US08235905B2
A method for automatic image optimization in ultrasound imaging of an object is provided. The method includes transmitting a first ultrasound signal into the object, wherein the signal has a plurality of first signal parameters. The method also includes receiving a first set of electrical signals representing reflections of the first ultrasound signals from the object and processing the first set of electrical signals into a first image. The method evaluates an image quality cost function for the first image to produce a first image quality metric and determines a second plurality of signal parameters based upon the first image quality metric. Similarly, the method includes transmitting a second ultrasound signal into the object, wherein the signal has the second plurality of signal parameters and receiving a second set of electrical signals representing reflections of the second ultrasound signal from the object and processing the second set of electrical signals into a second image. The method also includes evaluating an image quality cost function for the second image to produce a second image quality metric. The method further includes comparing the first image quality metric and the second image quality metric to determine whether a maximized image quality metric has been reached and assigning multiple signal parameters that produced the maximized image quality metric as optimum parameters. The method further includes imaging and displaying the object using an ultrasound signal having the optimum parameters.
US08235897B2
In order to increase the accuracy of non-invasive glucose measurement, the device uses a combination of three non-invasive methods: ultrasonic, electromagnetic and thermal. The non-invasive glucose monitor comprises a Main Unit, which drives three different sensor channels (one per technology), located on an external unit configured as an ear clip attached to the subject's ear lobe. To effect the ultrasonic channel, ultrasonic piezo elements are positioned on opposing portions of the ear clip and thus opposite sides of the ear lobe. For implementation of the electromagnetic channel, capacitor plates are positioned on opposing portions of the ear clip and the ear lobe serves as the dielectric. The thermal channel includes a heater and a sensor positioned on the ear clip in close juxtaposition to the ear lobe.
US08235893B2
A scleral depressor designed to better control the globe of the eye is disclosed. In a preferred embodiment, the scleral depressor has a handle and a blade attached to the handle where the blade is a portion of an oblate spheroid. In one embodiment, the blade has an illuminating device. The handle is attached to the blade at an angle or straight in relation to the plane of the handle. In another embodiment, the blade is attached to a thimble. In another embodiment of the invention, the blade has an access hole for simultaneous use of other instruments during examination or surgery. The resulting apparatus has greatly improved control of the eye, effective visualization of the periphery, ease of use for the examiner, and increased comfort for the patient.
US08235889B2
An endoscope comprises: an insertion portion to be inserted into a body cavity; an operation portion provided continuously from a proximal end side of the insertion portion; and a cylinder in which a gas to be fed to the distal end of the insertion portion is compressed and filled, the cylinder being detachably attached to the operation portion.
US08235886B2
An implantable fixation assembly (30) for removably securing a (medical) device in a human body is disclosed. The assembly includes: an anchor portion (1) securable to bone; a pair of spaced apart legs (15), at least one leg (15) being resiliently flexible, the ends (15a) of the legs (15) attached to the anchor portion (1); a clamp portion (2) attached towards or at the ends (15a) of the legs (15); a screw and nut combination having an axis of rotation longitudinal to the legs, the combination operably engaging at least one of the legs (15) so as to pull them together or push them apart thereby actuating the clamp portion (2) to secure the device, wherein the actuating is reversible for selectively gripping and releasing the device.
US08235884B2
An electromagnetic cardiac assembly adapted to assist ventricular output in a human heart includes a magnetic mat adapted for mounting inside a human body near the heart. The mat is made from a material responsive to application of an electromagnetic field so as to be movable into compressive relation with the heart in response to application of the electromagnetic field thereto and movable out of said compressive relation to permit the heart to relax when application of the electromagnetic field is discontinued. The assembly also includes an electromagnetic subassembly adapted for mounting on the human body in functionally cooperative relation with respect to the mat, and an energy dispersion device adapted for mounting between the mat and the heart. The energy dispersion device is constructed and arranged to disperse energy between the mat and the heart.
US08235875B2
A kinetic dumbbell of the present invention includes a handle and two weight devices connected to opposite ends of the handle. Each of the weight devices has an annular channel and at least a ball received in the annular channel. The balls are running in the endless annular channels to provide an extra vibration effect while training with the kinetic dumbbell of the present invention.
US08235874B2
The present invention relates generally to rowing machines, and, more particularly, to such rowing machines with internal environments that duplicate actual Olympic-class rowing shells in terms of both dimensions and appearance, and simulate the specific rowing motion and technique that occurs on the water.
US08235873B1
An exercise apparatus includes a frame configured to rest on a floor surface; left and right cranks rotatably mounted on the frame; left and right first rocker links pivotally mounted on the frame; left and right drawbar links pivotally interconnected between respective cranks and respective first rocker links; left and right second rocker links pivotally mounted on the frame; and left and right foot links supported by respective cranks and respective rocker links. On one embodiment, the second rocker links are selectively pinned to respective first rocker links to configure the apparatus for elliptical striding exercise, and the second rocker links are alternatively pinned to the frame to configure the apparatus for arcuate stepping exercise. On another embodiment, adjustable length members are interconnected between respective second rocker links and respective first rocker links to accommodate variable elliptical striding motion.
US08235845B2
A golf ball is provided having a modified density gradient among the inner layers to produce a desired high or low moment of inertia and controlled spin rate is disclosed. The golf ball has three or more inner layers in addition to a cover, and the density of the inner layers is selected such that the layers inside the cover have a density progression from the core to the cover or from the cover to the core.
US08235844B2
A hollow golf club incorporating a stress reducing feature including a crown located stress reducing feature, located on the crown of the club head, and a sole located stress reducing feature, located on the sole of the club head. The location and size of the stress reducing features, and their relationship to one another, play a significant role in reducing the peak stress seen on the golf club's face during an impact with a golf ball, as well as selectively increasing deflection of the face.
US08235840B2
A golf club (20) having a club head (22) with an interchangeable shaft (40) is disclosed herein. The golf club (20) includes a tube (44, 144) mounted in the club head (22), and a sleeve (46, 146) mounted on a tip end (50) of the shaft (40). The tube (44, 144) includes a tapered portion (60, 160) and a rotation prevention portion (62, 162). The sleeve (46, 146) has a frustoconical portion (72, 172) and a keyed portion (74, 174) that are respectively received in the tapered portion (60, 160) and the rotation prevention portion (62, 162) of the tube (44, 144). The golf club (20) further includes a mechanical fastener (48, 148) for removably securing the shaft (40) to the club head (22).
US08235837B2
A golf club incorporating an interchangeable shaft system includes a shaft, a shaft sleeve, a club head. The shaft sleeve is coupled to an end of the shaft and is received in a hosel included in the club head. The shaft sleeve is removably coupled to the club head. Hosel and shaft sleeve alignment features provide discreet orientations between the shaft and club head.
US08235836B2
A golf club incorporating an interchangeable shaft system includes a shaft, a shaft sleeve, a club head. The shaft sleeve is coupled to an end of the shaft and is received in a hosel included in the club head. The shaft sleeve is removably coupled to the club head. Hosel and shaft sleeve alignment features provide discreet orientations between the shaft and club head.
US08235835B2
A golf club incorporating an interchangeable shaft system includes a shaft and a club head. The shaft is removably coupled to the club head. Hosel and shaft alignment features provide discreet orientations between the shaft and club head. The shaft alignment features and a fastening member are integrated into the construction of the shaft.
US08235834B2
A golf club incorporating an interchangeable shaft system includes a shaft, a shaft sleeve, a club head. The shaft sleeve is coupled to an end of the shaft and is received in a hosel included in the club head. The shaft sleeve is removably coupled to the club head. Hosel and shaft sleeve alignment features provide discreet orientations between the shaft and club head.
US08235832B2
A set of iron clubs where each club in the set has the same or substantially the same ground roll. The set is produced by adjusting at least two club design characteristics of the clubs based upon measured or assumed player swing data. The design characteristics of the clubs include club length, static clubhead loft, location of the center of gravity, shaft flexibility, and groove volume. Preferably, club length and static clubhead loft are adjusted for coarse adjustments, while the other characteristics are used to fine-tune the design.
US08235826B2
Various contact systems and methods for manufacturing and using such are disclosed herein. Examples of the contact systems include a surface with one set of pads biased at a first voltage level, and another set of pads biased at a second voltage level. Such a contact system can be used, for example, to transfer power to an electromechanical device disposed thereon. In one particular example, the electromechanical device can include a power storage element and two or more couplings. When one of the couplings contacts a pad biased at the first voltage level, and another of the couplings contacts a pad biased at the second voltage level, a circuit is completed where some derivative of the differential between the first voltage level and the second voltage level is placed across the power storage element. Completion of the circuit causes the power storage element to charge. Power can be drawn from the power storage element to operate the electromechanical device.
US08235821B2
A casino gaming system is disclosed that provides game play in exchange for monetary input per game played. The gaming system includes a casino game unit in which the casino game unit stores one or more games in electronic form. The casino game unit includes: a display screen for displaying images to a player; a monetary input system for receiving monetary input from a player; one or more player control devices for receiving player input; and a processor, wherein the processor executes game software and processes input from the player. The gaming system further includes computer readable media that stores casino game software in the game unit, and wherein computer readable media includes optically readable media.
US08235817B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide a library of video related to game play involving the use of particular objects. By observing game play of users in a game play environment, determinations may be made as to users who excel at the use of a particular object. Video of game play related to these users and a particular object may be created, cataloged, and stored for later use by users that lack proficiency with that object. By observing video of game players with particular skill as to an object, less skilled players may improve their game play thereby avoiding frustration with a game, which may lead to a loss of interest. Acquisition and proffering of video may be facilitated through the use of an analytics server or functional software module that observes game play and identifies players of particular skill or lack thereof.
US08235809B2
The present invention is a gaming machine for playing a game and paying out an award according to play results, comprising a detector which recognizes a play history of a player, an analyzer which analyzes the play history, a controller which changes a volatility of the game according to the play history, and an initiator which initiates the game with changed volatility.
US08235808B2
A gaming system including a central server linked to a plurality of gaming machines and a plurality of bonus awards. The central server monitors wagers on the gaming machines. Based at least in part on the wagers the central server determines when bonus events will occur and which gaming machine(s) will provide the bonus awards. In one embodiment, the central server determines which gaming machine will provide a primary bonus award and any secondary bonus awards. In one embodiment, the number of secondary bonus awards is determined based on the number of active gaming machines. The selected gaming machine then determines a component of or the amount of the bonus award to be provided to the gaming machine selected by the central server.
US08235806B2
An automated raffle game and method making use of prize pools, the prize pools having elements, the elements representing one of: winning prizes; or, both winning prizes and no-win (0 value) prizes. Raffle tickets are associated with a prize pool. Upon closure of the game, either by a time-out or by number of tickets sold, a number of elements are taken from the pool. The number of elements taken from the pool is directly related to the number of tickets associated with the pool and further depends on which type of pool is being used (one having only win-elements or both win and 0-value elements). The results are sent to the player terminal, where a player may simply take a winning voucher or ticket, or, may chose to view an entertainment display.
US08235804B2
A method of conducting a community-based wagering game event includes the acts of displaying images associated with a community-based wagering game on a surface, sensing a player's movement using a sensing device, the player's movement comprising a game input, and outputting to a controller a signal bearing data relating to the player's movement. The method also includes the acts of determining, using the controller, a relation between the player's movement and the displayed images on the surface and adapting the displayed images responsive to the player's movement.
US08235803B2
An exemplary power manager is adapted to supply power from a power supply to a first component of a gaming machine. The first component consumes a larger amount of current during a second time interval than during a first time interval, where the first component alternates between the first and second time intervals during operation. A rechargeable energy storage device is used to supply a substantial portion of the current to the first component during the second time interval from energy stored in the energy storage device prior to the start of the second time interval. This causes the current supplied from the power supply to the power manager during the second time interval to be less than the total current required by the first component during the second time interval and thus reduces the peak current load of the power supply during the second time interval.
US08235800B2
The system and methods of the present application comprise one or more computers for substantially removing the element of chance in a contest that would normally be on whose outcome would be determined by a mixture of chance and skill. The system comprises one or more computers that interact with a user in order to reduce or eliminate the elements of chance, thereby forcing the contest to obey the law of averages within a finite number of iterations of the contest, thereby reducing variance and increasing the success of skillful players.
US08235796B2
A gaming apparatus and a method of operating the same are disclosed. The gaming apparatus comprises a display configured to display a plurality of reel images and a processor operatively coupled to the display. The processor is operable to determine an arrangement of symbols for each of the reel images before starting each of games, by selecting symbols to be set on symbol stop positions of the reel image from discrete symbol candidates based on selection probabilities associated with the discrete symbol candidates respectively. The processor is also operable to control the display to display the reel images based on the determined arrangement of symbols in response to operation of a player.
US08235784B2
The present invention is directed to a method for presenting a game having a bonus feature. The method includes initiating a game on at least one of a plurality of gaming machines associated with one another and arranged in a circular bank. The gaming machines are monitored to determine whether a triggering event has occurred on any of the plurality of gaming machines. A bonus feature is initiated on all of the plurality of gaming machines in response to the triggering event. The bonus feature play includes activating indicators associated with each gaming machine located around the circular bank, in a sequential order, for a specific amount of time. At the end of the sequence only one gaming machine indicator remains activated, designating a winner of the bonus feature. The winner is awarded a bonus.
US08235776B2
The described method and apparatus pertains namely to the HVAC (Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning) industry, though its many functions extend into any and all forms of air-fluid movement, metering, distribution, and containment. Essentially, the scope of operation of the method and apparatus encompasses all forms of scientific and engineering measurement dealing with fluid dynamics, fluid statics, fluid mechanics, thermal dynamics, and mechanical engineering as they pertain to precise, articulated control of air-fluid distribution and delivery. The described method and apparatus offers complete, comprehensive, and correct utilization of air-fluid movers and terminal devices under unique sensor logic control, from initial lab testing stages through to equipment cataloguing, selection, design and construction of any and all air-fluid distribution systems in entirety, whereas previously there was no such cohesive, total and terminal method of control for these systems or their components.
US08235774B2
A poultry wing portioner is provided for separating poultry wings. The portioner includes a loop conveyor, a wing holder, a circular saw, and driving means for the loop conveyor and the circular saw. The portioner is configured to allow a user to place poultry wings onto the holder, which is conveyed past the circular saw. The circular saw cuts poultry wings into the portions of a drumette, a midwing, and a wingtip.
US08235773B2
A dust-disposal assembly for a machine tool comprises a dust-collection chamber settled in a cutting area of the machine tool and a dust-block board settled on the dust-collection chamber for covering an opening of the dust-collection chamber, wherein the dust-block board serves to retain cutting dust in the dust-collection chamber.
US08235772B2
A method for drilling or cutting a pin surrounded by solid material includes the use of a water jet tool having a nozzle that is arranged at an angle with respect to a main body of the water jet tool. The water jet is directed over a portion of the surface of the pin, and removes that portion thereby fragmenting the pin. In order to minimize damage to the surrounding material, the portions removed touches the interface between the pin and the surrounding solid material at a minimal number of points and over a minimal extent of the interface. The method is applicable in particular to the removal of pins used in a press-fit for the securing of blades on a turbine rotor. The method facilitates “in situ” removal of pins within a confined space in a short time and at reduced cost.
US08235771B2
A method for honing a workpiece by passing a workpiece through a hone tool having a plurality of abrasive surfaces configured to remove a portion of all exterior machining surfaces of the workpiece as it is passed through the hone tool, the exterior machining surfaces being non-uniform and wherein the hone tool is configured to hone all of the exterior machining surfaces simultaneously as workpiece is passed through the hone tool. An assembly for honing a workpiece, the assembly having a plurality of hone tools each having abrasive surfaces configured to remove a portion of exterior non-uniform surfaces of a workpiece pushed through the hone tool, wherein the hone tool is configured to surround the entire periphery of the workpiece being passed therethrough.
US08235770B2
An eyeglass lens processing apparatus includes: a processing tool which processes a peripheral edge of the lens and includes a roughing tool, a beveling tool and a bevel-modifying tool; a selection unit which is used to select a high curve beveling mode for forming a bevel in the lens fitted into a high curve frame having a protrusion portion; a modifying portion data input unit inputs data of a portion to be modified so as to prevent an interference between the lens and the protrusion portion; a calculation unit which obtains bevel-modifying data on the basis of a bevel path and data of the modifying portion; and a processing control portion which performs the beveling to the lens by the beveling tool in accordance with the beveling data, and removes a part of the bevel shoulder and/or the bevel slope by the bevel-modifying tool in accordance with the bevel-modifying data.
US08235752B2
A connector has an inner housing with a cavity for housing a terminal fitting, an outer housing assembled displaceably to the inner housing and a rubber plug. The rubber plug has a sealing portion, a vibration reducing portion and a vibration absorbing portion. The sealing portion is mounted fixedly on a rear end portion of the terminal fitting and is brought into close contact with an inner peripheral surface of the cavity. The vibration reducing portion is fit in a holding hole formed in the outer housing and thus is displaced with the outer housing. The vibration absorbing portion has a smaller thickness than the vibration reducing portion and connects the sealing portion to the vibration reducing portion. The vibration absorbing portion is outside the holding hole and in front of the holding hole.
US08235751B2
Disclosed herein is a coaxial cable interface port locking terminator including an outer terminator housing and an inner connector body housed within the outer terminator housing. The coaxial cable interface port locking terminator further includes a ratcheting device in operable communication with the outer terminator housing and the inner connector body, the ratcheting device preventing rotation of the outer terminator housing with respect to the inner connector body when the outer terminator housing is rotated in the first direction, the ratcheting device including at least one separate component from the outer terminator housing and the inner connector body. Furthermore, rotation of the outer terminator housing in a second direction does not cause rotation of the inner connector body in the second direction.
US08235749B2
An electrical connector is provided for electrically connecting a junction box of a photovoltaic (PV) module to an electrical cable of a power distribution system. The electrical connector includes a housing extending along a central longitudinal axis from a cable segment to a mating segment. The housing has an intermediate segment that extends between the cable and mating segments. The intermediate segment includes a flange. The housing is configured to be mounted to a frame for the PV module. An electrical contact is held by the housing and is configured to establish an electrical connection between the junction box and the electrical cable. A biasing mechanism extends over the intermediate segment of the housing. The biasing mechanism extends from a flange end to a frame end. The flange end is engaged with the flange of the housing. The frame end is configured to engage the frame such that, when the housing is mounted to the frame, the biasing mechanism extends between and exerts a biasing force on the flange and the frame. The housing is movable relative to the frame and along the central longitudinal axis with and against the biasing force of the biasing mechanism.
US08235745B1
An apparatus for remotely releasing a connector, e.g., an RJ-45 connector, is described. Embodiments of the invention allow a user to release a cable comprising a connector from a connector jack when the connector jack is difficult to reach. The invention may be particularly useful to release cables from devices comprising an array of connector jacks.
US08235739B2
An electrical connector comprising a housing provided with an opening through which an FPC is inserted into the housing, a plurality of conductive contacts arranged on the housing for coming into contact with signal connecting terminals on the FPC inserted in the housing, and a conductive shell mounted on the housing and provided therein with a holding member operative to hold the FPC inserted in the housing and a releasing member extending from the holding member to be operative to release the FPC from holding by the holding member, wherein the holding member includes an engaging projection for engaging with an engaging edged portion provided on the FPC inserted in the housing and the releasing member includes a handle portion positioned on the outside of the housing to be handled for causing the engaging projection of the holding member to disengage from the engaging edged portion on the FPC inserted in the housing.
US08235732B2
A high voltage connector for a battery system includes an upper body having a first portion and a second portion. The first portion of the upper body is located internal to a battery system housing and configured to receive at least one contact from the battery system. The second portion is located external to the battery system housing and is configured to receive at least one contact from a vehicle. The high voltage connector also includes a lower body coupled to the upper body and at least one connecting member provided between the upper body and the lower body. The connecting member is configured to conductively connect the contact of the battery system to the contact of the vehicle.
US08235723B2
A flight simulator yoke is provided having a single handle having a handgrip and yoke shaft operable from a left side of a user, wherein a neutral position for the handle is at a 45 degree angle. The yoke may further include two trim axes traverse to each other; and two moveable spring devices. The spring devices are operatively coupled to the trim axes, each spring device having a positive center detent, wherein the positive center detent requires a predetermined amount of force in order to move the yoke along each trim axis. The flight simulator yoke may simulate a yoke of a Cirrus aircraft.
US08235719B2
An endodontic tool is provided to facilitate the removal of the smear layer and to enhance deep lateral cleaning of a root canal system. The tool includes a sonic driven activator which is made from a strong, flexible, non-metallic, and non-cutting material. The activator can be smooth. A snap-on coupler is adapted to attach the tool to a driver via a snap on action and without the use of tools. The driver will vibrate, sonically or ultrasonically, the flexible activator within a root canal of a tooth. The tool can be provided with fluid passages which allow for irrigating reagents to be delivered through the activator and into the root canal space during endodontic procedures.
US08235718B2
The shade system contains a set of dentin/body shades, and a set of enamel and opaque shades that correspond to the dentin/body shades. The system may also include tints and specialty incisals to provide special effects, if necessary.
US08235716B2
The following invention is an apparatus and method for quickly determining the type of bracket implanted on patient's tooth. A radio frequency identification (RFID) microchip is coupled to or in an orthodontic bracket. The bracket or series of brackets are then implanted on the patient's teeth as required. With the RFID in or on the bracket, the orthodontist or staff uses a scanner to read the brackets. The information read by the scanner allows the staff to select the correct corresponding bracket needed for replacement from an inventory. Confirmation of the correct selection is obtained by another scan from another scanner located in the bracket holding device. Not only does this process ensure that the correct replacement bracket is received by the patient, but also provides the orthodontist and staff with a real-time tracking of inventory supply.
US08235708B2
A heater can be configured to operate with either a first fuel at a first pressure or a second fuel at a second pressure and can include an elongated tubular combustion chamber, a first combustion chamber nozzle outlet, a second combuston chamber nozzel outley, and a fluid flow controller. In some embodiments, the fluid flow controller is configured to direct the first fuel to the first combustion chamber nozzle outlet and then to the second combustion chamber nozzle ourlet when the controller is in a first position. In a second position, the fluid flow controller is configured to direct the second fuel to the second combustion chamber nozzle outlet.
US08235700B2
A mold for molding optical fiber connector includes a core pin, a cavity mold and a sprue hole defined on the sidewall of the cavity mold. The core pin is used to mold the blind hole of the optical fiber connector. The cavity mold and the core mold cooperatively define a molding cavity for forming the optical fiber connector. A support block is configured in the molding cavity. The molding cavity includes a lens forming portion used to mold the lens and the support block configures a cutout to support the blind hole forming portion to make the blind hole forming portion align with the lens forming portion during the molding process, the opening of the cutout is towards the sprue hole.
US08235697B2
An injection-molding device includes at least first and second mould parts, defining a mould cavity, wherein at least one of the mould parts includes a heating device, for heating the mould part in the vicinity of a mould cavity surface, the heating device includes an inductive coil having a plurality of windings and being powered by an oscillator. The heating device further comprises a thin top member, which functions as a susceptor for electromagnetic energy emitted by the inductive coil, which is placed in grooves in a carrier member. An intermediate member is placed between the top member and the carrier member. The intermediate member does not function as a susceptor to any grater extent, but provides mechanical stability while allowing the heat generation to be concentrated to the top member.
US08235692B2
A nozzle structure is mounted in a compression molding machine that compresses using a punch a powder material filled in a die to manufacture a compressively molded product, and sprays a lubricant at least toward a tip of the punch prior to filling the powder material and includes a guide path that guides the lubricant, and a spraying portion that is provided at an end of the guide path so as to communicate therewith and that sprays the lubricant guided along the guide path so as to be substantially aligned with a predetermined straight line intersecting at least in a direction of relative displacement of the punch.
US08235688B2
A fan includes a bracket, a stator, and a rotor. The bracket includes a tray, and a frame circling the tray. The stator is mounted to the tray and circled by the frame. The rotor includes a shaft, and a shell covering the stator. The rotor shell includes a top board, and a cylindrical hollow sleeve extending down perpendicularly from the top board. The shaft extends down perpendicularly from a center of the top board, and is rotatably mounted to the stator. A lower portion of the sleeve bounds a circumference of the tray. An assembly clearance is formed between the lower portion of the sleeve and the tray.
US08235685B2
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are directed towards an apparatus and method for fluidly coupling a turbocharger to an internal combustion engine. In one embodiment, a turbocharger mount for fluidly coupling a turbocharger to an exhaust system of an engine is provided. The turbocharger mount includes a housing portion and a mounting flange extending from the housing portion. The housing portion defines a cavity therein and a first inlet opening in fluid communication with the cavity, a first outlet opening in fluid communication with the cavity, and a second outlet opening in fluid communication with the cavity.
US08235680B2
A radial cylinder hydraulic motor having continuously variable displacement capabilities includes: oscillating hydraulic cylinders which are driven to oscillate through an eccentric crankpin formed on the motor shaft and carrying a radially movable ring adapted to be shifted along the radial direction of the crankpin by actuation of opposed counteracting hydraulic cylinders housed within the crankpin; a hydraulic control circuit for controlling and adjusting the positions of said counteracting hydraulic cylinders in a continuous manner; an electronic control circuit adapted to control the hydraulic control circuit and process signals from at least one position sensor arranged to detect the positions of said oscillating cylinders; a rotary joint for hydraulic conduits through which said counteracting hydraulic cylinders are controlled and adjusted.
US08235672B2
A fan includes a hub and a plurality of blades formed on the hub with a rake angle. In an axial direction of the hub, no part of a trailing edge of any of the blades is disposed past an air outlet end of the hub at more than a distance approximately equal to 25% of a diameter of the hub.
US08235669B2
A hydraulic turbine has a runner blade fixedly mounted to a runner hub. The runner blade has a mounting flange having a generally rectangular shape held in contact with a complementary generally rectangular shaped outside surface portion of the runner hub. The complementary rectangular shapes increases surface contact area between the blade mounting flange and the hub over that of circular shaped flanges and thereby reduces the stress levels between the blade flange and the hub. Further, the surface contact area between the blade mounting flange and the blade root is increased to thereby reduce the stress level in the blade root fillets.
US08235644B2
A personal mobility vehicle lift mounted to the rear portion of a vehicle to transport a personal mobility vehicle from location to location comprising a platform assembly configured to support a personal mobility vehicle thereon operatively coupled to a lift assembly to selectively raise and lower the platform assembly with or without a personal mobility vehicle thereon and a mount assembly coupled to the lift assembly to mount the personal mobility vehicle lift to the rear portion of a vehicle.
US08235638B2
A auxiliary constructional component includes a base member (11), a guide section (12) for a fastening element (30) and projecting from the base member (11), and a feeler element (20) displaceably supported on the base member (11) for displacement along an attachment axis (A) defined by a through-opening (13) formed in the guide section (12), having at least one, radially spaced from the through-opening (13), placement surface (21) for a press-on feeler (42) of a setting tool, and projecting in an initial position of the feeler element (20) beyond a side of the base member (11) remote from the guide section (12).
US08235633B2
The inventive subject matter relates to novel tie down devices for securing a vehicle to a surface. In one preferred aspect of the inventive subject matter, the vehicle is secured during transport. The inventive apparatus may be used to secure a variety of vehicles having at least one generally rigid, elongated member, such as handlebars or a tubular frame member, to which the device is attached.
US08235632B2
A deflector is configured for use with a cargo bag filling valve. The filling valve has an upstanding portion that extends a distance beyond a surface of the cargo bag. The valve has a diameter and has a compressed gas inlet configured for engagement with a compressed gas inflation nozzle. The deflector has an inclined wall defining a base and an upper portion. The base is defined by an outer periphery of the inclined wall. The inclined wall defines a height. A well is defined at an inner portion, radially inward of the base. The well has a depth that is less than or equal to the height defined by the inclined wall. The well has a bore therein about equal to or slightly less than the diameter of the valve. A flange is formed at an inner periphery of the well.
US08235629B2
A submerged buoyant floating platform with blocked vertical thrust. Above the platform an electrolyser may be placed inside a hollow container. Under the platform may be a hollow container filled with ballast, connected by pipes or chains to the outer ring of the platform which provide rigidity to the entire structure. A storage tank for the hydrogen produced by the electrolyser may be attached to the hollow container. The entire structure may be anchored with chains attached to bottom weights sitting on the ocean floor. The structure may be used as a support for a tower including a wind turbine. Additional chains attached to the structure bottom weights on the sea floor may link the structure to an aquaculture facility and to floats which hold the cages used in aquaculture. The floats may be linked to additional bottom weights placed on the sea floor.
US08235626B2
A dry setting installation (1) for generating a substantially dry working space for carrying out work at an underwater structure. The dry setting installation (1) has two side-walls (2), a back wall (3) and a bottom (4) thus forming a cofferdam. The dry setting installation furthermore has, for each side-wall, a side edge sealing (20) provided on the side-wall (2) edge for providing a substantially sealing contact between the side-walls (2) and the underwater structure. The dry setting installation also has a distance variation system (30) for varying the distance between the side edge sealing system (20) of the two side-walls (2).
US08235625B1
A water-ballasted barrier system incorporates a concave reflective design, wherein outer walls of the barrier segment are configured in a concave manner. The concave section is designed to prevent the tire of a vehicle, impacting the barrier, from climbing up the side of the barrier segment, by pocketing the tire in the curved center portion of the barrier wall. Adjacent barrier segments are attached together using an interlocking knuckle design, having a lug pin connection system. In some embodiments, wire rope cable is internally molded into each barrier segment to strengthen the barrier system.
US08235620B2
Applicators for fluids such as paints utilizing a roller are known and more recently utilization of an incrementally displaceable piston in order to force fluid flow to a roller has been disclosed. In order to ensure appropriate presentation of the fluid, that is to say paint, to the roller an appropriate gap between the roller and the housing is required. By position of a cam and/or flap control of a housing to roller gap is achieved.
US08235612B2
A printing apparatus includes a multifeed sensor to detect whether printing paper sheets are multifed, a measuring unit to measure an interval between the multifed paper sheets, if the multifeed sensor detects that the printing paper sheets are multifed, and a control unit to delay printing using the measured interval so that a lastly fed printing paper sheet is printed. As a result, a printing error due to multifeed of two or more printing paper sheets can be avoided.
US08235607B2
A camera module includes a substrate, a holder, and a dustproof member. The holder is mounted on the substrate. The holder also defines an air vent. The dustproof member includes a permeable portion. The permeable portion is made of air-permeable material. The permeable portion shields the air vent. The dustproof member can also be made of a porous material plugging the air vent.
US08235585B2
A device for fastening a wrist strap, in particular a watch strap, to a case, in particular to a watch case, the device having a linking member, to one end of which a strap end member of the wrist strap can be fastened and the other end of which can be fastened to a wrist strap pin attached laterally to said case. The linking member has at the bottom thereof an indentation which is appreciably elbowed in longitudinal section and opens into a groove which is suitable for receiving the wrist strap pin and is oriented transversely to the longitudinal axis of the wrist strap. A securing element, which is biased against said case and has an interlocking projection located therein, is arranged on the linking member in such a way that the securing element can assume two positions. In a first, secured position, the wrist strap pin is positioned in the groove in the linking member and the securing element prevents the linking member or the wrist strap from becoming detached from the wrist strap pin or from the case by means of the cooperation of said interlocking projection with the case. In a second, opened position, the wrist strap pin can be guided out of or into said groove.
US08235583B2
The invention relates to a mixing blade (6) consisting, of a base part (15) fixable to a shaft and a removable wearable element (12). The aim of said invention is to develop a more economical mixing blade. For this purpose, the wearable element (12) and the base part (15) overlap on at least 30% of the base part length and define different cross-sections of the mixing blade (6) in said area.
US08235574B2
In a light emitting device, LEDs are arranged in a line on a film which is provided with a conductor. The conductor connects the LEDs to a connector. The film is bent at a division line between a region where the LEDs are arranged and a region where the conductor is formed, and disposed on the inner surface of a reflector. A reflective material is arranged on a surface of the conductor region which faces to the LEDs.
US08235570B2
A vehicle headlamp is provided with: a main reflector having a convergent reflecting surface; a semiconductor-type light source; a projecting lens; an auxiliary reflector having a parabolic reflecting surface; a shade and a light shading member that are structured integrally with each other; and a switching device. By means of the switching device, the shade and light shading member, which are structured integrally with each other, are switched and positioned in a first location and a second location, thereby allowing light distribution patterns for high and low beams to be switched and illuminated toward a forward direction of a vehicle. As a result, the vehicle headlamp becomes capable of achieving downsizing, weight reduction, power saving, and cost reduction.
US08235569B2
The invention provides a light assembly to enable various light functions, such as braking lights, tail lights, license plate lights, flashers, etc., using LEDs that consume low power and have a long service life. The LEDs are located on a single, two-sided printed circuit board (PCB), which reduces the assembly costs and the size of tail light, as well as the complexity of assembly.
US08235565B2
A vehicular lamp includes a first aiming mechanism and a second aiming mechanism that enable a lamp unit to be assembled to a vehicle body from the outside or the inside. The lamp body includes a pair of first vertical tilt axis structural members that are provided on a rear portion and engage with the vehicle body tiltably around a first horizontal tilt axis, and a pair of second vertical tilt axis structural members that are provided on both left and right sides and retained tiltably around a second horizontal tilt axis with respect to the vehicle body. The first aiming mechanism has a first optical axis adjusting portion that tilts the lamp unit around the first horizontal tilt axis via an aiming screw. The second aiming mechanism has a second optical axis adjusting portion that tilts the lamp unit around the second horizontal tilt axis via an aiming screw.
US08235558B1
An artificial candle has a delicate glowing shroud or sock that can flutter like a candle flame, and the shroud may surround a “wick” that can be seen through the shroud to glow. Such a diaphanous shroud can be actuated by a fan, air pump, solenoid or conductor, which can be provided adjacent to the shroud or distanced from the shroud, for example in a central body of a chandelier. The wick may be lighted by a light emitting diode (LED), and the shroud can include fluorescent material that absorbs and reradiates some of the light from the wick. The wick and the shroud can be coupled to a shaft that simulates a wax candle body. A standard threaded fitting can be provided so that the artificial candle can thread into a socket to replace a light bulb.
US08235552B1
A portable battery-powered device comprises a lamp unit pivotably attached to a front side of a housing. A radio unit is disposed within the housing. At least one speaker is electrically coupled to the radio unit and is disposed on the front side of the housing such that the lamp unit and the speaker face the same direction. A battery pack holder is disposed on a bottom side of the housing and is configured to retain a rechargeable battery pack.
US08235551B2
A light-emitting diode (LED) module and an LED packaging method. As the LED module is packaged under the consideration of candela distribution, each of the lead frames of the LED chips packaged in the LED module is bended for tilting the LED chips by different angles to exhibit various lighting effects. Meanwhile, in the LED packaging method, a plurality of LED chips can be loaded on board rapidly and aligned by one operation to result in less deviation in the candela distribution curve.
US08235549B2
A solid state lighting assembly includes a socket having a base wall having a first side and a second side, and a first cavity outward of the first side and a second cavity outward of the second side. Contacts are held by the base wall. The contacts have mating fingers extending into the first and second cavities. A lighting printed circuit board (PCB) is removably positioned within the first cavity with at least one lighting component configured to be powered when electrically connected to corresponding mating fingers of the contacts. The lighting PCB is initially loaded into the first cavity in an unmated position and moved in the first cavity to a mated position. A driver PCB is positioned within the second cavity and is electrically connected to corresponding mating fingers of the contacts. The driver PCB has a power circuit configured to supply power to the lighting PCB when electrically connected to the contacts.
US08235538B2
An LED device with high color-rendering index includes a substrate; three white light units arranged on the substrate, each of the white light units being an LED element that combines a blue light chip with fluorescent glue to produce a mixed light; and a red light unit arranged on the substrate among the three white light units and being an LED element that combines a red light chip with fluorescent powder to produced a mixed light. With the specific arrangement of positioning the red light unit among three white light units, a mixed light produced by the LED device is a visually comfortable warm white light with high color-rendering index. Therefore, the LED device can be used in an environment where a large quantity of LEDs are needed, so largely reduces the users' eye discomfort.
US08235531B2
A laser projection system comprising a laser source system configured to emit coherent light, an optical integrating system configured to uniformize coherent light it receives, a randomizing optical element configured to spatially move over time in order to temporally randomize the phase, angle or spatial location of coherent light it receives, an image forming system configured to interact with laser light that has been both uniformized by the optical integrating system and randomized by the randomizing optical element, thereby forming a laser light image, and a projection system configured to project the laser light image onto a viewing screen.
US08235529B1
Methods and systems for unlocking a screen using eye tracking information are described. A computing system may include a display screen. The computing system may be in a locked mode of operation after a period of inactivity by a user. Locked mode of operation may include a locked screen and reduced functionality of the computing system. The user may attempt to unlock the screen. The computing system may generate a display of a moving object on the display screen of the computing system. An eye tracking system may be coupled to the computing system. The eye tracking system may track eye movement of the user. The computing system may determine that a path associated with the eye movement of the user substantially matches a path associated with the moving object on the display and switch to be in an unlocked mode of operation including unlocking the screen.
US08235516B2
A method to improve the image of a printed barcode by enhancing coverage of the print pixels within solid printed areas to improve the print uniformity and decrease the graininess of the typical ink jet printing by dissolving a small percentage of the colorant and distributing more uniformly. The parameter improved by the invention is the graininess or uniformity of coverage. The contrast ratio within barcode data elements can be also improved without causing unwanted image bleed into unintended areas. Hence, the printed barcode will contain more clearly defined printed and non printed areas to enable the barcode to be accurately read. The invention prevents also unwanted bleeding in areas where it could lower the quality of the printed material by avoiding application of enhanced coverage facilitators when desired white space is identified within a minimum distance.
US08235510B2
An ink cartridge apparatus for continuously supplying ink is provided, including a connection device, an exposed chip socket and a filtering device on an ink cartridge main body. The connection device is for connecting to an ink bottle and the filtering device is for filtering the impurity from the ink flowing from the ink bottle into ink cartridge main body. The exposed chip socket is for the user to replace the chip more conveniently. With the ink supply mechanism of ink bottle into ink cartridge main body, the ink cartridge main body can maintain good ink quality and when the threshold set by the chip is exceeded, the replacement of the chip can be done without removing the entire ink cartridge from the printer so as to achieve the object of continuously supplying ink.
US08235507B2
A droplet ejection head provided with a piezoelectric actuator made by using a KNbO3—NaNbO3 piezoelectric porcelain composition which exhibits a larger piezoelectric constant than those of conventional ones and does not have any secondary phase transition point in the neighborhood of room temperature (from 10 to 40° C.) and which is suitable for use in the piezoelectric actuator of a droplet ejection head, that is, a droplet ejection head characterized by being provided with a piezoelectric actuator made by using a piezoelectric porcelain composition represented by the general formula: (1−y−z−w)(KxNa1-x)NbO3+yLiNbO3+zSrTiO3+wBiFeO3, wherein (KxNa1-x)NbO3 represents potassium sodium niobate; LiNbO3 represents lithium niobate; SrTiO3 represents strontium titanate; and BiFeO3 represents bismuth ferrate; with the proviso that 0.4
US08235505B2
A liquid dispenser includes a liquid supply channel, a liquid dispensing channel that includes an outlet opening, and a liquid return channel that includes a porous member located therein. A liquid supply provides liquid under pressure from the liquid supply channel through the liquid dispensing channel to the liquid return channel. A diverter member is selectively actuatable to divert a portion of the liquid toward outlet opening of the liquid dispensing channel.
US08235503B2
A semiconductor element substrate includes an electrode pad; a semiconductor element; and a connection heater for heating the electrode pad, wherein the connection heater is disposed in a range capable of heating the electrode pad up to a level capable of electrical connection.
US08235501B2
A liquid ejecting head unit includes: a plurality of liquid ejecting heads, each of which has a nozzle array in which nozzles ejecting liquid droplets are arrayed; a base plate to which the plurality of liquid ejecting heads are fixed in a state being positioned at predetermined positions thereof; and positioning pins which are fixed to the base plate and engaged with positioning holes formed in the liquid ejecting heads. Each of the positioning pins is held in a holding hole provided in a fixing plate fixed to the base plate. A reference plate is joined to a surface of each of the fixing plates. Further, in each of the reference plates, there are provided: an insertion hole in which the positioning pin is substantially inscribed; and a minute hole that serves as a reference for positioning the positioning pin to the base plate.
US08235498B2
A push latch cam is provided so as to be rotatable integrally with a intermittence gear, a cam driving gear for rotating a wiper support member cam rotates in connection with the rotation of the intermittence gear, and in a range in which the intermittence gear is engaged with a planetary gear, so that the intermittence gear can be rotated, a rotation range of the intermittence gear capable of opening and closing a atmosphere opening valve by the push latch mechanism and a rotation range of the intermittence gear in which the wiper is displaced by the rotation of the wiper support member cam are set in non-overlapped positions.
US08235490B2
A method is disclosed. The method includes performing a first print pass to print a first data point on a medium using a first set of ink jet nozzles and performing a second print pass to print the first data point on the medium with a second set of ink jet nozzles.
US08235485B2
The present invention prevents an element substrate from not operating normally in the case where the voltage supply from a power supply that applies a voltage to a logic circuit is unstable. The element substrate of the invention has unit for applying a first voltage to the logic circuit, and unit capable of applying a second voltage that is lower than the first voltage and capable of operating the logic circuit.
US08235484B2
A web press printer includes a printbar supporting an array of printheads extending across a media web. The printbar includes a support member coupled to the printbar via one or more biasing mechanisms to locally counteract a deflection of the printbar at a location of one or more of the respective printheads along the printbar.
US08235481B2
An inkjet recording head includes a connection-state output circuit provided on the recording element substrate of a recording head, where the connection-state output circuit externally transmits data of the connection state of each of input signal ends. An output from the connection-state output circuit is activated when the same logic as that used when signals are pulled up and/or pulled down is used.
US08235474B2
An electric disk brake that prevents uneven abrasion of a disk rotor when the brake is not in operation. Rotation of an electric motor is slowed down by a differential speed reducing mechanism, and is converted to linear motion of a piston by a ball ramp mechanism. When the brake is not in operation, the piston is retracted by reverse rotation of the electric motor so that a predetermined pad clearance is maintained. When the brake is not in operation, a pad-retracting-control electric current is supplied to the electric motor so that the piston is biased backward while being maintained in one position. When the brake is not in operation, contact of the disk rotor with the brake pads due to runout of the disk rotor triggers smooth retracting of the piston, thereby preventing uneven abrasion of the disk rotor.
US08235472B2
A braking system for a motorcycle includes a pressure regulating unit interposed between hydraulic pressure generating unit and a wheel brake, a control unit which controls operation of the pressure regulating unit so as to regulate hydraulic pressure outputted from the hydraulic pressure generating unit and exert the regulated pressure on the wheel brake, a support fixing the pressure regulating unit to an engine body mounted on a body frame of the motorcycle, and an elastic member disposed between the support and the pressure regulating unit for reducing or preventing vibration of the engine body being transmitted to the pressure regulating unit.
US08235470B2
An apparatus for mining a mineral seam, comprising a motor, and a cutting drum carried on the frame for winning aggregate material from the mineral seam. The cutting drum encloses the motor, and a gear case drivingly connected between the motor and the cutting drum transmits power from the motor to the cutting drum. The gear case is also enclosed within the cutting drum.
US08235464B2
Seat to accommodate a child in a vehicle, the seat being adapted for secure connection to the vehicle e.g. to a conventional forward facing vehicle seat for an adult; the seat having a support portion (10) on which a child may sit, a rear portion (11) configured to restrict movements of the back of the child, and a headrest (12) configured to restrict movements of the back of the head of the child, in which a first upright member (15) is connected to a rear part of [or a rear extension to] the support portion (10) and a second upright member (16) is connected to a rear part of [or a rear extension to] the headrest (12), the upright members (15 and 16) being parallel to each other, and in which there is adjustment means to adjust the relative position of the headrest with respect to the support portion, the adjustment means comprising a rotary member (19) rotatable about a horizontal axis fixed with respect to the rear portion (11), the rotary member (19) having grips (27, 28) at its ends projecting sideways from the support portion within or behind the support portion and projecting detents (21,22) between the grips, the detents (21, 22) being arranged to engage facing slots (15a and 16a) of identical pitch apart in the first and second upright members, the arrangement being such that when the rotary member (19) is turned by the grips (27, 28), the rear portion (11) is raised by the pitch of the slots (15a and 16a), and the headrest (12) is raised by twice the pitch of the slots.
US08235462B2
In one aspect, the present invention provides a ventilated seat with a valve sheet having one or more valve assemblies. The valve sheet maybe on a frame of the seat. The valve assemblies open in response to a force such as a force applied by an individual occupying the seat. In another aspect, the present invention provides a method of thermally regulating a seat by occupying a seat with a valve sheet. By occupying the seat one or more valves assemblies open air moving though the open valve assemblies thermally regulates the seat.
US08235452B2
A window assembly for a vehicle includes a window panel comprising inner and outer surfaces terminating at a peripheral edge, An attachment member is adhesively bonded to the window panel at a mounting area of the inner surface by a layer of cured adhesive. The attachment member is a generally S-shaped metallic attachment member having a panel attachment flange, a vehicle attachment flange, and a leg disposed between the flanges and spacing the panel attachment flange from the vehicle attachment flange. The panel attachment flange is configured to conform to the inner surface of the window panel at the mounting area. A fastener at the vehicle attachment flange attaches the vehicle attachment flange to the vehicle to mount the window assembly at the vehicle. The fastener protrudes from the vehicle attachment flange and generally away from the panel attachment flange and the window panel.
US08235446B2
A folding vehicle seat is adapted to be stored on a first portion of a vehicle body floor and retained on the first portion by a retaining belt arrangement which includes a belt attached at its lower end to a vertical wall extending upward from the floor and a hook attached to an upper end of the belt. The upper end is inserted through a ring attached to the wall. The seat includes a seat cushion pivotally supported on a second portion of the floor and a seat back pivotally supported by the cushion, the cushion and back being adapted to be put together as a single body which is adapted to be pivoted from the second portion toward the first portion and has an engagement mechanism with which the hook is adapted to be engaged at the time when the body is stored on the first portion.
US08235445B2
A vehicle is provided with on-demand seating to allow maximum cargo space in the passenger compartment when the seats are not needed. The seating is lightweight and compact, maximizing available cargo space and minimizing mass and fuel economy impact. The flexible seat may be stowed within body structure defining the passenger compartment, such as side trim panels or a vehicle floor. The body structure supports the flexible seat in a deployed position in which the flexible seat extends from the body structure into the passenger compartment. Roller mechanisms mounted within the body structure allow the seat to extend and retract from the passenger compartment. The seats may be inflatable, and may include pneumatic foam.
US08235435B2
A handle for a kitchen utensil or the like includes a hand gripping section having a rearward push/pull valley with a varying, substantially elliptical cross-section that forms a floor, a push slope tapering up and forward from the floor, and a pull slope tapering up and back from the floor. The radial cross-sectional area of an end of the pull slope and a radial cross-sectional area of an end of the push slope each are substantially larger than a radial cross-sectional area of the floor. The handle section further includes a ring stop section disposed forward of the push/pull valley with one or more concentric rings extending above a surface of the handle member. The kitchen utensil includes a blade mating section disposed forward of the handle section and configured to receive a blade.
US08235431B2
A door furniture mounting assembly (10, 10′) including a relatively smaller rosette (12) with a handle side and a door side. The door side of the rosette (12) includes at least one exterior recess (24) adapted for rotational and axial engagement with at least one inwardly extending protuberance (32) on the door side of a relatively larger rosette sleeve (30).
US08235430B2
A window vent stop for use in a sliding sash window assembly or a sliding door assembly. The vent stop has a housing adapted to be disposed in a recess in the non-movable sash member. This housing includes a cavity with a bottom plate therein. The tumbler has at least one pivot for pivotally securing the tumbler to the housing for movement between an extended position, to prevent movement of the sliding member and a retracted position, to allow movement of the sliding member. Also within the housing is a spring for biasing the tumbler. The housing has one or more flexible members extending from the end walls of the housing that secure the housing to an opening in a window sash when a portion of the window sash is positioned between the underside of a lip on said housing and the flexible member.
US08235429B2
A fixing base is suitable to fix an electronic device having a locking hole. The fixing base includes a housing, a driving structure and a cam. The electronic device is suitable to be held in the housing. The driving structure is provided through the housing, and the cam is disposed in the housing. The cam has a hook, and the driving structure is fixedly connected to the cam. When the driving structure drives the cam to rotate, the hook is locked to the locking hole.
US08235423B2
An integrated pole-to-ski coupling arrangement that provides coupling formations on a ski pole and ski that releasably connect the pole and ski to create a unitary ski-pole combination that leaves the rear tail of the ski clear and unencumbered. A pole coupling formation may be placed on either the shaft or the grip of the pole, and a ski coupling formation may be placed on the boot bindings or attachments thereto. Optionally, the surface formation of the boot bindings may be employed as ski coupling formations. Multiple pole and ski coupling formations allow for a secure and rigid connection.
US08235416B2
In or for a vehicle, an arrangement for measuring weight of an occupant of a seat connected to a floor of the vehicle via a slide mechanism, the floor, in part, defining a passenger compartment of the vehicle. A support structure extends between the slide mechanism and the seat. A force sensing device is coupled to the support structure and configured for measuring force in the support structure indicative of weight applied by the occupant to the seat. The weight may be used for component control.
US08235415B2
Textile gas guides adapted for use with inflatable cushions and airbag systems are configured to be formed in a manner that reduces or eliminates the need for specialized equipment during manufacturing, and to be sufficiently reinforced to withstand damage during use. Such textile gas guides may comprise a second edge of a first fabric member overlapping and coupled with a shear seam to a portion of a third edge of a second fabric member. The third edge and a fourth edge of the second fabric member may be coupled together with a second seam sewed through the two edges of the second fabric member. The second fabric member at least substantially encompasses the first fabric member. Airbag systems employing such textile gas guides may include at least one inflatable cushion, a portion of which is coupled to the textile gas guide.
US08235402B2
A coupling device of a transport cart, through which the transport cart can be coupled to a structure of a supply panel for medical applications, wherein the supply panel can be positioned through a ceiling mount. The coupling device has a first and a second jaw that can be coupled to the structure of the supply panel, wherein, in order to couple the transport cart to the structure, the first jaw, via a first latching device, and the second jaw, via a second latching device, can be locked into a closed position (FIG. 6) from a stopped, uncoupled open position upon mechanical pressure contact with the structure.
US08235398B2
A method of operating a leaning vehicle is described. The method includes: determining a steering torque exerted on a steering assembly; determining a speed of travel of the vehicle; determining a leaning angle of a frame of the vehicle with respect to a reference angle; and exerting a leaning torque on the frame relative to a pivotable frame member about a pivot axis in a first direction using an actuator in response to a steering torque exerted on the steering assembly in a second direction opposite the first direction when a speed of travel of the vehicle is above a threshold speed, thereby causing the vehicle to turn in the first direction.
US08235386B1
A sheet processing system, comprising a number of drums for processing sheets, one of the drums comprising a seam area and a non-seam area, a gap between the drums, an actuator for displacing one of the drums for setting the gap, a manager, comprising a memory and a processor, that regulates the actuator current when the non-seam area passes through a nip so as to maintain a nip pressure, and signals the actuator to adjust the gap according to a predetermined gap setpoint profile when the seam area passes through the nip.
US08235379B2
The present invention relates to a media separating device of an automatic media dispenser. According to the present invention, when a skew of a medium is detected when the medium is separated and conveyed, a pick-up bracket mounted with a pick-up roller is rotated in a direction away from the push plate, so that the pick-up bracket is separated from the medium which is ready to be received in the media box.
US08235377B2
A mailpiece unstacker device comprises a feed magazine for moving the mailpieces in a stack and on edge in a certain direction towards an unstacker head. It is provided with materials sensors for delivering signals indicating that a current mailpiece has a cover made of a plastics material and/or includes a metal material. A control unit forces the feed magazine and the unstacker head to operate as a function of the signals generated by the sensors so that the mailpieces are presented facing the unstacker head in positions that are inclined backwards to various extents.
US08235373B2
A multiplex gathering device is provided. The multiplex gathering device includes a first gatherer forming first gathered printed products on a first finishing line, the first finishing line having a trimmer and a second gatherer forming a second gathered printed products on a second finishing line, the second finishing line having a second trimmer. The multiplex gathering device also includes a collecting device which combines the first and second gathered printed products together, a first transporter transporting the first gathered products from the first line to the collecting device and a second transporter transporting the second gathered products from the second line to the collecting device. At least one controller is provided for the multiplex gathering device for controlling the first gatherer and second gatherer and for collecting the first and second printing products in a controlled manner on the collecting device.A method for a multiplex gathering device is also provided.
US08235372B2
A web guiding apparatus is provided. The web guiding apparatus includes an angle bar and an angle bar support supporting the angle bar. The angle bar support has a first end portion and a second end portion. The web guiding apparatus also includes a first actuator coupled to the angle bar support for moving the first end portion along a vertical axis and a second actuator coupled to the angle bar support for moving the second end portion along a horizontal axis. A folder for a printing press is also provided.
US08235367B2
An apparatus and associated method are provided for positioning a workpiece. A workpiece positioner has a fixed base, and a support member is connected to the base by a joint that permits selectively articulating the support member with respect to the base. A plate defines a feature sized for operably supporting the workpiece. A connector is used to connect the plate to the support member. The connector fixes the plate in articulation with the support member so that a selected articulation of the support member with respect to the base defines a corresponding plane in which the plate is disposed. The connector also permits sliding movement of the plate in any direction within the corresponding plane to orient the workpiece in a desired position.
US08235361B2
A structured packing for a reactor is formed from a metal sheet to promote heat and mass transfer near the wall of the reactor. The structured packing causes lateral flow of fluids flowing through the packing such that jet impingement of at least one reactor wall is promoted. The packing may be used in a cylindrical, annular or plate-type reactor, e.g., a catalytic reactor, or a heat exchanger.
US08235359B2
Crash attenuator guardrail apparatus includes an impact head and a backstop having a cable and guardrails supported by guardrail supports located between the impact head and the backstop. Frictional forces are applied to the cable to control and resist movement of the impact head toward the backstop and provide lateral resistance. The guardrail supports include a base having break away structure and brace members having bends and which shorten or lengthen to absorb energy resulting from vehicle impact.
US08235358B2
A cord aligning device formed with a plurality of guide holes allowing cords to be separately inserted therethrough is provided. Each of the guide holes includes a feed port into which a cord is fed, a delivery port from which the cord is delivered, an introducing portion provided continuously with the feed port, and a delivery portion provided between the introducing portion and the delivery port. The introducing portion is formed such that the area of a cross-section vertical to a centerline thereof is reduced gradually toward the delivery portion from the feed port, the area of a cross-section of the delivery portion vertical to a centerline thereof is uniform along the centerline over its total length, and the delivery portion is formed in a linear fashion. Moreover, the delivery portions of the plurality of guide holes are juxtaposed in a predetermined direction so as to form rows parallel to each other.
US08235357B2
A valve gear in which corrosion due to a potential difference does not occur and which can reduce the corrosion occurrence even when loads due to microvibrations are given. The valve gear includes a valve stem and a valve bush that slidably supports the valve stem. The valve stem is formed from a forged part made of a Ni-based superalloy and the valve bush is formed from a cast part made of a Ni-based superalloy. The preferable surface roughness of a sliding surface of the valve stem in contact with the valve bush and the preferable surface roughness of a sliding surface of the valve bush in contact with the valve stem is 100 μM or less in units of Rz.
US08235350B2
A hydraulic unit support structure includes a bracket (40) having a slot (50) and seat surfaces formed around the slot, and a shock-absorbing member (70) attached to the hydraulic unit (10). The shock-absorbing member (70) is fitted into the slot (50) of the bracket so that the hydraulic unit is supported on the bracket by the shock-absorbing member. The shock-absorbing member has a small-diameter portion (74) inserted into the slot of the bracket and large-diameter portions (76, 78) making contact with the seat surfaces of the bracket around the slot. The slot of the bracket has an insertion-fit region (52) formed at one end of the slot in the long-axis direction and a reduced width region formed at a position spaced apart from the one end in the long-axis direction by a distance substantially equal to the diameter of the small-diameter portion.
US08235345B2
Gas turbine engine systems and related methods involving thermally isolated retention are provided. In this regard, a representative method for attaching a gas turbine engine component includes using a fastener, varying in diameter along a length thereof, to prevent a portion of a component from being crimped between surfaces to which the component is attached such that the component moves relative to the surfaces responsive to thermal cycling of a gas turbine engine of which the surfaces and the component are constituent parts.
US08235342B2
A mounting system for an interface such as a flat panel display such as a computer monitor or television allows the display to be pivoted about a virtual pivot axis which passes through a center of gravity of the display. The system includes a support which is connected directly or indirectly to a support surface and a mount which is connected to a back side of the display. The support and the mount are slidable with respect to one another through an arc which has the virtual pivot axis as its center.
US08235328B2
Embodiments of the invention relate to a flight control system for controlling an aircraft during flight. The flight control system may include a primary controller configured to receive an input from a pilot and to output a primary control signal and a primary transmission path connected to the primary controller and configured to relay the primary control signal. The flight control system may also include a backup controller configured to receive the input from the pilot and to output a backup control signal and a backup transmission path connected to the backup controller and configured to relay the backup control signal. Additionally, the flight control system may include an actuator having a remote electronics unit configured to receive the primary control signal and the backup control signal and to determine if the primary control signal is available and valid. The remote electronics unit may be configured to output an actuator command based on the primary control signal if the primary control signal is available and valid and to output the actuator command based on the backup control signal if the primary control signal is unavailable or invalid.
US08235327B2
Adjustable servomechanism assemblies and associated systems and methods are disclosed herein. An unmanned aircraft system in accordance with one embodiment of the disclosure includes a movable mechanism and a servomechanism assembly operably coupled to the movable mechanism. The system also includes an interface assembly operably coupled to an output shaft of the servo and the movable mechanism. The interface assembly includes an adapter portion carried by the output shaft and an output arm releasably engaged with the adapter portion. The adapter portion includes a first aperture having a non-round surface mated with a non-round surface of the output shaft, and a generally smooth, non-splined, engagement surface. The output arm includes a second aperture sized to receive at least a portion of the outer surface of the adapter portion. The second aperture includes generally smooth inner surface in contact with and rotatable through 360 degrees relative to the engagement surface of the adapter portion.
US08235326B2
An aircraft landing gear comprising a fibre optic load sensor for monitoring load in a component of the landing gear, such as an axle. The fibre optic cable is mounted on an inner surface of the component of the landing gear. Typically the fibre optic load sensor comprises one or more Bragg Grating sensors.
US08235323B2
A reel for a microphone cable, amplifier cable or other electronic cord or cable has an arbor or hub that divides the reel into an interior space and a winding space. The cable leading end connector cable is retained in the interior space. Turns of the main body of the cable are coiled in the winding space. The rims of the reel side disks have annular retaining beads or ridges that face one another and create a snap connector holder for the trailing end connector. A gap in the retaining beads aligned with the arbor opening permits insertion of the leading end connector. The reel can be available in a range of sizes and can be color-coded. The reel can be constructed of two identical molded reel halves.
US08235318B2
A mill liner element is structured with an elongated elastomer member having a non-elastomeric backing plate and a plurality of non-elastomeric inserts formed into the elastomer member to provide a liner element that provides a lifter bar element and a wear element that is less prone to cracking compared to conventional all-metal mill lining elements, and which provides ease of handling and replacement when worn. A multiplicity of mill liner elements are positionable in a grinding mill shell, and are suitable for use in a variety of types of grinding mill structures, including ball mills and AG and SAG mills.
US08235317B2
An adjustable grinder, includes a container, a stator, a rotor, a drum, and a rotary slide. The container can hold a product to be ground. The stator is positioned on the container. The rotor is positioned opposite to the stator and can rotate with respect to the stator. The stator and the rotor each contain at least two rows of teeth to grind the product therebetween. The drum is positioned around the rotor. The rotary slide includes a pointer that can be adjusted such that a distance between the stator and the rotor increases or decreases. Additionally, the stator may include at least two extended teeth.
US08235313B2
A method of making frac sand having a selected grade from a naturally occurring, mined sand having a SiO2 content of at least about 80 percent and having a particle size range where the maximum particle size is less than about 8.0 mm, comprising: crushing the mined sand into an intermediate particulate material; screening the particulate material into a feedstock with particles having a particle size coarser than about 350 mesh and initial values for roundness and sphericity of the particles; passing the particles of the feedstock through a blast tube with an outlet to pneumatically abrade the particles and propel the feedstock in a stream under a given pressure from the outlet; directing the pressurized stream against a fixed target located at a given distance from said outlet to physically abrade the particles to form an output mass containing abraded particles: and, repeating operations (c) and (d) a number of times or process stages until the particles resulting from the repeatedly abraded output mass is a final output mass having both processed roundness and sphericity values of at least 0.6 and wherein the values are greater than the initial values of the feedstock by at least about 0.10 to 0.50.
US08235312B2
Disclosed is an electrostatic atomizer, which comprises a high-voltage applying section adapted to apply a high voltage between an atomizing electrode and a counter electrode so as to electrostatically atomize water supplied onto the atomizing electrode, wherein the high-voltage applying section is operable to set an absolute value of a voltage to be applied to the atomizing electrode smaller than an absolute value of a voltage to be applied to the counter electrode. This allows a physical object, such as an article stored in a mist-receiving space or an inner wall of a structural member defining the mist-receiving space to become less likely to be electrostatically charged, and makes it possible to avoid causing a problem about discomfort due to discharge of static charges when a user touches the physical object.
US08235310B2
A spraying device is provided that includes a cartridge containing a first fluid, the cartridge being removably connected to a sprayer body. The cartridge is oriented such that gravity exerts a downward force on the first fluid. The sprayer body includes a conduit for receiving a second fluid. A valve is coupled to the conduit. The valve allows the second fluid to flow through the valve, thus creating a Venturi vacuum that draws the first fluid out of the cartridge and into the valve to enable the first and second fluids to mix and form an outlet stream. An orifice meters a predetermined amount of the first fluid into the valve to achieve a predetermined ratio of the first fluid to the second fluid. The outlet stream is then dispensed from a spray nozzle.
US08235301B2
Described is a dosimeter sled comprising: one or more optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) sensors mounted in the dosimeter sled and an RFID tag comprising an antenna for communicating with an RFID tag reader and a non-volatile memory for storing data therein.
US08235300B2
Each printed sheet product includes a core of flexible, microvoided polymer sheet material and a planar RFID assembly encoded with a unique electro/magnetic code permanently and integrally joined together with the core. The microvoided sheet material collapses around the core so the sheet product remains planar. Scoring defines one or more individual identification elements removable from a remainder of the sheet product that include at least a first element with RFID assembly but only part of the core. A separate magnetic strip storing its own unique data magnetically can be provided on the first removable element even at least partially overlying the RFID assembly for independent identification operation.
US08235293B2
Barcodes stored by mobile devices can be used in commerce. In sending barcode data optically from a display backlight of a mobile communication device to a barcode scanner optical receiver, the transmitted data bit time needs to be compatible with the frequency range the barcode scanner is designed to receive. The disclosed methods and mobile devices can send barcode data optically at different frequencies from a modulated display backlight to different models/makes of laser barcode scanners that may be used at a point of sale (POS). The disclosed are methods and devices for processing the bit time mix choices make a determination of bit time mix choices based upon predetermined criteria. Location of the device is an example of predetermined criteria. A location may have a particular bit time mix signature that may be accessed, for example, in a look up table.
US08235287B2
A read head system has a housing and a read positioned in the housing with a slot for swiping a magnetic stripe of a financial transaction card with the slot utilized to enable a financial transaction between a buyer and seller. The read head reads data on the magnetic stripe and produces a signal indicative of data stored on the magnetic stripe. The read head includes an output jack configured to be coupled to at least one of a audio jack or microphone port of a mobile device. The read head provides the signal to the mobile device. The slot is oriented and sized to reduce torque applied on the read head as the financial transaction card is swiped through slot in order to maintain accuracy and reliability of the data read by the read head. Decoding of the signal is performed in the mobile device. The decoding includes determining pulses in the signal and converting at least some of the pulses to characters.
US08235276B2
In an ultrasonic bonding method of an electric wire in which the electric wire 1 in which a conductor end 7 made of plural core wires is exposed and a metallic connection terminal 19 formed by erecting two side walls 27 from a bottom surface are prepared and the conductor end is bonded to the connection terminal by applying ultrasonic vibration while the conductor end of the electric wire is positioned in the bottom surface between the two side walls of the connection terminal and is pushed, a cross section of the conductor end of the electric wire is made by being molded by press so that a thickness of a width direction between the side walls becomes thin toward at least one of the side positioned in the bottom surface of the connection terminal and the side to which the ultrasonic vibration is applied.
US08235261B1
A foldable coat hanger, which is constructed to be easily folded and unfolded as desired, so that the volume thereof can be reduced as desired and the space-related problem occurring in the use of the conventional hangers can be solved. Further, the size of the coat hanger can be stepwisely adjusted between a plurality of size stages, so that the size of the coat hanger can be appropriately adjusted according to the size of a garment, thus efficiently fitting garments having different sizes and efficiently hanging and protecting the garments.
US08235257B2
A food storage container with emptying mechanism is described. The emptying mechanism includes a platform that may be raised within the container to advance food product toward the container opening. The platform is raised by actuation of a turn wheel at the bottom outer surface of the container. Existing containers may be retrofitted to incorporate the emptying mechanism.
US08235251B2
The invention relates to cured (meth)acrylate based adhesive composition, comprising at least two co-continuous phases of interpenetrating networks and at least two types of polymeric inclusions, in which one of the co-continuous phases comprises a polymer or copolymer based on at least one acrylic or methacrylic acid monomer or a derivative thereof. These compositions exhibit better facture toughness, especially at low temperatures.
US08235234B2
The stopper (2) engages with a ring-shaped neck in a press fit in a container (1) and has a circular bottom section which seals the container opening, and a head section which rises above the container and encompasses a slide (3) that extends through the center of the head section, the rim of the head section having a maximum diameter that does not exceed the external diameter of the container opening. The stopper is characterized in that the slide can be pushed against the force of a spring device in one direction over the rim of the container and, when released, returns to its retracted initial position as a result of the spring resistance. The stopper cannot be removed from the container by small children and is therefore considered childproof.
US08235233B2
A container for over-the-counter drugs or the like that includes a cylindrical plastic bottle with a closure. The closure including a cap and a ring that mates with the mouth of the bottle. The cap ring has a tongue that mates with a capture structure on the cap in a child resistant configuration. The tongue being lockable by a pad lock to block access by unwanted adults and teenagers. The tongue having a senior friendly configuration also.
US08235227B2
A merchandising system that improves the merchandising of product by limiting the number and the frequency with which product can be removed from, for example, a merchandising shelf. The merchandising system may include a base configured to support product and a housing configured to engage the base. The housing may comprise a top wall, a first side wall, a second side wall, and a front retaining wall. The system may further include a spring-urged pusher movably mounted on the base, a locking assembly, and an electronic control unit the triggers the locking assembly, locking the door from opening and stopping the pusher from moving product forward to the door.
US08235224B2
Disclosed is a knockdown shelving system which comprises a plurality of connected shelves with storage compartments that are configured to store vehicle wheels or tires upright and parallel to each other. Vertical posts are located at each corner of the connected shelves and shared between adjacent shelves. The vertical posts are formed of a rolled hollow T-profile which comprises rows of longitudinally spaced perforations that extend along the vertical posts. The vertical posts are connected by lengthwise and crosswise struts, the struts having hooks which engage the perforations of the vertical posts. Storage compartments for tires or wheels are formed by tire carriers which are placed onto lengthwise struts and extend parallel between front and rear vertical posts, and by crosswise struts which extend perpendicular to the tire carriers between two front vertical posts and two rear vertical posts, respectively.
US08235221B2
Liquid filter assemblies including an upper sample reservoir, a sample filter and a lower storage bottle are supported by a vacuum base. The base has a vacuum inlet port and, for connection to the liquid filter assembly, a vacuum outlet port. A vacuum is provided through the base to below the sample filter to draw sample liquid through the sample filter into the storage bottle. The base may include an auxiliary vacuum outlet port for connection with additional devices. The bases may be connected from one to another through auxiliary vacuum outlets and the vacuum inlets to make a chain of liquid filter assemblies supplied from one vacuum source. Alternatively, one base may include multiple vacuum outlet ports so that it may support and supply vacuum to a plurality of liquid filter assemblies.
US08235220B2
A separator includes: a channel having a first surface; a plurality of columnar members formed on the first surface and having a cross section in the shape of a crescent, the plurality of columnar members being arranged in a row direction along a longitudinal direction of the channel, and in a column direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the channel, the columnar members that belong to the same row from among the plurality of columnar members being disposed so that the crescents face the same direction in the column direction, the columnar members that belong to a single row being disposed so that the crescents face the opposite direction in the column direction with respect to the crescents of the columnar members that belong to the adjacent row; and a substance that specifically binds to a separation target, and is disposed on side surfaces of the plurality of columnar members.
US08235219B2
The device according to the invention for separating or classifying material to be fed into at least two different grain fractions comprises a screen device, which is formed by rotatable elements, particularly a roller table screen, wherein at least one finer grain fraction passes between the rotatable elements and means are provided for cooling the rotatable elements.
US08235217B2
A bulk container comprises a one piece base, a cap and a peripheral side wall. The base includes a generally rectangular bottom wall, a plurality of longitudinal rails extending below the bottom wall, and a peripheral wall extending upwardly from the bottom wall. The peripheral wall defines an upwardly opening channel. The cap includes an inner wall connected to an outer wall defining a downwardly opening channel complimentary with the upwardly opening channel. The peripheral side wall is received in the upwardly opening channel and the downwardly opening channel to define a parallelepiped interior space.
US08235212B2
A mask transport system is configured to transport a mask into and out of a lithographic apparatus. The mask transport system includes a first container configured to shield a top side and a bottom side of the mask. At least a portion of the container is at least partially translucent for radiation having a predetermined wavelength used to detect contamination on the top side or the bottom side of the mask when the mask is shielded by the first container. The mask transport system also includes a second container configured to enclose the first container. The second container includes a first part defining a first opening and an openable cover that covers the first opening. The cover is configured to open and release the first container within the lithographic apparatus or at an interface with the lithographic apparatus.
US08235194B2
A synchronizing clutch having a component carrier, wherein the component carrier accepts a splined shaft therethrough and interact with the splined shaft to allow transfer of rotation between the splined shaft and the component carrier while also allowing the component carrier to slide axially along the splined shaft relative to an associated friction plate. The component carrier includes a plurality of friction members pivotably coupled within walled recesses of the component carrier, such that when the component carrier is urged toward the associated friction plate, at least a portion of the contact surface of the friction members initially contacts a surface of the friction plate and, as the component carrier continues to be urged toward the associated friction plate, each friction member is rotated, such that at least a portion of the contact surface of each friction member continues to contact a surface of the friction plate.
US08235192B2
A clutch unit, which has at least one wet clutch that is arranged in a housing, which is driven by a drive unit. The clutch is effectively connected to an input part. To simultaneously associate a torsional vibration damper, e.g. a centrifugal pendulum, with the input part, a support disk of the torsional vibration damper is connected to the input part so that no or only minor vibrations are generated, allowing the frequency of the torsional vibration damper to be sufficiently adjusted. For this purpose, at least one plate support is connected to a single support disk which is fixedly mounted on the clutch hub and is thus made rigid. Preferably, the plate support further reduces vibration tolerance.
US08235181B2
An cable drive device (10) having a motor (M), a speed reducer (G), a nut member (26) connected to the speed reducer, a rod (32) screwed to the nut member (26) and guided by a guide member (34) so as not to rotate, a control cable (15) composed of an inner cable (45) connected to the rod and a guide tube (49) for guiding the inner cable, a sensor for detecting the amount of operation of the cable based on the amount of rotation of the speed reducer (G), and a load sensor (17) for detecting a load applied to the cable. An electric brake device can be obtained by connecting the control cable and a brake mechanism of the cable drive device (10).
US08235180B2
An elevator system and a brake control circuit include a first switch that controls the electricity supply of the winding of the brake, which switch is connected in a controlled manner with the control of the electricity supply of the winding of the brake, and thus the braking function is controlled.
US08235179B2
An elevator includes hoisting ropes and a compensating device. The hoisting ropes include first rope portions under a first rope tension that go upward from an elevator car and second rope portions under a different, second rope tension that go downward from the elevator car. The compensating device acts in substantially opposite directions on the first and second rope portions in order to do one or more of the following: equalize the first, second, or first and second rope tensions; compensate the rope tensions between the first and second rope tensions; equalize rope elongation in the first, second, or first and second rope portions; compensate the rope elongations between the first and second rope portions; and render a ratio of the first rope tension to the second rope tension substantially constant. The compensating device produces an auxiliary force acting substantially in a same direction as the first rope tension.
US08235176B2
A lubrication and scavenge system for a gas turbine, capable continued operation in nose-down or nose-up orientations, has a number of oil drainage passages to return oil to one or more collection chambers adjacent a rolling element bearing. A rotary impellor in the chamber forces the oil into a scavenge off-take passageway in the chamber wall leading to a scavenge pump. However, in some orientations windage effects in the chamber can return the oil to the drainage passage rather than permitting the impellor to centrifuge it into the off-take passageway. As a result oil starvation may occur. To avoid this and improve scavenging a shield is located between the drainage path and the off-take passageway adjacent to a face of the impellor. The shield may comprise an additional member, but preferably is formed integrally with a bearing race so as to ease assembly.
US08235169B2
A device has at least one region to be damped for the purpose of noise reduction. The at least one region may, in particular, be a wall region, for instance of an electrical device housing, and it is covered at least partially by at least one vacuum panel. In the noise reduction method, a vacuum panel is pulled by vacuum pressure against the region to be damped, so that a hollow space under vacuum pressure is formed between the vacuum panel and a housing.
US08235168B2
A speaker diaphragm is configured by a compound mixed with resin and bamboo fiber. The diaphragm satisfying the advantage of the bamboo fiber of high sound quality and a large degree of freedom in the setting of the characteristic value of the diaphragm and the advantage of the diaphragm made of a resin with improved humidity resistance reliability and strength, excellent external appearance, and enhanced productivity and dimension stability is obtained.
US08235166B2
A rotational speed superimposition device for a vehicle steering system is proposed, having an output shaft (2) which is aligned towards the input shaft (1) in its axial direction (22), having a first carrier arrangement (6) which rotatably positions the output shaft (2) and the input shaft (1) at least partly supported, having an auxiliary drive (5, 10) with a rotor (5) which is connected in an operative, torque-proof manner to a first gear element (4) of a superimposition gear unit (7), and having a second carrier arrangement (11) which is arranged in a fixed manner on the chassis and which holds the auxiliary drive (5, 10) and supports the rotor (5) so that it can rotate, wherein the rotor (5) of the auxiliary drive (5, 10) coaxially surrounds the output shaft (2) and/or the input shaft (1), and wherein the superimposition gear unit (7) transmits the rotational speed of the rotor (5) to the rotational speed of the output shaft (2) at a rotational speed ratio that is less than 1. Improved noise damping is achieved because an intermediate piece (3) is arranged between the rotor (5) and the first gear element (4) in such a way that the rotor (5) is connected in an operative manner to the first gear element (4) in the rotational direction only by interconnecting the intermediate piece (3).
US08235164B2
A snowmobile includes steering handlebars; a steering column attached to the steering handlebars and extending directly downward or obliquely downward; a power steering device having a motor and attached to the steering column; a power transmission mechanism arranged to transmit at least the driving force of the motor; and a ski coupled to the power transmission mechanism to be turned by the power transmission mechanism. The power steering device includes a sensor arranged to detect the rotation of the steering column. The motor has a motor shaft tilted from both the fore and aft direction and the left and right direction of the vehicle.
US08235161B2
A steering system includes a steered tire and a steering control device that controls the steered tire from a first operating position. Further including a steering control mount that supports the steering control device and is configured to allow the steering control device to rotate to a second operating position opposite the first position. An interlock is operable to disable the steering control device as it rotates between the first and second operating positions. A method detecting a position of a steering control that is configured to provide a steering function of a vehicle in either of a first or a second operating position, where the first position is oriented opposite that of the second operating position. Further receiving an interlock signal and enabling the steering function and a traction function when the interlock signal indicates that the position of the steering control is in the first or second operator position and disabling when the steering control is not an operating position.
US08235155B2
A radiator mounting arrangement on a utility vehicle with an injection molded top tank and bottom tank, the top tank having a plurality of integrally molded features extending upwardly therefrom. A wire form is attached to a frame member of the utility vehicle and engages the integrally molded features without fasteners.
US08235153B2
The motorized wheelbarrow has longitudinally extending frame members, which extend into handle portions. Resting height adjustment of the wheelbarrow is achieved with a pair of tubular legs cooperatively attached to a wheelbarrow support strut and a support strut brace. A wheel is secured proximate the front end of the wheelbarrow to mounting points on a wheel frame. An electric motor is attached to a front portion of the support frame members underneath a load rack or load bucket, depending on the barrow type. A battery is attached under the support frame proximate the motor. A drive mechanism consisting of a chain and sprocket is operably linked to a wheel sprocket and to the electric motor. A disk brake assembly having a disk rotor and caliper is disposed on the wheel and frame for engagement with the wheel and is operably engaged to a control mechanism for safe wheelbarrow stopping.
US08235152B2
A tow apparatus for moving an aircraft comprising a frame, a drive member, a contact wheel configured to engage with a nosewheel tire of an aircraft, a transmission portion, a shaft engageable with a nosewheel tire of an aircraft, and a torque arm rotatably supported by the frame. The transmission portion can be configured such that the drive wheels transfer and increase a rotational force produced by the drive member to the contact wheel. The shaft can be movable between a first position and a second position relative to the contact wheel so as to bring the contact wheel into contact with the nosewheel of the aircraft. The torque arm can substantially prevent the rotation of the tow apparatus relative to the nosewheel assembly of the aircraft when the torque arm is engaged with the nosewheel assembly of the aircraft. The drive member can have a portable power source.
US08235144B2
An expansion and sensing tool (50) comprising a tool body, cutter blocks and sensors which permit simultaneous underreaming and measurement of the diameter of a wellbore (40) drilled by an oil and gas rig (10). Radially extendable cutter blocks (62) incorporating positional sensors (80) contained on the block or within the body measure the position of the cutter block relative to the tool, and a vibration sensor (76) measures vibration and underreaming wellbore dimensions in real-time. Receivers, sensors and microprocessors deliver a desired wellbore depth both simultaneously comparing and correlating measured vibration data and optimizing underreaming parameters. The tool may be optionally configured with a caliper or a stabilizer.
US08235142B2
A method and system for controlling a horizontal directional drilling machine having a boring tool. A rate of rotation and a rate of thrust are selected by an operator. Controls allow an automatic boring operation mode to be initiated to maintain the selected rate of rotation and thrust without further input from the operator. Periodically, when the rotation and thrust are interrupted, such as to modify the drill string, the automatic boring operation mode is interrupted. The automatic boring operation mode may be resumed without requiring the operator to select the rate of rotation and rate of thrust. The rate of rotation is resumed before the rate of thrust to reduce drill string shock loads and increase drilling performance.
US08235137B2
A power tool (10) is described which has several modes of operation, such as drilling and screw driving modes. A clutch is provided with various settings for adjusting the torque at which the clutch interrupts power to a spindle (18). Furthermore, a two speed gearbox (16) is provided for adjusting the speed of the spindle. All of these variables are controllable from a single adjustment member or collar (26) thereby reducing necessary decisions needed to be made by an operator for a particular job in hand. For instance, when an operator wants the tool to operate in a screw driving mode, the gearbox is automatically set to drive the spindle at a low speed with the clutch being operable to interrupt drive when a torque force applied to the spindle exceeds a threshold value. Furthermore, if the tool is required to operate in a drilling mode, the gearbox is automatically switched to drive the spindle at a higher speed and the clutch is automatically rendered inoperable.
US08235135B1
A tool supporting bar for supporting tools on an implement comprises an elongated tubular perimeter wall defining an interior and including a side wall portion. The bar includes a reinforcing wall located in the interior of the perimeter wall and mounted on the perimeter wall in a manner effective to increase bending resistance of the perimeter wall to a force applied in a direction normal to a plane of one of the side wall portion. A method of forming a tool bar comprises providing an elongated tubular perimeter wall defining an interior and including a one side wall portion; positioning a reinforcing wall in the interior of the perimeter wall; and mounting the reinforcing wall on the perimeter wall in a manner effective to increase bending resistance of the perimeter wall to a force applied in a direction normal to a plane of the side wall portion.
US08235132B2
Plows and methods of fabricating plows are provided. The plow includes an elongated frame. One or more shear assemblies are affixed to the frame in a spaced relationship along a length of the frame, wherein each of the one or more shear assemblies includes a shearing blade disposed at a distal end of the shear assembly and configured to operate below the surface of the soil to sever the roots of planted vegetation as the plow is pulled through a field. One or more cylinder assemblies are rotatably affixed to the frame and positioned parallel to the one or more shear assemblies and configured to rotate as the plow is pulled through a field. The one or more cylinder assemblies include a plurality of radially extending cylinder blades configured to mulch the soil and press the severed vegetation into the soil.
US08235130B2
An agricultural implement has a depth control system in which a position sensor directly measures linear translation of a hydraulic cylinder that lifts and lowers the implement frame to set and adjust the depth of the implement frame. The position sensor may be positioned adjacent to or integrally formed with the hydraulic cylinder, and provides a voltage to a controller remote from the implement. The controller automatically adjusts the flow of hydraulic fluid to and from the hydraulic cylinder to maintain the depth of the implement frame at an operator-selected level.
US08235113B2
A method of increasing the recovery of hydrocarbons from a highly fractured reservoir uses the steps of injecting into the reservoir a membrane-forming fluid to form a membrane over the surface of at least part of exposed formation, injecting into the reservoir a fluid to establish a chemical potential gradient across the membrane and letting fluid enter the formation across the membrane to increase the pressure inside the formation and to force additional hydrocarbon from the formation.
US08235102B1
A torch apparatus for consuming a material having a fuel load that produces heat and a source of oxygen when burned, and a plurality of slots having interstitial spaces therebetween for allowing longitudinal flow of fluid along the torch apparatus without interfering with the flow of fluid through the slots. The slots are oriented such that the heat and source of oxygen are provided to a material that is at least partially consumed when exposed to heat and oxygen, to thereby cause destruction of an object containing the material or disengagement of the object such that it falls into the wellbore.
US08235091B2
The present invention provides an amorphous ribbon take-up roll switching and method which use a take-up device provided with a plurality of take-up rolls magnetized on their surfaces so as to take up an amorphous alloy ribbon during which it is possible to simply and inexpensively switch take-up rolls stably without ribbon breaking, uneven take-up, or other trouble regardless of the amount of take-up, that is, a method of taking up amorphous ribbon having a magnetic property cast using a cooling roll by using two or more take-up rolls, which amorphous ribbon switching method characterized by, when switching the take-up rolls, bringing the amorphous ribbon into contact with the next take-up roll and cutting the amorphous ribbon being taken up in the state with the next take-up roll brought into proximity with the cooling roll or separating the next take-up roll and the cooling roll and cutting the amorphous ribbon between the take-up roll and the next take-up roll.
US08235086B2
A multi-section screen system includes a first of the flexible sheets of screen material that has zipper teeth along at least one side edge and a neighboring second flexible sheet of screen material that has mating zipper teeth along an abutting side edge. Mechanisms retract and deploy each of the flexible sheets in unison. A fastener is fixedly disposed between each two of the mechanisms. The fasteners automatically join the zipper teeth with the mating zipper teeth as the mechanisms deploy the flexible sheets and the fasteners automatically disengaging the zipper teeth from the mating zipper teeth as the mechanisms retract the flexible sheets.
US08235070B2
A valve is provided including a first valve member and a second valve member. The first valve member includes a first step and a first orifice adjacent the first step. The second valve member includes a second step and a second orifice adjacent the second step. The second valve member is movable relative to the first valve member between an open position, in which the first orifice is fluidly connected the second orifice, and a closed position, in which the first orifice is substantially fluidly disconnected from the second orifice. The first and second steps are fluidly connected to the second orifice and substantially fluidly disconnected from the first orifice when the second valve member is in the closed position, and the first and second steps are fluidly connected to the first and second orifices when the second valve member is in the open position.
US08235067B2
An encapsulated valve system includes a first housing portion having a first facing surface, the first facing surface comprising a plurality of branch pathways formed as a recess within the first facing surface. The valve system further includes a second housing portion having a second facing surface, the second facing surface comprising a plurality of branch pathways formed as a recess within the second facing surface. A disposable conduit is configured to be interposed between the first and second housing portions and disposed within the recess of the first facing surface and the recess of the second facing surface. The disposable conduit is thus sandwiched between the first and second facing surfaces. A plurality of pinch valve actuators are mounted on one or both of the first housing portion and the second housing portion, the plurality of pinch valve actuators configured to pinch the disposable conduit at selective branch pathways.
US08235060B2
A cosmetic apparatus comprising a self-adhesive cosmetic application guard and/or stencil provided, which comprise an upper edge, a lower edge, an extended flap, a front surface and a rear surface. The upper edge is shaped according to a natural curvature of a human lower eyelid. A texture of one or both of the front surface and the rear surface enables the self-adhesive cosmetic application guard and/or stencil to self-adhere to a users' skin. The extended flap enables grasping so as to avoid contact with areas of cosmetic application during removal from the users face. The front surface and the rear surface may comprise silica material, and may be glossy so that it firmly adheres to the users' skin without use of any additional adhesive product or material. The texture of one or both of the front surface and the rear surface a non-slip surface having a dull finish.
US08235052B2
The present application is directed to a mouth guard to protect the user's teeth and/or jaw. It is important that the mouth guard fit tightly and properly in order to fully protect the user. The present invention achieves the proper fit by having cilia in the cavity that comes in contact with the user's teeth. These cilia move to allow the mouth guard to fit tightly and properly. In addition, the mouth guard of the present invention may contain flavoring such as Gatorade, bubble gum flavoring, as well as the traditional cherry, orange and grape that can be released into the oral cavity of the user while wearing the mouth guard. This allows the user to taste the flavoring while using the mouth guard.
US08235047B2
The invention described is directed to an intracorporeal occluding device having elements with non-traumatic ends and devices, systems and methods for occluding the lumens of anatomical passageways and/or for delivering drugs or other substances to the bodies of human or animal subjects.
US08235043B2
Disclosed is a manually operable volume-adjustable ventilation device. The device includes a reservoir with an inlet mechanism, an outlet mechanism, and a volume adjuster configured to move a volume adjustment limit of the reservoir and change an expressed maximum volume of the reservoir. The reservoir has a body having a plurality of movable walls defining an enclosed volume. The reservoir has an uncompressed state and a compressed state. The walls of the reservoir are movable with respect to each other, such that moving the walls expresses the volume adjustment limit of the reservoir. The walls can be operably connected by movable structures configured such that two adjacent walls are configured to rotate around substantially orthogonal axes with respect to each other when the reservoir moves from an uncompressed to a compressed state. In some embodiments, the movable structures can be hinges, such as snap-fit assembly hinges. Methods of ventilating a patient that involve the device are also disclosed.
US08235037B2
The present invention provides novel condensation aerosols for the treatment of disease and/or intermittent or acute conditions. These condensation aerosols have little or no pyrolysis degradation products and are characterized by having an MMAD of between 1-3 microns. These aerosols are made by rapidly heating a substrate coated with a thin film of drug having a thickness of between 0.05 and 20 μm, while passing a gas over the film, to form particles of a desirable particle size for inhalation. Kits comprising a drug and a device for producing a condensation aerosol are also provided. The device contained in the kit typically, has an element for heating the drug which is coated as a film on the substrate and contains a therapeutically effective dose of a drug when the drug is administered in aerosol form, and an element allowing the vapor to cool to form an aerosol. Also disclosed, are methods for using these aerosols and kits.
US08235027B2
A vent-on-demand fuel sump and vehicle fuel system having such a fuel sump are provided. The fuel sump may include a pressurized vessel and at least two sensors configured to detect a level of fuel within the vessel. A valve coupled to the vessel may be configured to release air and/or fuel vapor to the atmosphere. The fuel sump may also include a programmable electronic controller configured to modulate the valve between a closed position and an open position based on signals received from the sensors corresponding to the fuel level. The valve may be configured to remain in the closed position until the fuel level drops below a predetermined level and the controller sends a signal to open the valve to release air and/or fuel vapor from the vessel into the atmosphere. The vehicle fuel system having such a fuel sump may include a fuel container and an engine having an intake. The pressurized vessel of the fuel sump may include a fuel inlet coupled to the fuel container and a fuel outlet coupled to the engine intake.
US08235023B2
The invented engine comprises a working cylinder with a piston, pre-ignition chamber with spark plug and a combustion chamber which is cylindrical in shape, a fuel-air mixture injector, which is a compressor cylinder with a piston and fuel delivery device and channels for supplying the fuel and air into the combustion chamber. It also has channels for injection of the fuel-air mixture into the combustion chamber. There is a check valve between the fuel supply channel and the compressor cylinder. The pre-ignition chamber has the shape of a cup or flattened cone. The diameter of the base of the pre-ignition chamber equals the diameter of the combustion chamber. The engine has one or more pairs of channels for delivering the fuel-air mixture to the combustion chamber. The axes of these channels are paired and angled towards each other. The angle between the axes of these channels and the axis of the combustion chamber is selected within the interval between the crossing point of the axes of these channels on the central electrode of the ignition plug and the crossing point of the axis of the combustion chamber with the bottom of the working piston in its top dead point position. The invention provides for improving operation stability of the engine, reducing fuel consumption rate and reducing the toxicity of the exhaust gases by increasing homogeneity of the fuel-air mixture.
US08235021B2
A device for supplying an internal combustion engine (1), comprising a carburettor (72) and an air filter (71) installed on an air intake line (70), through which the air filtered by the filter (71) is conveyed into the carburettor (72), and an anti-backflow element (8) located in series on the air intake line (70) between the carburettor (72) and the air filter (71), in which the anti-backflow element (8) exhibits an external casing (80) comprising a perimetral band (81) including at least a portion substantially circular in development closed by two side walls (82, 83), such as to internally define at least a compartment (84) in communication with the carburettor (72) through a duct (85) opening in the perimetral band (81) and developing tangentially relative to the circularly developing portion, the compartment (84) also in communication with the air filter (71) through a first duct (86) opening in one of the side walls (82, 83).
US08235020B2
An engine starter mounting structure is provided that basically has a starter housing part, a starter insertion part, a first flange part and a second flange part. The starter housing part has an internal portion that at least partially houses a portion of a starter. The starter insertion part is arranged to provide access to the internal portion of the starter housing part for inserting the portion of the starter into the internal portion. The first flange part is disposed on an end portion of the starter housing part with the first flange part including a fastening structure that is configured to fasten the starter thereto. The second flange part is disposed in the internal portion of the starter housing part, with the second flange part having a bolt hole that is arranged and configured to receive a bolt therethrough for interconnecting an engine and a transmission together.
US08235011B2
In an actuating device with at least one electrical or electromagnetic actuation unit, at least two activation sequences performed by different actuation elements of the actuation unit are associated with at least two different electrical and/or electromagnetic states of the actuation unit via electric coil units energized by current flowing in different flow directions.
US08235008B2
The present invention relates to a collapsible/foldable structure that may include a top roof and a bottom platform. A pair of sidewalls may be provided each of which may be pivotally attached to the roof. The sidewalls may include at least two side section such as an upper and middle section. The sidewalls may also include a lower side section. The upper and middle sections may be pivotally attached to one another and the middle and lower side section may be pivotally attached to one another so that the upper and middle sidewall sections can be pivoted inwardly towards the bottom platform to provide a collapsed condition. The sidewalls may also each contain an outer and an inner surface thereof wherein the outer surface of the upper side wall and the outer surface of the adjacent middle side wall form an angle that is greater than 180 degrees when the structure is in an expanded or collapsed condition. In addition, the inner surface of the middle wall section may overlie the inner surface of the upper wall section in a collapsed condition.
US08234998B2
The present invention comprises an automated apparatus capable of spray depositing polyelectrolytes via the LbL mechanism with minimal or no human interaction. In certain embodiments, the apparatus sprays atomized polyelectrolytes onto a vertically oriented substrate. To counteract the effects of irregular spray patterns, the substrate is preferably slowly rotated about a central axis. In certain embodiments, the apparatus also includes a forced pathway for the droplets, such as a pathway created by using a vacuum. In this way, a thicker or three-dimensional substrate can be coated. In certain embodiments, the apparatus is designed so as to be scalable. Thus, through the use of multiple instantiations of the apparatus, a large or irregularly shaped substrate can be coated. Rolls of textile can therefore be coated using the apparatus. Additionally, the present invention includes a method to uniformly coat a substrate, such as a hydrophobic textile material, using aqueous solutions of polyelectrolytes.
US08234984B2
A method and an arrangement pertaining to an alarm-equipped valuable item storage space (1) includes at least one device (10-13) for the storage of valuable documents, banknotes or the like, in which a destructive agent (61) is intended to destroy the valuable documents (100) in response to a burglary attempt and/or manipulative action. In conjunction with the need to destroy the valuable documents, a destructive agent container (60,63) is opened so as to cause the destructive agent to move into a collecting vessel (50) within which a valuable document collecting device (30) is at least partially situated. The volume of a destructive agent is such as to enable the collecting vessel (50) to accommodate the destructive agent (61) in the absence of overflow. The destructive agent container (60,63) is placed above the collecting vessel (50) so that the destructive agent (61) will run or fall down into the collecting vessel when an alarm is triggered.
US08234967B2
A portable protection system including a selectively collapsible truss for supporting a protection member. The truss is movable between a collapsed position and an expanded position. The protection member includes at least one layer of ballistic armor material for disrupting a projectile. The truss includes suitable connectors for releasably connecting the protection member to the truss, and also suitable connectors for releasably connecting the truss to an adjoining truss so as to form a protection wall.
US08234963B2
A system and method for rapidly and easily installing and removing ammunition reloading dies into and from an ammunition reloading press uses an adapter with a female threaded socket to receive a conventionally threaded die and sections of male screw threads arrayed around the exterior and separated by open sections corresponding to sections of female screw threads formed in a socket in the press, the adapter threads engageable with the press socket threads to secure the adapter within the press socket with less than a full rotation of the adapter, open sections in the press socket allow the adapter to enter the socket to nearly full depth without rotation.
US08234958B2
A toolholder with a controllable critical angle, such as a lead, trailing, rake or clearance angles, includes a tool spindle for retaining the toolholder in a tool rest of a machine tool. The machine tool includes at least one linear axis, for example, three mutually perpendicular axes, a rotary axis and a rotation axis. The rotary axis and/or rotation axis is controllable to move to a specified position in synchronization with a movement of one of the linear axes. An adaptor supports a cutting tool that is retained in the adaptor by a clamp. The cutting tool defines a critical angle, such as a lead angle, a trailing angle, a rake angle and a flank clearance angle, wherein the critical angle is corrected as a vector of movement of at least one of the linear axis is changed. In addition, the cutting tool can be positioned on opposite side of a centerline of rotation of the workpiece to effectively double the life of the cutting tool. A method of controlling a toolholder is also disclosed.
US08234949B2
A power transmission mechanism and a robot arm using the same are described. The power transmission mechanism at least includes a first power source, a second power source, a plurality of steel ropes, a support arm component, a stopping component and a joint component. The stopping component is disposed in the support arm component and includes a first stopping unit and a second stopping unit that rotate coaxially. The first and second power sources and the joint component are disposed at two ends of the support arm component. The first and second power sources transmit power via the first stopping unit and the second stopping unit through the plurality of steel ropes to drive the joint component to perform a two-degree-of-freedom motion. The support arm component and the joint component can be applied in an upper arm and an elbow of a robot arm, thereby constituting a multi-degree-of-freedom robot arm.
US08234944B2
An emergency lowering (retraction) mechanism for a linear actuator includes first and second cylindrical parts, an operating handle outside of the first cylindrical part, and a coil spring which has a first end connected to the operating handle, a second end connected to the second cylindrical part, and a plurality of windings, with some of the windings wrapping around and contacting the outer periphery of the first cylindrical part and some wrapping around and contacting the outer periphery of the second cylindrical part.
US08234943B2
Disclosed is a combination of six substantially identical interconnected rotating masses, with a pair each of the rotating masses being configured to rotate in one of each of the three planes (X, Y, and Z). Regardless of the orientation of the six masses, each pair of the six interconnected rotating masses may share substantially the same center of gravity and generate a separate yet interactive kinetic energy and angular momentum in each of the three planes, thereby providing resistance to rotational forces from external sources. This is known as “equal force presence. In one embodiment, the rotating masses are ring-like masses. In alternative embodiment, the rotating masses are solid masses, similar to flywheels.
US08234939B2
A sample introduction method for reducing carry-over is provided. After a sample introduction device in a total volume injection method draws a proper amount of a sample solution from a sample container and further draws a solution with the same composition as a mobile phase solution with a needle 24, the needle 24 is inserted into an injection port 25. When flow paths are switched to communicate a liquid feeder, a sample loop 23, the needle 24, the injection port 25, and a separation/detection section, the solution with the same composition as the mobile phase solution is forced into a gap between the injection port 25 and the needle 24. Therefore, the samples squeezed out of a tip section of the needle 24 during the switching of the flow paths are prevented from being forced into the gap between the needle 24 and the injection port 25.
US08234935B2
A valve assembly is provided and includes a pitot tube having an angled tip to extract from a duct formed by a housing a sample of a fluid to be communicated to an actuator configured to operate the duct, the pitot tube being disposed within the housing whereby the pitot tube is fixed longitudinally between the actuator and the housing and laterally within the housing and an anti-rotation mechanism coupled with the pitot tube to rotationally secure the pitot tube such that the angled tip is fixed to face rearwardly.
US08234928B1
This invention is a testing device that tests pressure of water, oil or gas and can be used anywhere, at anytime, and with greater accuracy then anything on the market.
US08234920B2
An angular velocity sensor includes first and second oscillators and a coupling beam. The coupling beam couples the first and second oscillators together in such a manner that the first and second oscillators vibrate relative to each other in a predetermined direction. The coupling beam includes a first post portion joined to a surface of the first oscillator, a second post portion joined to a surface of the second oscillator, and a spring portion that joins the first post portion to the second post portion. The spring portion is spaced from the first and second oscillators and has elasticity in the predetermined direction.
US08234912B2
An apparatus for continuous measurement of a geomaterial is disclosed. The apparatus includes a measuring device and a flat bed operatively coupled to the measuring device. The measuring device includes a moving head configured to move in a longitudinal direction relative to a core section of the geomaterial and a first probe coupled to the moving head and configured to continuously measure a property of the core section. The flat bed includes a load actuator configured to secure the core section during the continuous measurement and axially rotate the core section, as well as a core holder assembly configured to apply confining pressure on a length of the core section.
US08234905B2
A system and method are provided for selectively functionalizing a transducer microarray. The method provides a microarray including a field of transducers exposed to a shared local environment. A difference in the pH associated with the transducers is created. As a result, functional molecules are selectively bound to transducers in response to the pH associated with the transducers. In one aspect, the micro-array also provides a field of transducer pH-generating electrodes, one pH-generating electrode for each transducer, and a counter electrode. The difference in pH associated with the transducers is created by selectively applying a voltage potential between pH-generating electrodes and the counter electrode, to create a difference of pH in regions adjacent to the transducers.
US08234892B2
A mortice lock is disclosed which has a lock casing which provides a first point of entrapment and a second point of entrapment, a latch bolt which can move between a latching position and an unlatching position, a handle for moving the latch bolt between the latching position and the un-latching position, a key cylinder, an operating assembly and a locking member. The operating assembly can move between a first position in which a deflectable portion of the operating assembly engages with the first point of entrapment and a second position in which the deflectable portion engages with the second point of entrapment. Only the key cylinder can move the operating assembly between the first position and the second position. The locking member (which is not a shoot bolt or part thereof) can move between a locking position in which a portion of the locking member engages with the latch bolt to prevent the latch bolt from moving into the un-latching position, and an unlocking position in which the latch bolt can move into the un-latching position. The locking member is operatively associated with the operating assembly such that moving the operating assembly into the first position moves the locking member into the unlocking position and moving the operating assembly into the second position moves the locking member into the locking position.
US08234890B2
A drum-type washing machine is disclosed, in which bearings are received in the bearing housing assembly. The bearing housing assembly may include a support portion coupled to a motor, and a coupling portion connected to a damper bracket.
US08234888B2
A washing machine is disclosed. A washing includes a tub holding wash water, a drum rotatable within the tub to hold laundry, a first cabinet forming a first space provided with the tub and the drum to wash laundry, a second cabinet forming a second space for additional function, the second cabinet formed as one body with the first cabinet, and a single partition provided between the first and second cabinets to partition off the second space from the first space, wherein facing ends of the first and second cabinets are in contact with each other to form a single border line.
US08234886B2
A jacquard thread-guide bar (2) for warp knitting textile machines, comprising a supporting body (7) provided with a plurality of housing seats (5) configured and arranged so as to engage each removably a mounting body (6) of a single piezoelectric actuator (3) and to carry out an individual removable mounting of the single piezoelectric actuator (3) onto said supporting body (7), the housing seats (5) extending perpendicularly to the main longitudinal extension of the bar (2) and being configured and arranged so as to guide the sliding of the mounting body (6) between a mounting position and a disengaged position.
US08234885B2
A gradient compression article with therapeutic and aesthetic properties broadly includes a limb-receiving section extending continuously between a distal end and an open proximal end thereof. The limb-receiving section includes a tubular distal portion and a tubular proximal portion. The limb-receiving section is knitted at least substantially of a core-spun yarn with an elastomeric core and a twisted fiber sheath and includes elastomeric threads integrated into the stretch yarn knitting. The limb-receiving section further presents a gradient region that extends from a distal location adjacent the distal end to a proximal location adjacent the proximal end, with a property of the article changing progressively along the gradient region to provide compression that decreases progressively from the distal location to the proximal location when the article is donned.
US08234880B2
A refrigerator includes a main body having a storage space and a door selectively opening or closing the storage space. The ice-making device includes an ice maker installed on a backside of the door for making ice; a cold air duct provided in one side of the storage space and supplying the ice maker with a portion of cold air supplied to the storage space; an ice maker cover detachably installed on the backside of the door to selectively open or close the ice maker; and an ice bank detachably installed on the backside of the door below the ice maker, the ice bank storing ice made in the ice maker and transferring it to a dispenser provided on the door.
US08234879B2
A motor controlling method and apparatus of an air conditioner are disclosed. It is checked whether or not an operation frequency of a compressor motor is the same as or greater than a certain frequency and it is also checked whether or not a detected velocity of a fan motor is the same as or lower than a certain velocity during a certain time period. If the operation frequency is the same as or greater than the certain frequency and the detected velocity is the same as or lower than the certain velocity during a certain time period, the compressor motor is temporarily stopped. Because the compressor motor operates according to operational conditions of the fan motor, an overload can be prevented.
US08234878B2
An air-conditioning system (1) for an environment, in particular for the passenger compartment of a vehicle, is provided with an evaporator (13) and a compressor (18) coupled to the evaporator (13). In a system (30) for controlling the air-conditioning system (1), a control electronics (33) switches an operating condition of the compressor (18) when the temperature of the air leaving the evaporator (13) has a pre-set relation with a threshold temperature (Tthresh). The control electronics varies the value of the threshold temperature (Tthresh) as a function, in at least certain operating conditions, of a set-point temperature (Tsp), required by a user of the air-conditioning system (1), so as to reduce the energy consumption associated to the air-conditioning system.
US08234877B2
A refrigerant system includes a compressor with a discharge valve that temporarily restricts the compressor's outflow at startup so that the discharge pressure can quickly rise to force lubricant back to the compressor. The discharge valve also helps prevent an axial face of a rotor of a screw compressor from rubbing against a bearing housing axial face of the compressor's housing. When the system turns off under certain low ambient air temperature conditions, the valve closes to help prevent the system's evaporator from freezing up. The discharge valve includes a novel arrangement of a piston, a valve stem extending from the piston, and a valve plug pivotally attached to the valve stem. The pivotal connection ensures a positive seal between the valve plug and a valve seat. A somewhat restricted fluid passageway between the valve's discharge chamber and piston chamber helps prevent the valve from chattering as the valve opens.
US08234875B2
A fuel system for a turbine engine is provided. The fuel system includes a positive displacement pump driven by an electric motor. The pump is rotated in a first direction to deliver fuel to the turbine engine, and a second direction for evacuating fuel from the turbine engine. A shut-off check valve is open in a first direction in response to a first differential pressure created by the pump in the first direction. The shut-off check valve is biased to a closed position when the pump is rotating in the second direction. An ecology check valve is biased to a closed position in the first direction and open in the second direction in response to a second differential pressure created by the pump. The check valves open and close automatically in response to the pressures generated by the positive displacement pump in each of the first and second rotational directions. In this manner, simple, reliable valves are utilized to regulate the flow of fuel in the fuel system.
US08234874B2
A method of assembling an inlet air filter assembly for use with a turbine engine system. The method includes coupling an inlet hood to an air filter enclosure, such that an airflow path is defined between the inlet hood and the air filter enclosure. A pre-filter is coupled to the inlet hood, such that the pre-filter is positioned within the airflow path. A filter bypass assembly is coupled to the pre-filter for moving the pre-filter from an operating position to a bypass position during operation of the turbine engine system.
US08234872B2
A system includes an air flow conditioner configured to mount in an air chamber separated from a combustion chamber of a turbine combustor. The air flow conditioner comprises a perforated annular wall configured to direct an air flow in both an axial direction and a radial direction relative to an axis of the turbine combustor. In addition, the air flow conditioner is configured to uniformly supply the air flow into air inlets of one or more fuel nozzles.
US08234868B2
In various embodiments, systems for providing a constant electrical output from a compressed gas energy storage and recovery system include a hydraulic-pneumatic energy storage and recovery system configured to provide a varying pressure profile at least at one outlet, a hydraulic motor-pump in fluid communication with the outlet, and a control system for enabling the constant electrical output by controlling at least one of pressure, piston position, power, flow rate, torque, RPM, current, voltage, frequency, or displacement per revolution.
US08234862B2
The invention relates to systems and methods including an energy conversion system for storage and recovery of energy using compressed gas, a source of recovered thermal energy, and a heat-exchange subsystem in fluid communication with the energy conversion system and the source of recovered thermal energy.
US08234852B2
The present invention pertains to a chain link for an anti-skid chain, wherein the chain link is designed as a straight chain link with an essentially oval shape with an upper and a lower side wall. The outer cross-sectional area of the chain link has a half-round design and the inner cross-sectional area has an angular design. At the same time, the present invention pertains to an anti-skid chain with a chain mesh, which has chain links according to the present invention.
US08234847B2
An automatic connection mechanism for a mid-mounted implement to a tractor is disclosed. The automatic connection mechanism includes a rear lift linkage pivotably attached to the tractor, that automatically and releasably engage the rear of the implement. The forward lift linkage is pivotably attached to the front of the implement, and automatically and releasably engages the forward end of the tractor. A PTO coupling member also is attached to the rear lift linkage to engage an opposing PTO coupling member on the implement.
US08234838B2
There is provided a medicine dispensing system configured such that a medicine dispensing device includes a sub unit having a function to dispense medicine that is connected to a medicine dispensing device that includes a main unit having a function of packing medicines. There is also provided a medicine dispensing device that can be appropriately integrated with such a medicine dispensing system. The medicine dispensing system includes, in some embodiments a main unit, a sub unit and a transfer device connecting the main unit and the sub unit. The medicine dispensing system transfers the medicine dispensed in the sub unit to the main unit by means of a transfer device and dispenses the medicine at a medicine packing part together with the medicine dispensed from a main storage part in the main unit.
US08234837B2
A split column includes two half sections with locating features for aligning the half sections. A whole column is formed and then split into half sections. The locating features are formed on the inner surfaces of the half sections after the column is split into half sections.
US08234812B1
A transportable fodder production unit is disclosed that includes an insulated container having a front end and a rear end, a plurality of trays each having drain apertures through a bottom side thereof, a racking system for supporting each of the trays with a plurality of shelves extending from the front end of the container to the rear end of the container, an irrigation system attachable to a water source and having a water tank in fluid communication with a plurality of spray heads through a pump and a plurality of pipes, a lighting system that maintains a predetermined illumination within the container, a thermal control system that maintains the temperature inside the container within a predetermined temperature range, and a central control system for activating the other systems and maintaining electrical load balancing on a power source.
US08234811B2
An apparatus to project toward a tree to disburse a pheromone, comprising: a releaser removably adjacent to a capsule via an extension; whereby said releaser and said capsule are disposed adjacent to each other in a deployable state, then the releaser separates from the capsule but is still connected via said extension whereby inertia causes said releaser to move away from said capsule into an attachment state, and related methods of applying a pheromone onto a tree branch.
US08234808B2
A firearm assembly for a firearm can include a monolithic rail platform with a handguard portion and an upper receiver portion. The barrel of the firearm can be positioned through the handguard portion and secured with the upper receiver portion. A firearm assembly can also include a bolt assembly with a bolt carrier having minimized land area and a forward end sized for receipt in the barrel extension at the rearward end of the barrel.
US08234806B1
A ticket holding system mounted over a cooking station in view of a user of the cooking station and for holding one or more order tickets for meals being prepared and viewable by the user. The ticket holding system includes an elongated ticket holder; an elongated ticket retainer that is secured to a face surface of the elongated ticket holder and capable of releasably retaining one or more order tickets; and a pair of brackets that support the ticket holder at a position disposed over the cooking station. The pair of brackets are mounted from respective support surfaces that are spaced apart so that the brackets are spaced from each other and mount the ticket holder therebetween. The pair of brackets and ticket holder are cooperatively constructed and arranged so that the ticket holder can be both pivotal relative to the brackets and adjusted in height.
US08234802B2
A mountable display for a temporary vehicle tag is provided. The display includes a transparent envelope adapted to receive a paper tag overlayed upon a reinforcement board or card. The envelope may have an adhesively coated flap extending from an open end thereof, the flap being adapted to pass around the envelope and seal to the back thereof, such that the temporary tag is received and maintained in a transparent sealed envelope. Screws or bolts pass through the envelope and through designated areas of the reinforced tag, for securing engagement with an insert received by a panel of the vehicle. The bolts or screws make securing engagement of the envelope and tag to the vehicle by sandwiching the combination of the envelope and reinforced tag between the head of the bolt or screw and the vehicle panel.
US08234798B2
The invention is directed to intelligent systems for articles of footwear that adjust automatically in response to a measured performance characteristic. The intelligent systems include one or more adjustable elements coupled to a mechanism that actuates the adjustable elements in response to a signal from a sensor to modify the performance characteristic of the article of footwear. The intelligent system adjusts the performance characteristics of the article of footwear without human intervention.
US08234789B2
A shaving blade unit comprising a shaving cartridge having a floatably secured shaving blade member wherein said cartridge comprises: a) a housing with a front wall, a rear wall, and opposing side walls extending between said front and rear walls; b) said shaving blade member having opposing ends with a shoulder at each end and wherein said shoulder rests along said side wall and wherein a cutting edge of said shaving blade member is facing a front surface of said housing; c) a resilient member disposed rearward of said shaving blade member and that is secured by a shaving blade member retainer; and wherein said resilient member provides a forward biasing force to said shaving blade member such that said contact between said shoulder and said side wall is at least maintained when said unit is removed from a skin surface during shaving.
US08234788B2
An automotive engine valve stem, engine valve and method of producing both. The valve includes a head and a stem joined to the head. Lightweight, high-temperature materials, such as titanium-based materials may be used to make up at least a the majority of the valve. These materials are combined with fabrication techniques that may vary between the head and the stem, where at least a part of the valve is made by dynamic magnetic compaction. While a majority of the stem may be made from a titanium-based powder material, its tip may be made of a high strength hardened material, such as a steel alloy. The valve head may be made by single press and sintering, double press and sintering, forging and machining, forging and sintering, and dynamic magnetic compaction and sintering.
US08234783B2
A method for using a cable assembly apparatus for coupling a connector to a cable having a base supporting an interface pedestal dimensioned to receive the connector; an inductor coil coupled to an inductor coil actuator operable to move the inductor coil between a load position and an operation position proximate the interface pedestal; a grip clamp operable by a clamp actuator to move between an open position and a closed position above the interface pedestal; and a temperature sensor configured to read a temperature proximate the interface pedestal. The method includes using the apparatus for retaining the pre-assembled connector and cable in an aligned orientation for controlled heating by the induction heater to heat a solder perform to solder the connector to an outer conductor of the cable.
US08234782B2
Methods of fabricating components for microelectronic devices, microelectronic devices including memory cells or other components, and computers including memory devices include forming memory cells. For example, one embodiment is directed toward a method of fabricating a memory cell on a workpiece having a substrate, a plurality of active areas in the substrate, and a dielectric layer over the active areas. One embodiment of the method includes constructing bit line contact openings in the dielectric layer over first portions of the active areas and cell plug openings over second portions of the active areas. The method also includes depositing a first conductive material into the bit line contact openings to form bit line contacts and into the cell plug openings to form cell plugs. A conductive line is formed in a trench in the substrate.
US08234780B2
A substrate carrier system is provided for physical management of substrate(s) during a variety of assembly techniques performed on the both sides of the substrate(s) without dismounting or changing carrier systems.
US08234777B2
A surface mount circulator. The novel circulator includes a substrate, a predetermined number of microstrip lines disposed on a first surface of the substrate, a ground layer and a predetermined number of electrical contacts disposed on the second surface of the substrate, and a mechanism for coupling each microstrip line to one of the electrical contacts. In an illustrative embodiment, the circulator uses edge wrap metallization to wrap a microstrip line down a side of the substrate to connect with a corresponding contact. A ball grid array can then be used to connect the signal contacts and ground at the second surface of the substrate with a circuit board. The circulator also includes a magnet on first surface of the substrate over a resonator circuit connecting the microstrip lines and a pole piece on the second surface of the substrate beneath the ground to provide magnetic bias to the substrate.
US08234776B2
A method for making and magnetizing an un-magnetized mechanically keyed permanent magnet rotor that can be magnetized in a magnetization fixture, without regard to the angular position of the rotor in the magnetizing fixture, and nevertheless result in a permanent magnetic field angularly synchronized to said keyed rotor comprises the steps of providing an annular permanent magnet or annular permanent magnet rotor body; a mechanically keyed rotor shaft; means for aligning and assembling the un-magnetized permanent magnet or permanent magnet rotor body and the mechanically keyed rotor shaft during assembly to form an assembled rotor; and magnetization thereof.
US08234775B2
A method for manufacturing a laminated rotor core includes a punching process for punching a strip-shaped material to make a core piece, a placing process, which is performed simultaneously with the punching process of the core piece, for placing the core piece in a die so that the core piece is placed on another core piece previously punched and placed in the die and a joining process for joining the core pieces.
US08234773B2
A method of forming at least one electronic device on a substrate comprising creating a depository and an attached capillary; providing a liquid containing particles in the range 1 nanometer to 1 millimeter for deposit into the depository; the liquid flowing into the at least one capillary by capillary action; evaporating the liquid such that the particles form an agglomerate beginning at the end of the at least one capillary with a substantially uniform distribution of the particles within the agglomerate; whereby the agglomerate is used to form a part of the at least one electronic device. An microelectronic integrated circuit device comprising a substrate; a depository coupled to said substrate formed by at least one wall, a capillary channel coupled to said depository adapted to be filled with liquid comprising nanoparticles by capillary action, whereby as the liquid evaporates, an agglomerate forms in the capillary channel having a substantially uniform distribution of the particles.
US08234766B2
A method and a device are provided for reworking or re-machining the surface and, in particular, the slide tracks of a slip ring while the slip ring is in a built-in state in an appliance or machine using the slip ring. The slip ring is rotated by a drive provided in the appliance for rotating the slip ring during normal operation, or by an auxiliary drive, while a surface-removing cutting tool or surface deforming tool held in a tool holder or carrier adapted to be attached to the appliance or machine is applied to the surface of the moving slip ring to re-machine or recondition the surface. The invention avoids the necessity of dismantling the appliance or machine for the purpose of removing the slip ring for repairs.
US08234763B2
In a processing method of a slotted hole for processing a hole in a processed subject and further processing a slot intersecting the hole, a process for generating a compressive residual stress c is applied to an inner diameter portion of the hole before the slot is processed.
US08234755B1
The present invention relates to an extension for handles of an existing device. In accordance with the current invention, extensions can be connected to the handles and securely adjusted in both generally vertical and generally horizontal directions. Extensions of the current invention are particularly well-suited for use with the handles of rollable devices.
US08234753B2
A hinge assembly may be provided to hingeably couple two substrates together to allow one of the substrates to pivot about the center plane of the other substrate. The hinge assembly may include two separable hinge components that are manufactured from lightweight materials and that are configured to provide up to about 180 degrees of swing for a door or other hingeably-coupled substrate. Polymer bushings may be employed to preclude the need for lubrication of the hinge assembly, and a spring loaded tab may be provided on a hinge pin of the hinge assembly to provide for ease of installation, removal or replacement of a hingeably coupled substrate. Flow channels with injection ports may be defined within each of the separable hinge components of the hinge assembly, and configured to evenly distribute injected bonding material around the components of the hinge assembly while they are positioned within respective substrate cavities.
US08234748B2
Floor cleaning machine 1, comprising a cleaning system 2, 3, 4, at least one front wheel 5; 5′; 5a, 5b as well as two rear wheels 6a, 6b, 6a′, 6b′ and a drive mechanism 7; 7a, 7b, wherein the drive mechanism is an electric mono wheel drive and wherein the operator 8 is placed on the machine, characterized in that the operator is standing on a platform 9 which is located above the geometrical axis Z between the two rear wheels, wherein the maximum vertical distance between the platform and the floor is 200 mm. The front wheel can be a castor wheel 5 and the rear wheels 6a, 6b can be independently driven by drive motors 7a, 7b—instead of one castor wheel, two independent castor wheels 5a, 5b can be provided. The front wheel can also be a steered wheel 5′ which is powered by a drive 7 and the rear wheels 6a′, 6b′ can be independently suspended and not driven.
US08234743B2
An extendable toothbrush for assisting a person with impaired mobility of the arms. The toothbrush has an extendable neck that locks in place at various lengths. The toothbrush is capable of extending to twice its retracted length, thus allowing a user to reach their mouth without having to raise their arm. Rotating head and brush implements further increase mobility and access to different areas of the mouth. A removable toothpick tool is attached to the handle of the toothbrush for cleaning in between teeth.
US08234741B2
An oral care implement includes a handle and a head connected to the handle. A tissue cleanser is positioned on the head and has a textured surface and a plurality of apertures extending therethough. Each of a plurality of tissue cleaning elements extends through one of the apertures and extends outwardly from the head.
US08234737B2
A latch assembly is suitable for a ramp assembly, the ramp assembly having a ramp portion coupled to a fixed portion so that the ramp portion reciprocates between a stowed position and a deployed position. The latch assembly includes a latch pin attached to the ramp portion. The latch assembly further includes a latch fitting coupled to the fixed portion of the ramp assembly. The latch fitting has a hook portion and a tang. The latch fitting selectively reciprocates between a first position, a second position, and a third position. In the first position, the hook engages the latch pin to retain the ramp portion in the stowed position. In the second position, the hook portion is disengaged from the latch pin. In the third position, the tang applies a lifting force to the ramp portion.
US08234728B2
A multi-purpose air mattress apparatus is disclosed for use in at least a bed of a vehicle having an opposing pair of inwardly protruding wheel wells. The apparatus comprises, in one embodiment, an inflatable air mattress having a pair of opposing sidewalls, each defining a lateral recess sized for accepting at least a portion of the wheel wells therewithin and further defining recess ledges that selectively sit atop the wheel wells. With the apparatus positioned within the vehicle bed and the wheel wells positioned at least partially within the lateral recesses, the recess ledges in combination with a perimeter ledge cover substantially any exposed portions of the wheel wells, while a set of upper and lower perimeter chambers further maintain a stable structure of the apparatus during use both within a vehicle bed as well as on any other relatively flat surface in otherwise conventional fashion.
US08234724B2
A multi flush volume flush valve is in communication with an automatic flush control. The flush control determines the presence of a user and the amount of time the user uses the toilet. The usage time is compared to a predetermined time value to determine the appropriate flush volume based on an assumption regarding usage time and flush volume needs. The comparative value statistically adjusts to the restroom traffic.
US08234720B2
A sweatshirt is disclosed that has a main body with a front panel and a back panel. The front panel includes an inner surface and an outer surface. The back panel also includes an inner surface and an outer surface. A pair of pockets having a pair of opposing edges is positioned on a lower edge of the front panel proximate the opening. At least one closure means is positioned in the front panel. The closure means includes a bottom zipper and a second zipper. The bottom zipper includes a first row teeth and a second row teeth extending along the pair of opposing edges in the front panel. The second zipper includes a first row teeth and a second row teeth extending along the opposing edges of the pair of pockets, each being proximate the bottom zipper.
US08239963B2
A method of protecting a password from unauthorized access and a data processing unit are provided. An embodiment of the method of protecting a password from unauthorized access comprises storing data representing at least a portion of a password in a memory, assigning the data to at least one of a plurality of instructions, storing the plurality of instructions as processor executable code in the memory, and preventing read-out of the processor executable code as data from the memory.
US08239959B2
A method and system prevents data stored in a computer system from being manipulated, particularly via hacker attacks and virus infection. The computer system comprises means for switching a portion of system memory into a write-protected mode which is exclusively operable from outside of the computer's operating system. During boot or during an installation process of an application program, writing to a write-protectable area is temporarily enabled, and security-relevant information is written into said write-protectable area. A user is then prompted to perform a manual switching to restrict writing to said write-protectable area, and write access to said write protected area is thereafter restricted in response to said manual switching during further runtime of said computer system.
US08239958B2
Software contains a confirmation module for confirming the software. The present invention extracts the confirmation module and confirms the software with the extracted confirmation module. Then, the present invention determines validity of the software on the basis of the confirmed result.
US08239955B2
A method of adjusting a security level of a removable medium, including receiving a unique identification (ID) of a removable medium, a name of a file being processed, and a requested operation, determining the security level of the removable medium, determining a security level of the file being processed, and one of increasing and decreasing the security level of the removable medium based on the determined security level of the file being processed. Further, security levels of removable media are mapped to security zones which are subsequently used to allow or prevent transportation of a removable medium inside or outside of certain boundaries.
US08239950B1
Circuits and methods are provided for detecting, identifying and/or removing undesired content. According to one embodiment, a method for virus processing is provided. A general purpose processor, communicably coupled to a virus processing hardware accelerator, receives a data segment. The general purpose processor causes the data segment to be stored to a first memory. The general purpose processor directs the virus processing hardware accelerator, communicably coupled to the first memory and to the second memory, to perform a virus scan of the data segment based on one or more virus signatures stored in a second memory. The first memory includes a first virus signature compiled for execution on the general purpose processor. The second memory includes virus signatures, each of which include at least one primitive instruction and at least one Content Pattern Recognition (CPR) instruction stored at contiguous locations, compiled for execution by the virus processing hardware accelerator.
US08239947B1
A user mode application component invokes the assistance of a kernel mode driver component to detect and/or remediate malicious code on a computer system. The user mode application may include code that detects, for example, spyware and computer viruses, from user mode and when appropriate takes protective action when malicious code is detected. In one aspect, when the user mode application is unable to perform a selected operation in attempting to detect and/or take protective action, the user mode application invokes a kernel mode driver for assistance. The kernel mode driver assists user mode application in detecting malicious code and/or taking protective action by enabling or otherwise performing a selected operation for the user mode application.
US08239940B2
A method for preventing malicious attacks on software, using the patching method, includes providing a database of legitimate and known patches, the database contains characteristic code paths of said legitimate patches. The method also includes detecting whether a patch is malicious by inspecting one or more characteristic paths of the patch and matching one or more code paths against the database of legitimate and known patches. An activity needed to prevent the malicious patch from performing undesired activities is then performed.
US08239939B2
An exemplary computer-implementable method (300) transforms information to reduce or eliminate risk of exploitation of a software service and includes receiving information (304) in response to a request, transforming the information (308) to produce transformed information and sending the transformed information (312). An exemplary firewall server (112) includes server software (144, 148) that allows the firewall server (112) to receive information from a resource (104, 108) via a network and to send information to a client computer (114) and a browser protection component (264, 268) for transforming the information to prevent exploitation of a vulnerability of browser software (154) on the client computer (114). Various other exemplary methods, devices, systems, etc., are also disclosed.
US08239934B2
Protection of real-time data such as voice data exchanged as packets between a mobile electronic device and a VPN gateway during a media session over a communications link that includes a wireless network. A first VPN connection is established between the mobile electronic device and the VPN gateway through the communications link, the first VPN connection using key-based encryption to protect data exchanged therethrough. While the first VPN connection is established, a second VPN connection is established between the mobile electronic device and the VPN gateway through the communications link, the second VPN connection using key-based encryption to protect data exchanged therethrough. Real-time data packets are exchanged between the mobile electronic device and the VPN gateway through the second VPN connection.
US08239932B2
In an SS7 network, each of a plurality of Signal Transfer Points is fronted by a front-end processor (STP-FEP) that has a network presence. The STP-FEP implements at least the MTP2 layer of the SS7 protocol stack and implements security rules at the MTP2 and MTP3 layers.
US08239927B2
Computer-readable media, systems, and methods for validating an authentication ticket to ensure authenticated communications between a client and an online service provider. In embodiments an authentication request is received from a user agent associated with the client and the authentication request includes a set of identification information and a set of authentication information. Additionally, it is determined that the set of identification information and the set of authentication information are associated with a user and an authentication ticket is created including a user identification and an authentication, indicating to the online service provider that the user is authenticated to access one or more online services. Further, a validation token is embedded into the authentication ticket that provides enhanced verification that the access provided by the online service provider is authenticated.
US08239926B1
Methods, apparatuses, and computer-readable media for obtaining a limited ID cookie for ad targeting are disclosed. A client requests a limited ID cookie from a cookie making module (CMM), which sends a personal cookie to a verification module for verification. After verification, verification module sends a user ID with user information to CMM. CMM creates the limited ID cookie, and the limited ID cookie is sent to the client. The limited ID cookie is sent to an ads server which utilizes the limited ID cookie to target ads towards the user.
US08239923B2
A network infrastructure element such as a packet data router or switch hosts an application program and one or more user program extensions to the application program. Logic in the network element is configured to perform creating and storing one or more default program security permissions; receiving a user-defined security policy that defines one or more user extension security permissions for the one or more user program extensions; creating and storing only each of the one or more user extension security permissions that do not conflict with the default program security permissions; receiving a request from one of the user program extensions to access a resource of the apparatus or the network; permitting the request to access the resource or the network only when the access does not violate the user extension security permissions and the default program security permissions.
US08239921B2
Aspects of the invention relate to a system and method of retrieving a service contact identifier for providing a service to a user is proposed. The method is performed in a system comprising at least one server system configured for connecting to a user device of said user. The server system has access to a database comprising at least a first service contact identifier required for providing a first service and a second service contact identifier required for providing a second service. The first service is identified by a first service identifier. The first service contact identifier and second service contact identifier are different service contact identifiers. The first service identifier and a service contact identifier are received from the user device of said user. The first service contact identifier may then be retrieved in dependence of the received first service identifier and the received service contact identifier, irrespective of whether said received service contact identifier is said first service contact identifier or said second service contact identifier.
US08239920B2
An authentication apparatus and technology operable to change a response time based on a degree of authentication failure is disclosed. A degree of authentication failure can be determined in response to an authentication failure. A response time such as an authentication response time can be changed based on the degree of authentication failure. Intervals between entries of a password may be increased logarithmically based on the number of failed login attempts to deter unauthorized access.
US08239911B1
What is disclosed is a method of operating a video system. The method includes determining a projected geographic path of a mobile communication device and determining a transfer schedule for reference frames of a video based on the projected geographic path. The method also includes transferring the reference frames of the video based on the transfer schedule for delivery to the mobile communication device over a wireless communication system and transferring update frames of the video for delivery to the mobile communication device over the wireless communication system without regard to the projected geographic path.
US08239909B2
A video and audio stream is predicted that is to be selected for reception next to a video and audio stream that is being received by the terminal or that is after a video and audio stream that has been selected for reception by the terminal. Resources necessary for delivering the predicted video and audio stream, in addition to resources necessary for the video and audio stream that is being received by the terminal or that has been selected for reception by the terminal, are secured in advance before a user of the terminal selects the next video and audio stream. The predicted video and audio stream is not delivered to the terminal before it coincides with a video and audio stream that is selected at the next zapping.
US08239908B2
A system is disclosed for verifying an occurrence of a blackout event in a data distribution system, the system including but not limited to a processor in data communication with a computer readable medium; and computer program comprising instructions to receive restricted content data at the data distribution system; instructions to receive at the data distribution system, blackout event data indicating at least one criterion for selecting client devices subject to a blackout event for the restricted content data; instructions to place at the data distribution system, client devices into a client device group subject to the blackout event in accordance with the event data criterion; and instructions to correlate at the data distribution system, the blackout event data with the retune activity data to verify the occurrence of the blackout event in the client devices.
US08239907B2
Inserting protocol adaptation layers into access equipment to translate data over cable service interface specification services control messages to the corresponding messages in the other (multiple) heterogeneous access specification(s) includes AMTS DOCSIS-to-access protocol translation and AMTS access-to-DOCSIS protocol translation. A method of expanding DOCSIS into an alternative access network includes deploying a protocol adaptation layer in access equipment to translate DOCSIS control messages to corresponding messages for use in the alternative access network. Translating DOCSIS control messages to corresponding messages for use in the alternative access network includes AMTS DOCSIS-to-access protocol translation and AMTS access-to-DOCSIS protocol translation.
US08239906B2
An IPTV receiver and a method for managing video functionality and video quality on a screen in the IPTV receiver are disclosed. Herein, a method includes downloading a widget application from a server, executing the downloaded widget application at a browser, requesting a video test stream through the executed widget application to the server and managing the video functionality and the video quality on the screen using the video test stream.
US08239903B1
One exemplary aspect is advanced multimedia communications via OCAP using customer specific profiles resident in the STB for service application management. Additional aspects relate to service application management including filtering, controlling the display of content associated with one or more service applications, performing an action based on the service application, scheduling a communication based on the service application and initiating a request for service based on, for example, a detected problem. Still further aspects relate to managing information associated with a service application received at a STB including initiating a communication to a support representative.
US08239896B2
Ancillary information associated with one or more images embedded in a digital broadcast data stream may be accessed by a digital broadcast receiving device. The device may include a receiver unit, a processor, and a memory. The processor may execute program instructions to access the ancillary information. Control data may be associated with one or more visual components of one or more video images. The control data and images may be combined into a digital broadcast data stream. The device may receive the images and control data. The images may be presented on a display device. The receiving device may use the control data to present or store a perceptible indication that ancillary information is associated with the visual components in conjunction with presenting the images. The device may use the control data to present or store the ancillary information in response to an input signal.
US08239895B2
Provided are a PMCP extended metadata for securing interoperability among devices constituting a digital data broadcasting emitting system, a data stream generating device using the same, a digital data broadcasting emitting system and a digital data broadcasting emitting method. The PMCP extended metadata includes: a channel metadata for providing system information of data events constituting a data broadcasting program; a program and system information protocol (PSIP) data event metadata for providing identification information and program guide of data events; and an advanced television system committee (ACAP) data service metadata for providing encoding information including signaling information and transmission protocol information of data broadcasting contents corresponding to data events.
US08239882B2
Methods, systems, and computer products are provided for exposing the programming of an application user interface to allow modification of the associated user interface to include adding, removing, disabling, enabling and repurposing new or existing user interface components.
US08239877B2
In a data processing system, objects (in the object oriented sense of the word) are instantiated through the use of transmitted data which is marshaled and demarshaled through the use of protocols that acquire meta data for the transmitted data through the use of an already existing cache of such meta data which has proper content meeting version requirements as specified by an implementation key associated with the object. This eliminates the need for call back requests that may or may not succeed because of the presence of a firewall in a yet-to-be-established connection. A tool is provided for structuring the data, first on disk and then later in a more readily available portion of an active memory.
US08239873B2
A method for event positioning includes categorizing events into event groups based on a priority level, buffering the events in each event group into a group event queue, and determining an optimized position for events within each queue based, at least in part, on a processing time and an expected response time for each event in the group event queue.
US08239872B2
A system and method are presented to control distribution of work items to threads in a server. The system and method include a permit dispenser that keeps track of permits, and a plurality of thread pools each including a queue with a configurable size, being configured with a desired concurrency and a size of the queue that is equal to a total number of work items to be executed by pool threads in the thread pool. The number of permits specifies a total number of threads available for executing the work items in the server. Each pool thread executes a work item in the thread pool, determines whether a thread surplus or a thread deficit exists, and shrinks or grows the thread pool respectively.
US08239867B2
Techniques for implementing an atomic FIFO queue and system for processing queue elements are described herein. According to one embodiment, in a first thread of execution, new data is atomically merged with existing data of an object via an atomic instruction associated with hardware that executes the first thread. An attempt is made to acquire ownership of the object (exclusive access). If successful, the object is enqueued on an atomic FIFO queue as a continuation element for further processing. Otherwise, another thread of execution is safely assumed to have acquired ownership and taken responsibility to enqueue the object. A second thread of execution processes the atomic FIFO queue and assumes ownership of the continuation elements. The second thread invokes a function member of the continuation element with a data member of the continuation element, the data member including the newly merged data. Other methods and apparatuses are also described.
US08239866B2
Software rendering and fine grained parallelism are utilized to reduce/avoid memory latency in a multi-processor (MP) system. According to one embodiment, the management of the transfer of data from one processor to another in the MP environment is moved into a low overhead hardware system. The low overhead hardware system may be a FIFO (“First In First Out”) hardware control. Each FIFO may be real or virtual.
US08239863B2
An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a method of migrating a virtual machine. The method comprises replicating a source storage device corresponding to the virtual machine to a target storage device through replication links. The method also comprises receiving a migration state that indicates initiation of a migration of the virtual machine from a source server to a target server. The method also comprises collecting storage system status information of the source storage device and storing the storage system status information to a persistent store accessible to the target server. The method also comprises sending memory states and central processing unit (CPU) states to the target server through a communications network. The method also comprises performing a failover of the virtual machine from the source server to the target server and from source storage device to target storage device.
US08239859B2
A method for installing software components includes: a terminal receives a software component package delivered by a Device Management (DM) server directly or a download address of the component package and a command instructing to download delivered by the DM server, where the software component package contains more than one software component; if the terminal receives the download address and the command instructing to download, the terminal downloads the software component package from the download address; the terminal installs the obtained software component package locally and generates management nodes and subnodes of the management nodes corresponding to the software components under a Deployed subtree of the Software Component Management Object (SCOMO) of the terminal. With the present invention, the process of installing software component is more reasonable. A system and apparatus for installing software components are also provided.
US08239851B2
A system and method to install a software enhancement supplement of a main software product, the method including receiving an installation recommendation for the supplement having content including a business configuration (BC) object on a customer/service provider side of a business process platform from a product provider; displaying an indication of the receipt of the installation recommendation; processing the installation of the supplement into the business process platform of the customer; and providing a notification of the supplement's status upon completion of the supplement installation.
US08239847B2
General-purpose distributed data-parallel computing using high-level computing languages is described. Data parallel portions of a sequential program written in a high-level language are automatically translated into a distributed execution plan. Map and reduction computations are automatically added to the plan. Patterns in the sequential program can be automatically identified to trigger map and reduction processing. Direct invocation of map and reduction processing is also provided. One or more portions of the reduce computation are pushed to the map stage and dynamic aggregation is inserted when possible. The system automatically identifies opportunities for partial reductions and aggregation, but also provides a set of extensions in a high-level computing language for the generation and optimization of the distributed execution plan. The extensions include annotations to declare functions suitable for these optimizations.
US08239844B2
A computing device-implemented method includes receiving a program, analyzing and transforming the program, determining an inner context and an outer context of the program based on the analysis of the program, and allocating one or more portions of the inner context of the program to two or more labs for parallel execution. The method also includes receiving one or more results associated with the parallel execution of the one or more portions from the two or more labs, and providing the one or more results to the outer context of the program.
US08239839B2
A system and method for debugging a running process of an application or component is disclosed. A debugging client has a user interface for receiving user commands to configure and control a debugging program. A debugging agent is resident in a local network area with the running process and has a direct connection with the running process. The debugging agent is configured to execute the debugging program to obtain debugging information on the running process, and to send the debugging information to the debugging client. A Web services communication link is established between the debugging client and the debugging agent for communicating signals to the debugging agent from the debugging client representing the user commands to configure and control the debugging program.
US08239837B2
An apparatus for communicating between a child test program and a parent test program in a test environment. A child test framework is provided to catch an exception thrown by the child test program. In addition, a marshalling component is provided in communication with the child test program and the child test framework. The marshalling component converts exception data for the exception into a format for transmission by a communication means to a parent test framework.
US08239833B2
A method for controlling the execution of a program implementing successive operations, including, during program execution, comparing each operation with a pre-established list, and for each operation contained in the list, incrementing and memorizing a number of occurrences of this operation; and at the end of the program execution, comparing the number of occurrences of the current program execution for each operation with previously-stored ranges of numbers of occurrences assigned to each operation.
US08239823B2
A stripped-down version of a library is generated from server source code extracted from a server project under development. Information extracted from the server source code may include only that information which is exposed to a client project under development. The stripped-down library generated from the extracted server source code is received by a reflection-based component that uses reflection to generate documentation and disclosure information helpful in the development of the client source code. Because the server project does not have to be compiled or ready to be compiled before the software development information for the client project can be provided, development of the server side source code and the client side source code can proceed in tandem or incrementally.
US08239821B2
An abstract component model can be used to drive an editor by providing an underlying stateful model for component implementation without the need to re-implement details, such as event listening, lifecycle and update management, etc. An implementation needs to provide objects that make up the model, some logic to listen to environmental changes and recognize when an update is needed, and a builder which can generate a lightweight version of the model based on the current “state of the world.” In addition, abstract component model is operable to support an editor such as page flow.
US08239815B2
A system and method for inspecting layout of a printed circuit board (PCB) provides a graphical user interface (GUI). The GUI displays a layout of the PCB. High side pins of a pulse width modulation (PWM) controller and a component connected to a high side pin are found. If the component is a metallic oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET), the system calculate absolute a linear distance and a trace distance between a source pin of the MOSFET and a capacitor pin of a coupling capacitor connected to the source pin. If the linear distance, the trace distance and a capacitance of the coupling capacitor accord with a layout standard, the layout of the PCB is determined to be up to standard.
US08239814B2
A set of parameter drifts is recorded over a period of time for each of a series of stress tests on a system at various stress levels. Each set of the recorded parameter drifts is plotted as parameter drift versus time. The plots are then time shifted in relation to a reference plot to form a single parameter drift plot. A non-linear equation is fitted to the single parameter drift plot and then used to predict parameter drift over the life of the system.The non-linear equation may be modified by adding a stress acceleration factor to allow prediction of parameter drift over time at different stress levels.
US08239813B2
A system and method are provided for reducing the signal delay skew is disclosed, according to a variety of embodiments. One illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure is directed to a method. According to one illustrative embodiment, the method includes receiving an initial netlist having components and connection paths among the components; identifying a first connection path in the initial netlist that comprises path fragments for which there are no equivalent path fragments in a second connection path in the initial netlist; generating a skew-corrected netlist wherein the second connection path is re-routed to have path fragments equivalent to the path fragments of the first connection path; and outputting the skew-corrected netlist.
US08239812B2
Read data that are output from core chips are accurately captured into an interface chip. Each of the core chips includes a data output circuit that outputs read data to the interface chip in response to a read command, and an output timing adjustment circuit that adjusts the period of time required from the reception of the read command to the outputting of the read data from the data output circuit. The interface chip includes a data input circuit that captures read data, and an input timing adjustment circuit that adjusts the timing for the data input circuit to allow the capturing of the read data after issuing the read command. In this manner, a sufficient latch margin for read data on the interface chip side can be secured.
US08239809B2
A 3-dimensional integrated circuit designing method includes forming a temporary layout region for an original integrated circuit on an XY plane, the plane being short in an X direction and long in a Y direction perpendicular to the X direction, dividing the temporary layout region into 2N (N is an integral number of not smaller than 2) or more subregions in the Y direction, configuring one block for every successive N subregions to prepare a plurality of blocks, and forming N layers of layout by alternately folding each of the blocks in the Y direction in units of one subregion to selectively set a kN-th (k is an integral number not less than 1) subregion and (kN+1)th subregion of each block to one of an uppermost layer and lowermost layer.
US08239808B2
A process for shortest path routing in computer-aided designs (CAD) is performed using an incremental graph traversal technique. This technique searches the shortest path routing trees in a graph by path exploration limited only to an incremented search region thereby reducing run time complexity. Graph traversal begins in the incremented search region, and propagates successive changes thereafter.
US08239805B2
Methods of designing an IC and a hierarchical design flow generator are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method includes: (1) partitioning a design implementation flow for an IC into a late design flow portion and an early design flow portion employing a processor, (2) dividing components of the late design flow portion and the early design flow portion into a functional block implementation section and a top level implementation section employing the processor, (3) aligning dependencies between the functional block implementation sections and the top level implementation sections in both of the early design flow portion and the late design flow portion employing the processor and (4) implementing a layout for the IC based on the early and the late design flow portions employing the processor.
US08239804B2
Computing the gradients of capacitances in an integrated circuit chip layout with respect to design and process parameters is described. Included is a shape processing engine in the form of a variational mapping engine and a capacitance calculation engine that includes a gradient calculation engine. The variational mapping engine translates physical parameter variations into variations on the edges of the elementary patterns to which the layout of the integrated circuit is decomposed. The gradient calculation engine computes capacitance gradients by combining information from two sources. The first source consists of pre-existing gradients in a capacitance lookup table. The second source consists of analytical expressions of capacitance correction factors.
US08239801B2
Method of analyzing noise sensitivity of integrated circuits having at least one memory storage device and a noise sensitivity analyzer. In one embodiment, the noise sensitivity analyzer includes a circuit reservoir, a circuit parser and a circuit evaluator. The circuit reservoir is configured to receive and store a model of a circuit having at least one memory storage device to be analyzed. The circuit parser is configured to identify nodes of the model. The circuit evaluator is configured to apply a large test current to each of the nodes for multiple circuit states of the at least one memory storage device and determine which of the nodes are sensitive nodes.
US08239800B2
Some embodiments provide techniques and systems for determining a change indicator for an endpoint, a pathgroup, a design, and/or a flow. The system can determine base critical path delays and base slacks for the endpoints in a base implementation of the circuit design. The system can then determine the new critical path delays and new slacks for the endpoints in a new implementation of the circuit design. Next, the system determines slack differences for the endpoints using the new slacks and the base slacks. Finally, for each endpoint, the system can determine an endpoint change indicator using the associated slack difference, the base critical path delay, and the new critical path delay. A pathgroup change indicator can be determined using endpoint change indicators. A design change indicator can be determined using pathgroup change indicators or scenario change indicators. A design flow change indicator can be determined using design change indicators.
US08239793B2
In a routing design method for designing routing of a SiP having first and second routing portions that are connected to each other via bonding wires, whether a DRC error of the first or second routing portion is present or not is determined and the DRC error is selected when the DRC error is present. A plurality of nets associated with the selected DRC error are specified and the routes of the specified nets are removed. Then, bonding wire allocations of the specified nets are changed. Further, the specified nets are rerouted so as not to cause a DRC error and whether the rerouting result is accepted or not is determined.
US08239790B2
Impact on parametric performance of physical design choices for transistors is scored for on-current and off-current of the transistors. The impact of the design parameters are incorporated into parameters that measure predicted shift in mean on-current and mean off-current and parameters that measure predicted increase in deviations in the distribution of on-current and the off-current. Statistics may be taken at a cell level, a block level, or a chip level to optimize a chip design in a design phase, or to predict changes in parametric yield during manufacturing or after a depressed parametric yield is observed. Further, parametric yield and current level may be predicted region by region and compared with observed thermal emission to pinpoint any anomaly region in a chip to facilitate detection and correction in any mistakes in chip design.
US08239778B2
Various aspects of the present invention include a database interaction system and method comprising: a display, a set of user input devices, and a database comprising a data set including a plurality of fields and associated field values; a graph model configured to define a plurality of nodes and states, each node representing a field from the plurality of fields; a graph-to-data mapper configured to map the field values to states contained in the nodes of the graph model; and a graphical interface module configured to generate for display one or more nodes from the plurality of nodes, wherein a display of a node includes a graphical representation of field values associated with a specific field represented by the displayed node and states contained therein.
US08239776B2
Embodiments of the invention provide techniques for protecting a user from being followed by an avatar within an immersive virtual environment. To detect a following avatar, any avatars within a specified range of the user may be identified. Historical data may then be examined to determine if any of the identified avatars has been in the same recent virtual locations as the user. In order to rule out coincidental movements, the likelihood of both avatars being in the same places at the same time may be evaluated. Further, the following avatar may be tested by transporting the user to another location, and then monitoring to determine whether the following avatar also transports to the same location. Upon confirming that the following avatar is actually following the user, avoidance actions may be performed in order to avoid the following avatar.
US08239772B2
A tile bar for use in association with a graphical user interface associated with at least one operating system is disclosed. The tile bar includes a plurality of tiles indicative of one or more of an application, a file, a window, a data, and an outcome, an identifying tile among the plurality of tiles, wherein the identifying tile is uniquely indicative of at least one of a user preference and user information of a user logged in to the graphical user interface, and wherein the identifying tile is adjacent to at least one tile of the plurality of tiles, and a scroll for presenting ones of the plurality of tiles not immediately viewable to the user. The tile bar further includes each of said plurality of tiles comprises at least one of rotating about an axis, focused by a magnifying cursor, increased vividness, and blurring upon placement of a cursor provided by the graphical user interface at a predetermined proximation to each tile.
US08239766B2
This disclosure is directed to techniques for encoding and decoding transitional effects, i.e., visual video effects that are used to transition from a current scene of a multimedia sequence. According to the disclosed techniques, an encoding device detects a transitional effect associated with a multimedia sequence during the encoding of the multimedia sequence, and transmits information as part of an encoded multimedia sequence to identify the transitional effect associated with the encoded multimedia sequence to a decoder. The information may comprise metadata that can be used by the decoder to simulate or re-create the transitional effect. The decoder simulates a transitional effect in response to the information.
US08239762B2
Systems and methods are provided for adapting a text, for example, for generating a text appropriate for the proficiency level of a language learner, are described. An original text is received and at least one portion of the original text to adapt is identified, where the adapted text will facilitate reader comprehension. An adaptation to be applied to the at least one portion of the original text is determined. The at least one portion of the original text is analyzed based on the adaptation, the adaptation is applied to the at least one portion of the original text, and the adapted text is provided.
US08239752B1
A method and system to facilitate workflow data submission is provided. The system may include a communications module to receive a request to generate an electronic form such that the electronic form is suitable for viewing with a first version of a viewer application and a compatibility module to respond to the request by configuring the electronic form to include a functional feature, the functional feature being available with the first version of the viewer application and being not available with a second version of the viewer application.
US08239743B2
The technology in this application provides for efficient use of a common uplink radio resource, like the common E-DCH resource. A UE lacking a valid radio network identifier, e.g., a UE in an idle mode, receives a data unit and adds error detection bits to generate a new data unit. The new data unit is divided into segments at a lower protocol layer which are provided for transmission to the network via the common uplink radio resource. A network node detects lower protocol layer data unit segments received on the common uplink radio resource and assembles them into an assembled data unit at a higher protocol layer. Error detection bits included with the assembled data unit are used to determine if the assembled data unit includes correctly received data unit segments, e.g., data unit segments from the same UE.
US08239741B2
A digital broadcasting system and a data processing method of the same are disclosed. The receiving system includes a receiving unit, a demodulator, a block decoder, and an RS frame decoder. The receiving unit receives a broadcast signal including mobile service data divided into a plurality of output masses, signaling information associated with the mobile service data, and known data. The demodulator demodulates the received broadcast signal. The block decoder block-decodes the demodulated mobile service data of the plurality of output masses based upon the signaling information, thereby outputting the mobile service data of one output mass. And, the RS frame decoder configures an RS frame with the block-decoded and outputted mobile service data, and performs error-correction decoding on the corresponding mobile service data in RS frame units.
US08239719B2
The present invention provides two primary Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest (HARQ) mechanisms for a multi-hop network, i.e. an active Mobile Multi-hop Relaying (MMR) HARQ and a passive Mobile Multi-hop Relaying (MMR) HARQ. According to the solution of the present invention, there are provided a method and a device for HARQ retransmission in relay stations of a wireless communication network, wherein in HARQ retransmission, the HARQ procedure is implemented based on resource allocated by a base station; and a method and device for HARQ in a base station, characterized in that a HARQ procedure is implemented in-between one or more relay stations and a mobile station. With the methods of the present invention, the HARQ problems existing in a multi-hop network are overcome, the correction rate of data transmission is improved, while time delay for data transmission is reduced.
US08239716B2
An integrated circuit is described that includes a stored program processor for test and debug of user-definable logic plus external interface between the test/debug circuits and the component pins. The external interface may be via an existing test interface or a separate serial or parallel port. Test and debug circuits may contain scan strings that may be used to observe states in user-definable logic or be used to provide pseudo-random bit sequences to user-definable logic. Test and debug circuits may also contain an on-chip logic analyzer for capturing sequences of logic states in user-definable circuits. Test and debug circuits may be designed to observe states in user-definable circuits during the normal system operation of said user-definable circuits.
US08239714B2
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for bad block remapping. A bad block identifier module identifies one or more data blocks on a solid-state storage element as bad blocks. A log update module writes at least a location of each bad block identified by the bad block identifier module into each of two or more redundant bad block logs. A bad block mapping module accesses at least one bad block log during a start-up operation to create in memory a bad block map. The bad block map includes a mapping between the bad block locations in the bad block log and a corresponding location of a replacement block for each bad block location. Data is stored in each replacement block instead of the corresponding bad block. The bad block mapping module creates the bad block map using one of a replacement block location and a bad block mapping algorithm.
US08239711B2
A quadratic permutation polynomial (QPP) interleaver is described for turbo coding and decoding. The QPP interleaver has the form: Π(n)=f1n+f2n2 mod K, where the QPP coefficients f1 and f2. are designed to provide good error performance for a given block length K.
US08239705B2
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, an edge device having a controller to receive a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) message from a user endpoint device (UE) requesting communication services, forward the SIP message to a network element of a Server Office, receive from the network element a first error message indicating communication services at the Server Office are unavailable, replace the first error message with a second error message, the second error message indicating a temporary unavailability of communication services, and transmit the second error message to the UE. Additional embodiments are disclosed.
US08239703B2
A method controls time based signals that are outputted from at least two processes of unit. A first signal is converted into a first signal value and indicates over a first time range of a first process with a first defined start time and a defined end time, in which present time is signalized by a spatially extensible and uniformly highlighted portion of the first time range defined between the first start time and the present time. A second signal is converted into a second signal value and indicates over a second time range of a second process with a second defined start time and free of an end time, in which the present time is signalized by a spatially extensible portion of the second time range onto which a variably highlighted and superposed section is overlaid, the section being defined between the second start time and the present time.
US08239701B2
Methods and systems for improved management of power allocation among a plurality of devices coupled to a controller. The controller and devices exchange messages to request, grant, and release allocations of power from a common power supply. In some embodiments, the controller may be a SAS/SATA controller and the messages exchanged may be SAS/SATA frames and/or primitives. In exemplary embodiments, the messages may request/grant a particular amount of power for each of one or more voltage levels provided by the power supply. In other exemplary embodiments, the messages may designate the duration of time during which the requesting device may utilize the allocated power. A power status message from the device to the controller may indicate a change in the power consumption by the device. Responsive to the power status message the controller may re-allocate power previously allocated to a device that has completed use thereof.
US08239686B1
In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a client device is protected against the execution of unauthorized software. The client includes a code authentication process that verifies the integrity of executable code, by generating and comparing a first hash value of the executable code with a known hash value of the original code. Furthermore, during boot-up, the client initializes a CPU exception vector table with one or more vector table entries. One or more, or all, of the vector table entries direct the CPU to execute the code authentication process prior to executing an event handler when an exception event occurs. Consequently, the code authentication process is virtually guaranteed to execute, thereby protecting against the execution of unauthorized code.
US08239683B2
A method and a display preparation unit are proposed for the execution of a transaction during which transaction data are processed which have to be confirmed by a user. The display preparation unit (20) has a converter unit (29) which converts transaction data to be interpreted into pixel values and displays them on a monitor (6), an interface of its own for directly attaching an input unit (7) via which a user confirms displayed transaction data, as well as a crypto unit (31) for generating a signature for a record of confirmed transaction data. In a variant the confirmation can be effected by the crypto unit (31) generating and displaying a random number which has to be inputted by the user via a conventionally attached input unit (14).
US08239679B2
An authentication method, which includes: a server sends a challenge to a client; the client obtains a first key performs a transformation on the first key utilizing a local hash function to obtain a third key, encrypts the first key and the challenge utilizing the third key to obtain a ciphertext, and sends the ciphertext to the server; the server decrypts the ciphertext utilizing a second key stored locally, obtains a decrypted first key and a decrypted challenge if the second key is the same as the third key, performs a transformation on the decrypted first key utilizing a local hash function to obtain a fourth key, the client passes the authentication if the decrypted challenge and the fourth key are respectively the same as the challenge sent by the server and the second key stored locally by the server.
US08239677B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide verification and/or authentication service engines that provide a customizable solution that can be “dialed” based on the risk level assigned to individual or grouped applications. The systems can also incorporate internal and external sources of data used to verify information provided by the user. It is dynamic and can pull information from a myriad of sources during the verification process, enabling credit reporting agencies (e.g., Equifax and others), FSPs, and other service providers to facilitate real-time approval and access to products and services.
US08239670B1
This specification describes technologies relating to a multi-aspect identifier used in a network protocol handshake for establishing a network connection, while providing protection against denial of service attacks. For example, an employed cookie format can be enhanced to contain multiple parts so that cookies that would otherwise be valid if the source address matched can be distinguished from those that are entirely incorrect, and a message can be sent with a replacement cookie in such cases, without generating state at the responding node.
US08239650B2
A memory device includes a plurality of memory modules and a memory management module. A memory module of the plurality of memory modules includes a plurality of memory cells and a memory millimeter wave (MMW) transceiver. The memory management module determines a main memory configuration for at least some of the plurality of memory modules. The memory management module also determines physical addresses for the main memory configuration and determines a MMW communication resource table that includes an allocation mapping of one or more MMW communication resources to one or more of the at least some of the plurality of memory modules.
US08239649B2
Optimizations are provided for frame management operations, including a clear operation and/or a set storage key operation, requested by pageable guests. The operations are performed, absent host intervention, on frames not resident in host memory. The operations may be specified in an instruction issued by the pageable guests.
US08239641B2
Data may be stored in a location or manner that takes various considerations into account. Examples of such considerations are the availability, speed and cost of storage resources, and commercial and regulatory expectations concerning the reliability, security, and/or availability of the stored data. When a piece of data is to be stored, a storage choice component may take the above-considerations into account in order to determine where the data is to be stored, how many copies of the data are to be made, whether the data is to be encrypted, and/or other issues. Additionally, a migration engine may re-evaluate data that has already been stored in order to determine whether the data may be migrated to other storage resources, and/or whether changes may be made with regard to issues such as the encryption level and/or the number of stored copies of the data.
US08239637B2
A system is presented that facilitates masking data in write data bound for a memory device. The system contains a memory controller and a memory array communicatively coupled to the memory controller. The memory controller sends a write command and write data to the memory array and the memory array updates data contained therein based upon the write command and write data. If the write operation requires a byte mask, the controller sends a byte mask command via a command bus linking the controller and the memory array. Accordingly, separate and dedicated byte mask pins or bus is not necessary to convey byte mask information.
US08239634B2
An input/output control system of an information processing apparatus that includes a first storage area and a second storage area and carries out an input/output processing using a part or whole of the first storage area as a cache. The input/output control system includes: a cache managing unit 110 storing data, which is inputted from or outputted to the second storage area, in a third storage area used as a cache of the first storage area; an input/output specification information storage unit 111 correlating a data area, which is an area of the data stored in the third storage area, and information with regard to the input/output to store them; a write-back unit 120 generating an output request of the data from the data area in the third storage area to the second storage area; and an input/output specifying unit 100 specifying the information with regard to the input/output correlated to the data area of the data which is a target for the generated output request, by referring to the input/output specification information storage unit.
US08239633B2
A coherence controller in hardware of an apparatus in an example detects conflicts on coherence requests through direct, non-broadcast employment of signatures that: summarize read-sets and write-sets of memory transactions; and provide false positives but no false negatives for the conflicts on the coherence requests. The signatures comprise fixed-size representations of a substantially arbitrary set of addresses for the read-sets and the write-sets of the memory transactions.
US08239620B2
A processor includes a first translation look-aside buffer to support a guest operating mode. A second translation look-aside buffer supports a root operating mode. Hardware resources support the guest operating mode as controlled by guest mode control registers defining guest context. The guest context is used by the hardware resources to access the first translation look-aside buffer to translate a guest virtual address to a guest physical address. The hardware resources access the second translation look-aside buffer to translate the guest physical address to a physical address.
US08239619B2
Techniques utilizing an erase-once, program-many progressive indexing structure manage data in a flash memory device which avoids the need to perform sector erase operations each time data stored in the flash memory device is updated. As a result, a large number of write operations can be performed before a sector erase operation is needed. Consequently, block-based flash memory can be used for high-speed byte access.
US08239614B2
The present disclosure includes methods and devices for memory block selection. In one or more embodiments, a memory controller includes control circuitry coupled to one or more memory devices having multiple Groups of planes associated therewith, each Group including at least two planes of physical blocks organized into Super Blocks, with each Super Block including a physical block from each of the at least two planes. The control circuitry is configured to receive a first unassigned logical block address (LBA) associated with a write operation and determine a particular free Super Block within a selected one of the multiple Groups to receive data associated with the write operation.
US08239606B2
In some embodiments, a switching device is configured to couple a first computer to a first peripheral device and one or more second peripheral devices. The switching device includes: (a) a switch configured to couple to the one or more second peripheral devices; (b) a first hub including: (1) a first upstream port configured to couple to the first computer; (2) a first downstream port configured to couple to the first peripheral device; and (3) at least one second downstream port coupled to the switch. Other embodiments are also disclosed herein.
US08239604B1
Some embodiments involve a circuit having first and second interfaces, and configurable structure to identify a selected integer number that is one of a plurality of different integer numbers associated with respective different configurations. In one embodiment, a conversion section organizes lines of the second interface into line groups equal in number to the selected integer number, and carries out a conversion operation in which it supplies to each line group a respective incoming data segment received through the first interface. In another embodiment, a conversion section organizes the lines of the first interface into line groups equal in number to the selected integer number, and carries out a conversion operation in which it supplies to the second interface a respective incoming data segment from each line group.
US08239601B2
An integrated data accessing system having control apparatus for multi-directional data transmission is described. The integrated data accessing system includes a control apparatus, a plurality of communication interface engines. The control apparatus includes a plurality of bi-directional transmission modules, a control unit, a multi-directional transferring engine, and a memory unit. The control unit detects a source storage and a target storage. The multi-directional transferring engine selectively transfers the data content among storage units. The multi-directional transferring engine includes a first switch module, a second switch module, and a data buffer. The first switch module switches to the first bi-directional transmission module to select the source storage. The second switch module switches to the second bi-directional transmission module to select the target storage. The data buffer stores the data content transmitted from the source storage and the target storage. The multi-directional transferring engine transfers the data content in the source storage via the first bi-directional transmission module to the target storage via the second bi-directional transmission module when the control unit triggers the first switch module and the switch second module.
US08239595B2
An interface and protocol allow a media player to communicate with external accessories over a transport link. The protocol includes a core protocol functionality and a number of accessory lingoes. Examples of accessory lingoes include a microphone lingo, a simple remote lingo, a display remote lingo, an RF transmitter lingo, and an extended interface lingo.
US08239593B2
A handheld electronic device includes a reduced QWERTY keyboard and is enabled with disambiguation software. The device provides output in the form of a default output and a number of variants. The output is based largely upon the frequency, i.e., the likelihood that a user intended a particular output, but various features of the device provide additional variants that are not based solely on frequency and rather are provided by various logic structures resident on the device. The device enables editing during text entry and also provides a learning function that allows the disambiguation function to adapt to provide a customized experience for the user. The disambiguation function can be selectively disabled and an alternate keystroke interpretation system provided. Additionally, the device can facilitate the selection of variants by displaying a graphic of a special
US08239583B2
A system and method for migrating domains from one physical data processing system to another are provided. With the system and method, domains may be assigned direct access to physical I/O devices but in the case of migration, the I/O devices may be converted to virtual I/O devices without service interruption. At this point, the domain may be migrated without limitation. Upon completion of the migration process, the domain may be converted back to using direct physical access, if available in the new data processing system to which the domain is migrated. Alternatively, the virtualized access to the I/O devices may continue to be used until the domain is migrated back to the original data processing system. Once migration back to the original data processing system is completed, the access may be converted back to direct access with the original physical I/O devices.
US08239575B2
The disclosed subject matter describes a method, system, apparatus, and program for interfacing multiple communication systems, comprising the following steps. The interface receives information from the client, followed by determination of the format of said information. The disclosed subject matter identifies the third party to receive the information and transforms the originally received information into a format compatible for the third party. The server then sends the converted information to the intended third party. The associated process allows communication between the client and third party in both directions.
US08239571B2
A system, method and computer-readable medium for request routing. A DNS server at a content delivery network service provider obtains a DNS query corresponding to a resource requested from a client computing device and associated with a first resource identifier. The first resource identifier includes a first portion with DNS information and a second portion with path information. The DNS server selects a network computing component for processing the requested resource based on the DNS portion of the resource identifier and transmits information identifying the selected network computing component to the client computing device.
US08239559B2
Embodiments include system architectures and processes for handling the provisioning, management and control of media renderers. A plurality of media renderers are organized into a plurality of zones. Provisioning is performed dynamically as mobile media sources move between zones. Media renderers are dynamically detected, resources are allocated, and the system is configured for playback without noticeable interruption of the streaming and rendering of the media.
US08239554B2
Systems for graceful termination of support for session initiation protocol communications on a server are described. Systems include techniques for setting a time period for gracefully terminating such support, for sending a service unavailable message to a client, for causing the server to maintain support, until no later than the expiration of the time period for terminating support, for uncompleted session initiation protocol invites accepted by the server before sending the service unavailable message to the client, and for terminating support for session initiation protocol communications on the server no later than upon expiration of the time period for terminating support. Methods for graceful termination of such support and computer-readable storage media whose contents cause a computer system to perform a graceful termination of such support are also described.
US08239544B2
A system and method for removable storage content transfer. A removable storage medium is passed between a terminal and a device, and a device file stored on the removable storage medium is used to communicate media content and other information between the terminal and the device. The device file may include “session information,” such as information that can be used to represent a network or direct connect session between the terminal and the device file. The session information may include, for example, media content and header information. The device file may allow the terminal to treat the removable storage medium as a locally connected device in some situations. For example, the terminal may create a device stack using device parameters stored on the removable storage medium, and use the device stack to communicate with the device via the removable storage medium.
US08239541B2
A first information processor transmits a bubble packet to a port assigned after assignment of specified port from reference port in a second communication control unit, a server detects the position of the bubble packet transmitting port in a first communication control unit used in transmission of this bubble packet, and a second information processor transmits a reply packet to the detected bubble port transmitting port. In this configuration, the invention presents a communication system capable of establishing more securely communication between plural information processors for communicating by way of communication control unit (NAT). In this configuration, the invention presents a communication system capable of establishing more securely communication between plural information processors for communicating by way of communication control unit (NAT).
US08239540B2
A network provides distributed computing services based on participation in respective resource groups by computing nodes, each resource group including a corresponding resource requirement for any computing node that joins the corresponding resource group for execution of the corresponding distributed computing service. Each computing node, in response to determining its corresponding available node capacity, is configured for selectively creating and joining at least one new resource group for execution of a corresponding distributed computing service having a corresponding resource requirement, and/or selectively joining at least one of the available resource groups, based on the corresponding available node capacity satisfying the corresponding resource requirement. Each computing node also is configured for selectively leaving any one of the joined resource groups based on determined conditions. Hence, each computing node may choose to participate in as many resource groups as needed for respective computing services, based on the corresponding available node capacity.
US08239537B2
The invention provides a method and device for limiting unwanted network traffic, including unwanted emails. The method proceeds by assigning at least one network address to a category of network addresses based on a level of trust of the network address. Connection resources are allocated to the category. When a connection is received from a network address to which the category has been assigned, a portion of the allocated resources in the category are provided to the network address.
US08239536B2
A service controller for providing centralized service management, control and placement, as well as guaranteed failover, in a dynamic and distributed computing environment. The service controller works in conjunction with a computing resource supply manager, which supplies the required resources so that the service controller can run the service on the allocated resources. The number of active service instances may dynamically increase or decrease in accordance with changing availability of or demand for resources. The service controller monitors the service instances and takes appropriate action in the event of service instance failures. The service controller is provided with a service director component, which records and tracks, for each service instance which has been started on a particular resource/host, the IP address of such host, through a name location service, thus allowing end-users to locate the service regardless of where the service instances are physically running.
US08239534B1
Methods that perform message and real-time data and computational flow routing across networks comprised elements with a dynamic time-varying network topology and loading. The unique algorithms and protocols for allocation of network resources embodied in the present methods provide optimal performance for high precedence traffic while providing as good as possible performance for lower precedence traffic.
US08239533B2
Providing prioritization of user online access to an online commerce site. Third party applications using API function calls to access an online commerce site are restricted to specific services by an access rule. An access rule defines which API server on the online commerce site a specific third party application may access when using a specific API function call. In this way, the operator of the online commerce site may prioritize server access per service level agreements based on a specific third party application and API function call.
US08239529B2
At a server system, event data is received that was sent over a network to the server system. The event data reflects one or more application events generated by at least one hosted application. The hosted application is executed on one or more servers and being accessible by a user over a network using a user client device. The event data is stored at the server system. A request to view information regarding events generated by the hosted application is received at the server system and from an administrator client device over a network. The stored event data is received. At the administrator client device and based on the retrieved event data, a display of information regarding application events is generated by the hosted application.
US08239520B2
Network service operational status monitoring methods and apparatus are disclosed. Responsive to a service status request associated with a network service, an operational status of the network service is determined by an intermediary between a service status requester and the network service. The operational status is a service-specific operational status of the network service in some embodiments. Operational status may be determined through a multi-level procedure in which subsequent levels after a first level of the multi-level procedure are or are not performed depending on a result of a preceding level of the procedure. A multi-level procedure may involve a service connectivity check and a service operational check, for instance.
US08239518B2
A method for detecting and resolving a partition condition in a cluster of computers in a networked environment is described. In one example, the method includes creating a scratch pad area and dividing the scratch pad into slots. Each slot is associated with a node within the cluster. A generation number and a list of known nodes are recorded in each slot when a change of membership occurs in the cluster. The slots are compared to ensure the generation number and the list of known nodes matches in each slot, and the partition condition is resolved by creating a list of surviving nodes and re-allocating appropriate resources to each of the surviving nodes.
US08239517B1
A presence-based transaction tracking method and system for communicating transaction information over a data network in which a sensing device in a host network associated with a transaction publishes presence information associated with a sensed transaction state to a server. A watcher subscribes to the server for receiving the presence information in which a middleware application can enable a watcher access across disparate client messaging systems.
US08239511B2
Generally described, the present invention is directed to a network operating system that provides more effective ways of leveraging the connectivity of computer networks. In one embodiment, an XML virtual machine is implemented that accepts high-level application code written in an XML programming language as input. Functionality is provided to interpret or translate the application code written in an XML programming language into code that is suitable for execution across computer platforms. Moreover, the XML virtual machine supports the Model View Controller (MVC) design paradigm that facilitates true data abstraction from applications to a common data model. Multi-instance applications, with each instance potentially supporting multiple views, may be created and executed.
US08239495B2
A media player implements an integrated parallel source download technology to receive a media file from streamed and segmented media file sources. A first source streams delivery of streamed media packets of the media file in sequential packet number order to the media player, while a second source provides segmented delivery of segmented media packets of the media file in random order to the media player. The media player combines the streamed media packets and the segmented media packets to produce the media file.
US08239483B2
A system and method for determining the location of a target device. A location request may be received for a target device, and a plurality of parameters determined that identify the target device. A most likely path may be selected from a plurality of paths to produce a location of the target device, each path having one or more of the plural determined parameters as an input and one or more measurement results as an output. Measurement information may be collected on the most likely path as a function of one or more of the determined parameters to provide the one or more measurement results. Location information may then be derived for the target device as a function of the one or more measurement results, the derivation utilizing a location determination function that evaluates ones of the plural paths. An estimated location of the target device may then be determined as a function of the respective location information for the selected path.
US08239469B2
A classifier is implemented to determine the number of message transfer agents (MTAs) through which an email message has traveled. If the number of MTAs through which the email message has traveled is below a predetermined threshold and the email message is not otherwise authenticated, the classifier will designate the email message as abusive.
US08239468B2
A session QoS control arrangement wherein for an occurrence of user session information indicating a change of user state and/or a change of session condition from a user communication terminal: said session information analysis means analyses the session state of the user terminal in real-time by referring to said session management database and said user preference database; and, said session QoS control means determines the QoS policy for the user session in real-time, based on the result of session analysis performed by said session information analysis means.
US08239455B2
A framework for to enable collaborative research includes enabling scientific researchers to dynamically interact with others, collaboratively author, annotate, review, comment on others' data, and discuss their research. The framework allows for providing a dynamic collaboration environment by harnessing collective contributions from a group of researchers and facilitating broader participation of people into research projects. The framework is a Web-based collaborative platform to dynamically integrate information for scientific research. Besides data integration, the system provides essential collaboration capabilities to boost user participation and collaboration. The system will not only enable users as active information contributors to bring significant new values to the data, but also provide an environment for scientific researchers to do collaborative research in a large research community.
US08239451B1
Process and system for metasearching on the Internet performed by a metasearch engine, comprising: receiving an HTTP request from a client device for the metasearch engine to send a plurality of search queries to at least one host that comprises a plurality of server devices that provide access to information to be searched, the HTTP request associated with a plurality of travel related items that may be ordered comprising at least one airline ticket and at least one other type of travel related item; sending the plurality of search queries to the at least one host; receiving search results from the at least one host; incorporating the received search results into a response; communicating the response from the metasearch engine to the client device; receiving another HTTP request from the client device for placing an order for at least one of the plurality of travel related items; processing the order.
US08239444B1
A system, method, and computer readable medium for confirmation and verification of address data associated with a data communication. The invention provides a method of obtaining at least one of the first address information and the second address information, converting by a processor one of the first address information and the second address information to a format compatible for comparison with the other of the first address information and the second address information, performing a field-by-field comparison of the converted one of the first address information and the second address information to the other of the first address information and the second address information, and quantifying a difference between the converted one of the first address information and the second address information and the other of the first address information and the second address information.
US08239442B2
A hardware accelerator operable in an FFT mode and an FIR mode. The hardware accelerator takes input data and coefficient data and performs the calculations for the selected mode. In the FFT mode, a rate-two FFT is calculated, producing four real outputs corresponding to two complex numbers. In the FIR mode, one real output is generated. The hardware accelerator may switch from FFT mode to FIR mode using three multiplexers. All FIR components may be utilized in FFT mode. Registers may be added to provide pipelining support. The hardware accelerator may support multiple numerical-representation systems.
US08239438B2
Embodiments of the invention provide methods and apparatus for executing a multiple operand instruction. Executing the multiple operand instruction comprises computing an arithmetic result of a pair of operands in each processing lane of a vector unit. The arithmetic results generated in each processing lane of the vector unit may be transferred to a dot product unit. The dot product unit may compute an arithmetic result using the arithmetic result computed by each processing lane of the vector unit to generate an arithmetic result of more than two operands.
US08239437B2
A correlation device is provided that includes an adder for adding an input signal sequence and an auxiliary signal sequence to obtain an addition signal sequence, and a delay element for delaying the addition signal sequence to obtain the auxiliary signal sequence, whereby the delay element has a plurality of coefficient outputs for providing addition signal sequence coefficients. The correlation device comprises further a linking element for the coefficient-wise linking of an addition signal sequence coefficient with a linking coefficient to obtain a correlation result.
US08239433B2
A DDS (direct digital synthesizer) remarkably increased in the number of frequencies which can be output while maintaining the phase coherency, and an NMR instrument using such a DDS are provided. A DDS including phase accumulators and a phase-to-amplitude modulator is provided with a plurality of phase accumulators operating with fixed phase implements which are equal to powers of 2, a controller for outputting each bit of a frequency tuning word as control data, a plurality of switches for outputting an output of an associated one of the phase accumulators when an associated one of the control data supplied from the controller is 1 and outputting 0 when the associated one of the control data is 0, and an adder for adding up outputs of the switches.
US08239429B2
An output buffer is provided, to which first and second input signals are applied and that delivers an output signal. The output buffer includes a second offset switching stage installed in cascade downstream from a first switching stage. The second offset switching stage generates control points shifted in time with respect to memory points.
US08239426B2
In one embodiment, a system is provided for managing a centrally managed master repository for core enterprise reference data associated with an enterprise. A centralized master repository contains the reference data, the reference data being associated with multiple schemas, each schema including one or more data models for reference data, each data model including one or more fields. A data management services framework coupled to the repository provides services for managing the reference data in the repository. The services framework supports a master schema including a union of multiple models and associated fields in the multiple schemas. The services framework also supports a thesaurus including, for each field in the master schema, a set of synonyms each representing a mapping between the field in the master schema and a corresponding field in a particular one of the multiple schemas. The master schema and thesaurus facilitate centralized management of the reference data in the repository across multiple heterogeneous external operational systems that have different associated data models and are provided indirect access to the reference data in the repository for operational use of the reference data according to associated business workflows.
US08239418B1
The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a method that includes inferring labels for videos, users, advertisements, groups of users, and other entities included in a social network system. The inferred labels can be used to generate recommendations such as videos or advertisements in which a user may be interested. Inferred labels can be generated based on social or other relationships derived from, for example, profiles or activities of social network users. Inferred labels can be advantageous when explicit information about these entities is not available. For example, a particular user may not have clicked on any online advertisements, so the user is not explicitly linked to any advertisements.
US08239408B2
A system, method, and apparatus is provided for computerized management of a method of corporate, business or sports management by a remote party comprising relating a current database of an entity. For instance, in sports management substantially real time management is possible. Data of a player together with a historical database related to that player and decisions can be transmitted. This is communicated between a central database processing resource and at least one remote party. A remote party is permitted to access the database and access designated data from the database, and input and output data. Voting and other management of the player, team, or business is possible in substantially real time or near real time by the remote party. A remote user can vote on financial compensation for a player, a coach or a team and/or for a bonus for a player, team or game. Similarly hiring and firing decisions can be made. Shareholders, fans or customers of an entertainment business such as sports can be more interactively involved in all aspects of management and ownership duties and thus be more thoroughly entertained.
US08239403B2
A method for determining whether a soft link of a target file is pointing to a correct file system is provided. A unique identification number for a mounted file system is retrieved from a storage device in response to receiving a request to access a target file in the mounted file system. In addition, an identification number is retrieved from a soft link of the target file in response to accessing the soft link of the target file in the storage device. Then, it is determined whether a match exists between the unique identification number for the mounted file system and the identification number from the soft link of the target file. In response to determining that a match does exist between the unique identification number for the mounted file system and the identification number from the soft link of the target file, access to the target file is allowed.
US08239400B2
Methods, systems, and articles of manufacture that may be used to create and share annotations for query components, such as query conditions, in an effort to share domain knowledge, are provided. The annotations may be created by users with particular domain knowledge and may contain information useful to other users when building queries including the annotated query components. A annotation may indicate a particular format or syntax for an associated query component. In some cases, a replacement to the associated query component is suggested.
US08239388B2
A system and method for allowing a consumer to search a database containing used vehicles from a variety of sellers that can be queried to provide search results that include only vehicles having clean title histories.
US08239384B2
An apparatus for automatically searching information includes an extraction unit extracting a packet data from a broadcasting signal; an input unit for inputting searching conditions from a user; a receiving unit receiving the searching conditions; a server connection unit connecting a computer to an Internet server under the searching conditions and receiving and transmitting data of an Internet site; an interpreter judging whether the data received and extracted by the server connection unit and the extraction unit meets the searching conditions: a memory storing a content of the Internet site, its address, and time point information of when the site was previously searched by the user in a file form; an output unit transmitting the time point information and the data of the Internet site to the memory; and a microprocessor controlling operations of each element, with which various information desired by a user is searched based on pre-set searching conditions, and desired information out of various information of an Internet site or additional data on a television channel are stored in a memory according to the searching result.
US08239380B2
The present invention provides systems and methods that employ statistical filtering and ranking techniques to improve content search engine search results by tuning a general-purpose search engine for an entry point for a group of users. The filter can be manually and/or automatically configured via providing training sets of relevant and non-relevant data. For example, a relevant set of data comprising web pages associated with a desired search context for the group utilizing the entry point can be employed. In addition, a non-relevant set of data comprising random and unrelated documents can be employed. The learned filter can then be employed to compare a returned result with the known relevant and the known non-relevant data sets to determine whether the result is relevant to the user for the entry point, and the degree of relevance. The results can then be presented to the user based on the relevance.
US08239373B2
The approaches described herein provide an efficient way to process certain kinds of queries that retrieve XML data stored in an object-relational database. A technique determines whether a query comprises a plurality of iteration expressions that exhibit a particular relationship to one another, and if so, re-writes the query and produces an optimized query execution plan. The query execution plan specifies an XPath-based row source with caching enabled. A very small cache structure is used, and reference locators are stored in the cache that point into binary-encoded data rather than copying XMLType data into the cache. Row data may be cached on the first use of the path-based row source and re-used in subsequent requests for rows. Once there is a subsequent request for rows from the optimized path-based row source, the cache may be reorganized to efficiently produce the rows of the row source.
US08239364B2
A social networking system receives a query associated with a user and, in response, provides a combined result set comprising objects stored by a social networking system that match the query. The combined result set comprises multiple result sets obtained from different search algorithms. The various objects stored by the social networking system may be of different types representing different concepts, such as user objects, application objects, event objects, location objects, group objects, and hub/page objects, any of which may be included in the result set. The objects of the result set may be further filtered, ordered, and/or grouped based at least in part on known relationships of the user with the objects, such as geographic distances between locations associated with the user and the objects.In one embodiment, one of the search algorithms identifies second-order connections of the user by referring to a connection index that stores a list of the connections of the users. The search algorithm may also identify a number of mutual connections that the user shares with the second-order connections.
US08239362B1
Systems and methods are described for authoritative manufacturing work instructions. Where work instructions, engineering definition and engineering specification standards are integrated as a single set of authoritative work instructions with embedded engineering definition and standards data. This method describes a work instruction authoring system that re-uses engineering product and process specification definition and authority then combines manufacturing work instructions to produce enhanced manufacturing work instruction operations that contain authoritative specification data as reusable dynamic elements of the engineering definition and process specifications. Work instructions can be created using the authority obtained from the engineering product and specification standards, the work instructions can deliver the authoritative engineering definition and process specification standards data as an integrated element of standardized work instructions. The intent is to have an integrated seamless process specification and work instruction library of managed standards through a single system or enterprise library.
US08239361B2
Disclosed is a method and system for user-centered information search. The user-centered information search may include generating an object as a classification unit of an information search structure and a property of the object, generating a class and determining a property of the class using the object; and detecting a search result corresponding to an information request from a user using at least one of the object, property, and class.
US08239358B1
A method for searching multiple documents on a computer system includes steps for sending a query to a system core where the query is passed to a search component for searching the documents. The system core in turn receives results from the search component indicating related documents to the query and passes to a summarization component a specified number of the results. The summarization component processes related documents corresponding to the specified number of results to produce a multi-document summary. The system core receives the summary from the summarization component. The multi-document summary is received from the system core.
US08239351B2
Methods, systems and computer readable media which use permissions checking when deciding whether to allow access to a file are described. In one exemplary embodiment, a method includes receiving a notification of a change of permissions of a directory in a hierarchical file system and determining, in response to the notification, whether to update partially a permissions cache which is used in screening access based on permissions, such as access to search results. The determining may include a comparison of an identifier of the directory to a data structure of cached directories which have files represented in the permissions cache.
US08239348B1
A method and apparatus for automatically archiving data items from backup storage without having to first restore the data items is provided. In one embodiment, the method comprises processing at least one data item in backup storage using a mapping, wherein the mapping indicates at least one location of the at least one data item and ingesting the at least one data item into an archive database.
US08239344B2
A first storage system stores information relating to the updating of data stored in that system as a journal. More specifically, the journal is composed of a copy of data that was used for updating and update information such as a write command used during updating. Furthermore, the second storage system acquires the journal via a communication line between the first storage system and the second storage system. The second storage system holds a duplicate of the data held by the first storage system and updates the data corresponding to the data of the first storage system in the data update order of the first storage system by using the journal.
US08239327B2
A system and method for a user to log broadcast content at the time of the broadcast by selecting the content source on a device, the device having been configured to send the user's selection, date and timestamp, and a unique identification to a content server. The content server obtains a playlist of broadcast content from the content source, and uses the information from the user device to identify on the playlist the specific content selected by the user. The content server delivers the specific content to the user, by electronic mail or via a web page, together with associated content.
US08239325B2
A method and system to verify the identity of a user are described. The system may include a communications module to receive a billing telephone number and a private data segment associated with a user; an address detector to obtain a street address associated with the user; a private data processor to obtain one or more identification records, utilizing the obtained street address and the private data segment; and a matching module to compare the one or more identification records with the private data segment associated with the user to generate a match result.
US08239324B2
A mobile terminal capable of causing the user side to grasp whether or not a credit settlement service stops with a simple operation is provided. In the mobile terminal 10, validation and invalidation of a storage area within an IC chip assigned to an issuer application corresponding to one issuer are switched based on switching instruction information received from an issuer terminal 20 managed by one issuer. Then, when the issuer application starts, there is displayed in a lump whether or not the respective issuer applications are available on a display part 16, based on state information indicating whether or not the respective storage areas are validated. Therefore, in the mobile terminal 10, even if plural issuer applications are stored, it is possible to cause the user side to grasp which kind of the credit settlement service stops, with a simple operation of only starting a management application.
US08239320B2
An apparatus of the invention comprises an operation inputting element for designating one of a plurality of functions; a function executing element for executing the function designated by the operating inputting element; a measuring element for measuring the time during which each of the functions has been executed by the function executing element; and a chargeable amount computing element for computing a chargeable amount based on the execution time measured by the measuring element regarding each of the functions.
US08239319B2
In one embodiment, the invention provides a computerized system and method for transferring money to a bank account, typically when paid in cash or a cash equivalent at a point of sale device. According to one method, transactional information is transmitted to a host computer system from a point of sale device. The transactional information includes information on a bank account that is to receive the money. The transaction information is stored at the host computer system. Also, at least some of the transaction information is sent to an intermediary computer system that is configured to interact with a plurality of banking networks in different countries. The intermediary computer system may also determine which one of the banking networks is associated with the bank account that is to receive the money. A request is transmitted from the intermediary computer network to a local banking network and includes information on the bank account that is to receive the money and an amount of money to deposit. The bank account may then be credited with the money.
US08239311B1
A method of providing a financial product includes providing a computer processor, determining, using the computer processor, a fluctuating interest rate using a sum of a securities-based interest rate and an additional interest rate, and generating, using the computer processor, a periodic payment product using the fluctuating interest rate, wherein the periodic payment product is characterized by a payment schedule. The method also includes generating, using the computer processor, a plurality of fluctuating periodic payments using the fluctuating interest rate and obtaining an indication to fix the fluctuating interest rate at a fixed interest rate. The method further includes thereafter, determining, using the computer processor, the fixed interest rate and generating a fixed periodic payment using the fixed interest rate.
US08239306B2
Computer-implemented methods of creating and maintaining stock indexes are provided. For a stock index of a particular size, a band is defined around the upper and/or lower limits of the stock index. To be added to, or dropped from, a particular stock index, the stocks must fall outside of the bands for that particular stock index size. Stock migration is controlled using a systematic stock migration process so that stocks are gradually added and deleted from an index. Stock investment style is determined in a multi-dimensional process, instead of a linear process. Furthermore, the number of stocks in the stock index need not be a fixed value, but may depend upon how many stocks meet predefined criteria at any given point in time.
US08239295B2
Handling electronic coupons includes accessing information indicating association of an electronic coupon with an account of a user that identifies multiple retail entities associated with the user. Information indicating association of electronic coupons with the user's account may be transmitted to respective computer systems associated with the multiple retail entities. The computer systems may associate electronic coupons with the user such that the user may redeem the electronic coupons at a retail store upon presentation of a user identifier. When the user redeems an electronic coupon, cancellation information for the electronic coupon may be transmitted to the computer systems of other retail entities associated with the user. Receipt of the cancellation information may cause the respective computer systems to cancel the redeemability of the electronic coupon such that the user is prevented from redeeming the electronic coupon at a retail store associated with the corresponding retail entity.
US08239293B2
Computer system and method for bulk auditing, archiving, and selling personal property of a customer
The claimed subject matter relates to an architecture that can facilitate auditing of a customer's possessions in a comprehensive manner. The architecture can facilitate the creation of a media archive of a customer's property, as well as an associated property list extracted based upon, e.g., examination of the archive. The property list can include an entry associated with an item of property and can be transmitted to subsidizing entities to offset the expenses associated with the creation of the archive and the property list.
US08239290B2
Graphical user interface, system and method for managing contacts within an online stationery system
A graphical user interface, system and method are described for managing a contacts database within an online stationery service. For example, one embodiment of the invention comprises a graphical user interface comprising: a first region for displaying the listing of contacts received from the stationery service contacts manager, the contacts within the listing of contacts selectable via a user input device; a second region comprising a series of data field for entering a new contact via a user input device; a third region displaying a list of contacts to whom the online stationery service will mail stationery directly on behalf of the end user, the contacts within the third region selected from the first region or entered in the second region; and a print module to generate a print job to print the personalized stationery and envelopes containing the address information for the user-selected contacts.
US08239277B2
Methods and apparatus to monitor shoppers in a retail environment are disclosed herein. In a disclosed example method involves collecting location information indicative of a measured path of travel of a person through a monitored environment. The example method also involves collecting person detection event information associated with a plurality of zones in the monitored environment. The person detection event information is indicative of detections of the person in each of the zones. In addition, the example method involves determining an adjusted path of travel of the person through the monitored environment based on the location information indicative of the measured path of travel and the person detection event information.
US08239273B1
A response subsystem includes a plurality of listings, with at least one listing associated with a first type of per-hit fee and at least one second listing associated with a second type of per-hit fee. A translation subsystem is configured to translate between the first type of per-hit fee and the second type of per-hit fee.
US08239265B2
Systems and methods for providing contextual advertisements to present to a user in association with electronic books are provided. Advertising entities may submit information to include in the contextual e-book advertisement. An advertisement manager identifies the e-book and content associated with each page therein. A target page to receive the advertisement is identified. The contextual e-book advertisement is generated using content associated with the target page as well as content associated with each page preceding the target page. Content associated with pages subsequent to the target page is analyzed to determine if the advertisement is appropriate for the target page. Additional sequential information and user profile information may be used to generate the contextual e-book advertisement. Based on the content of the e-book and the parameters of the information submitted by the advertising entity, a contextual e-book advertisement is generated for the target page and presented to a user.
US08239264B2
A descriptive-profile mercantile method, for use at a juncture in a data-communications topology having associated therewith a maintained databank of partial profiles, is disclosed. The method includes the steps of: from a user, receiving a transaction having therein a first partial profile; using the first partial profile, searching a databank having a plurality of second partial profiles, wherein is included in said databank at least one null profile so that said searching will always yield at least one proximate second partial profile to the first partial profile; and between the user and the databank, contracting: (I) for the databank to own or represent a right to a first mutually agreed portion of the first partial profile, and substantially thereafter said databank incorporating the agreed portion of the first profile into at least one second partial profile; or (II) for the user to own or represent a right to a second mutually agreed portion of at least one said proximate second partial profile, and substantially thereafter the databank transmitting to the user the second mutually agreed portion of the second profile. The present invention operates best on a brokerage representation model; and thereby provides a means for making viable the economic commerce in information attributes.
US08239260B2
In particular, systems and methods are provided for delivering a discount using a virtual currency. Inventive systems and methods offer a high perceived savings value to an end-user while maintaining the perception of product value. Further, systems and methods for providing a discount are described which impose little or no cost on the service or product provider. An embodiment of an inventive method includes presenting a display of a price paid by a consumer without access to the virtual currency along with a display of an amount payable by the end-user in actual currency in combination with an amount payable in virtual currency by an end-user of an inventive system. The end-user perceives a benefit to using the virtual currency since the price paid in actual currency is less than the displayed price to be paid by a consumer without access to the virtual currency.
US08239256B2
A system for delivering targeted content to a device includes a database and a processor. The database stores anonymous identifications for a plurality of customers of at least one financial institution. Each anonymous identification is associated with financial information for a respective customer of the at least one financial institution. The processor includes software that is configured to classify consumers, create a targeted list of content viewers, and deliver a targeted advertisement over a network to a device used by a content viewer on the targeted list. The classifications can be based on the financial information associated with each anonymous identification. The target list of content viewers can be based on at least one selected classification. The advertisement can be delivered to a device used by a content viewer on the targeted list after the device has been used to log onto an application offered by the at least one financial institution.
US08239253B2
Electronically published compilations are provided. The compilations typically include a plurality of incumbent entries that are subject to replacement by candidate revisions through successive elections by an electorate of voters, e.g., human voters. Also provided are methods for improving existing compilations through elections. Election rules, history, dates and times, and election results may provide a measure of quality of the winning revision. Such compilations, when properly designed and implemented, may be viewed as an authoritative reference work that may ultimately serve as a “Rosetta Stone” for a semantic web.
US08239243B2
An apparatus and method for effectively operating Supply Chain Management (SCM) emerging as a management scheme preferred by mobile terminal manufacturers are provided. The method includes, upon detection of initial booting, gathering at least one of mobile terminal identifier information, product information, and subscriber location information, generating a sales information message comprising the gathered information, and transmitting the generated sales information message. Accordingly, an SCM system is reliably implemented in advance and determines statistical data regarding a time of sales of the mobile terminal. Further, the SCM system may determine statistical data for preferred models and colors of the mobile terminal. In addition, the determined statistical data may be utilized as marketing information or may be usefully utilized for point-of-sales inventory management by performing demand prediction.
US08239242B2
A mobile marketing campaign platform and method including: a planning module including: a definition module for setting budget and objectives; and a design module for designing the campaign utilizing a plurality of templates; an execution module including: design tools for designing an executable campaign from the campaign design made from the templates; and operating tools for causing the executable campaign to execute over multiple mobile services; and a reporting module including: tracking means for tracking at least one of a campaign activity, the campaign performance objectives; and the brand performance objectives.
US08239240B2
A system and method is provided that provides an early indication of consensus of opinion among a number of users regarding an event or observation indicated by a user. Such an opinion may be interesting to an information consumer, who may be interested in determining the outcome of the consensus relating to the event or observation, or may otherwise desire to perform surveillance or survey of a particular issue or subject. Such recognition of early events or observations may be useful in different areas, such as healthcare, finance, etc., where initial observations, if provided early, allow resulting decisions to be made much earlier. The opinion may, for instance, be used as an early indicator of problem with a product, company, etc. that would permit an information consumer to perform an action at a much earlier point than if he/she relied on traditional sources of information. Thus, such opinion information may be invaluable as a tool for monitoring events.
US08239239B1
Certain embodiments of the present invention provide methods and systems for modifying a user interface to provide easier access to succeeding user actions in a stored workflow after receiving a subsequent user action that corresponds to a user action in a stored workflow. In one embodiment, workflows that include a series of such user actions are received and stored. User actions may be inputs from a user that select an option representing a function that is performed by the application. A subsequent user action is received that corresponds to a user action in one or more stored workflows. Each of the workflows that include a corresponding user action are identified. A favorite workflow is determined based on the number of identified workflows that include the same user actions, including a user action corresponding to the subsequent user action. After determining the favorite workflow, the application user interface can be modified to provide easier access to succeeding user actions in the favorite workflow.
US08239230B2
Personnel and resources are managed in a gaming establishment. A user interface is provided that includes an employee module, a shift-scheduling module, a pit defining module, a table defining module, and a game defining module. A scheduling module is provided that a scheduling module programmed and configured to assign a shift that represents a period of time when a plurality of employees are at work, is further programmed and configured to define whether a table is open or closed in a respective area, and is still further operable to automatically assign an employee to the table based at least on the employee's proficiency with regard to a respective game played at the table and the employee's availability during the shift, wherein the assigning occurs as a function of the electronic game information, the electronic pit information, the electronic shift information and the electronic employee information, respectively.
US08239228B2
A system for valuating users and user generated content in a collaborative environment is described. The system may include a memory, an interface, and a processor. The memory may store an item, responses to the item, and ratings for each response. The processor may receive responses from the users based on the item provided by the content provider. The processor may receive ratings from the users for each of the responses. The processor may determine a response quality score for each response if the number of users who viewed the response satisfies a view threshold. The response quality score may be based on the ratings received for each response and the number of users who viewed each response. The processor may transform each response and the response quality score of each response into a graphical representation and may provide the graphical representation to the content provider.
US08239226B2
The disclosed system empowers technical and non technical users to author logical business objects, author intelligent business forms, and create automated workflows. The logical business objects include data definitions and methods from existing and new data sources. An object broker interprets the business object definition and brokers data/information and method calls to the data sources. The intelligent business forms are created by an information worker in a rich web-based tooling environment. Each form is intelligent enough to recognize other forms that it might co-exist with on a single page, as well as how to react based on events that occur on these related forms. The automated workflow tools include process discovery features that assist users during the process identification phase. The tools assist both technical and non technical users to identify processes within the organization, including supporting solution artifacts such as forms, rules, actions, outcomes and business objects involved. Process modeling features include the ability to combine defined artifacts into a process model that can be published into a runtime environment where it can be executed and used by business users in the organization.
US08239222B2
A method and apparatus that includes a method and apparatus for pooling resources into a common fund such that the risk benefit is held low by assigning rating to the individual members as well as allowing people with similar characteristic or profiles to participate in the pool.
US08239211B2
A process to create a fungible global standard for diamonds and gemstones. The process involves grouping diamonds in an investment standard according to their gemological, proportional, optical and light behavior characteristics. Diamonds that conform to the investment grade standard are interchangeable within a specific size range according to an equivalent monetary bundling process. Diamonds subjected to the standard conform to a holistic set of gemological, proportional, optical and light characteristic requirements that enables diamonds to be classified into a extraordinarily homogeneous, visually indistinguishable and highly fungible group which can be used to create baskets of diamonds to form an index/benchmark for diamond pricing, financial instruments, and a standard that can be used for certifying diamonds as investment grade to insure quality.
US08239210B2
A lossless audio codec segments audio data within each frame to improve compression performance subject to a constraint that each segment must be fully decodable and less than a maximum size. For each frame, the codec selects the segment duration and coding parameters, e.g., a particular entropy coder and its parameters for each segment, that minimizes the encoded payload for the entire frame subject to the constraints. Distinct sets of coding parameters may be selected for each channel or a global set of coding parameters may be selected for all channels. Compression performance may be further enhanced by forming M/2 decorrelation channels for M-channel audio. The triplet of channels (basis, correlated, decorrelated) provides two possible pair combinations (basis, correlated) and (basis, decorrelated) that can be considered during the segmentation and entropy coding optimization to further improve compression performance.
US08239206B1
In general, the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in methods, systems, and program products for receiving a voice query at a mobile computing device and generating data that represents content of the voice query. The data is provided to a server system. A textual query that has been determined by a speech recognizer at the server system to be a textual form of at least part of the data is received at the mobile computing device. The textual query is determined to include a carrier phrase of one or more words that is reserved by a first third-party application program installed on the computing device. The first third-party application is selected, from a group of one or more third-party applications, to receive all or a part of the textual query. All or a part of the textual query is provided to the selected first application program.
US08239202B2
A method and system for audibly outputting text messages includes: setting a vocalizing function for audibly outputting text messages, searching a character speech library for each character of a received text message, and acquiring pronunciation data of each character of the received text message. The method and the system further includes vocalizing the pronunciation data of each character of the received text message, generating a voice message, and audibly outputting the generated voice message.
US08239199B2
A method includes identifying a first syllable in a first audio of a first word and a second syllable in a second audio of a second word, the first syllable having a first set of properties and the second syllable having a second set of properties; detecting the first syllable in a first instance of the first word in an audio file, the first syllable in the first instance having a third set of properties; determining one or more transformations for transforming the first set of properties to the third set of properties; applying the one or more transformations to the second set of properties of the second syllable to yield a transformed second syllable; and replacing the first syllable in the first instance of the first word with the transformed second syllable in the audio file.
US08239195B2
A speech recognition system includes a receiver component that receives a distorted speech utterance. The speech recognition also includes an adaptor component that selectively adapts parameters of a compressed model used to recognize at least a portion of the distorted speech utterance, wherein the adaptor component selectively adapts the parameters of the compressed model based at least in part upon the received distorted speech utterance.
US08239193B2
Provided are a method, apparatus, and medium for encoding/decoding a high frequency band signal by using a low frequency band signal corresponding to an audio signal or a speech signal. Accordingly, since the high frequency band signal is encoded and decoded by using the low frequency band signal, encoding and decoding can be carried out with a small data size while avoiding deterioration of sound quality.
US08239191B2
Disclosed is an audio encoding device capable of adjusting a spectrum inclination of a quantized noise without changing the Formant weight. The device includes: an HPF (131) which extracts a high-frequency component of the frequency region from an input audio signal; a high-frequency energy level calculation unit (132) which calculates an energy level of the high-frequency component in a frame unit; an LPF (133) which extracts a low-frequency component of the frequency region from the input audio signal; a low-energy level calculation unit (134) which calculates an energy level of a low-frequency component in a frame unit; an inclination correction coefficient calculation unit (141) multiplies the difference between SNR of the high-frequency component and SNR of the low-frequency component inputted from an adder (140) by a constant and adds a bias component to the product so as to calculate an inclination correction coefficient ?3. The inclination correction coefficient is used for adjusting the spectrum inclination of a quantized noise.
US08239188B2
A translation apparatus is provided that includes a bilingual example sentence dictionary that stores plural example sentences in a first language and plural example sentences in a second language being translation of the plural example sentences, an input unit that inputs an input sentence in the first language, a first search unit that searches whether the input sentence matches any of the plural example sentences in the first language, a second search unit that searches for at least one example sentence candidate that is similar to the input sentence from the plural example sentences in the first language, when a matching example sentence is not found in the first search unit, and an output unit that outputs an example sentence in the second language that is translation of an example sentence searched in the first search unit or the example sentence candidate searched in the second search unit.
US08239183B2
One embodiment pertains to a method of transferring information. The method includes receiving a request for displayed information on a first device and forming a meta-language message based on the displayed information. The method also includes transferring the meta-language message to a handheld device and converting the meta-language message to a native language message of a user of the handheld device.
US08239179B2
A geospatial modeling system includes a display, a geospatial database, and a processor. The processor generates a model based upon a single optical image and a digital elevation model (DEM), and without registration of multiple optical images. The processor also generates time-lapsed models based upon single time-lapsed optical images and the DEM, and without registration of multiple time-lapsed optical images. Regions of interest are user selected from the time-lapsed models, and are displayed along with the model.
US08239178B2
A system, method, and computer program product for predicting operation for physical systems with distinct operating modes uses observable qualities of the system to predict other qualities of the system. Independent variables including temperature or production volume are observed to determine the degree to which a dependent modeled variable, including energy load, is influenced. Partition variables representing operating conditions of the dependent variables are defined as discrete values. Reference datasets with coincident values of the dependent variable, independent variable, and partition variables are received, and models are created for each discrete value of the partition variables in the reference dataset. Each model is populated with the values of the dependent variable and the independent variable. The dependent variable is modeled as a function of the independent variable. Model accuracy is evaluated by processing new input data to generate output data that includes values of the coincident dependent variable, the independent variable, and the partition variable from the input dataset.
US08239175B2
A geospatial modeling system may include a geospatial model data storage device, and a processor cooperating with the geospatial model data storage device for merging first and second geospatial data sets for corresponding first and second geospatial regions. The processor may be for generating seam-smoothed geospatial data for a corresponding selected geospatial region between adjacent portions of the first and second geospatial regions by applying Poisson's equation to data from at least one of the first and second geospatial data sets for the selected geospatial region using boundary conditions based upon data along corresponding interfaces between the selected geospatial region and adjacent portions of the first and second geospatial regions.
US08239174B2
In a design support apparatus, a storage unit stores location data of an assembly including a first member long and flexible and a second member connected to the first member and having a larger cross-sectional shape than that of the first member within a product, and respective positions of installed objects. A geometric center calculation unit virtually extends straight lines from a point on a route along which the first member passes, radially in directions normal to a tangential direction of the route, virtually positions points where the straight lines come into contact with the installed objects, and calculates a geometric center from the positioned points. A route change unit changes the route such that the first member passes the calculated geometric center. A verification unit verifies whether or not the assembly interferes with any of the installed objects during passage of the first member along the changed route.
US08239168B2
A system is disclosed for detecting faults in an environmental control system for a building zone. The system includes a circuit configured to determine that a fault exists based on a comparison of the current value for the climate condition in a heating state and the estimate of the climate condition at which a transmission from the heating state to the no heating state is expected to be caused by a finite state machine of the system.
US08239156B2
A method for calibrating sensors in a system including a plurality of sensors which are arranged so that they can be subjected to the same load includes the steps of detecting the level of an operating parameter for a certain load level individually by at least two of the sensors, calculating a mean value of the operating parameter for the sensors for the load level, determining a deviation from the mean value for each of the sensors, and saving the value of the deviations for use in operation of the system.
US08239153B2
The magnitude of a sensed, raw magnetic field in a portable device is monitored over a given time interval. The monitored magnitude is compared with predetermined criteria. Based on the comparison, recalibration of a compass function is signed. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
US08239144B2
A portable liquid design system includes a portable information handling system (IHS) that employs a liquid design application capable of operating in different modes to design different liquids such as corn syrup, espresso, coffee, soda pop and others. The portable liquid design system may include a refractometer to measure the refractive index and temperature of a liquid under test. The liquid design application may apply the measured refractive index and temperature to a 3 dimensional representation of the correlation of refractive index, temperature and concentration (% total dissolved solids) to determine a particular concentration corresponding to the measured refractive index and temperature. A single 3 dimensional scale may apply to virtually all values of interest of refractive index, temperature and concentration for a particular liquid under test.
US08239137B2
Subjects of the invention are a method for determination of an analyte using a particular algorithm based on a mathematical model for transforming measurement data into a growth curve and an analytical instrument comprising a computing unit for more precise determination of an analyte.
US08239130B1
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for identifying points-of-interest. In one aspect, a method includes determining a position and a heading of a mobile device, defining a zone of interest based on the position and heading of the mobile device, identifying one or more points of interest (POIs) that are located within the zone of interest, determining, for each of the identified POIs, a distance between the mobile device and the respective POI, selecting one or more of the identified POIs based on the distances, and displaying information identifying the selected POIs on a user interface of the mobile device.
US08239125B2
In a method for automatically directing traffic on a site, information is received regarding a plurality of selected entities on the job site. An indication of a first priority assigned to a first of the plurality of selected entities is received. An indication of a second priority assigned to a second of the plurality of selected entities is received. It is then determined that the first of the plurality of selected entities has a right of way over the second of the plurality of selected entities based upon a comparison of the first priority and the second priority.
US08239116B2
In a method and an apparatus which more accurately reach a predefined setpoint value of a combustion characteristic variable for an internal combustion engine (1) with an injection system (30), a first injection signal which triggers an injection of fuel into a combustion chamber (53) of the internal combustion engine (1) is generated using at least one injection signal parameter. A combustion signal which represents a combustion of the injected fuel is generated by a detector (40). The combustion characteristic variable is determined using the combustion signal. The injection signal parameter is corrected using a deviation of the combustion characteristic variable from a setpoint value, in such a way that the deviation of a second injection signal which is generated using the corrected injection parameter is reduced for an injection which is to be performed later.
US08239114B2
A method of combustion stability control for a gas turbine engine is provided, and includes the steps of receiving by a stability controller, information regarding environmental and operating conditions, and comparing the environmental and operating conditions to pre-programmed information to determine if a likelihood of combustion instability exists. The method further includes the steps of determining optimal fuel modulation frequency and amplitude for the environmental condition to reduce combustion instability, if a likelihood of combustion instability exists, and actuating at least one fuel modulation valve to, at the optimal fuel modulation frequency and amplitude, reduce combustion instability, if a likelihood of combustion instability exists. Systems for modulating fuel flow are also provided.
US08239107B2
In order to achieve a comfortable starting process with low wear, a braking torque, set by the driver by way of a brake pedal, an acceleration torque, requested by the driver via the accelerator pedal, and a holding torque, required for holding a motor vehicle on a gradient, are determined, and the engagement of the starting clutch, as well as the release of the service brake, are coordinated such that during the release of the service brake, the sum of the clutch torque and braking torque corresponds to the holding torque, and the clutch torque of the starting clutch is increased by the acceleration torque only when the service brake has been largely released.
US08239095B2
A cooling system of the invention mounted on a motor vehicle has a damper configured to switch over an air blow mode between an inside air intake mode of taking in the air from a passenger compartment of the motor vehicle via operation of a battery blower fan and directly blowing the intake air to a battery and an A/C intake mode of taking in the air cooled down by an air conditioner (evaporator) via operation of the battery blower fan and blowing the cooled intake air to the battery. In response to a switchover demand of the air blow mode, when a vehicle speed is not lower than a preset reference speed, a switchover of the damper is immediately performed to switch over the air blow mode. When the vehicle speed is lower than the preset reference speed, the switchover of the damper is prohibited to keep the air blow mode unchanged. At the higher vehicle speed, the drive-related noise (background noise) sufficiently masks the wind noise occurring in the course of the switchover of the damper. The damper is thus switched over only at the vehicle speed of not lower than the preset reference speed. This arrangement effectively prevents the driver and the other passengers from feeling odd and uncomfortable.
US08239093B1
An analysis tool which extracts all the available parameter identifications (i.e. PIDS) from a vehicle's power train control module for diagnostic decisions. This is done by checking these PIDS and other information (e.g., calculated PIDS, Break Points, charts and algorithms) in three states; key on engine off, key on engine cranking, key on engine running. In all three modes the tool is comparing the live data from PIDS and voltage to the other information (e.g, Break Points). If any of this data are outside the programmed values a flag is assigned to the failure or control problem. The relationship between a particular PID and its associated preprogrammed value(s) may be indicated by a light. The depth of the problem (if any) is conveyed by the color of the light. Also included are tests/charts for fuel trim, engine volumetric efficiency, simulated injector, power, catalyst efficiency, and engine coolant range.
US08239091B2
The invention relates to a method for detecting a rotating stall fault in a compressor (12) which is driven by means of a three-phase current motor (8) fed by an inverter. According to the invention, an instantaneous estimated value (^m) which is calculated from measured power converter output currents (iS1, iS2, iS3) and a measured rotational-speed-proportional signal (ω) is compared with an instantaneous setpoint value (m*) determined from a measured rotational-speed-proportional signal (ω) and a predetermined rotational-speed-proportional signal (ω*), in such a way that in the case of inequality a signal (SRS) is generated which indicates that the rotating stall fault has occurred. In this way, it is possible for the rotating stall fault to be detected without pressure sensors and/or oscillation pickups in a compressor (12) which is driven with a three-phase current motor (8) fed by inverter.
US08239089B2
An apparatus and a method for detecting deformations of a vehicle component on a motor vehicle are disclosed, which are capable of unambiguously determining the location and temporal progression of the deformation, as well as the severity of the deformation, within a very short time after the deformation of the vehicle component begins. A grid module having a grid, an emitter component with a light emitter; and a detector with at least one sensor unit are hereby provided on the vehicle component. A beam path of a light beam between the light emitter and the detector is alternatingly interrupted when the grid is displaced relative to the emitter component due to a deformation of the vehicle component. The detector detects a signal in form of light pulses generated by the interruption of the light beam and the light pulses are transmitted as a time-modulated signal to an evaluation unit.
US08239084B2
A moving device (70) determines an obstacle virtual existence region (72) of a simple graphic approximating a detected obstacle (71) to detect the obstacle (71) in a real time and determine a smooth avoidance path by calculation, thereby performing collision prediction.
US08239077B2
A method and a device for an aircraft for detecting noise in a signal of LOC type. A first step includes estimating a first lateral speed of the aircraft according to a first set of parameters. Concurrently, at least one second lateral speed of the aircraft is estimated according to at least one second set of parameters, among which at least one parameter is of different nature from each parameter of the first set of parameters. A second step includes comparing the first lateral speed and the at least one second lateral speed according to a threshold. If the difference between the first lateral speed and the at least one second lateral speed is greater than the threshold, the presence of noise in the signal of LOC type is detected.
US08239076B2
A method and system for enabling police pursuing a vehicle to slow the vehicle down via short range wireless communication with the vehicle. The process can be carried out with or without involvement of a call center that provides telematics services to the vehicle. The method involves configuring the vehicle to accept a slowdown command, confirming the target vehicle at a pursuing police vehicle, establishing the short range connection between the police vehicle and target vehicle, and slowing the target vehicle by sending it the slowdown command over the wireless connection. The call center can enable or disable the slowdown service according to the vehicle owner's wishes.
US08239073B2
In particular embodiments, an energy gateway is described that is configured to receive power usage information from one or more power meters, transmit the power usage information to an energy management server, receive control signals from the energy management server, transmit the control signals to the one or more power switches and execute localized pre-programmed rules.
US08239066B2
The disclosure provides systems and methods of use of an HVAC graphical interface dashboard. In various embodiments, the dashboard includes a weather tab, wherein invoking the weather tab advances to a weather screen. The dashboard also includes an indoor humidity tab. A programs tab and a home tab are also provided. The dashboard further comprises: a) a screen that employs a backlight to display information to a user; b) a backlight, and c) a motion detector, wherein the backlight is turned on by the motion detector upon a detection of motion.
US08239059B2
Described is a tape library which can generally include a tape drive, a tape cartridge that possesses a medium auxiliary memory device, a device for reading information retained on the medium auxiliary memory device and a program that runs on a processor capable of manipulating information received by the reading device. The tape cartridge's medium auxiliary memory device can contain at least one record of a previous access event, such as an approximate point in time when the tape cartridge is loaded in the tape drive. The program may be operable to determine how much time has elapsed from the access event. Knowledge of the elapsed time can, among other things, cause an action to be taken relative to the tape cartridge and/or the data thereon. A method of using the system is also described.
US08239050B2
Measuring the loudness of audio encoded in a bitstream that includes data from which an approximation of the power spectrum of the audio can be derived without fully decoding the audio is performed by deriving the approximation of the power spectrum of the audio from said bitstream without fully decoding the audio, and determining an approximate loudness of the audio in response to the approximation of the power spectrum of the audio. The data may include coarse representations of the audio and associated finer representations of the audio, the approximation of the power spectrum of the audio being derived from the coarse representations of the audio. In the case of subband encoded audio, the coarse representations of the audio may comprise scale factors and the associated finer representations of the audio may comprise sample data associated with each scale factor.
US08239035B2
Stimulation inputs are provided to a visual prosthesis implant. The images captured by a video decoder are received and digitized to provide a plurality of video frames; integrity of the video frames is checked, the checked video frames are filtered, and the filtered video frames are converted to stimulation inputs. A similar system is also disclosed.
US08239027B2
A responsive gastrointestinal stimulation device is provided where one or more sensors sense data corresponding to a subject or the gastrointestinal tract of a subject and responds to sensing the data by stimulating, adjusting stimulation, or stopping stimulation of the gastrointestinal tract. A stimulation device is also provided to stimulate the gastrointestinal tract to produce a sensation of satiety or to control hunger or food consumption.
US08239025B2
The invention comprises a system for the secure remote programming of an implant. A TAN server is provided for this purpose, in which a user is first accredited and which then generates a TAN upon a request and provides it to the user on one hand and to a patient intermediate device assigned to the implant to be reprogrammed on the other hand.
US08239023B2
Systems and methods using a heart valve and an implantable medical device, such as for event detection and optimization of cardiac output. The cardiac management system includes a heart valve, having a physiological sensor. The physiological sensor is adapted to measure at least one of an intrinsic electrical cardiac parameter, a hemodynamic parameter or the like. The system further includes an implantable electronics unit, such as a cardiac rhythm management unit, coupled to the physiological sensor of the heart valve to receive physiological information. The electronics unit is adapted to use the received physiological information to control delivery of an electrical output to the subject.
US08239015B2
The distraction detection apparatus includes: an electroencephalogram detection section for detecting an electroencephalogram signal of a driver; an arousal level estimation section for retaining a first rule of mapping parameter values of an electroencephalogram signal to arousal levels, and estimating an arousal level based on the detected electroencephalogram signal and the first rule; an attention allocation estimation section for retaining a second rule of mapping parameter values of an electroencephalogram signal to attention allocations, and estimating an attention allocation based on the detected electroencephalogram signal and the second rule; a driver state estimation section for retaining a third rule of deriving an amount of attention from an arousal level and an attention allocation, estimating an amount of attention of the driver paid to driving based on the estimated arousal level and attention allocation and the third rule, and classifying a state of the driver into a normal state, a state of reduced attention, or a state of reduced arousal level; and an output section for performing an intervention for the driver based on a result of classification by the driver state classification section.
US08239014B2
The dominant brain wave frequencies of a patient are measured by an electroencephalogram (EEG) with a plurality of leads over the head and scalp. In a process for low energy neuro-feedback, the therapeutically beneficial low power RF field is sequentially applied via the same at a different frequency, which is generally offset from the dominant frequency by 5 to 20 Hz. The order of applying these low power stimuli to the different leads is optimized based on the activity observed at each lead and its variation over time. Leads positions having a greater Coefficient of Variation are treated first.
US08239007B2
Various compositions, methods, and devices are provided that use fluorescent nanoparticles, which can function as markers, indicators, and light sources. The fluorescent nanoparticles can be formed from a fluorophore core surrounded by a biocompatible shell, such as a silica shell. In one embodiment, the fluorescent nanoparticles can be delivered to tissue to mark the tissue, enable identification and location of the tissue, and/or illuminate an area surrounding the tissue. In another embodiment, the fluorescent nanoparticles can be used on a device or implant to locate the device or implant in the body, indicate an orientation of the device or implant, and/or illuminate an area surrounding the device or implant. The fluorescent nanoparticles can also be used to provide a therapeutic effect.
US08239005B2
Systems and methods for tracking targets in real time for radiation therapy and other applications. In one embodiment, a method includes collecting position information of a marker implanted within a patient at a site relative to the target at a time tn, and providing an objective output indicative of the location of the target based on the position information collected at time tn. The objective output is provided to a memory device, user interface, and/or radiation delivery machine within 1 ms to 2 seconds of the time tn when the position information was collected. This embodiment of the method can further include providing the objective output at a periodicity of 10-200 ms during at least a portion of a treatment procedure. For example, the method can further include generating a beam of ionizing radiation and directing the beam to a machine isocenter, and continuously repeating the collecting procedure and the providing procedure every 10-200 ms while irradiating the patient with the ionizing radiation beam.
US08239001B2
A surgical navigation system for navigating a region of a patient that may include a non-invasive dynamic reference frame and/or fiducial marker, sensor tipped instruments, and isolator circuits. The dynamic reference frame may be placed on the patient in a precise location for guiding the instruments. The dynamic reference frames may be fixedly placed on the patient. Also the dynamic reference frames may be placed to allow generally natural movements of soft tissue relative to the dynamic reference frames. Also methods are provided to determine positions of the dynamic reference frames. Anatomical landmarks may be determined intra-operatively and without access to the anatomical structure.
US08238996B2
A sensor array apparatus for monitoring medical signals includes a flexible substrate adapted for positioning relative to the torso of a patient. The flexible substrate includes a central segment defining a central axis and is adapted to generally conform to an area extending along the sternum of a patient. The flexible substrate further includes an upper segment extending traversal across the central segment and adapted to generally conform to the chest area of a patient and a lower segment extending traversal across the central segment and adapted to generally conform to the abdominal area of the patient. The apparatus further includes a medical electrode disposed on at least one of the segments and a connector in electrical communication with the medical electrode and adapted to connect to an electronic monitoring system.
US08238985B2
An information processing apparatus includes: a first casing; a second casing; a detecting portion that detects whether the first and the second casings are in a closed state or in a turnover open state; a volatile storage medium that stores a first number and a second number indicating the number of times of the closed state and the turnover open state respectively; and an accumulating portion that controls a nonvolatile storage medium to store the first number and the second number updated when the first number is dividable by a first predetermined number or when the second number is dividable by a second predetermined number.
US08238982B2
The present invention relates to a system and method for facilitating short-range wireless communications between a mobile wireless device and an auxiliary device. The wireless device includes a short-range transceiver for communicating with an auxiliary device; a signal module for providing a mode control signal; and, a control module for controllably shifting a short-range transceiver between a power saver mode and a search mode based on the mode control signal received from the signal module. When in the search mode, the short-range transceiver is operable to search for the auxiliary device to communicate therewith. When in a power saver mode, the short-range transceiver is not operable to search for the auxiliary device.
US08238975B2
A diversity antenna system including a plurality of antennas can include an antenna interface circuit configured to connect an antenna of the plurality of antennas to a transceiver using an antenna selection signal. The antenna control circuit can be configured to produce the antenna selection signal using at least one of a random sequence generator configured to generate a random antenna selection signal or a predetermined sequence generator configured to generate a predetermined antenna selection signal according to a predetermined sequence.
US08238964B2
An access network selection method in a communications network having access networks is disclosed that includes notifying devices in calling-side and called-side networks of the identifiers of currently available access networks and user preferences; making a list of candidates for an access network to be assigned to the called-side terminal, and transmitting the list to the device in the calling-side network; determining an access network to be assigned to the calling-side terminal in response to reception of the list, and notifying the calling-side terminal of the determined access network; notifying the device in the called-side network of the type of the access network assigned to the calling-side terminal; and determining the access network to be assigned to the called-side terminal in response to reception of the signal of the type of the access network assigned to the calling-side terminal, and notifying the called-side terminal of the determined access network.
US08238962B2
A communication system comprises a radio to transmit and receive communication signals to and from a selected ground station; and a management unit coupled to the radio and operable to dynamically set a threshold value for selecting another ground station based on a signal strength corresponding to the selected ground station. The management unit is operable to select another ground station when a signal strength corresponding to the other ground station exceeds the signal strength corresponding to the selected ground station by more than the threshold value set by the management unit.
US08238961B2
A wireless communicator, including a modem operable to transmit and receive voice communication phone calls, a power amplifier coupled with the modem operable to dynamically apply a variable gain factor to voice communications transmitted by the modem, to produce an appropriate power output, and a controller coupled with the modem including a radiation monitor operable to monitor the power output of the power amplifier, the controller being operable to restrict operation of the modem, based on data provided by the radiation monitor, when the cumulative power output produced by the power amplifier exceeds a pre-designated daily cumulative power limit.
US08238959B2
A method and apparatus for controlling a transmission (Tx) power in a mobile communication system based on fractional frequency reuse are provided. In a method of operating a base station (BS) for controlling the Tx power in the mobile communication system, the method includes receiving from neighboring BSs received signal strength indication (RSSI) information for one or more restricted band allocated, calculating backoff values of the Tx power for the restricted bands by using the RSSI information, and determining the Tx power for each restricted band by using a difference between the backoff value of the Tx power for the restricted band and a maximum Tx power. Accordingly, resources can be further effectively used.
US08238947B2
Method of transmitting a message with duration of validity destined for a subscriber terminal, comprising the formulating, in the message, of a field containing information regarding duration of validity of the message and the monitoring of the validity of the message on the basis of the information contained in said field, wherein the message is transmitted to the terminal of the subscriber and, on the expiry of the duration of validity of the message, the message received by the terminal is modified or deleted in such a way as to prevent consultation thereof.
US08238941B2
A system for determining a location for a mobile communication device includes a plurality of taps, a multiplexer, and a link aggregator. Each tap includes a pair of connectors that couple to a communication link of a radio access network inline and pass between them a signal received over the communication link. Each tap also includes a multiplexer connector that couples to a multiplexer and a cable connecting the multiplexer connector to the inline connectors. The tap replicates signals passing between the inline connectors and propagates the replicated signals to the multiplexer connector. The multiplexer receives, from each tap, signals replicated by that tap, extracts location data from the received signals, and transmits the location data to a link aggregator. The link aggregator receives the location data from the multiplexer and determines a location for one of the mobile devices based on the received location data.
US08238939B2
A profiling engine is disclosed. The profiling engine collects information from a variety of sources in real time and stores the information in a profile. The profile may have a number of layers, each layer having a number of categories. The profile is made available for use by applications and services.
US08238935B2
One embodiment includes a method in a mobile device, including accepting real-time location information on the location of the mobile device, and ascertaining whether real-time information is to be included. In the case it is ascertained that real-time location information is to be embedded, the method includes embedding the accepted location in a payload portion of a media packet; and sending the packets to one or more recipients. At least some of the sent packets include location information embedded in the payload portion.
US08238933B2
A wireless device includes at least one antenna, an RF interface, and processing circuitry coupled to the RF interface and indirectly to the at least one antenna. The wireless device identifies other wireless devices that service based upon transmission characteristics of wireless signals received from other wireless devices and/or relative positions of the other wireless devices with respect to itself. In a first operational period, the wireless device determines transmission characteristics of the other wireless devices. Then, during a second operational period, without further interaction with the other wireless devices, the wireless device determines communication link characteristics based simply upon transmission characteristics of the other wireless devices.
US08238929B2
A method used in a receiver includes measuring first Received Signal Strength Indications (RSSIs) in respective first communication channels, which are located in a given frequency band and which each have a first channel bandwidth. Based on the first RSSIs, second RSSIs are computed for respective second communication channels, which are located in the given frequency band and which each have a second channel bandwidth that is larger than the first channel bandwidth. At least one of the first and second communication channels over which to receive signals at the receiver are selected using the first and second RSSIs.
US08238928B2
A method and apparatus for allocating radio resources to an elastic session in a cell in a CDMA network is presented. The method comprises allocating, to the elastic session, a radio resource share corresponding to a reduced transmission rate wherein the reduction in transmission rate corresponds to a peak transmission rate of the elastic session being slowed down by a first slowdown rate. The first slow down rate is determined in dependency of the transmission rate requirements of the ongoing sessions in the cell in a manner so that the radio resource share allocated is not lower than a radio resource share corresponding to the maximum transmission rate if a total amount of resources available for allocation to ongoing sessions in the cell is sufficient for all ongoing sessions to transmit at a respective peak transmission rate.
US08238925B2
A hybrid QoS access method for a wireless station, such as a power-save VoIP station, where a first method, such as “reverse polling” is used on a lightly loaded channel and a second method, e.g. unscheduled polled access, is used to mitigate contention when the channel is becomes more heavily loaded.
US08238921B2
A detecting base station transmits user zone information to wireless communication device when the presence of a wireless communication device is detected. A detecting base station receives a detection signal, such as an uplink signal, transmitted from the wireless communication device to determine the presence of the wireless communication device. The detecting base station notifies the core network the detection by transmitting a device proximity message and, after receiving authorization from the network, transmits the user zone information within the broadcast channel used by the originating base station communicating to the wireless communication device.
US08238920B2
Automatic setting and/or adjusting of the threshold(s) for triggering measurements of signal strength/quality of other RATs that are needed for IRAT mobility is described. The setting and/or adjusting of the threshold(s) triggering IRAT measurements is automatically optimized and preferably performed for each BS. Initially, constraints on the optimization of the IRAT measurement triggering threshold(s) are set, and a start value for the optimization of the IRAT measurement triggering threshold(s) is provided or determined. Input information needed for the optimization of the IRAT measurement triggering threshold(s) are then collected, and new IRAT measurement triggering threshold(s) are determined and set or existing IRAT measurement triggering threshold(s) are adjusted if appropriate. Operator expenses for adjusting the IRAT measurement triggering threshold(s) to appropriate values are thereby reduced as compared to manual setting, and the efficiency loss caused by non-optimized IRAT measurement triggering threshold(s) is reduced or minimized.
US08238911B2
Methods, apparatus, and computer-readable media for management and arbitration of dedicated mobile communication resources for mobile applications are provided. Mobile applications can be given a priority level that establishes an importance with respect to one or more other mobile applications and at least one mobile resource. If competing applications attempt to access the mobile resource concurrently, access can be provided to an application having higher priority level. Furthermore, control of a resource can be taken away from an application having lower priority in order to affect control of such resource for a higher priority application. In one aspect, a privilege code of an application can be verified prior to establishing control of the resource for the application, to mitigate a likelihood of inappropriate transfer of resources. Accordingly, the subject disclosure provides for management of dedicated resources for a mobile processing environment to effect important device functions with minimum delay.
US08238907B2
A mobile communications network in which a home location register stores two dialed numbers for a mobile station, a first number for use in a licensed radio access network and a second number for use only in an unlicensed radio access network. The core network discontinues connection of a call to the mobile station when the call uses the second dialed number and the mobile station is not located in the unlicensed radio access network. The core network may route the discontinued call to voice mail or to another number.
US08238904B2
A method of making network services available to a subscriber of a first mobile communications network when the subscriber roams in a second mobile communications network. The method includes: intercepting a signaling message issued by a service switching function of the second mobile communications network as a consequence to a service request by the subscriber; checking the intercepted signaling message; and based on the check, updating the intercepted signaling message so as to include service addressing data adapted to invoke a service in the first mobile communications network.
US08238899B2
A system and method are provided for monitoring the quality of a communication session with a mobile device. Should the communication session degrade, rather than dropping the communication session the user of a device communicating with the mobile device is prompted to wait while an attempt is made to improve the quality of the communication session. Similarly if the user of the mobile device moves out of a coverage area, rather than dropping the communication session the user of the device communicating with the mobile device is prompted to wait until a new communication session can be established.
US08238898B2
Wireless active monitor system for containers/carts that hold item(s). Includes a container mount, and sensor for example to weigh the item(s), and a wireless transmitter/transceiver to transmit sensor data from the sensor to a database for remote access. The sensor may be protected via shock pads to prevent damage to the sensor if the container is dropped. The system may be implemented with a printed circuit board having a central processing unit and memory that holds program code to execute on the central processing unit, for example to transmit sensor data via the wireless transmitter. May utilize a unique identifier associated with each container, and/or vehicle utilized to interface with the container. Enables rapid determination of the physical characteristics associated with items in the container without requiring physical contact with the container. For example, allows the weight of garbage containers to be determined remotely.
US08238896B2
A system and method for making vehicle originated calls to a telematics service provider or other call center. The method includes identifying a call type associated with a desired wireless communication of speech or data to the call center, and then carrying out one of a number of different call connection processes depending on the call type. For voice channel cellular connections, an in-band modem cellular connection is preferably established in most instances using a connection retry strategy that includes primary, secondary, and possibly tertiary connection attempts each of which utilize at least one of a number of different voice and data call origination processes. The system and method can be carried out in connection with various cellular system technologies, but is especially suited for use with GSM systems.
US08238894B2
A controlling device (e.g., a telephony device) can remotely control various tasks associated with a controlled device (e.g., a personal computer), including the navigation of user interfaces associated with applications or an operating system associated with the controlled device. A task can be controlled at the controlled device by mapping user input received at the controlling device to control commands suitable for execution at the controlled device.
US08238891B1
Method and system for interactive delivery of data content to mobile devices are disclosed. The method includes receiving a rich media message to be transmitted to a mobile device, where the rich media message includes multimedia data, determining a mode of data communication of the mobile device, parsing the rich media message into one or more text SMS (short message service) messages in response to a determination that the mobile device is capable of processing only text SMS messages, and transmitting the one or more text SMS messages to the mobile device.
US08238886B2
A method of providing interactive services to a mobile device, comprising transmitting programming on-air to a first mobile device by a first facility in communication with a service provider and receiving by a second facility in communication with the service provider information based on the programming, wherein the first information comprises information relayed from the first device to the second facility after being processed by a second mobile device, is provided.
US08238884B2
A method of providing access to telecommunication services involves receiving a routing information request for terminating a communication with a mobile station located within a visited geographic region, the routing information request including a directory number local to the visited geographic region. A subscriber identity associated with the received directory number is then dynamically selecting from an evaluation of a decision tree, the decision tree associating a reference directory number with a plurality of reference subscriber identities. Each reference subscriber identity is associated with a telecommunications service user, each user being registered to receive telecommunication services within a respective home geographic region, the home geographic region being different from the visited geographic region. The mobile station receives access to the telecommunication services within the visited geographic region via the selected subscriber identity.
US08238883B1
Systems and methods for connecting calls of different communication technologies are provided. A communications network component includes a radio frequency unit and a baseband processing unit. The baseband processing unit operates as a software-defined radio baseband processing unit. The baseband processing unit can be programmed to support connections between two or more communication technologies, and can control the radio frequency unit to communicate over the appropriate frequency bands with originating and destination communication stations. The communication technology of the originating or destination communication stations is a high performance push-to-talk (HPPTT) or WiMAX-based technology, and the communication technology of the other communication station can be a land mobile radio, satellite, public switched telephone network, or iDEN communication technology.
US08238868B2
A dynamic voltage scaling system for a packet-based data communication transceiver includes a constant voltage supply, a variable voltage supply, and a voltage control unit. The constant voltage supply is configured to supply a constant voltage to at least one parameter-independent function of the transceiver, and the variable voltage supply is configured to supply a variable voltage in accordance with a control signal to at least one parameter-dependent function of the transceiver. Parameter-independent transceiver functions perform operations independent of a predetermined parameter and parameter-dependent transceiver functions perform operations dependent on the predetermined parameter The voltage control unit is configured to generate the control signal based on information provided by at least one parameter-independent transceiver function about the predetermined parameter.
US08238864B2
The present invention aims to efficiently calibrate the characteristics of a pair of reception or transmission low-pass filters by a receiving or transmitting circuit. A semiconductor integrated circuit includes an RF receiver that processes an RF reception signal, an RF transmitter that generates an RF transmission signal and a frequency synthesizer. A reception low-pass filter of the RF receiver suppresses undesired components contained in I and Q baseband reception signals. A transmission low-pass filter of the RF transmitter suppresses noise due to D/A conversion, which is contained in I and Q transmission analog baseband signals. A calibration test signal is supplied to the inputs of the pair of reception or transmission low-pass filters. A difference in phase between the pair of filters is detected by a phase detection unit. A calibration controller calibrates a relative mismatch between the cut-off frequencies of the pair of filters.
US08238862B2
Embodiments of a SAW-less RF receiver front-end that includes a frequency translated notch filter (FTNF) are presented. An FTNF includes a passive mixer and a baseband impedance. The baseband impedance includes capacitors that form a low-Q band-stop filter. The passive mixer is configured to translate the baseband impedance to a higher frequency. The translated baseband impedance forms a high-Q notch filter and is presented at the input of the FTNF. In an embodiment, the capacitors are implemented using MOS capacitors. In another embodiment, the capacitors are partially formed from MOS capacitors and fringe capacitors. The FTNF can be fully integrated in CMOS IC technology (or others, e.g., Bipolar, BiCMOS, and SiGe) and applied in wireless receiver systems including EDGE/GSM, Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA), Bluetooth, and wireless LANs (e.g., IEEE 802.11).
US08238861B2
Techniques for performing automatic gain control (AGC) at a terminal in a wireless communication network are described. In an aspect, the terminal may use different receiver gain settings to receive different types of signals in different time intervals. The terminal may determine a receiver gain setting for each signal type and may use the receiver gain setting to receive signals of that signal type. In another aspect, the terminal may determine a receiver gain setting for a future time interval based on received power levels for peer terminals expected to transmit in that time interval. The terminal may measure received power levels of signals received from a plurality of terminals. The terminal may determine a set of terminals expected to transmit in the future time interval and may determine the receiver gain setting for the future time interval based on the measured received power levels for the set of terminals.
US08238854B2
A multi-rank beamforming (MRBF) scheme in which the downlink channel is estimated and an optimal precoding matrix to be used by the MRBF transmitter is determined accordingly. The optimal precoding matrix is selected from a codebook of matrices having a recursive structure which allows for efficient computation of the optimal precoding matrix and corresponding Signal to Interference and Noise Ratio (SINR). The codebook also enjoys a small storage footprint. Due to the computational efficiency and modest memory requirements, the optimal precoding determination can be made at user equipment (UE) and communicated to a transmitting base station over a limited uplink channel for implementation over the downlink channel.
US08238852B2
An integrated circuit (IC) includes an RF receiver having an AGC module that generates an automatic gain control (AGC) signal based on a strength of a received signal, and a low noise amplifier that amplifies the received signal based on the AGC signal. A processing module generates a power mode signal based on the AGC signal, the power mode signal for adjusting a power consumption parameter of the IC based on the power mode signal.
US08238851B2
Aspects of a system for improving efficiency over power control for linear and class AB power amplifiers may include a current source circuit that enables determination of a bias current level for a PA circuit within an IC die based on an amplitude of an input modulation signal. The PA circuit may enable generation of an output signal based on a differential input signal and the input modulation signal to the current source circuit. A generated bias voltage may be applied to a transformer external to the IC die, but internal to an IC package containing the IC die and/or a circuit board containing the IC package. One or more amplifier bias voltage levels may be applied to the PA circuit wherein the amplifier bias voltage levels may be derived from the generated bias voltage level and/or the determined bias current level.
US08238839B2
Variable operating currents are generated in relation to input signal power and output signal power and achieving both low noise and low power consumption. Emitter follower circuits are attached to output terminals of a frequency divider for generating a local signal. By adjusting the currents flowing through the emitter follower circuits, the amounts of currents flowing into mixers is adjusted. When the amounts of currents of local signals flowing into the mixers increases, the effect of noise suppression is expected. The amounts of the currents flowing through the emitter follower circuits is changed depending on the amplification factor of variable amplifiers.
US08238828B2
Systems, methods and computer program products for storing, securing, identifying, authenticating and retrieving multimedia messages using low-cost barcode or RFID tags are disclosed. Additionally, a set of software features facilitate the easy and intuitive storage and retrieval of multimedia information using a mobile telephone acting on the media tags. Such tags can be attached or affixed to physical, real-world objects thus allowing multimedia messages associated with the tags to be retrieved with the real-world objects in a time-shifted and space-shifted manner from when and where they were recorded. The present invention uses low-cost (metal, paper or plastic) tags—encoded using barcodes or RFID—as virtual message storage units and commercially-available terminals equipped with appropriate software and sensors, such as mobile telephones, as recording and reading devices.
US08238824B2
A communication system includes the following elements: a transmitter including a transmission circuit unit configured to generate an RF signal for transmitting data and an electric-field-coupling antenna configured to transmit the RF signal as an electrostatic field; a receiver including an electric-field-coupling antenna and a reception circuit unit configured to receive and process the RF signal received by the electric-field-coupling antenna; and a surface-wave propagation medium configured to provide a surface-wave transmission line to transmit a surface wave emanating from the electric-field-coupling antenna of the transmitter with low propagation loss.
US08238795B2
An image forming apparatus for forming a color image on a recording material includes mounting means for detachably mounting a plurality of process cartridges each including a photosensitive drum and a developing roller. Movable members are provided that are actable on first and second clutches for switching between an operation state for transmitting the driving force to the developing rollers and a non-operation state not transmitting the driving force thereto. Also provided is a switching member for switching among a first mode for transmitting the driving force to the developing rollers of all of the process cartridges, a second mode for not transmitting the driving force to any one of the developing rollers, and a third mode for transmitting the driving force only to the developing roller of a black process cartridge.
US08238794B2
An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier for carrying a toner image, a drive device for driving the image carrier at a predetermined speed, a control device for giving instruction to the drive device to perform predetermined operation, and a transfer device for nipping a recording sheet with a rotary member at the position opposed to the image carrier and for transferring the toner image on the image carrier onto the recording sheet, wherein the control device gives instruction to the drive device to generate a variation having a phase which is reverse to a phase of a variation given to the predetermined speed of the image carrier by a vibration produced at the time of passage of the recording sheet between the image carrier and the transfer device.
US08238792B2
Disclosed are a charge eliminator and an image forming apparatus having the same. The charge eliminator includes a light source array and a light guide member. The light source array includes a plurality of point light sources. The light guide member includes an incidence face through which light generated from the point light sources is introduced. The light guide member guides the light introduced through the incidence face to the photoconductor. A diffusion pattern is provided at the incidence face of the light guide member to diffuse the light introduced through the incidence face.
US08238791B2
A fusing unit and an image forming apparatus having the same. The fusing unit may include a heating roller, a fusing frame to which the heating roller may be mounted, a pivoting frame to mount to the fusing frame to be rotatable about the heating roller, and a plurality of pressure rollers to mount to the pivoting frame and to be elastically supported on an outer peripheral surface of the heating roller. When paper that undergoes serious curling beyond an appropriate level is used, the pressure rollers may rotate to allow paper having passed between the heating roller and the pressure rollers to move in a path rotated by an angle corresponding to a rotation angle of the pressure rollers. This exemplary embodiment may reduce paper jam.
US08238787B2
At a lower portion of a process cartridge, a first portion to be urged and a second portion to be urged are provided. To an image forming apparatus, a guide portion for slidably guiding the first portion to be urged and the second portion to be urged during mounting of the process cartridge in the image forming apparatus is provided. Further, to the guide portion is provided with a first hole and a second hole at two recessed portions with respect to a longitudinal and mounting direction of the process cartridge. At bottoms of the two recessed portions wherein the first hole and the second hole are provided, a first urging portion acting on the first portion to be urged and a second urging portion acting on the second portion to be urged are provided, respectively. The second portion to be urged has a dimension larger than that of the first hole with respect to the mounting direction.
US08238780B2
The invention provides a wiping assembly in an image forming device, to clean at least one sensor lens in the image forming device. The wiping assembly includes a bracket to move between a first position and a second position across the sensor lens. Further, the wiping assembly includes a wiper to clean the sensor lens. The wiper is located between the bracket and a sensor housing, which supports the sensor lens. The wiping assembly includes a spring to actuate the movement of the bracket between the first position and the second position. The movement of the bracket is actuated by the movement of a print media tray and/or the movement of a toner cartridge.
US08238776B2
An image forming device to perform an auto color registration. The image forming device includes a print unit capable of performing a print job in accordance with a plurality of print modes, a color registration processing unit to perform an auto color registration (ACR), a storage unit to store color registration conditions for the respective print modes, and a control unit to control the color registration processing unit to perform the ACR in accordance with the color registration condition corresponding to the present print mode of the print unit. The color registration condition may be at least one of a color registration execution period, a color registration execution time, and a color registration pattern. According to the image forming device, the proper ACR can be performed by print modes.
US08238775B2
The non-sheet-feeding portion temperature rise is reduced during warm-up operation of an image heating apparatus, the time needed for the warm-up operation is reduced, and the accuracy of the image fixing operation is improved. When a CPU determines that a temperature detected by an end portion thermistor is higher than a temperature detected by a center portion thermistor, the CPU controls the temperature of a fixing heater based on a detection result of the end portion thermistor. When the CPU determines that the temperature detected by the end portion thermistor is equal to or less than the temperature detected by the center portion thermistor, the CPU controls the temperature of the fixing heater based on a detection result of the center portion thermistor.
US08238773B2
An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, an intermediate transfer member, a primary transfer member, and a power supply unit to form a primary-transfer electric-field between the image carrier and the primary transfer member by performing constant-current control. The primary transfer member also detects a change in a primary transfer voltage in a sub-scanning direction that is applied to the primary transfer member from the power supply unit in the sub-scanning direction. There is a conductive member, a secondary transfer member, and a secondary-transfer electric-field forming member to apply a secondary transfer current to the secondary transfer member or the conductive member. A control device controls the secondary transfer current applied to the secondary transfer member or the conductive member in accordance with the change in the primary transfer voltage in the sub-scanning direction detected by the power supply unit.
US08238766B2
An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit; a transport roller transporting the sheet to the image forming unit; a stacking unit stacking a sheet; a manual feed path extending from a manual feed slot to the transport roller; a feed path extending from the stacking unit to the transport roller; a feed unit transporting the sheet of the stacking unit to the transport roller through the feed path; a first detection unit detecting a sheet inserted into the manual feed path from the manual feed slot; and a control unit, when the first detection unit detects the sheet inserted from the manual feed slot while an operation to feed the sheet of the stacking unit to the image forming unit by the feed unit and the transport roller, and an image forming operation by the image forming unit are executed, aborting the image forming operation.
US08238765B2
A fitting structure for process cartridges and an image forming apparatus body of an image forming apparatus capable of fitting the process cartridges for plural colors thereto, the fitting structure including: an incompatible member with its cross-sectional shape in an axial direction being rotationally symmetrical, the incompatible member having at least one attaching projection and one displaying hole or one displaying notched portion formed on a position different from a rotational shaft of the rotationally symmetrical shape; an attached portion of the process cartridge capable of holding the incompatible member, having identification display portions for identifying the plural colors arranged on the position corresponding to the displaying hole or the displaying notched portion; and an acceptance portion of the image forming apparatus body having an acceptance concave portion for accepting the at least one attaching projection of the incompatible member.
US08238762B2
The invention relates to a bandpass filter (OFI) which is mounted downstream of an optical amplifier (OV) and allows noise to be largely reduced. In order for said bandpass filter to be able to optimally receive burst signals (BS1, BS2, . . . , BSN) transmitted by several user devices (ONT1, ONT2, . . . , ONTN) also in a central node (OLT), the bandpass filter is set to the respective received carrier frequencies (TF1to TFN). Because of time constraints, this is possible only if the carrier frequencies (TF1, . . . ) or associated filter setting values (FE1, . . . ) have already been stored and the bandpass filter is preset.
US08238751B1
A method and apparatus for enabling multiple optical line termination (OLT) devices to share a feeder fiber are disclosed. For example, the optical network comprises a plurality of optical line termination (OLT) devices, where each OLT device having a transceiver for sending and receiving optical signals. The optical network further comprises a wave division multiplexer (WDM) combiner, coupled to the plurality of OLT devices, for combining optical signals received from the plurality of OLT devices. The optical network further comprises an optical extender box comprising at least one hybrid SOA-Raman amplifier, wherein the optical extender box is coupled to the WDM combiner via a first standard single mode fiber section. Finally, the optical network further comprises at least one optical splitter coupled to the optical extender box via a second standard single mode fiber section.
US08238745B2
A method of collecting data from an optical channel monitor for monitoring the power of a wavelength-division multiplexed light signal at each wavelength is disclosed. The total light power is analog-to-digital converted by an A/D converter. The data of the total light power which has been analog-to-digital converted is compared with a reference light power by a comparator for each conversion, and when the difference between the total light power and the reference light power exceeds a predetermined threshold, a power fluctuation flag is turned ON. After the comparison, the above process of the analog-to-digital conversion and the comparison is iterated until the optical channel monitor completes the data collection for each wavelength. Thereafter, the processor determines whether the power fluctuation flag is ON or not. When the power fluctuation flag is ON, the processor discards the currently collected data and maintains the data which were collected immediately before.
US08238742B2
A coupling system and method for removably mounting filters to a photographic camera lens. The coupling system includes a lens coupling element and filter coupling element. The lens coupling element and filter coupling element have magnetically attractive and telescopically aligning portions. The forward end of the filter coupling element operably supports a filter material.
US08238741B2
There is disclosed a platform for a stereographic camera system, a stereographic camera, and a method for operating a stereographic camera. The platform may include a first linear motion mechanism and a second linear motion mechanism. A camera mounting plate may be rotatably coupled to the first linear motion mechanism at a first rotation axis and rotatably coupled to the second linear motion mechanism at a second rotation axis.
US08238717B2
A reproducing device for playing back data from a recording medium, including: play back circuits for reading first stream data, which includes first video data, first audio data, and first subpicture data, from a recording medium; download data storage circuits for storing second stream data, which includes at least one of second video data, second audio data and second subpicture data downloaded via a network; and selection circuits for conducting at least one of: switching from said first video data to said second video data; switching from said first audio data to said second audio data, and switching from said first subpicture data to said second subpicture data; wherein data which is newly switched by said selection circuits and data which is not switched by said selection circuits are synchronously superimposed and outputted.
US08238711B2
An image pickup device includes an image pickup including an image pickup lens system and an image pickup element operable to obtain a pickup image; a recording device operable to record image data based on the pickup image to a predetermined recording medium; a reproducing section operable to reproduce the image data recorded in the recording medium; and a reproduction controller operable to control switching between an image pickup mode in which the image pickup operation by the image pickup and recording of the image data by the recording device are possible, and a reproduction mode in which the reproduction of the image data by the reproducing section is possible, to control the reproduction of the image data based on a last recorded image when the mode is changed to the reproduction mode for the first time after recording of the image data in the image pickup mode, and to control the reproduction of the image data based on a point at which the reproduction has been terminated in the previous reproduction mode when the mode is changed to the reproduction mode other than the first time after recording of the image data in the image pickup mode.
US08238709B2
A fiber distribution hub (FDH) includes an enclosure and brackets with provisions to be mountable in multiple configurations. More particularly, the FDH is mountable in multiple configurations to a pole. The brackets are rearrangeable to provide the mounting configuration with either a short or extended offset between an FDH cabinet and the pole.
US08238703B2
In one aspect, an illumination structure includes a substantially non-fiber waveguide, which itself includes a discrete in-coupling region for receiving light, a discrete propagation region for propagating light, and a discrete out-coupling region for emitting light.
US08238690B2
An image processing apparatus corrects input image data on the basis of the image data and foreign substance information including information associated with a position and a size of a foreign substance adhering near an image sensor in an image capturing apparatus which has captured the image data. The apparatus includes a correction unit which corrects the image data on the basis of the image data and the foreign substance information so as to reduce an influence of a shadow of the foreign substance cast in the image data, a uniformity determination unit which determines the uniformity of an image in a region surrounding the foreign substance in the image data, and a control unit which, when the uniformity determination unit determines that the uniformity is lower than a predetermined value, prevents the correction unit from correcting the image data.
US08238688B2
A method for enhancing a perceptibility of an image, includes the steps of: processing the image in accordance with a first luminance characteristic and a second luminance characteristic of the image, wherein a plurality of pixels with the first luminance characteristic are brighter than a plurality of pixels with the second luminance characteristic; compressing the plurality of pixels with the first luminance characteristic; and adjusting the plurality of pixels with the second luminance characteristic.
US08238681B2
In accordance with the exemplary embodiments of the invention there is at least a method, executable computer program, and apparatus to provide operations including logically separating into a plurality of parts at least one sub-window of interest of a plurality of sub-windows of interest arranged in a grid formation in an autofocus window of interest, assigning a focus value mask to each of the plurality of parts of the at least one sub-window, and executing an autofocus algorithm using the assigned focus value masks.
US08238677B2
An adaptive lossless data compression method for compression of color image data in a data processing system. The method includes comparing a plurality of components of a plurality of adjacent pixels in a digital image, calculating spatial differences between the plurality of adjacent pixels, encoding the spatial differences and recording the encoded spatial differences, formatting an image file representing the digital image into byte streams based on bit significance, and compressing, independently, the byte streams associated with each bit significance of the encoded spatial differences.
