded such that their distal ends are in proximate relationship to each other; outer flaps sized to overlap exposed edges of a container formed from the blank; stress relief features a joint corners to reduce stresses thereat. Methods for making select containers of the invention include folding and adhering the flap precursors to an inner panel, up-folding the inner panel/intermediate panel combination about a mandrel, and continuing to up-fold the outer panel until a container having a “use” position as a resting position is formed.
US08092359B1
A fuser member for toner fusing systems and processes. This fuser member has a fuser base and a fusing surface layer, and the fusing surface layer contains a fluoroelastomer and filler particles. The filler particles have a mean particle diameter greater than 5 microns, and a modulus greater than the modulus of the fluoroelastomer at fusing temperatures. The fusing surface layer has at least the minimum proportion by volume of these particles, with at least the minimum mean particle diameter, that will provide the fusing surface layer with an equilibrium surface roughness so that, in fusing toner to substrate, the fuser member generates an image having a gloss number less than 10.
US08092349B2
A stationary exercise device having variable footpaths is disclosed. The exercise device includes a frame, a pair of supporting members that have a first end to rotate about an axis and a second end to move along a reciprocating path, a pair of pedals joined to the supporting members, and a guider assembly for adjusting an incline angle of the reciprocating path.
US08092339B2
A method for controlling a powertrain includes operating a transmission in a neutral operating range state, monitoring commands affecting an input speed, monitoring a tracked clutch slip speed, determining constraints on an input acceleration based upon the commands, determining a clutch slip acceleration profile based upon the constraints on the input acceleration, determining an input acceleration profile based upon the clutch slip acceleration profile, and controlling the powertrain based upon the clutch slip acceleration profile and the input acceleration profile.
US08092337B2
The composite planetary gear apparatus according to the present invention can bring about an advantageous effect to prevent fuel efficiency from being lowered stemming from the increased stirring loss of oil. The apparatus comprises a first planetary gear assembly 11 having a sun gear S1, pinion gears P1, and a ring gear R1, and a second planetary gear assembly 12 having a sun gear S2, pinion gears P2, and a ring gear R2. The ring gears R1 and R2 surround the pinion gears P1 and P2 and are combined together to integrally form a counter drive gear 13. The counter drive gear 13 is formed with a plurality of through bores 13c each having an inner end opened at a closed space defined by the first and second planetary gear assemblies 11 and 12, and an outer end opened at an outer space surrounding the counter drive gear 13.
US08092328B2
A dual tensioner assembly for a two-belt drive system including a mounting bracket, a first and second cup coaxial and integrally formed on opposite sides of the mounting bracket with a common base wall having a hub formed therein, a first and second pivot arm each having an integral cylindrical member and each having a tensioner pulley journaled thereon, a tensioning mechanism in each cup biasing its respective pivot arm, a pivot shaft in each cup that is fitted into the hub, and a sleeve bushing on each pivot shaft pivotably supporting its respective cylindrical members.
US08092324B2
Provided are: a sheet-like ball material including a fibrous base material, and an elastic polymer cover layer that is laminated on a surface of the fibrous base material, in which continuous pebbles and discontinuous valleys are formed on a surface of the cover layer, the valleys discontinuously formed are formed at average intervals of 0.5 to 3 mm, the valley has a depth of 50 to 500 μm, a vertical projected area of each valley is 1 to 5 mm2, and a total area of the vertical projected area of each valley accounts for 3 to 30% relative to a surface area of the elastic polymer cover layer; a ball used for volleyball or beach volleyball including the sheet-like ball material, which is excellent in the controllability for all types of ball plays such as tossing and serving in the smoothness of the attenuation degree in the ball speed of the ball during flight of the ball, and in the design, e.g., three-dimensional shape, which is not realized in a heretofore-existing ball, and also has a sufficient surface abrasion resistance; and a sheet-like ball material suitably used for such balls.
US08092323B2
A sports stick exhibiting a superior strength to weight ratio. The sports stick design allows for decreased flexure, increased rigidity and increased durability, which lend to greater generation of force, accuracy, reliability and longer life expectancy. The sports stick utilizes aerodynamic features in order to achieve an exposed truss like structure which permits airflow through the internal sections of the shaft which creates greater shaft acceleration and velocity. The sports stick also affords enhanced strength in the direction of a shot and receipt of a pass. The sports stick also provides for channeling away of fluids throughout the length of the stick. The sports stick also provides a system wherein weight can be regulated in multiple regions throughout by utilizing removable or fixed weighted elements or by sizing of cutaways strategically designed to be placed in a certain area of the stick, depending on player handling preference.
US08092322B1
A bunt guard 1 that easily attaches to all baseball and softball bats during bunting practice. A protective shield 2, durable and deflective by design, protects the bunter's hands 10 and fingers 12 from erratic pitches, or slow reaction. The shield 2 attaches and detaches quickly with straps 5 B holding the bunt guard 1 in its desired location.
US08092320B2
The present invention provides a golf club head that can hit a ball with a sufficiently large amount of backspin. The golf club head according to the present invention is an iron type golf club head made of a metal and including a flat face. A plurality of traces are formed by milling on the face. The pitch of the traces is between 0.1 mm and 1 mm.
US08092318B2
A golf club head includes a body member having a front surface, a major recess formed in the front surface, and a plurality of minor recess formed in a surface of the major recess. A face plate includes a front surface, a rear surface, and a plurality of projections extending outwardly from the rear surface. The face plate is received in the major recess, and each projection is received in a corresponding minor recess. A layer of resilient material may be disposed between each projection and the corresponding minor recess.
US08092316B2
A golf club head is presented comprising a sole including a removable panel secured to the sole via a non-threaded attachment assembly. Further, the removable panel may have a large surface area relative to its thickness, resulting in a chip-like or wafer-like weight member. This design allows the mass of the removable panel to be spread substantially along the surface of the sole as opposed to in the interior of the club head. The golf club head may comprise more than one removable panel. A removable panel of the present invention may generally comprise one or more discrete areas of higher basis weight or higher density. Even further, the removable panel may generally be releasably attached via a quick disconnect mechanism that allows easy interchangeability.
US08092313B2
A universal joint yoke includes: a cylindrical portion for fixing a shaft; a slit that is formed in the cylindrical portion and that extends from one end of the cylindrical portion in an axial direction of the cylindrical portion, which is a first direction; a reinforcement flange that extends from the other end of the cylindrical portion radially outward with respect to the cylindrical portion; and a pair of arms that extend from the reinforcement flange on a side opposite to a side on which the cylindrical portion is provided and that are swingably coupled to another yoke via a coupling shaft.
US08092310B2
A propshaft having first and second universal joints. The first universal joint has a first joint member, which is fixedly coupled to a first end of the shaft member, and a second joint member that is pivotally coupled to the first joint member. The second universal joint has a third joint member, which is fixedly coupled to a second end of the shaft member opposite the first end, and a fourth joint member that pivotally coupled to the third joint member. At least one of the second joint member and the fourth joint member is electrically insulated from the shaft member.
US08092294B2
At least one pool of game play records is stored at a central processing system. Each game play record includes a record index selected from a set of unique index values, each associated with a different result type. A record index associated with a particular game play record is communicated from the central processing system to the player terminal in response to a game play request which a player has entered at the player terminal. The player terminal responds to the received record index by generating display commands using data at the player terminal to produce a graphic representation at the player terminal. This graphic representation is consistent with the result type associated with the index value comprising the particular record index which has been communicated to the player terminal.
US08092291B2
A gaming device having a poker game with multiple options for the player to purchase extra cards. In one embodiment a stud five card hand is dealt to the player. The player can keep the five cards or purchase an extra card at a first cost. If the player purchases the first card, the player can thereafter keep the six card hand or purchase a second card at a second higher cost. This cycle is repeated for up to a predetermined number of cards such as five additional cards in one embodiment. When five additional cards are purchased, the game provides any accrued award to the player.
US08092285B2
A sensor system (24) for controlling a ventilation unit (22) of a vehicle (20) includes a sensitivity selector (70) for enabling a user to select a setting (76) corresponding to an air quality threshold (94, 98), and an air quality sensor (62) proximate an exterior of the vehicle (20) for detecting an air quality parameter (71). A controller (66) is responsive to the selector (70) and the sensor (62), and is in communication with an inlet air valve (32) of the ventilation unit (22). A method (118) of operating the sensor system (24) entails receiving a current value of the air quality parameter (71) at the controller (66) for comparison with the air quality threshold (94, 98). The controller (66) generates a switch signal (74) in response to the comparison for adjusting the inlet air valve (32) between an outside air mode (44) and a recirculation mode (46).
US08092282B2
The invention relates to a device (1) at a mobile grinding machine (2) for stone materials and that comprises a rotatably driven disc-shaped housing (3), which is arranged to support a plurality of grinding disc holders (6) rotatably driven by a belt (5) or chain driven by a motor (4), which holders are distributed along the circumference of said housing (3) and supported by shafts (11) connected to said housing (3) at a mutual distance from each other. According to the invention, internally (7) in a casing (8), which surrounds a said housing (3), a gear rim (10), situated concentrically with a centre driving shaft (9), is arranged non-turnably connected to the casing (8). The grinding disc holder shafts (11) support an intermediate coupling cogwheel (18) each that co-operates non-turnably with the appurtenant shaft and with said gear rim. The gear rim (10) has a through opening (19) for the shaft (9) driven by the motor (4), and between the gear rim (10) and the housing (3), formed of a grinding supporting drum, a seal (31) is arranged that extends along their outer periphery (10A, 3A). Upon driving actuation of the motor (4), it is accomplished that the grinding disc holders (6) and the housing (3) are driven to rotate in different directions (100 and 200, respectively) in relation to each other.
US08092271B2
An interactive toy for playing a game with a user of the toy includes electrical components for producing audible messages to instruct user actions. The toy also includes a hat having a brim movable between up and down positions. The position of the brim determines the play sequence of the toy and the audible messages played thereby by way of an activation mechanism. The toy is switched between “hide me” and “locate me” modes based on the position of the brim. An abbreviated trial mode is provided by way of a removable pull tab.
US08092268B2
The invention provides a method of repairing the pixel structure, and the method includes the following. First, an electrical connection between the current control unit and the power line is cut. The power line is then electrically connected to the redundant active device, so that the current control unit and the redundant active device control the current provided by the power line. The invention provides a method of repairing the organic electro-luminescence display unit, suitable for repairing the above-mentioned organic electro-luminescence display unit, and the method includes the following. First, an electrical connection between the current control unit and the power line is cut. The power line is electrically connected to the redundant active device, so that the current control unit and the redundant active device control the current passing through the organic electro-luminescence layer.
US08092262B1
An electrical contact includes a base and an eye-of-the needle (EON) pin extending a length outwardly from the base to a tip. The EON pin is configured to be received within an electrical via. The EON pin includes a neck segment that extends outwardly from the base, a tip segment that includes the tip, and a compliant segment that extends from the neck segment to the tip segment. The neck segment has opposite end walls and opposite side walls that extend between the end walls. The end walls are connected to the side walls at corresponding transitional walls that interconnect spaced-apart edges of the corresponding end and side walls.
US08092253B2
According to an embodiment, a communication terminal is discussed, by which a coaxial cable capable of carrying a pair of signals is provided to the communication terminal and by which the case performs a grounding function for the coaxial cable to enhance the grounding function.
US08092246B1
A connector apparatus and concomitant method of connecting first and second Micro-D connectors comprising inserting latches affixed at both ends of the first connector into mounting holes on the second connector and causing locking tabs on the latches to engage with a support portion of the second connector.
US08092244B1
An electrical connector includes an insulating housing with a plurality of terminals disposed therein, a buckling part, and a locking element. The insulating housing has a receiving chamber penetrating through a rear thereof. The insulating housing defines two buckling grooves with rears thereof being narrower than fronts thereof, and two fixing grooves connecting with insides of the buckling grooves. The buckling part is inserted in the buckling groove, and has a base arm, a contact arm and a fixing arm having a greater width than that of the base arm to be buckled in the front of the buckling groove. The locking element is inserted in the fixing groove, and has a base board resisting against the fixing arm, a fastening portion and a hook grappling an inside of the fixing groove. The fastening portion is located between the inside of the fixing groove and the fixing arm.
US08092242B2
A socket, mounted on a printed circuit board for electrically connecting an IC package, comprises an insulative housing receiving a plurality of contacts, a linking member and a cover. The insulative housing and the linking member are mounted on the printed circuit board, and the linking member is located beside of the insulative housing. The cover is formed with a first end pivotally assembled to the linking member and a second end opposite to the first end. The second end is provided with a tongue portion to be retained to the printed circuit board by a screw and a projecting piece extending from a side of the tongue portion to be handled by operator to lift and open the cover.
US08092241B2
An electronic type removal preventing connector includes a joint and an electronic switch. The joint includes a port, and at least one through hole formed on an external surface of the joint and interconnected to the port. At least one set of electronic switches is installed onto the through hole, and includes a tongue passed through the through hole and having an oblique surface. If a metal plug of a portable electronic device is inserted into the port of the connector, the tongue of the electronic switch will be entered into a bolt hole of the metal plug to prevent the portable electronic device from being stolen. If the electronic switch is electrically conducted for an operation, the tongue will be separated from the through hole and the bolt hole, such that a user can remove the metal plug of the portable electronic device from the joint of the connector.
US08092240B2
The invention relates to an electric connection device including two conjugated connection devices (1, 2), one of which (2) including an outer casing (12), which are both provided with electric contacts (3; 4a, 4b) co-operating together in a connection position. The device of the invention is characterised in that the connection member (1) conjugated with the connection member (2) having the outer casing (12) is provided with a flexible tubular outer seal (13) attached at one end to said member (1) and provided with at least one front abutment annular surface (14) that co-operates by contact with a conjugated surface (15) on said casing (12) of the other member (2) and that comprises a rigid or semi-rigid ring (11) provided with means for translation guiding during the coupling of the connection members (1, 2) so that water tightness is provided between said connection members from at least their intermediate rest position to their connection position due to the co-operation between the front abutment annular surface (14) of the seal (13) and the conjugated surface (15) of the casing (12), said seal being further submitted to a creasing in the connection position.
US08092235B2
A connector assembly includes a housing and a plurality of contacts. The housing has a plurality of channels that extend between a housing mating end and an opposing back end. The housing mating end is configured to mate with a mating connector. The contacts each have a plurality of contact mating ends and a plurality of contact mounting ends. Each of the contact mating ends extends through one of the channels and is configured to provide a plurality of electrical connections with the mating connector. The contact mounting ends of each contact are arranged in a group and configured to be mounted to a circuit board. The contact mating ends are separated from one another by a first pitch and the contact mounting ends within each group are separated from one another by a second pitch that is smaller than the first pitch.
US08092226B2
A game is provided for teaching users about conditions affecting the human body. The game may include a game zone representing a body inflicted with a condition, a number of opponents representing attributes of the condition, and at least one character representing the user. The user may be asked a number of questions, and be required to answer the questions to obtain one or more weapons for overcoming the opponents. The story line of the game may represent the progression of the condition, and may require elimination of at least some of the opponents in order to overcome the condition and win the game.
US08092224B2
According to some embodiments, systems, apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture may provide for improved health care compliance. Embodiments may comprise, for example, identifying an occurrence of an event associated with the taking of a substance by a patient, determining output information associated with a game, and providing the output information to the patient. Some embodiments may comprise receiving a code associated with a patient, wherein the code includes encoded information that is indicative of an occurrence of an event associated with the taking of a substance by a patient, decoding the code to determine the information, determining whether the occurrence of the event is compliant with a condition associated with the taking of the substance, and providing, in the case that compliance with the condition is determined, one or more rewards to the patient.
US08092223B1
Learning aid device/method for children/adults/second-language-learners learning to read and write comprising a single or double-sided card depicting one or more words in upper and/or lower case displayed on ruled upper/lower case guidelines, and a corresponding real object image. The card includes ample space for a left or right-handed learner to copy/draw the word(s) depicted with erasable markers next to and/or below the word(s). The card is laminated (including a sealing margin) or coated, and is heavy-duty. The text may be textured, distinguishing it from the card's slick surface. When touching the text, learners gain finger/hand muscle training, assisting them in manipulating the writing instrument (marker). A key aspect of the inventive learning device is the provision of personalizable/interactive activity features, namely a slot at the edge of the image area where a picture personal to the user/learner may be inserted into a clear pocket viewable from the front of the card.
US08092215B2
A method for designing a restored smile includes receiving scan data of a patient's teeth, developing a digital model of the patient's teeth via a computing device, where the model represents the patient's teeth based upon the scan data, creating a dental treatment plan to restore one or more teeth from an initial condition to a successive condition, and wherein a final condition of the one or more is based on the one or more teeth having at least one planned additional restorative tooth structure provided therewith.
US08092214B2
The invention relates to a method for the continuous melting of inorganic salts and a furnace installation for realizing the method. Solid salts are fed into a furnace with the aid of a feeding unit. The salts contained in the furnace are heated. A flow of the salts is generating inside the furnace with the aid of a circulating unit. The flow generates a two-phase region containing solid and melted salt and a separate second region containing substantially solely a melt that is heated to the desired temperature. The melt is discharged from the separate second region simultaneous with the feeding of the solid salts into the furnace with the aid of a removal unit.
US08092210B2
Especially when it is necessary to provide voids (29) for panelling or glazing and a material formed by wood and glue conglomerate particles in one or three layers. These materials are received in separate metering devices that are able to move over a bench, being placed over the mould in accordance with a specific sequence of discharge and movements. It is defined by a fixed perimeter frame (10, 32) with apertures (12, 33) of the dimensions of the door, in which slides, snugly, a first framework (11, 34) and a second framework (14, 35) that can be moved inside the first framework and whose hollow is occupied by a series of pads or blocks (21, 22, 36, 37, 38) that can move independently through the action of respective cylinders (39, 40, 41) in order to occupy the raised position, forming the voids (15, 16, 29) for panelling or glazing, if any. The fixed frame (10, 32) has a moveable interior part (78) for producing oversized doors.
US08092199B2
Provided is a scroll compressor that is capable of three-dimensional compression, ensuring a required wrap strength while increasing a shoulder section height of a spiral wrap, and facilitating wrap processing. The scroll compressor includes shoulder sections at an end surface and a bottom surface of spiral wraps of a paired fixed scroll member and revolving scroll member and configured to be capable of three-dimensional compression in a circumferential direction and a height direction of the spiral wraps by setting a spiral wrap height of the spiral wraps further toward the outside of the shoulder sections greater than the spiral wrap height of the inward side, and wherein the shoulder sections provided on the end surface and the bottom surface at the spiral wrap are constructed of a plurality of shoulder sections, and the heights of the shoulder sections are set to heights in which base stresses at the shoulder sections are substantially equal.
US08092195B2
An electric motor includes a stator portion, a rotor portion, and a bearing mechanism, wherein the rotor portion includes a rotor holder having a substantially cylindrical shape with a closed end, and a field magnet fixed to an inner circumference of the rotor holder; the stator portion includes a stator, a base portion to which the stator is fixed, and a magnetic member; and the magnetic member includes a cylindrical portion having a substantially cylindrical shape into which a lower end portion of an insulator of the stator is inserted, the lower end portion being a portion of an outer portion of the insulator and opposing the base portion, and a flat portion having a substantially annular shape which spreads outwardly in a radial direction from a lower edge of the cylindrical portion and opposes a lower edge of the field magnet.
US08092183B2
A fan rotor, in particular for a turbomachine, the rotor comprising a disk carrying blades having roots engaged in substantially axial grooves in the outer periphery of the disk, a substantially frustoconical annular spinner mounted on the disk upstream from the blades, and axial retention means for retaining the blades on the disk in the upstream direction, which retention means are formed integrally with the spinner.
US08092182B2
A wind turbine apparatus includes a unit structure that is coupled to a central hub by way of an in-tension cable. The unit structure includes a first set of struts, wherein each strut in the first set of struts includes first and second ends, the first ends of the first set of struts are coupled to a first node and the first set of struts extend from the first node towards the central hub. The unit structure also includes a second set of struts, wherein each strut in the second set of struts includes first and second ends, the first ends of the second set of struts are coupled to the first node and the second set of struts extend from the first node away from the central hub.
US08092177B2
A cooling system for a turbine airfoil of a turbine engine having at least one diffusion film cooling hole positioned in an outer wall defining the turbine airfoil is disclosed. The diffusion film cooling hole includes first and second sections. The first section may function as a metering section, and the second section may function as a diffusion section. The second section may include flow restriction ribs that direct the flow of cooling fluids in disproportionately larger amounts proximate to the downstream side of the diffusion film cooling hole.
US08092154B2
Disclosed is a compact and integrated fan, pump, and heat exchanger system where air-cooling is performed via the fan, liquid cooling is performed via a pump, and the drilled pump diffusers act as a heat exchanger. The pump has drilled diffusers through which liquid passes into the volute, the drilled diffusers are streamlined and thus act as fan stator blades. Hot liquid is centrifuged and carried inside the drilled diffusers while air flows around the outside surfaces of the drilled diffusers. A heat transfer occurs where heat transfers from the hot liquid into the air stream.
US08092145B2
A system and method for particle separation in a gas turbine engine centrifugal impeller bleed air system using a tangential velocity component of the compressor bleed air to centrifuge the particles radially outwardly and convey the particles circumferentially, away from a clean air outlet and towards a particle outlet where the particles are extracted from the bleed air.
US08092143B2
A pneumatic card transport system is disclosed. The system is configured to use pressurized air to transport a card inserted to a conveying duct inside a card passageway assembly from a first end to a second end. Air nozzles are configured to release the pressurized airstreams at an angle relative to the conveying duct so that the card is essentially floating when traveling along the conveying duct. Hence, the card makes zero or minimum contact with the inner surface of the conveying duct. This will not only reduce the wear and tear of the card, but also reduces the traveling time inside the conveying duct.
US08092139B2
There are comprised a load chamber (51) for carrying in a wafer from outside, an unload chamber (53) for carrying out a wafer to outside, and a plurality of conveyance chambers (54a, 54b, 54c) and a plurality of process modules (52a, 52b) connected in series between the load chamber and the unload chamber. The conveyance chambers and the process modules are connected alternately and the plurality of conveyance chambers includes a first end conveyance chamber (54a) connected to the load chamber, a second end conveyance chamber (54c) connected to the unload chamber, and another one or a plurality of intermediate conveyance chambers (54b).
US08092126B2
An indexable drill is offered which enables suitable integration of a drill body and cutting insert. The crosshatch angles of clamp receiving faces of a cutting insert which are respectively pressed by clamp faces and of torque receiving faces which cross the clamp receiving faces and are adjacent thereto and to which is transmitted the rotary force of the drill body from the torque transmission faces are formed smaller within a range of 2° or less which is less than the crosshatch angles of clamp faces which clamp and hold the cutting insert of the drill body and torque transmission faces which cross these clamp faces and are adjacent thereto and which transmit the rotary force of the drill body to the cutting insert.
US08092125B2
A pneumatic feed drill has a control unit that repeatedly advances and retracts the drill bit in peck cycles while drilling the hole. The drill has a hydraulic damper cylinder with a damper rod protruding from it that limits the speed of advancement of the drill bit. A retainer device is mounted to the damper rod and prevents the damper rod from resetting to its initial position during the peck cycles. The retainer device releases the damper rod to reset when the drill bit has reached total depth. A safety device is pivotally mounted to the housing and has a closure tab that blocks access to the start button of the drill unless the damper rod is in its initial position.
US08092116B1
A method of raising a slab is described here that uses inflatable hoses to raise slabs needing to be raised, for example, to raise sunken slabs of a roadway to align to their adjacent slabs without closing the roadway and breaking ongoing traffic. The described method of raising a slab makes it more efficient to repair slabs needing to be raised while conventional repairing methods, for example, re-pouring, or mud jacking, which need to close the roadway and interrupt ongoing traffic, are more expensive, time consuming and less effective.
US08092112B2
A dowel assembly for a furniture system provides a fastener usable in assembling various components in a furniture system. The dowel may be employed to define the relationship between first and second components of the furniture system, such as the relationship between adjoining planar surfaces of adjacent furniture panels. The dowel is fitted with a cam such that the cam provides a non-uniform radius at the interface between the dowel and one of the components. Through selective positioning of the cam about the longitudinal axis of the dowel, the interface between components of the furniture system may be selectively adjusted to ensure flush alignment of contiguous surfaces.
US08092107B2
An electronic device includes a housing, a key board, and a height adjustment apparatus. The key board includes a number of first keys and a number of second keys. The height adjustment apparatus includes a platform for supporting the second keys, a cross bridging, a sliding button, and a pushing rod. The cross bridging includes a first supporting arm and a second supporting arm, the first supporting has an end slidably connected to the platform and the other end pivotably connected to a securing portion. The second supporting arm has an end slidably connected to the platform. The sliding button includes a lever surface facing the cross bridging. The pushing rod includes a first end pivotably connected to the other end of the second supporting arm and a second end resisting the lever surface.
US08092096B2
A vehicle wheel bearing apparatus has an outer member, an inner member, and at least one inner ring press fit onto a cylindrical portion of a wheel hub. Double row rolling elements are rollably contained between double row outer raceway surfaces and double row inner raceway surfaces. A constant velocity universal joint torque is inserted into the wheel hub. It is axially separably connected to the wheel hub by a securing nut. A shoulder of an outer joint member of the constant velocity universal joint abuts against the inner member. An abutting surface of the inner member that abuts the shoulder of an outer joint member is formed so that it does not include a segment of a mirror finished surface with an area exceeding 0.005 mm2.
US08092086B2
A temperature sensor includes: a temperature-sensing element comprising a temperature-sensing portion and an element electrode wire connected to the temperature-sensing portion; a sheath member comprising a sheath tube and a sheath core wire extending from the sheath tube, the sheath core wire being joined to the element electrode wire to form a joint portion; an enclosing member comprising a closed-bottomed tube having a bottom portion at one end, and enclosing at least the temperature-sensing element and the joint portion; and a holding material filling at least a portion of a space enclosed by the enclosing member extending between a front end face of the temperature-sensing portion and the bottom portion of the enclosing member. The element electrode wire includes a bend at an intermediate portion of the element electrode wire between the temperature-sensing portion and the joint portion.
US08092084B2
A method for precision thermal measurement and control, especially for bioreactors, as well as the correction of temperature sensitive probes such as pH and dissolved oxygen. Typical control requirements are +/−0.1° C. The thermal measurement circuit converts a sensor output to a high level voltage or current with great accuracy and provides noise immunity and sensor isolation. While digital outputs from sensor converters can have the greatest noise immunity, the noise associated with digital circuitry may contaminate low level sensor signals so in many cases an analog sensor converter is preferred because of low noise generation, especially if the converter is near the sensor. The circuit is low cost, reliable, generates minimal heat is immune to, and does not generate noise, and requires minimal calibration effort.
US08092077B2
The invention relates to a mechanism for the positioning of wristwatch control elements, whereas such control element may be implemented as a crown intended for the adjustment of the watch—as well as winding up the energy storage spring, for mechanical watches—or a pushbutton, and it is embedded in a hole in the watch case in an axially movable manner. The position mechanism contains a seat for the control element, as well as an actuating element linked to the control element from the side through at least one drive element designed to move the control element in its normal position countersunk in the seat, or one or more elevated operating positions.
US08092075B2
An agitation/deaeration apparatus is provided which causes a container containing a viscous to-be-kneaded object to be rotated and revolved simultaneously, to agitate and deaerate the to-be-kneaded object, wherein piping (wiring) connecting the container and an external device is prevented from twisting even when the container rotates. In an agitation/deaeration apparatus (1A) which performs agitation and deaeration of a to-be-kneaded object (K) by causing a container (9) accommodating a to-be-kneaded object (K) to be rotated about a rotation axis (Y2) of the container (9) and revolved about a revolution axis (Y2), provided are: a first rotation drive mechanism (motor 5) configured to drive and rotate a revolution table (7); a second rotation drive mechanism (a round-belt groove 3d, a pulley P3) configured to rotate the container (9) in a reverse direction at the same rotational speed relative to the revolution table (7); one or more of distribution means (a suction tube 8) of which one end is connected with the container (9) and the other end is connected with the external device.
US08092067B2
A display panel and a light source device used therein are provided. The display panel includes a light-guide thin-film circuit substrate, a light source and a polarizing layer. The light-guide thin-film circuit substrate has a light entrance end and a light exit top surface, and the light source is disposed corresponding to the light entrance end. The polarizing layer is disposed on the light-guide thin-film circuit substrate and parallels the light exit top surface of the light-guide thin-film circuit substrate. The light produced by the light source enters the circuit substrate through the light entrance end, guided and transmitted through the circuit substrate, and then leaves the circuit substrate through the light exit top surface and enters the polarizing layer. The light after passing through the polarizing layer is turned into a polarized light having flat light source effect as a backlight source for the system. A polarizer may even be disposed between the light source and the light entrance end, so the light is turned into polarized light before entering the circuit substrate.
US08092062B2
A first light guide plate of a light-emitting element is formed by a plurality of strip-shaped light guide bodies arranged in parallel with each other, where each strip-shaped light guide body has a light incident surface on which light from a light source is incident, and a light-emitting surface from which light from the light incident surface is emitted, and on which a plurality of prisms are formed. A second light guide plate of the light-emitting element is positioned so as to face the light-emitting surface side of the first light guide plate, has prisms formed on a surface of the first light guide plate side in a shape that meshes with a shape of the prisms of the first light guide plate, and is formed by a fewer number of light guide bodies arranged in parallel than the strip-shaped light guide bodies.
US08092061B2
A display assembly includes a light pipe having re-directing channels defined therein. When a light source is provided in a compartment of the light pipe, light admitted from the light source to the light pipe emits from a front face of the light pipe. In addition, light emitted from reflective surfaces spaced apart from external surfaces of the light pipe combine with light emitted through the front face to provide glow regions of light resulting in symmetric uniform illumination of the display.
US08092057B2
A device for automatic switching of the touring diaphragm by an extreme travel of the height controls of the headlight is provided with a mechanism for changing the spatial distribution of the light, consisting of a projector (1), attached by fixed hinges (2) to the body of the headlight (3). The adjustable hinge (4) enables movement of the projector (1) relative to the body of the headlight (3) by means of an actuator (5), so that in the extreme position there is a collision of the two-armed lever (6) with the body (3) and its rotation on a pivot (7), resulting in a change in the shape of the light beam. A spring (8) can be used to ensure the extreme positions of the travel.
US08092050B2
A fluid-convection heat dissipation device includes at least one heat dissipation module, at least two baffles, and a heat dissipation fluid. The heat dissipation module forms at least one internal receiving space and has an outside surface to which at least one light emission element is attached. The baffles are arranged in the receiving space to divide the receiving space into a plurality of convection channels that are in fluid communication with each other. The heat dissipation fluid is received in the receiving space as a convection medium displaceable in a circulating path along the plurality of convection channels.
US08092042B2
An LED apparatus for illumination toward a preferential side in a downward and outward direction including a shield member in the form of a layer positioned over LED packages and secondary lens members. The shield member has a shield portion and a substantially planar non-shield portion thereabout. In preferred embodiments, the shield portion extends over a part of the lens portion of the secondary lens member. A cover preferably secures the shield member with respect to the secondary lens member, the primary lens and the LED package, the shield member preferably being sandwiched between the cover and the flange of the secondary lens member.
US08092037B2
A retrofit kit is configured for a single or multiple tubular fluorescent lamp fixture. The original fixture being retrofitted may or may not have any reflectors. The kit includes a new improved reflector with double concave wings. The winged reflector preferably has a central arched, preferably trapezoidal portion which forms the lower cover of the fixture box. This central trapezoidal portion includes an access door to permit access to the ballast without the need to remove the winged reflector once it is installed. An arched, preferably trapezoidal socket bar is installed at each end of the fixture, to lower the position of the lamp with respect to the winged reflector surfaces, to enhance the light distribution in a downward direction while permitting enhanced up-lighting. The distal ends of the trapezoidal central portion of the reflector mate with the trapezoidal socket bars at opposite ends of the fixture.
US08092036B2
The present invention relates to a floor panel and a flooring with a preferably continuous and unbroken front face, which is at least partially light transmitting and which has a light pattern/sign at the front face.
US08092035B2
An illumination system including a lamp housing that may be mountable on a ceiling panel and a lamp supported within the lamp housing in a position to emit light from an opening in the housing. The lamp includes at least one LED that's removable through the housing opening.
US08092026B2
An optical engine includes a receiving chamber and three light source modules. Each light source module includes a positioning board, a heat dissipating plate, and a light source unit. The heat dissipating plate is sandwiched between the light source unit and the positioning board and adhered to the corresponding light source unit. The light source unit is installed on the receiving chamber. The positioning board is matched with the light source unit and installed on the receiving chamber.
US08092019B2
A non-contact ultrasonic tonometer for measuring intraocular pressure of an examinee's eye in non-contact manner by use of an ultrasonic wave comprises: a probe including a vibrator for making the ultrasonic wave incident on the eye and a sensor for detecting the ultrasonic wave reflected from the eye; a detection unit which detects an alignment state of the probe with respect to the eye; a determination unit which determines whether the alignment state is proper or not based on a detection result of the detection unit; a trigger signal generation unit which generates a trigger signal to start measurement based on a determination result of the determination unit; and a control unit which controls the probe to emit the ultrasonic wave based on generation of the trigger signal.
US08092018B2
A non-contact ultrasonic tonometer for measuring intraocular pressure of an examinee's eye, in non-contact manner by use of an ultrasonic wave comprises: a probe including a vibrator for making the ultrasonic wave incident on the examinee's eye and a sensor for detecting the ultrasonic wave reflected from the examinee's eye; and an observation optical system for observing an anterior segment of the eye, wherein the probe is placed in an optical path of the observation optical system, and the observation optical system forms an image of the anterior segment through a surrounding region of the probe.
US08092017B2
The invention relates to a method for producing an ophthalmic lens exhibiting optical function coexisting in producing an optical component (10) incorporating at least one type of active material (2) which is distributed in a parallel direction to the surface thereof. Said active material exhibits a radiation-modifiable optical property. The active material (5) portions disposed through the component (10) surface are, afterwards, selectively irradiated in such a way that the optical function is obtainable by modulating said property from one portion to another one, wherein the sizes of said portions are less than 1 mm.
US08092010B2
Baby and toddler sunglasses comprising: frames having lenses; said frames secured around the user's head by a band; said band secured to said frames by a securing piece; said sunglasses having a sound chip; said sound chip attached to said band.
US08092001B2
A liquid jetting apparatus includes: a head; an ink storage chamber communicating with the head; a gas distributing chamber in which a gas introducing hole is formed; a buffer chamber in which a communicating hole for communicating with the gas distributing chamber, and an atmosphere opening hole for opening to the atmosphere are formed; a combination valve which is capable of opening and closing the gas introducing hole and the communicating hole; a gas introducing mechanism which introduces the compressed air through the gas introducing hole to the head to jet the ink forcibly, and a positive-pressure control valve which opens the atmosphere opening hole when a pressure in the buffer chamber exceeds a predetermined value. It is possible to operate a positive-pressure purge while suppressing an excessive increase in the pressure inside the liquid storage chamber, without increasing a size and a cost of the apparatus.
US08091998B2
A liquid container detachably mountable to a mounting portion of an ink jet recording apparatus, and which includes a liquid chamber, a light emitter, an electrical contact which receives a signal for light emission by the light emitter, and a display portion which directs emitted light from the light emitter toward an outside of the liquid container. A latch lever is elastically deformable and has a latching portion spaced from a first side of the liquid container, the first side being between the latching portion and the liquid chamber. A liquid supply port is disposed at a second side of the liquid container. The electrical contact is disposed at a position which is between the latching portion and the liquid supply port as seen facing both of the first and second sides, and the display portion is disposed adjacent to an upper portion, in use, of the first side.
US08091993B2
An ink containment system for an inkjet cartridge, for storing ink for printing, comprises a housing having a plurality of walls. A rigid basin member and a rigid moveable plate are disposed within the housing. A flexible membrane is affixed to a surface of the basin member and to a surface of the plate forming an ink reservoir within the basin member, plate and flexible membrane. A spring-biased mechanism is disposed between the basin member and plate, for biasing the plate apart from the basin member, generating a negative pressure within the ink reservoir and the basin member remaining stationary relative to the movement of the plate.
US08091988B2
Among other things, a cavity plate for use in ink jetting includes an outlet end. Elongated lands extend from the outlet end toward an inlet end of the cavity plate. The elongated lands have side walls between top and bottom surfaces of the cavity plate to form elongated cavities. There are structural supports upstream of the ink outlets and between the elongated lands, to support the elongated lands.
US08091986B2
Nozzle arrangement including active and static ink ejecting members defining variable-volume chamber
A nozzle arrangement for an inkjet printhead includes an ink inlet; a static ink ejecting member bounding the ink inlet; an active ink ejecting member having a roof defining an ink ejection port and sidewalls depending from the roof towards the substrate, the active ink ejecting member and the static ink ejecting member together defining a nozzle chamber; and an actuator arrangement configured to reciprocate the active ink ejection member relative to the static ink ejecting member to eject ink in the nozzle chamber out through the ink ejection port. The static ink ejecting member is located within bounds delimited by the sidewalls of the active ink ejecting member, the static ink ejecting member includes a sealing structure defined along an edge of the static ink ejecting member and spaced from the sidewall, and the sealing structure is shaped to facilitate a surface tension of a fluid in the variable-volume nozzle chamber to form a fluidic seal between the active and static ink ejecting members.
US08091984B2
An inkjet printhead includes a wafer having a droplet ejection side and a liquid supply side opposite the droplet ejection side; a plurality of active ink ejection structures formed on the droplet ejection side of the wafer, each active ink ejection structure partially defining a nozzle chamber, and defining an ink ejection port; a plurality of individual fluid passages formed in the wafer, each fluid passage providing fluid to corresponding nozzle chambers; a plurality of static ink ejection structures formed on the droplet ejection side of the wafer and inside of corresponding active ink ejection structures, each static ink ejection structure defining a nozzle chamber with a corresponding active ink ejection structure; and droplet ejection actuators respectively corresponding to each active ink ejection structure. The droplet ejection actuators are formed on the droplet ejection side of the wafer and attached to respective active ink ejection structures. The droplet ejection actuators are operable to displace an active ink ejection structures towards a corresponding static ink ejection structure to effect ejection of fluid in the nozzle chamber through the ink ejection port.
US08091981B2
A liquid ejecting apparatus having a first flow channel unit which includes a first nozzle plate formed with a first nozzle row of a plurality of nozzles arranged in a first direction with a pitch and a second flow channel unit which includes a second nozzle plate formed with a second nozzle row of a plurality of nozzles arranged in the first direction with the pitch. The first flow channel unit and the second flow channel unit are fixed to a head casing. The first flow channel unit and the second flow channel unit are arranged in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and are displaced in the first direction such that the first nozzle row and the second nozzle row are displaced in the first direction by a length of the first nozzle row and the pitch.
US08091977B2
When thinning processing is performed to reduce the occurrence of black stripe caused by an overlap between scanning areas that is designed to prevent an end deviation from causing a white stripe, dots printed in a predetermined region by not only an ejection opening array subjected to the thinning processing but also other ejection opening arrays are counted so as to obtain their respective printing duties. Then, a color gamut is obtained based on the printing duties of the respective ejection opening arrays. Then, a thinning rate of the ejection opening array subjected to thinning processing is obtained by referring to a table corresponding to the color gamut, based on the printing duties of the respective ejection opening arrays obtained as above, and the thinning processing is performed. Accordingly, thinning processing can be performed which accurately reflects an amount of actual end deviation.
US08091976B2
There are provided an inkjet printing apparatus and a method of predicting which can perform an accurate ink remaining amount detection. An inkjet printing apparatus is for performing printing onto a print medium by using a print head including an energy generating element generating energy used for ejecting ink from an ejection opening. The apparatus has a print head temperature detecting unit, an atmosphere temperature detecting unit and a predicting unit. The predicting unit drives the energy generating element at the time a difference between the temperature of the print head before driving the energy generating element and the atmosphere temperature detected by the atmosphere temperature detecting unit is less than a predetermined temperature.
US08091972B2
A fluid ejection device ejecting a fluid, the fluid ejection device includes: a fluid ejection unit; a main chassis case; a fluid-containing pack; a container case; and a plurality of holders. The fluid ejection unit ejects a fluid onto an ejection target. The main chassis case houses the fluid ejection unit. The fluid-containing pack contains a fluid for ejection. The container case houses the fluid-containing pack. The plurality of holders is disposed inside the container case. Each of a plurality of holders includes an incline panel that inclines toward the inside base plane, and the fluid-containing pack rests on the incline panel.
US08091970B2
IMPROVEMENT TO THE METALLIC STRUCTURE FOR MANUFACTURING ELECTRICAL PANELS/CABINETS, enclosing a structure of metallic cross sections (5), with the device for supporting the parts making up the external walls from folded sheets, as well as constituting the device for supporting and mounting the doors with its respective hinges and other accessories, such as: the upper (6) and lower enclosure with the base (7) and other components, being that, still, same structure, although, on the inside, also configures the necessary mounts for distributing and assembling the different electrical and electronic components and devices; in the first construction version, the said structure (5) presented semi-assembled, where four of its uprights or four of its cross sections (P1) are completely free while all the other cross sections are rigidly integrated into two equal rectangular frames (8) which form the two opposite sides of the said structure (5) and therefore at the corner point of the junction of each rectangular frame (8) there is a complementary device (9) cooperating for the interlinking at 90° between two adjacent cross sections (P2) and (P3) of each frame (8), as also this selfsame device presents the mechanism so that the extremities of the other cross sections (P1) may be coupled between the corners of the rectangular frames (8), thus forming the structure (5).
US08091969B2
A wall mount cabinet is disclosed. The wall mount cabinet includes a rear section having a first end and a second end, and a front section hingedly connected to the rear section at a pivot point. The rear section has a cutout area adjacent the first end, and the cutout area allows access for cables to enter the cabinet. The pivot point is adjacent the cutout area and the first end of the rear section. The cutout area allows cables to rotate about the pivot point when the cabinet is moved from a closed position to an open position.
US08091965B2
A stackable plastic booster seat apparatus with a body having a set of four corner cylindrical portions. A right foot having cylindrical portions engages two of the corner cylindrical portions and a left foot engages the other two corner cylindrical portions. The body includes a back with a lumbar support, a seat with a safety bump and a downward and rearward slope such that a child tends to sit properly in the apparatus away from the safety bump and against the lumbar support.
US08091962B2
The folding canopy chair includes a frame, a seat, a back, and arm rests. An umbrella is secured to the frame and is pivotal between an upright use position extending above the chair and a downward storage position adjacent the frame. The umbrella is pivotal about both a horizontal axis and a vertical axis for selective positioning of the umbrella relative to the chair, so as to shade a person sitting in the chair from the sun. The umbrella is non-symmetrical, and is removably mounted on either the left or right side of the chair using a clip.
US08091961B2
Two rows of seats (11, 12, 13) and (21, 22, 23), each having a seat cushion (2), a backrest (3) and a head rest (4) with wings (5). The outer seats (11, 13; 21, 23) face in one direction whilst the middle seats (12; 22) face in the other direction. The result is that the passenger in the middle seat (22) can look directly along lines of sight S at the passengers in the outer seats (11, 13) of the next row and vice versa, which they would prefer not to be able to do. The lines of sight pass the wings (5) of the head rests in front of the passengers concerned. The wings (5) extend from the edges (6) of their head rests (4) and have (screens 101) pivoted to the outside of the wings at their proximal ends (7). The screens comprise an outer frame (102) and a fabric screen material (103) within the frame. It is this material that interrupts the lines of sight S.
US08091953B2
In a vehicle ceiling structure, a long reinforcing rib is attached to a ceiling member of the vehicle, the rib being made of a resin having a different coefficient of thermal expansion from that of the ceiling member. The reinforcing rib comprises a plurality of segmented ribs that are divided by a gap in a longitudinal direction. One segmented rib of adjoining segmented ribs and is formed, in upper and lower parts of a front end portion thereof, with an upper protrusion and a lower protrusion protruding in the longitudinal direction. One segmented rib and the other segmented rib fit with each other such that a lower face of the upper protrusion and an upper face of the lower protrusion of the one segmented rib respectively face a rear end portion of the other segmented rib in an up and down direction.
US08091952B2
A hardwood floor used for making trailers in the transportation industry is treated, at least for a portion thereof, with a water-based wood preservative. The preservative is preferably a borate-based preservative. When the floor is provided with a steel plate at a rear thereof, the wood preservative located in the vicinity of the steel plate prevents the formation of fungi and increases the useful life of the floor.
US08091941B2
A lower structure of a vehicle body rear part includes a spare tire housing formed on a rear floor, a rear cross member disposed in front of the spare tire housing to connect side frames, and a hook reinforcing member extending in the vehicle longitudinal direction. The side frame at the vehicle rear of the rear cross member is divided into a frame front part and a frame rear part in the vehicle longitudinal direction, and the hook reinforcing member is divided into a reinforcing member front part and a reinforcing member rear part in the vehicle longitudinal direction. The lower structure is configured so that when a load F is applied from the vehicle rear to a vehicle body rear part, the side frame is deformed so as to be bent in an upward convex shape at a division position of the frame front part and the frame rear part, and also the rear floor and the hook reinforcing member are deformed so as to be bent in a downward convex shape at a division position of the reinforcing member front part and the reinforcing member rear part.
US08091940B1
An apparatus for moving an expandable room of a vehicle between a raised position and a lowered position is disclosed. The apparatus comprises at least one lift station attachable to the vehicle, an arm combined with the lift station, a rotatable member rotatably combining the at least one lift station and the arm, wherein the lift station rotates the arm between the raised position and the lowered position, and a support member fixed to the arm and engaging the expandable room, wherein the support member supports the expandable room.
US08091931B2
An electrohydraulic unit assembly for a motor vehicle includes a receiving body defining a sealing face and at least two connectors fastened to the receiving body of the unit, oriented substantially parallel one to another and separated by a defined distance from one another. Each connector is configured for connecting a fluid conduit to the unit. Each connector includes a screw fitting for fastening the respective hydraulic connection to the receiving body of the unit such that a sealing face of the screw fitting or a sealing face of the fluid conduit is seated on the sealing face of the receiving body. Each screw fitting is rotatably connected to the body and includes two spanner flat portions having different spanner widths.
US08091925B2
A directional hopper tee has a fluted interior vertical pipe that merges into a horizontal pipe. The vertical pipe has an opening that connects to a hopper to receive bulk material, or product, and a horizontal pipe centered upon the end of the vertical pipe. The horizontal pipe has an inlet that also receives bulk material and pressurized air from ahead of the hopper and an opposite outlet that discharges the bulk material from the hopper tee. The vertical pipe has a flange that abuts the hopper and an opening in the flange that matches the opening of a valve on the hopper itself. At the opening, the vertical pipe begins to turn towards the outlet of the lower pipe with an internal flute. The flute begins immediately at the flange resulting in a vertical pipe with a curved shape towards the outlet and a square shape towards the inlet. The present invention raises the ground clearance of the horizontal pipe by at least an inch resulting in a hopper tee that clears at least 7 inches above the ground. The hopper tee of the invention also unloads at least 15% more product per minute at temperatures closer to product temperature. Alternate embodiments of the present invention provide a reinforced flange, a drop tee, and a low profile drop tee. The present invention aids in the unloading of bulk materials from various haulers.
US08091920B2
A vehicle occupant restraint system includes an inflatable airbag arranged in a vehicle seat. When the airbag is triggered it at least partially unfolds in the direction of travel on a side of the vehicle seat facing the vehicle interior. The vehicle seat includes a backrest frame extending in a substantially vertical direction in the vehicle seat and substantially aligned in the direction of travel. The airbag is connected to a front end of the backrest frame pointing in the direction of travel.
US08091918B2
Mounting assemblies can be used to attach an inflatable curtain airbag to a vehicle structure. Mounting assemblies can include a mounting member, a connecting member, and an optional wrapper. The connecting member is attached to the mounting member and the airbag via stitching, which can be categorized according to the primary direction of stress that may be placed on the stitching during airbag deployment. Stitching in shear is stronger than otherwise identical stitching in peel; however, a preferred method of packaging a curtain airbag results in a b-rolled airbag that can not be attached to the connecting member with shear stitching alone. Peel stitching alone may not be strong enough to retain an occupant within the vehicle during a rollover event. As such, a combination of a folded connecting member, shear stitching, and peel stitching allows a b-roll airbag to meet occupant ejection mitigation requirements.
US08091909B2
A suspension for a two-wheeled vehicle includes first and second fork legs. Each fork leg includes a dropout. Each dropout has an opening therethrough. At least a portion of one of the openings is threaded. Each of the dropouts includes a split-clamp pinch bearing defining the opening and operable between an open position and a locked position, and a hand operable actuator pivoted to the bearing for operation thereof. The suspension further includes a one-piece axle. The axle is disposed through the openings. The axle has a threaded first end engaged with the threaded portion. The axle has an ergonomic grip formed at a second end. The bearing tightly engages an outer surface of the axle in the locked position, thereby rotationally coupling the axle to the dropout.
US08091906B1
A scooter includes a board for supporting the user thereof, at least one wheel assembly mounted on the board for facilitating movement and transportation of the board, and a braking system operable in a first mode that engages with and imparts a braking force to the at least one wheel assembly for stopping the scooter, and in a second mode that is subject to a force and is caused to disengage from the at least one wheel assembly for allowing the scooter to be moved without being subject to any braking force.
US08091905B2
A motorcycle low-profile positioning creeper allows a medium to large motorcycle to be easily mounted on the positioning creeper and easily moved to any desired position on a horizontal surface such as a showroom floor or storage area. The positioning creeper comprises a low slung H-frame body and four rotatable wheels. The low slung H-frame body is a plate and comprises four corners and four protrusions. The four protrusions protrude upward and outward respectively from the corners and are separated from adjacent longitudinal protrusions a distance greater than a motorcycle tire width. The four rotatable wheels are mounted respectively under the four protrusions.
US08091903B2
A retractable wheel assembly is provided for coupling to a mounting on an object. The retractable wheel assembly is moveable between one or more extended positions and a retracted position. The retractable wheel assembly is configured to expose a wheel in the extended position(s) and to stow said wheel in the retracted position. The retractable wheel assembly comprises a first wheel strut rotatably mounted at or proximate a first end thereof, a first link arm handle rotatably coupled at or proximate a second end of the first wheel strut, and a first over-centre locking arm rotatably coupled at or proximate a first end to the first link arm handle and rotatably mounted at a second end thereof. The retractable wheel assembly is configured to rotatably couple to the wheel at or proximate the coupling between the first wheel strut and the first link arm handle.
US08091901B2
A system for attaching a shoe to a skateboard is described. An interlocking structure attached to the shoe substantially prevents vertical and/or lateral movement of the shoe in relation the skateboard when the interlocking structure is pressed against another interlocking structure. The interlocking structures may register in a plurality of vertical and/or lateral positions. One or both of the interlocking structures may comprise a plurality of protrusions of a pointed or rounded shape.
US08091899B2
A carriage and incorporated harness and towing assembly which allows for significant freedom of movement for a user and a safe and comfortable ride for a passenger is disclosed. The towing assembly comprises a flexible, semi-resilient member surrounded by a plurality of rigid linkages, a fixed towing member and a harness coupling member. The carriage is comprised of at least a single, two-wheel axis and at least one motion damping device. One object of the disclosure is to provide an apparatus that allows a user to comfortably tow a child, toddler or infant while participating in a variety of exercise or general travel-related activities.
US08091898B2
A circumferential seal system for sealing a high pressure region from a low pressure region separated by a runner with an outer circumferential surface and a seal ring disposed about the outer circumferential surface is described. The seal system includes a plurality of groove sets separately disposed along the outer circumferential surface. Each groove set further includes at least two grooves. At least one groove within each groove set exerts a lifting force via a fluid from the high pressure region onto the seal ring as the runner translates with respect to the seal ring along an axis substantially perpendicular to the rotation of the runner. The continuous feed of fluid onto the seal ring ensures a thin film between the seal ring and the runner regardless of their relative arrangement during axial excursions of the runner resulting from conditions within a turbine engine.
US08091893B2
A board game containing a board with multicolored squares laid out in a rectangular path and playing pieces to which specialized pieces are added connected as the player advances the playing piece around the board. The specialized pieces to be added to the playing piece represent and look like one of the following: a piece of bread, peanut butter, or jelly. The object of the game is to build a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and advance the sandwich to a space which represents a glass of milk. A player rolls a die, and advances a playing piece the number of spaces on the die. There are spaces of many different colors. Purple corresponds to jelly, yellow corresponds to a piece of bread and brown corresponds to peanut butter. Spaces of other colors don't have a special meaning. If a player lands on purple, yellow or brown and if the player needs the piece corresponding to that color, then that piece is joined to the player's playing piece. When the player has completed a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, that player's piece must advance around the path to an exit lane and then the player must roll the exact number that causes the playing piece to land on the winning space which corresponds to a glass of milk. The game is intended for ages four and up.
US08091883B2
The sheet feeding device includes a straight sheet feeding passage, and plural sheet feeding sections. Each sheet feeding section includes a container containing a stack of sheets; a driving rotor; a first driven rotor contacting the driving rotor to form a first nip; a feeding member feeding the sheet from the container toward the first nip; and a second driven rotor contacting the driving rotor or the first driven rotor to form a second nip at the junction of the sheet feeding section and the sheet feeding passage. Only the sheet feeding section on the extreme upstream side has a curved guide instead of the second driven rotor to directly feed the sheet to the second nip of the adjacent sheet feeding section so that the sheet at the curved guide has greater curvature radius than the sheet fed from the other sheet feeding sections toward the second nip thereof.
US08091876B2
Generally, a fixture for securing optoelectronic packages may be used to secure one or more optoelectronic packages for mounting one or more components and/or one or more wires to at least first and second mounting surfaces at different relative angles. The fixture is rotatable between at least first and second mounting positions with a top surface of the fixture being at respective first and second mounting angles relative to a horizontal plane. The fixture may be configured to secure the optoelectronic package(s) for positioning at different mounting angles to facilitate mounting the components and/or wires to the mounting surfaces at the different angles. The fixture may also be configured to be continuously adjustable over a range of angles between the first and second mounting angles.
US08091868B2
A membrane humidifier for a fuel cell system is disclosed wherein the membrane humidifier includes a plurality of membrane layers, a first pair of spaced apart sealing bars disposed between a first membrane layer and a second membrane layer adjacent to perimeter edges thereof to form a first flow channel, a second pair of spaced apart sealing bars disposed between the second membrane layer and a third membrane layer adjacent to perimeter edges thereof to form a second flow channel, and a plurality of supports, wherein a first support is disposed adjacent the second planar layer and extending between the second pair of spaced apart sealing bars, and a second support is disposed adjacent the third planar layer and extending between the second pair of spaced apart sealing bars.
US08091867B2
In a microbubble liquid producing apparatus, an air bubble liquid producing device for mixing liquid with air by an aspirating pressure generated by a pressure pump arranged on a liquid feeding pipeline while aspirating the liquid from a liquid supply source and forcibly feeding the liquid by pressure is disposed on the liquid feeding pipeline on the upstream side of the pressure pump relative to the liquid feeding direction. A first air-bubble atomizer is disposed on the liquid feeding pipeline on the downstream side of the air bubble liquid producing device for atomizing the air bubbles contained in the air-mixed liquid produced by the air bubble liquid producing device. A second air-bubble atomizer is disposed on the liquid feeding pipeline on the downstream side of the first air-bubble atomizer for further atomizing the air bubbles atomized by the first air-bubble atomizer.
US08091863B2
A gate valve of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, which is formed between a processing chamber in which processing is performed and a transfer chamber which carries a substrate on which the processing is performed, includes a gate valve at a side of the processing chamber; a sealing member which is formed in the gate valve at the side of the processing chamber; a gate valve at the side of the transfer chamber; a sealing member which is formed in the gate valve at the side of the transfer chamber; and a thermal insulator which is formed between the gate valve at the side of the processing chamber and the gate valve at the side of the transfer chamber.
US08091862B2
A butterfly valve having a valve body, a butterfly shaft, a butterfly plate, and a sleeve insert is provided. The valve body is made of a first material and the sleeve insert is made of a second material. The butterfly shaft is in the valve body for rotation about a first axis. The butterfly plate is in the valve body and secured to the butterfly shaft so that rotation of the butterfly shaft causes the butterfly plate to rotate about a second axis through a travel path between a closed position and an open position. The sleeve insert is in the valve body at least in a region of the travel path between the valve body and the butterfly plate.
US08091861B2
A valve for use in connection with oil production and gas production comprising a valve housing (1) which is connected to at least one inlet (2) and an outlet (3), which together define a flow channel (16) through the valve, a valve body (9), which is set up to selectively open and close for fluid flow in the flow channel (16). A valve seat (6,7), is fitted with at least one seal against the valve housing (1), the valve seat (6) is fitted with an undercut (31) on the side of the valve seat that faces the valve body (9). The undercut (31) is in direct fluid communication with the flow channel (16).
US08091856B2
An automate fluid flow control system includes a valve member for being sealedly disposed within a fluid chamber to seal a flow of fluid flowing from a fluid inlet to a fluid outlet, a relief valve having a fluid passage extended along the valve member for communicating the fluid chamber with the fluid outlet and including a valve stopper sitting on a top opening of the fluid passage to sealedly close the fluid passage, and a powering assembly including an actuator to move the relief valve between a closed position that the valve stopper is sealedly retained to close the fluid passage and an opened position that the actuator drives the valve stopper to unseal the fluid passage for releasing a pressure within the water chamber to allow the fluid passing to the fluid outlet.
US08091855B1
A packer unit to be used in an annular blowout preventer. The packer unit includes an elastomer body including a compound of a carboxylated nitrile rubber (XNBR) base polymer having a polymer chain, and a quantity of fluorine atoms attached to the polymer chain. The compound includes between 50 and 60% XNBR, between 25 to 35% carbon black, and the rest includes other materials. The quantity of fluorine atoms displaces at least an equal quantity of hydrogen atoms from the polymer chain when the elastomer body is fluorinated.
US08091853B2
A pole type member support device has a conical shaped receptacle. The conical shaped receptacle has an opening formed in a top section thereof. The receptacle is tapered so that the top section of the receptacle is larger than a bottom section. A channel is formed around an outer perimeter of the top section of the receptacle. A support arm is slideably coupled within the channel and is used for supporting the pole type member in an upright position. A locking device is adapted to be inserted into and withdrawn from the opening formed in the top section of the receptacle for securing the pole type member in an upright position. A base member is provided for holding the receptacle.
US08091851B2
A vehicle slide device is provided, which can adjustably move the second rail along the first rail without play therebetween in a front-rearward direction with a long adjustment stroke. In the vehicle slide device according to the invention, since a plurality of rolling elements annularly arranged in the attaching portion formed at the second rail are always in contact with the operating surface of the attaching portion and the operating surface of the first rail when the second rail moves relative to the first rail in a front-rearward directions, the play of the second rail relative to the first rail in up-down and right-left directions can be eliminated. Further, since the plurality of rolling elements roll and circulate at the attaching portion, the second rail can smoothly move in a front-rearward direction along the first rail.
US08091848B1
A hands free specimen holder apparatus includes a cup holder. An arm is connected with the cup holder at a first end and the arm extends the cup holder from the first end and away from and below a second end. The second end of the arm is conformed to connect with a toilet seat.
US08091847B2
The invention relates to a connectable profiled mounting rail, comprising longitudinal webs (3) for connecting the elements to be mounted, wherein the basic profile has a discontinuous, essentially rectangular surface line (4). On the one side, a connection profile (5) for attachment of the profiled mounting rail (1) is provided. The connection profiles (6, 7) located on the opposite side are arranged in such a structural manner that a second profiled mounting rail (2) which has the same profile cross-section and is rotated by 180° can be connected in a positive fit to the first profiled mounting rail (1) by inserting the connection profiles (6, 7) into each other.
US08091843B2
A vacuum mount type support device includes a vacuum mount base member having a multilateral upright shaft, a hard vacuum mount cap member having a cup-like body capped on the top side of the rubber disk of the vacuum mount base member and a through hole for the passing of the multilateral upright shaft, a control device threaded onto the multilateral upright shaft and rotatably to impart a pressure to the vacuum mount cap member against the vacuum mount base member for causing formation of a vacuum suction force, and a device holder fastened to the connector of the vacuum mount base member above the control device for holding an external device.
US08091837B2
An aerodynamic body with a plurality of nozzles for throttling a fluid flow to be removed by suction through the nozzles in a self-regulated fashion is disclosed. The aerodynamic body according to one example, includes a plurality of throttling nozzles with a throttle section that is defined by an inlet and an outlet. In one example, the interior wall of the throttle section may be designed such that an effective flow cross section is reduced in a self-regulated fashion due to the creation of turbulences on the interior wall of the throttle section as the pressure differential between the inlet and the outlet of the throttle section increases.
US08091831B2
A door arrangement for tightly closing a door opening comprises a door frame, a door which, when closed, is arranged in the door frame, and inner and outer sealing lips. The inner and outer sealing lips run next to each other along a periphery of the door opening between a first surface of the door and a second surface of the door frame, wherein the first and second surfaces face each other. The inner and outer sealing lips bound a space formed between them. The door arrangement further comprises a pressure-reducing device configured to reduce pressure in the space.
US08091830B2
The present invention relates to a stringer for an aircraft wing and a method of forming such a stringer in which the stringer is formed from a single piece of material and then machined to optimise the dimensions and weight of the stringer.
US08091828B2
In a method for manufacturing a structural element intended for aeronautical construction, at least a first and second metal block are made available, the limit of elasticity under compression of the first metal block being greater than that of the second metal block. The first metal block is machined in such a manner as to obtain a first machined monolithic part which has a first web portion and at least one stringer element whose height is such that a stringer portion extends beyond the first web portion. There is prepared, by shaping the second metal block, at least one second part having at least a second web portion capable of co-operating with the first web portion to form the web. The first monolithic part and the second part are assembled by placing the first and second web portions end-to-end over their entire common length.
US08091822B2
An aerial image projection system (20) includes a light aircraft (22) having a parachute-wing (24) attached to a carriage (26). The system (20) further includes an on-board computing and projection unit (30) with an image projector (32) coupled to the carriage (26) and suspended below the parachute-wing (24). An image display process (98) utilizing the system (20) entails generating (100) still and/or moving images (34) in a digital format for management by the computing and projection unit (30) and projecting (102) those images (34) from the projector (32) onto the parachute-wing (24). The projection of particular images (34) may be governed by time of day, particular events, current location of aerial image projection system (20) as detected by a navigational system receiver (66) of the unit, and so forth.
US08091818B2
A gyratory cone crusher with a conehead centerline and a main centerline being skewed and non-coplanar with respect to each other. The conehead exhibits an elliptical movement path which results in faster throughput and enhanced cubicity performance.
US08091815B2
A platform for securing a portable vacuum and shredder apparatus has brackets for attaching a shredder onto the platform. A vacuum tube for the ingress of matter to be shredded. An ingress opening for the shredded matter. A closed area, or bag for collecting the shredded material. An air exhaust fitted with a filter system or device allowing for air exhaust while the shredded material is retained in the closed collecting area, or bag.
US08091814B2
A single-motor shredder has a housing, and multiple cutting rollers, a paper feeding mechanism and a motor mounted in the housing. A first gear set connects the cutting rollers with the motor and a second gear set connects the cutting rollers with the paper feeding mechanism. Only one motor is needed to drive the cutting rollers and the paper feeding mechanism. Therefore, the shredder is light and a manufacturing costs of the shredder are lowered. Moreover, the paper feeding mechanism separates a stack of paper into small piles to sequentially feed the stack of paper in small piles. Thus, the stack of paper does not jam the cutting rollersso improving lifetime of the shredder.
US08091811B2
An apparatus for collecting, processing, and recycling kitchen scraps is provided. Kitchen scraps are thrown into a throw-in conduit provided on each floor of a building and transferred to a delivery conduit by a flushing device so as to reach a kitchen scraps collection device and be processed thereby. After the kitchen scraps are processed by the kitchen scraps collection device, a liquid removed from the kitchen scraps is further processed by a grease interception device so that oil is separated from the liquid. Thus, the apparatus collects, processes collectively, and performs water/oil separation on kitchen scraps.
US08091810B2
An apparatus and method for crumbling a food product such as a block of cheese into irregularly shaped food particles. One embodiment of the apparatus consists of a chute-shaped housing that contains two opposing plates with a plurality of smooth, rounded, finger-like protrusions on their faces, where the plates are closer together towards the bottom of the chute. When food is inserted into the top of the chute and one of the plates is moved in an up-and-down motion, the protrusions on the opposing plates crumble the food into progressively smaller food particles until the crumbled particles drop through the gap between the bottoms of the plates and out the bottom of the chute. Other embodiments are described and shown.
US08091794B2
The present disclosure pertains to thermostats that assist users in monitoring and/or controlling their utility consumption habits and patterns. In particular, the present disclosure relates to a thermostat that includes a housing and a controller located within the housing. The controller may be adapted to implement a control algorithm that permits the controller to operate one or more components of an HVAC system. The thermostat may include a display and a receiver that is configured to receive messages from a utility. In some cases, the controller may provide, on the display, an indication of a measure of utility usage during a first time period (e.g. during a current month) and an indication of a measure of utility usage during a second time period (e.g. during the same month one year ago) that may be after the first time period.
US08091784B1
An automated banking machine operates to carry out financial transfers responsive to data read form data bearing records. The machine includes a card reader that operates to read data from user cards. The card data corresponds to financial accounts. The automated banking machine further includes a cash dispenser and a receipt printer. The machine is operative to dispense cash to an authorized user based on identifying data including card data, and to cause a financial transfer from an account corresponding to card data through communication with at least one remote computer. The machine includes a check acceptor that operates to determine magnetic symbols included on checks. Cash may be dispensed in exchange for a check received through operation of the check acceptor of the machine.
US08091781B2
A transaction product for a retail display includes a transaction sticker and a transaction card. The transaction sticker defines a front surface and a rear surface opposite the front surface. The transaction sticker includes a first account identifier linking the transaction sticker to an account or record configured to track a value available for use toward a purchase of goods and services. The first account identifier is machine readable by a point-of-sale terminal. The rear surface is coated with a pressure sensitive adhesive. The transaction card defines a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface and including a second account identifier. The second account identifier is machine readable by the point-of-sale terminal. The transaction sticker is releasably coupled to the transaction card and is configured to be removed from the transaction card and applied to an article. Other cards, products, combinations and associated methods are also disclosed.
US08091761B2
A bonding apparatus provided with a control unit capable of controlling the position of the central axis of a bonding tool in the X direction and the Y direction based on an image of a pad acquired with a camera and an offset amount, the apparatus including: an outline obtaining unit for obtaining each of the sides of the pad and an outline of a pressure-bonded ball by processing the image acquired with the camera; a gap length obtaining unit for obtaining gap lengths between the respective sides of the pad and the outline of the pressure-bonded ball; and an offset correcting unit for correcting the offset amount based on the gap lengths obtained by the gap obtaining unit.
US08091759B2
A soldering machine for soldering components which are mounted on a circuit board contains a soldering module and comprises at least one soldering station which is mobile and exchangeably insertable in the soldering module. The soldering station and the soldering module are equipped with means for mutual alignment and with female or male plugs, which fit with one another and which terminate supply lines for goods. When inserting the soldering station in the soldering module said means align the soldering station in relation to the soldering module. Preferably, the soldering machine is composed of modules which are situated one behind another in the transport direction and are removably connected to one another. Each module comprises an own transport system.
US08091750B2
A tape dispenser for a tape roll comprises a main seat, a rotation member, a dragging member, a cutting edge, a contact member and a supporting member. The main seat has a front member and two side members, the two side members thereof are structured with a Concave-shaped hollow space. The rotation member is connected to one side member of the main seat and move toward to the other side member of the main seat. The dragging member is mounted between the tops of the two side members of the main seat. The cutting edge locates transversally at the top of the front member of the main seat. The supporting member is located below the dragging member. A clearance space is formed between the dragging member and the supporting member. The aforementioned Concave-shaped hollow space makes users with their fingers to access the free end of the tape roll.
US08091742B2
A pump lid assembly for use with a container, having a rotatable pump cylinder configuration and a pump piston mechanically associated with the rotatable pump cylinder configuration such that at least a portion of the piston is deployed within the pump cylinder, thereby defining a variable pump volume. The pump piston is configured with a substantially cylindrical piston wall having an interior surface and an exterior surface such that at least a portion of the interior surface is configured for releasable attachment to the container such that when the lid is attached to the container and at least a portion of the piston circumscribes the part of the container. At least a portion of the exterior surface of the piston wall interacts with the rotatable pump cylinder configuration and the association is such that rotation of the rotatable pump cylinder configuration generates linear motion of the rotatable pump cylinder configuration.
US08091740B2
The invention concerns a dispenser, in particular for semi-solid or liquid systems, with a housing to hold a dispenser unit which is formed by a storage container, a metering unit (3) connected therewith via which the substance can be output in defined doses and an activation mechanism (4) which can activate the metering unit (3) to output a dose of substance, where the dispenser unit is held via a reservoir holder (5) in the housing (1). Known dispensers have the disadvantage that the dispenser unit is not held securely against tipping. The invention avoids this in that the storage container (2) is formed with a lower volume area (2″) and an upper volume area (2′) which to form the reservoir holder between its upper and lower end has a constricted shoulder area (9) with an inwardly angled setting surface, where the housing (1) has a corresponding support surface (10) to support the setting surface.
US08091737B2
A multiple flavor beverage dispensing nozzle includes at least one disposable beverage flavor syrup injector for injecting flavor syrup into a mixing fluid. The flavor syrup injector injects flavor syrup at an angle towards the longitudinal axis of the nozzle exit orifice such that the nozzle exit orifice does not come in contact with the syrup, avoiding color and flavor contamination of other dispensed beverages. Also, by injecting the syrup at an angle, the mixing fluid intersects with the syrup in midair below the surface of the nozzle, resulting in a complete and gentle mixing of syrup and mixing fluid, without syrup residue accumulating on any surface in contact with any other flavor. By directing the mixing fluid through and around the housing containing the flavor syrup injectors, a uniform even circular flow of mixing fluid is dispensed from the exit orifice of the nozzle. By using multiple flavor syrup injectors, a nozzle may contain several different flavors in a smaller space than a single flavor nozzle.
US08091736B2
A method and computer program product for defining a PWM drive signal having a defined voltage potential. The PWM drive signal has a plurality of “on” portions and a plurality of “off” portions that define a first duty cycle for regulating, at least in part, a flow rate of a pump assembly. At least a portion of the “on” portions of the PWM drive signal are pulse width modulated to define a second duty cycle for the at least a portion of the “on” portions of the PWM drive signal. The second duty cycle regulates, at least in part, the percentage of the defined voltage potential applied to the pump assembly.
US08091729B2
The invention concerns a peel-off package for sterilization.
US08091728B2
A wet well apparatus, and installation method therefore, that includes a cylindrical body extending between a first end and a second end along a body axis defining an interior material holding volume and a base form closing the first end of the cylindrical body to define a base interior volume adjacent the interior material holding volume of the cylindrical body. The base form is configured to receive a flowable fill material in the base interior volume.
US08091727B2
A single-use, clamshell protective cap for use primarily in healthcare settings in order to maintain the integrity of a medication solution. The cap has two halves, a cylindrical skirt, a puncture resistant lid portion, an interior flange, and an interlocking snap. When placed around a flanged injection port such as is found on a conventional fluid container and closed, the lid portion covers an access site on an injection port. After the cap is placed, the interior flange engages the port flange to prevent upward axial movement relative to the port, thereby preventing removal of the cap and thus deterring unwanted or erroneous drug administrations or withdrawals.
US08091721B1
A reconfigurable electrical box hanger assembly for mounting a lighting or fan fixture to the grid supporting structure of a drop ceiling. The hanger assembly includes a one-piece elongated bar, two end pieces with widely spaced support legs, a turnbuckle, and a center bracket supporting an electrical box. The turnbuckle and end pieces are rotatable with respect to the elongated bar, thereby enabling two configurations of the hanger assembly including a compact profile for storage and shipping and an expanded profile for installation on a suspended ceiling. A locking arrangement includes bendable tabs which lock the end pieces with respect to the elongated bar thereby placing the hanger assembly into the expanded profile for installation on a suspended ceiling.
US08091714B2
A top hardware bar includes a body, a first bracket, and a second bracket. The body is elongate and defines a first end, a second, opposite end, a channel, and a plurality of holes disposed lengthwise along the body. The first bracket is secured to the first end of the body and is releasably secured to a first upright. The second bracket is adjustably secured within the channel at the second end of the body and is releasably secured to a second upright. A backer piece is secured to the body of the top hardware bar along a top portion of the backer piece such that the backer piece hangs from the top hardware bar. A product fixture is then placed in front of the backer piece to support products, with the ends of the product fixture being attached to the first and second uprights, respectively.
US08091707B2
A system and method for securing, shipping, storing, loading, unloading, accessing and protecting sensitive heavy electronic assemblies. Integration of container dunnage, recessed hardware and exterior stacking features to protect container and contents during shipping.
US08091706B2
A container includes a plurality of walls extending upward from a base. At least one support is movable between a retracted position and a support position. Resilient tabs are provided to prevent inadvertent movement of the support out of the support position.
US08091705B1
A caddy for storing diamond polishing pads used by grinding machines holds multiple containers in a rack in a case. Each container is independently removable from the rack and case and stores a complete set of stacked pads so that sets of used pads are always sorted and accessible according to both their grit and wear characteristics. The case, rack and containers are configured with respect to the sets of pads and to each other so as to minimize their relative three dimensional motion during transport of the caddy. The case, rack and body of the containers are preferably made of cardboard so that many sets of pads can be stored and transported in one or more lightweight and inexpensive caddies.
US08091702B1
A folding cup holder carrier that provides for multiple cup carrying from a single folded sheet material blank. The cup carrier has a central handle with opposing tapered sides with multiple apertured hinged cup engagement flaps formed thereon. A base is defined between said respective sides below said multiple apertures to support a cup's bottom once placed through the corresponding apertures and retained by resilient retainment by the hinge flaps.
US08091690B2
The invention relates to a self-reinforcing, in particular electromechanical disk brake having a wedge mechanism as the self-boosting device, for example. The invention proposes that the actuating device be attached to a separate holder, which does not have forces or torques of the wedge mechanism applied thereto.
US08091689B2
The invention relates to an automatic parking brake acting on a disk brake and in which the piston of the brake comprises a cavity in which there is a spring (1) allowing pressure to be applied to the end (12) of the piston cavity. A washer (5) is positioned between the inlet (13) of the cavity and the spring (1). A pressing device (4) allows pressure to be applied to the washer (5) so that it preloads the spring (1).
US08091684B2
A low mass acoustically enhanced floor carpet system for vehicles. In a first embodiment, the carpet assembly comprising a face layer and an opposite lower fiber mat. The carpet assembly further including a primary backing if the face layer is tufted, a back coating layer, an upper fiber mat, and a perforated film layer all in between the face layer and the lower fiber mat. The perforated film layer providing for enhanced sound absorption. In an alternate embodiment, the carpet assembly comprising a face layer, an insulator pad opposite the face layer; a back coating, a perforated film layer, and an insulator pad all between the face layer and the insulator pad.
US08091681B2
A method and apparatus for providing a loudspeaker assembly is provided. In accordance with at least one embodiment, a method is provided which comprises forming a loudspeaker frame so as to define a driver housing portion, a horn portion, and a conformal portion. A driver aperture is defined for the driver housing portion, and a port aperture is defined for the horn portion. A driver is attached to the loudspeaker frame proximate to the driver aperture. A rear baffle is applied to a first conformal portion surface of the conformal portion of the loudspeaker frame. The rear baffle defines a horn cavity wall of a horn cavity of the horn portion. The horn cavity has an increasing cross sectional area as the distance from the driver housing portion increases. A grille is applied to a second conformal portion surface of the conformal portion of the loudspeaker frame.
US08091667B2
A hybrid electric powertrain includes an electrical energy storage device and electric machines. A method for operating the powertrain to control the electric machines is effective to attain a predetermined state of life profile for the electric energy storage device.
US08091659B2
A hybrid vehicle includes a battery system, an internal combustion engine, a first motor/generator, a second motor/generator, and an engageable clutch assembly. The engageable clutch assembly is disposed between the internal combustion engine and the first motor/generator. When engaged, the engageable clutch assembly couples the rotor spindle of the second motor/generator with the hollow rotor shaft of the first motor/generator. The engageable clutch assembly may also operate in a first mechanical mode that selectively engages and disengages the internal combustion engine from the second motor/generator, or operate in a second mechanical mode that dampens shock between the internal combustion engine and the first motor/generator when the international combustion engine operates at a rotational speed that is different than a rotational of the first motor/generator.
US08091656B2
A method and apparatus for reducing or eliminating the energy required by an operator of a delivery cart to start the cart moving in a predetermined direction at a predetermined speed as well as to recover some or all of the energy used to start the cart moving. The apparatus includes a cart, a drive wheel, a motor for driving the drive wheel, and a rechargeable energy source to power said motor where the rechargeable energy source is recharged during normal, unpowered movement of the cart. The method includes charging a power source while moving the cart, actuating a directional button to initiate movement in a desired direction, energizing a clutch to couple the motor to the driven wheel, energizing the motor to drive the driven wheel in the desired direction. After a predetermined time period, set by a run timer, the clutch is decoupled while the motor remains activated, and thereafter the motor is deactivated.
US08091649B2
A pneumatic screw driver includes: a tool body; a nose portion; a main air chamber; a hammering cylinder; a driver bit integrally combined with a hammering piston in the hammering cylinder; an air motor; a valve housing provided in an air passage between the main air chamber and the air motor; a stop valve piston provided in the valve housing; a stop valve stem coaxially provided with the stop valve piston; a timer chamber connected to the hammering cylinder; a first pipeline and a second pipeline respectively formed at upper and lower positions in a lower portion of the stop valve stem; and a upper end proximal portion of a contact member provided slidably in a driving direction. The upper end proximal portion of the contact member is provided engageably with the stop valve stem. The first pipeline and the second pipeline are arranged so as to close the first pipeline after closing the second pipeline by moving the stop valve stem upward from a bottom dead center.
US08091639B2
A method of selectively blocking fractures in a subterranean formation by injecting a diversion agent into the well is disclosed. According to one embodiment, the method comprises injecting a diversion agent into a subterranean formation to form an alkaline-earth carbonate precipitate from decomposition of a carbonyl compound, wherein the diversion agent includes the carbonyl compound and an alkaline-earth halide salt.
US08091635B2
Apparatus and methods to remove impurities at a sensor in a downhole tool are disclosed. During the testing and/or sampling of formation fluid in a borehole, the downhole tool creates a transient high rate of fluid flow of the formation fluid to remove impurities at the sensor.
US08091632B2
A device for the in-situ extraction of a hydrocarbon-containing substance, while reducing the viscosity thereof, from an underground deposit, has at least one injection pipeline extending in the deposit and at least one production pipeline leading out of the deposit, which together form a so-called well pair. The injection and production pipelines each have a starting region extending above ground in some areas, and an active region connecting to the starting region inside the deposit. With the method, during a heating phase hot steam is applied to the injection and production pipelines, while during a production phase hot steam is applied only to the injection pipeline. Furthermore, the active region of the injection pipeline is additionally configured as an induction heater regarding the surrounding area in the deposit. In the associated device, for example, the well pair formed by the injection pipeline and production pipeline can be configured as electrodes.
US08091630B2
Methods and apparatus for diverting fluids either into or from a well are described. Some embodiments include a diverter conduit that is located in a bore of a tree. The invention relates especially but not exclusively to a diverter assembly connected to a wing branch of a tree. Some embodiments allow diversion of fluids out of a tree to a subsea processing apparatus followed by the return of at least some of these fluids to the tree for recovery. Alternative embodiments provide only one flowpath and do not include the return of any fluids to the tree. Some embodiments can be retrofitted to existing trees, which can allow the performance of a new function without having to replacing the tree. Multiple diverter assembly embodiments are also described.
US08091606B2
An operating wand has a handle, an upper rod connected by an intermediate rod having one end pivotably attached to the upper end of the handle and the opposite end pivotably attached to the lower end of the upper rod. A sleeve slides along the upper rod between a first position and a second position. When in the first position the sleeve covers a portion of the upper rod, the handle, and the intermediate rod, keeping the handle, intermediate rod and upper rod in a co-linear alignment. When the sleeve is in the second position, the handle and intermediate rod are fully exposed allowing the intermediate rod to be moved relative to the handle and the upper rod so that the intermediate rod is normal to the handle and normal to the upper rod. With the sleeve in the second position the wand can be operated like a crank.
US08091603B2
A mandrel for manufacturing a unitary seamless section of an aircraft fuselage comprises a thin lay-up mandrel element disposed onto the outer shell surface of an inner mandrel shell, forming a mandrel with a substantially continuous lay-up surface. A unitary pre-cured section of an aircraft fuselage is formed by laying up a plurality of resin impregnated skin fibers onto the mandrel's lay-up surface while the mandrel rotates.
US08091602B2
A transfer ring especially suitable for use in the manufacture of vehicle tires including a skeletal cylindrical cage which houses an oscillatable circular drive member therewithin. The drive member includes a plurality of cam followers disposed about the outer perimeter thereof and which operatively engage respective camming grooves defined in each of a plurality of hinged driven links which are individually hingedly mounted internally of the cage about the outer perimeter of the cage. Each driven link includes an inboard end hinged within the cage and an outboard end having an articulating shoe mounted thereon. The shoes on the several driven links are interconnected to provide like simultaneous substantially equal articulative and rotational movement of the shoes radially inwardly or radially outwardly of the cage upon rotational movement of the drive member and resultant rotational movement of the hinged driven links effected through the cam followers and camming grooves of the driven links.
US08091599B2
A tire having a radial carcass reinforcement comprising a crown reinforcement formed of at least two working crown layers of inextensible reinforcement elements, which are crossed from one ply to the other, forming angles of between 10° and 45° with the circumferential direction, which itself is topped radially by a tread, said tread being joined to two beads by means of two sidewalls. The tire comprises additionally at least in each shoulder a layer of reinforcement elements which are oriented circumferentially and have an undulation, the axially inner end of said additional layer being radially adjacent to the edge of a working crown layer, the axially outer end of said additional layer being located at a distance from the equatorial plane of the tire which is at least equal to the distance between said plane and the end of the working layer to which it is adjacent and the distance between said layer and the end of the axially widest working crown layer being greater than 1.5 mm.
US08091597B2
A heavy-duty tire comprises two rows of middle blocks (11). The ground contacting face (S) of each middle block is defined as being surrounded with an axially inner longitudinal edge (14i), an axially outer longitudinal edge (14o), a first-side transverse edge (14a) and a second-side transverse edge (14b). The two transverse edges (14a and 14b) are substantially straight and substantially parallel with each other and inclined with respect to the tire axial direction. The axially inner longitudinal edge (14i) is nonlinear and has an axially inwardly protruding first-side protruding point (15a) and second-side protruding point (15b), and an axially outwardly denting part (16) therebetween. The axially outer longitudinal edge (14o) is nonlinear and has axially outwardly protruding first-side protruding point (20a) and second-side protruding point (20b), and an axially inwardly denting point (21) therebetween. The circumferential distances (Lia, Lib, Loa and Lob) between the protruding points (15a, 15b, 20a and 20b) and the adjacent circumferential ends (Pia, Pib, Poa and Pob) of the longitudinal edges (14i and 14o) are 5 to 15% of the circumferential length (Li, Lo) of the longitudinal edges (14i and 14o).
US08091595B2
In a wood splitter for splitting a log of wood into several pieces comprising a receiving chamber for the log of wood which is limited by a stand arranged parallel to the axis of the log of wood, and transverse to the stand and relative thereto, is further limited by limit stops projecting in a direction normal to the said axis of the stand, with at least one limit stop being movable in the direction of the axis and at least one limit stop being designed as a splitting unit a high degree of user-friendliness and a rational method of operation may be achieved in that a splitting wedge designed in the manner of an insert pin held only in the area of the base thereof is associated with the end of the receiving chamber, which splitting wedge can accommodate a splitting insert comprising an insertion pocket which can be inserted into the insert pin, and further a set of tools attached to the insertion pocket containing several splitting wedges which are arranged according to a desired pattern of pieces resembling the blossoms of a tulip.
US08091591B2
A device for the filling of vessels, with a container for liquid and pressurized gas and at least one filling pipe connected with this, which filling pipe comprises a liquid valve and a return gas pipe, whereby a gas pipe discharges into the filling pipe outside the return gas pipe, which gas pipe is connected with the container by means of a pre-stressing valve, so that the pre-stressing valve is positioned on the upper side of the container and the gas pipe discharges into the container from above.
US08091580B2
A pilot valve is switchable between snap and throttle modes. The pilot valve supplies output gas to a process control valve and has an adjustable biasing member for applying an adjustable force to a pilot plug in a pilot body interior. An opposed force is applied to the pilot plug to overcome the adjustable force and the output gas.
US08091578B2
A fill limiter vent valve (FLVV) adapted for suspension downward into a fuel tank has upper and lower housing members having openings in their cylindrical walls cooperating to define a spill-over level for fuel into the FLVV producing float-initiated vent valve closure during a fuel fill event. The lower housing member has a latching member fixedly engageable with one or more cooperating latching features of the upper housing member in a plurality of relative axial positions; and the spill-over level is varied by relative axial movement of the housing members between those positions. Axial alignment of the latching member and the cooperating latching features is maintained by axially aligned, interacting surface features of the housing members.
US08091572B2
A method for tracking a pollution source in process water is presented. Firstly, variation curves of drain water drained from different rinsing tanks are respectively obtained, and a water quality concentration of the drain water drained to a buffer tank is detected, so as to output a water quality variation curve. Then, an analytical comparison is performed on each drain water amount variation curve and the water quality variation curve within a same time interval, so as to output an analytical result of each flow of drain water in a range exceeding a predetermined water quality standard. In this manner, the drain water that exceeds the predetermined water quality standard can be tracked in real-time according to the analytical result, thereby quickly improving the process for discharging the drain water.
US08091571B2
A valve box, a valve control device, an assembly thereof and a method are provided for accessing an underground valve and indicating presence and position of the underground valve. The valve box includes a support member having a tubular section; and a resilient tubular member telescopable slidably into the tubular section of the support member. An upper end of the resilient tubular member is extendable above the ground. Various elements are disclosed for stiffening the tubular member against deformation due to forces applied to it. The valve control device comprises a control rod having one end attachable to the underground valve and a control key including a key head, a key handle and a key stem. The key head has a cone-shaped cavity and a recess portion at the top of the cavity, the recess portion being dimensioned to engage a projection at the other end of the control rod.
US08091564B2
A volumizer attachment for connection to a device generating a stream of air, comprising a volumizer unit with hair styling fingers. A coupling section connects the volumizer attachment to the device. The volumizer unit is rotatably mounted, either in whole or in part. A rotating first drive shaft in the device connects to a rotatably mounted second drive shaft arranged inside the coupling section. The second drive shaft has a drive element on its output end, which is arranged eccentrically to the axis of rotation of the second drive shaft. The drive element engages a force converter to convert the rotational drive motion of the drive element into an oscillating rotational motion of the volumizer unit, or a part thereof. The axis of rotation of the volumizer unit, or of the part thereof, and the axis of rotation of the second drive shaft are at an angle to one another.
US08091563B2
A hair styling apparatus has a heating member and a cloth covering at least a portion of the heating member to define a hair-facing surface onto which hair is placed in contact therewith for heating. The cloth is constructed at least in part of a monofilament of a fluorinated polyethylene. In another embodiment, the cloth is responsive to heating of the heating member to shrink relative to the heating member in at least one of a longitudinal direction and a transverse direction of the cloth. In yet another embodiment, the cloth is unbonded to the heating member and held in tension over the portion of the heating member that defines the hair-facing surface.
US08091546B2
A method of humidifying a gas that includes supplying a gas to a surface of a humidification material that readily absorbs moisture and readily releases moisture when exposed to a dry environment and generating turbulence in the gas as it passes over the surface of the humidification material.
US08091536B2
A gaseous-fuelled internal combustion engine and a method of engine operation improve combustion stability and reducing emissions of NOx, PM, and unburned hydrocarbons. The method comprises fuelling an internal combustion engine with hydrogen and natural gas, which can be directly injected into the combustion chamber together or introduced separately. Of the total gaseous fuel delivered to the engine, at least 5% by volume at standard temperature and pressure is hydrogen. For at least one engine operating condition, the ratio of fuel rail pressure to peak in-cylinder pressure is at least 1.5:1. A fuel injection valve introduces the gaseous fuel mixture directly into the combustion chamber. Two separate fuel injection valves could also introduce the methane and hydrogen separately. An electronic controller controls timing for operating the fuel injection valve(s). The engine has a preferred compression ratio of at least 14:1.
US08091534B2
An engine is provided to facilitate installation of a compressor on an engine. The engine can include a crankshaft, a front end, and an installation structure, and can be disposed in an engine compartment having an opening for accessing the engine. The installation structure can comprise an installation mount that can be disposed at the front end of the engine. The installation mount can extend substantially parallel to the crankshaft of the engine. The installation mount can include a surface configured for mounting the compressor. Further, the installation mount can be configured with the surface thereof facing toward the opening of the engine compartment. Additionally, the installation structure can be configured to facilitate meshing engagement of the crankshaft with a drive shaft of the compressor.
US08091532B2
A diagnostic system includes a fuel pump module and a diagnostic control module. The fuel pump module activates a first pump when an engine is operating in a diagnostic mode. The first pump supplies fuel to fuel injectors of the engine via a fuel rail. The diagnostic control module receives a measured pressure signal from a pressure sensor that indicates a pressure of the fuel rail during the diagnostic mode. The fuel pump module sends at least one of a first and a second commanded fuel pressure signal to the first pump based on a predetermined relief pressure of a pressure relief valve. The diagnostic control module detects a fault of the pressure sensor based on an engine speed and a comparison between the measured pressure signal and at least one of the first commanded fuel pressure signal and a corrected relief pressure of the pressure relief valve.
US08091529B2
In a regulating method for controlling an electrical actuator, especially a valve for regulating a volume flow in an injection system for an internal combustion engine, a nominal value is set for an actuating variable of the actuator; the actuator is controlled by a pulse width-modulated electrical control signal with a pre-defined pulse duty factor and a pre-defined period for adjusting the desired nominal value of the actuating variable; a flow threshold value is determined according to the pre-defined nominal value for the actuating variable; the flow flowing through the actuator is continuously measured during the control by the control signal and before the end of the period; the measured flow is compared with the flow threshold value/and the flow flowing through the actuator is switched off before the end of the period of the control signal if the measured flow exceeds the current threshold value.
US08091518B2
A partition member used in a cylinder block of an internal combustion engine is disclosed. The partition member is arranged in a groove-like cooling passage through which a cooling heat medium flows. The partition member includes a separating wall and a flexible lip member. The separating wall divides the cooling passage into an inner passage and an outer passage. The inner passage is located close to the cylinder bores, and the outer passage is located outside of the inner passage. The lip member extends from the separating wall toward the opening of the cooling passage in such a manner that, when the partition member is arranged in the cooling passage, the lip member contacts one of the inner surfaces of the cylinder block forming the cooling passage. When the partition member is arranged in the cooling passage, the distal edge portion of the flexible lip member contacts the inner surface due to force produced through flexible shape restoration of the lip member.
US08091516B2
A cooling device in an engine bay of a motor vehicle has a radiator and a radiator louver with at least one lamella that controls the passage of a gas flow through the radiator. At least one bypass duct bypasses the radiator and can be closed off by an associated closing element which is operatively connected to the radiator louver in such a way that an opening of the radiator louver generates a closing of the closing element, and therefore of the associated bypass duct, and vice versa. The radiator louver and the at least one closing element are coupled to one another in such a way that, regardless of the position of the lamellae of the radiator louver and the position of the at least one closing element, an at least approximately uniform lift force, or an at least approximately uniform pitching moment, is imparted to the vehicle.
US08091512B2
A spray deterrent application type animal training apparatus and its control method is disclosed. The apparatus affixed to the collar of a dog provides a vibration stimulus, stimulus to olfactory sense and visual sense. The transparent spray deterrent reservoir case of the apparatus allows a trainer or an animal owner to simply identify level of spray substance. A light emitting diode (LED) is secured to the vicinity of a spraying nozzle of the spray unit and indicates a spray path by flashing a light on the spray path. Also, an animal is trained using stronger stimulus for a rapid learning at the beginning of training and is warned against an undesired behavior of an animal using light stimulus after being well trained.
US08091510B2
Devices and methods are disclosed for the containment, hatching, and culture of aquatic and semi-aquatic organisms. Methods and device can be applied widely in the care and culture of aquatic and semi-aquatic organisms important in the aquaculture industry, aquarium and pet hobby, science instruction and education, environmental screening and toxicity testing, and the education-entertainment field.
US08091508B2
A porous article for attracting animals to excrete urinal and fecal wastes thereof at a predetermined location includes a scent producing agent that is capable of generating a fragrance to attract the animals to the porous article. Further, the porous article includes an absorbent material that is capable of retaining the scent producing agent. A method for training the animals to excrete urinal and fecal wastes thereof at the predetermined location comprises using the porous article.
US08091505B2
In a method for testing a negative electrode of a secondary battery, light is irradiate to an active material layer formed on a current collector having a plurality of projections at least on one side thereof, the active material layer including first columnar bodies of active material grown obliquely from the projections. The angle is measured between the reflected light from the active material layer and a normal line parallel to the thickness direction of the current collector.
US08091487B2
A pallet assembly includes a top deck having a top deck upper surface and a top deck lower surface and also having a first predetermined fire retardancy. A bottom deck having a bottom deck upper surface and a bottom deck lower surface, and also having a second predetermined fire retardancy. A column extending between the top deck and bottom deck, the column having an other fire retardancy lower than at least one of the first and second fire retardancies.
US08091483B1
A boat ride with precise speed and orientation control. The ride includes a track assembly positioned in a water basin and includes front and rear bogies engaging the track assembly. The boat ride includes a passenger boat and front and rear tethering assemblies coupling the front and rear bogies, respectively, to the boat. The ride includes a propulsion assembly positioned along the track assembly that is operable to independently propel, with linear motors, the front and rear bogies at the same or differing first and second velocities by applying a magnetic force to reaction plates on the bogies. The track assembly includes a joined section and a divided section, which includes a primary track on which the front bogie travels and a secondary track, spaced apart from the primary track, on which the rear bogie travels. The boat may be rotated to any orientation in the divided track section.
US08091482B2
A warhead system for a projectile-intercepting munition, the warhead system includes a fuselage having an axis and one or more explosively-formed-projectile charge. The explosively-formed-projectile is with a length and configured to generate one or more explosively formed blade projectile propagating substantially perpendicular to the length, the explosively-formed-projectile charge assuming a deployed state wherein the length of the explosively-formed-projectile charge is non-parallel to the axis, the deployed state and the explosively-formed-projectile charge configured such that, when the explosively-formed-projectile charge is detonated in the deployed state, the explosively formed blade projectile propagates in a direction non-coplanar with the length of the explosively-formed-projectile charge and the axis of the fuselage.
US08091478B1
A target discrimination system monitors an acceleration switch signal to determine an impact of a projectile on a target. During a sample period of approximately 1.0 milliseconds, the system repeatedly samples the acceleration switch signal, compares the sampled acceleration sensor signal with a reference voltage, and sets a comparator data output to logic one if the sampled signal exceeds the reference voltage. Otherwise, the comparator data output is set to logic zero. The system counts the instances that comparator data output equals logic one during the sample period and executes a selected delay. The selected delay is approximately 50 milliseconds if the counted number of instances exceeds a predetermined threshold of approximately two-thirds of the samples and, otherwise, the selected delay is approximately 10 milliseconds. The selective delay enables target discrimination and selective detonation of a projectile.
US08091472B2
A food warming apparatus includes one or more heating compartments that can hold one or more trays, each covered by a cover, each tray containing previously cooked food portions. One or more supports are disposed inside a heating compartment. A support includes one or more guide members and one or more stop members. A cover includes one or more engagement sections. Without a tray, the cover rests on the one or more stop members. When a tray is inserted into the receiving space defined by the cover and the support, the cover is lifted. The one or more engagement sections engage the one or more guide members to guide the upward motion of the cover. The cover then rests on the tray to at least partially block an open top of the tray, thereby restricting evaporation of liquids from the previously cooked food portions contained therein.
US08091471B2
Aspects of the present invention relates to automated production processes and associated systems, including automated bread making processes which enable the continuous production of baked bread. One aspect of the invention is directed toward a system for the continuous production of baked bread that includes an ingredient metering unit, a dough mixing unit coupled to the ingredient metering unit, a dough transport coupled to the dough mixing unit, an endless oven conveyor having a plurality of dough holders spaced apart from each other, and an oven unit coupled to the oven conveyor. The oven conveyor is configured to move the dough holders through the baking portion at a rate so the single batches of dough in the dough holders will be sequentially baked to form the baked products when the dough holder exit the oven unit.
US08091465B2
According to the present invention there is provided an armor array for protecting a body to be protected from an incoming projectile having an anticipated impact direction. The armor array is constituted by at least a first and a second armor cassette, each comprising a top base plate and a bottom base plate sandwiching therebetween an expandable layer. The first and second armor cassettes are spaced apart by an intermediate depressible panel having a top and a bottom face, such that the bottom base plate of the first armor cassette faces the top face of the intermediate depressible panel and the top base plate of the second cassette faces the bottom face of the intermediate depressible panel. The armor array is constructed such that upon expansion of the expandable layer, caused by the impact of the incoming projectile, at least one of the bottom base plate of the first armor cassette and the top base plate of the second armor cassette is urged towards the intermediate depressible panel and depresses it.
US08091464B1
In one embodiment, a protective armor system includes first and second armor layers separated by a gap. The second armor layer has a hardness that is less the first armor layer. The protective shield is configured to disperse energy of a shaped charge, such as the energy within a penetrator generated by an explosively formed penetrator (EFP).
US08091460B2
The invention efficiently and effectively secures and releases a rail-launched missile. An asymmetrical secure-release wheel (70) is defined by several surfaces which extend radially outward from a pivot hole (70K). The surfaces include a wheel unlatch surface (70H), a wheel notch stop surface (70D), a wheel detent surface (70G), a clockwise stop surface (70C) and a counterclockwise stop surface (70B). The wheel (70) is rotatable within a wheel housing (72). When a missile is loaded onto the launch rail, the middle shoe of the missile engages the detent surface (70G) of the wheel. During missile launch, the plume of the missile moves a trigger (110) which pulls a connecting rod (52) aft which results in a wheel lock (78) being disengaged from the detent surface (70G). A microswitch (56) provides a signal indicating whether the wheel (70) is in a latched or unlatched state.
US08091457B2
The present invention discloses a guard assembly for a saw blade, which includes an inner guard portion and an outer guard portion. The inner and outer guard portions define a containing space therebetween. A circular saw blade includes two parallel sides and a rotating axis perpendicular to the two sides. At least a portion of the saw blade is located within the containing space. The outer guard portion is pivotally connected with the inner guard portion about a pivotal axis which is substantially parallel to each side of the blade. The improved guard assembly, which can be opened laterally, is convenient to change the saw blade and to clean the inner of the guard.
US08091456B2
In various embodiments, a saw can include a work surface and a blade at least partially extending through the work surface. In at least one embodiment, the saw can further include a sensor and a light emitter, wherein the light emitter can be configured to emit a first light beam and a second light beam onto at least a portion of the work surface. In various embodiments, the sensor can be can be configured to detect a plurality of saw conditions and, owing to communication between the sensor and the light emitter, the light emitter can be configured to emit the first light beam onto the work surface when the sensor detects a first saw condition and emit the second light beam onto the work surface when the sensor detects a second saw condition.
US08091435B2
An ultrasonic measuring arrangement (1) for the flow, speed of sound, density, viscosity and/or temperature measurement of flowing media, including a measurement tube (2) having a measurement section (3), with the tube being disposed in an area of a measurement housing (4). At least two ultrasound transmitting receivers are spaced apart as sensors for sound transmission through the measurement section (3) in the direction of flow of a medium, and opposite thereto, and for signal recording. In order to provide an ultrasonic measuring arrangement (1) that is simple and inexpensive to produce, has a small nominal diameter and permits direct sound transmission through the measurement section (3) at as low a transmission output as possible, the measurement tube (3) is configured together with the measurement housing (4) as a one-piece housing part (5) free of seals and seams, and the sound path form an acute angle with the flow direction of the medium.
US08091429B2
A pressure sensor for detecting an electric arc in an electrical switchboard, the sensor being in an enclosed case containing a conical opening, the case being placed in the switchboard. A pressure switch in the sensor is attached to the interior of the case and is electrically connected to a circuit board for transmitting a signal when a contact in the pressure switch is closed. When a pressure wave created by the electric arc enters the case through the conical opening it forces a contact on the pressure switch to close thereby completing a circuit with the circuit board which transmits the signal to, for example, a central processor, to turn off the source of electricity thereby quenching the electric arc.
US08091426B2
In a comparison between master data created from a waveform signal of an observed object of an acceptable article and a waveform signal obtained from a non-measured observed object, time phase difference generated in the observed object is corrected, and difference with the master data is detected. As a first stage, quality determination is performed on the non-measured observed object with a long interval master data using the created master data, and the time phase difference is corrected. Then, as a second stage, quality determination is performed with the short interval master data divided on a time axis and the similarly divided waveform signal of the observed object. The time phase difference generated between the observed objects (acceptable article and defective article) is thereby corrected, and quality determination of high accuracy can be performed from the comparison with the waveform signal of the acceptable article.
US08091422B2
A gas measurement apparatus can comprise a sensor and a processor, in an example. The sensor can measure a pressure condition of a gas tank, in an example. The processor can select at least one light source, the light source can be positioned or of a distinct color to indicate a corresponding level of gas remaining in the tank when illuminated. The level of gas can be based on the measured pressure.
US08091421B2
A system for measuring the height of bin content includes a transmitter for transmitting an acoustic pulse towards the upper surface of the content, a non-collinear receiver array for receiving an echo of the pulse and producing signals in response to the echo, and a processing apparatus for computing one or more directions of arrival of the signals from the upper surface to the array along with corresponding measured distances. Preferably, the receivers are transducers that also serve as transmitters. Two or more such measured distances constitute a map of the upper surface for estimating the quantity of the bin content. Preferably, the system includes a pulse shaper and repeater for optimizing the pulse shape relative to the signals.
US08091419B2
A fixture includes a housing assembly defined along an axis. A pressure bar assembly is mounted to the housing assembly for movement relative the axis. A bladder assembly is mounted at least partially within the housing assembly such that pressurization of the bladder assembly is operable to exert a force on a workpiece along the axis with the pressure bar assembly.
US08091411B2
An engine control system, controller, and method for estimating a bounce back angle of an internal combustion engine. Typical crank sensors do not indicate crank direction, a feature that would be useful to determine if an engine reversal occurs leading to the engine accumulating a bounce back angle. A crank sensor signal is analyzed as the engine coasts to a stop so an engine reversal can be detected. After an engine reversal is detected, the crank sensor signal is analyzed to determine the bounce back angle. Engine reversal is detected by determining that the crank shaft has decelerated by more than a threshold value, or that the crank shaft has decelerated and then subsequently accelerated.
US08091410B2
A misfire detection system monitors engine speed fluctuations in the engine rotation frequency domain and identifies misfire when a phase angle locks onto a stable value rather than fluctuating randomly. After misfire detection, the system also performs cylinder or cylinder pair identification using predefined phase angle regions, where the identification process incorporate knowledge of what phase angle region a locked phase angle falls within.
US08091407B2
The invention relates to a method and a device for monitoring a flow of liquid for the presence of air bubbles, in particular the blood flowing in an extracorporeal blood circuit of an extracorporeal blood treatment device. The air bubbles are detected by an ultrasound measurement and the ultrasound signals received in a continuous sequence of time intervals are each compared to a predetermined reference level. When the amplitude of the ultrasound signal, or a parameter correlating to the amplitude of the ultrasound signal, is less than the predetermined reference level, the presence of a defined volume of air is determined. When the number of times the ultrasound signal is less that the predetermined reference value if is greater than the set limit value, it is determined that a critical volume of air is present in the patient's blood and the dialysis is stopped.
US08091399B2
A process for manufacturing a seamless tube which can effectively suppress thickness deviations which are apt to occur in thin-walled seamless tubes is provided. A billet which has been soaked in a heating furnace at a given temperature for a given length of time is subjected to piercing and elongation rolling to form a mother tube, which is then soaked in a reheating furnace at a given temperature for a given length of time and then subjected to sizing to produce a seamless tube with a wall thickness of at most 4 mm. The wall thickness of the tube after sizing is at most 4 mm, the soaking time at the given temperature in the heating furnace is in the range of [billet diameter (mm)×(from 0.14-0.35 )] minutes, and the soaking time at the given temperature in the reheating furnace is in the range of [mother tube wall thickness (mm)×(from 3.0-10.0)] minutes.
US08091397B1
A roll grooving apparatus has a back-up roller, a grooving roller positioned vertically below the back-up roller, and a linear actuator positioned below the grooving roller. The linear actuator drives the grooving roller linearly toward the backup roller. A drive is coupled to turn the backup roller. A tubular workpiece is mounted with its wall between the two rollers and compressive forces are exerted on the wall as the backup roller rotates, thereby extruding a circular groove in the workpiece.
US08091395B2
A system, method and software arrangement are provided for generating press-formed parts having a more consistent quality based on improved determination of processing conditions. For example, an apparatus can be configured to compare actual performance values of material properties provided by a material property database with standard values, and to adjust forming conditions such as a forming speed and a blank-holder pressure in accordance with the compared result. A control arrangement can be provided to control a press-forming device using the adjusted forming conditions. Accordingly, it may be possible to reduce occurrences of defects such as cracks and wrinkles when press-forming materials, and to obtain products having consistent quality and substantially identical shapes.
US08091389B2
A multiple laundry machine, in which an auxiliary drying device is coupled to a general laundry machine, is disclosed. The multiple laundry machine includes a laundry machine for washing or drying laundry contained in an interior of the laundry machine, an auxiliary drying device arranged at one side of the laundry machine, the auxiliary drying device having a laundry container formed in an interior of the auxiliary drying device, and a driver provided at the auxiliary drying device, to drive the auxiliary drying device.
US08091378B1
A hitch mounted self-contained keg beverage dispenser removably mounts on a conventional receiver hitch of a vehicle for transporting a beverage keg over long distances to a site of use while maintaining the contents in a cooled condition and dispensing the contents at the site while supported on the transporting vehicle. The dispenser has an insulated container that receives the keg and is mounted on a platform received in the hitch and supported vertically proximate the vehicle rear bumper. The container may be secured to the platform in the vertically supported position and pivoted to an angular position to allow access to the vehicle cargo area. A compressed gas cylinder, a dispensing spigot and a drip tray are mounted on the container. The keg inside the container is surrounded by ice and connected with the gas cylinder and spigot by hoses extending through the container side wall.
US08091377B2
A heat pump capable of performing heating and cooling simultaneously is provided. The heat pump includes a compressor, indoor devices that heat or cool an indoor space, outdoor heat exchangers, and switching devices. The outdoor heat exchangers are configured to individually operate as a condenser or an evaporator depending on a ratio of heating to cooling of the indoor devices. When an operation mode is changed, continuous heating and cooling is performed without stopping the system.
US08091360B2
The invention relates to a drive system for motor vehicles comprising a waste heat-producing internal combustion engine and a circuit for draining off at least partially said waste heat with a working fluid which is relievable in an expansion machine, wherein said working fluid comprises several components, wherein at least one component is transferable into a gas phase by absorbing heat of the internal combustion engine and/or another source inside the drive system which also comprises means for separating the liquid fraction from the working fluid prior to the expansion machine pressure removal. The internal combustion engine can be cooled by a first cooling circuit. A second cooling circuit can be used in such a way that the first cooling circuit is cooled thereby.
US08091353B2
The present invention has an object to provide an exhaust device for a diesel engine capable of surely burning flammable gas in an exhaust route.In the exhaust device for the diesel engine, liquid fuel (6) is supplied from a liquid-fuel supply source (5) to a gas generator (3). The gas generator (3) converts the liquid fuel (6) to flammable gas (7) and has a flammable-gas flow outlet (9) of the with which an exhaust route (1) is communicated upstream of a diesel-particulate-filter (2). The flammable gas (7) flowed out from the flammable-gas flow outlet (9) is burnt with oxygen in exhaust gas (10) to produce combustion heat. The exhaust gas (10) heated by the thus produced combustion heat can burn the exhaust-gas fine particles remaining at the filter (2). The gas generator (3) is provided with a catalyst chamber (51) which houses a catalyst (4). Catalyst-combustion heat is generated in the catalyst chamber (51) which is arranged along an external periphery of a peripheral wall (1a) of the exhaust route (1).
US08091352B2
An ignition system includes an electrical energy delivery device having a first electrode terminating at a first end portion and a second electrode positioned in the ignition system separately from the electrical energy delivery device. The second electrode terminates at a second end portion disposed a first distance from the first end portion to form an air gap therebetween. The air gap forms an area including the shortest distance between the first electrode and the second electrode.
US08091349B2
A silencer for a motorcycle with relaxed layout restrictions has a drum portion connected to a head. A conduit extends through the drum portion in a direction of connection. The drum portion decreases in cross sectional area toward a downstream side. A catalyst holding portion formed in the head has a catalyst fixed member to which a catalyst inserted member is fixed at a position upstream of the drum portion. A catalyst is inserted into the catalyst inserted member.
US08091342B2
A method for controlling a powertrain includes selectively initiating an ammonia generation cycle, including injecting fuel into a combustion chamber of an engine before a primary combustion event to a calibrated air fuel ratio in a range lean of stoichiometry based upon generation of NOx within the combustion chamber, injecting fuel into the combustion chamber after the primary combustion event based upon an overall air fuel ratio in a range rich of stoichiometry and resulting generation of molecular hydrogen, and utilizing a catalyst device between the engine and a selective catalytic reduction device to produce ammonia.
US08091339B2
In a method for operating an air-compressing fuel-injection internal combustion engine having an exhaust gas post-treatment system with a particle filter and a nitrogen oxide reduction catalytic converter, a plurality of internal combustion engine operating settings are provided, each having respective predefined values for predefined internal combustion engine operating parameters. A heating operating setting is set when the internal combustion engine is warming up, while a basic operating setting is set in the warmed-up state. When the temperature in the exhaust gas system exceeds a predefinable first value, the heating operating setting is changed over to the basic operating setting. In the warmed-up state, at least one further, (third) operating setting, with an exhaust gas recirculation rate that is reduced compared to the basic operating setting, is provided in addition to the basic operating setting.
US08091336B2
A pulse detonation wave engine (PDWE) detonation system provides for optical ignition. The detonation system has a plurality of detonation banks, where each detonation bank has a plurality of detonation chambers for receiving a fuel/oxidizer mixture from a propellant source. An optical ignition subsystem generates a plurality of optical pulses. The detonation system also has an optical transport subsystem for transporting the optical pulses from the ignition subsystem to the chambers, where the optical pulses ignite each fuel/oxidizer mixture such that the chambers detonate in a desired order. This allows the banks to be sequentially detonated and the chambers within each bank to be simultaneously detonated, without the increased tankage and toxic ignition associated with conventional approaches.
US08091334B2
An inner core cowl baffle assembly for a turbofan engine assembly is provided. The engine assembly includes a core gas turbine engine, a core cowl which circumscribes the core gas turbine engine, a nacelle positioned radially outward from the core cowl, and a fan nozzle duct defined between the core cowl and the nacelle. The inner core cowl baffle assembly includes an inner core cowl baffle, and an actuator assembly configured to vary the throat area of the fan nozzle duct by selectively repositioning the inner core cowl baffle with respect to the core cowl.
US08091325B2
A diaphragm positioned in a waste disposal device for holding and twisting flexible tubing dispensed form a cartridge housed in the waste disposal device. The twisting of the tubing is accomplished either by rotating the diaphragm and holding the cartridge stationary, or rotating the cartridge and holding the diaphragm. A rotation mechanism is operatively configured to the waste disposal device for rotating either the cartridge or the diaphragm while impeding the rotation of the other. The twisting of the flexible sealably encapsulates a waste package inserted into the flexible tubing through an opening in the cartridge.
US08091319B2
The present disclosure provides an apparatus and method for packaging a non-contact printed edible substrate as well as the resultant packaged product. The packaging apparatus may include a non-contact printer, a carrier, and a package located at a discharge position. The carrier may be constructed and arranged to transport the edible substrate from the print position to the package and orient same in the package so that the printed ink indicia is visible through at least a portion of a panel of the package. At a print position, the non-contact printer is constructed and arranged to apply an edible ink indicia to an edible substrate. The packaging apparatus may form a packaged product having a plurality of compartments where at least one compartment at least partially defined by a panel. The interior of the compartment contains at least one edible substrate comprising a surface and a printed edible ink indicia on the surface so that the ink indicia is visible through at least a portion of the panel.
US08091296B2
A storm collar includes a shield, an upper anchoring collar, support arms, and a lower anchoring collar. The upper anchoring collar secures the shield to an exhaust stack. The support arms are attached to the underside of the shield and the lower anchoring collar. Gaskets are placed between the joints of the storm collar pieces and between the exhaust stack for a tight fit. The angle of the support arms and the shield provide a compression fit based on the load supported by the shield. The storm collar protects the flashing and joints around an exhaust stack from damage caused by moisture.
US08091286B2
A front door 20 includes a first door component 22 and a second door component 34. The first door component 22 forms an inner side portion of a door main body 21, and the second door component forms an inner side portion of the door main body 21 and has functional parts located inside the vehicle. The first and second door components 22, 34 have honeycomb structural bodies 23, 41, respectively. The honeycomb structural bodies 23, 41 are entirely formed of synthetic resin. The honeycomb structural bodies 23, 41 include honeycomb portions 24, 42, which are composed of numerous tubular cells 26, 44, 45 separated by partition walls 25, 43, and sealing plate portions 27, 28, 46, 47 that are located on the outer side and the inner side of the honeycomb portions 24, 42 and seal the cells 26, 44. The door components 22, 34 are joined to each other at least at a part of the adjacent sealing plate portions 28, 46 of the honeycomb structural bodies 23, 41.
US08091284B2
A glass supporting assembly for a motor vehicle door with an unframed upper edge is provided with a fixed structure and a frame, which has at least one guide to support and guide a glass and is connectable to the door in such a way as to make it tiltable about a substantially horizontal axis of adjustment; a slot is obtained in a tangential direction in relation to the axis of adjustment in one of either the fixed structure or the frame, and is slidingly engaged by a pin with an axis orthogonal to the tangential direction; the pin is carried by the other of either the fixed structure or the frame, carries a screwed locking nut, and is axially rotatable; the rotational motion of the pin is converted into translational motion by a positioning device to position the pin along the slot.
US08091277B1
A container for plants includes an integral structure having a bottom wall, a side wall extending upward to an edge forming an open top, and an elongated member extending downward from an opening in the bottom wall for attachment of the container to the soil of a garden. In one version, the elongated member is removably attached to the container, and a plug is provided for the opening, so that the container can be placed on a flat surface for displaying a plant that is later placed in a garden area in the container with the elongated member extending into the soil.
US08091274B2
A method for wrapping a floral grouping is disclosed. In the method a substantially shape-sustaining sheet of material having a substantially circular shape is formed into a substantially frusto-conical shaped bouquet holder with an open upper end that has a diameter greater than the diameter of a lower end thereof. A floral grouping may be disposed within the bouquet holder, and the bouquet holder may be further provided with a skirt.
US08091273B2
A method for wrapping a floral grouping having a bloom end and a stem end is disclosed. A wrapper is formed from a sheet of material or bag which is wrapped about at least a portion of the stem end of the floral grouping. The wrapped floral grouping is then positioned within a receiving space of a preformed sleeve whereby the wrapper is secured in a stable position about at least a portion of the stem end of the floral grouping by the preformed sleeve. A detaching element defines the detachable upper portion and a lower portion of the preformed sleeve so that the upper portion can be removed from the lower portion.
US08091265B1
An improved floating rail system for mounting accessories on a firearm having a barrel including a chassis and a clamp adapted to attach the chassis about the barrel of the firearm. A plurality of elongate accessory mounting rails are attached to the chassis and extend parallel to an axis of the barrel. The accessory mounting rails are supported in the chassis radially spread apart from the barrel.
US08091264B2
A novel firearm includes an underarm gun stock. The stock of the firearm is to be positioned under the forearm of the firearm user. Alternatively, the firearm has no underarm stock, but the action and barrel of the firearm are disposed beneath the forearm or the wrist of the user. The novel firearms promote a more steady shot with a single hand, the ability to support heavier firepower in a more compact package, and other advantages not found in prior art handguns or rifles.
US08091260B2
A handheld illuminated warning sign including front and back translucent plastic members, each having a predetermined size and a predetermined shape, connected together to form the sign. At least one of the translucent plastic members having a predetermined color and warning indicia thereon. A mechanism is engageable with each of the translucent plastic members at a first portion thereof for securing them together. A generally hollow handle member, having a predetermined length, is engageable with a second portion of such translucent plastic members for holding the sign. A light is disposed at one end of such handle and between the translucent plastic members for lighting the sign. A battery is disposed within the handle and electrically connected to the light and a switch on such handle is connected between the light and battery for turning on and shutting off such light.
US08091247B2
A gear shape measuring apparatus includes a supporting unit adapted to support a test gear so as to be rotatably driven about a first rotation axis, a gauge gear being rotatable about a second rotation axis while engaging with the test gear, an inter-axis angle setting portion for adjusting and setting a relative inclination angle between the first rotation axis and the second rotation axis, and allowing a distance between the first rotation axis and the second rotation axis to be changed, a biasing member biasing the gauge gear against the test gear, a center-to-center distance measuring portion measuring the distance between the first rotation axis and the second rotation axis, and a measurement data processing portion processing a measurement data.
US08091246B2
Casing or work string orientation indicating apparatus and methods. A system for indicating orientation of a structure in a wellbore includes an orientation indicating device responsive to fluid flow through the device, whereby fluid flow through the device at a selected flow rate produces a reduced pressure differential across the device when the device is at a preselected azimuthal orientation, compared to an increased pressure differential across the device produced by fluid flow through the device at the selected flow rate when the device is not at the azimuthal orientation. A method of detecting orientation of a structure in a wellbore includes the steps of: flowing fluid at a selected flow rate through an orientation indicating device interconnected to the structure; and observing a substantially constant pressure differential across the device during the flowing step, thereby indicating that the structure is at a predetermined azimuthal orientation.
US08091243B2
The invention relates to a positioning system for positioning and/or measuring a movable object, wherein the movable object (10) has an object position that is defined with respect to a at least two axes (X, Y) extending in at least two different directions. The movable object (10) has a first surface (SX) and a second surface (SY) having mutually different orientations. The first surface (SX) makes a first angle (α) with the first direction and the second surface (SY) makes a second angle (β) with the second direction. The positioning system comprises: i) a first bearing (BX) for establishing a first surface position of the first surface (SX) with respect to the first axis (X) and for allowing a movement of the movable object (10) in a first plane parallel to the first surface (SX) in at least the second direction; ii) a second bearing (BY) for establishing a second surface position of the second surface (SY) with respect to the second axis Y and for allowing a movement of the movable object (10) in a second plane parallel to the second surface (SY) in at least the first direction. The system further comprises respective actuators for establishing the respective positions. Such system may be further extended to three dimensions. The advantage of the positioning system is that during movement of the movable object less masses are moved. The positioning system is widely applicable. The invention further relates to a machine or a tool comprising such positioning system.
US08091237B2
A method for producing a rear crossmember for a vehicle seat that includes the steps of providing metal plate stock having a first edge and a second edge as well as performing a simultaneous punching and clinching operation to locate and secure a plurality of threaded fasteners into the plate stock at predetermined points. This operation causes an opening to be punched through the plate stock and the fasteners to be permanently retained in the plate stock at the openings. The plurality of fasteners provide threaded connection points that are employed in the further construction of the vehicle seat. A rolling operation is employed to cause the first edge of the plate stock to come into close proximity with the second edge of the plate stock in such a manner as to form the desired cross-sectional shape for the rear crossmember and a welding operation used to secure the first edge to the second edge thereby forming the rolled plate stock into the desired rear crossmember.
US08091229B2
A procedure for repairing subsurface defects in a shell member laminate of a wind turbine blade includes detecting the location and boundary of the subsurface defect and drilling a fill hole from an external surface of the laminate into the defect proximate to a boundary of the defect. A vent hole is drilled from the external surface of the laminate into the defect proximate to an opposite boundary from the fill hole. A flowable bonding material is injected into the fill hole until the bonding material flows from the vent hole. The repair zone is reinforced with at least one mechanical fastener defined through the laminate either within the boundary of the defect or outboard of the boundary of the defect.
US08091225B2
The manufacturing method of a probe with printed tip consists of a substrate having a plurality of probe tips connected to its end edge, a plurality of test paths, each connected to one of the probe tips and extending along the substrate, and at least one of the test paths including an electrical component adjacent to the test path's probe tip. The electrical component may be a resistor. The probe tips may have a width equal to the thickness of the substrate. The probe tips may consist of a plurality of probe tip layers. The invention also includes a method of probing signals transmitted over target transmission lines on a target board. The disclosure also includes a method of manufacturing the claimed invention.
US08091206B2
A method of producing a coil assembly to be wound in a stator core with a plurality of slots. The method prepares a first and a second coil wire each of which is made up of in-slot portions and turned portions, arranges the first and second coil wires in parallel with the turned portions being offset from each other in a lengthwise direction thereof, moves the first coil wire to establish engagement of the turned portions of the first and second coil wires, turns the first coil wire about a pivot where the turned portions engage, crosses the first coil wire over the second coil wire around the pivot, and turns the first coil wire around the pivot so as to twist the turned portions of the first and second coil wires together. This sequence of steps is repeated to twist or braid the first and second coil wires without undesirable deformation thereof.
US08091205B2
The present invention provides a cartridge adjustment tool for adjusting the axial position of cartridges of a slotting cutter. The adjustment mechanism has a body axis of rotation and comprises a body peripheral surface that extends between a body front surface and a body rear surface. The body is provided with threaded through bores, each of which receives therein a threaded portion of a threaded bolt. When the adjustment mechanism is mounted on a mutual arbor with a slotting cutter having cartridges, each of the threaded bolts is opposite a force engagement area of the associated cartridge. By turning the head portion of the threaded bolts, each of the cartridges is axially displaced and the axial position of each of the cartridges may be individually set.
US08091200B2
A bulge forming method includes arranging a raw material tube inside a die having an inner surface shape, in which plural crest portions and root portions are alternately formed, and providing a rod inside the raw material tube in the axial direction of the raw material tube, and the rod has a pressurized liquid supply opening. The bulge forming method further includes providing a pair of sealing portion having the pressurized liquid supply opening therebetween, and the sealing portions seal a space between the raw material tube and the rod. The bulge forming method further includes moving the rod in the axial direction while applying compressive stress to the raw material tube in the axial direction and supplying a pressurized liquid from the pressurized liquid supply opening into the raw material tube, whereby the raw material tube is formed into the shape of the inner surface of the die.
US08091196B2
A device for mounting a part to a body of a motor vehicle. A positioning mechanism positions the part in relation to the body in a determined fixing position, which is geometrically defined in a reference trihedral formed by the longitudinal axis X, the transverse axis Y, and the vertical axis Z of the body. The positioning mechanism includes a temporary mounting structure including a first mechanism mounting the structure to the body in a given use position in which a second mechanism belonging to the structure cooperates with the part to position the part in relation to the body in the above-mentioned determined fixing position, which is defined by a given positioning reference system corresponding to the use position of the structure on the body.
US08091189B2
A quartz crystal unit has a quartz crystal tuning fork resonator that is capable of vibrating in a flexural mode and that has a quartz crystal tuning fork base, and first and second quartz crystal tuning fork tines. The quartz crystal tuning fork resonator is mounted on a mounting portion of the case after which the oscillation frequency of the quartz crystal tuning fork resonator is adjusted. The quartz crystal unit comprising the quartz crystal tuning fork resonator has a series resistance R1 of a fundamental mode of vibration less than a series resistance R2 of a second overtone mode of vibration. At least one groove is formed in at least one of opposite main surfaces of each of the first and second quartz crystal tuning fork tines so that a width of the at least one groove is greater than a distance in the width direction of the at least one groove measured from an outer edge of the at least one groove to an outer edge of the corresponding one of the first and second quartz crystal tuning fork tines.
US08091188B1
The invention as presently conceived discloses an apparatus to aid in holding shoe eyelets in place during the shoe manufacturing process. The apparatus has a large comb shape with a plurality of rod shaped teeth corresponding to the number of shoe eyelet pairs. In operation, each tooth that is threaded through a shoe eyelet pair comprises “eyes” on each end similar to those found on sewing needles. A pair of metal or plastic rods, equipped with locking features, is then threaded through the eyes to secure the apparatus with the shoe eyelet in place. There are various sizes of the apparatus to accommodate different sized shoes and number of shoe eyelet pairs. The use of this apparatus saves time in the manufacturing process while improving work quality and increasing operator safety.
US08091187B2
A zip fastener comprises a pair of tapes and coupling elements along adjacent edges of the tapes. The tapes are partly cut away to form a gap into which an end stop is moulded. The end stop is provided so as to extend along the tape edges away from the fastener coupling elements.
US08091180B2
A hinge assembly includes a first connecting member, a second connecting member, a rotary member, an elastic member, and a limiting member. The rotary member includes a first pivot portion to engage with the first connecting member and a second pivot portion to engage with the second connecting member. The elastic member is disposed between the second connecting member and the rotary member. The limiting member is positioned on the second connecting member. A sidewall of one of the second pivot portion of the rotary member and the second connecting member defines a limiting structure. The limiting member is disposed on a sidewall of the other one of the second pivot portion of the rotary member and the second connecting member. The limiting member slidably engages with the limiting structure.
US08091175B2
A bearing device comprising: an at least partially hollow structural element having a first wall region provided with an opening and a second wall region, the first and second wall regions being located opposite one another; and a punching bushing provided for bearing at least one separate component, the punching bushing comprising a punching blade being in jam contact with a punched out opening of the second wall region such that the punching bushing connects the first and second wall regions. A method of producing a bearing device, the method comprising the steps of: providing an at least partially hollow structural element having a first wall region, provided with an opening, and a second wall region, the first and second wall regions being located opposite one another; introducing into the opening of the first wall region a punching bushing being provided for bearing a separate component; and displacing the punching bushing in a direction of the second wall region in order to punch out part of the second wall region coaxially in relation to the opening of the first wall region such that the first wall region and the second wall region are connected by the punching bushing.
US08091172B2
A paint brush includes a sleeve circumscribing a portion of a handle and a portion of a plurality of bristles. A plug can be coupled to the handle. The plug can extend away from the handle into the plurality of bristles to form a space between the bristles. An extension and a recess can be formed between the handle and the resin with the extension extending from one of the handle or resin and into the recess in the other of the handle or resin.
US08091164B2
There is provided an assisting table capable of horizontally holding a subject and holding an angle at which a head of a subject is supported in an inclined state, and an assisting instrument, which includes a containing portion for containing a fluid to introduce a capsule medical device into a body cavity, capable of ejecting a capsule medical device with the fluid from the containing portion by detachably attaching the capsule medical device at a distal end opening portion of the containing portion and by changing a shape of the containing portion.
US08091160B2
A foldable bed frame including first coupling members each having an opening facing outwardly with respect to the frame being in an open state; two sets of longitudinal beams, each formed by two longitudinal bars having two free ends, and two inner ends pivotally connected within one of the openings of the first coupling members. At least two transverse beams, each being formed by two transverse bars having first and second ends, the first ends respectively being pivotally connected together by a second coupling member. A plurality of third coupling members provided proximate to each free end of the longitudinal bars, each third coupling member having an opening facing inwardly with respect to the frame being in the open state, the opening being configured to pivotally connect one of the free ends of the longitudinal bars. A leg pivotally connected respectively proximate the free end of each longitudinal bar.
US08091154B2
A toilet seat assembly comprising a seat (2) and hinge means (5) for hingedly attaching the seat (2) to a toilet. The hinge means (5) comprises a mounting block (50) having an arcuate slot (17), and an arcuate seat tang (20) extends rearwardly of the seat which is slidable in the arcuate slot of the mounting block. The assembly may also comprise a lid (3); and hinge means for hingedly attaching the lid (3) to a toilet; and an arcuate lid tang (23) extending rearwardly of the lid which is also slidable in the arcuate slot (17) of the mounting block (50).
US08091151B2
A safety vest for use with a safety harness, which includes first and second shoulder straps connected with a connector in an overlapping, crisscrossing relationship proximate a juncture. The first and second shoulder straps form an opening therebetween and below the connector. The vest includes an outer lining and an inner lining, and the first and second shoulder straps are at least partially positioned between the outer and inner linings. The inner lining extends from proximate an upper portion of the outer lining to proximate an intermediate portion of the outer lining. The inner lining includes a releasable connector configured and arranged to extend through the opening and releasably connect to the outer lining, wherein the releasable connector is disconnected and the inner lining is moved away from portions of the first and second shoulder straps to allow for inspection of the first and second shoulder straps.
US08095986B2
The present invention is a method for enabling a trusted dialog for collection of sensitive data, including the steps of: storing a personal security token specified by a user; receiving an input dialog request from an application; determining whether the application is a signed application; and, if a determination is made that the application is a signed application, accessing the personal security token and allowing the input dialog to be displayed with the personal security token and signed application identification.
US08095985B2
In a protected media path for delivering content from a source to a sink, a source authority (SOTA) on behalf of the source decides with regard to a policy corresponding to the content that a particular type of action with the content is to be refused, and provides a particular enabler to an application. The provided enabler includes information and methods necessary for the application to obtain data necessary to respond to the refusal. The application receives the enabler at an interface thereof and the interface applies a common interaction procedure to run the enabler to obtain the data necessary to respond to the refusal.
US08095982B1
A security analyzer includes a single software application that both sends test messages to a device under analysis (DUA) and receives response messages generated by the DUA in response to the test messages. In this way, synchronization of which response messages correspond to which test messages can be reduced or avoided. The software application further determines whether the DUA operated correctly by analyzing the received response messages.
US08095979B2
Analysis of audit information that takes into account a wide context allows for a rich picture from which system conditions may be assessed. Event information about various events that have occurred or are occurring, on various sources in the computing arrangement, is maintained. Each entity has an “activity identifier”, which remains the same across various events performed by that entity at the various sources. Event information associated with the various sources is contextually analyzed on the basis of the activity identifier, to assess whether a condition exists that impacts the performance and/or security of the computing arrangement. In case it is determined that such a condition exists, an action is performed to remediate the condition.
US08095977B2
A secure channel is established between a processor and a smart card such that authentication can be achieved without transmitting a Personal Identification Number (PIN) to or from the smart card in the clear. A session ticket indicative of the PIN is generated, and the session ticket is securely negotiated between the computer and the smart card instead of the PIN. Also, a trusted path is established between a user and the operating system of the processor for allowing the user to enter a PIN. A trusted computing base is established in the processor for receiving the PIN from the user and performing operations associated therewith.
US08095975B2
A document merging method and system. The method includes receiving by a computing system from a first user, a plurality of documents and a command for tagging portions of each document according to various parameters. The computing system assigns identification tags to the portions of each document. The computing system receives from a second user, a command for generating a merged document. The computing system receives a selection of a first identification tag associated with a first document and a selection of a second identification tag associated with a second document. The computing system generates a merged document comprising a first portion of the first document and said second portion of the second document. The computing system stores the merged document.
US08095974B2
Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for identification verification. A signature, representing the presence of a device, is acquired. The signature is compared to a reference signature. When the signature favorably compares to the reference signature, then the identity of a user associated with the device is verified.
US08095969B2
Security assertion revocation enables a revocation granularity in a security scheme down to the level of individual assertions. In an example implementation, a security token includes multiple respective assertions that are associated with multiple respective assertion identifiers. More specifically, each individual assertion is associated with at least one individual assertion identifier.
US08095967B2
A secure authentication process detects and prevents phishing and pharming attacks for specific web sites. The process is based on a dedicated secure hardware store for user sign-in credentials, a database of information about specific web sites, and a private secure browser. All user web activity is monitored by an agent program. The agent program checks to make sure that user attempts to send any sign-in credentials stored in secure hardware store of user sign-in credentials, to any web site accessed by the user, is allowed only if the IP address of the web site accessed by the user matches at least one of the IP addresses stored web site database associated with the sign-in credential the user is attempting to send. The process also detects mismatches between a URL and the actual IP address of the web site associated with the URL.
US08095951B1
Systems and methods for a video scan are provided. The scan may be dynamically interactive and a function of characteristics of the programs in the scan (e.g., commercial breaks or the end of a program approaching) The scan may simultaneously display multiple scan windows for a plurality of programs, for example in a scan wizard. The scan wizard allows the user to simultaneously view a scan window and an information panel, select criteria for the scan from a criteria panel, and control the scan using a scan control panel. The scan may allow the user to record a program displayed in the scan without interrupting the scan (e.g., by using an additional tuner). The scan may display, within the scan interface, trick-play functions for appropriate scanned programs (e.g., recorded, cached and on-demand programs). The user may select and perform trick-play functions for a scanned program without exiting the scan mode.
US08095950B1
A computer-assisted method of preparing video and audio content for playback at a plurality of facilities. The method includes transferring the content from a central network computer to at least one remote playback system located in each of the facilities. The method also includes generating, using the central network computer, at least one playlist for each of the facilities, the playlist for determining an order of playback of the content and transferring each of the playlists from the central network computer to the playback system in each of the facilities.
US08095941B2
A system for generating an electronic notice programmed to display a portion of a day out of the office notice. The system including an application server node configured to execute a personal information management application. An application programming interface is programmatically associated with the personal information management application for allowing requests for services to be transmitted to the personal information management application. At least one of a rich client delegate and a remote EJB housing the API, the rich client delegate and the remote EJB being programmatically associated with the application server node and the personal information management application. The rich client delegate being configured to receive and transmit data to the API via a network. At least one client node is operably associated with the application server node via the network. Each client node having a user interface (UI) that is programmatically associated with the personal information management application.
US08095932B2
A method and apparatus for providing quality of service in a multi-processing element environment based on priority is herein described. Consumption of resources, such as a reservation station and a pipeline, are biased towards a higher priority processing element. In a reservation station, mask elements are set to provide access for higher priority processing elements to more reservation entries. In a pipeline, bias logic provides a ratio of preference for selection of a high priority processing element for further processing in the pipeline.
US08095930B2
A computer application program executing on a computer, such as a portable computer, is selected for termination by first identifying computer application programs executing on the computer. A priority value is assigned to each of the identified computer applications. The priority value is based on multiple characteristics of the identified computer application programs. The computer application program with the smallest priority value is automatically terminated. If the computer application program with the smallest priority value is in a modal state in which it waits for a response from a user, then a default response is provided to the application prior to terminating the computer application program. The characteristics associated with the computer application programs may include average launch times, average memory usages, a class or type of application, frequencies of usage, and an amount of data stored on the computer by the computer application program.
US08095924B2
A method and apparatus to upgrade a driver of an image forming apparatus. The method includes accessing a website having a website driver program useable by the image forming apparatus, converting a class mode of the image forming apparatus from an original class mode to a predetermined class mode that is different from the original class mode, comparing a driver program stored in the image forming apparatus with the website driver program on the website, and downloading the website driver program from the website and storing the website driver program in the image forming apparatus when the website driver program is a later version than the stored driver program.
US08095919B2
The illustrative embodiment of the present invention provides a platform that enables a content developer to distribute uniform content to multiple types of requesting mobile devices. By authoring content in a generic markup language and using the technologies included in the Mobile Content Framework (MCF), the content developer is able to provide content to multiple types devices without providing different versions of the content. The content may be authored originally in the generic markup language or translated from other languages into the generic markup language by the MCF. The MCF exploits the capabilities and accommodates the limitations of different types of wireless devices by converting generic markup language content to device-specific content. The MCF interacts with device registries holding records of the device attributes in order to provide the device-specific content. The MCF handles these issues for current mobile devices while also being extensible for future mobile devices.
US08095915B2
A system and method for supporting tracking of data values of original source code at execution of a translated target version of the source code on a computer system. The system associates references to target data value containers in the target code with corresponding address information of original data value containers of the source code during program code translation. The system also stores, at execution of the target code, information related to target code instructions together with associated address information of original data value containers of the source code to uphold a data value view of the original source code.
US08095910B2
Various technologies and techniques are disclosed for creating interruptible client-side scripts. Input is received from a developer to write original code for a web application in at least one client-side script. A code injection process is programmatically performed to modify the original code to make one or more parts of an execution of the code interruptible in the client-side script. The code injection process parses a code segment of a client-side script to retrieve a next code segment. If the next code segment has at least one conditional semantic construct, then code is injected in the form of one or more script functions that will transition execution flow from the original code segment into the one or more script functions that are operable to interrupt execution of the client-side script upon user request. The modified code resulting from the code injection process is saved for the web application.
US08095902B2
A design structure for a computer-aided design system for generating a functional design model of an integrated circuit design (having nets comprising wires) determines critical parameters for coupling noise between the wires of the nets and acceptable limits for the critical parameters. Further, methods herein include designing a ring oscillator to have stages, each of the stages measuring only one of the critical parameters. This ring oscillator is then included within an integrated circuit design and associated design structure. The embodiments herein produce an integrated circuit according to this integrated circuit design and operate the ring oscillator within the integrated circuit to measure the critical parameters of the integrated circuit and produce test results. These test results are output to determine whether the test results are within the acceptable limits.
US08095901B2
A design coordination engine coordinates design implementation among a manufacturing facility, a customer, an IP vendor, and a design group during the design phase of a semiconductor device. The design coordination engine includes a tracking module configured to track design information updates in a design database. The design coordination engine also includes an alert module configured to notify a customer who has accessed a file associated with information updates that occurred during a predefined period of time.
US08095894B2
First, multiple circuit patterns, which will eventually make an LSI, are designed on a cell-by-cell basis, and an initial placement is made for the circuit patterns designed. Next, optical proximity corrections are performed on at least two of the circuit patterns that have been initially placed to be adjacent to or cross each other, thereby forming optical proximity corrected patterns out of the adjacent or crossing circuit patterns. Then, it is determined whether or not optical proximity corrections can be performed effectively using the corrected patterns. If the effectiveness of the corrections is negated, a design rule defining the circuit patterns is changed to make the corrections effective. Thereafter, the initially placed circuit patterns are placed again in accordance with the design rule changed.
US08095888B2
A mobile terminal including a wireless communication unit configured to connect to the Internet to receive a Web page, a display unit configured to display the Web page, and a controller configured to receive an input signal corresponding to a selection of at least one image included in the displayed Web page, to hide or un-hide the selected at least one image, and to reconfigure and display the reconfigured Web page such that an image region where the selected at least one image is located is reduced and other regions of the Web page are increased when the selected at least one image is hid.
US08095883B2
A system for indicating a default value for a property of a selected object to a user within a graphical user interface (GUI) of a program module is provided. The property has a value and a state that can be set. The state of the property is one of a default state and a user-set state. The value of the property is assigned the default value when the state is the default state. The system comprises a GUI control having first, second, and third interface elements. The first interface element is configured to indicate the value of the property to the user. The second interface element is configured to indicate the state of the property to the user. The third interface element is configured to indicate the default value for the property to the user when the state of the property is the user-set state.
US08095869B2
A system and method are disclosed for managing target documents referred to by referring documents. A user sends a delete request for a referring document from a user client computer to a master server computer. Next, the master server computer accesses and deletes the referring document, updates a counter for a target document hypertext linked to the referring document, and updates a database, which contained the deleted referring document. The master server computer then determines whether the count for the counter of the target document equals zero. If the counter for the referring document is not equal to zero, the master server computer sends a message to the user indicating that the referring document has been deleted and sends a message to the user asking whether the user wants to delete another referring document. If the user wants to delete another referring document the process goes back to the initial process step, and the user sends another delete request for a referring document. However, if the counter for the referring document equals zero, the master server computer sends a message to the user indicating that the referring document has been deleted and then sends a message to an author of the target document (author client) asking whether the author client wants to delete the target document. Automatic deletion of target documents is also disclosed. Further disclosed are systems and methods for viewing, creating, and providing security for target documents referred to in referring documents.
US08095863B2
An improved decoder and decoding method for low density parity check (LDPC) codes is provided. Decoding proceeds by repetitive message passing from a set of variable nodes to a set of check nodes, and from the check nodes back to the variable nodes. The variable node output messages include a “best guess” as to the relevant bit value, along with a weight giving the confidence in the, guess. The check node output messages have magnitudes selected from a predetermined set including neutral, weak, medium and strong magnitudes. The check node output messages tend to reinforce the status quo of the input variable nodes if the check node parity check is satisfied, and tend to flip bits in the input variable nodes if the check node parity check is not satisfied. The variable node message weights are used to determine the check node message magnitudes.
US08095858B2
The present invention discloses a solution for automatically replacing a media files upon a device able to identify problems with locally stored media files. Initially, an automated process or user of a media playing device can initially identify a media file, which the media playing device is unable to play. The media playing device can be connected to an external device associated with a media store including a set of source media files. The source media files of the media store can be automatically queried for a corresponding one of the detected media file. A copy of a source media file resulting from the query can be automatically conveyed from the media store to the media playing device.
US08095854B2
An approach for generating a structured Low Density Parity Check (LDPC) codes is provided. Structure of the LDPC codes is provided by restricting a certain part of the parity check matrix to be lower triangular, hence enabling a very simple encoding method that does not require the generator matrix of the code. The approach can also exploit the unequal error protecting capability of LDPC codes on transmitted bits to provide extra error protection to more vulnerable bits of high order modulation constellations (such as 8-PSK (Phase Shift Keying)).
US08095853B2
Methods, systems, and apparatus for operating digital memory including determining, by a controller, a bit to be written to the digital memory and writing, by the controller, the bit. The bit may be part of a data word comprising a plurality of bits and both the determining and the writing may be performed at a granularity level finer than a data word. In embodiments, the bit to be written may be determined by error correction.
US08095847B2
A computer program product, apparatus, and method for handling exception condition feedback at a channel subsystem of an I/O processing system using data from a control unit are provided. The computer program product includes a tangible storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for performing a method. The method includes sending a command message to the control unit, and receiving a response message in response to the command message. The response message includes exception condition feedback identifying a termination reason code in response to unsuccessful execution of at least one command in the command message. The method also includes interrupting a CPU in the I/O processing system, and reporting status associated with the exception condition feedback to the CPU in an interrupt response block.
US08095834B2
Methods and apparatus for executing internal operations of memory devices utilizing instructions stored in the memory array of the memory device are disclosed. Decode blocks adapted to interpret instructions and data stored in the memory device are also disclosed. Methods can be used to perform internal self-test operations of the memory device by executing test procedures stored in the memory array of the memory device performing a self-test operation.
US08095825B2
This method is an error correction method such that, when an error is detected in a CPU with pipeline structure, a content of a register file is restored by a delayed register file which holds an execute completion state of an [Instruction N] correctly executed before this error, and a rollback control that re-executes an instruction from the [Instruction N+1] which is the next instruction of the [Instruction N] is performed. The method collects a parity check result of arbitrary Flip-Flops existing inside the CPU, and detects an error. As a result, the content of the register file is restored into the instruction execute completion state preceding to the instruction range likely to malfunction by the error, and the instruction can be roll backed from the beginning of the instruction range likely having malfunctioned by the error.
US08095824B2
In one embodiment, the present invention includes a method for selecting a first transaction execution mode to begin a first transaction in a unbounded transactional memory (UTM) system having a plurality of transaction execution modes. These transaction execution modes include hardware modes to execute within a cache memory of a processor, a hardware assisted mode to execute using transactional hardware of the processor and a software buffer, and a software transactional memory (STM) mode to execute without the transactional hardware. The first transaction execution mode can be selected to be a highest performant of the hardware modes if no pending transaction is executing in the STM mode, otherwise a lower performant mode can be selected. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US08095823B2
A processing system for assisting computer programs running in a distributed computer system is disclosed, the processing system including: a detector for detecting that a running program has encountered a problem caused by not having direct access to another piece of code; a requisitioner for obtaining the other piece of code from another part of the system; and a controller for controlling the computer to re-run the program from a point before the problem was encountered, in such a way that it has the necessary direct access to the other piece of code.
US08095822B2
The present invention is devised so that snapshot data preparation processing does not end abnormally as a result of the pool region becoming full with saved data from the primary logical volume during snapshot data preparation. When the CHA receives a snapshot data preparation request, the CHA checks whether or not update information is present in the logical volume that is the object of this data preparation. If such information is present (YES in S51), a check is made from the number of slots in the in the volume control information and the updating amount count value in the update information in order to ascertain whether or not the proportion of the updating amount relative to the number of slots is equal to or greater than the threshold value in the threshold value control information (S52). If this proportion is equal to or greater than the threshold value (YES in S52), the update information is initialized (S53), and physical snapshot control is started (S54). If such is not the case (NO in S52), the update information is initialized (S55), and logical snapshot control is started (S56).
US08095819B2
A failure cause analysis system for estimating a cause of a failure in a communication network from recorded contents of internal processing of a communication apparatus includes: feature extraction means for extracting a statistical feature of the recorded contents at a time of occurrence of a failure; and failure cause estimation means for estimating a failure cause based on similarity between a statistical feature of the recorded contents that is acquired at a time of occurrence of a past failure with a known failure cause and the statistical feature of the recorded contents that is acquired at the time of occurrence of the failure. The failure cause analysis system of a communication network provided can acquire the correspondence between failure features and failure causes from past failure cases irrespective of the number of cases as to communication network failures that are detected from process logs retained in communication apparatuses, and quantitatively incorporate the range of dispersion of the features into a judgment to estimate the cause of occurrence of a failure.
US08095817B2
According to one embodiment, an information processing apparatus includes a sound controller which reproduces a sound signal, and a sound driver which controls a drive of the sound controller. The sound driver includes a volume full-mute determination unit which determines whether or not the apparatus is set in a volume full-mute state of making zero sound output volume, and a control unit which determines whether or not the apparatus is set in a volume full-mute state by using the volume full-mute determination unit when a sound signal reproduce request is made while the sound controller has transferred to a power saving mode, and maintains the sound controller in a power saving mode when the apparatus is set in a volume full-mute state.
US08095813B2
Exemplary embodiments of the invention provide a clock generation apparatus, system, and method, which include power management. The apparatus is couplable to second circuitry which has a clock input terminal and an inverted clock output terminal. An exemplary apparatus comprises a clock generator, a sensor, and a processor. The clock generator provides a clock signal on a first terminal which is couplable to the clock input terminal of the second circuitry. The sensor is coupled to a second terminal which is couplable to the inverted clock output terminal, and detects a power conservation mode and a power resumption mode of the second circuitry. The processor is adapted to reduce power to the clock generator and to provide a first predetermined voltage or a second predetermined voltage to the first and second terminals in response to the detection of the power conservation mode, and to increase power to the clock generator in response to the detection of the power resumption mode.
US08095811B2
Methods, apparatus, and products are disclosed for reducing power consumption while synchronizing a plurality of compute nodes during execution of a parallel application that include: beginning, by each compute node, performance of a blocking operation specified by the parallel application, each compute node beginning the blocking operation asynchronously with respect to the other compute nodes; reducing, for each compute node, power to one or more hardware components of that compute node in response to that compute node beginning the performance of the blocking operation; and restoring, for each compute node, the power to the hardware components having power reduced in response to all of the compute nodes beginning the performance of the blocking operation.
US08095806B2
Disclosed are a method of simulating power and a power simulator. The power simulator includes a static information extracting unit that extracts static information with respect to execution of the second instruction; a dynamic information extracting unit that extracts dynamic information with respect to the execution of the second instruction; and a calculation unit that calculates an estimated power of the processor based on the static information and the dynamic information.
US08095801B2
A method of protecting a microcomputer system against manipulation of data stored in a memory assembly of the microcomputer system is provided. The method may protect, for example, a control program stored in the memory assembly of a motor vehicle control device. To secure and reliably protect the microcomputer system against manipulation of the data, the data is stored in the memory assembly marked or encrypted using an asymmetrical encryption method. The data may, for example, be encrypted outside the microcomputer system using an encryption algorithm and a private key, which is accessible to only a limited group of persons. The data may be decrypted in the microcomputer system using a decryption algorithm and a freely accessible public key.
US08095800B2
A cryptographic system (100) and methodology executable within the cryptographic system (100) enable the use of a programmable logic device PLD (108) in a single chip cryptographic design flow for secure cryptographic services. Methodology for secure configuration of the PLD (108) within a cryptographic system 100 entails secure configuration and authentication (202), functional verification (204), configuration key reload capability (206), traffic key load capability (208) using a split key technique, isolation between command and key fill domains for secure key fill (210) of key material, redundant system instantiation (212), and high speed comparison for secure operation.
US08095795B2
The present invention describes methods and apparatus involving embedding data. Data can be embedded steganographically in content or embedded in, e.g., headers associated with the content. In one implementation, a method of embedding auxiliary information in data is provided. The method includes receiving data and correlated data. The correlated data is related to but independent from the received data. The method further includes receiving auxiliary information, the auxiliary information being independent of the received data and the correlated data; changing the auxiliary information based on at least the correlated data; and embedding the changed auxiliary information in the received data. Other implementations are also provided.
US08095794B2
A system and method of generating a watermarked signal are disclosed. The system segments the signal into overlapping blocks using a window function and processes the overlapping blocks according to whether each block is odd- or even-numbered. The system windows the odd-numbered blocks, modulates the phase of each block in the frequency domain, transforms each modulated block in the time domain, windows each block transformed into the time domain and overlap-adds each odd-numbered block with each even-numbered block to generate the watermarked signal.
US08095792B2
A cryptosystem prevents replay attacks within existing authentication protocols, susceptible to such attacks but containing a random component, without requiring modification to said protocols. The entity charged with authentication maintains a list of previously used bit patterns, extracted from a portion of the authentication message connected to the random component. If the bit pattern has been seen before, the message is rejected; if the bit pattern has not been seen before, the bit pattern is added to the stored list and the message is accepted.
US08095780B2
A multi-issue processor includes a register file and a plurality of issue slots, each one of the plurality of issue slots having a plurality of functional units and a plurality of holdable registers. The plurality of issue slots include a first set of issue slots and a second set of issue slots, and the register file is accessible by the plurality of issue slots. A location of at least a part of the plurality of holdable registers in the first set of issue slots is different from a location of at least a corresponding part of the plurality of holdable registers in the second set of issue slots.
US08095779B2
The present invention provides system and method for a group priority issue schema for a cascaded pipeline. The system includes a cascaded delayed execution pipeline unit having a plurality of execution pipelines that execute instructions in a common issue group in a delayed manner relative to each other. The system further includes circuitry configured to: (1) receive an issue group of instructions; (2) determine if a plurality of load instructions are in the issue group, if so, schedule the plurality of load instructions in descending order of longest dependency chain depth to shortest dependency chain depth in a shortest to longest available execution pipelines; and (3) execute the issue group of instructions in the cascaded delayed execution pipeline unit.
US08095778B1
Sharing functional units within a multithreaded processor. In one embodiment, the multithreaded processor may include a multithreaded instruction source that may provide an instruction from each of a plurality of thread groups in a given cycle. A given thread group may include one or more instructions from one or more threads. The arbitration functionality may arbitrate between the plurality of thread groups for access to a functional unit such as a load store unit, for example, that may be shared between the thread groups.
US08095777B2
A design structure embodied in a machine readable medium used in a design process includes an apparatus for predictive decoding, the apparatus including register logic for fetching an instruction; predictor logic containing predictor information including prior instruction execution characteristics; logic for obtaining predictor information for the fetched instruction from the predictor; and decode logic for generating a selected one of a plurality of decode operation streams corresponding to the fetched instruction, wherein the decode operation stream is selected based on the predictor information.
US08095774B1
Systems and methods for pre-fetching of data in a memory are provided. By pre-fetching stored data from a slower memory into a faster memory, the amount of time required for data retrieval and/or processing may be reduced. First, data is received and pre-scanned to generate a sample fingerprint. Fingerprints stored in a faster memory that are similar to the sample fingerprint are identified. Data stored in the slower memory associated with the identified stored fingerprints is copied into the faster memory. The copied data may be compared to the received data. Various embodiments may be included in a network memory architecture to allow for faster data matching and instruction generation in a central appliance.
US08095769B2
A method for address comparison, the method includes: (i) receiving an input address; (ii) determining whether the input address is within a memory segment out of a group of memory segments by comparing, in parallel, the input address to memory segment boundaries of each memory segment of the group; (iii) wherein a comparison between the input address and a memory segment boundary comprises: (a) applying a XOR operation on bits of a most significant portion of the input address and corresponding bits of a most significant portion of the memory segment boundary; (b) ignoring bits of a least significant portion of the input address and corresponding bits of a least significant portion of the memory segment boundary; and (c) comparing, by utilizing a set of full comparators, between bits of an intermediate portion of the input address and corresponding bits of an intermediate portion of the memory segment boundary; wherein a location of bits that form the intermediate portion of the input address and of the memory segment boundary is selected in response to an alignment restriction imposed on the memory segment, to a size of the memory segment and in response to a boundary restriction imposed on the memory segment.
US08095748B2
In a memory system, multiple memory modules communicate over a bus. Each memory module may include a hub and at least one memory storage unit. The hub receives local data from the memory storage units, and downstream data from one or more other memory modules. The hub assembles data to be sent over the bus within a data block structure, which is divided into multiple lanes. An indication is made of where, within the data block structure, a breakpoint will occur in the data being placed on the bus by a first source (e.g., the local or downstream data). Based on the indication, data from a second source (e.g., the downstream or local data) is placed in the remainder of the data block, thus reducing gaps on the bus. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.
US08095746B1
A system and method for using an array structure to abstract the addressing of device memory allows for larger amounts of device memory to be accessed compared with using conventional pointers to access a 32 bit memory space. Additionally, the memory organization may be changed for optimal performance based on the underlying memory subsystem and characteristics of the accesses without impacting the array structure.
US08095741B2
A computing system processes memory transactions for parallel processing of multiple threads of execution provides execution of multiple atomic instruction groups (AIGs) on multiple systems to support a single large transaction that requires operations on multiple threads of execution and/or on multiple systems connected by a network. The support provides a Transaction Table in memory and fast detection of potential conflicts between multiple transactions. Special instructions may mark the boundaries of a transaction and identify memory locations applicable to a transaction. A ‘private to transaction’ (PTRAN) tag, directly addressable as part of the main data storage memory location, enables a quick detection of potential conflicts with other transactions that are concurrently executing on another thread. The tag indicates whether (or not) a data entry in memory is part of a speculative memory state of an uncommitted transaction that is currently active in the system.
US08095730B1
A computer data storage system is described. A processor maintains a striped volume set by striping a data container over a plurality of storage nodes. A storage node determines whether space available on that node is below a predetermined threshold, the predetermined threshold indicating a low-in-space state. The storage node sends a message indicating that the storage node is in a low-in-space state. The processor accepts no further write messages to the data container as long as the storage node is in a low-in-space state.
US08095724B2
A method of wear leveling for a non-volatile memory is disclosed. A non-volatile memory is divided into windows and gaps, with each gap between two adjacent windows. The windows comprise physical blocks mapped to logical addresses, and the gaps comprise physical blocks not mapped to logical addresses. The windows are shifted through the non-volatile memory in which the mapping to the physical blocks in the window to be shifted is changed to the physical blocks in the gap.
US08095721B2
A network switch with a plurality of crossbar switches that is available to suppress increase in the circuit scale is provided. The network switch has: the plurality of crossbar switches that transfer unit data in a specified format; a receiving side transfer unit that transfers data received from a network to the plurality of crossbar switches in the unit data basis; and a plurality of transmitting side transfer units that transmit data transferred from the plurality of crossbar switches to the network. The receiving side transfer sets a consecutive serial number to the unit data in transfer sequence, and distributes the unit data to the plurality of crossbar switches. Each of the plurality of transmitting side transfer units has a plurality of queues for the respective crossbar switches that stores the transferred unit data, and extracts the unit data with smallest serial number of the unit data stored in the queues when all of the queues store the unit data.
US08095718B2
A downstream port 22 of a bridge 20 connecting a processor unit and a peripheral device acknowledges access from the peripheral device via one of a plurality of downstream channels available for access by the peripheral device to a memory of the processor unit, the downstream channels being virtual channels provided for interfacing with the peripheral device. The router 24 routes the access to upstream channels each assigned a memory bandwidth available for access to the memory, the upstream channels being virtual channels supported by the processor unit. In this process, the router refers to a table storing identifiers of the downstream channels and identifiers of the upstream channels in association with each other so as to allocate to the peripheral device the upstream channel corresponding to the downstream channel used by the peripheral device, in response to the access from the peripheral device.
US08095715B1
Systems and methods for accessing host bus adapter (HBA) management features for Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) based HBAs produced by different vendors use a standard interface. A virtual SCSI target is created to emulate each HBA in a system, representing the HBA as a logical unit. Standard commands specified for logical units are used by an HBA device driver to perform HBA management operations. The standard commands may be used to access HBA management features for any HBA regardless of the vendor. Therefore, the HBA communication interface is standardized for HBA devices, permitting efficient access regardless of the operating system or HBA vendor.
US08095704B2
One embodiment of the present invention is an integrated circuit implementing a storage-shelf router, used in combination with path controller cards and optionally with other storage-shelf routers, to interconnect SATA disks within a storage shelf or disk array to a high-bandwidth communications medium, such as an FC arbitrated loop. When two, four, six, or eight or more storage-shelf routers are used within a storage shelf, and the interconnections between the storage-shelf routers, disk drives, and external communications media are properly designed and configured, the resulting storage shelf constitutes a discrete, highly-available component that may be included in a disk array or in other types of electronic devices. The storage-shelf router features a disk-drive adaptation layer that allows a storage-shelf router to interface to, and manage, any of many different types of disk drives. The disk-drive adaptation layer includes a disk-profile table and associated firmware logic.
US08095697B2
An apparatus for in-field configuration of a seismic device such as a seismic sensor may include a memory module having data for configuring the seismic device, a location sensor determining a location parameter for the seismic sensor, an alignment member aligning the location sensor with the seismic sensor, and a communication device transmitting the determined location parameter to a selected external device.
US08095694B2
A centralized resource manager manages the routing of audio or visual information within a device, including a handheld device such as a smartphone. The resource manager evaluates data-driven policies to determine how to route audio or visual information to or from various input or output components connected to the device, including headphones, built-in speakers, microphones, bluetooth headsets, cameras, and so on. Among the data considered in the policies are connection status data, indicating if a device is connected, routing status data, indicating if a device is permitted to route information to or from a component, and grouping data, indicating logical relationships between various components. Components may be considered inherently routable, automatically routable, or optionally routable. Numerous other uses exist for such data, including providing simpler and more logical management interfaces.
US08095687B1
The present invention provides systems and methods that can be used to manage state on a cluster comprising a plurality of application servers. A system according to one aspect of the invention comprises a plurality of application servers each of which is equipped to process requests, host unique state, and selectively forward requests. Client requests can arrive at any of the application servers. The servers forward client requests, as needed. A target computer system identification used in request forwarding can be provided with a response to the client whenever a cluster member develops state while carrying out a client request. The client, can include the request forwarding data in subsequent requests that are part of the same session. The invention provides a standards-compliant and secure system for allowing applications servers to effectuate requests that require processing by a particular target computer system.
US08095684B2
Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media are disclosed for a computer system determining a transport path for a data duplication job. A data duplication job request, being a request that data stored on a source device be duplicated, may be received. A plurality of possible transport path components may be enumerated. The plurality of possible transport path components may include one or more possible destination devices, one or more possible means of transport, and one or more possible media servers. A ranking may be determined for at least a subset of the possible transport path components. An availability may be determined for at least a subset of the possible transport path components. A transport path may be selected based on the determined rankings and the determined availabilities. The data duplication job may be performed using the selected transport path.
US08095671B2
A method for accessing a network in a telecommunication system which comprises at least one terminal and a plurality of networks in which information sets describing settings needed to access networks and their resources are stored in the terminal. The terminal scans for information about available networks. Available information sets are determined by comparing the information about available networks to the stored information sets. At least one network is accessed based on the settings defined in the available information sets.
US08095666B2
A system, method, and computer readable medium for communicating at least one real-time specially-composed bulletin message to at least one subscriber of a provider of Internet services, comprising a first device, and a second device communicably coupled to the first device, wherein the first device: accesses only subscriber upstream traffic to a destination web site requested by the subscriber, wherein the first device inter-connects between the at least one subscriber and the destination web site, identifies the at least one subscriber's unique identification based on the accessed subscriber upstream traffic automatically provided by the subscriber, and provides the unique subscriber identification to the second device located at the provider of Internet services providing data services and management control to the first device, wherein the second device determines the subscriber associated with the unique subscriber identification, and if the specially-composed bulletin message for the subscriber is desired to be communicated: the second device sends policy information related to the data services and management control, to the first device, wherein the policy information includes an IP address of the subscriber's device, and at least one of: the specially-composed bulletin message, a modification of the message to be performed for the IP address, a reference to the message, and a redirection to the message, the first device examines the accessed upstream traffic to determine if it is possible to send a redirection, wherein the examining occurs without modifying the accessed upstream traffic, and the first device sends the redirection if it is possible to do so.
US08095661B2
In general, in one aspect, the invention relates to a method for scaling an application. The method includes executing a first instance of the application on a first computer in a chassis, where the first instance of the application is associated with a first VNIC and a second VNIC executing on the first computer. The method further includes loading a second instance of the application on a second computer in the chassis, where the second instance of the application is associated with a third VNIC and a fourth VNIC executing on the second computer. The method further includes re-programming a network express manager in the chassis to direct a portion of network traffic directed to the first VNIC to the third VNIC and executing the second instance of the application after the re-programming.
US08095659B2
A service interface enables an application to be developed independently from a particular service. At execution of the application, the application is wrapped or bound to a service. Advantageously, a configuration file includes instructions that bind particular applications with a particular service. Therefore, if improved services are developed after the application is written, only the configuration file needs to be updated, not the application source code. Accordingly, significant time and expense is saved by allowing applications to be developed independently from particular services.
US08095658B2
A method, system, and computer program product is presented for providing access to a set of resources in a distributed data processing system. A reverse proxy server receives a resource request from a client and determines whether or not it is managing a session identifier that was previously associated with the client by the reverse proxy server; if so, it retrieves the session identifier, otherwise it obtains a session identifier and associates the session identifier with the client using information that is managed by the reverse proxy server. The reverse proxy server then modifies the resource request to include the session identifier and forwards the modified resource request to an application server.
US08095656B2
Methods, systems, and computer program products for implementing geo-positionally based data access security is provided. A method includes receiving a request at a computer to verify a geographic location of a segment of data stored in a storage device. The method further includes receiving, at the computer, an actual geographic location of the storage device from a geographic location device connected to the storage device. The method additionally includes accessing, at the computer, a location tag including an expected geographic location of the segment of data, and comparing, at the computer, the expected geographic location to the actual geographic location. The method also includes returning a value indicating that an error has occurred when the comparing indicates that the expected geographic location does not match the actual geographic location.
US08095655B2
A method and system for controlling a recipient's access to a user's information. The method includes receiving a plurality of contact information, registration information and access information from the user. Only person's knowing the user's registration information can update the contact and access information of the user. The contact information entered by a user is about that user. The access information defines accessible sets of contact information to be made accessible to recipients. A telephone exchange is associated with each recipient; and a local server is associated with each telephone exchange. The accessible set of information is stored in the local server for access by the recipient. The system handles updates to information on the local servers when a user updates their contact information. The system can automatically place calls for a recipient to a user that has granted the recipient access to a number for communicating with the user.
US08095654B2
An improved method and system for identifying individual users accessing a web site. A web site server is able to identify distinct users by using a unique identifier associated with each client computer system requesting access to the web site. The unique identifier comprises an Internet address, such as an Internet Protocol (IP) address, and a time value associated with each client computer system requesting access to the web site. On starting up a web browser, an application program or browser plug-in may synchronize the internal clock included with the client computer system with a global time standard. The synchronized time value may be based on an event associated with the client computer system, such as the start of a web browser. A web site server may determine the uniqueness of the client computer system by comparing unique identifier records of users accessing the web site. A user may be identified as distinct if no matching record exists in the database. Multiple client computer systems having a common Internet address may be identified by using this method. Users privacy is also protected as the unique identifiers are erased when the client computer system's user exits the web browser or powers down the computer.
US08095642B1
A method and apparatus for automatically adjusting the frequency of content background-downloading. An apparatus such as a cell phone, personal digital assistant, or computer, will be set to perform background-downloads of content at a particular frequency. The apparatus will then determine the frequency with which a user accesses background-downloaded content on the device, and the apparatus will use the determined frequency as a basis to automatically adjust the background-download frequency. For instance, if the user-access frequency is greater than the background-download frequency, then the apparatus may increase the background-download frequency, whereas, if the user-access frequency is less than the background-download frequency, then the apparatus may decrease the background-download frequency.
US08095640B2
A virtual router network (VRN) for performing real-time flow measurements (RTFM) is provided. The VRN effectively reduces the number of traffic metering points required thereby simplifying the aggregation and exportation of flow records to a collector. The collector may be service manager in a network management system. The metering points, in a preferred embodiment, are at virtual interfaces (VI) which are edge nodes in VRN. One of the virtual interfaces is selected as a master virtual interface and act as a collector and distributor of flow related information. In one aspect of the invention the VRN is used to provide, non-invasively, per-flow delay monitoring in a communication system.
US08095637B2
A communication system includes a communication device and a communication network configured to communicate with the communication device. The communication network includes a storage unit configured to store first communication information related to a communication to the communication device that is generated when communications with the communication device are unattainable; and a notifying unit configured to send the first communication information stored in the storage unit to the communication device when communications with the communication device become attainable. The communication device is configured to receive the first communication information sent from the notifying unit, and includes a restraining unit configured to restrain function of a local device based on the first communication information.
US08095636B2
A process, system and program product for executing a plurality of tests scripts or one or more test script sets against a plurality of systems to be tested. The process comprises providing an instance of a test script set on a server, writing an initial system value corresponding to an initial system to be tested on a web page file hosted on the server, retrieving the initial system value from the web page file and launching a URL using the initial system value retrieved to execute the test script set against the initial system to be tested. The process further includes overwriting the web page file to change the initial system value to a next system value corresponding to a next system to be tested, retrieving the next system value from the web page file and launching a next URL using the next system value retrieved to execute the test script set against the next system to be tested.
US08095635B2
Managing network traffic to improve availability of network services by classifying network traffic flows using flow-level statistical information and machine learning estimation, based on a measurement of at least one of relevance and goodness of network features. Also, determining a network traffic profile representing applications associated with the classified network traffic flows, and managing network traffic using the network traffic profile. The flow-level statistical information includes packet-trace information and is available from at least one of Cisco NetFlow, NetStream or cflowd records. The classification of network flows includes tagging packet-trace flow record data based on defined packet content information. The classifying of network flows can result in the identification of a plurality of clusters based on the measurement of the relevance of the network features. Also, the classification of network traffic can use a correlation-based measure to determine the goodness of the network features.
US08095633B2
Methods and systems are provided for delivering content from a website to a computer device. The website and computer device negotiate terms for use of a cache memory coupled to the computer device. The computer device requests content, such as web page objects, from the website. In addition to transmitting the requested content, the website transmits non-requested content to the computer device. The non-requested content is stored in the cache memory for later retrieval by the computer device.
US08095616B2
A multiple computer system is disclosed in which n computers (M1, M2 . . . Mn) each run a different portion of a single application program written to execute only on a single computer. The local memory of each computer is maintained substantially the same by updating all computers with every change made to addressed memory locations. Contention can arise when the same memory location is substantially simultaneously updated by two or more machines because of transmission delays and latency of the communications network interconnecting all the computers. In particular a method of detecting contention is disclosed which utilizes a count value indicative of the number of the sequence of occasions on which each memory location has been updated. Contention is indicated if the currently stored count value and the incoming updating count value are the same.
US08095610B2
Apparatus and methods for providing emergency alert system (EAS) data to subscribers of a content-based network for multiple locations including via mobile devices. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a server performing real-time receipt and encapsulation of the EAS data, transport of the EAS data to client devices over an IP or other packet-switched network, and use of applications running on the client devices to decode and display the EAS data. In one variant, a centralized EAS (CEAS) entity is used to aggregate and distribute EAS messages to video registration servers (VRS), which use stored client device data and user preferences to map delivery of relevant EAMs over the IP network. In another variant, instant messaging (IM) infrastructure is used to deliver and display at least portion of the EAS data via a separate transport process.
US08095608B2
An email wrong transmission preventing apparatus calculates memory ratios of addresses of emails in a transmission log by a model expression in which the memory ratios decline over time, compiles the memory ratios of the emails for each destination to set weights, and records the weights in a user weight list. When receiving a planned outgoing email, the apparatus compares the weight of the destination of the planned outgoing email obtained by referring to the user weight list with a predetermined threshold and determines that the destination is “reliable” only if the weight is over the threshold. If even one of the destinations of the planned outgoing email is not “reliable”, the apparatus causes a sender terminal to display an address check screen to prompt address checking. When “checked” is inputted, the apparatus transfers the planned outgoing email to an email transmission server.
US08095607B2
A method and system of optimizing content delivery at a processing element in a dynamic content delivery architecture, the method having the steps of: receiving a content and metadata envelope at the processing element; checking the content and metadata envelope to determine whether the content and metadata envelope includes metadata for the processing element; if the content envelope contains metadata for the processing element, extracting and caching the metadata; if the content envelope does not contain metadata for the processing element, retrieving metadata for a content provider associated with the content from a cache on the processing element; and applying the extracted or retrieved metadata to the content and metadata envelope.
US08095602B1
The present invention is directed to spam filters which consider browser-generated information, such as a browser log, in determining whether an electronic message, such as an e-mail, is or is not spam.
US08095592B2
Machine, method for use and method for making, and corresponding products produced thereby, as well as data structures, computer-readable media tangibly embodying program instructions, manufactures, and necessary intermediates of the foregoing, each pertaining to digital aspects of a computerized aggregation system. The system can include a user computer system interposed between a segment of a network allowing communication between the user computer system and at least one server system, and other segments allowing communication between the user computer system and a plurality of third party server systems. The one server system enables the user computer system to access the plurality of other servers. The access permits forming an aggregation of information obtained from the third party server systems.
US08095591B2
On-line health education includes displaying composites of personalized health content and patient-selected entertainment. Suitable sources of entertainment include generally available web pages and television programs. Composites are spatial (for page displays) or temporal (for image sequence displays). Health content is customized to health and personal situations of individual patients, and replaces advertisements. Composites are generated on a central server in communication with an entertainment server and a health server. Amenable diseases or behaviors include diabetes, asthma, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, eating disorders, HIV, mental health disorders, smoking, and alcohol and drug abuse.
US08095583B1
Faster methods for topological categorization and field line calculations are developed by using decomposition regions together with the self-winding techniques first developed in a prior patent application. A point iteration technique provides direct calculation of low order digits of winding counts without use of complex intervals. Easy to calculate derivatives define decomposition interval boundaries which substitute for methods using the slower complex interval processing of the prior patent. Methods common to this and the prior patent are developed for visualizing conformal mappings of iterated functions.
US08095582B2
A method and apparatus for dynamically modifying search results “on the fly” based on the behavior of the user currently conducting a search. In one embodiment, data regarding user behavior is gathered from virtually any activity, including clicks on links, dwell times, downloads, transactions and cursor movements. Subordinate keywords are generated to reflect the intent of the user as inferred from the user's behavior. Subordinate keywords, as opposed to traditional primary keywords, are keywords that are identified as important to the search, but are not necessarily essential for a matched document. They are automatically generated by the system from a variety of places, such as documents clicked on by the user as well as documents that are skipped. The system uses the subordinate keywords to dynamically re-rank thatched documents and advertisements to best reflect the inferred intent of the user in order to continuously provide the most relevant results.
US08095569B2
Techniques include customizing a context structure such as a context menu based on content associated with an object such as a computer file. For example, a computer-implemented method for customizing a context structure associated with an object comprises the following steps. A content analysis is performed on the object. The context structure associated with the object is modified based on at least a portion of results of the content analysis.
US08095566B2
Apparatus and methods to manage media files from multiple sources provide a mechanism to enhance user interaction with multimedia devices. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.
US08095563B2
A configuration server includes a configuration repository that stores a wide range of configuration information for possible use by application programs. The configuration repository may include configuration parameters, settings for the parameters, and meta-data of definitions and descriptions of the parameters. Configuration information is selected from the configuration repository and stored in a configuration directory for later use by application programs at runtime. The configuration information is accessed from the configuration directory when needed by an application program or a component thereof.
US08095558B2
One embodiment of a system for logging and reporting access to content includes a content addressable storage manager configured to control storing of data elements to the content storage and retrieving of data elements from the content storage, the content addressable storage manager including a content identifier generator configured to generate a content identifier for each data element stored in the content storage, and an access log module configured to record access data for each data element stored in the content storage and to associate the access data for each data element with a content identifier of that data element. The access log module is also configured to generate an access report that includes access data for one or more data elements stored in the content storage.
US08095549B2
A network device to determine the presence of one or more of the pre-defined strings in a message based on searching for a suffix and a reverse prefix in response to receiving a key search data indicating possible presence of any of the plurality of pre-defined strings. The network device indicates the presence or absence of one or more of the pre-defined strings in the message based on the suffix and prefix search results.
US08095547B2
A method includes receiving user-created content, as well as at least one of a service identifier (ID) and a content category ID of the user-created content. At least one of a plurality of key information databases is selected based on at least one of the received service ID and the received content category ID. Second key information is extracted from the received user-created content. The selected key information database is searched to retrieve first key information related to the second key information. The user-created content may be classified as spam content based on the extracted second key information and/or the retrieved first key information. The user-created content is conditionally stored in a network accessible data store, available to users of the user-created content hosting site, based upon the classification.
US08095542B1
In one aspect, two ways of accessing a content unit stored on a CAS are provided, wherein the content unit has a content address that is computed based, at least in part, on at least a portion of its content. A first interface is provided to a file system in which the content unit is logically stored as a logical unit identified by a logical identifier, wherein the content unit is accessed in response to a request to the first interface to access the logical unit and identifying the content unit via the logical identifier. A second interface is provided through which the content unit can be accessed via the content address, wherein the content unit is accessed in response to a request to the second interface to access the content unit and identifying the content unit by the content address.
US08095539B2
Objects, such as documents, are classified according to a taxonomy. The taxonomy includes nodes, corresponding to object classes, arranged in a hierarchy. Class keywords are associated with the nodes. Search strings are formed for the classes by traversing the taxonomic branches and concatenating the keywords associated with the classes. For each object to be classified, a search engine is used to perform searches on the object using the search strings. The searches produce search scores for each search string. Each object is classified by identifying the class(es) corresponding to the highest search score(s) for the object, and classifying the object into the identified class(es).
US08095538B2
A method of encoding on a computer system for information retrieval in an inverted list structure of annotation includes collecting a group of documents and storing them in a digital format, determining a group of annotations referencing the group of documents, and forming a snippet index by grouping the group of annotations by unique annotation identifier. The method also includes forming a snippet dictionary which, for each unique annotation identifier, indexes a corresponding position in the snippet index for the group of annotations having that unique annotation identifier.
US08095537B2
A method and an apparatus for log integrity verification are described. In one embodiment, the method comprises receiving a first log and determining whether checkpoint hashes after each entry are consistent.
US08095536B1
A method and apparatus are provided for a dynamic information connection search engine. User actions may be detected on at least one client system. In response, a determination may be made whether the user is searching for supported information. When the user is searching for supported information, information may be extracted electronically from, for example, third party websites, direct supplier connections, and/or intermediate databases. Potential suppliers may be automatically selected in response to the detected user search. Queries may be formulated from the user search and transferred to one or more selected suppliers over a network coupling (e.g., the Internet and/or an intranet). The queries may include one or more requests for information. One or more responses may be received from the suppliers, and the responses may be used to generate a result list for the user. The result list may include information and/or query status information. Further, an electronic link may be provided to a website of one or more of the supplies from which the information was derived.
US08095535B2
Updating an indexing tables in a database system comprising a database storing item tables of items appended by timestamps. Each of items is further categorized by timestamp into said tables, and said item tables being indexed by indexing data. The database system further comprises an indexing table for said indexing data, listing the earliest timestamp of said item table together with said indexing data and a system manager for searching said item tables using said indexing table and a maintenance module for said indexing table.
US08095534B1
Aspects of the disclosure include establishing a verified set of search results, as a selection of search results returned by a search engine, responsive to a pre-defined query. The verified set of search results are stored and associated with a URL. The URL can be distributed by an entity that establishes the definition of the query and the selection of search results. When the URL is activated, the selection of search results can be returned, with a link to the search engine that allows a redirect to the search engine, with the pre-defined query, so that a current set of search results is returned by the search engine responsive to the pre-defined query. The entity can be notified when the URL is used, and information concerning the party activating the URL can be provided to the entity.
US08095533B1
Disclosed are methods and systems for automatically assigning index terms to electronic documents such as Web pages or sites in a manner which may be used to facilitate the retrieval of electronic documents of interest. The method involves determining co-occurrences of terms in other documents with the electronic document, and selecting terms as index terms based upon those scores. The method permits the efficient retrieval of electronic documents.
US08095528B2
Annotations relating to web sites may be based on blog posts relating to the web sites. A user viewing a web site may concurrently view related blog posts about the web site. More particularly, in one implementation, a method includes detecting when a user visits a web page and receiving, in response to the detection, a group of blog posts that link to the web page. The method further includes displaying an indication of the group of blog posts to the user while the user is visiting the web site.
US08095525B2
An architecture and system are described that provide a unified file access service within in a managed computing environment composed of diverse networks, computing devices, and storage devices. The service provides mechanisms for remotely accessing the file systems of any managed computer or disk snapshot, independently of the computer's current state (powered on, suspended or powered off), its location within the environment, its hardware type (virtual vs. physical), its operating system type, and its file system formats. The system isolates centralized FPAs from the details of clients, proxies and storage elements by providing a service that decomposes offloaded file system access into two steps. A FPA or a requester acting on behalf of the FPA first expresses the disk set or the computer containing the file systems it wishes to access, along with requirements and preferences about the access method. The service figures out an efficient data path satisfying the FPA's needs, and then automatically configures a set of storage and computing resources to provide the data path. The service then replies with information about the resources and instructions for using them. The FPA then accesses the requested file systems using the returned information.
US08095521B2
Computer-implemented processes are disclosed for clustering items and improving the utility of item recommendations. One process involves applying a clustering algorithm to a user's collection of items. Information about the resulting clusters is then used to select items to use as recommendation sources. Another process involves displaying the clusters of items to the user via a collection management interface that enables the user to attach cluster-level metadata, such as by rating or tagging entire clusters of items. The resulting metadata may be used to improve the recommendations generated by a recommendation engine. Another process involves forming clusters of items in which a user has indicated a lack of interest, and using these clusters to filter the output of a recommendation engine. Yet another process involves applying a clustering algorithm to the output of a recommendation engine to arrange the recommended items into cluster-based categories for presentation to the user.
US08095520B2
Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with event recording are described. One example method includes locally locking a record in an event data store corresponding to an event having a same event type as a given event when a prior occurrence of the given event has not yet been recorded. The event data store is updated to record the given event while the record is locked. One example system includes an event data store configured to store records corresponding to events, an event recorder configured to record event data in the event data store and a local lock actuable by the event recorder. The event recorder is configured to update the locked record to correspond to a received event.
US08095518B2
Various embodiments provide a mapping layer to translate DRM system requirements from one DRM system, such as a source system, to another DRM system, such as a target system. In at least some embodiments, DRM system requirement translation is performed using a signed data structure that maps DRM system requirements from one DRM system to one or more other DRM systems. By mapping DRM system requirements from one system to another, licenses associated with DRM-protected content and associated content can be safely transferred between systems.
US08095510B2
A data restoration method comprising determining whether a restoration process is in progress, in response to receiving a read request to read contents from a track on a source volume (ST[i]); reading data from ST[i], in response to determining that the restoration process is not in progress; determining whether the read request was originated from a host, in response to determining the restoration process is in progress; reading the data directly from ST[i], in response to determining the read request was not originated from a host; determining whether ST[i] is designated as remote with respect to the restore operation, in response to determining the read request was originated from a host; reading the data directly from ST[i], in response to determining ST[i] is designated as local; and reading the data from a track on a target volume (TT[i]), in response to determining ST[i] is designated as remote.
US08095505B2
Copy protected materials are backed up or restored and made available for play on electronic media players through an online retrievable system. Corrupted segments of electronic media storage files are identified and located prior to being read, executed, or played. An uncorrupted copy from the network is then located, and software instructions provide for the storage of the uncorrupted segment of the file on electronic media player, merging the uncorrupted segment into the reading, executing, or playing of the electronic storage media file to seamlessly produce an output in real-time that is indistinguishable from the uncorrupted file.
US08095504B2
A method and system for N-way synchronization of computer databases. Synchronization of computer databases is structured into three rounds, namely an agenda round, a query round and a report round. In the agenda round, a synchronization agent software module inquires of a common synchronization engine for updates to the agent's database and provides information as to the level of information in the agent's database. During a query round, a common synchronization engine may request information from databases with new information and distribute that database information to databases needing the new information during a report round. Multiple agents, each representing an associated database may participate a synchronization. In addition, various special purpose agents may also receive, provide and otherwise operate on synchronization information.
US08095503B2
A method for allowing client computers in a distributed object-based data storage system to interpret higher revision data structures. In one embodiment, clients request layout maps of objects to be accessed from respective storage managers in the system and then construct and execute directed acyclic graphs (DAG) to accomplish desired I/O operations for data access. When a client computer running an older software revision is not able to interpret a particular data organization supplied by the storage manager that was designed after that client's software was installed, the client sends to the storage manager a description of the desired data access operation. The storage manager, in turn, interprets a data layout scheme for a client on a per-access basis and returns to that client a DAG containing a data structure that describes the sequence of I/O operations necessary to effect the data access. The client can then execute the storage manager-supplied DAG to carry out the data access.
US08095502B2
The illustrative embodiments provide for automatically and proactively retrieving administrative maintenance tasks or potential issues from a set of directory servers without direct intervention from an administrator. Responsive to an operation request being sent from a requesting application to the set of directory servers and an administrative maintenance control mechanism being active, an administrative maintenance control is automatically sent to the set of directory servers. Responsive to receiving the response to the administrative maintenance control, an end user application within the data processing system is notified that the at least one of the administrative maintenance tasks or the potential issues have been received.
US08095498B2
A system, method, and program product for interpreting, optimizing, and customizing data mining models through the use of statistical techniques that utilize diagnostic measures and statistical significance testing. A data processing system is disclosed that includes a data mining system for mining data from a data warehouse in accordance with a data model, wherein the data model defines how data groups can be partitioned; and a data group analysis system that calculates a set of diagnostic measures and performs statistical significance tests for a defined data group.
US08095497B2
Aspects of the present embodiments provide an eCommerce environment adapted to accept and process various message types (e.g., cXML and mXML). In general, requests are provided from a requesting entity to an application hosting entity. Data from incoming requests are mapped to a format understandable to an appropriate application(s). Responses from the application(s) are then mapped into a response format acceptable by the requesting entity. To this end, embodiments disclosed herein provide processes for the development and execution of a data driven process for mapping multiple request/response message pairs to a single application interface or set of application interfaces. In one embodiment, these processes are driven by development time and run time documents that describe a development time view of the message pairs and the application interfaces as well as runtime instructions for providing the mappings, respectively.
US08095494B2
A method for cross-triggering transitions in independent finite state machines is provided. For a given plurality of finite state machine definitions having a plurality of states and a plurality of transitions among the states, two or more independent instances of the plurality of finite state machine definitions are created. In addition, associations between two or more of the independent finite state machine instances are identified. The method uses cross-triggering rules that identify a condition in a first one of the associated independent finite state machine instances that triggers a transition action in a second one of the associated independent finite state machine instances. Each cross-triggering rule is triggered upon an occurrence of the cross-triggering rule condition, and the transition action in the second associated independent finite state machine instance is performed in response to the triggering of the cross-triggering rule.
US08095492B2
A method and/or system that can be implemented on a computing device or tables or board game or otherwise uses a rule set to evaluate data about a situation and actors in order to provide advice regarding strategies for influencing actors and/or other outputs.
US08095491B1
A method and a corresponding computer-readable medium are provided for optimizing a decision assignment based on a sought benefit. The optimization operations include mapping agents to actors into pairs, designating a benefit to each pair for a set of nodes, arranging the nodes into heaps (with each heap corresponding to an agent), selecting the node with the sought benefit as the head of the heap for all the heaps, and summing each benefit of the heads to establish a cumulative benefit. The benefit designation further includes associating the node with the benefit, action and agent that correspond to that pair, and disposing the node into the heap that corresponds to the agent. Arranging the heap further includes comparing first and second nodes to determine which has the sought benefit within the heap, and ordering the peak node as the head of the heap. Further operations include deconflicting first and second heaps that have heads with equal benefit, and truncating tail nodes from the head of each heap.
US08095490B2
A user support device which accurately judges that a user is in a confused state and supports the user is provided. The user support device includes: a confused state judging unit which judges whether the user is in a confused state or not based on a tendency of variation in dwell time on which a decision making time until a next input action is executed is reflected in a sequence of input actions executed by the user who makes transitions between several menus arranged in a tree structure; and an operation support processing unit which provides operation support when the confused state judging unit makes a positive judgment that the user is in a confused state.
US08095487B2
A familiarity level classifier comprises a stopwords engine for conducting a stopwords analysis of stopwords, e.g., introductory level stopwords and advanced level stopwords, in a document, e.g., a website; and a familiarity level classifier module for generating a document familiarity level based on the stopwords analysis. The classifier may be in an indexing module, a search engine, a user computer, or elsewhere in a computer network. The classifier may also include a reading level engine for conducting a reading level analysis of the document, and wherein the familiarity level classifier module is configured to generate the familiarity level also based on the reading level analysis. The classifier may also include a document features engine for conducting a feature analysis of the document, and wherein the familiarity level classifier module is configured to generate the document familiarity level also based on the feature analysis.
US08095485B2
A system, method, and computer readable-media for creating a stable synthetic neural system. The method includes training an intellectual choice-driven synthetic neural system (SNS), training an emotional rule-driven SNS by generating emotions from rules, incorporating the rule-driven SNS into the choice-driven SNS through an evolvable interface, and balancing the emotional SNS and the intellectual SNS to achieve stability in a nontrivial autonomous environment with a Stability Algorithm for Neural Entities (SANE). Generating emotions from rules can include coding the rules into the rule-driven SNS in a self-consistent way. Training the emotional rule-driven SNS can occur during a training stage in parallel with training the choice-driven SNS. The training stage can include a self assessment loop which measures performance characteristics of the rule-driven SNS against core genetic code. The method uses a stability threshold to measure stability of the incorporated rule-driven SNS and choice-driven SNS using SANE.
US08095473B2
In accordance with at least one embodiment of the invention, a process and architecture may be implemented to structure bond financing or refinancing for any municipally owned transportation facilities construction and/or renovation to improve economic and business terms for involved or interested parties.
US08095472B2
This disclosure provides various embodiments of a system, method, and software for implementing a logically centralized source for collaboration on objectives. In one aspect, the method identifies one or more requirements and requirement statuses associated with a business entity for use in a business object stored within a logically centralized repository, the repository storing a plurality of business objects, identifies one or more solutions and solution statuses associated with the identified requirements for use in the business object, and notifies a party of an update to one of the statuses associated with the identified requirements and solutions.
US08095470B1
An identifier routine is described which, when executed by a host device, retrieves an identifier stored in a memory card and obtains an image using the identifier. The memory card is physically coupled to the host device. The image identifies a content provider from which the host device receives broadcast content. The identifier routine is then executed by the host device to output the image.
US08095469B2
An encrypted content and its encryption key under a copy right use condition of prohibiting a copy by the device having received a content are stored, and the encrypted content is copy-transferred with another device through the network, and at the same time, the encryption key is transferred through the network, so that it is stored in either one of the devices.Even when a high definition television broadcast signal received with a copy-once taken as a copy right use condition is recorded, an access flag that controls the presence or absence of the reproduction of the broadcast content for each broadcast content is provided. When an original broadcast content is transcoded into a low resolution, and is transfer to another device, its access flag is turned on, thereby making the reproduction possible.
US08095458B2
A system and method for matching a loan consumer with lenders via the Internet includes receiving loan consumer application information. The application information is stored in a database. An internally specified filter is applied to the information to determine if the loan consumer meets a set of loan criteria. A subset of the information is submitted to a credit bureau. A credit report is generated based on the subset of information. A lender database is searched to match the customer information and credit report to ranked lenders. A query is transmitted to one of the lenders. A response is generated and received based on the query. Subsequent query and response steps are repeated only after receipt of the previous response, until all lenders have been queried. Only lenders who responded with an approval are presented for review by the customer.
US08095456B2
An exemplary embodiment comprises a method for trading items among a plurality of traders, the method comprising: (a) receiving a first order for at least one item from one of the traders into an electronic trading system, wherein the first order provides priority for said at least one item but does not reserve said at least one item; (b) receiving, from another one of the traders, a second order into the electronic trading system that matches said first order; (c) determining that at least a portion of the first order is available to be filled by at least a portion of the second order; (d) reserving said at least a portion of said first order for execution against said at least a portion of said second order; and (e) executing said at least a portion of said first order against said at least a portion of said second order.
US08095454B2
Disclosed is a method and system for effectuating a buyer-driven and buyer-executed commerce system. The system allows prospective buyers and sellers of goods and services to anonymously exchange conditional Requests For Bids and Conditional Sales Offers based on the buyer's guaranteed ‘purchasing loyalty’ for a self-defined minimum quantity of goods or services, and/or quality of goods of services and/or the length of time or price to which the buyer would agree to be bound or any combination of those condition's. That buyer guarantee permits a seller to easily pre-determine their offers based on the calculated value of ‘capturing’ that buyer's ‘guaranteed purchasing loyalty’. In a preferred embodiment, the method and system of the present invention includes a controller which receives Requests For Bids from prospective buyers and also receives, stores and displays to prospective buyers, bindable sales proposals from a multitude of prospective sellers. Potential buyers are therefore protected from bidding too much and being bound by the bid before having an opportunity to see what the marketplace has to offer. Further, because only the buyer is permitted to bind a seller, the buyer may submit an RFB more than once, changing any or all of the condition's to which he would agree to be bound in order to explore multiple offers from sellers and to better understand how changing one or more of the conditions affects the offers from the sellers.
US08095447B2
Methods and apparatus for analyzing financial data generally includes a predictive modeling system. The predictive modeling system may include an artificial agent responsive to an input data set. The artificial agent may produce an estimated data set including a market conditions data set. The market conditions data may include an estimate of at least one of liquidity of a market, strategy of a counterparty, and an effect of information leakage. The artificial agent may determine a predictability value for the estimated data set. The predictive modeling system may also include an agent factory responsive to the input data set. The agent factory may generate an artificial agent in response to the input data set.
US08095446B2
Systems and methods are disclosed which relate to the management of asset invested in a fund. The system includes a computer connected to a network which has constantly updated fund data available to compare a current fund with a plurality of possible new funds. The system automatically transfers from one fund to another according to user predetermined criteria.
US08095445B2
A computer-implemented method for completing a transaction between a customer and at least one merchant receives, by a transaction system, an authorization request including customer data and transaction specific data from the merchant, wherein, prior to the authorization request, the customer is unknown to the transaction system; authenticates the customer by the transaction system based at least in part upon at least one of the following: at least a portion of the customer data, at least a portion of the transaction specific data or any combination thereof; authorizes the transaction by the transaction system based at least in part upon at least one of the following: at least a portion of the customer data, at least a portion of the transaction specific data or any combination thereof; and communicates the authorization response to the merchant during the transaction. An apparatus for implementing the method is disclosed.
US08095442B2
Computer-implemented methods, computer systems, and computer program products are provided for determining specified matrices. The matrices may be associated with financial institutions and the financial affairs in a banking practice. In one implementation, a base matrix is formed which may be used to create the specified matrices when processing mass data.
US08095440B2
The present invention relates to card payment systems. In particular, the present invention relates to systems and methods for processing payment card transactions in a dynamic currency conversion and/or multi-currency scheme. To operate correctly, ghost transactions are used. However to prevent duplication of debits against the Card Holder, these “ghost copy” transactions must not be processed into the card schemes with the normal transactions. Thus the Acquirer's and/or third parties host systems have to be amended, in addition to modifications to the related accounting thereof. To overcome this necessity, the present invention provides a method for effecting the performance of a payment card transaction for a first transaction amount in a first currency, between a first merchant and a first payment card holder, the method comprising the steps of a) creating a first payment card transaction record between the first merchant and a second cardholder for the first transaction amount, b) creating a second payment card transaction record between a second merchant and the first cardholder, wherein the second transaction record identifies a second transaction amount in a second currency which equates to the first transaction amount converted into the second currency, and submitting the first transaction record and the second transaction record for processing as payment card transactions.
US08095421B2
The invention organizes various pricing tables and price adjustment tables and various products and purchasing organizations based on “who” (i.e. which purchasing organization) is purchasing “what” (i.e. which product). The invention utilizes a denormalized table to relate the “who” to the “what” using denormalized numbers. The invention further organizes various purchasing organizations and products into hierarchical tables. These hierarchical tables are called organizational groups and product groups. Various price adjustments may be specified for each level of the organizational groups and product groups hierarchies. The price adjustments for a particular purchasing organization are determined by retrieving the price adjustments for that particular purchasing organization as well as the price adjustments for organizational groups above the particular purchasing organization in the organizational groups hierarchy. Likewise, the price adjustments for a particular product are determined by retrieving the price adjustments for that particular product as well as the price adjustments for product groups above the particular product in the product groups hierarchy. The invention sorts the various pricing adjustments applicable to a particular product offered to a particular purchasing group based on several criteria. After the sorting is accomplished the pricing adjustments are applied in sequence to arrive at a final price at which a particular product can be sold to a particular purchasing organization.
US08095415B1
The invention provides a human capital development framework which allows organizations to assess the business impact of human capital initiatives and guide their implementation. The invention further provides a four-tier tool for arriving at an assessment of an organization's human capital practices. The first tier includes a measurement of business results, the second tier involves key performance drivers which contribute to business results, the third tier involves human capital capabilities and the fourth tier involves human capital processes. Surveys are provided to collect data for each tier and a detailed report is generated based upon survey results.
US08095414B2
In embodiments, the present invention is directed to methods of aligning an agent's compensation with an organization's goals, incentivizing an agent to improve their performance, and managing an agent. In one embodiment, the present invention includes defining a performance metric that relates to a goal of an organization. Performance levels are then defined for the performance metric. The performance levels are associated with performance values that an agent must meet to have their performance classified within a performance level. The method also includes providing a compensation rule that defines which of the performance levels an agent must achieve to change their current compensation. The performance of an agent with respect to the performance metric is then monitored to generate an agent performance, which is compared to the previously established achievement values to determine an agent's performance level.
US08095413B1
Management information is processed. A first set of computer data is acquired that represents a model of an organization of people having fundamental components, such as processes or capabilities, that are represented in the first set of computer data by data items. The first set of computer data is associated with a second set of computer data that represents a portfolio of management concepts, such as management goals. A report of management concepts is issued based on the second set of computer data and is sorted by fundamental component.
US08095403B2
A system and method are provided for the comprehensive provision of maintenance related information and products to a client. By one approach, item information is received from a client regarding at least one of a plurality of disparate items. The method also includes receiving manufacturer information regarding the plurality of disparate items from information from manufacturers of the items. A selectively accessible database is created that includes at least in part the item information, the manufacturer information, and maintenance information derived at least in part from the manufacturer information relating to servicing at least one of the disparate items and/or to a product relating to at least one of the disparate items. The client is provided with access to the maintenance information stored on the selectively accessible database. The maintenance information can be accessed from brick and mortar hardware stores as well.
US08095392B1
A system, method, and computer program product embodied on a computer readable medium are provided. In use, an application is executed which is capable of performing decision logic. Further, information is retrieved from a database in accordance with the decision logic. Information is also received from a user in accordance with the decision logic utilizing a user interface. Still yet, the information is processed utilizing the decision logic. The executing, retrieving, receiving, and processing are carried out by a platform capable of accomplishing the executing, retrieving, receiving, and processing for different purposes by executing different applications each capable of performing different decision logic and using different databases. In one embodiment, the different applications are capable of being executed simultaneously. In another embodiment, the different applications (e.g. insurance, investments, etc.) are each related to asset risk management.
US08095383B2
Method and system for providing an orthodontic profile indexing and treatment plan including comparing an initial patient condition in each of a plurality of dentition categories with one or more reference conditions in each of the plurality of dentition categories, wherein each of the one or more reference conditions has a corresponding representation, selecting at least one reference condition in one or more of the plurality of dentition categories, where each selected reference condition is similar to the initial patient condition in a same dentition category, and generating a patient identifier based on the corresponding representations of each selected reference condition is provided.
US08095379B2
Systems and methods provide for the preemptive determination of the potential of atypical clinical event occurrence related to administering of medications to a person. One method involves receiving a list of possible medications that may be administered to the person during a medical procedure. Subsequently, the medication list is compared to information in the person's medical record. Based on this comparison, a determination is made as to whether one or more matches exist between any of the medications included in the list and the medical record information, the match relating to the potential of an atypical clinical event occurring if the associated medication were to be administered to the person. If a match in fact exists, a response is outputted relating to each match.
US08095375B2
Storing audio data encoded in any of a plurality of different audio encoding formats is enabled by parametrically defining the underlying format in which the audio data is encoded, in audio format and packet table chunks. A flag can be used to manage storage of the size of the audio data portion of the file, such that premature termination of an audio recording session does not result in an unreadable corrupted file. This capability can be enabled by initially setting the flag to a value that does not correspond to a valid audio data size and that indicates that the last chunk in the file contains the audio data. State information for the audio data, to effectively denote a version of the file, and a dependency indicator for dependent metadata, may be maintained, where the dependency indicator indicates the state of the audio data on which the metadata is dependent.
US08095373B2
The present invention provides a robot apparatus with a vocal interactive function. The robot apparatus receives a vocal input, and recognizes the vocal input. The robot apparatus stores a plurality of output data, a last output time of each of the output data, and a weighted value of each of the output data. The robot apparatus outputs output data according to the weighted values of all the output data corresponding to the vocal input, and updates the last output time of the output data. The robot apparatus calculates the weighted values of all the output data corresponding to the vocal input according to the last output time. Consequently, the robot apparatus may output different and variable output data when receiving the same vocal input. The present invention also provides a vocal interactive method adapted for the robot apparatus.
US08095363B1
A method and system for monitoring an automated dialog system for the automatic recognition of language understanding errors based on a user's input communications in a task classification system. If the user's input communication cannot be understood and a task classification decision cannot be made, then further dialog may be conducted with the user if a probability of understanding the user's input communication exceeds a first threshold. Otherwise, the user may be directed to a human for assistance. In another possible embodiment, the method operates as above except that if the probability exceeds a second threshold, then further dialog may be conducted with the user using the current dialog strategy. However, if the probability falls between a first threshold and a second threshold, the dialog strategy may be adapted in order to improve the chances of conducting a successful dialog with the user.
US08095361B2
A method and a device for tracking background noise in a communication system, where the method includes: calculating a SNR of a current frame according to input audio signals; increasing a frame counter, and calculating tone features and signal steadiness features of the current frame if the SNR of the current frame is not smaller than a first threshold; judging the possibility of a time window including a noise interval according to the calculated tone feature values and signal steadiness feature values of each frame of the time window when the frame counter is increased to the length of the time window; and extracting noise features in the time window. Existence of background noise is analyzed continuously in a time window, so that background noise that changes frequently and dramatically can be detected or tracked rapidly.
US08095360B2
There is provided a method of post-processing a speech signal. The method comprises applying a time-domain post-processing to the speech signal, using LPC coefficients, for a low-band frequency range and applying a frequency-domain post-processing to the speech signal, using MDCT coefficients, for the high-band frequency range. Applying the frequency-domain post-processing includes decoding an encoded speech signal to obtain MDCT coefficients representative of the speech signal divided into a plurality of sub-bands, generating an envelope for each sub-band of the plurality of sub-bands as an average magnitude of the MDCT coefficients of the sub-band, generating an envelope modification factor for each sub-band of the plurality of sub-band using the MDCT coefficients of the sub-band, modifying the envelope by the envelope modification factor for each sub-band of the plurality of sub-bands to provide a modified envelope, and generating the post-processed speech signal using the modified envelope.
US08095354B2
As a program tool of the embodiment estimating the peak of power consumption, primary processing is performed in which logic simulation is executed in a first time period to extract operation data of a gated clock for every predetermined section within the first time period, e.g. operation waveform data or data on the number of operations. Then, a narrowed section, which is composed of one or more sections and in which the switching activity per unit time is higher compared to other sections, is discovered, the switching activity being obtained from the operation data, and this narrowed section is taken as a second time period. Then, secondary processing is performed in which logic simulation is executed in the second time period to extract signal waveform data for every clock cycle and obtain power consumption data corresponding to the clock cycles from the extracted signal waveform data.
US08095347B2
An area in which a model of a soft medium is moved is divided into a plurality of elements. In response to an update of simulation time, parameters about the model of the soft medium are shifted to elements at a position to which the soft medium is to be conveyed. After the parameters are shifted, the shape of the model of the soft medium is calculated. The elements need not be redivided by shifting the parameters to the elements at the position, to which the soft medium is to be conveyed.
US08095345B2
A computer implemented stochastic inversion method for estimating model parameters of an earth model. In an embodiment, the method utilizes a sampling-based stochastic technique to determine the probability density functions (PDF) of the model parameters that define a boundary-based multi-dimensional model of the subsurface. In some embodiments a sampling technique known as Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) is utilized. MCMC techniques fall into the class of “importance sampling” techniques, in which the posterior probability distribution is sampled in proportion to the model's ability to fit or match the specified acquisition geometry. In another embodiment, the inversion includes the joint inversion of multiple geophysical data sets. Embodiments of the invention also relate to a computer system configured to perform a method for estimating model parameters for accurate interpretation of the earth's subsurface.
US08095343B2
Provided are a method and apparatus for modeling source-drain current of a TFT. The method includes receiving sample data, the sample data including a sample input value and a sample output value; adjusting modeling variables according to the sample data; calculating a current model value according to the adjusted modeling variables; when a difference between the calculated current model value and the sample output value is smaller than a predetermined threshold value, fitting a current model by applying the adjusted modeling variables to the current model; applying actual input data to the fitted current model; and outputting a result value corresponding to the actual input data, wherein the current model is a model for predicting the source-drain current of the TFT.
US08095340B2
Systems and methods for managing power usage are provided. The system includes a programmable microprocessor, at least one input mechanism, a memory having instructions and/or other information, a display, at least one power consuming power device and a remote server. The systems allows the user of a power consuming device to receive instructions or other information from the server. The method includes using stored program instructions to generate power device related information on a display, collecting power device data representative of the electrical current or power consumed, connecting to a remote computing facility having a server, and providing the data to a computer remotely located from the central server.
US08095332B2
Disclosed is a method for pre-heating a hard disk drive of a computer device, wherein a temperature sensor and a heater are arranged at preset locations outside the computer device. The temperature sensor detects an external temperature of the hard disk drive, which is compared with an activation temperature threshold stored in a data memory unit of the computer device. The activation temperature threshold is calibrated by a preset compensation value stored in the data memory unit. When the external temperature of the hard disk drive subtracting the preset compensation value is less than the activation temperature threshold of the hard disk drive, the activation of the hard disk drive is prohibited and the heater carries out heating on the hard disk drive until the activation temperature threshold of the hard disk drive is reached; thereafter, the hard disk drive is activated again. Thus, the hard disk drive is protected from damage caused by excessively low internal temperature of the hard disk drive at the time when the hard disk drive is activated.
US08095324B2
A method and apparatus for permanent magnetic (PM) rotor crack detection includes a sensor which monitors magnetic flux distribution of the PM rotor and identifies the presence of a crack in the PM rotor when a magnetic flux distribution change or anomaly is detected.
US08095323B2
The present invention generally provides a rapid efficient method for analyzing polymorphic or biallelic markers, and arrays for carrying out these analyses. In general, the methods of the present invention employ arrays of oligonucleotide probes that are complementary to target nucleic acids which correspond to the marker sequences of an individual. The probes are typically arranged in detection blocks, each block being capable of discriminating the three genotypes for a given marker, i.e., the heterozygote or either of the two homozygotes. The method allows for rapid, automatable analysis of genetic linkage to even complex polygenic traits.
US08095322B2
Systems and methods for determining cross-talk coefficients in curves, such as sigmoid-type or growth curves, and PCR curves and nucleic acid melting curves in particular, as well as for applying the cross-talk coefficients to produce cross-talk corrected data sets using a linear subtractive model. Cross-talk signal coefficients are determined using cross-talk data acquired across the entire signal acquisition range. Analyzing across all of the signal curve data provides for a more robust cross-talk correction across the entire data acquisition range. A linear subtractive model is used to correct data sets having cross-talk components.
US08095321B2
A modeling device is disclosed that easily projects characteristic information obtained from an object onto a differently-shaped object, even if the object, from which the characteristic information is obtained, has a complex shape. A modeling device in one embodiment of the present invention includes a virtually electrifying section to calculate an electric potential at a spot in a heart at the time when a predetermined voltage is applied to the heart, and a projecting section to project a fiber orientation onto a heart model created on the basis of shape information that is input to the input section. The projecting section specifies a spot to be a target of projection on the basis of the electric potential obtained by the virtually electrifying section. Use of the electric potential in specifying the spot makes it possible to easily project the fiber orientation onto any heart having complex and various shapes.
US08095316B2
A method of normalizing well log data relating to geology of a subsurface region includes identifying a pair of markers defining a zone on each well log, determining a statistic for a property within the zone for each well log, fitting a smooth function to the statistics to create a first-iteration trend surface, determining, for each statistic, a deviation from the trend surface and eliminating those statistics that deviate from the trend surface by greater than a threshold value, fitting a smooth function to the remaining statistics to create a second-iteration trend surface, normalizing the property for each well log based on the second-iteration trend surface, and analyzing the normalized properties to determine the geology of the subsurface region.
US08095312B2
A device and method for orbit prediction of satellites are provided. An accelerometer measures non-gravity forces acting on a satellite. A processor receives measured non-gravity forces from the accelerometer, estimates the contributions of the measured non-gravity forces to the movement of the satellite, and predicts the orbit of the satellite based on the estimated contributions of the non-gravity forces to the movement of the satellite.
US08095307B2
In a method for controlling a map display in a vehicle, a display device is controlled such that a section of a geographical map is displayed in a spatially non-linear scale. A display apparatus for displaying a geographical map includes a control unit and a display device, connected to the control unit, a map section, the control unit including an arithmetic-logic unit by which data assigned to the geographical map is able to be converted into display data, taking a spatially non-linear scale into consideration. A navigation system includes such a display apparatus.
US08095306B2
A display device for displaying a graphical user interface is disclosed. The graphical user interface includes a first window configured to display a road maintenance map of a mine road network, and one or more links configured to access a second window. The second window is configured to facilitate selection of one or more data files containing data associated with the mine road network. The graphical user interface also includes one or more links configured to access a third window. The third window is configured to access to one or more analysis tools configured to analyze the data.
US08095304B2
A cargo load and visibility system and method as well as an associated delivery vehicle tracking system are provided to permit cargo to be tracked, both as the cargo is loaded upon the delivery vehicle and throughout the delivery process, thereby increasing the visibility of the shipping operations including the last stage of the shipping operations in which the goods are delivered to their intended or ultimate destination. The cargo load and visibility system and method may be configured to permit redirection of the delivery vehicle while in route in instances in which the intended destination, such as a military unit, has changed position if such redirection can be performed in a manner that is safe for the delivery vehicle.
US08095298B2
In a variable valve actuation system of an internal combustion engine employing a variable valve actuator capable of variably adjusting at least intake valve closure timing depending on engine operating conditions, a processor of a control unit is programmed to phase-advance the intake valve closure timing to a predetermined timing value after a piston top dead center position and before a piston bottom dead center position on intake stroke during at least one of an engine starting period and an engine stopping period. The variable valve actuator includes a biasing device by which the intake valve closure timing is permanently biased toward the predetermined timing value.
US08095297B2
Methods and systems are provided for addressing cylinder-to-cylinder imbalances in the incidence of pre-ignition and/or knock. Engine cylinders are fueled based on each cylinder's pre-ignition count to balance the incidence of pre-ignition in each cylinder. The fueling is adjusted to maintain engine exhaust at stoichiometry.
US08095296B2
The invention concerns a procedure and a device for an adaptation of a dynamic model of an exhaust gas probe, which is a component of an exhaust pipe of a combustion engine and with which a lambda value is determined for regulating an air-fuel composition, whereby a simulated lambda value is calculated parallel to that in a control unit or in a diagnosing unit of the combustion engine and an application function uses the simulated and the measured lambda value. According to the invention it is thereby provided that a jump behavior of the exhaust gas probe is determined during a running vehicle operation by evaluating a signal change at a stimulation of the system and that the dynamic model of the exhaust gas probe is adapted with the aid of these results.
US08095284B2
An automatic transmission control unit determines whether or not a constantly open failure, in which a switch valve cannot switch a pressure regulating valve and a second hydraulic chamber to a non-communicative state, has occurred on the basis of a parameter (an inertia phase time, for example) representing a dynamic characteristic during a shift from a first gear position to a second gear position. The determination of the constantly open failure is begun after initial variation in the parameter representing the dynamic characteristic during the shift has been eliminated through learning control in which the dynamic characteristic during the shift is caused to approach a target dynamic characteristic.
US08095280B2
A method for controlling an engine of a machine includes a step of setting an initial engine speed of the engine based on a position of an operator engine speed selection device. The machine is operated for a period of time at the initial engine speed, and a power usage value for the machine during that period of time is identified. The initial engine speed of the engine is then lowered to a reduced engine speed corresponding to the power usage value.
US08095277B2
Disclosed is a method for detecting a direction of travel in a vehicle with a protection system which avoids accidents. When an object is detected in front of the vehicle in the direction of the vehicle and contact between the vehicle and the object is possible, the method triggers a driver-independent braking and/or steering process to prevent contact with the object. In order to avoid incorrect triggering of the protection system, the method further provides that the driver-independent braking and/or steering process is prevented or aborted if reverse travel is detected.
US08095271B2
In a method for deactivating a driver assistance system that influences the steering, a driver-independent system steering variable is applied to the steering wheel by the driver assistance system, the value of a driver steering variable applied to the steering wheel by the driver is determined, and the driver assistance system is deactivated dependent on the driver steering variable.
US08095267B2
A door-lock control system includes: a door lock device; a current position detection unit; a data recording unit; a public security situation determination processing unit; and a function setting processing unit configured to set, according to the public security situation at the vehicle position, a function limit state that limits unlocking when a door-unlock operation has been performed by an operation unit.
US08095264B2
A diagnostic equipment coupled to a vehicle network makes an inquiry about internal information, e.g., yes or no whether there is a logging-available memory area, with respect to each of a plurality of ECUs, and only to any of the ECUs making a response of yes, e.g., having such a memory area, a notification is made when some defect is observed. The internal information is then gathered from the ECU, and in response to an inquiry about the internal information coming from the diagnostic equipment, the ECU forwards back information about yes or no for logging thereto. When the ECU is available for logging, log data that has been periodically accumulated is forwarded back as a response with respect to a retrieval request therefor from the diagnostic equipment.
US08095255B2
In a hybrid vehicle provided with a power dividing mechanism comprising a clutch mechanism, an ECU performs speed-change control. In the control, the ECU performs an engage preparing process if it is necessary to engage clutch plates of the clutch mechanism with each other. In the process, the ECU switches a reference value which is referred in a feedback control for performing a rotation synchronization and a position synchronization for the clutch plates from a calculated value which is calculated from a pulse signal of first rotational sensor mounted the clutch plate to an estimated value which is estimated from a pulse signal of each of second and third rotational sensors for detecting rotational speed of each motor generators if clutch rotational speed as rotational speed corresponding to the clutch plate as an engagement element decreases to less than a criterion value.
