US08366631B2
A method for determining the respiratory flow of a patient receiving bi-level respiratory therapy is provided. The method may include measuring the total air flow through a breathing area at a time approximately when the patient has completed exhalation, measuring the pressure in the breathing area, determining a constant representing a corrective flow factor by dividing the measured total air flow by the square root of the measured pressure, and determining the patient's respiratory flow by subtracting from a subsequent total air flow the product of constant and the square root of a subsequent pressure.
US08366628B2
An implantable apparatus for sensing biological signals from an animal includes at least two electrodes disposed at locations to sense the biological signals. The electrode locations may be internal or external to the animal. Insulated conductors couple the electrodes via a passive network of filters to an instrumentation amplifier that has an internal voltage reference. Thus a sensed biological signal is filtered and amplified to provide an amplified differential signal. A signal analysis module processes amplified differential signal to determine at least one physiological parameter of the animal. The signal analysis module may include a first derivative zero detector for signal transition detection and feature detection and analysis. The apparatus may also comprise a signal presentation module to display amplified signals and physiological parameters associated with those signals.
US08366627B2
The systems, devices, and methods described herein provide for the estimation and monitoring of cerebrovascular system properties and intracranial pressure (ICP) from one or more measurements or measured signals. These measured signals may include central or peripheral arterial blood pressure (ABP), and cerebral blood flow (CBF) or cerebral blood flow velocity (CBFV). The measured signals may be acquired noninvasively or minimally-invasively. The measured signals may be used to estimate parameters and variables of a computational model that is representative of the physiological relationships among the cerebral flows and pressures. The computational model may include at least one resistive element, at least one compliance element, and a representation of ICP.
US08366615B2
An apparatus comprises a sheath for introducing a catheter into a blood vessel, at least one electrode provided on the sheath, at least one other electrode; and a measuring device to which at least one pair of electrodes are coupled. The measuring device measures the impedance or conduction velocity between the first electrode on the sheath and the second electrode.
US08366613B2
In various embodiments, there is provided an LED drive circuit and a method for using the same. Specifically, the present disclosure is directed to an LED drive circuit for pulse oximeters. In an embodiment, the LED drive circuit includes a current mirror configured to provide drive current to an LED of a sensor. Additionally, the method includes providing current to first and second current mirrors, wherein the first and second current mirrors are configured to control first and second light sources.
US08366609B2
An actuator has a magnet moved together with a moving lens frame, an SMA wire capable of extending and contracting in a moving direction I of the moving lens frame with execution or non-execution of energization thereof, a fixing member made of a magnetic material attached to a distal end of the SMA wire, a pressing spring which urges the fixing member toward the magnet along the moving direction I, and a stopper member and a stopper portion which limits the movement of the magnet along the moving direction I at a first position or a second position.
US08366604B2
An endoscope including a shaft having a deflectable distal end; a handle at a proximal end of the shaft; and a deflection control connected to the distal end. The deflection control includes a combined lock and deflection control member at the handle. The control member is adapted to be moved to a selected location by a single finger of a user and thereby deflect the distal end. The control member is adapted to be locked at the user selected location by movement of the control member to a locked position by the single finger of the user.
US08366601B2
An implantable hearing aid transducer apparatus provides a simplified approach for interface with a middle ear component. The transducer includes a transducer housing, an actuator for middle ear coupling, and a driver having a magnet or coil interconnected to the actuator to induce movement in response to driver signals. In one feature, the actuator may be advanceable through an aperture of the housing independent from operation of the driver. In another feature, a portion of the transducer may be rotatable. In another feature, a retention apparatus may function to selectively secure a rotatable portion of the housing in a selected position. In an additional feature, a seal may be disposed around a driver component and connected to the actuator.
US08366590B2
A back machine and method that can be employed by individuals particularly those with chronic back pain to stretch the lower back muscles, realign and strengthen the lower spine and also to reduce pain. The back machine includes a base portion and a frame portion. The frame portion includes a lower end attached to the base portion. The frame portion extends in a vertical direction from the base portion to a height that is substantially above that of an average user standing upright on said base portion. The back machine includes a handle bar portion, a right foot support elevated above the base; a right leg restraint adjacent to the right foot support; a left foot support elevated above the base; and a left leg restraint restraining movement of a user's left leg when elevated.
US08366589B2
Exercise equipment is adaptable to a variety of resistance and acceleration configurations which are used improve an individual's start in the forty yard dash, and to improve an individual's performance in a variety of other exercises.
US08366582B2
A planetary gear including a stationary ring gear, a rotatable planet carrier having an even number of at least four mirror-symmetrically arranged planet wheels, and a sun gear and comprising two bearings disposed opposite of the sun gear and arranged between the planet wheels is provided. The bearings connect the input or output element of the planetary gear to the planet carrier in the center plane of the planet carrier, with the bearings forming an imaginary axis of symmetry, and at least two planet wheels having a lesser distance to each other than one of the planet wheels does to a further planet wheel.
US08366572B1
A projectile arrow apparatus not requiring a bow comprising a grip member, a notch opening formed within the shaft and a string tether comprising a knot formed in a first end. The tether is retained taut between the knotted end tightly wound within the notch opening and a second end wrapped around a palm of a user's hand while the user's hand grips the grip member. The apparatus is aimed and thrown forward mimicking a typical throwing action to render the apparatus air-borne as the knotted end of the tether unwinds and releases from the notch. Forward projectile forces pull on the tether as the user's arm moves in a throwing arc, directing the arrow in a desired trajectory toward a preferred target and sending the arrow significantly further and with significantly more force than if thrown by hand.
US08366565B2
A golf club head includes a body member having a ball striking face, a crown, a toe, a heel, a sole, a back and a hosel region, located at the intersection of the ball striking face, the heel, the crown and the sole. The body member may have a first cross-section having a first airfoil-shaped surface in the heel. The first cross-section may be oriented at approximately 90° from the centerline of the club head. The body member may have a second cross-section having a second airfoil-shaped surface. The second cross-section may be oriented at approximately 45° or at approximately 70°. The airfoil-shaped surfaces may be defined by spline points or by equations. A golf club including the golf club head is also provided.
US08366564B2
Described is a portable and intuitive golf swing improvement device for indicating the proper shift of a golfer's body weight to the front foot during a down swing. More specifically, the swing improvement device measures the shift of the golfer's body weight during a golf swing and indicates when such shift is in accordance with a technically sound swing. Additionally, the swing improvement device is self-sufficient and portable such that the device is deployable almost anywhere. The swing improvement device also provides swing analysis in a manner that is immediately understandable to the golfer.
US08366563B2
A portable, expandable golf training device that can be placed on the ground to provide alignment. The present invention can supply a plurality of light beams produced by lasers or other light sources or a plurality of extendable tapes or tubes or rods to provide alignment both in the direction of play and perpendicular to it. The device can be used by placing it on the ground in front of the golfer (between the golfer's feet and the ball. Two lines can project outward perpendicular to the direction of play, and two or four lines can project into and away from the direction of play. These lines provide alignment for the golfer. The tapes can be a flat, elongated flexible tape similar to a measuring tape. The rods or tubes can be extendable and/or telescoping.
US08366558B2
An outer ring, an inner ring and a ball that are a rolling contact member formed of sintered β sialon inexpensive and capable of reliably ensuring sufficient durability, is constituted of a sintered body containing β sialon as a main component and having a remainder formed of an impurity, and the outer ring, the inner ring and the ball have raceway/rolling contact surfaces, i.e., an outer ring raceway surface, an inner ring raceway surface and a ball rolling contact surface included in a portion having an outer ring high density layer, an inner ring high density layer and a ball high density layer higher in density than an inner portion.
US08366556B2
An apparatus and method for limiting torque transferred from an engine or motor to a drive shaft or other components. In some embodiments, the torque-limiting device has a spindle disposed within both coupling flanges to increase the resistance to radial forces and to maintain coaxial alignment of the flanges and attached drive shafts. In some embodiments, the axial spacing of bearings that enable rotation of the coupling flanges is based upon the diameter of the spindle. In another embodiment, torque-limiting devices that maintain coaxial alignment may be used to modify vehicle drive shafts to enable long distance towing for long durations at high speeds.
US08366554B1
Game client, game server, Web application server, and database server including database with data representative of a virtual world. Game client or server, or both, includes motifs, motif manager, character manager, scenes-a-faire manager, and display manager coupled to display, all in communication with game manager, and pseudorandomizer, which can instigate changing of a motif. Motifs are representative of a game character or environment. A user interface has mass sensor, accelerometer, haptic device, first device for visual input, output, or both, second device for audio input, output, or both, and tactile sensor, effector or both. Included may be automatic translator, or TTS/STT module. The online game can be virtual world representative of at least two of a northern continent, a western continent, a southern continent, a central continent, and an eastern continent. Methods provide game client, game server, and a database that manipulate character or environment motifs and scenes-a-faire.
US08366553B2
Provided are a method and system for detecting a bot in a Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game (MMORPG) online and in real time. By analyzing a communication pattern between a client and a server, the bot is detected based on parameters such as data length, inter-arrival time and data length auto correlation. Tests using respective parameters are combined to construct a global decision scheme, and thus more accurate detection results can be obtained. An integrated anti-bot defense system can be built by combining other tests such as a Turing test.
US08366548B2
A game apparatus includes a CPU and a main memory. The main memory stores a first character, is capable of storing a second character, and stores a first movement history being brought into association with the first character. The CPU acquires position information indicating a position in which the game apparatus exists, updates a first movement history on the basis of the position information, receives a second character and a second movement history being brought into association with the second character from another game apparatus, and performs processing of writing down a diary and giving a quiz by the character on the basis of at least one of the first character and the second character, and at least one of the first movement history and the second movement history.
US08366542B2
A computerized management system and methods including accounting, auditing, and correcting systems and processes are disclosed for use with game and/or gaming devices, systems, and methods enable users to remotely monitor, control, and modify financial data, reports, and information related to game and/or gaming machines and apparatuses of different classes, for example Class II and Class III gaming machines and table games, and different facilities, such as Class III gaming establishments, bingo establishments, and lottery establishments.
US08366523B2
The invention relates to a feeding machine for manufacturing sausage-shaped products including storage rods for suspending sausage-shaped products, a device for mounting one end of a storage rod, and a device for feeding the sausage-shaped products, the device for feeding comprising an endless conveyor with a strand running parallel to the storage rod and having conveyor elements spaced at intervals to receive the sausage-shaped products, at least one control element arranged along the strand of the endless conveyor, the conveyor elements being movable and having hooks comprised of two identical partial hooks and being pivotable around horizontal axes from their position holding the suspension elements into their position depositing the suspension elements, the at least one control element forming a moving trigger element along the strand against its forward direction, which triggers the movement of the hooks from their holding into their depositing position.
US08366522B2
A system for producing sausage-shaped products that includes a filling machine for filling a tubular casing with viscous or granular stuff, a clipping machine for dividing the filled tubular casing into sausage-shaped products and closing the sausage-shaped products by closing means; and a transportation device for discharging the sausage-shaped products out of the clipping machine and transporting the sausage-shaped products along a transport path for storing them on rod-like elements, being positioned in an automatic hanging line for accommodating the rod-like elements; wherein the transport path extends from the clipping machine to the distal end of said smoking rod.
US08366519B2
An inner surface grinding tool is provided with a plurality of machining units for simultaneously machining inner surfaces of a plurality of portions of a workpiece. The plurality of machining units respectively include expanding and contracting mechanisms and grinding blade portions. In the respective machining units, outer diameters of the respective grinding blade portions are capable of individually expanding and contracting by the respective expanding and contracting mechanisms.
US08366517B2
A floor treatment apparatus includes a frame, a housing which is rotatable with respect to the frame according to a main axis, at least three head pulleys which are rotatable with respect to the housing according to respective head axes which are regularly spaced around, and which are parallel to, the main axis, a motor supported by the frame, a drive pulley which is drivable by the motor, a main belt tensioning pulley and a main belt which is slung around the drive pulley, the head pulleys and the main belt tensioning pulley. Further an auxiliary pulley is coaxially connected to the main belt tensioning pulley. A fixed pulley is connected to the frame. An auxiliary belt is slung around the auxiliary pulley and the fixed pulley for rotating the housing with respect to the frame.
US08366515B2
A method of form transfer grinding a three-dimensional shape utilizes a form transfer tool over which a belt is driven. The form transfer tool includes a shape that is desired in the finished part and guides a belt that grinds an area of a part to a finished or nearly finished condition.
US08366510B2
A shooting toy where players determine whether or not a shot has hit a target based on image recognition is provided. A determination section (43) of a controller (5) determines whether or not the shot has hit the target based on image recognition by comparing a target image to be recognized, acquired by a target image data acquiring section (41) with a reference image stored in a reference image data storing section (45). A game executing section (35) proceeds with the game based on a hit signal outputted from the determination section (43).
US08366504B2
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display device having a TFT substrate and a counter substrate, and prevents brightness unevenness from being caused by orientation film thickness unevenness. Orientation films for the TFT substrate (10) and the counter substrate (20) are formed by offset printing that is performed to transfer an orientation film material from a printing plate to the TFT substrate (10).The direction in which the printing plate for an offset printing machine rotates during offset printing is the long-axis direction of the TFT substrate (10) in the case of the TFT substrate (10) or the short-axis direction of the counter substrate in the case of the counter substrate. This ensures that brightness unevenness caused by orientation film thickness unevenness is inconspicuous even when the orientation film thickness unevenness is produced during offset printing.
US08366500B2
In an apparatus for controlling an outboard motor having an internal combustion engine to power a propeller, and a torque converter interposed between the engine and a drive shaft and equipped with a lockup clutch, it is configured to have a throttle opening detector that detects throttle opening of a throttle valve of the engine, a throttle opening change amount calculator that calculates a change amount of the calculated throttle opening, and a clutch ON unit that makes the lockup clutch ON when the calculated change amount is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, and keeps the lockup clutch ON during a predetermined time period. With this, it becomes possible to improve acceleration performance immediately after the engine speed is accelerated.
US08366499B2
A ground terminal is provided for a vehicle. The ground terminal includes a hub having an opening extending therethrough. The opening is configured to receive a fastener for attaching the hub to the vehicle. A plurality of electrical contacts extend radially outward from the hub. Each electrical contact extends outwardly from the hub to a free end portion. The free end portions of the electrical contacts are arranged in an arcuate pattern.
US08366491B2
A cable assembly includes a plurality of contacts, an insulation housing molded to fill and surround the contacts, a printed circuit board including a plurality of holes receiving soldering tin to electrically connect contacts to the printed circuit board, and a cover including a rectangular frame and a extending portion rearward extending from the rectangular frame to enclose a part of the printed circuit board exposed out of the insulation housing.
US08366487B2
An exemplary server includes a housing, a printed circuit board disposed in the housing, a power supply received in the housing, a hard disk drive assembly fixed in the housing and a connection device connected to the hard disk drive. The connection device includes a connector connected to the hard disk drive, an adapter connected to the hard disk drive, a power transferring line connecting the adapter to the power supply, and a data transferring line connecting the connector to the printed circuit board. The adapter has output pins and input pins for transferring power from the power supply to the hard disk drive. Capacitors and resistors are connected between the input pins and the output pins.
US08366482B2
A hardline coaxial cable connector includes a body subassembly, a back nut subassembly and a deformable ferrule disposed within the back nut subassembly. The back nut subassembly is rotatable with respect to the body subassembly and a coaxial cable inserted therein. Axial advancement of the back nut subassembly toward the body subassembly causes the ferrule to deform radially inwardly and be in electrical communication with the body subassembly.
US08366478B2
In the electronic device according to the present invention, a plurality of electronic components are connected to respective terminal blocks through respective signal cables, the signal cables each includes an end connected to a terminal of each of the electronic components, a connector attached to the other end of each of the signal cables is connected to each of the terminal blocks. the plurality of signal cables are bundled together at a deflection position distances to which from the terminals of the plurality of electronic components are different, the plurality of signal cables extend from the deflection position to corresponding terminal blocks, and the positions of the plurality of terminal blocks are shifted from each other in accordance with difference in lengths of the signal cables from the deflection position passing point to the connectors.
US08366469B2
A connector isolator system, having a mounting plate with a contact surface and an opposing operational surface and an aperture extended therebetween; a plurality of backstops spaced a distance away from the operational surface of the mounting plate; a printed circuit board (PCB) or other connector carrier member that is movable out-of-plane between the backstop and the operational surface of the mounting plate, and a plurality of in-plane isolators mounted therein with an electrical connector mounted thereon in a position to pass through the aperture in the mounting plate; and one or more biasing members arranged for urging the connector carrier member toward the mounting plate and the electrical connector through the aperture therein.
US08366468B2
A connector isolator system, having a backstop spaced a fixed distance away from an interface surface; a printed circuit board (PCB) or other connector carrier member that is movable between the backstop and the interface surface, and further comprising one or more in-plane isolators; an electrical connector mounted on the connector carrier member in a position to pass through an aperture in the interface surface; and one or more biasing members arranged between the backstop and the connector carrier member for urging the connector carrier member toward the interface surface and the electrical connector through the aperture.
US08366467B2
An illumination device includes a light tube holder including two connectors for receiving either a light-emitting diode (LED) tube or a fluorescent tube. The connector includes a rotary member rotatably received in a through hole defined in a retainer, and three conductive elastic pieces positioned in the retainer around the through hole. One elastic piece is electrically connected to an LED tube drive circuit board, and the other two elastic piece are electrically connected to a fluorescent tube drive circuit board. The rotary member can be rotated to first and second positions, wherein at the first position, the LED tube can be activated, and at the second position the fluorescent tube can be activated. The LED tubes has two conductive pins at each end thereof. The LED tube can be mounted to the connectors regardless an orientation of the LED tube.
US08366465B2
A plug apparatus includes a main body, and a plurality of plugs. The plugs have different plug tips of different recognized standards. The plugs are capable of electrically and detachably sleeving on each other. Each plug is also capable of electrically and detachably sleeving on the main body. When one of the plugs (a first plug) sleeves on the other plug (a second plug), the plug tip of the second plug is hidden by the first plug.
US08366461B2
An electrical plug includes a base having an accommodating portion, a first hinge member rotatably disposed in the accommodating portion and having a recess, a first prong having one end connected to the first hinge member, a second prong having one end connected to the first hinge member. And the recess is disposed between the first prong and the second prong, a second hinge member is rotatably disposed in the accommodating portion, and a third prong has one end connected to the second hinge member. The first prong and the second prong are rotated by the first hinge member to be selectively received in the accommodating portion, and when the first prong and the second prong are received in the accommodating portion, the third prong is selectively rotated to be received in the recess.
US08366460B2
An apparatus includes a first shutter, a first pivot arm having a first end and a second end, wherein the second end is disposed in mechanical communication with the first shutter, a second shutter, and a second pivot arm having a first end and a second end, wherein the second end is disposed in mechanical communication with the second shutter and the first end is disposed in mechanical communication with the first end of the first pivot arm. Linear movement of the first ends of the first and second pivot arms results in linear movement of the first shutter and the second shutter.
US08366456B2
A cable connector assembly includes a conductive housing including a base in cooperation with a cover to define a receiving cavity, a pair of first and second PCBs received in the receiving cavity at different levels, and at least two cables located at a same level at a rear wall of the housing. The receiving cavity includes a hollow portion and a mating port located in front of the hollow portion. Both PCBs have mating interfaces extending into the mating port and mounting portions located within the hollow portion. The at least two cables electrically connect to the mounting portions of the first and second PCBs, respectively.
US08366452B2
A socket connector includes an insulative housing with a plurality of receiving holes, and a plurality of contacts received in the receiving holes. The contact has a soldering portion, and a retaining arm and a resilient arm respectively extending upwardly from the soldering portion. The retaining arm has a broken edge facing downward, which is formed by breaking a carrier from the contact.
US08366438B2
In a mold clamping device including a fixed platen, a movable platen, a plurality of tie bars, and mold clamping half nuts, a pair of additional half members which is restricted in the axial direction of the tie bar and moves in an opening/closing direction of the half nuts relative to the mold clamping half nuts is further provided, and when the mold clamping half nuts are closed and mated with the screw or the ring groove of the tie bar, the additional half members are closed to hold the tie bar so that play at mated parts is removed or cancelled by fixation.
US08366435B2
A mold unit has first and second parts, each with a plurality of cooperating cavity portions. The mold unit further has similarly interconnected third and fourth mold parts. An operating system moves the mold parts to change the mold unit between first and second states. The first and third mold parts meet at a fixed, first parting line to define a first plurality of mold cavities, and the second and third mold parts meet at a fixed, second parting line to define a second plurality of cavities with the mold unit in the first state. In the second state, molded products formed from the parisons can be released from their cavities.
US08366432B2
A device (1) for manufacturing a three-dimensional object by a layerwise solidification of a building material at positions in the respective layers that correspond to the object is provided. The device comprises a machine frame (2, 3, 4, 5) and a building space (10) that is arranged in the machine frame. In the building space (10) there are arranged: an application device (27) that applies layers of the building material onto a support device (26) and a previously applied layer, respectively, by an application element (61); a dosage device (28, 29) that provides building material for the application device (27) for an application, and a heating device (31) for heating the applied layers of the building material. The application element (61) and/or the dosage device (28, 29) and/or the heating device (31) are removable from the building space (10) without a tool.
US08366428B2
A method and apparatus for underwater pelletizing and subsequent drying of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) polymers and other high temperature crystallizing polymeric materials to crystallize the polymer pellets without subsequent heating. High velocity air or other inert gas is injected into the water and pellet slurry line to the dryer near the pelletizer exit. Air is injected into the slurry line at a velocity of from about 100 to about 175 m3/hour, or more. Such high-speed air movement forms a vapor mist with the water and significantly increases the speed of the pellets into and out of the dryer such that the PET polymer pellets leave the dryer at a temperature sufficient to self-initiate crystallization within the pellets. A valve mechanism in the slurry line after the gas injection further regulates the pellet residence time and a vibrating conveyor after the dryer helps the pellets to achieve the desired level of crystallinity and to avoid agglomeration.
US08366412B2
A compressor drive system for driving a compressor of an internal combustion engine contains a variable speed drive unit and a planetary gear set, the planetary gear set being connected to the internal combustion engine and the compressor in such a way that a first output shaft of the planetary gear set is connected to the compressor, a first drive shaft of the planetary gear set is connected to the internal combustion engine, and a second drive shaft of the planetary gear set is connected to the internal combustion engine through the variable speed drive unit.
US08366409B2
A reciprocating pump is provided that does not leak working liquid to the exterior. A communicating tube 14 extends over both a first manifold 4 and a second manifold 5 such that a reciprocating member 1 constitutes a part of a reciprocating cylinder 2. An auxiliary O-ring 24 is disposed on connection surfaces 13a and 13b of a first manifold 4 and a second manifold 5 outside of the communicating tube 14 in the radial direction so that liquid leaking from at least one of a first O-ring 15 between the first manifold 4 and the periphery of the communicating tube 14 and a second O-ring 16 between the second manifold 5 and the periphery of the communicating tube 14 toward the exterior is blocked.
US08366405B2
A screw compressor includes a casing, a screw rotor disposed in a cylinder portion of the casing to define a compression chamber, and a capacity control slide valve. Fluid sucked into the compression chamber is compressed by rotation of the screw rotor. The slide valve is slidable along a rotation axis of the screw rotor and is opposed to an outer circumferential surface of the screw rotor. The slide valve includes a dynamic pressure generator formed on an opposed surface of the slide valve that is opposed to the screw rotor to generate a dynamic pressure using fluid in contact with the opposed surface of the slide valve. The slide valve is configured so that the dynamic pressure generated by the dynamic pressure generator avoids contact between the slide valve and the screw rotor.
US08366404B2
A fuel system is described that comprises a pressure raising and shut-off valve (PRSOV), and a control valve arrangement operable to control a fuel pressure applied to a part of the PRSOV urging the PRSOV towards a closed position, wherein the control valve arrangement is supplied with fuel at a pressure controlled by a variable fluid pressure potentiometer network including a variable flow restrictor which is variable in response to changes in the position occupied by the PRSOV.
US08366400B2
A blade as a main body of a rotor blade has a suction side made convex and a pressure side made concave so as to have an aerofoil profile. A squealer tip having a back face continuous to the suction side and a front face matching with a center plane of the blade is formed at a distal end of the blade. The front face is coated with a hard coating.
US08366395B1
A turbine blade with individual metering and impingement cooling modules spaced around four zones of the airfoil designed to provide local blade cooling based on the heat load as well as tailoring the local pressure distribution to optimize film cooling. Each metering and impingement module is fluidly separated from others.
US08366382B1
A mid-turbine frame buffer system for a gas turbine engine includes a mid-turbine frame that supports a shaft by a bearing. An air compartment and a bearing compartment are arranged radially inward of the mid-turbine frame. The bearing compartment is arranged within the air compartment and includes first and second contact seals arranged on either side of the bearing. The air compartment includes multiple air seals. A high pressure compressor is fluidly connected to the air compartment and is configured to provide high pressure air to the air compartment. A method of providing pressurized air to a buffer system includes sealing a bearing compartment with contact seals, surrounding the bearing compartment with an air compartment, and supplying high pressure air to the air compartment.
US08366379B2
A turbomachine has a housing, a rotor shaft extending along and rotatable about an axis in the housing, and a pair of axially spaced axial-thrust bearings in the housing carrying the shaft and normally only permitting a predetermined small axial displacement of the shaft in the housing. An impeller is rotationally fixed on the shaft. An axially fixed transmission gear is rotationally coupled to the shaft and has an axially directed gear face. A collar fixed axially on the shaft has an axially directed collar face confronting the gear face and normally spaced from the gear face by a clearance equal to more than the predetermined axial displacement. Thus on failure of one of the bearings and axial overtravel of the shaft the gear face and collar face engage each other and limit axial movement of the shaft.
US08366376B2
This is a paper-stacking support with segmented shelves that can support paper and can also fold upon being rotated around rollers by a driver belt. Once an upper shelf is fully loaded, it is moved downwardly by the drive belt and another shelf is moved into an upper loading position by the drive belt. This allows for a continuous running of the stacking operation without an interruption during the unloading of the stacked paper.
US08366368B2
A lock ring (6), which comprises a core part (61) and a twisted wire part (62) around it. The lock ring (6) comprises shape memory alloy or bimetal, whereby the lock ring is arranged to deform as the temperature changes to a predetermined value.
US08366364B2
A piercing fastener is attachable to a panel without a hole by penetrating its surface. The fastener further includes means for attachment of a device to it so that the fastener acts as an intermediate component attaching the device to the panel. The fastener has either male or female attachment means and further includes an outside surface extending from a top end to a bottom end. Near the bottom end, a reinforcement collar includes an annular top surface for receiving a downward pressing force to install the fastener into the panel. A displacer and undercut are located immediately below the collar to effect and receive a cold flow of deformed panel material to secure the fastener to the panel. A plurality of axially extending circumferential teeth are located immediately below the undercut and comprise triangular knurls with sharp edges which penetrate the sheet as the fastener is applied. The bottom of the fastener terminates in a sharp circular cutting edge for penetrating the panel.
US08366358B2
A rotary cutting tool that is composed of a tool shank with at least one chucking groove or chip flute and one exchangeable cutting insert. At the tip of the shank a recess for accommodating the cutting insert is provided. The tool shank, on its circumference, has a limb with a bearing surface that is inclined relative to the tool axis and that corresponds to a likewise inclined bearing surface on a wing of the cutting insert. The inclination of the bearing surfaces produces an axial force that retains the cutting insert on the tool shank.
US08366355B2
A cutting insert, wherein: a cutting edge part having a quadrangular shaped cutting face, which is provided with a pair of side cutting edges extending in a longitudinal direction of an insert body, and a front cutting edge between ends of the side cutting edges that extends in a direction that intersects the longitudinal direction, is formed at an end of the insert body having a bar-shape; and viewed from a direction facing the cutting face perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction, at least one of a pair of corner edges where the side cutting edge and the front cutting edge intersect is formed in a convex shape such that it has a point of inflection at which, after a tangent line that makes contact with the corner edge rotates in a direction extending in the longitudinal direction along the corner edge from the front cutting edge, its direction of rotation changes, and it joins the side cutting edge.
US08366349B2
A system for disposing of aggregate material in a mine cavern between a mine ceiling and a mine floor includes a first pump for pumping water from the cavern, a second pump for pumping emulsion to the cavern, a gated proportioning mechanism, and a water line extending between the first and second pumps and being accessible at the gated proportioning mechanism such that aggregate in the gated proportioning mechanism is introduced into the water line to form the emulsion. The second pump is configured such that the emulsion is pumped into the cavern at a pressure between about 20 pounds per square inch and about 30 pounds per square inch and settles on the mine floor in a pile having an angle of repose between about 1:1.5 and about 1:3.5. The pressure is insufficient to fracture the mine floor and insufficient to fracture the mine ceiling.
US08366347B2
Wave-generating apparatus (1) that is installed in an aquatic environment (3) and which comprises, as its main elements, at least one elongated profile (5) that moves tangentially in relation in relation to a uniformly-deep floor (4) by the action of a drive mechanism (6). As a result, a wave (2) forms on the profile (5) and moves along with the profile (2). The profile (5) is disposed to form an angle (8) other than 90° with the direction of displacement (7), the purpose being to generate a wave (2) with an escape area and which can therefore be surfed. Some parameters of the apparatus (1) may be adjusted for the purpose of changing the degree of difficulty of the wave (2) that is generated.
US08366344B2
A pavement joint 101, 102 disposed between two contiguous pavement slabs 103, 104 and 105 incorporating a shear key (12, 13, 22 and 23) and at least one hinge (37, 38, 39 and 40). The shear key and the at least one hinge are operative when at least one of the slabs is subjected to out-of-plane action P with the shear key transferring shear between the slabs, and the at least one hinge accommodating angular displacement of the slabs relative to the joint axis in at least one direction. In one form, a joint member 10, 20, 40, 50 and 60 is disposed between the slabs to provide the shear key and hinge. A joint member and pavement slab for use in the joint is also described.
US08366337B2
A package for dispensing a substance is described, where the package includes a stiff sheet that has a score formed on and traversing the first surface. The package also includes a flexible sheet defining a cavity for receiving the substance between the stiff sheet and the flexible sheet. The package also includes an applicator having a porous material pad, where the applicator is attached to the stiff sheet over the score by two hinges. The stiff sheet is configured to be folded about the score to cause the substance to be expelled from the cavity through a metering hole into the porous material pad and the two hinges allow the porous material pad to remain generally flat as the stiff sheet is folded.
US08366329B2
A lens barrel assembly, a camera including the lens barrel assembly, and a method of assembling a lens barrel are disclosed. The lens barrel assembly is provided that includes an optical lens, a unitary barrel having an outlet slit defined therethrough, and a flexible printed circuit board extending through the outlet slit to communicate signals between an area inside the barrel and an area outside the barrel.
US08366328B2
Apparatus and methodology for mechanically splicing two optical fibers of equal or different diameters. Instead of flat V-groove structure for holding the optical fibers to be spliced, embodiments of the present invention use a concave-walled channel to better align two optical fibers if they have different diameters. The cover holding the fibers in place in the concave channel is similarly curved. The improved alignment results in more area overlap between end surfaces of the two optical fibers to be spliced. This reduces insertion loss by 0.1 dB or better, at the splice junction and, therefore, improves light signal transmission. The radius of curvature of the concave structure can be approximately two to three times the radius of the optical fibers being spliced.
US08366325B2
An optical module 10 according to the invention is comprised of: a substrate 11; a laser diode array 14 implemented on said substrate in an array; a driver IC 15 implemented on said substrate and electrically connected to each of surface emitting semiconductor laser elements of the laser diode array 14; an optical connector unit 12 for holding a plurality of optical fiber 16 in an array, wherein the optical connector unit 12 is fixed to the substrate 11 in a location where center of each single end of said plurality of optical fiber and center of each light injecting region are aligned with each other; and a cover 13. The optical connector unit 12 includes two guide-pin holes 12b on two opposite sides of a plurality of fiber holding hole 12a. Two alignment marks 50 are provided on a surface 11a of the substrate 11, which are visually recognizable through each of the guide-pin holes 12b, and function as alignment reference of said optical connector unit 12.
US08366324B2
A sealing device is mounted in an annular space defined between an inner member and an outer member which rotate relative to each other. The sealing device includes a slinger which has a cylindrical portion which is press fitted on or in one of the inner member and the outer member and an annular plate portion, and a seal main body which has a core metal having a cylindrical portion which is press fitted in or on the other of the inner member and the outer member and an annular plate portion and a seal member fixed to the core metal. A lip for closing a space between the annular plate portion of the slinger and the cylindrical portion of the core metal is provided on the slinger or the seal main body.
US08366323B2
A rotation shaft supporting structure has radial clearance between a bearing surface of an upper tilting pad and a rotating surface of the journal that can be adjusted so that a high pressure oil film is formed in the clearance and carryover of lubrication oil from an upstream pad to its adjacent downstream pad is prevented. Oil supply nozzles are mounted to the bearing housing to be located adjacent to the upstream and downstream side end of each bearing pad. An upstream side nozzle supplies lubrication oil to the bearing surface of the pad and a downstream side nozzle injects oil toward the journal surface to prevent carryover of lubrication oil from the bearing surface of the upstream pad to that of the downstream pad dragged by the rotating surface of the journal. The nozzles also serve as stoppers to prevent rotational movement of the pad.
US08366321B2
A bearing unit includes: a shaft; a radial bearing configured to support the shaft in a circumferential direction; a thrust bearing configured to support one end of the shaft in a thrust direction; a housing having the radial bearing and the thrust bearing disposed in the inside and having a closed structure except a shaft insertion hole into which the shaft is fitted; a coming out preventing member provided on one end side of the radial bearing at which the thrust bearing is provided configured to prevent the shaft from coming out from the radial bearing; and viscous fluid filled in the housing. The coming out preventing member is made of a resin material having a value of a Young's modulus equal to or higher than 3.4 GPa.
US08366314B2
Manual device for adjusting and/or controlling a function of a timepiece comprising a case 2 housing a horological movement, said manual device comprising a rod 3 and a retractable crown 4 mounted in said case, and such that the crown comprises a cylindrical body 16 having a blind cylindrical hollow 5 surrounding a tubular passage 6 designed to surround said rod 3 and connect it kinematically in rotation to the crown 4, at least one elastically deformable means 8 pushing the crown outwards relative to the case 2, the device comprising a base 10 in the shape of a cylindrical cover designed to be fixed into the watch case and traversed by said rod 3, and an indexing structure 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 attached to said base and making it possible to index an indexing ring 15 coupled translationally, but free in rotation, to the end of said tubular passage 6 of the crown, and making it possible, via successive applications of pressure to the crown, to move from a retracted or rest position to a working position.
US08366311B2
A mixing apparatus including a kinetic energy source, a mixing tank, a pivot guide, and transfer shaft is used to drive a mixing paddle through a circular path within a tank without substantial shaft rotation. Sleeved and sleeveless mixing paddles are provided in combination with sealable mixing tanks. A volumetric compensation system responsive to tank wall deflection is used to maintain the internal volume of a mixing tank within predetermined limits. One mixing apparatus includes multiple mixing shafts and paddles coupled to at least one kinetic energy source. Methods for fabricating sleeved paddle-containing mixing apparatuses are further provided.
US08366307B2
A semiconductor light emitting device of what is called a side view type can achieve directional characteristics having substantial symmetry with respect to an optical axis. The semiconductor light emitting device can emit light in a direction substantially parallel to a surface on which the semiconductor light emitting device is to be held. The semiconductor light emitting device can include a semiconductor light emitting element emitting light in a light emitting direction parallel to the surface on which the semiconductor light emitting element is to be held, a base substrate having a main surface on which the semiconductor light emitting device is held, the main surface being parallel to the surface on which the semiconductor light emitting device is to be held. The base substrate can have a cutoff portion defined forward of the semiconductor light emitting element in the light emitting direction and in a position in which light emitted from the semiconductor light emitting element crosses the main surface. A light-transmitting first sealing resin can be provided on the base substrate, to bury the semiconductor light emitting element while filling the cutoff portion. The light emitted from the semiconductor light emitting element can travel through the cutoff portion.
US08366300B2
The invention is directed to an ornamental pond fish feeding indicator that has a housing with an indicator end. A first LED is enclosed in the housing at the indicator end of the housing. A second LED is also enclosed in the housing at the indicator end of the housing. A temperature sensing circuit is enclosed in the housing. The temperature sensing circuit transmits a signal to the first LED and the second LED. A float is attached to the housing. Using this invention, a pond owner can simply glance at his or her pond and determine whether or not to feed their fish based on the color of the light on top. The light on top of the indicator is red when pond water is below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. If the pond water is 50 degrees or over, the light is green.
US08366294B2
A light-emitting chip (22) includes: a container (30) having a concave portion (31); first to fourth lead portions (61) to (64), provided to be exposed to the concave portion (31); and a first blue LED to a fourth blue LED (74) mounted on the first to fourth lead portions (61) to (64) exposed to the concave portion (31). The container (30) includes a first container portion (40) covering the region of the concave portion (31) where the first to fourth lead portions (61) to (64) are not exposed, and a second container portion (50) contacting the first to fourth lead portions (61) to (64) without being exposed to the concave portion (31) and accommodating the first container portion (40). The first container portion (40) is formed of a material having higher light reflectivity than that of the second container portion (50), and the second container portion (50) is formed of a material having higher thermal conductivity than that of the first container portion (40). Thus, a decrease in extraction efficiency for light emitted from a light-emitting element can be suppressed, and a rise in the temperature of the light-emitting element in response to the light emission can be suppressed.
US08366280B2
A lens adjusting device including a frame, a lens, a base, at least a positioning structure, and a locking device is provided. The lens is fixed on the frame. The base has a through hole with a predetermined shape formed thereon. The positioning structure is disposed on the base for movably positioning the frame on a plane above the base. The locking device including a screw, a nut, and a fixer is capable of fixing the frame to the base. The screw penetrates the frame and extends to below the base through the through hole of the base. The size of the through hole is greater than the size of a corresponding cross-section of the screw. The nut is disposed below the base and assembled to the screw to position the screw on the base. The fixer is disposed on the frame to constrain the rotation of the nut.
US08366276B2
A filter device includes: a filter unit including a housing in which a roll filter stretched between a feeding shaft and a take-up shaft is housed, the housing including, between the two shafts, an opening for exposing a part of the filter; a filter installation detection sensor for detecting installation of the filter unit; a filter winding driving unit for taking up or rewinding the installed filter; and a control unit for controlling operations of the filter winding driving unit based on a detection signal from the filter installation detection sensor. When the control unit determines based on the detection signal from the filter installation detection sensor that the filter is installed, the control unit causes the filter winding driving unit to rewind the filter by a predetermined amount and determines whether the filter is new or not based on the rewinding. By detecting filter replacement, information on the replaced filter can be reset.
US08366269B2
The invention relates to a method of making a spectacle lens. The method of the invention includes the method steps of providing a prescription for the spectacle lens (200), providing a material for manufacturing the spectacle lens (300), providing at least two design wavelengths (400), providing the particular refractive indices of the material for the at least two design wavelengths (500), computing each an optical predesign for the spectacle lens having the respective determined refractive index of the material for the at least two design wavelengths in consideration of the prescription (600, 700), and computing the optical design of the spectacle lens from the optical predesign for the spectacle lens for the refractive index (800) determined from the at least two design wavelengths.
US08366261B2
An inkjet printer includes an ejector, a waveguide, an electromagnetic wave supplier, a rotating reflector, and a ventilator. The ejector ejects ink onto a medium. Through the waveguide, the medium onto which the ink was ejected passes. The waveguide has a starting end part and a terminal end part. The electromagnetic wave supplier is provided at the starting end part of the waveguide to supply an electromagnetic wave to the waveguide. The rotating reflector is provided at the terminal end part of the waveguide and rotatable to reflect the electromagnetic wave supplied by the electromagnetic wave supplier. The ventilator ventilates an inside of the waveguide.
US08366259B2
When a film containing constituent elements of a target is formed on a substrate through a vapor deposition process using plasma with placing the substrate and the target to face each other, a potential in a spatial range of at least 10 mm extending laterally from the outer circumference of the substrate is controlled to be equal to a potential on the substrate, and/or the substrate is surrounded with a wall surface having a potential controlled to be equal to the potential on the substrate.
US08366258B2
An opening and closing unit for opening and closing an ink flow passage and a filter chamber in which a filter is arranged horizontally are provided in an ink supply system. The opening and closing unit is disposed upstream of the filter chamber, a first room is disposed downstream of the filter and a second room is upstream of the filter in the filter chamber. An ink discharge opening is disposed in the first room, and an ink supply opening and an air bubble storage unit for storing the air bubble flowing in with the ink are disposed in the second room. The ink supply opening and the ink discharge opening are displaced with respect to each other in a horizontal direction for arrangement. The air bubble storage unit is arranged upward of the ink supply opening in a perpendicular direction. A suction unit expands the air bubble stored in the air bubble storage unit.
US08366257B2
An inkjet recording apparatus includes a droplet ejection head, a head tank, a tube, an ink cartridge, and a liquid-feed pump. The droplet ejection head has a plurality of nozzles for ejecting ink. The head tank is mounted on the droplet ejection head, temporarily stores a certain amount of ink, and creates negative pressure in the droplet ejection head. The tube is connected to the head tank. The ink cartridge is connected via the tube to the head tank, the ink cartridge storing ink. The liquid-feed pump is disposed at the tube between the ink cartridge and the head tank to feed ink from the ink cartridge to the head tank through the tube. The liquid-feed pump is operable in reverse to feed ink from the head tank through the tube to the ink cartridge and create negative pressure in the head tank.
US08366256B2
An ink stick for use in a phase change ink imaging device has a protrusion with a predetermined height that is configured to enable a sensor in an ink loader of the imaging device to detect the height of the protrusion. The predetermined height of the protrusion corresponds to a control parameter for the imaging device.
US08366248B2
A piezoelectric element includes a lower electrode film disposed on a substrate, a piezoelectric layer 70 disposed on the lower electrode film, a upper electrode film 80 disposed on the piezoelectric layer 70, wherein the piezoelectric layer 70 is formed of a plurality of columnar grains 70a, and the upper electrode film 80 conforms to the surface shape of each of the grains 70a of the piezoelectric layer 70.
US08366243B2
An inkjet printhead that has an array of droplet ejectors supported on a printhead integrated circuit (IC). Each of the droplet ejectors has a nozzle aperture and an actuator for ejecting a droplet of ink through the nozzle aperture. The actuator in each of the droplet ejectors is configured to generate a pressure pulse in a quantity of ink adjacent the nozzle aperture, the pressure pulse being directed towards the nozzles aperture such that the droplet of ink is ejected through the nozzle aperture. The actuator is positioned in the droplet ejector such that it is less than 30 microns from an exterior surface of the printhead surface layer.
US08366242B2
A liquid-ejection head unit includes a head, an electric-circuit board, electronic components, and a storage tank. The head includes a frame member and ejects droplets of liquid. The electronic components are mounted on the electric-circuit board and connected to the head. The storage tank stores liquid supplied to the head. The electric-circuit board is disposed between the frame member of the head and the storage tank to form a single multi-layered structure. The electronic components of the electric-circuit board are accommodated in at least one of a first internal space defined by the frame member of the head and the electric-circuit board and a second internal space defined by the electric-circuit board and the storage tank.
US08366241B2
A printhead is provided having a casing mounted on a molding to define a fluid reservoir and a first passage in fluid communication between the fluid reservoir, a wafer at least defining at least a part of a channel spaced from the first passage and at least a part of a second passage arranged to provide fluid communication between the first passage and channel, a plurality of ink ejection devices in fluid communication with the channel, and a metal cap portion which encloses the casing and molding.
US08366236B2
A print cartridge that has a printhead integrated circuit having a plurality of micro-electromechanical nozzle arrangements, a rotor element rotatable between a blot position where the rotor element blots the printhead integrated circuit, a seal position where the rotor element seals the nozzle arrangements, and a platen position in which the rotor element positions a printing medium proximate the printhead integrated circuit, an air distribution channel configured to deliver air along the printhead, communicable with an air supply, a plurality of reservoirs for printing fluids for the printhead integrated circuit and, a refill port arranged in fluid communication with printing fluid conduits each leading to one of the reservoir respectively, the port facilitating refilling of the reservoirs from a refill cartridge.
US08366230B2
An ink jet printing apparatus is provided that can perform printing without degrading printing quality. In the present invention, correction for a head-to-sheet distance change is performed for both forward printing and backward printing during a multi-path printing operation.
US08366228B2
A print controller is provided for generating dot data, which specifies a dot formation state and which is to be provided to a printing unit. The printing unit is configured to execute, based on the dot data, dot-forming operations to form dots in dot rows extending in a prescribed direction by moving a print head in the prescribed direction while ejecting ink droplets from nozzles in the print head and to print an image by repeatedly executing the dot-forming operation to form a plurality of dot rows juxtaposed in a direction orthogonal to the prescribed direction. The print controller includes: a printing width determining unit; a density data generating unit; and a dot data generating unit. The printing width determining unit determines a printing width value corresponding to a working distance of the print head in the prescribed direction. The density data generating unit generates density data specifying ink densities related to the quantity of ink for each pixel based on image data specifying a gradation value for each pixel and based on the printing width value, the density data generating unit generating the density data so that an upper limit on a tolerable ink density per pixel grows smaller as the working distance of the print head in the prescribed direction corresponding to the printing width value grows shorter. The dot data generating unit generates dot data by executing a halftone process on the density data generated by the density data generating unit.
US08366225B2
A recording medium detection unit is provided on the upper stream side of a carrier mechanism in a carrier route and detects at least the front and back ends in a carrier direction of a recording medium. A nozzle array control unit controls the drive of a plurality of nozzles on the basis of job information reported by a higher-order device and the detection information of the front and back ends by the recording medium detection unit and enables the plurality of nozzles to perform a recording process for inject ink only an area in the range between the front and back ends of the recording medium. A control unit receives image data and also notifies the higher-order device of the stoppage of image data transfer according to the detection of the back end of the recording medium by the recording medium detection unit.
US08366217B1
An installation device for a slide assembly includes a first rail and a second rail which has a guide seat and two slots for being connected with an exterior equipment. A positioning member is fixed to the second rail and an arm board has a positioning hole located corresponding to one of the slots of the second rail so that one of installation members of the exterior equipment is engaged with the positioning hole. An end board has a through hole and an end piece extending toward the second rail. The release member is movably installed to the second rail. When the release member is moved by an exterior force and positioned by the guide seat, the protrusion of the release member pushes the end piece to keep the positioning hole away from the second rail and the exterior equipment is removed from the positioning hole.
US08366210B2
A braking apparatus for a vehicle includes a hydraulic brake apparatus generating a basic hydraulic pressure so that a basic hydraulic braking force is generated at wheels, the hydraulic brake apparatus generating a controlled hydraulic pressure so that a controlled hydraulic braking force is generated at the wheels, a regenerative brake apparatus causing a regenerative braking force to be generated at any of the wheels, and braking force replacement controlling means for gradually replacing the regenerative braking force with the controlled hydraulic braking force while braking during which at least the regenerative braking force is applied for a purpose of achieving a braking force replacement control to ensure a total braking force required for the wheels by decreasing the regenerative braking force at a gradient within a predetermined range and by increasing the controlled hydraulic braking force in response to the decrease of the regenerative braking force.
US08366206B2
A flange 62 having motor mounting through holes 63 is provided on a motor 6, motor mounting holes 19 are provided on a base body 1, so that motor mounting screw 61 are passed through the motor mounting through hole 63 from a back surface 1b side so as to be screwed into the motor mounting holes 19 to fix the motor 6 to the base body 1. Housing mounting holes 83 are provided on a control housing 8, housing mounting through holes 17 are formed on the base body 1 so as to be offset from portions which are in abutment with the flange 62, so that housing mounting screws 81 are passed through the housing mounting through holes 17 from the back surface 1b side so as to be screwed into the housing mounting holes 83 to fix the control housing 8 to the base body 1.
US08366201B2
A bench mining method, particularly useful for open pit bench mining, which employs a combination of bulldozers and transversely movable apron feeders to provide the primary mechanism for removal of overburden.
US08366195B2
The invention relates to a vehicle seat comprising a base frame and comprising a seat frame which can be adjusted relative to the base frame, and comprising a gas spring which acts between this base frame and this seat frame and which is supported against the seat frame, wherein at least one pressure source and at least one valve device which is in fluid connection with this pressure source are provided, and in that furthermore a manually operated actuation element is provided for adjusting the vehicle seat, wherein this at least one valve device is arranged on or in the actuation element.
US08366194B2
A vehicle seat can include a seat cushion having a main portion and a tiltable portion, and a drive mechanism having a small gear and a large gear. The small and large gears are respectively attached to the main portion while meshing with each other. The tiltable portion is arranged and constructed to vertically move when the large gear is rotated upwardly and downwardly with respect to a rotationally reference position based on rotation of the small gear. The small gear and the large gear are positioned such that rotation centers thereof are vertically offset from each other.
US08366193B2
A leisure rocking chair includes a seat, a backrest, a fixed seat, a rocking base and a rocking mechanism. The fixed base includes a horizontal beam on an upper portion thereof. The rocking mechanism includes front and rear rocking rods and a connecting rod. The front and rear rocking rods, the horizontal beam, and the connecting rod are pivotably connected. A fixed support is mounted to the connecting rod. The rocking base is fixed to the fixed support. A positioning plate is mounted to the fixed base and includes a plurality of positioning holes. The rocking mechanism includes an adjusting seat adjacent to the positioning plate. An adjusting lever is mounted to the adjusting seat and includes a tail portion extendible into one of the plurality of positioning holes to fix the rocking mechanism. The adjusting lever includes a control arm on a head portion thereof.
US08366191B2
A vehicle rear seat assembly having a center child safety restraint system comprises a pair of outboard seats and a center console positioned between the outboard seats and stationary with respect to the outboard seats. The console includes a storage compartment disposed at a forward portion of the console and having an opening which allows an associated object to be selectively placed within the storage compartment. A pair of spaced apart recesses is disposed at a rear portion of the console. A first child safety restraint attachment is located within the storage compartment. A pair of second child safety restraint attachments is provided, each second attachment being located in one of the recesses. The first attachment and the pair of second attachments allow a child safety restraint to be selectively secured to the center console.
US08366183B2
At an upper part of a center pillar, a length L1 of a covering portion of a pillar inner panel is set to be substantially equal to a distance L2 between a pair of flange-ridgeline portions of a pillar reinforcement. Meanwhile, at a lower part of the center pillar, a length L3 of a covering portion of the pillar inner panel is set to be longer than a distance L4 between a pair of flange-ridgeline portions of the pillar reinforcement. Accordingly, a vehicle-body structure of a vehicle which can secure the proper absorption function of the vehicle collision load with cooperation of the first and second members can be provided.
US08366181B2
A structural member assembly includes a substantially hollow structural member and a structural reinforcer. The hollow structural member is formed by a plurality of panels. At least one of the panels includes a cut-out region extending from the edge of the panel to the interior of the panel so that the cut-out region is not fully enclosed by the panel. The structural reinforcer includes a rigid carrier and a bonding material. The structural reinforcer is installed in the interior of the structural member across said cut-out region.
US08366176B2
In order to avoid a vehicle door hitting the ceiling or wall when the door opens, it is necessary to provide an open-limiting device for holding the door at any open angle. The door is opened with a gear in the open-limiting device. In the open-limiting device for a vehicle door, a ratchet engages with or disengage from the gear by an electric actuator, so that the door is held at any open angle. When the ratchet engages with the gear, the ratchet is capable of disengaging from the gear only if the door is closed, but the ratchet remains in engagement with the gear if the door is opened. So the door can be closed manually by a small force.
US08366173B2
This utility model is provide a locking device of car covers for pick-up trucks composing a swing stem and a lock hook inserted and deposited on the swing stem, the end part of the swing stem is inserted into a locking swing handle, a hinge block is disposed on the car cover, which is characterized in that the top of the swing stem is positioned and hinged on the hinge block. The advantages of this utility model are summarized as: to overcome the sliding friction of existing lock devices, to enhance the force born by the main body of device and to increase the flexibility of the swing stem.
US08366163B1
A device to facilitate the pulling of a wheelchair comprising a leash having a first end and a second end; a loop disposed on the first end of the leash, the loop is for a person to pull on; a first strap disposed at a 90 degrees angle at the second end of the leash, the first strap having a first distal end wherein a first hook-and-loop component is disposed at the first distal end, the first hook-and-loop can detachably secure to a first complementary hook-and-loop component to wrap around an arm of a wheelchair.
US08366159B2
An inertia blocking mechanism operably connected to a door handle on a vehicle having a handle chassis. A counterweight is operably connected to the handle chassis and is pivotally rotatable about a first pivot axis between a non-actuated position and an actuated position. Stanchions extends from the handle chassis. A spring-biased primary inertia lever is operably connected with the stanchions and is pivotally rotatable about a second pivot axis. The spring-biased primary inertia lever is biased to a first position out of rotational alignment with the counterweight. An auxiliary inertia lever is pivotally rotatable about the second pivot axis and is adapted to move the primary inertia lever into a second position in rotational alignment with the counterweight, which prevents the counterweight from rotating downward into the actuated position, thereby actuating the exterior door handle thereby preventing the exterior handle from actuating and releasing the latch.
US08366155B1
A coupler for use in sealing a joint between two pipes. The coupler is comprised primarily of two center sections and two end caps. The two center sections are engagable with one another and the two end caps are engagable with the center sections. Gasket rings create seals between the two center sections as well as between the two center sections and the cap rings. The center sections are dimensioned to create a volume of space within the coupler, thus permitting the coupler to accommodate offset joints. The gasket rings between the cap rings and the center sections can be longitudinally spaced apart, minimizing the angular deflection of the coupler with respect to the pipes when the pipe joint is offset. The center sections and end caps can be lockably engaged.
US08366150B2
A reinforcement tube assembly for a fastener in a vehicle body structure is provided. The reinforcement tube assembly includes a reinforcement tube and a locator. The locator is affixed to the reinforcement tube. The reinforcement tube is operatively configured to receive a fastener and is operatively configured be installed at least partially within a vehicle body structure. The locator includes at least two mounting surfaces operatively configured to engage with a vehicle body structure. The locator includes at least two mounting surfaces operatively configured to engage with the vehicle body structure.
US08366139B2
A stroller comprises a foldable stroller frame including two handle tubes, two front leg tubes connected respectively to lower ends of the handle tubes, and two rear leg tubes connected respectively and pivotally to the front leg tubes. Each of the handle tubes has upper and lower handle tube sections interconnected pivotally by a first joint. Each of the front leg tubes has upper and lower front leg tube sections interconnected pivotally by a second joint. Each of the lower handle tube sections is connected pivotally to the upper front leg tube section of the corresponding front leg tube and the corresponding rear leg tube by a third joint. Upon folding the stroller frame, an assembly of the handle tubes and the front leg tubes is folded in a Z-shaped manner.
US08366137B1
A locking mechanism for a tow bar having a leg with telescoping inner and outer members, the locking mechanism including a shuttle device secured to a proximal end of the inner member and having a peripheral groove spaced between a tapered forward end and a tapered rearward end thereof. The locking mechanism also including an aft latching device for locking the tow bar leg in a deployed configuration, and a fore latching device for locking the tow bar leg in a storage configuration. Each fore and aft latching device including a pair of latch elements pivotally and biasingly mounted in a pair of opposing slots of a housing, the slots being superimposed over corresponding openings through the outer member for cooperatively, simultaneously and lockingly interacting with the peripheral groove of the shuttle device.
US08366131B2
A pivot joint for a bicycle frame is described, which includes an inner bearing sleeve concentrically disposed within an outer bearing sleeve. The inner bearing sleeve has an outer bearing surface in rotatably sliding contact with an inner bearing surface of the outer bearing sleeve, such that the inner and outer bearing sleeves are rotatable relative to each other about a central pivot axis to permit relative rotation of the components joined by the pivot joint. Each of the inner and outer bearing surfaces includes a substantially axially extending region and at least one angled bearing region that defines an angled raceway surface thereon. The angled raceway surfaces are disposed at an angle relative to the central pivot axis and meet in bearing engagement with each other to define a slip plane disposed at the same angle.
US08366120B2
A chuck includes a body having an engaging groove for releasably receiving a bit. A sleeve is mounted around and movable relative to the body along a longitudinal axis of the body between a coupling position in which the bit is retained in the engaging groove and a releasing position allowing removal or insertion of the bit. The sleeve further includes an engaging section that slideably abuts a coupling section of the body. The engaging section is engaged with the coupling section to allow joint rotation of the body and the sleeve about the longitudinal axis. The sleeve further includes a flange with a frictional outer periphery to provide friction when the sleeve is manually rotated about the longitudinal axis by rotating the frictional outer periphery. Furthermore, the flange can be gripped by a user to move the sleeve to the releasing position.
US08366116B2
A shaft-sealing device includes an outer ring for receiving a shaft sleeve to rotate therewith. A magnetic-field generating unit is mounted the around rotary shaft and includes inner and outer magnetic rings. The outer magnetic ring is mounted in the outer ring. A gap is defined between an inner periphery of the outer magnetic ring and an outer periphery of the inner magnetic ring and is filled with a magnetic liquid. One or both of the inner and outer magnetic rings provide magnetic force to retain the magnetic liquid in the gap. A seal ring is mounted between the outer magnetic ring and an end of the outer ring. A lip extends from an inner periphery of the seal ring toward or away from the end of the outer ring and is at a non-parallel angle to a radial direction of the seal ring to form a seal around the rotary shaft.
US08366114B1
A system for cooling packing material utilized for sealing a shaft moving therethrough is described. The packing material held in place by at least one packing cup, wherein a coolant is directed axially through a significant volume of each packing cup close to the packing material. The present system finds use for compressors and pumps where pressure requirements of the fluids acted upon demand the use of packing materials in close contact with the moving shafts.
US08366112B1
An automated blackjack table features a rotating ring with numbered stations (up to 21) matching the numbers at which the players are positioned. By pressing a foot pedal, the dealer can rotate the ring and rapidly deal a card to each passing numbered station allowing the density of players (and, hence the revenue stream) at each table to be tripled.
US08366110B2
A strategy game or game of patience having a playing surface (1) of higher complexity and with increased playing incentive. According to the invention to attain that object it is proposed that the playing surface (1) has a plurality of mutually overlapping circular surfaces (2, 3, 4, 5, 6) each of the same respective radius R, and with playing elements (7, 8, 21, 22) which are respectively arranged on at least one of the circular surfaces (2, 3, 4, 5, 6), wherein all playing elements (7, 8, 21, 22) which are disposed on any circular surface (2, 3, 4, 5, 6) belonging completely to the playing surface are rotatable jointly about the respective circle center point.
US08366105B1
A media transport includes first, second and third media transports to convey a substrate media. A force transducer outputs a force signal associated with a force between the first and second media transports. A sensor outputs a detection signal associated with substrate media being between the second and third media transports. A control unit outputs a first control signal to the first and/or second drive units, dependent upon a comparison of the force signal with a predetermined value. The first control signal commands the first or second drive unit to drive respective first or second media transports to maintain the force signal at or about no greater than the predetermined value. Responsive to the detection signal, the control unit outputs a second control signal in place of the first control signal, commanding the first and/or second drive unit at a predetermined speed.
US08366103B2
A sheet post-processing apparatus includes: a sheet conveying unit that conveys a sheet; a sheet accumulating feed path that is arranged on a downstream side of the sheet conveying unit in a sheet conveying direction and being capable of accumulating therein a plurality of sheets; a stopping member that stops a leading edge of a sheet conveyed into the sheet accumulating feed path; a width aligning unit that aligns a width of the sheet stopped by the stopping member and accumulated in the sheet accumulating feed path; and a control unit that performs control to cause: the sheet conveying unit to convey a sheet into the sheet accumulating feed path; the stopping member to stop the leading edge of the sheet; and the width aligning unit to align the width of a sheet every time a sheet is accumulated in the sheet accumulating feed path.
US08366102B2
Accurate sheet leading edge registration system and method including a first and second nip assembly, a first sheet leading edge sensor and a controller. The first and second nip assemblies being spaced apart from one another. The first sheet leading edge sensor capable of detecting an arrival of a leading edge of a sheet at a point in the process direction. The arrival being associated with engagement of the first and second nip assemblies with the sheet. The controller capable of imparting a rotational skew velocity to the sheet using the first and second nip assemblies. A center of rotation of the skew velocity being offset laterally from a center of the sheet leading edge and being coincident with a lateral position of a virtual point, the virtual point lateral position being offset from a lateral position of the first sheet leading edge sensor.
US08366096B2
A document reader has a main conveying path, an auxiliary conveying path, a pickup roller, a first conveying roller, and a second conveying roller. The auxiliary conveying path runs between a first connection point and a second connection point on the main conveying path. The cylindrical surface of the first conveying roller is located partially on the main conveying path and partially on the auxiliary conveying path. While the first conveying roller is under the forward or reverse control, it rotates normally. The cylindrical surface of the second conveying roller is located partially on the main conveying path between the second connection point and a discharge position. A controller switches from the forward control selected during this mode to the reverse control, while a document being conveyed along the main conveying path is out of contact with the first conveying roller.
US08366095B2
A sheet post-processing apparatus includes a discharge portion configured to discharge a sheet having a folding portion, a conveyance portion configured to abut on a lower surface of the sheet discharged by the discharge portion, to convey the sheet downstream in a sheet conveyance direction of the discharge portion, a pressing portion arranged at a position opposing the conveyance portion, configured to press an upper surface of the sheet discharged by the discharge portion, and a moving portion configured to move the pressing portion in the sheet conveyance direction of the conveyance portion, in which the moving portion moves the pressing portion upstream in the sheet conveyance direction of the conveyance portion, to move the pressing portion from a position where the sheet discharged by the discharge portion is not pressed to a position where the sheet discharged by the discharge portion is pressed.
US08366093B2
A method for determining a subgroup of a group of sheets in a sheet stream starting from a group start of the group comprises determining the subgroup end of the subgroup based on a sheet state parameter. The subgroup is determined by the group start and the subgroup end and comprises a variable number of sheets. The sheet state parameter determines which sheet in the sheet stream is a group end of the group of sheets.
US08366085B2
A locating pin assembly is provided. The assembly includes a body and a cylinder assembly for moving a ram in a reciprocally linear manner. A bearing is coupled to the ram and configured to engage a bearing wedge to reduce “play” between the ram and the assembly. Illustratively, the bearing and bearing wedge reduce or substantially eliminate this “play” to prevent axial rotation of the ram.
US08366082B2
Apparatus is provided for decreasing frictional effects in stacks of Belleville springs and limiting deflection of the springs. In one embodiment, carriers for springs overlap and minimize the effects of lateral forces that are developed as springs in a stack are loaded. Carriers may be used on mandrel guides, in cylindrical guides or without a guide. In other embodiments, maximum load and defection of springs may be provided by the spring carriers.
US08366080B2
Disclosed is an engine fuel supply apparatus which can be made smaller in size and in which the amount of fuel in an air-fuel mixture can be increased with a fast response in correspondence with the operation of a throttle valve when the engine is accelerated rapidly. The fuel supply apparatus is provided with a fuel booster pump. A portion of an air-fuel mixture is introduced into a negative-pressure chamber of the fuel booster pump via a negative-pressure chamber channel, and the fuel booster pump is actuated. The actuation forces air in a pump chamber to flow into a pressure chamber, and fuel in a fuel storage chamber is temporarily supplied to a carburetor.
US08366078B2
Privacy systems for a fence include a plurality of elongated privacy inserts positioned in at least one locking member having a plurality of locking tabs. The locking member is laterally inserted into the bottom of a chain link fence perpendicular to the privacy inserts. Apertures near the bottom edges of the front and rear sides of the privacy inserts engage the locking tabs thereby retaining the privacy inserts in alignment in the chain link fence. The locking tabs on front and rear support walls of the locking member are preferably laterally offset from each other.
US08366075B1
A pry bar sliding fulcrum assembly having a fulcrum and saddle which slidably mates with a conventional prybar and which provides a greater force onto a work material than the conventional prybar alone. The pry bar sliding fulcrum assembly easily and quickly slides away from the work material when a conventional prybar function is desired and slides toward the work material when an enhanced application force or greater prybar end displacement is required. The assembly uniquely mates with or is held with the prybar end whereby the assembly retains a static position relative to the prybar during use.
US08366074B2
An illuminative jack is described; the jack contains a pair of side walls spaced apart from one another. Each side wall has a front portion, an intermediate region, and an end portion. The jack includes a lift arm which has a first end which is pivotally connected to the intermediate regions of the side walls and a second end close to the front portions. A lifting plate is connected to the second end of the lift arm, the plate is designed to engage a lifting location of an object to be lifted. Finally, the jack includes several lights recessed within the plate and a shield material for the lights.
US08366069B2
An isolator assembly includes an elastomeric assembly which is disposed within a socket defined by a supporting structure. The socket defines a transition portion, a retention rib and a stopping rib. The elastomeric assembly is positioned in the socket by sliding the elastomeric assembly through the transition portion so that the elastomeric assembly is compressed as it moves into the retention rib. The stopping rib engages an end surface of the elastomeric assembly once it has been properly positioned in the socket.
US08366066B2
An extendable and retractable column which is formed from at least three linked sections. The linked sections include a plurality of individual sections linked end to end. As the linked sections are extended, each of the individual sections of the linked chains engage individual sections of adjacent linked chains to form a column. As the linked sections are retracted, each of the individual sections of the linked chains disengage from the individual section of the adjacent linked sections and the individual linked sections may be rolled up for compact storage.
US08366063B2
A method of locking of and a directionally adjustable mount including a first plate arranged to stabilize an anisotropic device, a second plate arranged to engage the first plate and provide a support, a second supporting member arranged to engage the second plate and to rollably support the first plate so as to define a local spacing between the plates, and a first supporting member arranged to have a first axis of symmetry and to contact the first plate and engage the second supporting member. In a locked position, the supporting members are arranged coaxially regarding the axis of symmetry, such that a sum of a positioning force applied by the first supporting member and a locking force applied by the second supporting member upon the first plate substantially vanishes, so that a resulting local moment of force oriented to deform the at least one first plate also substantially vanishes.
US08366061B2
A holder for a paint container can be used on uneven surfaces. The holder comprises a support base. Pivotally coupled to the support base is at least one leg and/or a lifting member. The at least one leg is selectively positionable for fixing the angular orientation of the at least one leg relative to the paint container support base. The lifting member may be located to support a paint container across a lateral axis extending substantially above a combined center of gravity of the holder and the paint container.
US08366057B2
A method and apparatus for an adaptive aerostructure is presented that relies on certified aerospace materials and can therefore be applied in conventional passenger aircraft. This structure consists of a honeycomb material which cells extend over a significant length perpendicular to the plane of the cells. Each of the cells contains an inelastic pouch (or bladder) that forms a circular tube when the cell forms a perfect hexagon. By changing the cell differential pressure (CDP) the stiffness of the honeycomb can be altered. Using an external force or the elastic force within the honeycomb material, the honeycomb can be deformed such that the cells deviate from their perfect-hexagonal shape. It can be shown that by increasing the CDP, the structure eventually returns to a perfect hexagon. By doing so, a fully embedded pneumatic actuator is created that can perform work and substitute conventional low-bandwidth flight control actuators. It is shown that two approaches can be taken to regulate the stiffness of this embedded actuator.
US08366056B2
A winglet comprising a root connected to a distal end of a wing; an upwardly angled section; a tip; and a transition between the upwardly angled section and the tip at which an outboard cant angle of the winglet decreases relative to a reference plane of the wing. In one embodiment the winglet is continuously curved and includes a point of inflection at which the span-wise curvature of the winglet changes sign. In another embodiment the upwardly angled section is planar. The winglet generates a tip vortex when in flight. The tip vortex is displaced outboard from the winglet due to the decrease in outboard cant angle at the transition.
US08366055B2
Micro/nano mono-wing aircraft with the wing configured as a winged seed (Samara) is uniquely suited for autonomous or remotely controlled operation in confined environments for surrounding images acquisition. The aircraft is capable of effective autorotation and steady hovering. The wing is flexibly connected to a fuselage via a servo-mechanism which is controlled to change the wing's orientation to control the flight trajectory and characteristics. A propeller on the fuselage rotates about the axis oriented to oppose a torque created about the longitudinal axis of the fuselage and is controlled to contribute in the aircraft maneuvers. A controller, either ON-board or OFF-board, creates input command signals to control the operation of the aircraft based on a linear control model identified as a result of extensive experimentations with a number of models.
US08366051B2
An air barrier having a scuff coating is used in connection with the core of a spacecraft to form an inflatable, or expandable, human habitat module. The air barrier is comprised of a number of segments joined together to form a enclosure that has at least one opening. The joined segments are generally gas impermeable, flexible, and have a scuff coating on both sides of the segments.
US08366050B2
A blended wing body cargo aircraft is disclosed. A body section defines a cargo volume, where an outer surface of the body section is shaped to provide an aerodynamic lifting surface. A cargo door and ramp structure is located in an aft end of the body section and is shaped to conform to an outer shape of the aerodynamic lifting surface when in a closed position. A control surface has a slightly cambered downward shape, and is positioned substantially near an aft end of the cargo door and ramp structure.
US08366047B2
A modular fan inlet ice protection system includes a center ring, an outer ring and a plurality of struts. The struts are each coupled at a first end to the center ring, and at a second end to the outer ring. A plurality of shell members are each configured to be removably coupled to a corresponding strut. Moreover, the shell members each include an electrothermal heater element. Preferably the system further includes a plurality of inlet guide vanes each including an electrothermal heater element.
US08366046B2
Quasi-isotropic chopped prepreg is used to make parts found in aerospace vehicles. Exemplary aerospace parts that are made using quasi-isotropic chopped prepreg include aircraft window frames, wing fairing supports, flange supports, frame gussets, rudder actuator brackets, shear ties, seat pedestals, cargo floor flange supports, storage bin fittings, antenna supports, torque tube pans, handle boxes, side guide fittings, wing box covers and intercostals.
US08366044B2
An aircraft seat that includes a seat bottom frame having a back, a seat back frame pivotally connected to the back of the seat bottom frame, and a seat back shell. The seat back shell has at least a front panel, a back panel opposite the front panel, and at least two side panels disposed between the front and back panels which connects the front panel to the back panel. The combination of the front, back, and side panels form a gap to receive the entire seat back frame.
US08366043B2
The present invention provides a fuselage structure (1; 1′) of an aircraft comprising an annular skin segment (2; 2′) which has a cross-sectional opening (3; 3′), a pressure cap (4; 4′) for a pressure-tight closure of the cross-sectional opening (3; 3′), and a plurality of tension struts (7, 8, 9; 7′, 8′, 9′) which in each case connect the pressure cap (4; 4′) to the annular skin segment (2; 2′) and absorb loads acting on the pressure cap (4; 4′), as tensile loads. This advantageously means that the tension struts (7, 8, 9; 7′, 8′, 9′) do not have to absorb substantially any bending moments. Consequently, the tension struts can be produced with a relatively small cross section, which entails a reduction in weight. Furthermore, it is possible to produce and mount tension struts (7, 8, 9; 7′, 8′, 9′) of this type in a simple manner.
US08366038B2
A front attachment device for fastening a turbojet engine to an aircraft fixing strut. The attachment device is adapted to absorb the turbojet engine thrust loads, and includes a top bracket, and a lower bracket. A thrust load absorption vector results from a first convergence point of primary vectors passing through primary fixing points that couple the top bracket to the lower bracket and a second convergence point of secondary vectors passing through secondary fixing points that couple the lower bracket to the turbojet engine. The thrust load absorption vector transmits the turbojet engine thrust loads to the fixing strut, and extends along a longitudinal axis of the turbojet engine.
US08366036B2
A recording apparatus includes: a recording unit that performs recording on a recording medium wound on a roll, the roll including a first flange that is attached to one end and has a shaft hole and a first receiving portion, and a second flange that is attached to the other end and has a shaft hole; a first holder movable along a rotation axis of the roll, the first holder including a first shaft insertable into the shaft hole in the first flange, and a first flange-support surface that is in contact with an outer periphery of the first flange to support the first flange when the first shaft is not fitted in the shaft hole in the first flange and that has a first engaging portion; a second holder including a second shaft insertable into the shaft hole in the second flange.
US08366033B2
A cord winding device for a window covering includes a casing, a reel rotatably mounted on the casing, a torsion spring biased between the casing and the reel, a limit ring secured on the casing and abutting the reel to limit the reel between the casing and the limit ring, and a pull cord attached a bottom of the casing. Thus, the lift cord of the window covering is wound around and stored in the reel of the cord winding device so that the lift cord is rolled up to a higher position to prevent the children from being tangled with the lift cord so as to protect the safety of the children.
US08366031B2
A mill having a grinding member carrying one or more fixed openings (37) at its periphery, wherein in the vicinity of the fixed opening(s) there is provided one or more variable openings (36), the fixed and variable openings permitting air to flow from beneath the grinding member to above the grinding member. This arrangement allows for good air flow control; air speed may be kept desirably low even when the mill must be run at a high mass flow rate.
US08366020B2
A sprinkler device has an inlet-driving assembly mounted in by a rotary seat, and an outlet valve whose one end is mounted through the rotary seat and in the inlet-driving assembly and the other end has multiple through holes. A spray nozzle assembly is mounted on the outlet valve and has multiple first and second spray holes communicating with the through holes of the outlet valve and the rotary seat, and has a block flange formed around a periphery thereof. A first and a second O-rings are sequentially mounted on the block flange. One end of the spray nozzle assembly is mounted through a cover mounted on the inlet driving assembly. Subjected to a same pressure from water filled in all parts of the sprinkler device, the first and second O-rings reduce friction between the block flange and the cover to enable a smooth rotation of the spray nozzle assembly.
US08366019B2
A device and method for delivering water to a person who is unable to reach household or other types of water dispensing faucets. In some embodiments, the device comprises a trough for delivering the liquid and an attachment member for attaching the trough to a faucet.
US08366014B2
A tank-tankless water heater includes primary and secondary heat exchangers, and a combustor for the production of flue gases. In operation, water is first heated as the water and flue gases flow through primary heat exchanger. The water flows into the tank where it is stored and again heated as the flue gases flow through the secondary heat exchanger. A pump moves the water from the secondary heat exchanger, through the primary heat exchanger, and back to the secondary heat exchanger for storage as needed to maintain the stored water at a desired temperature. Water is drawn from the secondary heat exchanger during initial demand to provide a ready source of hot water, and the hot water supply is maintained by the primary heat exchanger during sustained hot water draws. The primary heat exchanger may include a temperature or temperature differential control system.
US08366011B2
A two-dimensional matrix code containing dark and light square data modules, and a finder pattern of two bars of alternating dark and light square data modules on the perimeter of the symbol for indicating both orientation and printing density of the symbol, wherein all of the data modules are the same dimension and data is encoded based on the absolute position of the dark modules within the matrix, and inner and outer bars are provided along adjacent sides of the matrix code symbol, each bar having a width equal to the square data modules. In one embodiment, the inner and outer bars are solid. In another embodiment, the inner solid is bar and the outer bar is an encoding bar.
US08366009B2
A dual interface (DI) smart card (100) comprising a chip module (CM), a module antenna (MA), a card body (CB) and a card antenna (CA) having two windings (D,E) connected with reverse phase as a “quasi-dipole”. Capacitive stubs (B,C) connected with an antenna structure (A) of the module antenna (MA). The module antenna (MA) overlaps only one of the windings (D or E) of the card antenna (CA). The card antenna (CA) may be formed from one continuous wire. Ferrite (156) shielding the module antenna (MA) from contact pads (CP) and for enhancing coupling between the module antenna (MA) and the card antenna (CA).
US08366008B2
There is provided a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag. The RFID tag includes a base formed of an insulating material, a circuit chip adhered to one surface of the base and including a pad for an electrical connection, and an antenna formed by jetting a conductive material onto the one surface of the base and electrically connected to the pad.
US08366003B2
In an illustrative implementation of this invention, an optical pattern that encodes binary data is printed on a transparency. For example, the pattern may comprise data matrix codes. A lenslet is placed at a distance equal to its focal length from the optical pattern, and thus collimates light from the optical pattern. The collimated light travels to a conventional camera. For example, the camera may be meters distant. The camera takes a photograph of the optical pattern at a time that the camera is not focused on the scene that it is imaging, but instead is focused at infinity. Because the light is collimated, however, a focused image is captured at the camera's focal plane. The binary data in the pattern may include information regarding the object to which the optical pattern is affixed and information from which the camera's pose may be calculated.
US08365977B2
A method of forming a wire bond using a bonding tool coupled to a transducer is provided. The method includes the steps of: (1) applying electrical energy to a driver of the transducer at a first frequency; and (2) applying electrical energy to the driver at a second frequency concurrently with the application of the electrical energy at the first frequency, the first frequency and the second frequency being different from one another.
US08365976B2
A surgical staple including a crown comprised of a dissolvable, bioabsorbable, or biofragmentable material, a first deformable member, and a second member. In at least one embodiment, the crown connects the first member and the second member, however, after the crown has been dissolved, the first member is unconnected to the second member and, as a result, the first and second members can move relative to each other. Accordingly, the staple can be rigid during the early stages of healing and can be flexible during the latter stages of healing, for example. In various embodiments, the first and second members of the staple are also comprised of a dissolvable, bioabsorbable, or biofragmentable material. In these embodiments, the first and second members can be constructed so that the crown and first and second members dissolve at different rates and/or dissolve away at different times.
US08365974B2
A surgical stapling device having a handle assembly, an elongated body portion, a shell assembly housing a plurality of staples and an anvil assembly movable relative to the shell assembly. An approximation mechanism is movable from a first position to a second position to move the anvil assembly relative to the shell assembly between a spaced position and an approximated position. A firing mechanism for advancing the staples is actuable when the approximation assembly is in the second position and the anvil assembly is in the approximated position. A lockout mechanism operatively associated with the approximation mechanism is movable from a non-blocking position to a blocking position, wherein in the non-blocking position the approximation mechanism is movable from the first position to the second position and in the blocking position movement of the approximation mechanism from the second position to the first position is prevented.
US08365973B1
An exemplary surgical apparatus may include a surgical staple deformable from a first configuration to a second, deployed configuration, where the surgical staple includes a first leg and a second leg; where in the second, deployed configuration the surgical staple forms substantially a D-shape. Another exemplary surgical apparatus may include a feeder belt; a surgical staple deformable from a first configuration to a second, deployed configuration, where the surgical staple includes a first leg and a second leg connected to the first leg, where one end of the first leg is frangibly affixed to the feeder belt and one end of said the leg is free; where in the second, deployed configuration the surgical staple forms substantially a D-shape. An exemplary method of treating tissue may include providing a surgical staple; urging the surgical staple into tissue, while the surgical staple has a first shape; and deforming the surgical staple into substantially a D-shape.
US08365971B1
One exemplary surgical apparatus may include: an anvil assembly to which a staple holder assembly detachably connected; feeder belts positioned at least partially within the staple holder assembly; staples separably attached to each feeder belt; a wedge assembly slidable within and along the staple holder assembly, the wedge assembly including an engagement feature; and a deployment handle. Upon closure of the anvil assembly and staple holder assembly relative to one another, the deployment handle engages the engagement feature. The deployment handle is movable along the anvil assembly to drive the wedge assembly relative to the staple holder assembly, feeder belts and staples in order to deform at least one staple to a closed state and separate at least one closed staple from the corresponding feeder belt.
US08365970B2
An electric stapler includes: a driver for driving leg portions of a staple having a U-shaped section to penetrate the leg portions through a paper bundle; a table including a clincher for bending and forming the penetrated leg portions inwardly, the table for holding the paper bundle between the driver and the table; a motor for moving the table and the driver; a photo sensor for detecting an existence of the paper bundle inserted into a gap between the table and the driver; and a control portion for driving the motor. The photo sensor is disposed on the table in such a manner that a detection point of the photo sensor for detecting the paper bundle exists upwardly of a disposing position of the clincher by inclining an optical axis direction of a radiation light to be emitted from the photo sensor in a direction of the clincher.
US08365955B2
A hinged-lid closure equipped with a lid and a base including a plate, an attachment skirt and an external lateral skirt, where the attachment skirt is thicker than the plate and the external lateral skirt. The base is equipped with a radial longitudinal rib attached to an internal surface of the external lateral skirt and located in a plane mid-perpendicular to the hinge.
US08365952B2
A fluid dispensing system having a fluid dispenser supporting a barrel containing liquid to be dispensed. The barrel has a slidable piston therein with the liquid on a forward piston side and a chamber on a rear piston side. Positive and negative pressure fluid circuits have components operable to apply respective positive and negative fluid pressures to the rear side of the piston. A pressure transducer is operable to sense a fluid pressure in the chamber; and a dispenser control is operative to store a pressure-time relationship during an initial dispensing cycle and thereafter, operate a component in the positive pressure fluid circuit to maintain the pressure-time relationship during a subsequent dispensing cycle.
US08365950B2
A medicine dispensing device has a device body (1), shelf members (2) arranged in the vertical directions in the device body (1), and a medicine conveyance member (3) for conveying medicines (D), received in the shelf members (2), on one by one basis from the front face side of the device body (1). A shelf member (2) has cassettes (26) in which medicines (D) are received in line, a pusher (31) for pushing the medicines in the cassettes (26) toward the front face side of the device body (10), and a constant load spring (32) for applying a constant load to the medicines (D) received in the cassettes (26) through the pusher (31). To fill the cassettes (26) with the medicines (D), the shelf member (2) can be pulled out from the front face side of the device body (1) and then positioned by pivoting the shelf member (2) so as to face obliquely downward.
US08365947B2
An infinitely variable diameter beverage sleeve includes a first surface configured to contact the container and extend around a circumference of the container, and a second surface configured to extend around the circumference of the container and face away from the container, and a securing device to hold the sleeve to the outside surface of the container. A first portion of the securing device is provided on one end of the sleeve on the first surface, and a second engaging portion of the securing means is provided as the second surface of the sleeve. The top edge of the sleeve is non-planar and the bottom edge of the sleeve is formed of a plurality of segments with at least two segments having a different radius of curvature.
US08365939B2
A packing that includes a bottle and/or a bottle and box combination wherein the container may have a first handle portion, a second handle portion, and a bottom grip portion. The first handle portion can extend in a front to back direction and the second handle portion can extend in a transverse direction to the first handle portion. The bottom grip may include a protrusion and recess on the bottom of the container. The box can be configured to have openings to provide access to the first and second handle portions such that the container need not be removed from the box to utilize the contents contained therein. The box may also include a bottom opening and a push-up portion to provide access to the bottom grip portion.
US08365934B2
A synthetic resin cap includes a top wall, a skirt wall, and a tamper evidence band connected to the skirt wall with bridges interposed therebetween. An inner face of the top wall includes an annular inner leg, an annular projection, and an annular outer leg. An intermediate part of the inner leg has a substantially constant transverse thickness in a vertical direction. Inner and outer circumferential faces of the intermediate part have substantially the same curvature of longitudinal section and are arcuate and convex inwardly in a radial direction, and an outer circumferential face of a distal end part of the inner leg has a guide face that guides the container mouth part, and the intermediate part is inclined radially outwardly so that an upper end of the guide face is shifted radially inwardly by 0.1 to 0.6 mm when the inner leg is inserted in the container mouth part.
US08365933B2
The present invention relates to a closure system, which comprises a dispensing closure and a spout of a container or a spout for a container, to which the dispensing closure can be attached, wherein the dispensing closure is designed as a rebounding closure. The dispensing closure and spout are designed in such a way that the dispensing closure can be separated from the spout or container via a rotational motion. The invention also relates to a dispensing closure for such a closure system.
US08365932B2
The invention relates to a device for the leak-tight sealing of openings in containers and for the purification of the ambient air located therein as a result of opening and closing cycles, said containers being intended for the packaging of products that are sensitive to gaseous pollutants present in the ambient air. The inventive device is particularly suitable for the packaging of solid-state medicaments in the form of pellets, tablets or capsules, having a reactivity and physical integrity that must be fully conserved.
US08365927B2
A curtain holder includes a mounting plate having a flat surface for mounting flush against a vertical surface. A substantially annular body is pivotally mounted to the mounting plate for pivotal movement about a horizontal pivot axis extending parallel to the mounting plate, such that the body moves up and down about the horizontal pivot axis. The body has at least two body segments pivotally connected for pivotal movement about a substantially vertical pivot axis which is offset from and independent of the mounting plate. The body segments pivot relative to each other about the vertical pivot axis between a closed position in which the body defines a curtain confining enclosure and an open position in which at least one of the body segments pivots away from the mounting plate to permit insertion of a curtain into the curtain confining enclosure.
US08365910B2
A package for containing a medical device can have a bottom portion and inner and outer lids releasably sealed to the bottom portion. The bottom portion defines a cavity for receiving a medical device. A flange extends outward sidewalls of the bottom portion and includes an inner flange portion and an outer flange portion. The inner flange portion can be recessed below the outer flange portion. The sealed inner lid permits passage of sterilization. The outer lid provides a moisture-resistant barrier to the package. A corner portion of the outer lid can extend past a corner of the bottom portion. Upon application of a withdrawing force sufficient to break the seals, the inner lid and the outer lid are together capable of being peeled from the bottom portion.
US08365909B2
A sink assembly is provided. The sink assembly can comprise a container having a generally trapezoidal shaped cross section. The container can be closed about a sink within the container. The sink can be supported in the container by at least one support element, for example a corner support, a top support having a generally triangular shape, and a drain support. Multiple sink assemblies can be efficiently stacked next to one another for shipping and/or storage.
US08365903B2
A roller drive and system of roller drives, which includes a roller component driven by an electric motor, the electric motor being supplied from an electronic circuit, which is connected to a secondary coil, which is inductively coupled to a primary conductor installed in the external environment of the roller component, the electric motor, the electronic circuit, and the secondary coil being at least partially surrounded by the roller component so as to form a housing.
US08365899B2
Hitch guards are provided for spanning a gap formed in a conveying surface between two adjacent rollers. In one aspect, the hitch guards include hitch guard members positioned side-by-side along the gap. An elongate mounting member extends across the conveyor belt and has the hitch guard members releasable mounted thereto. In another aspect, an elongate hitch guard member extends across the belt width in the gap and includes a laterally elongated recess to capture debris.
US08365894B2
A hydraulic system is presented with a hydraulic fluid, with a work element actuable by the fluid, with a fluid pump for the application of a fluid pressure to the fluid, with the fluid pump being operable to generate a reference depression in the system, and with a pressure sensor for the measurement of the fluid pressure which is in communication with a control unit which is designed to carry out a calibration of the pressure sensor with reference to the reference depression.
US08365890B2
A one way clutch comprises an outer race including pockets having a cam surface and projecting portions disposed inwardly in a radial direction and extending toward an inner race; the inner race disposed away from the outer race in an inner diameter direction, relatively rotatably disposed concentrically with the outer race, and having an outer peripheral surface; torque transmission members arranged in the pockets to transmit a torque between the cam surface of the outer race and the outer peripheral surface of the inner race; springs for urging the torque transmission members in such a direction that the torque transmission members mesh with the cam surface of the outer race; and bearing members arranged between the outer race and the inner race and interposed between the projecting portions of the outer race and the outer peripheral surface, of the inner race.
US08365883B2
A splash guard mechanism for preventing the entry of grass, in addition to mud and gravel, in a vehicle such as a an ATV (All Terrain Vehicle). A disc-shaped splash guard mechanism covers a brake disc stored in a concave portion of a wheel to thereby prevent the entry of dirt such as mud, gravel, and grass into the brake disc. If the dirt enters the brake disc, the dirt is ejected from a first cutout portion provided on a lower portion of the splash guard mechanism. Additionally, a grass removal portion substantially triangle-shaped in plan view is provided on a lower portion of the splash guard mechanism. The grass removal portion protrudes toward a vehicle center to push grass on the ground outward and away from the first cutout portion. Since the grass is only pushed out, the grass is prevented from being cut and entering the brake disk.
US08365882B2
A spring for a composite brake disk. The spring has a planar central region with a hole and two spring regions which are formed symmetrically to one another and which in each case on sides lying opposite one another adjoin the planar central region. The spring regions in each case have an arc and a spring arm. Preferably, the spring arms have in each case an end region with a rounded bearing surface. By such a spring being used, a simple construction of a composite brake disk is made possible, the occurrence of hotspots and the effect of thermal rubbing being as far as possible avoided. At the same time, a functionally appropriate fit of the spring is ensured, the load on the pot due to the bearing surface of the spring being kept extremely low.
US08365881B2
A bicycle disk brake rotor apparatus comprises a generally circular first rotor member and a generally circular first second rotor member. The first rotor member has a first fixing component structured to mount the first rotor member to a hub mounting member, and the first second rotor member has a first fixing component structured to mount the first second rotor member to the hub mounting member. The first rotor member is attached to a side of the first second rotor member, and the first second rotor member is formed of a material having greater braking wear resistance than the first rotor member.
US08365872B2
In an elevator device, a car is raised and lowered by a plurality of hoisting machines respectively including hoisting machine brakes. Each of the hoisting machine brakes has a braking force large enough to stop the car by itself. Each of a plurality of brake control sections respectively for controlling the corresponding hoisting machine brakes includes a plurality of calculation sections. The calculation sections can detect a failure of the calculation sections by comparing own results of calculations and cause a corresponding one of the hoisting machine brakes to perform a braking operation upon detection of the failure of the calculation sections.
US08365868B2
A kiosk which is configurable to accept a plurality of different types of connections corresponding to a plurality of different types of customer media. In one example, the kiosk includes a mount; a computer in a first position on the mount including a touchscreen, a card reader, and a processor; a storage medium coupled to the processor containing content; and a content transfer device coupled to the processor. The content transfer device is configurable to include at least one connection of a plurality of different types of connections corresponding to a plurality of different types of customer media. The kiosk further includes a panel in a second position on the mount adjacent to the computer including at least one connection mounting location, and the at least one connection is removably mounted to the panel at the connection mounting location. The processor stores the content in the storage medium, operates the touch screen to display a menu of the content and to record selections made by a customer from the menu, operates the card reader to read a payment card of the customer as payment for content associated with the customer selections, and transfers the content associated with the customer selections to a removable storage medium of the customer.
US08365867B2
The invention relates to a feeding lubricating device comprising a lubricant reservoir (1), a lubricant pump (2) which is driven by a driving motor (16) and is provided with at least one pump element (3) for conveying lubricant to at least one lubrication point, especially at least one feeding distributor (5), via a lubricant conduit (4), a driving member such as a drive shaft, and optional means that are fitted with an eccentric attachment for generating at least one pump stroke of the at least one pump element (3). A pressure relief unit (8) which can also be actuated via the driving member blocks a backflow pipe (4) located between the lubricant conduit (4) and the lubricant reservoir (1) in a pressure phase while unblocking the same in a subsequent relief phase.
US08365861B2
A muffler unit for a fume extractor hood includes an active noise suppression system, at least one loudspeaker, and at least two microphones connected to a control unit, and a passive noise suppression system having sound-absorbent material disposed between the microphones. The muffler unit further includes a conduit with upper fixing element and lower fixing element designed to be removably fixed to a motor unit and to a conveyor plate of the hood.
US08365851B2
A method for operating a motor vehicle having a hybrid drive, including a combustion engine having an engine management and at least one electro machine having a control unit, which is at least intermittently operated in an rpm-regulated manner and which is able to be in operative connection with a drive shaft of the combustion engine. For the closed-loop speed control of the electro machine, its torque is influenced by its rotational speed or a signal derived therefrom.
US08365849B2
Systems for towing a trailer by a towing vehicle and a method for controlling such a system are disclosed. The systems and method are configured to maintain a constant towing load on the towing vehicle as well as optimizing other performance criteria such as fuel efficiency. The system comprises a closed loop controller, a towing arm assembly, a load measuring device, an electric hub motor, brakes, a motor controller and a brake controller disposed on the trailer. In another embodiment, two separate systems are installed, one on each side of the trailer. A load force feeds into a PID controller programmed with preset proportional, differential and integral parameters. The PID controller generates a command signal to either modulate the brakes or motor up or down depending on the sign of the command signal. A process output updates the system which continuously adjusts based on driving conditions.
US08365843B2
In one aspect of the invention, a downhole tool string component has at least one end adapted to connect to an adjacent tool sting component and a bore adapted to accommodate a flow of drilling fluid. A turbine is disposed within the bore and an actuating assembly is arranged such that a clutch may mechanically connect and disconnect with the turbine.
US08365840B2
The present invention relates to a method and a device for controlling at least one drill parameter when drilling in rock with a drilling machine. During drilling, an impulse-generating device uses an impact means to induce shock waves in a tool working against the rock, a pressure level for a shock-wave-generating pressure is controlled during the drilling, and said drilling machine includes a damping chamber that can be pressurized. The contact of the drilling machine against the rock is affected at least partially by the pressure prevailing in said damping chamber. When the pressure in said damping chamber exceeds said first level and is below said second level, the percussion pressure is controlled as a function of the pressure in said damping chamber.
US08365838B2
A valve tester suspension assembly for allowing one person to perform the tasks necessary to test underground valves includes an articulated arm attached to a mobile base such as a vehicle. The articulated arm may be biased such that the biasing assists in supporting the weight of a rotating assembly positioned at a distal end of the articulated arm. The articulated arm is pivoted to permit positioning of the rotating device in a substantially horizontal orientation at a desired position within a three dimensional space adjacent to the base to which the articulated arm is attached. A method of use is also described.
US08365836B2
A wide protection range can be ensured by extending the flying distance of fire-extinguishing agent particles electrified and sprayed from a head. A water-based fire-extinguishing agent is pressurized and supplied to an electrification spray head 10 installed in a protection area A via a pipe, the jetted particles of the fire-extinguishing agent are electrified and sprayed from the electrification spray head 10. The electrification spray head mixes and sprays the fire-extinguishing agent having a comparatively small particle size included in a range from 30 μM to 200 μm by a small-particle jetting nozzle 38a and the fire-extinguishing agent having a comparatively-large particle size of 200 μm to 2000 μm by a large-particle jetting nozzle 38b, thereby carrying the group of the fire-extinguishing-agent particles having the small particle size by the air current caused by spraying the group of the fire-extinguishing-agent particles having the large particle size.
US08365834B2
In one embodiment, a tubular gripping assembly for use with a top drive to handle a tubular includes a tubular gripping tool having a mandrel and gripping elements operatively coupled to the mandrel; and a link assembly attached to the mandrel, wherein a load of the link assembly is transferred to the mandrel. In another embodiment, the tubular gripping assembly includes a swivel having selectively actuatable seals. In yet another embodiment, the tubular gripping assembly includes a thread compensator to facilitate tubular make-up. In yet another embodiment, the tubular gripping assembly includes a wedge lock release apparatus to facilitate the release of gripping elements from the tubular.
US08365826B2
A hydraulically powered fishing tool is provided for retrieving another tool or tubular stuck in a well. A tool housing is supported in a well on a work string, and the housing encloses a plurality of pistons (16, 28, 34) each movable in response to pressurized fluid transmitted through the work string. An anchor (52) axially fixes the position of the tool in the well, and a tool mandrel (40) is axially movable relative to tool housing when the anchor is set. A fishing device (82) engages the another tool or tubular, so that axial movement of the mandrel in response to the plurality of pistons dislodges the stuck tool or tubular.
US08365819B2
Well bore fluid redistribution methods to isolate fluids produced in well bores from different geologic sections on either side of an apparatus and redistribute such fluids produced in well bores between different geologic sections to reduce surface discharge of fluids while delivering gas to a well outlet.
US08365803B2
Debris entrapment systems and methods for utilizing are disclosed. One such debris entrapment system includes a track configured to be mounted proximate a window opening. A plurality of slidable carriers are attached proximate an attachment edge of a mesh curtain and are configured to fit with a guide of the track and to be slidably attached to the track. A first plurality of trapped carriers are attached proximate the attachment edge and a first edge of the mesh curtain and a second plurality of trapped carriers are attached proximate the attachment edge and a second edge of the mesh curtain. The trapped carriers are configured to fit with the guide of the track and are trapped from sliding along the guide. The debris entrapment system further includes a reinforcement strip attached to the mesh curtain.
US08365795B2
A window shade that reduces the risk of an individual becoming entangled in cords used to operate the shade includes a headrail adapted for horizontal mounting above a window, a shading material attached to the headrail, and at least one cord for raising and lowering the shading material. The cord is attached to a location adjacent a lower end of the material, and extends upward through cord guides toward the headrail. The cord is encased within a collapsible shroud attached to each cord guide. The shroud is adapted to longitudinally extend as the shading material is lowered toward a deployed position, and then longitudinally collapse as the shading material is raised toward a stowed position.
US08365778B1
A baster for aspirating liquids from a roasting pan and distributing the liquids on the food roasting in the pan is a long straight tube with a rubbery bulb at a first open end. A second open end of the tube is narrow. The tube has a bend adjacent the second end. The bend is less than ninety degrees from the long axis of the tube. This enables the baster to more easily aspirate liquids from a roasting pan in the oven, since there is less vertical clearance required to reach the bottom of the pan. Use of this device does not require pulling the pan so far out of the oven than when basting as with straight basters.
US08365774B2
Around a damaged area of a jacket of a flexible tube, a top coat layer whose adhesion to a polymer layer is weak is peeled off with an adhesive tape. The damaged area and its immediate surrounding area are sanded, and then wiped with ethanol for cleaning. A main agent and a hardening agent are heated and defoamed while being mixed to prepare a repair material. The repair material is applied to the damaged area and the immediate surrounding area. A heat shrink tube is opened along slits in an end portion and covers the flexible tube. The heat shrink tube is shrunk with hot air, pressing the repair material and making it flush with a surface of the jacket. The flexible tube is heated with an electric hot plate to harden the repair material. Thereafter, the heat shrink tube is peeled off from the flexible tube.
US08365773B2
Our valve device, which is used to purge air from a plumbing system, includes a unitary, elastomeric body comprising top wall, a circumferential wall connected to the top wall, and a housing with a cavity that is accessed through a pair of ports. A closure element is moveably disposed within the cavity and responds to fluid entering one port to close the other port. An adjustable strap detachably wrapped around an exterior of the circumferential wall holds our device securely to an open end of a riser conduit of the plumbing system during testing for leaks. The circumferential wall has at least two wall sections of different diameters to accommodate different sized conduits.
US08365772B2
To cause a safety mechanism for an emergency to be activated at lower pressure in comparison with a rupture plate, an accumulator comprises an accumulator housing, a stay having a liquid passage provided in the end surface portion on an end of a stepped tubular portion of the stay, a bellows with a bellows cap, a safety mechanism for pressure drop, and a safety mechanism for an emergency which is structured such that, in an emergency such as a fire, the bellows cap or a member held by the bellows cap presses the stay by high pressure due to the fire in the housing, to buckle the stay at a step of the stepped tubular portion, and open a liquid chamber, wherein a thin portion is provided circumferentially partially at the step of the stay to readily incline the end surface portion of the stay when the stay is buckled.
US08365764B2
Minimum pressure valve having a housing (13) with an inlet (14) and an outlet (15) and in which has been provided a valve body (21) which is pushed against a seating (30) round the inlet (14) in a closed position, and whereby the valve body (21) is situated at a distance from the above-mentioned seating (30) in an open position, such that the inlet (14) is connected to the outlet (15), whereby the valve body (21) is provided in a sliding manner in a valve casing (17) confining, together with the valve body (21) an inner space (36) that is connected to the inlet (14) via a duct (35).
US08365755B2
A ball valve isolator (5) includes a housing (15), a ball valve (60), a first isolator (40), and a second isolator (41). The housing (15) is provided with a first flow passage (29) located between an inlet (30) and an outlet (31). The ball valve (60) that includes a ball portion (63) located in the first flow passage (29) and defines a second flow passage (65) that is aligned with the first flow passage (29) when the ball valve (60) is actuated to an open position. The first isolator (40) is located, at least in part, within the housing (15) and substantially blocks the inlet (30) when the first isolator (40) is actuated to a closed position. The second isolator (41) is located, at least in part, within the housing (15) and substantially blocks the outlet (31) when the second isolator (41) is actuated to a closed position.
US08365754B2
A valve cover assembly for a pump. In an embodiment, the valve cover assembly comprises a first cylindrical member having a central axis and a first throughbore. In addition, the valve cover assembly comprises a second cylindrical member coaxially disposed within the first throughbore and rotatable relative to the first cylindrical member about the central axis between a first position and a second position. In the first position, the second cylindrical member is axially translatable relative to the first cylindrical member. In the second position, the second cylindrical member is axially fixed relative to the first cylindrical member.
US08365753B2
The present invention relates to a magnetic flow controller which transforms a slow reduction in pressure of fluid flow over time to a measurable fluid flow. Once a threshold pressure differential is reached, a flow passage through the flow controller opens rapidly to a relatively large opening, thereby generating a volume of fluid at high flux flowing through the passage, particularly to permit the measurement of the volume of fluid in a conventional flow meter. The device of the present invention integrates this low flux and transforms it to a measurable fluid flux, so that the fluid can be measured by the fluid meter within its optimum error range. This is accomplished while maintaining a pressure drop in the flow meter which is within the permitted standards. Thus, the invention provides relatively sharp shifts between substantially high flux flow and no flow, in a pulse-like manner.
US08365737B2
It is intended to prevent a pelvic organ from slipping out of the body by pushing up the organ having slipped out or just before slipping out. A device for preventing and treating pelvic organ prolapse characterized by comprising a convex push-up member which is made of a flexible material showing a pressing force toward a pelvic organ prolapse site of a wearer and in which the surface to be in contact with the pelvic organ is coated with a coating sheet, or a concave member which is made of a flexible material receiving the pelvic organ prolapse site and in which the surface to be in contact with the pelvic organ is coated with a coating sheet, and a means of holding the convex push-up member or the concave member for tightly pressing the convex push-up member or the concave member to the pelvic organ prolapse site of the wearer as described above.
US08365735B2
A respiratory mask includes: a mask body including a mask shell, and a mask cushion connected to a rear side of the mask shell; a front cover disposed in front of and hinged to the mask shell, and having a support arm extending upwardly; a forehead support unit having a forehead frame connected to a top end of the support arm, and a forehead pad connected to a rear side of the forehead frame; and an adjustment unit connected to at least one of the mask shell and the front cover, and operable to produce relative movements of the mask shell and the front cover so that the mask body can abut against the user's nose with an appropriate abutment pressure.
US08365733B2
A liner for use with a respiratory mask having a face-engaging portion, such as a CPAP mask, includes a body constructed from an absorbent material, the body having an outer edge, an inner edge, and an opening bounded by the inner edge. A perimeter of the outer edge is larger than a perimeter of the face-engaging portion of the respiratory mask for forming an extending portion of the body, and the liner is configured to be releasably held by the mask and a user's face such that the outer edge extends beyond the face-engaging portion.
US08365725B2
The disclosure describes methods and inhalers that deagglomerate dry powder using inspiratory effort of a user of an inhaler. Inhaler fin and mesh configurations are described that facilitate deagglomeration. At least in steady state conditions, a dry powder and airflow pattern can be generated having turbulence with flow vortices, some of which may have a vortex having an axis of rotation that extends in an inspiratory flow direction while others may have a vortex that is substantially orthogonal to the inspiratory flow direction in an inspiratory airflow path, as an amount of dry powder travels through the inhaler to thereby deagglomerate the dry powder without trapping undue amounts of the dry powder during inhalation.
US08365724B2
An anesthetic vaporizer and a method of control thereof includes measuring a composition of the carrier gas with a first sensor and measuring a composition of a combined gas with a second sensor, and using these values with a controller to operate a flow valve for the regulation of the flow of an anesthetic agent into the combined gas.
US08365721B2
A method for performing intraocular brachytherapy and an apparatus for performing the same is disclosed. The apparatus preferably comprises a hand-held delivery device that advances a radiation source into an associated cannula or probe that is positioned adjacent the target tissue. The handpiece provides for shielded storage of the radiation source when retracted from the cannula and includes a slider mechanism for advancing and retracting the radiation source. The radiation source is mounted to a wire that has a flexible distal end and a relatively stiffer proximal end. A positioning system for the cannula is also disclosed.
US08365714B2
A tile cutting machine includes a tub for receiving water and a tile supporting surface for supporting thereon a tile to be cut. A cutting head assembly is positioned above the tile supporting surface and includes a motor driven blade. A tile hold down mechanism extends downwardly from the cutting head assembly to engage the tile and apply downward pressure thereto to hold the tile in place during the cutting process. The tile hold down mechanism may take the form of flexible hold down feet, downwardly biased rollers and/or bristle skirts. The tile supporting surface may be fabricated of a high friction material and include a plurality of nubs to cooperate with the hold down mechanism to hold the tile stationary with respect to the supporting surface during the cutting process. The tile cutting machine provides for a method of cutting tile where a user does not have to hold the tile with their hands during the cutting operation.
US08365710B2
An internal combustion engine and ignitor therefore is provided. The ignitor has an insulator extending between a nose end and a terminal end with an electrode extending outwardly from the nose end to ignite an air/fuel mixture with a cylinder chamber. A terminal extends from the terminal end and is configured in electrical communication with the electrode. A metal shell surrounds at least a portion of the insulator. The metal shell is free of external threads for attachment to a cylinder block. A connecting wire extends from the terminal for electrical communication with a power source. A tube has a lower end that receives the terminal end of the insulator therein. The tube extends about the connecting wire to an upper end opposite the lower end. The lower end of the tube compresses the shell into fixed relation within the opening of the cylinder head.
US08365707B2
Provided is a plasma apparatus using a cylinder head, which comprises a discharge device installed with an electrode exposed to the combustion chamber and installed in the cylinder head, an antenna installed to protrude from the cylinder head into the combustion chamber, a bulging portion bulging from the cylinder head to the combustion chamber so as to cover the antenna, made from insulator or dielectric, an electromagnetic wave transmission line installed in the cylinder head and with one end connected to the antenna and the other end, covered with insulator or dielectric, penetrating the cylinder head to extend to an outer wall of the cylinder head, and an electromagnetic wave generator for feeding electromagnetic waves to the electromagnetic wave transmission line. At compression stroke, discharge is generated with the electrode of the discharge device and the electromagnetic waves, fed from the electromagnetic wave generator through the electromagnetic wave transmission line, are radiated from the antenna.
US08365706B2
The invention relates to a method and a device for testing the tightness of a fuel tank of an internal combustion engine, in particular of a vehicle, with a pressure switch which communicates with the interior of the fuel tank, and a diagnosis means for testing the serviceability of the pressure switch by evaluating the switching status of the pressure switch. So that diagnosis of the pressure switch is possible even with the internal combustion engine shut off or the vehicle turned off and for internal combustion engines with exhaust gas turbochargers, it is proposed, according to the invention, that the diagnosis means test the opening behavior of the pressure switch when the temperature rises.
US08365705B2
A stem is installed to an injector body and is resiliently deformable upon receiving a pressure of high pressure fuel conducted through a high pressure passage of the injector body. A strain gauge is installed to the stem to sense a strain generated in the stem. A molded IC device executes an amplifying operation, which amplifies a signal received from the strain gauge. A retainer is threadably fastened to the injector body and is configured to be rotatable relative to the stem. The stem, the strain gauge the molded IC device are integrally assembled together to form a fuel pressure sensing unit, which is installed to the injector body by threadably fastening a threaded portion of the retainer to the injector body.
US08365693B2
A camshaft assembly is disclosed which comprises an inner shaft (12), an outer tube (14) surrounding and rotatable relative to the inner shaft (12), and two groups of cam lobes mounted on the outer tube, the first group of cam lobes being fast in rotation with the outer tube, and each cam (10) lobe (18) of the second group being rotatably mounted on the outer surface of the tube (14) and connected for rotation with the inner shaft (12) by means of one or more drive members (50) passing through circumferentially elongated slots in the outer tube. In the invention, each drive member comprises a (15) drive component (50d) engaged with fixed alignment in the cam lobe (18) and a separate fastener (50b) that is rotatable to clamp the drive component against a flat surface on the inner shaft (12), each drive member (50) being constructed such that during the tightening of the fastener (50b) no relative (20) sliding movement is required at the interface between the drive component (50d) and the inner shaft (12).
US08365685B2
A flexible loop for restraining animals during handling such as during grooming or examination or operation or in bath tubs with a swivel snap closure mechanism or fixed means at its top and, at the bottom of the flexible loop, fixed means. The loop is suitable for attachment to a grooming arm or to tethers to cross-tie the animal in place. The fixed means is preferably a D-ring.
US08365683B2
An aquarium which includes a block shaped tank with projecting studs or posts on one face and aligned openings on an opposite face allowing the tanks to be arranged in any desired configuration by interlocking the tanks via the posts of one tank interlocking with the openings of another tank.
US08365679B2
A seed spacing monitoring system is used In an agricultural seeder for planting seeds. The agricultural seeder has a furrow opener, a seed meter for metering seed to be dispensed in the furrow, and a furrow closer to cover the seed in the furrow. The seed spacing monitoring system includes a detector supported to detect seeds in the furrow prior to the seeds being covered. The detector provides a plurality of seed presence signals, with each seed presence signal being indicative of a respective seed present in the furrow. A speed sensor is associated with the seeder and provides a speed signal indicating a ground speed of the seeder. An electrical processor receives the plurality of seed presence signals and the speed signal. The electrical processor determines a seed spacing, dependent upon the seed presence signals and the speed signal.
US08365678B2
The extensible table includes: a main surface (5) supported by a support base (3A, 3B; 3); a first auxiliary surface (19) and a second auxiliary surface (21), arranged underneath the main surface (5) when the table is retracted in a condition of minimum extension and coplanar and side by side to the main surface when the table is extended in the condition of maximum extension; a table extension mechanism. The extension mechanism includes two movable supports (15, 17) arranged side by side, each carrying a respective auxiliary surface (19, 21). The movable supports are supported and guided on the support base of the table for symmetrically and synchronously moving close and away the two auxiliary surfaces one with respect to the other during table extension and retraction movement. Each of the movable supports (15, 17) includes a lifting and lowering member (23A, 23B; 27A, 27B) of the respective auxiliary surface during the table extension and retraction movement.
US08365677B2
A foldably constructed force-resisting structure comprises a top member and a bottom member foldably constructed and assembled from one or more blanks of sheet material, preferably corrugated paperboard, initially in a flat condition. The top member includes a base panel and at least one side portion folded downwardly from the base panel. The bottom member includes a base panel and at least one side portion folded upwardly from the base panel. The top and bottom members are assembled in nested relation to define an interior of the force-resisting structure between the base panels, which are at least substantially parallel to one another. The force-resisting structure includes a vertical support rib structure in the interior defining an X-shaped or cross-shaped configuration. The support rib structure is foldably constructed from the top member base panel and/or the bottom member base panel and provides vertical support for a load disposed on the base panel of the top member.
US08365676B1
A wall mounted luggage stand assembly for supporting a piece of luggage in a hotel room. The luggage stand assembly has a backboard that is mounted to a wall. A shelf is provided that has a bottom surface and a rear edge. The shelf is connected to the backboard with a hinged connection proximate that enables the shelf to rotate between a vertical orientation and a horizontal orientation. At least one damper piston is provided that retards the movement of the shelf from its vertical orientation to its horizontal orientation. A vertical support panel is connected to the bottom surface of the shelf. The vertical support panel rotates with gravity to always remain in a vertical orientation. The vertical support panel contacts the floor when the shelf rotates to its open horizontal position, therein supporting the shelf.
US08365665B2
A fireworks igniter system and method for safely igniting fuse-type fireworks including a handheld igniter module and a remote control module. An igniter head at the proximal end of the igniter module includes a heater element and fuse clamp slide which receives and biasingly molds the fuse against the heater element. A microprocessor in the igniter module includes an infrared receiver and an igniter module actuator. The remote control module includes an infrared emitter and a remote control module actuator, the infrared emitter emitting a coded IR signal in response to activation of the actuator. The IR signal is sensed by the infrared receiver to activate the igniter module actuator and deliver electric current to the heater element sufficient to ignite the fuse.
US08365660B2
In a printing press and a method, provided are an offset rotary press for printing predetermined information on a web using a printing plate, a printer for digitally printing specific information desired by a reader and reader identification information at a specific location on a web surface, and a dispatch system for reading the reader identification information on a newspaper, thereby sorting the newspaper by delivery destination. The offset rotary press and the printer are collectively driven by a controller, thereby improving the productivity of printed matter.
US08365648B2
The Highly Survivable Urban Utility Vehicle (HSUUV) provides a novel way to balance the concerns of armor, mobility and cost. Prior art distributes armor to protect all areas of the vehicle evenly, thereby distributing the maximum armor weight capacity evenly. The HSUUV provides armored protection in levels, which vary depending on the location of the armor and that location's ballistic threat. Entrance to the HSUUV is located in location(s) other than the traditional side door(s) so as to provide additional armored protection in the area receiving the greatest ballistic threat. Using the HSUUV, soldiers can safely and quickly enter areas that they otherwise would have had to fight and sustain casualties to enter. The vehicle will give United States forces an unprecedented amount of flexibility, allowing for better strategic and tactical decisions.
US08365639B2
A device for gripping a cylindrical object comprises two gripping springs and an actuator, wherein: each gripping spring comprises a first end, a second end opposite the first end, and an arcuate section disposed therebetween; the gripping springs are disposed on the device such that the first ends are pivotally coupled to the device, and the arcuate sections oppose each other so as to define an opening through which the cylindrical object is inserted; and the actuator is mechanically coupled to at least one of the second ends of the gripping springs such that movement of the actuator causes the arcuate sections of the gripping springs to grip the cylindrical object when inserted into the opening.
US08365638B2
A soil auger for creating smooth-walled cylindrical holes in the earth is provided for use with a drill. The auger has a central rotational axis with a tubular body that is open at a bottom cutting end, and enclosed at a top end by a cap assembly. The cap assembly has a top wall and a bottom wall. The top and bottom walls have apertures aligned with the central rotational axis for receiving a shaft in alignment therewith, and for attachment to a drill. The distance between the top wall and bottom wall compared to the overall length of the assembled auger determines the minimum height of the cap assembly to minimize the rotational imbalance of the auger during use for a given body length. A method of manufacturing the auger is provided using precision cutting tools to create apertures in the body and to maintain concentricity of the auger components.
US08365634B2
An actuation and control system for a steering mechanism of a mobile vehicle includes a motor including a drive shaft that is rotatable in two opposing directions, a securing structure configured to be secured to the steering mechanism of the mobile vehicle, and a linking structure that couples the motor with the securing structure. The system is configured such that rotational motion of the drive shaft is imparted to the securing structure to facilitate control of the steering mechanism of the mobile vehicle. The system is relatively easy to assemble and install and in a mobile vehicle and can be used with a variety of different vehicles to facilitate remote and/or unmanned navigational control of a mobile vehicle.
US08365625B2
A double clutch transmission comprising two clutches each having an input side connected to a drive shaft and an output side connected to one of two transmission input shafts coaxially arranged with respect to one another. At least two countershafts, on which toothed idler gearwheels are pivotally supported and toothed fixed gearwheels are disposed on both transmission input shafts in a rotationally fixed manner and mesh with at least some of the idler gearwheels. A plurality of coupling devices connect an idler gearwheel to a countershaft in a rotationally fixed manner. One output gear is provided on both countershafts which is coupled to gearing of an output shaft. At least one first shift element connects two toothed gearwheels in a rotationally fixed manner such that a plurality of power shifting forward gears and at least one reverse gear can be shifted.
US08365624B2
A dual clutch transmission having countershafts, idler gears and input shafts with gears which engage with the idler gears. The countershafts have a power take-off gear that is coupled to an output shaft. Shift elements connect gear wheels to engage forward and reverse gears. The transmission has two dual gear planes and two single gear planes, one idler gear of the countershafts being respectively associated with a fixed gear of one of the transmission input shafts in each of the dual gear planes. An idler gear in each dual gear plane is utilized for two gears and one idler gear of one countershafts associating with an input shaft fixed gear to shift at least one winding path gear via at least one shift element on each countershaft, and at least one winding path gear can be shifted with a coupling device associated with the take-off gear of the first countershaft and is disengaged.
US08365610B2
A testing device for structural panels is characterized in that it includes passive apparatus in the form of a mount and interface apparatus between the mount and the panel to geometrically apply stresses representing the stresses caused by the parts surrounding the panel during a normal utilisation thereof.
US08365608B2
A tension detection mechanism includes a linear member which extends in a longitudinal direction, and which is configured to transmits power, a restraining member including a restraining portion through which the linear member extends and which is configured to restrain movement of the linear member in the longitudinal direction partially, and a detection member which is provided to the restraining member and which is configured to detect tension of the linear member. A length of a portion of the linear member restrained by the restraining portion is larger than a distance between two ends of the restraining member in the longitudinal direction of the linear member.
US08365602B2
A weld seam tracking device for tracking weld seams on pipes or the like uses NDT/NDI sensor(s) in conjunction with an NDT/NDI operation, such as an ultrasonic phased array (PA) inspection. Processing of the weld seam tracking data is integrated or combined with the existing data processing element of the existing NDT/NDI inspection devices. Wide scanning areas of phased array probes allow weld seam tracking and inspection to be performed using a single set of probe and data processing elements to achieve both fault scanning and seam tracking with a single run of the PA scan.
US08365600B2
The invention is a method using ultrasound for non-destructive examination of a test body, whereby ultrasonic waves are coupled into the test body with one ultrasonic transducer or a multiplicity of ultrasonic transducers and the ultrasonic waves reflected inside the test body are received by a multiplicity of ultrasonic transducers and converted into ultrasonic signals. The ultrasonic signals detected in the single measurement periods are individually stored and are accessible for off-line evaluation after termination of the measurements. Application of corresponding reconstruction algorithms permits subsequent synthetization of any desired ultrasonic coupling-in angles and focussing into the volume region of the test body from the stored ultrasonic signals without requiring any additional ultrasonic measurements.
US08365599B2
An acoustic emissions testing device includes a pressurizable chamber, a rock sample, and one or ore acoustic sensors communicably coupled to the rock sample. The chamber includes a first chamber being pressurizable to a first pressure and a second chamber pressurizable to a second pressure. The rock sample is positioned within the pressurizable chamber such that a first portion of the sample is exposed to the first pressure and a second portion of the sample is exposed to the second pressure. The second pressure is increased to a threshold pressure, maintained at the threshold pressure for a time period, and then decreased. The acoustic sensors detect one or more acoustic events occurring within the rock sample. In certain embodiments, one or more of the intensity, the spatial location, and the propagating direction for one or more acoustic events are determinable. The system includes the testing device coupled to a recorder.
US08365597B2
An apparatus with a second movable portion that moves along an x-axis direction and a z-axis direction and a first movable portion that only moves along the z-axis direction is disclosed. The apparatus is provided with a fixed portion fixed to a support portion, a plurality of first spring portions connected to the fixed portion, a first movable portion connected to the plurality of first spring portions, a second spring portion connected to the first movable portion, and a second movable portion connected to the second spring portion. A spring constant of each of the plurality of first spring portions in the z-axis direction is lower than spring constants of each of the plurality of first spring portions in the x-axis and a y-axis directions respectively, and a spring constant of the second spring portion in the x-axis direction is lower than spring constants of the second spring portion in the y-axis and the z-axis directions respectively. The first movable portion is configured to move along the z-axis but not to move along the x-axis and the y-axis nor to rotate around the z-axis, and the second movable portion is configured to move along the x-axis and the z-axis with respect to the support portion.
US08365591B2
A static port apparatus for an aircraft having a static plate having inner and outer surfaces for fixture on the aircraft. The static plate including a first set of a plurality of port apertures and at least a second set of a plurality of port apertures. Each port aperture of the second set of port apertures is coaxially positioned with respect to each port aperture of the first set of port apertures.
US08365586B2
A method of monitoring soot mass in a particulate filter of an exhaust system includes predicting soot mass in the particulate filter based at least partially on a pressure differential between exhaust flowing into the filter and exhaust flowing out of the filter. The predicted soot mass is then revised based at least partially on measured operating parameters indicative of mass flow rate of nitrogen oxides in exhaust flow of the exhaust system and temperature of the particulate filter.
US08365581B2
A leak detector for detecting a leak in a line includes a transmitting device for generating radiation to be coupled into the line. By a receiving device, radiation that has emerged from the line through a leak is received, as a result of which the leak becomes detectable.
US08365572B2
The means for making a bimetallic pipe, made up of a pipe telescopically inserted with clearance inside a pipe and projecting from both ends of the latter, comprising a fixed expansion head and a moveable expansion head, wherein the ends of the bimetallic pipe are inserted before proceeding to the hydraulic or oil hydraulic closure of particular clamping members around each end of the outer pipe while the inner pipe has the ends positioned against the corresponding elastic abutments made inside each of the above-mentioned heads, thus being free to move axially and radially to rotate around its own axis during plastic expansion thereof.
US08365566B2
A device for adjusting the distance of stripper chisels from a circumference of work rolls supported in chocks of a roll stand, wherein the stripper chisels are movable parallel to the rolling line in direction towards and away from the roll gap. To adapt to different operating positions and diameters of the work rolls, the stripper chisels are arranged in a horizontally displaceable stand roller table. The movement of the stand roller table is linked with the vertical movement of the bottom work roll so that the stripper chisel can be moved away from the work roll when the bottom work roll moves upward, and vice versa.
US08365552B2
In an evaporator unit for a refrigerant cycle device, an evaporator is connected to an ejector to evaporate refrigerant to be drawn into a refrigerant suction port of the ejector or the refrigerant flowing out of the outlet of the ejector. The evaporator includes a plurality of tubes in which the refrigerant flows, and a tank configured to distribute the refrigerant into the tubes or to collect the refrigerant from the tubes. The ejector is located in the tank, and the nozzle portion is brazed to the tank to be fixed into the tank. The tank may be a header tank directly connected to the tubes or may be a separate tank separated from the header tank.
US08365550B2
This invention relates to an aircraft air conditioning system with at least one compressor, a first conduit connected with a pressure side of the compressor and at least one cooling unit provided downstream of the compressor. A second bypass conduit is connected with the pressure side of the compressor to conduct at least part of the compressed air around at least one cooling unit and has a throttle for varying air flow therethrough.
US08365544B2
An embodiment of method used to control operation of a screw compressor of a refrigeration system may include receiving status signals regarding operation of the screw compressor of the refrigeration system. The method may further include determining an operating point of the screw compressor based upon the received status signals, and selecting a torque profile for the screw compressor based upon the operating point. The method may also include driving the screw compressor per the selected torque profile. Refrigeration systems and compressor systems suitable for implementing the method are also presented.
US08365538B2
The invention relates to a high temperature-resistant sealing assembly comprising a sealing segment and a component border which is connected to the sealing segment. A flexible sealing element is provided in order to joining the sealing segment and the component border. The invention is characterized in that the flexible sealing element compensates both thermal expansions and relative movements of the component border and the components resting against the sealing segment. The flexible sealing element and the sealing segment are subject to little wear and have a long service life. The invention further relates to a combustion chamber that is equipped with a high temperature-resistant sealing assembly as well as a gas turbine encompassing such a combustion chamber.
US08365529B2
A high temperature solar power tower system includes a molten salt heat transfer medium, a high temperature solar receiver, and an energy conversion system. The molten salt heat transfer medium is capable of being heated to a temperature of at least approximately 1200 degrees Fahrenheit by the high temperature solar receiver. The energy conversion system uses the heated molten salt to generate power.
US08365528B2
Systems and methods for controlling air flow in an engine including a turbocharger are provided. One example method includes adjusting valve operation for a turbocharged engine. The method may improve scavenging and reduce exhaust blow down interference.
US08365527B2
A cooling circuit and an independent heat recovery circuit are associated with an internal combustion engine. A coolant is circulated a pump in a first and a second cooling sub-circuit. An increase in pressure in a work medium is achieved within the heat recovery circuit by a pump. This work medium is changed from liquid aggregate state to vaporous aggregate state and back to the liquid aggregate state in heat exchangers. This work medium is divided after the pump into two parallel partial flows and is changed into vaporous state in a first parallel branch in an EGR heat exchanger through which recycle exhaust gas flows and in a second parallel branch in an exhaust gas heat exchanger through flow exhaust gas downstream of the low-pressure turbine flows. This vaporous work medium is then fed to an expander and is then conducted through a cooled condenser and, liquefied again.
US08365518B2
An upstream cylinder (21) and a downstream cylinder (24) are fixedly mounted to a support member (19), and a filter cylinder (26) is provided mountably and dismountably between the cylinders (21) and (24). In consequence, only the filter cylinder (26) can be dismounted with the cylinders (21) and (24) left as they are on the support member (19), so that the maintenance operation of a particulate matter removing filter (28) can be performed easily. In addition, pressure conduits (32) and (33) and a pressure sensor (34) of a pressure detection unit (31) for detecting a clogged state of the particulate matter removing filter (28) are disposed at positions offset from a moving path (30) of the filter cylinder (26). In consequence, only the filter cylinder (26) can be easily mounted or dismounted without being obstructed by the pressure conduits (32) and (33) and the pressure sensor (34).
US08365516B2
In an exhaust gas purification apparatus for an internal combustion engine, the regeneration of a filter and the purification of NOx are made compatible with each other while suppressing an excessive supply of HC. The apparatus includes a first exhaust gas purification unit for purifying NOx, a second exhaust gas purification unit arranged in series with the first exhaust gas purification unit for collecting PM, HC supply units for supplying HC to the first exhaust gas purification unit and the second exhaust gas purification unit, respectively, and a priority decision unit for deciding priority between supplying HC to the first exhaust gas purification unit and supplying HC to the second exhaust gas purification unit, wherein an amount of HC to be supplied to a lower priority one is made smaller when a request for supplying HC to the first exhaust gas purification unit and a request for supplying HC to the second exhaust gas purification unit overlap with each other than when the HC supplying requests do not overlap with each other.
US08365514B1
A gas turbine engine has, in at least a first mode of operation, a core engine, a fan, and an auxiliary turbine engine coupled as follows. The core engine has, along a core flowpath, at least one compressor section, a combustor, and at least one turbine section. The fan is upstream of the core flowpath and drives air downstream along the core flowpath and along a bypass flowpath. The auxiliary turbine engine has an axial compressor, a fan, a combustor, and an axial turbine. The fan has fan blades and a continuation of the bypass flowpath extends sequentially downstream through the axial compressor and radially outward through passageways in the blades of the fan and a continuation of the core flowpath passes axially through the fan. The combustor is downstream of the fan along the continuation of the bypass flowpath. The axial turbine is downstream of the combustor along the continuation of the bypass flowpath and comprises at least one stage of blades rotating with the fan.
US08365502B2
A structural member such as a strut includes a composite material tube having metal end fittings that are attached to the tube by co-bonded, double shear joints. The double shear bond joint construction reduces the residual stress on the bonds that result from mismatch of the coefficients of thermal expansion of the composite tube and the metal end fittings. The ends of the fittings that are bonded to the tube may include a stepped profile that functions to limit the peak stresses in the bonds.
US08365501B2
Wide-body connectors are provided for concrete sandwich walls. Each connector includes a body with longitudinally thickened portions defining flanges and a thinner inner connecting web extending between the flanges. The flanges provide increased bending stiffness for the connector, while the web provides enhanced shear transfer between the concrete layers of the wall. Anchoring surfaces are formed into or overmolded onto the body to anchor the ends of the connector in the concrete layers of the wall and assist in the creation of end moments ofr the transfer of forces between the concrete layers. Preferably, a lip is provided on the connector to limit the penetration of the connector through the insulation layer of the wall. The connectors transfer forces between the concrete layers, without thermal bridging, such that the wall has a substantially composite character.
US08365499B2
A method of assembling resilient floorboards is disclosed that includes the step of bending an edge of a floorboard during the assembling. The bending reduces the force required for connection of the edge to another edge of a juxtaposed floorboard.
US08365497B2
The insulated panel comprises exterior sheathing, studs, rigid foam panels and a spray-pour foam. The rigid foam panels are placed up against the sheathing between the studs, and the spray-pour foam is used to fill in the voids.
US08365494B2
Floor covering, including hard floor panels which, at least at the edges of two opposite sides, are provided with coupling parts, cooperating which each other, substantially in the form of a tongue and a groove, wherein the coupling parts are provided with integrated mechanical locking elements which prevent the drifting apart of two coupled floor panels in a direction (R) perpendicular to the related edges and parallel to the underside of the coupled floor panels, and provide a snap-action coupling.
US08365490B2
An improved purlin clip has an arm and a leg defining a channel to receive the lower flange of a ceiling purlin. A pin is integrally formed with the lower leg of the clip and extends downwardly. The pin is adapted to penetrate a ceiling membrane. A cap is frictionally fit onto the pin to retain the membrane adjacent the purlin, and to support the membrane, with the insulation blown in between the membrane and the ceiling deck. The pin includes teeth or barbs for retentively engaging the cap.
US08365480B1
A door assembly with installed glass panel, or insulated glass panel, security glass panel, or a decorative leaded glass panel, void of holes in the door or in glass panel, wherein the door assembly has a dual support connector with connector body, connector hole extending through the connector body, a glass flange integral with the connector body for overlaying an edge portion of the glass panel; an structural panel flange integral with the connector body, extending at a right angle to the connector hole away from the connector body parallel to while opposite the glass panel flange for overlaying an edge portion of the structural panel while in a plane apart from a plane of the glass flange.
US08365474B2
Synclastic hollow core building panels are employed to form dome-like structures. The synclastic curve allows the panels to be lightweight, yet capable of carrying the weight of the structural loads. When combined, the panels create a sphere or a section of a sphere for enclosing space, with optional egress, skylight, and foundation portals incorporated into the structure without disturbing the spherical curvature of the interior or exterior surfaces. The spheres or sphere sections require no additional framing; the panels themselves are the frame. Workers with only the basic assembly skills can construct a sphere or sphere sections using these panels.
US08365467B1
A prevegetated blanket protects an exposed soil surface from erosion in an efficient manner. The prevegetated blanket has a fibrous structure, with a water retaining composition, water retention substance and topsoil to receive the desired seeds. Components of the prevegetated blanket of this invention grow a living membrane for native and cover crops in a controlled environment in a weed free, state. Then, the prevegetated blanket is transferred to a specific site and installed immediately after soil is prepared.
US08365461B2
Provided is a long line fishing that prevents a tubular sleeve from separating from the external circumference of a main line no matter how large force may be radially applied from the outside, reduces friction, and makes it possible to quickly and easily connecting a string to a simple connection hook of a swivel. The present invention may be implemented by fitting a plurality of tubular sleeve on a long main line at predetermined positions, disposing clover stoppers at both sides of the tubular sleeves at predetermined positions to prevent the tubular sleeve s from longitudinally moving, and protruding hook from the external circumference by striking the external circumference of the tubular sleeve with a punch through a hole.
US08365459B2
The invention relates to a stem guide that is configured to receive a replaceable cartridge. The stem guide includes a cartridge receiving end having a cartridge attachment means for attaching the cartridge to the stem guide in a manner that the cartridge can be removed from the stem guide without causing an amount of damage to either the cartridge or the stem guide which prevents either the cartridge or stem guide from being used again. The stem guide may be provided in a kit form with a variety of replaceable floats, scent sticks and light sticks.
US08365457B2
A bird repellent apparatus having an integral base member and a plurality of prongs. The base member, by means of a plurality of tabs having holes for receiving screws or other fasteners, can be affixed to virtually any desired surface. The plurality of prongs with sharp tips presents an impossible barrier to birds that would otherwise land or perch on the surface to which the present invention is affixed. The combined base member and prongs are formed from injection molded plastic structure that also provide the tabs having holes to secure the base member to the underlying surface.
US08365455B2
A scope may include an adjustment dial, which may be moved among a plurality of positions to configure the scope to compensate for projectile drops. The adjustment dial may be labeled with dial-calibration data, which may include one or more distance indicators and/or one or more windage hold-off indicators. The scope may be attached to a gun and the dial-calibration data may be at least partially generated using ballistics performance data based on shots fired by the gun. The dial-calibration data may be at least partially generated using shooting conditions. An electronic device may include a derived distance calculation module, which may be configured to use a distance to a target and actual shooting conditions to calculate a derived distance. The derived distance may be used in connection with an adjustment dial labeled with dial-calibration data at least partially generated using shooting conditions different from the actual shooting conditions.
US08365448B2
The memorial display is a retainer and display for funereal and memorial related items, such as obituary pages, sympathy cards, funeral flowers and the like. The memorial display includes a page retainer for receiving a display page, such as an obituary page. A transparent holder is provided for receiving the page retainer and securing the display page therein. A face plate, such as a memorial placard, is secured to a front face of the transparent holder. A framing mat, having opposed front and rear faces and a central cutout portion formed therethrough, is positioned against the transparent front face of the transparent holder for bordering the face plate. A frame member receives the page retainer, the transparent holder, the face plate and the framing mat such that the face plate is displayed through the front end of the frame member and the display page is displayed through the rear end.
US08365446B2
A garment care system includes a steam generator having a steam outlet, and a handset having a steam inlet arranged for coupling to the steam outlet, an opening for releasing steam and a steam control unit for controlling a valve for controlling the release of steam. The steam control unit includes a selector unit having at least two selection options, and a steam release switch connected to the selector unit and arranged for starting or stopping the release of steam in dependence on the selected option.
US08365434B2
A method for controlling the operation of a dryer comprising dispensing a treating chemistry from a dispensing system into a treating chamber of the dryer based on an output from the environmental drying sensor.
US08365426B2
A coordinate measuring machine for determining spatial coordinates on a measurement object has a frame structure on which a probe head is arranged. The probe head has a probe head sensor system, a body part and a coupling part which can move relative to the body part. The frame structure is designed to move the probe head relative to the measurement object. The probe tool has at least one stylus for making contact with the measurement object, and also has a rotating plate. The stylus is coupled to the coupling part by means of the rotating plate, such that it can rotate. At least one roll motion projection is formed on the body part. The rotating plate can be rolled along this roll motion projection by means of a movement of the coupling part in order to set a defined orientation of the stylus.
US08365423B2
An archery range finder that is mounted to a bow sight. The range finder is manufactured such that there is an individual range finder for each type of game. The huntsman selects the range finder that is predetermined in size such that the predetermined sizes will fit the size of the game that is being hunted. For purposes of using these range finders the devices provide an easy and convenient means by which the range finders can be easily attached to a bow sight and removed from the bow sight.
US08365388B2
A method of joining plates of material to form a predetermined structure, the method comprising: assembling a first plate (40) of a material comprising at least one recess (100) against a second plate (80) of material such that the at least one recess (100) of the first plate (40) is in an exterior surface of the first plate (40) on a side of the first plate opposite to the side which faces the second plate (80); bonding a portion (120) of the first and second plates (40, 80) to one another; superplastically forming the bonded plates, wherein the superplastic forming causes the material of the second plate (80) which is opposite to the at least one recess (100) of the first plate (40) to be driven towards the recess (100), and wherein the unbonded portion of the second plate (80) is deflected away from the plate to form the predetermined structure.
US08365386B2
A framing device (1) and a method are provided for connecting disk-type bodies (6) to a frame (5) by a manipulator (2). A joining device (4) is associated with the manipulator (2), for joining individual frame parts (8, 9, 10, 11) to the disk-type body. The manipulator (2) guides the disk-type body (6) and inserts it into the frame parts (8, 9, 10, 11) provided, the frame parts being pressed against the disk edge (7) at the same time or one after the other.
US08365382B2
A pipe from a plastic material having memory properties is extruded. The extruded pipe is cut to form a pipe part (7). The pipe part (7) is warmed and the end (6b) of the pipe part (7) is bent. The pipe part (7) forms a clamping ring (6) and the bent end (6b) of the pipe part (7) forms a stop edge (10) in the clamping ring (6).
US08365378B1
A molding removal tool assembly includes a handle having a first end and a second end. A plate is attached to the second end. The plate has a distal edge with respect to the handle. A blade is attached to the distal edge. The blade has a first side, a second side and a free edge. The blade has an opening therein extending into the first side and outwardly of the second side. The opening has a bottom edge. A tab is attached to the bottom edge and is angled toward the handle so that the plate extends over the tab. The free edge is configured to be extended between a wall surface and molding attached to the wall surface to urge the molding off of the wall surface with the tab.
US08365374B2
Disclosed herein is a method of installing an elastomeric element onto a tubular. The method includes, positioning the elastomeric element onto a radially expandable member, radially expanding the radially expandable member and the elastomeric element installed thereon, positioning a tubular coaxially with the radially expandable member, and axially urging the elastomeric element off the radially expandable member thereby allowing the elastomeric element to be positioned coaxially about an outer perimetrical surface of the tubular.
US08365372B2
In a method for manufacturing a piezoelectric oscillating circuit in thin film technology, wherein the oscillating circuit includes a predetermined natural frequency and a plurality of layers, first of all at least a first layer of the piezoelectric oscillating circuit is generated. Subsequently, by processing the first layer a frequency correction is performed. Subsequently, at least a second layer of the piezoelectric oscillating circuit is generated and processed for performing a second frequency correction.
US08365366B2
A clamping collar includes a belt that co-operates with a tightening member(s) and that is made up of two belt portions interconnected at their connection ends. Each of these connection ends has a joggle between an end segment and a coupling segment. The joggle is provided with a slot that extends transversely to a step. The connection ends are thus interlocked, the step of each connection end being disposed in the slot of the other end and the coupling segment of each of the ends being disposed against the end segment of the other end, so that the retaining surfaces belonging to respective ones of the two ends co-operate with each other.
US08365362B2
A safety release device for Roman blind pull cord is disposed between the control pull cord of the Roman blind and a lower suspension thereof. The safety release device includes a latch body for connecting with the pull cord, a latch ring seat connected with the lower suspension of the Roman blind, and a connection barrel. The latch body can be plugged into and latched with the connection barrel or extracted out of the connection barrel. The latch body has a latch force greater than the weight of the suspended Roman blind. When an abnormal pulling force greater than the latch force between the latch body and the connection barrel is applied to the pull cord in any direction, the latch body will be easily extracted out of the connection barrel to avoid tangle of the pull cord with a kid and ensure safety in use of the Roman blind.
US08365356B2
A carrier for a window sash having an actuatable friction adjuster. The friction adjuster has a carrier interface that interacts with a mating friction adjuster interface of the carrier such that the actuation of the friction adjuster by rotating it within an oblong slot in the carrier causes the carrier interface to interact with the friction adjuster interface and forces a rear portion of the friction adjuster into progressively increasing frictional contact with an adjacent portion of a window frame sash channel.
US08365351B2
Water slider for a floor cleaning machine 1, comprising a sliding unit 2 located in front of the brush unit 5 of the machine, characterized by actuating means 3, 6, 13; 3, 6′, 11, 12; 3, 6, 7; 3, 6, 7′; 3, 6, 7″; 3, 6′, 10; 3, 6′, 10′; 3, 6′, 10″ for raising and lowering the sliding unit. The actuation of the water slider can be obtained in several ways: automatically via an actuating bar 3 which connects the sliding unit to the driving wheels of the machine mechanically and which raises/lowers the sliding unit on a forward/backward movement of the wheels; intuitively via a mechanical connection of the bar 3 to the steering handle 8 via a negative gear transmission; manually via an actuating lever 7; 7′; 7″; or by a powered mechanism 10; 10′; 10″ which is steered by the electronics of the machine and which raises/lowers the water slider when the machine is moved forward/backward.
US08365339B2
The device for fixedly holding the head of a toothbrush in a processing machine comprises holding parts with a support surface that is formed on a holding flange. The holding flange is inserted between the bristle carrier and the holding plate of the head of the toothbrush and supports the bristle carrier with the support surface thereof.
US08365336B2
A rotatable root saw blade for routing through a sewer line for purposes of cutting debris or roots from the interior wall of the sewer line includes a body having an arcuate portion having a forward cutting edge which moves along a substantially circular path when rotated, and the forward cutting edge defines a series of V-shaped teeth therealong. Each V-shaped tooth has a leading cutting edge and a trailing edge which meet at an apex. The leading cutting edge of each tooth is substantially parallel to the direction of axial movement of the saw blade along the length of the sewer line, and the trailing edge of each tooth forms an angle with the direction of axial movement of the blade which is between about 22° and 63°. Furthermore, a notch is defined between each successively-arranged pair of teeth wherein the notch has a depth of between about 0.5 and 1.0 inches as measured from the apex of an adjacent tooth.
US08365334B2
A washing machine and a method of controlling the washing machine are provided. According to the washing machine and method of controlling the washing machine, the drum is operated at a first speed so that part of laundry within the drum tumbles and another part of the laundry adheres to the drum. When an unbalance amount of the drum operating at the first speed is a first specific value or less, the speed of the drum is increased to a second speed so that all of the laundry adheres to the drum. When an unbalance amount of the drum detected during the increasing to the second speed is a second specific value or more, the rotation of the drum is decelerated. Accordingly, at a time of a dehydration cycle, stability of the washing machine and laundry balancing can be ensured.
US08365333B2
The present invention relates to a laundry machine and a method for controlling the same, wherein the laundry machine includes a steam generator (300) for generating and supplying steam to a drum (130) and a detergent liquid flow passage (340) for providing a passage to supply detergent liquid to an inside of the steam generator (300), thereby permitting easy washing of the steam generator (300) in the laundry machine.
US08365328B2
A baby supporting device is provided which includes a frame. The frame includes a first portion for mounting onto a wall and a second portion pivotally coupled to the first portion and rotatable between a first position and a second position. A first stop member extends from the first portion, and a second stop member extends from the second portion, such that when the second stop member engages the first stop member it stops the second portion at the second position. A first surface covers at least a portion of the first portion, and a second surface covers at least a portion of the second portion.
US08365327B2
An improved support for use by a pregnant woman to achieve greater comfort while resting or sleeping on her side. The support comprises two pillows connected together by a piece of stretchable fabric. The pillows are shaped to provide greater comfort to the woman, especially over long periods of time, compared to prior designs that employ rounded pillows. Different types of foam are used for the two pillows to tailor the degree of support for the part of the woman's body that is being supported by each pillow. The stretchable fabric enables the support to adapt to the growth of the woman during pregnancy (particularly late term pregnancy). The support may be assembled into a compact, attractive unit for storage.
US08365324B2
A bed rail having an operating position at one of the sides of a bed and a stored position between a mattress and box spring of the bed. To take down the bed rail, a guard frame portion is disengaged from a base frame portion, then the guard frame portion is pivoted and slid into the base frame portion. To set up the bed rail, the guard frame portion can be slid out of the base frame portion, pivoted relative to the base frame portion, then engaged to the base frame portion and into the operating position at a side of the bed.
US08365317B1
A combined automatic toilet self-cleaning and user hygienic system, A combined automatic toilet seat-cleaning and user hygienic system, having a housing assembly, an electrical system, a liquid matter system, a turbine assembly, and a manifold assembly. The manifold assembly has a first at least one cut out. The manifold assembly is partially housed within a manifold. The manifold assembly has ducting for air to flow originating from the turbine assembly. The manifold assembly further has a bidet for liquid matter to exit from the liquid matter system directed onto a user positioned on a toilet seat assembly. A toilet seat assembly has mounting brackets to mount onto the manifold assembly for rotary movement of the seat assembly. A cover assembly has a mounting frame to mount onto the manifold assembly. The cover assembly further has a rotating arm assembly.
US08365316B2
An airbag jacket having a good fitting performance of an expanded airbag for a body in the airbag jacket where the airbag is expanded along an outer surface of the body of the wearer. An airbag 2 is provided in a manner so as to cover a waistline and both shoulders of the wearer. An inside of the airbag 2 is partitioned into a plurality of cells 2a by means of that an inner panel 3 constituting a first surface on a wearer side of the airbag 2 and an outer panel 4 constituting a second surface on an opposite side to the wearer is partially stitched by means of a line-shaped stitching portion 6. Each of the cells 2a is formed to have a shape extending in a body height direction of the wearer. Thereby, the airbag 2 is brought to be expanded along an outer surface of a body portion of the wearer as a whole.
US08365314B2
An elastomeric article, such as a glove or a condom, is coated with a compound containing silicone, collagen and allantoin.
US08370960B2
A modular AFM/SPM which provides faster measurements, in part through the use of smaller probes, of smaller forces and movements, free of noise artifacts, that the old generations of these devices have increasingly been unable to provide. The modular AFM/SPM includes a chassis, the foundation on which the modules of the instrument are supported; a view module providing the optics for viewing the sample and the probe; a head module providing the components for the optical lever arrangement and for steering and focusing those components; a scanner module providing the XYZ translation stage that actuates the sample in those dimensions and the engage mechanism; a isolation module that encloses the chassis and provides acoustic and/or thermal isolation for the instrument and an electronics module which, together with the separate controller, provide the electronics for acquiring and processing images and controlling the other functions of the instrument. All these modules and many of their subassemblies are replaceable and potentially upgradeable. This allows updating to new technology as it becomes available.
US08370956B2
Methods, apparatus, and media for rendering digital content by at least one recipient computing device in accordance with usage rights information. An exemplary method comprises receiving the digital content by the at least one recipient computing device from at least one sending computing device only if the at least one recipient computing device has been determined to be trusted to receive the digital content from the at least one sending computing device, receiving, by the at least one recipient computing device, a request to render the digital content, determining, based on the usage rights information, whether the digital content may be rendered by the at least one recipient computing device, and rendering the digital content, by the at least one recipient computing device, only if it is determined that the content may be rendered by the at least one recipient computing device.
US08370955B2
Techniques for facilitating the exchange of information and transactions between two entities associated with two wireless devices when the devices are in close proximity to each other. A first device uses a first short range wireless capability to detect an identifier transmitted from a second device in proximity, ideally using existing radio capabilities such as Bluetooth (IEEE802.15.1-2002) or Wi-Fi (IEEE802.11). The detected identifier, being associated with the device, is also associated with an entity. Rather than directly exchanging application data flow between the two devices using the short range wireless capability, a second wireless capability allows for one or more of the devices to communicate with a central server via the internet, and perform the exchange of application data flow. By using a central server to draw on stored information and content associated with the entities the server can broker the exchange of information between the entities and the devices.
US08370954B2
Key data is generated that contains a decryption key that decrypts an encrypted content, and a policy that defines the usage restrictions on the content. Binder data is then generated, which contains the encrypted content, key data, and the control data, which describes the applied conditions of the key data.
US08370951B1
Internet users will be accountable for their use by opening their internet with State Abbreviation and State Code and 13 digit numbers. Traveling State to State, State to Country, Country to Country you also have transfer code that applies to each Internet users. Internet users have to purchase ID card they will receive upon signing Contract Release that applies to each Category. Framework for software program consist of map with State abbreviation & State Codes, Country Abbreviation, Country Codes 5 Internet Contract Release forms with Fees, Framework for opening page that will scroll to what pertains to individuals. Internet ID Temp permit, Transfer code application for travelers, Transfer code receipt for customer code, map with Codes for U.S.A., Special Intelligence format a mandatory software format for internet Companies. This program is made to free internet users from, violent offenders, Identity theft, pirating, help import, export, And Keep Defense Information Safe.
US08370948B2
A system and method for determining an intent of a sender in transmitting electronic information in order to prevent unauthorized dissemination of electronic information is disclosed. The system and method facilitate cost-effective handling of dissemination events and comprise a traffic analyzer configured to analyze descriptors of the electronic information and parameters of the transmission of the electronic information in order to determine the intent of the sender. By determining the intent of the sender, it is possible to effectively quarantine the electronic information before it is disseminated.
US08370945B2
Identifying a security breach caused when a computer-based software application uses a computer-based web browser application, including identifying at least one function within a computer-based software application that causes a computer-based web browser application to access data from a source that is external to the software application, at least partially replacing the data with malicious content that is configured to cause a predefined action to occur when the malicious content is accessed by the web browser application, where the predefined action is associated with a known security breach when the predefined action occurs subsequent to the malicious content being accessed by the web browser application, causing the software application to perform the function, and determining whether the predefined action is performed.
US08370943B1
A system receives a scan request for a storage object in a clustered storage system. The system determines if an anti-virus (AV) server is executed on a preferred node in the storage system. The system requests information describing a plurality of nodes on the clustered storage system from a service manager. This information is used to select an alternate AV server which is executed on a substitute node if the initial AV server is not executed on the preferred node. The scan request is sent to the initial AV server if the initial AV server is executed on the preferred node. The scan request is sent to an alternate AV server if the initial AV server is not executed on the preferred node.
US08370942B1
A malware source analysis component determines which sources of malware are sufficiently suspicious such that all binary files located thereon should be analyzed. In order to makes such determinations, the malware source analysis component receives information concerning malware infections from a plurality of sources. The malware source analysis component analyzes the received information, and determines suspiciousness levels associated with specific sources. Responsive to identifying a given threshold suspiciousness level associated with a source, the malware source analysis component adjudicates that source to be suspicious. Where a source is adjudicated to be suspicious, the malware source analysis component submits submission instructions to that source, directing it to identify binary files thereon and submit them to be analyzed. The malware source analysis component receives binary files from suspicious sources according to the submission instructions, and analyzes the received binary files.
US08370928B1
A system, method and computer program product are provided. In use, votes from a plurality of nodes for node categorization are monitored. Further, a pattern associated with the votes is identified. Thus, malicious nodes may be identified based on the pattern.
US08370920B2
The system and method described herein may provide unified transport and security protocols. In particular, the unified transport and security protocols may include a Secure Frame Layer transport and security protocol that includes stages for initially configuring a requester device and a responder device, identifying the requester device and the responder device to one another, and authenticating message frames communicated between the requester device and the responder device. Additionally, the unified transport and security protocols may further include a Secure Persistent User Datagram Protocol that includes modes for processing message frames received at the requester device and the responder device, recovering the requester device in response to packet loss, retransmitting lost packets sent between the requester device and the responder device, and updating location information for the requester device to restore a communications session between the requester device and the responder device.
US08370917B1
A network media gateway is used to bridge trust between a Service Provider network and subscriber devices. The gateway is authenticated by the Service Provider by using knowledge of network topology. Subscriber devices are authenticated in response to subscriber input to the gateway via an interface. Trusted subscriber devices can be tightly coupled with the Service Provider network, thereby facilitating delivery of QoE. Mobile and remote subscriber devices may also be authenticated. The gateway may also facilitate establishment of VPNs for peer-to-peer communications, and dynamically adjustable traffic, policy and queue weightings based on usage patterns.
US08370914B2
A server system sends a first credential request to a passive requestor at a client device. After sending the first credential request, the server system receives a credential for a user of the client device. If the credential is valid, the server system can provide the passive requestor with access to a resource provided by the server system. After providing the passive requestor with access to the resource, the server system provides an active requestor at the client device with access to the resource without sending a second credential request to the active requestor. Consequently, it may not be necessary for a user of the client device to provide credentials twice in order for the passive requestor and the active requestor to access the resource.
US08370905B2
A domain access system may include a connection package for a remote device. The connection package may be installed and used to connect to a domain without having to be physically attached to the domain. The connection package may include a domain identifier and a machine name, as well as certificates used to authenticate the device to the domain, group policies, and other components and configuration information. An installation program may configure the remote device with the various components and certificates so that the remote device may connect to the domain.
US08370903B2
An MFP stores information of a web service for permitting use with respect to each user, and information for limiting a use of its function. When there is a web service allowed to be used by the logged in user, its list is displayed. When a linked function with the selected web service is not allowed to be used, a massage to the effect that is displayed and when the use of the function is limited, limited contents are displayed to confirm the use of the web service.
US08370901B2
An identity management method, apparatus, and computer readable article of manufacture tangibly embodying computer readable instructions for executing the identity management method. The method includes: creating an association table to record a first session ID between the user and the first Web application, a second session ID between the user and the second Web application, and an association of the IDs; sending a session ID request containing the first session ID by the first Web application to a return module; receiving the session ID request and searching by the return module for the associated second session ID in the association table according to the first session ID; and returning the second session ID to the first Web application, thereby providing identity management for a user in a Web environment in which a first Web application accesses a second Web application on behalf of the user.
US08370900B2
An image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus performs security management functions such as security transmission and security printing of data stored in a hard disk of the image forming apparatus and shared with a plurality of host computers through a network, to which a security tag is added for the security of the data so as to increase the security of the data. The image forming apparatus is connected to the network to be shared with the host computers to receive and store data transmitted from the host computers, and includes a storage device to store IP address information of a host computer which transmitted data and security data to which a security tag is added for the security of the transmitted data corresponding to the IP address information, and an image forming controller to perform security management function of the security data.
US08370895B2
A method and software product for limit privacy loss due to data shared in a social network, where the basic underlying assumptions are that users are interested in sharing data and cannot be assumed to constantly follow appropriate privacy policies. Social networks deploy an additional layer of server-assisted access control which, even under no action from a user, automatically evolves over time, by restricting access to the user's data. The evolving access control mechanism provides non-trivial quantifiable guarantees for formally specified requirements of utility (i.e., users share as much data as possible to all other users) and privacy (i.e., users expose combinations of sensitive data only with low probability and over a long time).
US08370893B2
A digital television receiver for use in a digital television broadcast system in which a plurality of digital television data streams can be provided in respective streams of television broadcast packets forming the lowest layer of a layered digital television structure and also in respective streams of Internet protocol packets forming the lowest layer of a layered Internet protocol structure, the streams of television broadcast packets being broadcast with a plurality of tables indicating where data of one layer of one structure can be found in another layer of one or other of the two structures, the received plurality of tables being used to determine where data contained in one layer can be found in an adjacent layer so as to construct tree structures or a new table allowing determination of in which stream of television broadcast packets the television data of a selected stream of Internet protocol packets is found.
US08370892B2
An interactive method includes receiving background video including a multiplicity of video frames, at least one of the multiplicity of video frames include a plurality of sub-pictures, each of the plurality of sub-pictures representing an alternative background (1200), and switching between a first sub-picture of the plurality of sub-pictures and a second sub-picture of the plurality of sub-pictures (1210).
US08370888B2
A data stream recorder system, for multi-stream recording and retrieval of utilizes a number of gateways, each for sending and receiving packets containing streaming multimedia content data at real-time rates via a packet data network. A session manager communicates via the network with source client devices and receiver client devices, to establish and control recording and retrieval sessions. The manager assigns sessions to the gateways for the sending and receiving of the packets to and from client devices. Content is distributed across storage devices associated in storage nodes. Each of the gateways receives packets containing content data at real time rates during a recording session and distributes the received packets from the session across all of the storage nodes. A scheduler of each respective storage node distributes content data from packets distributed to the respective storage node, across all of the digital storage devices of the respective storage node.
US08370886B2
Provided is a device for use with a headend, a household and an amplifier. The headend is able to provide signals within a high-frequency band fH. The household is able to provide signals within a low-frequency band fL, and to provide signals within a super-high-frequency band fR, where fL
US08370885B1
A method and apparatus for enabling IP service subscribers to share media contents with other IP service subscribers or Internet users in either a secured or open fashion are disclosed. In one embodiment, the present invention enables the sharing of home movies, pictures, and other media contents, where media could be stored media or media created in real-time. Namely, the present method allows IP service subscribers to effectively create their own TV station, e.g., complete with stored or live content programming and content scheduling.
US08370881B2
A STB resource sharing (RS) group of a home network comprises a plurality of STBs. In the STB RS group, a STB communicates with one or more other STBs to mutually share available device resources comprising hardware and software resources, and/or capabilities. The STB functions as an elected master (EM) or a STB RS client in the STB RS group. As an EM, the STB receives advertisements from other STBs to determine available resources. The determined available resources are announced to other STBs in the STB RS group. The STB manages the use of the determined available resources according to resource sharing requests received from other STBs. As a STB RS client, the STB advertises inherent resources to an EM of the STB RS group. The STB receives announcements from the EM for available resources in the STB RS group. The STB shares its available resources, accordingly.
US08370874B1
Subscription and channel management technology, in which a system allows a user to subscribe to a subset of the available channels on a content delivery network and personalize at least one channel. The system identifies a user identity of the user and stores, in a user database, channel subscription information for the user identity based on the subset of channels to which the user subscribed and the user personalization. The system identifies a downloader device associated with the user identity and controls the downloader device based on the channel subscription information stored in the user database.
US08370870B2
A method and system for use in providing content to a viewer that includes providing a service comprising an on demand video service to the viewer wherein the viewer has an option to view video content. The system is configured to compensate the viewer a reward for having viewed the video content, and the system maintains an accounting of the reward and corresponding viewer identification.
US08370866B2
Provided is a high-accuracy optical pickup supporting device by fixing guide shafts to a chassis by use of adjustment screws accurately. To this end, in the optical pickup supporting device, an end portion of a second guide shaft for supporting an optical pickup device is fixed to the chassis by use of: a coil spring included in an accommodation area of the chassis; and an adjustment screw. In addition, the adjustment screw is screwed to a fixation plate accommodated in an accommodation part of the chassis. Accordingly, a repulsive force produced by the coil spring does not concentrate on any part of the chassis. For this reason, the chassis is prevented from deforming and breaking due to this repulsive force.
US08370860B2
Methods for controlling complementary dual displays for use with an electronic device are presented including: receiving an input for display on a non-native display, where the input includes a native user interface (UI) input and a non-native UI input, and where the non-native display is a bistable, low frame rate display; if the input is the native UI input, sending the first native UI input to a corresponding application, processing the native UI input by the corresponding application, calling a non-native API for forwarding the processed native UI input to a non-native display driver, and sending a non-native display signal to the non-native display; receiving another native UI input for display on a native display, where the native display is a refresh-based, high frame rate display; and sending the other native UI input to the corresponding application.
US08370857B2
A device controller that improves transfer speed when the total data amount to be transferred exceeds a predetermined amount, without requiring a special configuration in the device.The device controller includes a cache memory that caches data received from an application software or device driver and data received from a target device, and a control unit that transfers the data cached in the cache memory to the target device and the application software or device driver. The control unit receives a read or write request from upstream and caches the transfer data in the cache memory. During writing, the data received from upstream is cached, and once a certain amount of data has been collected, it is sent downstream. During reading, a certain amount of data is collectively read out from downstream and sent upstream.
US08370856B2
Remote desktop software for use with guest operating systems that run on a controller kernel. Also, remote desktop software that can be used to remotely view and/or manipulate multiple containerized guest operating systems that run on a single computer. The multiple, containerized operating systems preferably run on a controller kernel. Alternatively, the multiple containerized operating system may be controlled to run on the single computer by other software, such as a hypervisor.
US08370851B2
A system and method for processing messages in an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system is provided. A processing service generates a snapshot of a message queue, which contains a plurality of messages to be processed by the ERP system. Each message has an associated conversation, identified by a unique combination of an endpoint, channel, and subconversation identifier. For each conversation, the processing service determines whether messages of the conversation are to be processed in serial or in parallel, based on the subconversation identifier of the conversation. When the messages of the conversation are to be processed in serial, a task is created to process the messages serially. Alternatively, when the messages of the conversation are to be processed in parallel, a task is created for each of the messages. The messages of each task are processed serially by the task, while each task is executed in parallel with other tasks.
US08370844B2
Embodiments off the invention provide a mechanism for process migration on a massively parallel computer system. In particular, embodiments of the invention may be used to update process state data for a migrated compute node, such as MPI (or other communication library) state data, across a full collection of compute nodes present in a given parallel system executing a parallel task. Migrating a process form one compute node to another may be useful to address a variety of sub-optimal operating conditions. For example, one or more processes may be migrated to cure network congestion resulting from a poorly mapped task or when a compute node is predicted to experience a hardware failure.
US08370827B2
The present application relates to a method for editing and broadcasting compressed multimedia files composed of binary data blocks originating from digital transformations applied to an audiovisual or multimedia content according to the format of a parent file, said parent file having been separated into a first modified file having the format of the nominal parent file and into a complementary file including information on the modifications brought to the parent file, the method comprising prior to the transmission from a portal to the receiving terminal: a step of preparation including analyzing said first file for extracting time-codes therefrom, a second step including generating an index register table from said first modified file, a third step including generating a modified multimedia file according to the format of the parent file containing information of said first modified file and meta-data, a step of transmission of said modified multimedia file separate from said modified multimedia file, the elements of said complementary file making it possible to recreate a partial synthesis of the original audiovisual file.
US08370822B2
A programmable compiler detects from source code invocations of math functions that require reduced levels of accuracy, limited variable domains, or enhanced performance. The programmable compiler replaces such invocations with intrinsics from the compiler's own intrinsic library. The math function invocations are compiled into inline object code. The inline object can be subsequently optimized along with other object code through normal compiler optimization. If an accuracy requirement is beyond what any compiler intrinsic can provide, the programmable compiler preserves the invocation of the math function defined in a default library.
US08370803B1
A method of creating assets for agile software development includes detecting selection of an asset type for an asset template, receiving values of one or more attributes for the asset template, and creating the asset template. Upon detecting an action to select the asset template, creation of an asset of the selected asset type and having the received values is initiated.
US08370799B2
A method for providing codebase modification assistance includes receiving training data including learning application code prior to modification and the same learning application code subsequent to modification, the modification being of a known type. Portions of the learning application code that have been changed by the modification are detected. One or more substrings are identified from names associated with the detected portions of the learning application code that have been changed. A target application code that is to be modified according to the known type of modification of the training data is received. The identified one or more substrings are searched for from names associated with portions of the received target application code. The portions of the target application code for which the one or more substrings have been found within associated names are displayed.
US08370796B2
Mechanisms for development tooling enablement of audit event generation are provided. The mechanisms automatically generate and insert compliance audit record generation code where appropriate in identified portions of program instructions based on established compliance policies and labels associated with keywords/library functions appearing in the source code. The mechanisms may analyze the program instructions to identify at least one portion of program instructions meeting a compliance policy requirement for generation of a compliance audit record. Compliance audit record generation code for generating the compliance audit record may be generated. The compliance audit record generation code may be inserted into the at least one portion of program instructions to generate modified program instructions. The modified program instructions may be output for execution on a computing device.
US08370793B2
A method and system for specifying, deploying and updating work flows. A request is received from a user of a system with components comprising a computing system and human representatives. The components facilitate routing and servicing the request. A work flow comprising manual and automatic steps is specified to perform the routing and servicing of the request. The automatic steps are automatically performed by the computing system and the manual steps are manually performed by the representatives. Both the automatic steps and the manual steps are uniformly defined in a single general-purpose markup language (e.g., XML). Further, a manual step is dynamically transformed into a new automatic step that is represented as a new XML action element. The new XML action element includes an identifier of a software routine to be executed to perform the new automatic step.
US08370781B2
Design and verification support related to integrated circuits that includes acquiring a first use case diagram representing a function of an object subject to design and verification and an activity diagram representing a processing procedure of the object; analyzing a structure of the activity diagram acquired at the acquiring step; converting the activity diagram to a second use case diagram representing a function of the object, based on the structure analyzed at the analyzing; verifying uniformity of the first use case diagram and the second use case diagram; and outputting a verification result obtained at the verifying uniformity.
US08370756B2
Presence information of a first user in a messaging system, such as an instant messaging system, is relayed to a second user. A first communications client of a first user detects a change in the presence status of a first user and sends an alert message to a second communications client of a second user. Moreover, systems and methods are provided for sending the alert message to an alternate address, including alternate instant messaging (IM) addresses, e-mail address, or telephone numbers, in the event that the intended recipient of the alert message is not accessible at his or her original IM address.
US08370754B2
Data files are selected for downloading from a host device to an electronic device via a sync process. Once the sync process starts, the electronic device provides the user with dynamic sync status information so that the user, for example, knows how much data has been downloaded, how much time is remaining in the download, what data files are being downloaded, etc. In addition, the user is also provided with the capability to obtain general summary information about the data files downloaded after the sync process is complete, as well as detailed summary information that may, for example, provide the user the names of each song downloaded and the size of each file.
US08370753B2
A digital signage network employs a common data model and a subscription system to disseminate data gathered from a plurality of data sources to a number of displays. The network nodes interact with each other as content sources, content consumers, or both, with some systems acting as consumers to upstream sources and acting as sources to downstream consumers. The presentation of the data on a digital signage display allows for real-time binding of live data to provide a rich display effect.
US08370747B2
A method of generating a multimedia user interface includes playing music with an electronic device; ascertaining a parameter associated with the music; and adapting visual content displayed on a display of the electronic device in conformance with the parameter of the music by applying a visual effect to the visual content, the visual effect having an association with the parameter.
US08370746B2
A relativity controller is a scroll bar/window combination that provides a way to see data in relation to both the context of its wholeness and the salience of its contents. To accomplish this, the linear density or other appearance of the scroll bar (acting as a ruler or scale) varies with the density of the document salience (as indicated by different kinds of annotations or marks). It also provides a way to zoom between perspectives. This is usable on many different data types: including sound, video, graphics, calendars and word processors.
US08370745B2
A relativity controller is a scroll bar/window combination that provides a way to see data in relation to both the context of its wholeness and the salience of its contents. To accomplish this, the linear density or other appearance of the scroll bar (acting as a ruler or scale) varies with the density of the document salience (as indicated by different kinds of annotations or marks). It also provides a way to zoom between perspectives. This is usable on many different data types: including sound, video, graphics, calendars and word processors.
US08370742B2
A display device for displaying operating parameters of an agricultural machine which includes a working unit has a display unit designed such that it may display several subsections, to each of which an operating parameter is assigned, in a first operating state of the working unit, a closed main region having a central geometric focal point may be displayed, and a first subsection is limited on the side by a second subsection, in a second operating state of the working unit, the mean distance between one side of the first subsection and the central geometric focal point is changed, and an agricultural machine includes the working unit, a driver's cab, and the display device.
US08370740B2
The invention enables document level controls to be added to applications which display documents by using an application level add-in. The application level add-in tracks document opening and closing and dynamically constructs the document level control accordingly to ensure that the document level control is active only while the document is open.
US08370738B2
Automatic layout processing includes determining an area size based on a vertical size of sub-templates aligned in a row direction and a horizontal size of sub-templates aligned in a column direction, and locating each sub-template in a corresponding area.
US08370719B2
A device, method, machine-readable medium, and system are disclosed. In one embodiment the device is a memory controller capable of modifying a reference voltage to a persistent moving read reference (MRR) voltage level for use during one or more subsequent reads to a non-volatile memory array. This modification is in response to a change in a reference voltage supplying the non-volatile memory array from a previous reference voltage level to a temporary MRR voltage level.
US08370718B2
A method is for identifying a flash memory device coupled to a host device. The flash memory device may have a page size from possible page sizes, bootstrap code stored on a first sector thereof, and a data bus for accessing data stored in the flash memory device and with a data bus size from possible data bus sizes. The method may include reading data stored in a first page of the first sector as if the flash memory device had an assumed page size and an assumed data bus size, and reading content from memory locations where error correction code (ECC) bytes of the first page are stored if the flash memory device has the assumed page size and checking whether the ECC bytes include more than a number of errors associated with the assumed page size. The method may also include if the ECC bytes do not include more than the number of errors, generating a flag signal that the flash memory device has the assumed page size and the assumed data bus size.
US08370712B2
A computer-implemented method of managing a memory of a non-volatile solid state memory device by balancing write/erase cycles among blocks to level block usage. The method includes: monitoring an occurrence of an error during a read operation in a memory unit of the device, wherein the error is correctable by error-correcting code; and programming the memory unit according to the monitored occurrence of the error; wherein the step of monitoring the occurrence of an error is carried out for at least one block; and wherein said step of programming comprises wear-leveling the monitored block according the error monitored for the monitored block. A computer system and a computer program-product is also provided.The non-volatile solid state memory device includes: a memory unit having data stored therein; and a controller with a logic for programming the memory unit according to a monitored occurrence of an error during a read operation. The method includes: monitoring an occurrence of an error during a read operation in a memory unit of the device; and programming the memory unit according to the monitored occurrence of the error.
US08370703B2
A method of encoding information and a method of decoding information, and an apparatus to perform one or both methods, and an information storage medium on which to store the information, the method of encoding the information including encrypting data between two ECC-encoding operations, and the method of decoding the information including decrypting data between two ECC-decoding operations.
US08370702B2
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide methods, systems, and apparatuses related to multilevel encoding with error correction. In some embodiments, data may be programmed and/or read from a matrix of nonvolatile memory cells with concatenated encoding/decoding schemes. In some embodiments, a calculation module may determine an actual bit per cell value of a given combination of parameters of a nonvolatile memory device. Still other embodiments may be described and claimed.
US08370700B2
The present invention discloses a coding method, a coding device, a decoding method and a decoding device for low density generator matrix codes. Wherein the coding method includes: constructing the mother code set of the low density generator matrix code using P low density generator matrix codes of different code lengths at a code rate R0, wherein the mother code set of the low density generator matrix code has a uniform basic matrix Gbuniform, R 0 = k b n b , where kb is the row number of the basic matrix and nb is the column number of the basic matrix; obtaining the length L of an intermediate variable according to the relationship between the length K of the information bit sequence to be coded in the mother code set of the low density generator matrix code and the length L of the intermediate variable; obtaining an expansion factor zk for processing the basic matrix using the length L of the intermediate variable and the row number kb of the basic matrix, and obtaining a generator matrix Gldgc by modifying and expanding the basic matrix using the expansion factor zk; and coding the information bit sequence to be coded using a matrix Gldgc(1:L,1:N+L−K) comprised of L rows and the first N+L−K columns of the generator matrix.
US08370699B2
Provided is a semiconductor memory apparatus that may use an efficient protocol between an NAND flash memory device and a controller to reduce bus traffic. The flash memory device may include a memory cell array and an error correction encoder. The memory cell array may include a plurality of pages. The error correction encoder may generate first parity data based on normal data to be written to the memory cell array, compare the first parity data and second parity data encoded with the normal data stored in the memory cell array, and check an error. The error position detector may detect an error position in response to the error signal transmitted from the error correction encoder. Thus, since the semiconductor memory apparatus may transmit and receives parity data or a syndrome between an NAND flash memory device and the controller by detecting and correcting an error in the same memory chip, bus traffic may be reduced.
US08370697B2
A method and system are provided to transmit a meter power status. The method includes recognizing a power status change at a meter. The method includes, if the meter is scheduled to transmit first, transmitting a notification message to at least one neighboring meter towards a mesh gate, wherein the notification message includes a power status indicator and a meter identifier. The method includes, if the meter is not scheduled to transmit first, waiting a predetermined time period to receive a notification message from at least one neighboring meter. The method includes, responsive to receiving a notification message, adding a meter identifier to the received notification message before retransmitting the modified notification message to at least one neighboring meter. The method includes retransmitting the notification message.
US08370690B1
Embodiments of the present invention provide systems, methods, and computer-readable media for modifying frame error rates associated with a mobile device. In embodiments, a mobile device is assigned an initial frame error rate. In response to determining the initial frame error rate does not match a desired frame error rate, a frame error rate modification request is generated. The frame error rate modification request is transmitted to a base station. At the base station, a modified frame error rate that matches the desired frame error rate is associated with the mobile device.
US08370684B2
A microprocessor includes a bus interface unit that interfaces the microprocessor to a bus that includes a signal that, when asserted, instructs all bus agents to refrain from initiating bus transactions. Microcode causes the bus interface unit to assert the signal in response to detecting an event and resets the microprocessor, but does not reset a portion of the bus interface unit that asserts the signal on the bus. After the reset, the microcode causes the bus interface unit to deassert the signal on the bus. Additionally, the microcode sets a flag and saves the microprocessor state to memory before resetting itself, but does not reset the interrupt controller. After the reset, the microcode reloads the state of the microprocessor from the memory. However, if the microcode determines that the flag is set, it forgoes reloading the state of the interrupt controller.
US08370676B2
A receiving apparatus includes: a clock unit that outputs time information; a synchronizing (sync) packet receiving unit that receives a sync packet which contains transmitting time information and which is sent from a transmitting apparatus over an asynchronous network; a magnitude-of-jitter calculation unit that calculates as a magnitude of a jitter a difference between a first difference, which is a difference between the receiving times of two adjoining sync packets received by the sync packet receiving unit, and a second difference which is a difference between the transmitting times of the two sync packets; a delay time estimation unit that obtains the delay time of the sync packet on the basis of magnitudes of jitters calculated by the magnitude-of-jitter calculation unit; and a time correction unit that compensates the transmitting time of the sync packet, which is received by the sync packet receiving unit, on the basis of the delay time of the sync packet, which is obtained by the delay time estimation unit, so as to obtain a compensated time, and rewrites and corrects the time of the clock unit with the compensated time.
US08370675B2
A method for clock synchronization includes computing an offset value between a local clock time of a real-time clock circuit and a reference clock time, and loading the offset value into a register that is associated with the real-time clock circuit. The local clock time is then summed with the value in the register so as to give an adjusted value of the local clock time that is synchronized with the reference clock.
US08370671B2
Mechanisms for saving power by powering down an instruction fetch array based on capacity history information of an instruction buffer are provided. The mechanisms operate to receive a current access to an instruction buffer of a processor. The current access is a fetch of a group of one or more instructions to be stored in the instruction buffer. A determination is made, for one or more prior accesses occurring prior to the current access, if a predetermined pattern of capacity availability of the instruction buffer indicates that the instruction buffer is likely to have available capacity to store the group of one or more instructions of the current access. An instruction fetch unit array is powered down in response to a determination that the instruction buffer is not likely to have available capacity to store the group of one or more instructions of the current access.
US08370669B2
A memory device includes memory sleep logic operative to detect a repetitive pattern within at least one memory block, and place the memory block into a sleep mode in response to detecting the repetitive pattern. The memory device memory sleep logic may also provide a response to read commands to the memory block while it is in sleep mode, where the response is a constant output for any address location of the memory block. The memory device memory sleep logic may include pattern detection logic, associated with each memory block, to detect the repetitive pattern; and data port logic, coupled to the pattern detection logic, operative to receive an activation command from the pattern detection logic, and operative to return a constant output pattern in response to any read command to read data from the memory block.
US08370663B2
A central processing unit (CPU) can specify an initial (e.g., baseline) frequency for a clock signal used by a device to perform a task. The CPU is then placed in a reduced power mode. The device performs the task after the CPU is placed in the reduced power mode until a triggering event causes the device to send an interrupt to the CPU. In response to the interrupt, the CPU awakens to dynamically adjust the clock frequency. If the clock frequency is reset to the baseline value, then the CPU is again placed in the reduced power mode.
US08370658B2
Adaptive control of operating and body bias voltages. In accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention, a desirable operating frequency for the microprocessor is determined. Information stored within and specific to the microprocessor is accessed. The information can comprise coefficients of a quadratic approximation of a frequency-voltage characteristic of the microprocessor for a set of body biasing conditions. An efficient voltage for operating the microprocessor at the desirable operating frequency is computed. The microprocessor is operated at the efficient voltage and the set of body biasing conditions.
US08370656B2
The power and data hub is a fan-less modular electronic system having a main housing member that forms a heat sink, which houses an electronic switch fabric backbone. The electronic switch fabric backbone connects multiple modular slots using a connection fabric backplane, which provides low voltage power input and command protocols. Cross-matrix switches are provided to interconnect stand-alone audio-visual, computer and other data, such as audio I/O, video I/O, and outputs via the integrated switch fabric backbone. Multifunction modular cards are provided and securely insert into modular slots disposed in the main housing unit. The system includes a control and DC power injector management unit for power control of connected units. Power management instructions can be issued to the main unit and modular cards. A network-based management utility controls, monitors and records operational parameters, and also stores and translates programmed instructions to the device.
US08370653B2
A motherboard which can play an image or a video in a power-off state is disclosed. The motherboard includes a circuit board, a north bridge chipset, a digital photo frame chipset, and a switch unit. The north bridge chipset, the digital photo frame chipset, and the switch unit are disposed on the circuit board. The digital photo frame chipset is activated according to a stand-by power in the power-off state. The switch unit is electrically connected with the north bridge chipset and the digital photo frame chipset, respectively. The switch unit electrically communicates with the north bridge chipset or the digital photo frame chipset according to a triggering signal. The motherboard may utilize the stand-by power in the power-off state to display an image by a display device via the digital photo frame chipset and the north bridge chipset when a computer system is powered off.
US08370652B2
In a data center which includes a plurality of servers, a discovery computer, a power measurement system (PMS), and a plurality of power-circuits which supply power to the servers, the discovery computer performs the following actions for each server. It transmits a first command to the server causing the server to start generating a power consumption signature if the server is able to do so. Upon receiving a SUCCESS response from the server, it instructs the PMS to start measuring the power consumption from each power-circuit. After a prescribed interval of time has elapsed, it collects the measurements from the PMS and analyzes the measurements to look for the presence of the signature. Upon detecting the signature in the measurement taken from a particular power-circuit, the discovery computer concludes that the server is connected to the particular power-circuit and creates a mapping there-between.
US08370646B2
Methods and systems for enhancing the security of data during input and output on a client computer system are provided to prevent attempts by unauthorized code to access, intercept, and/or modify data. Example embodiments provide a plurality of obfuscation techniques and security enhanced drivers that use these obfuscation techniques to prohibit unauthorized viewing/receiving of valid data. When the drivers are used together with the various obfuscation techniques, the security enhanced drivers provide mechanisms for “scheduling” the content of the storage areas used to store the data so that valid data is not available to unauthorized recipients. When unauthorized recipients attempt to access the “data,” they perceive or receive obfuscated data. The obfuscation techniques described include “copy-in,” “replace and restore,” and “in-place replacement” de-obfuscation/re-obfuscation techniques. In one embodiment, a security enhanced display driver, a security enhanced mouse driver, a security enhanced keyboard driver, and a security enhanced audio driver are provided. To complement the security enhancements, the methods and systems also provide for a watchdog mechanism to ensure that the driver is functioning as it should be and various user interface techniques for denoting security on a display device.
US08370642B2
A cryptographic processing apparatus includes: at least one register configured to store data for operation; a first operation block configured to execute an operation in accordance with data stored in the register; a second operation block configured to execute a logic operation between one of a register-stored value and a key and an operation result of the first operation block; and a decode block configured to decode binary data in units of the predetermined number of bits to convert the binary data into decode data having the number of bits higher than the number of bits of the binary data.
US08370629B1
A system and method are disclosed for determining and sharing of trusted location data. The system includes a network device or application and at least two independent trusted sources of location data/location assistance data, where the at least two independent trusted sources have unique and unalterable ID codes. The network device or application receive and authenticate the location information/location assistance data from the at least two independent trusted sources, and the network device or application calculates a trusted location estimate by comparing the location data of the at least two independent trusted sources. The network device or application is a self-aware device. The trusted location data may be virally shared with other self-aware network devices in the network.
US08370627B2
It is an object of the present invention to solve a problem included in the onion routing which is used as a confidential communication method, that if a system down occurs in a computer within a communication route, connection is not made to further components at all, or a problem that the system and the traffic become slow by using multiplexed encryption. It is a communication method in which a client of an information providing source encrypts random numbers and calculates its hash value using respective public keys of an information server to which it connects, a function server of a destination to be sent, and an information server to which the function server connects, respective servers decrypt the encrypted random number using their own secret keys to compare the random number with the hash value, and thus, the client determines whether or not the route is related to the client. In such a way, information can be provided as an information providing source and an information provided destination are hidden, and as a response to provided contents from the function server which is the information provided source can also be kept anonymous.
US08370621B2
Counting values can be encrypted as a set of counting value cyphertexts according to a hidden vector encryption scheme using sample values of a set of samples, where each of the samples can include multiple sample values. Additionally, tokens can be generated. The tokens can be configured according to the hidden vector encryption scheme, such that each of the tokens can enable decryption of matching cyphertexts. Processing of the counting value cyphertexts and the tokens can be delegated to a map-reduce computer cluster. The cluster can run a map-reduce program to produce and return count representations. Each count representation can represent a count of a set of the counting value cyphertext(s) whose decryption was enabled by one or more of the token(s). For example, the counts may be counts that can be used in constructing a data structure such as a decision tree.
US08370614B2
A method of booting a computing device includes, responsive to said computing device powering on, loading a first lightweight operating system on said computing device and executing an instant-on application through said lightweight operating system. The method further includes, during execution of said instant-on application, loading a hypervisor on said computing device and migrating said instant-on application to a first virtual machine executing a second lightweight operating system implemented by said hypervisor. The method further includes loading a full-feature operating system on a second virtual machine implemented by said hypervisor.
US08370609B1
This invention includes a circuit for tracking memory operations with trace-based execution. Each trace includes a sequence of operations that includes zero or more of the memory operations. The memory operations being executed form a set of active memory operations that have a predefined program order among them and corresponding ordering constraints. At least some of the active memory operations access the memory in an execution order that is different from the program order. Checkpoint entries are associated with each trace. Each entry refers to a checkpoint location. Memory operation ordering entries correspond to each one of the active memory operations. Violations of the ordering constraints result in overwriting the checkpoint locations associated with the selected trace as well as the checkpoint locations associated with traces that are younger than the selected trace.
US08370603B2
The disclosed architecture uses address mapping to map a block address on a host interface to an internal block address of a non-volatile memory (NVM) device. The block address is mapped to an internal chip select for selecting a Concurrently Addressable Unit (CAU) identified by the block address. The disclosed architecture supports generic NVM commands for read, write, erase and get status operations. The architecture also supports an extended command set for supporting read and write operations that leverage a multiple CAU architecture.
US08370602B2
A method for memory space management is disclosed. It uses a resident program loaded into an operation system or the controller of a storage device to monitor the storage space and the resource allocation of the file system of the storage device. The status of the logical address with an erased and invalid data mapped with a physical block is checked via a L2P mapping table. By using a data erase instruction, the controller modifies the L2P mapping table to cancel the link relation between the physical block and the logical address and erase the physical block to release the memory space. Finally, the check location is stored for a next check. The method for memory space management improves the access speed and the usage life of the storage device.
US08370594B2
A hash-optimized backup system and method takes data blocks and generates a probabilistically unique digital fingerprint of the content of each data block using a substantially collision-free algorithm. The process compares the generated fingerprint to a database of stored fingerprints and, if the generated fingerprint matches a stored fingerprint, the data block is determined to already have been backed up, and therefore does not need to be backed up again. Only if the generated fingerprint does not match a stored fingerprint is the data block backed up, at which point the generated fingerprint is added to the database of stored fingerprints. Because the algorithm is substantially collision-free, there is no need to compare actual data content if there is a hash-value match. The process can also be used to audit software license compliance, inventory software, and detect computer-file tampering such as viruses and malware.
US08370589B1
Techniques introduced herein allow writeable PPIs to be re-used. A writeable PPI manager can make use of existing writeable PPIs to offer logical units to clients without creating additional writeable PPIs. The writeable PPI manager can determine which writeable PPIs to re-use by testing the writeable PPIs for a variety of conditions. Advantageously, re-use of remaining logical units reduces unnecessary replication of data and increased overhead costs. Resources can thereby be conserved.
US08370585B2
A data processing system is provided. The data processing system includes a plurality of processors, a cache memory shared by the plurality of processors, in which memory a cache line is divided into a plurality of partial writable regions. The plurality of processors are given exclusive access rights to the partial writable region waits.
US08370577B2
Storing metadata that is disjoint from corresponding data by storing the metadata to the same address as the corresponding data but in a different address space. A metadata store instruction includes a storage address for the metadata. The storage address is the same address as that for data corresponding to the metadata, but the storage address when used for the metadata is implemented in a metadata address space while the storage address, when used for the corresponding data is implemented in a different data address space. As a result of executing the metadata store instruction, the metadata is stored at the storage address. A metadata load instruction includes the storage address for the metadata. As a result of executing the metadata load instruction, the metadata stored at the address is received. Some embodiments may further implement a metadata clear instruction which clears any entries in the metadata address space.
US08370570B2
Disclosed is a storage system that suppress occurrence of a bottleneck in the storage system, efficiently uses a bandwidth of hardware, and achieves high reliability. A storage system includes a storage apparatus that stores data, a controller that controls data input/output with respect to the storage apparatus, and an interface that couples the storage apparatus and the controller. The storage apparatus has a plurality of physical ports that are coupled to the interface. The controller logically partitions a storage area of the storage apparatus into a plurality of storage areas and provides the plurality of storage areas, or allocates the plurality of physical ports to the logically partitioned storage areas.
US08370562B2
Cache flushing is effected for a flash memory by copying, to a block of the memory, first and second portions of cached data, and servicing a host access in-between copying the first portion and the second portion. Either both portions are selected before the copying, or erasing the block is forbidden until after the copying, or a portion of the block left unwritten by the first copying remains unwritten until after the host access is serviced.
US08370545B2
A traffic manager includes an execution unit that is responsive to instructions related to queuing of data in memory. The instructions may be provided by a network processor that is programmed to generate such instructions, depending on the data. Examples of such instructions include (1) writing of data units (of fixed size or variable size) without linking to a queue, (2) re-sequencing of the data units relative to one another without moving the data units in memory, and (3) linking the previously-written data units to a queue. The network processor and traffic manager may be implemented in a single chip.
US08370540B2
A data transfer control device that selects one of a plurality of DMA channels and transfers data to or from memory includes a request holding section configured to hold a certain number of data transfer requests of the plurality of DMA channels and a request rearranging section configured to select and rearrange the data transfer requests that are held in a basic transfer order so that the data transfer requests of each of the plurality of DMA channels are successively outputted for a number of successive transfers set in advance.
US08370532B1
Techniques for portable device data archiving are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a computer implemented method for data archiving comprising detecting a connection of a device to a computing platform, identifying the connected device, and archiving data of the connected device according to a specified archive parameter.
US08370525B2
A method and apparatus for implementing ink data communication between multiple parties using computing and/or communication devices on a network is disclosed. An electronic chat system comprising a hardware interface layer for receiving raw ink data from an input device, an ink management layer for processing the raw ink data into a form useable by a chat interface layer, and a network interface layer for transferring the processed ink data across a network to a chat interface layer on a remote computer.
US08370522B2
An overlay protocol and system for allowing multicast routing in the Internet to be performed at the application level. The overlay protocol uses “native” Internet multicast and multicast routing protocols to route information, according to overlay routing tables. Overlay groups are mapped to native multicast groups to exploit native multicasting in regional or local forwarding domains. Use of the overlay protocol allows overlay distribution to be handled in a more intelligent and bandwidth-managed fashion. Overlay routers are placed at each of several local area networks, Internet service provider's point of presence, enterprise, or other cohesively-managed locations. The overlay computers are configured according to bandwidth and security policies, and perform application-level multicast distribution across the otherwise disjoint multicast networks by using the overlay routing. The result is an overlay multicast network that is effectively managed according to local network management policies. Application-level control can be applied to the transferred data at the overlay routers.
US08370521B2
Various embodiments of systems and methods for data message exchange in a client server network are described herein. In various embodiments, a client and a server network may implement a data message protocol for message exchanges. A method of an embodiment ensures message delivery, acknowledge message delivery, message delivery in a specific order, resending of lost data messages, and the like. In various embodiments, such data exchange may optimize data transmission and resource consumption in a client server network. A server can store data messages in a buffer and resend them only when requested by the client, as in the case of lost or out of sequence data message. A client with limited storage space need not concern itself with storing data messages and processing them at a later point in time. Furthermore, a client may optimize data transmission by acknowledging bulk data messages, rather than acknowledging them individually.
US08370520B2
A method and apparatus stores media content in a variety of storage devices, with at least a portion of the storage devices having different performance characteristics. The system can deliver media to a large number of clients while maintaining a high level of viewing experience for each client by automatically adapting the bit rate of a media being delivered to a client using the client's last mile bit rate variation. The system provides clients with smooth viewing of video without buffering stops. The client does not need a custom video content player to communicate with the system.
US08370519B2
A method for synchronizing files on an expandable memory card inserted in a wireless device with an application running on a computer desktop where downloading of files is performed wirelessly without user involvement.
US08370515B2
The present invention is directed to voice communication devices in which an audio stream is divided into a sequence of individual packets, each of which is routed via pathways that can vary depending on the availability of network resources. All embodiments of the invention rely on an acoustic prioritization agent that assigns a priority value to the packets. The priority value is based on factors such as whether the packet contains voice activity and the degree of acoustic similarity between this packet and adjacent packets in the sequence. A confidence level, associated with the priority value, may also be assigned. In one embodiment, network congestion is reduced by deliberately failing to transmit packets that are judged to be acoustically similar to adjacent packets; the expectation is that, under these circumstances, traditional packet loss concealment algorithms in the receiving device will construct an acceptably accurate replica of the missing packet. In another embodiment, the receiving device can reduce the number of packets stored in its jitter buffer, and therefore the latency of the speech signal, by selectively deleting one or more packets within sustained silences or non-varying speech events. In both embodiments, the ability of the system to drop appropriate packets may be enhanced by taking into account the confidence levels associated with the priority assessments.
US08370512B2
A multicast processing section constructs, when it is determined that a received packet is a packet on a multicast packet and multicast group management protocol, a table showing a correlation between a host device and a multicast group in a port number-multicast physical address correlation storing section as well as in a multicast router-connected port storing section according to the received packet, and controls to transfer a packet for each multicast group between a multicast router and host devices according to the table.
US08370503B2
A network component comprising at least one processor configured to implement a method comprising sending a message comprising an authentication mobility option to a mobile node, wherein the message is configured to revoke a mobility binding for the mobile node is disclosed. Also disclosed is a system comprising a home agent configured to send a binding revocation indication (BRI) to a mobile node and receive a binding revocation acknowledgement (BRA) from the mobile node, wherein the BRI comprises a first authentication mobility option and the BRA comprises a second authentication mobility option. Included is a method comprising receiving a BRI message comprising an authentication mobility option from a home agent, analyzing the authentication mobility option, and sending a BRA message to the home agent.
US08370492B2
A system and method of providing a quality of service (QoS) is provided. The method of providing the QoS in the link layer includes receiving, by a stream providing device, minimum and maximum resource requirement information of a stream receiving device; transmitting, by the stream providing device, a reservation message including the minimum and maximum resource requirement information; allocating a resource, by at least one bridge, based on the reservation message transmitted from the stream providing device; and receiving, by the stream receiving device, a stream transmitted from the stream providing device via the resource.
US08370481B2
A system may receive parameters for provisioning a resource object and may select network resources that correspond to the resource object based on the parameters, inventory information, and configuration information. In addition, the system may configure the selected network resources in accordance with the parameters and may monitor the selected network resources to obtain information on the selected network resources. Further, the system may update the inventory information and the configuration information based on the obtained information to reflect changes in state and configuration of the selected network resources.
US08370472B2
A method for efficient machine selection for job provisioning includes receiving a job request to perform a job using an unspecified server machine and determining one or more job criteria needed to perform the job from the job request. The method further includes providing a list of one or more server machines potentially operable to perform the job. For each server machine on the list of one or more server machines, a utilization value, one or more job criteria satisfaction values, and an overall suitability value are determined. The overall suitability value for each server machine is determined from the one or more job criteria satisfaction values and the utilization value, and may include a numeric degree to which each server machine is suitable for performing the job. Furthermore, the overall suitability value for each server machine may be included on a list of one or more overall suitability values.
US08370450B2
A system for granting or denying access to nodes on a network, includes a first node including a list of nodes that can be granted or denied access to the first node, and at least one other node. The first node and the at least one other node are connected across the network. When the at least one other node attempts to gain access to the first node, the first node reviews the list of nodes to determine whether access should be granted or denied to the at least one other node.
US08370446B2
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for to advertisement forwarding storage and retrieval network. A method includes, in a network of interconnected computer system nodes, directing advertisement to a computer memory, directing data to a computer memory, continuously forwarding each of the unique data, independent of each other, from one computer memory to another computer memory in the network of interconnected computer system nodes without storing on any physical storage device in the network, continuously forwarding each of the unique advertisements, independent of each other, from one computer memory to another computer memory in the network of interconnected computer system nodes without storing on any physical storage device in the network, and retrieving one of the advertisements in response to an activity.
US08370431B1
A network meeting application for providing network meetings, such as web conference meetings, runs on a presenter device. In response to a request for a network meeting from an attendee device, the presenter device creates a secure desktop separate from a working desktop. The presenter may use the secure desktop to share documents, presentations, or other applications with the attendee device. The attendee device is blocked from accessing the working desktop of the presenter device. A presenter using the presenter device may switch between the working desktop and the secure desktop. Security policies, downloaded to the presenter device from a server, determine the applications the attendee may run on the secure desktop. The secure desktop thereby protects the integrity of the presenter's working desktop during a web conference meeting, while allowing documents, presentations, or other applications to be shared with attendees via the secure desktop.
US08370428B1
The present invention teaches a system & methods for developing & administering composite mobile applications communicating in real-time with enterprise computing platforms comprising combinations of the steps of transmitting a data message, intended for delivery to a mobile client device, from an enterprise server computer to a gateway computer system, receiving at the gateway computer system the data message, recording receipt of the data message in a transaction log at the gateway computer system, determining a mode of delivery of the data message from the gateway computer system to the mobile client device, transmitting the data message from the gateway computer system to the mobile client device via the determined mode of delivery, and recording the transmission of the data message to the mobile client device in the transaction log at the gateway computer system.
US08370420B1
A method and apparatus for displaying locally stored content objects is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method comprises running an agent on a machine and integrating one or more locally stored objects in a page being displayed using information from the agent.
US08370419B2
The disclosed embodiments relate generally to the submission of metadata content and digital content, such as media content, to a media distribution system. The media content can include, for example, audio, video, image, or podcast data. In accordance with one embodiment, a client submitting metadata content can validate the metadata content prior to submission of the metadata content and/or associated media content. A media distribution system receiving metadata content can also validate the metadata content.
US08370411B2
In a first embodiment of the present invention, a method for generating a random number for an instance of a hardware description language definition is provided, the method comprising: generating a unique signature for the instance; applying a message digest generation process on the unique signature to arrive at a message digest having a fixed length; and applying a random number generation process on the message digest.
US08370407B1
An exemplary system for providing a network resource address reputation service may comprise a server computer configured to determine whether an event associated with a network resource address matches event signature(s) in network security device(s). If the event matches a signature, a reputation score for the network resource address may be generated. If the network resource address is not present in a first malicious network resource address database, the network resource address in association with the reputation score may be stored in a second malicious network resource address database. If the network resource address is present in the first malicious network resource address database, the reputation score may be modified to indicate a more negative reputation for the network resource address. The network resource address may then be stored in association with the modified reputation score in a second malicious network resource address database.
US08370404B2
A quality level determining the extent to which each image file is compressed is automatically computed for each image file in a set to ensure that the total size of the compressed image files does not exceed a predefined limit. The compressed size of each image file is initially determined when compressed at a predefined minimum acceptable level and at a nominal level. The relative complexity of the image files is determined based upon their high frequency energy content. As a function of the image file complexity, and starting with the compressed sizes initially determined, the appropriate quality level is determined for compressing each of the image files in an iterative process that ensures the total size of the compressed image files does not exceed the predefined limit, while retaining acceptable quality. Thus, a set of image files can be compressed optimally to fit within a limited storage.
US08370399B2
A schema development system is provided. The system includes a location component to automatically determine members of a schema set. A processor component performs software development operations across the schema set. The members of the schema set can be implicitly determined from at least one development file, where the development file can be an XML file or an XSD file, for example.
US08370398B2
The size of lightweight JT data files containing CAD data is reduced by employing lossy compression where acceptable for portions of the CAD data, such as 3D geometry data. Dictionary-based lossless compression for the remaining portions is augmented by exploiting common repeated structures for some portions, such as precise Brep data, and compressing separate but similar data, such as all metadata for a given part and all scene graph data, together as a single block. The compressed data is then written in separate, uniquely identified data segments indexed in a table of contents, allowing quick access to any data segment for streaming.
US08370396B2
A system for correlating a user's interests to media content, said system comprising: (a) at least one data store comprising media content data relating to people, works, and tags; (b) a relationship generator configured to generate direct relationships among said people, works and tags; (c) a connection module to generate connections between a primary person, work or tag and a first set of said people, works, and tags, wherein each person, work and tag of said first set has a direct relationship with said primary person, work or tag; and (d) a display module for causing the display of at least a portion of said first set of said people, works and tags.
US08370389B1
A technique authenticates a user of a massively multiplayer online role playing game (MMORPG). The technique involves establishing a user database containing user information describing the MMORPG user based on a set of first transmissions received from a game provider of the MMORPG. The technique further involves (i) receiving a second transmission from the game provider, the second transmission including an authentication request to authenticate the MMORPG user, and (ii) providing a response transmission to the game provider in response to the second transmission. The response transmission includes an authentication result based on an adaptive authentication operation involving the user database. The authentication result controls whether the game provider provides the MMORPG user with current access to the MMORPG.
US08370381B2
Location based information may be provided. Data may be received having an entry predicate. The data may comprise, for example, a weblog (blog). The entry predicate may comprise location information defining an applicable zone for the data. Location information may be provided in the received entry predicate when it is determined that the location information is missing from the received entry predicate. Next, the data and the entry predicate may be saved. Then an application zone may be calculated, for the saved data, based on the entry predicate. Next, a request may be received comprising a reader predicate. In response to receiving the request, the data may be transmitted when the reader predicate corresponds to the application zone. The data may be transmitted to a request device from which the request was received. The request device may comprise a mobile device.
US08370369B2
Methods of processing record data are presented, together with a Central Management Node for processing record data, and Management Subsystem DataBases for providing a record data set and matching record data. Triggered by service related network fault event, a key table comprising at least one key type is determined, based on a focus target record and related to the network fault event is determined, which key table is used in the step matching the at least one key with record data sets in determined Management Subsystem DataBases. Matched results are merged, whereafter a service performance indicator may be determined, based on which a multi-layer water flow analysis of subsystem specific performance related indicators can be obtained. This analysis may be successfully used to reveal the location of the service related network fault.
US08370359B2
Computer-implemented methods for mapping an element of a source information model to an element of a target information model, forming a cluster of elements for mapping across information models, and evaluating a mapping of elements across information models, and a system and computer program product thereof. The method of mapping an element of a source information model to an element of a target information model includes: receiving information for mapping a first element in a source cluster to an element in the target information model; mapping the first element to the target element using the received information for mapping the first element to the target element; and mapping all other elements in the source cluster to the target element.
US08370353B2
A method of providing a searchable parts database includes collecting component part data from a plurality of users to form a component part database. An exclusive group is formed including a subset of the users. User members of the exclusive group are provided with access to the component part data contributed to the database by other user members of the exclusive group. Users excluded from the exclusive group are denied access to the component part data contributed to the database by the user members of the exclusive group. The user members in the exclusive group are enabled to provide images of desired component parts and to search the component part database based upon the images of desired component parts.
US08370344B2
An information processing apparatus is disclosed which determines, based on fitness to a specified condition, an order of displaying multiple to-be-searched information items which are pre-stored. The apparatus includes a specifying-condition information obtaining unit, an index-information obtaining unit, a population-limiting information obtaining unit, an index-information modifying unit, and a fitness calculating unit.
US08370331B2
Various embodiments of systems and methods for dynamic visualization of search results on a GUI are described herein. A search query received by a user is divided into a plurality of search parts. One or more search results for each of the plurality of search parts are retrieved. Further, a search result array is generated from the retrieved search results. Furthermore, Venn diagram graphical representation of the search results in the search result array is determined and the same is displayed on the GUI. The Venn diagram graphical representation defines display of search results in the Venn diagram and the relevancy ranking of the search results. In addition, the user can specify a weighting for each of the plurality of search parts, which dynamically determines display opacity of at least one of the associated search results and search part circles of the Venn diagram on the GUI.
US08370328B2
Method and apparatus for creating an electronic database of disambiguated entity mentions and relations from a corpus of electronic documents. The invention automatically extracts from the corpus of electronic documents mentions about entities (e.g., references to people, organizations or places), parses the entity mentions into “mention objects,” and executes a series of grouping, comparison and hierarchical fuzzy object clustering algorithms to cluster together in an electronic database all of the mention objects referring to the same entity and all of the mention objects (e.g. “people”) associated with each other by a relationship (e.g., “co-authors” or “family members”). The resulting electronic database of disambiguated entity mentions and relations, which may comprise, for example, an XML document, a relational database or hierarchical database, is structured to permit useful recordation, access, review and display of all of the mentions and relations associated with a particular entity or collection of entities.
US08370326B2
According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method for the parallel computation of frequency histograms in joined tables is provided. The method includes reading data in a table row-by-row from a database system using a coordinator unit and distributing each read row to separate worker units. Each worker unit computes a partial frequency histogram for each column in the table in parallel. The partial histograms from the worker units are then merged and the coordinator unit sends the merged frequency histograms to the worker units.
US08370320B1
One or more computer assisted methods for using favicons to send queries to searchable webpages and obtain a search results page for each searchable webpage over a network are provided.
US08370317B2
Multi-threaded access to a collection is synchronized without locking the collection for long periods of time. In one implementation, a collection is locked briefly to allow safe creation of a resource entry (or a placeholder entry) in the collection and then unlocked prior to the start of the resource build operation. As such, the collection is unlocked during the potentially long period of time required to build the resource (e.g., a data object) into the collection. Furthermore, during the build operation, access attempts to the same resource in the collection by other threads are forced to wait until the resource build is completed. Nevertheless, the collection itself is not locked during the resource build operation, so that other threads can access other resources within the collection without waiting.
US08370315B1
A system and method for efficiently reducing latency of accessing an index for a data segment stored on a server. A server both removes duplicate data and prevents duplicate data from being stored in a shared data storage. The file server is coupled to an index storage subsystem holding fingerprint and pointer value pairs corresponding to a data segment stored in the shared data storage. The pairs are stored in a predetermined order. The file server utilizes an ordered binary search tree to identify a particular block of multiple blocks within the index storage subsystem corresponding to a received memory access request. The index storage subsystem determines whether an entry corresponding to the memory access request is located within the identified block. Based on at least this determination, the file server processes the memory access request accordingly. In one embodiment, the index storage subsystem is a solid-state disk (SSD).
US08370306B1
A computer-implemented method for recovering from continuous-data-protection blackouts may include identifying a continuous data protection system configured to copy each change made to a set of data. The computer-implemented method may also include identifying a set of changes made to the set of data but missed by the continuous data protection system. The computer-implemented method may further include identifying an alternate change-tracking system that tracks changes made to the set of data. The computer-implemented method may additionally include updating the continuous data protection system with the missed set of changes as tracked by the alternate change-tracking system. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US08370303B1
Disclosed are various embodiments for generating snapshot data tables. Records are extracted from a predetermined plurality of tables in a master data store. The only records extracted are those which have changed since a last snapshot of the tables was taken. The extraction produces a corresponding plurality of working tables. For each of the working tables, any rows missing in the respective working table are determined. Those missing rows are filled in from the predetermined plurality of master tables based on a plurality of identifiers in working tables other than the one with the missing rows.
US08370294B2
An embodiment of a method includes determining a file size of each of multiple files to be included in a file system image. For each file having a file size less than a lower file size threshold of the storage device currently storing the file, the file is stashed in an alternate storage device having a throughput greater than a throughput of the current storage device. In an example embodiment, files that have sizes within a size range greater than the lower file size threshold are randomly selected for stashing in an alternate storage device. A system includes a file system image generator configured to selectively stash files based on file sizes and a lower file size threshold.
US08370282B1
An image quality subsystem computes quality scores for images that represent a measure of visual quality of the images. Initial quality scores and query specific quality scores can be computed for the images based on image feature values for the images and a transformation factor that represents a measure of importance of image quality for computing relevance scores for images. The initial quality scores are query independent quality scores that are computed for the images and can be used as a factor for computing relevance scores for the image relative to any query. Query specific quality scores are computed for images that are identified as relevant for a particular query based on the initial quality scores and a query specific transformation factor for the particular query. Adjusted relevance scores for the images can be computed based on the initial quality scores or the query specific quality scores.
US08370268B2
An automated vehicle rental system with individual vehicle transmitting sensors for keeping track of vehicle mileage, fill state of vehicle fuel tank, and localized position status in a rental lot. Sensors are linked to the vehicle odometer reading and to the vehicle fuel tank float sensor with compensation for types of driving and fuel fill-ups which affect float level readings. The sensors are integrated with or are linked with communicating tags operable in a defined site for ultimate communication of stored vehicle related sensor data, vehicle location and type to a central data base for automatically completely effecting check out, charges and state of vehicle readiness for renewed rental. The transmitting sensors are adapted to avoid interference between sensors of other vehicles during multiple transmissions. Also included is an in-vehicle check out and payment device operatively linkable to the transmitting sensor of the vehicle.
US08370265B2
A transaction processing service operates as an intermediary between acquirers of financial transaction requests and issuing institutions that process the financial transaction requests. The intermediary service enables a customer to selectively change the status of an account's associated with a payment instrument by activating or deactivating the account. The intermediary service may manage account status locally using a rules module. Alternatively, the issuing institution may manage account status, while the intermediary service provides an interface for customers. A customer communicates with the intermediary service to direct the service to change the account status. The intermediary service determines the account's issuing institution and provides an indication to the issuing institution of the current status of the account (or of the change in status). The intermediary service may provide the indication by transmitting a message to the issuing institution or by storing the account status information in its own database. The issuing institution may then request account status from the intermediary service whenever it needs the information, such as when it receives an authorization request.
US08370263B2
Methods, computer readable media, and apparatuses for providing trusted services management using a hybrid service model are presented. According to one or more aspects, a first transaction log of a first secure element included in a mobile computing device may be received. The first secure element may be provisioned with first secure information provided to a user of the computing device by a first entity, such as a first financial institution. Subsequently, a second transaction log of a second secure element included in the mobile computing device may be received. The second secure element may be provisioned with second secure information provided to the user of the computing device by a second entity different from the first entity, such as a second financial institution, for instance. In some arrangements, incentive offers may thereafter be provided to the user based on the first transaction log and the second transaction log.
US08370259B2
Computer-implemented method and system are provided for verifying a financial instrument. The method comprises performing a plurality of transactions using a source of electronically exchanged value identified by a user, recording details of the plurality of transactions, inviting the user to identify the details to a verification system, and verifying the source of electronically exchanged value based on the details provided by the user to the verification system.
US08370258B2
A first command is sent from a payment terminal assembly to a payment device with an on-device balance to compute a cryptogram to complete a putative transaction. It is detected that the cryptogram is not received as expected. In response, an identifier of the payment device and transaction recovery data associated with the putative transaction are stored in a storage area of a terminal memory of the payment terminal assembly. The payment terminal assembly obtains the identifier of the payment device, upon re-presentation of the payment device. Upon such re-presentation, the payment terminal assembly compares the obtained identifier of the payment device to contents of the storage area. Conditioned at least upon the comparing yielding a match, a second command is sent from the payment terminal assembly to the payment device to instruct the payment device to re-produce the cryptogram to complete the putative transaction.
US08370255B2
A system and method for upgrading existing credit cards with additional lines of credit is disclosed. Credit information associated with customers holding credit cards issued by a credit card issuer are analyzed to determine a level of risk associated with each customer. One or more extra line of credit may be established for selected customers based on the determined level of risk associated with each customer. Each extra credit line may be exclusively associated with a selected set of vendors that have a partnership agreement with the credit card issuer. The credit card issuer may allow customers to select vendors to be associated with the extra credit line or may automatically choose vendors for selected customers. Customers with established extra credit lines may purchase goods and/or service directly from vendor sites or at the credit card issuer's web sites. Purchases at selected vendor sites may be automatically applied to a customer's newly established extra credit line. Additionally, a customer may choose to apply purchases to their extra credit lines or their primary line of credit.
US08370250B2
The performance management system and method enable users to set performance targets and analyze performance measures for a company based on financial information. The system displays three template areas respectively containing historical financial data for a first time period, predicted financial data for a second time period, and financial performance measurement changes from the first time period to the second time period, where financial performance measures are displayed for each of the time periods. The second template area receives target input variables that include target NOPAT growth, target TRS, and target dividends per share. The system and method enable the recursive adjustment of at least one of the target input variables for a future time period until a percentage change in the target TRS displayed in the second template area is equal to a user selectable target TRS value.
US08370249B2
Methods and systems for engaging in enhanced parimutuel wagering and gaming. In one embodiment, different types of bets can be offered and processed in the same betting pool on an underlying event, such as a horse or dog race, a sporting event or a lottery, and the premiums and payouts of these different types of bets can be determined in the same betting pool, by configuring an equivalent combination of fundamental bets for each type of bet, and performing a demand-based valuation of each of the fundamental bets in the equivalent combination. In another embodiment, bettors can place bets in the betting pool with limit odds on the selected outcome of the underlying event. The bets with limit odds are not filled in whole or in part, unless the final odds on the selected outcome of the underlying event are equal to or greater than the limit odds.
US08370245B2
An automated information and analysis system and methods, including methods to acquire information, which may include financial market data such as rates or prices, from one or more external sources, and to process, enhance, extend or otherwise develop that information to derive additional, different, modified or otherwise developed information which, separately or together with the original acquired information, provides to users additional, different or modified utility relative to the utility that the original acquired information provides alone.
US08370236B1
A method, system and program product, the method in one embodiment comprising: A method, comprising: accessing databases comprising: client information for each of a plurality of respective clients, comprising a balance of funds of the client; a distribution percent value, Xi, for tranches; information for each of multiple government backed-insured aggregated time deposit instruments holding a tranche of client funds, comprising: a rate; an identification of the depository institution; a term; and determining a given client available distribution amount, Di; determining an amount of a client tranche to be deposited in each of Ni depository institutions based at least in part on the percentage, Xi, in order that the client tranches are approximately equal and are insured; determining Ni depository institutions to distribute the client tranches; allocating substantially equally respective client tranches to the Ni depository institutions; generating data for instructions to transfer the respective client tranches; updating, the databases.
US08370232B2
As banking transactions are processed by a bank teller, all of the relevant information with respect to the transaction (e.g., dollar amount) is captured in an electronic file. Each of the electronic files from the various branches of the bank are forwarded to a central back office processing center where the electronic files are combined into a single Transaction Repository. At the end of the branch day, all of the paper associated with the transactions is forwarded from the branches to the back office processing center. The paper transactions are imaged in the conventional manner and the Magnetic Ink Character Recognition (MICR) data is read from the paper. The present invention then automatically correlates the images and MICR data captured from the paper with the complete transaction record contained in the Transaction Repository. Most of the conventional back office processing can now be performed without the need to perform character recognition and without the need for excess human intervention.
US08370230B2
A system for identifying and expediting the release of held items, such as checks. Paying banks (having accounts against which the checks are drawn) provide paid item files to the system, and depository banks (where checks have been deposited) provide held item files to the system. If there is a match of a paid item file and held item file (indicating that a held check has been paid by the paying bank), the depository bank is notified that the item has been paid and that the hold may be released.
US08370225B2
The invention is a system and method of managing equipment. The system incorporates a tagging device to attach identification tags to each piece of equipment. A scanning device is used to read the identification tags and relay this information to an equipment server. An input device is used to input information to the equipment server. The equipment server runs the equipment management program. The system flags a potential asset assigned to an asset creating individual. Equipment is designated an asset after use in an asset creating event.
US08370220B1
A method of completing a transaction using payment information received from a personal wireless device. The method includes the steps of recording items for purchase, determining a total price of the items, displaying a prompt to provide payment for the total price, and wirelessly receiving payment information from a personal wireless device.
US08370215B2
Methods and systems for automated alternative selection for compound price quotes are provided. A requesting party submits a request that includes information regarding at least one specification. A database is searched based on the information provided by the request. The search results are evaluated to determine whether they meet a predefined target. When the search results do not meet a predefined target, an alternative specification is identified. At least a second set of search results is retrieved from the database that may be used to meet the target. Vehicles are selected for inclusion in a compound price quote. A compound price quote including multiple price quotes for each selected vehicles is generated.
US08370213B2
An electronic commerce system and method for processing auxiliary order information in an on-line open market are provided. The system includes an on-line market server for brokering the on-line transaction on the Internet, wherein the on-line market server, when entrusted with partial or full processing of acquisition of auxiliary order documents for an object for sale requested for purchase from the buyer, acquires the auxiliary order documents from an issuing authority and requests the seller to deliver the object for sale, based on the auxiliary order documents; and at least one database for storing information related to the buyer and the seller.
US08370204B2
In some embodiments, methods for providing advertisements from a communication gateway are providing, including: receiving a first request requesting content from a content server; analyzing the first request, including performing deep packet inspection; based on updatable profile information associated with a mobile node and on the analysis including the deep packet inspection, selecting an advertising category; based on the selected advertising category, retrieving an advertisement among a plurality of advertisements and sending the advertisement to the mobile node; updating the profile information to indicate the advertisement has been sent to the mobile node in response to the first request for content; receiving a second request for the content from the mobile node; retrieving the content; and in response to the second request and based on the profile information indicating the advertisement has been sent to the mobile node, sending the content to the mobile node.
US08370203B2
Improved user interfaces and methods are provided for presenting item recommendations to a user when the user selects an item to add to a shopping cart. In response to the user's selection, a page generation process generates and returns a page that includes a plurality of recommendations sections, each of which displays item recommendations generated using a different respective recommendation or selection algorithm (e.g., recommendations based on shopping cart contents, recommendations based on purchase history, etc.). These recommendation algorithms may be selected based on collected information regarding the user. The page may also include a shopping cart section which displays contents of the shopping cart.
US08370202B2
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for estimating segments from key values for advertising impressions.
US08370195B1
Methods and systems for hosting business and other e-commerce application services are provided which provide secure shared computing resources to multiple instances of e-commerce or other business applications. The shared computing resources are dynamically allocated among the instances of the applications, and the instances of the applications are logically separated from one another to provide additional security.
US08370193B2
Methods, computer readable media, and apparatuses for evaluating risk associated with a process are presented. Input corresponding to one or more risk elements may be received. An exposure score, an impact score, a likelihood score, and an element score may be determined for each risk element. One or more risk category scores may be determined based on the one or more element scores. One or more risk parameter scores may be determined based on the one or more risk category scores. An overall risk score may be determined based on the one or more risk parameter scores. A risk scorecard may be generated, and the risk scorecard may include a risk scorecard that visually depicts one or more of the determined scores.
US08370189B2
A method and computer program product for receiving an indication of a meeting being scheduled between a plurality of attendees. At least one of the attendees is designated a moderator of the meeting. The actions of the designated moderator are monitored to determine if the designated moderator is capable of performing one or more moderator responsibilities associated with being the designated moderator. If it is determined that the designated moderator is incapable of performing the one or more moderator responsibilities, an alternate moderator chosen from the plurality of attendees is designated.
US08370183B2
A comparative evaluation of a plurality of alternative candidates is performed by creating a plurality of evaluation criteria for evaluating the alternative candidates, comparing pairs of the evaluation criteria and assigning a relative weight to each compared pair of evaluation criteria, assigning an evaluation value to the evaluation criteria for each of the alternative candidates, and generating a relative ranking of the alternative candidates based at least in part on the assigned relative weights and the assigned evaluation values.
US08370173B2
A computer system and methods manages dispensing and replenishment of medications by a Contract Pharmacy for a Covered Entity. Participating Contract Pharmacies are associated with a Covered Entity, and each medication unit is associated with a code that corresponds to medication units dispersed by the Contract Pharmacies. The amount of medication units corresponding to the code and dispersed by the Contract Pharmacies is tracked. When the amount of medication units dispensed across the Contract Pharmacies to patients of the Covered Entity reaches a replenishment threshold, replacement medication units are ordered to replace inventory loaned by the Contract Pharmacies to the Covered Entity at the Covered Entity's available drug discount purchase price.
US08370169B2
Closed-loop control is applied to the field of automated on-line business bandwidth planning tools by comparing measured business bandwidth with a baseline for providing a difference indication, changing the baseline according to the difference, and reporting the change as an event relating to a service level agreement.
US08370162B2
In a voice processing system, a multimodal request is received from a plurality of modality input devices, and the requested application is run to provide a user with the feedback of the multimodal request. In the voice processing system, a multimodal aggregating unit is provided which receives a multimodal input from a plurality of modality input devices, and provides an aggregated result to an application control based on the interpretation of the interaction ergonomics of the multimodal input within the temporal constraints of the multimodal input. Thus, the multimodal input from the user is recognized within a temporal window. Interpretation of the interaction ergonomics of the multimodal input include interpretation of interaction biometrics and interaction mechani-metrics, wherein the interaction input of at least one modality may be used to bring meaning to at least one other input of another modality.
US08370160B2
Embodiments include methods and apparatus for synchronizing data and focus between visual and voice views associated with distributed multi-modal applications. An embodiment includes a client device adapted to render a visual display that includes at least one multi-modal display element for which input data is receivable though a visual modality and a voice modality. When the client detects a user utterance via the voice modality, the client sends uplink audio data representing the utterance to a speech recognizer. An application server receives a speech recognition result generated by the speech recognizer, and sends a voice event response to the client. The voice event response is sent as a response to an asynchronous HTTP voice event request previously sent to the application server by the client. The client may then send another voice event request to the application server in response to receiving the voice event response.
US08370157B2
A speech recognition system and a personal speech profile data (PSPD) storage device that is physically distinct from the speech recognition system are provided. In the speech recognition system, a PSPD interface receives voice training data, which is associated with an individual and the operating conditions of an aircraft, from the PSPD storage device. A speech input module produces a digital speech signal derived from an utterance made by a system user. A speech processing module accesses voice training data stored on the PSPD storage device through the PSPD interface, and executes a speech processing algorithm that analyzes the digital speech signal using the voice training data, in order to identify one or more recognized terms from the digital speech signal. A command processing module initiates execution of various applications based on the recognized terms. Embodiments may be implemented in various types of host systems, including an aircraft cockpit-based system.
US08370143B1
In general, the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in methods, systems, and program products. A computing system receives text that represents content input by a user. A computing system determines a randomness level for a portion of the text. A computing system determines whether the randomness level for the portion of text exceeds a threshold level. A computing system, responsive to determining that the randomness level does not exceed the threshold level, provides the portion of text for processing by a text processing system.
US08370142B2
Described herein are embodiments of systems, methods and computer program products for real-time transcription of conference calls that employ voice activity detection, audio snippet capture, and multiple transcription instances to deliver practical real-time or near real-time conference call transcription.
US08370136B2
A method and an apparatus for generating comfortable noises so as to improve user experience are disclosed. The method includes: if a received data frame is a noise frame, calculating a corresponding energy attenuation parameter based on the noise frame and a data frame received earlier than the noise frame; and attenuating noise energy based on the energy attenuation parameter to obtain a comfortable noise signal. An apparatus for generating comfortable noise is also provided.
US08370132B1
Apparatus and methods are provided for measuring perceptual quality of a signal transmitted over a communication network, such as a circuit-switching network, packet-switching network, or a combination thereof. In accordance with one embodiment, a distributed apparatus is provided for measuring perceptual quality of a signal transmitted over a communication network. The distributed apparatus includes communication ports located at various locations in the network. The distributed apparatus may also include a signal processor including a processor for providing non-intrusive measurement of the perceptual quality of the signal. The distributed apparatus may further include recorders operatively connected to the communication ports and to the signal processor, wherein at least one of the recorders processes the signal at one of the communication ports and the recorder sends the signal to the signal processor to measure the perceptual quality of the signal.
US08370122B2
A method and apparatus for segmenting geobodies extracted from three-dimensional geophysical survey data volumes. In one embodiment, the invention involves (a) obtaining a plurality of data elements, respectively corresponding to three-dimensional locations in a subsurface region, and generating a data volume consisting of discrete cells from the plurality of data elements (1); (b) identifying an initial geobody corresponding to a potential hydrocarbon reservoir within the data volume by grouping cells in the data volume according to a selected connectivity criterion (2); (c) selecting a rule (3) that characterizes stratigraphically reasonable geobodies (e.g. they cannot vertically overlap); and (d) in response to a determination that the initial geobody does not conform to the rule, segmenting the initial geobody into a plurality of fundamental geobodies via processing the data elements with an automated segmentation routine, wherein the fundamental geobodies each conform to the rule (4).
US08370110B2
Measuring performance of a performance measuring tool comprises: a first data loader acquiring a first set of network data for passing to a first data channel; the first data channel calculating a first set of performance metrics using the first set of network data and storing the first network data and performance metrics in a database; a first data viewer displaying the first set of performance metrics; time stamping all operations performed in one or more of the acquisition, calculation and storing steps and saving the time stamp and operation details in a log file; a second data loader acquiring the time stamped data; a second data channel, calculating a second set of performance metrics using the time stamped data, storing the time stamped data and second set of performance metrics in the database; and a second data viewer, displaying the second performance metrics from the database.
US08370104B2
A pointing device includes accelerometers and rotational sensors that are coupled to a processor. The processor samples the accelerometers and rotational sensors to detect gravity and pointing device motion and uses algebraic algorithms to calculate roll compensated cursor control signals. The processor transmits the cursor control signals to a receiver that is coupled to an electronic device that moves the cursor on the visual display.
US08370103B2
A moving context and a moving time of a user are specified by acceleration information while the user is moving. The moving context represents the user's moving status. The acceleration information is measured by an acceleration sensor carried with the user. The moving context and the moving time are stored in time series. The moving context and the moving time between a moving start time and an arrival time are set as a moving pattern. A tag is set to the moving context in the moving pattern. The tag identifies a function to be executed for the moving context. A moving estimation pattern is generated as the moving pattern having the moving context and the moving time specified by acceleration information measured when the user is newly moving. The function identified by the tag is executed, when the moving context set with the tag in the moving estimation pattern coincides with a moving context specified by acceleration information measured while the user is newly moving.
US08370101B2
The invention generally relates to a circuit card assembly testing system for testing and troubleshooting new and failed circuit card assemblies. Specifically, circuit card assemblies that are part of a guided missile and launcher test set are tested using a board testing system (BTS), the preferred embodiment, to isolate faults or to verify final assembly. The BTS is used for testing and troubleshooting a wide variety of circuit card assemblies at the end of final assembly and upon their return as a failed item from the field. The BTS is designed to rapidly isolate faults in failed circuit card assemblies that have been returned to a maintenance facility by providing an improved means of fault isolation. The BTS is designed to aid in the production of circuit card assemblies by providing an improved means of rapidly verifying the proper operation of circuit boards after final assembly.
US08370096B2
A method and system includes a first substrate and a second substrate, each substrate comprising a predetermined baseline transmittance value at a predetermine wavelength of light, processing regions on the first substrate by combinatorially varying at least one of materials, process conditions, unit processes, and process sequences associated with the graphene production, performing a first characterization test on the processed regions on the first substrate to generate first results, processing regions on a second substrate in a combinatorial manner by varying at least one of materials, process conditions, unit processes, and process sequences associated with the graphene production based on the first results of the first characterization test, performing a second characterization test on the processed regions on the second substrate to generate second results, and determining whether at least one of the first substrate and the second substrate meet a predetermined quality threshold based on the second results.
US08370091B2
Computer-implemented systems and methods for detecting ESD on a surface and determining an origination location of the ESD. A programmed computer device monitors time-varying current data related to the surface to detect ESD on the surface. The current profile for the surface may be compared to a catalog of ESD current profiles, where each ESD current profile in the catalog corresponds to a different location on the surface. The location on the surface whose corresponding ESD current profile best matches the actual current profile from the ESD may be determined to be the origination location of the ESD. Moderately different processes may be used to determine the ESD origination location depending on whether the surface is symmetrical or irregular, flat or curved, etc.
US08370088B2
The invention relates to a method for the real-time determination of the filling level of a cryogenic tank intended to house a two-phase liquid/gas mixture, in which at least one of the the level, volume or mass contained in the tank is calculated for the liquid or the gas at each time step. The method includes the use of a thermal model at each time step to calculate the average temperatures of the liquid and the gas in the tank on the basis of the measured pressure differential and at least one of the pressures of said differential; calculation of the change over time in at least the density of the liquid on the basis of the average temperature of the liquid and the pressures in the tank.
US08370087B2
A bicycle power meter has a strain gauge sensor assembly mounted on a relatively compressible portion of the end of the rear fork of the bicycle frame. The relatively compressible portion is near the rear hub and subject to the forces exerted by the cyclist to the crankset, and transferred via the chain, and sprocket assembly to the hub. The sensor assembly has two ohmically interconnected stretch sensors each having a first layer bearing a variable resistance element, whose resistance changes with displacement of the compressible portion, and a second layer for providing support for the first layer. The sensor assembly is connected in a bridge circuit to two other resistances to generate signals representative of cyclist applied force. These signals are processed along with velocity signals to generate power signals and the power signals are supplied to a display.
US08370079B2
The present invention is generally directed to powerful and flexible methods and systems for consensus sequence determination from replicate biomolecule sequence data. It is an object of the present invention to improve the accuracy of consensus biomolecule sequence determination from replicate sequence data by providing methods for assimilating replicate sequence into a final consensus sequence more accurately than any one-pass sequence analysis system.
US08370077B2
A system for optimizing a patient's insulin dosage regimen over time, comprising at least a first memory for storing data inputs corresponding at least to one or more components in a patient's present insulin dosage regimen, and data inputs corresponding at least to the patient's blood-glucose-level measurements determined at a plurality of times, and a processor operatively connected to the at least first memory. The processor is programmed at least to determine from the data inputs corresponding to the patient's blood-glucose-level measurements determined at a plurality of times whether and by how much to vary at least one of the one or more components in the patient's present insulin dosage regimen in order to maintain the patient's future blood-glucose-level measurements within a predefined range.
US08370072B2
BioMEMS/NEMS appliance biologically monitors an individual, using biosensors to detect cellular components. Data is simulated or analyzed using systems-biology software, which provides diagnostic or therapeutic guidance.
US08370067B2
A method and system and the use of a 3-D positioning system for monitoring a landfill and landfill material added thereto and undergoing compaction and measures in real time the relative density of the compressed landfill material. The method and system calculates thickness, volume, density during the landfill operation to ensure that the landfill is comprised of compacted layers of substantially optimized density.
US08370061B2
A navigation device stores road data in a storage part. The road data includes a consecutive connection of a plurality of links as a link queue, the plurality of links acquired by sectioning a road length into a plurality of pieces. The navigation device includes a guidance part that performs route search and guidance to a destination using the road data. The link queue includes a standard link for which, based on a sectioned link of a specific road stored in the storage part, information relating to the sectioned link is stored as road-related information in the storage part, and an invariance link for which the road-related information is not stored in the storage part if there is no difference in the road-related information compared to an adjacent link in the link queue. A navigation road data creating device is also provided.
US08370056B2
A collision warning apparatus includes sensors, output devices, memory locations, a GPS device, and a processor. The processor may receive information from the sensors. The processor may also process the information to identify a detected object as a present potential collision object. The processor may compare present GPS coordinates of the vehicle with stored vehicle GPS coordinates saved in memory, to determine whether or not the present GPS coordinates correspond to stored vehicle GPS coordinates associated with a previously identified potential collision object. If the present GPS coordinates correspond to stored vehicle GPS coordinates associated with a previously identified potential collision object, the processor is operable to suppress a potential collision warning.
US08370055B2
A driver assistance system includes a distance measuring device which detects distance values of objects from the surroundings of a vehicle. Based on a coordinate system that is fixed to the vehicle, the surroundings of the vehicle are subdivided into zones. Individual quality measures are assigned to distance values from the particular zones or measured quantities derived from these distance values. The individual quality measure is a function in particular of the variation of the component of the relative velocity in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.
US08370051B2
Method and systems are provided for controlling a vehicle system including an engine that is selectively deactivated during engine idle-stop conditions. One example method comprises, adjusting a brake torque applied to a deactivated rotating engine after an engine restart request, the brake torque applied to slow the engine to at least a predetermined threshold speed without stopping the engine, and engaging a starter to the still rotating engine to increase the engine speed and restart the engine.
US08370049B1
A control system of an internal combustion engine in which as fuel, a first fuel of ammonia and a second fuel easier to burn than ammonia are used. These two types of fuel are burned in the combustion chamber. A basic ammonia ratio is set in accordance with an engine load and engine speed. The set basic ammonia ratio is corrected based on at least one of a combustion state, knocking strength, temperature of an exhaust gas or temperature of a catalyst arranged in an engine exhaust passage, NOx concentration in the exhaust gas, actual compression ratio, air-fuel ratio, and fuel properties.
US08370041B2
A method is provided that includes determining a state of a vehicle ignition switch; determining a state of the vehicle, wherein the vehicle state including at least one of whether the vehicle is in a torque producing mode, whether the vehicle is moving, and whether the vehicle brake system is engaged; and, controlling the vacuum pump in response to the vehicle state and the ignition switch state.
US08370034B2
When an engine stop control is executed while an automatic ratio shift portion is in a neutral state, a switching clutch is operated, so that a differential portion carrier of a differential portion planetary gear device that is linked to an engine, and a differential portion ring gear linked the automatic ratio shift portion are integrally rotated. Therefore, along with the engine stop control, the rotation speed of the rotating elements of the differential portion planetary gear device is reduced while the rotating elements are integrally rotated or substantially integrally rotated. Since the rotating elements are rotated integrally or substantially integrally, the high rotation speed of the differential portion ring gear linked to the automatic ratio shift portion, which tends to have a heightened rotation speed particularly during the neutral state, is prevented.
US08370026B2
An activation device is configured to activate a protection apparatus for protecting an occupant. The activation device includes a front collision detection unit and a rear collision detection unit. The front collision detection unit outputs a front-collision-state activation signal to a front-collision protection apparatus so as to activate the front-collision protection apparatus when detecting front collision of the vehicle. The rear collision detection unit outputs a rear-collision-state activation signal to a rear-collision protection apparatus so as to activate the rear-collision protection apparatus when detecting rear collision of the vehicle. The rear collision detection unit prohibits output of the rear-collision-state activation signal to the rear-collision protection apparatus for a first period when the front collision detection unit detects front collision of the vehicle.
US08370025B2
A target value for yaw angle velocity gain is computed according to a map expressing a relationship between steering wheel angle and yaw angle velocity gain predetermined such that a direction as seen from a driver of a target destination point for vehicle travel at a predetermined time after a forward gaze and a direction as seen from the driver are caused to match each other, and a steering gear ratio is controlled accordingly. A target value for a steering wheel torque corresponding to the detected steering wheel angle and the acquired yaw angular velocity is set, based on a relationship between yaw angular velocity and resistance-feel level predetermined such that the resistance feel level for a driver monotonically increases with increasing yaw angular velocity. Control is then preformed so as to realize the steering wheel torque target value.
US08370023B2
A driver assistance system having a lane-keeping function, having a device for detecting the lanes on a roadway, and a control unit for intervening in the steering system of the vehicle for lane-keeping. Means are provided in the driver assistance system for detecting the position of the vehicle with respect to the lane marking of the lane. Furthermore, means are provided for detecting a travel of the vehicle through a curve. The control unit executes its control function as a function of the position of the vehicle on the lane and as a function of the cornering. The intervention depends on whether the vehicle is located on the inner side of the curve or on the outer side of the curve.
US08370022B2
A suspension system is provided to execute a control for avoiding a state in which an operation of an electric motor which is a power source of an electromagnetic actuator is kept halted at a certain operational position while the motor is generating a motor force. Where a target rotational position of the motor becomes equal to a specific operational position (e.g., a rotational position at which an electrifying current amount of one phase reaches a peak value), a control for shifting the target rotational position by δθ is executed. Where the rotational position of the motor is kept located at the certain position for a time period longer than a prescribed time, a control for changing the rotational position of the motor is executed.
US08370021B2
A distance measuring sensor is arranged to a vehicle door, and measures a distance to an object in a direction corresponding to a scanning angle. A memory stores a standard angle and a comparison distance corresponding to the scanning angle. A distance-shortest scanning angle is defined by the shortest value of the measured distance. When the distance-shortest scanning angle is different from the standard angle, the scanning angle is corrected. The object is determined to be an obstacle having a possibility to contact with the door, when the measured distance is equal to or shorter than a corrected comparison distance corresponding to the corrected scanning angle.
US08370019B2
A friction coefficient between at least one tire of a motor vehicle and a roadway is estimated recursively. A kingpin inclination angle is detected or measured. A model determines a lateral friction value by defining a functional correlation between that value and the angle such that a non-linear course of that value relative to the angle is dependant on an initial increase of that value relative to the angle and on a recursively determined estimated value of the friction coefficient. The initial increase is defined substantially independently from the recursively determined estimated value. In addition, a measurement variable of the driving dynamics is captured. Depending on the lateral friction value, the driving dynamics model variable is determined. Furthermore, a variance between the driving dynamics measurement variable and the driving dynamics model value is determined. The recursion when acquiring the estimated value includes that the estimated value is adjusted.
US08370016B2
An OBDII device and method and system which includes an inexpensive, user friendly way to determine a vehicle's readiness status for emissions testing. An audible or visual indication that may or may not be wirelessly connected to the tool is provided to alert the repair shop technician or driver that the vehicle has completed its drive cycle and may now be tested for compliance with state and federal emissions laws. The device also includes the ability to prevent the tool from discharging a power source of the vehicle when the device is coupled to the vehicle.
US08370015B2
A hybrid industrial vehicle including an engine, generator motor, battery, and a travel motor. A first generated power computation unit computes a deceleration rate based required generated power based on the travel power and charge power of the battery. A second generated power computation unit computes an actual power based required generated power based on used power used by the travel motor and the charge power of the battery. A generated power control unit controls the generator motor so that the generated power of the generator motor becomes equal to a total generated power determined from the deceleration rate based required generated power and actual power based required generated power. An engine rotation speed control unit controls rotation speed of the engine to be greater than or equal to a required cargo handling engine rotation speed.
US08370014B2
A control apparatus and method of controlling a hybrid vehicle are taught herein. The vehicle selectively switches between an EV mode wherein the vehicle travels by only a driving force produced by the motor/generator when an accelerator opening is less than or equal to an engine-stop line or a HEV mode wherein the vehicle travels by at least a driving force produced by the engine the accelerator opening exceeds the engine-stop line. A transition from the HEV mode to the EV mode is executed when the accelerator opening becomes less than or equal to the engine-stop line during the HEV mode and a given delay time has expired. The delay time is set to a shorter time as an accelerator return speed decreases.
US08370000B2
Systems and methods for increasing the power efficiency of cooling fans are disclosed. A method for providing power-efficient operation of a plurality of cooling fans may include testing a plurality of cooling fans over an operating range of delivered airflow to determine, in each of one or more regions of the operating range, a number of cooling fans to be enabled to provide the lowest power amount required to deliver the delivered airflow for such region.
US08369994B1
A method and/or apparatus providing for evaluation and illustration of the effects of installing and using specific features of an Energy Management System is disclosed. The system is typical of those utilized in Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) control systems. In one illustrated embodiment, cost savings that are achievable following installation of an HVAC system with certain selectable features are clearly illustrated and controllable in an easily understood and useful way, including from remote locations such as over the internet.
US08369988B2
A grain distributor including a timer coupled to a distribution spout that generates a series of particular time values. The control processor is programmed with an algorithm to pivot the distribution spout and to receive and record signals from the sensor as the sensor confronts each of the code clusters and each of the proof windows. The control processor is programmed with the algorithm to associate each signal from each code cluster with a particular time value generated by the timer and to memorize the particular time value associated with each code cluster in a long term memory and the control processor being programmed with the algorithm to associate each signal from each of the proof windows in a long term memory. The grain distributor is also self programming.
US08369985B2
A mail sorter, method, and software product are used for sorting inbound mail pieces and outbound mail pieces. The mail sorter includes sorter modules cooperatively engaged with each other, so as to receive mail pieces that are a mixture of both inbound mail pieces and outbound mail pieces, and so as to sort both the inbound mail pieces and the outbound mail pieces. The mail sorter also includes an unsorted mail piece path that is utilized by both the inbound mail pieces and the outbound mail pieces. The outbound mail pieces are mail pieces destined for sorting at a remote postal facility prior to delivery to destination addresses, whereas the inbound mail pieces are mail pieces that are not destined for sorting at a remote postal facility prior to delivery to destination addresses.
US08369976B2
A method for increasing overall yield in semiconductor manufacturing including routing wafers or wafer lots from tool to tool in a manner which at least partially neutralizes or compensates for processing variations. A system for increasing overall yield in semiconductor manufacturing includes a module for recording processing data from plural first and second types of tools and a module for routing wafers or wafer lots from tools of the first type of tools to tools of the second type of tools so as to at least partially neutralizes or compensate for processing variation.
US08369971B2
A media system is disclosed that uses preemptive recording of media files to reduce playback latency when media tracks are subsequently selected for playback during the recording process. The media system comprises a primary storage device capable of storing media files and a secondary storage device capable of reading digital media files from a removable storage medium. The system also includes a media player capable of playing media files stored on the primary storage device and a recorder that is connected to read digital media data from the secondary storage device. The recorder stores media files corresponding to the digital media data of the removable storage medium on the primary storage device. To reduce subsequent playback latency when media tracks are selected for playback during the recording process, the recorder automatically stores only predetermined portions of each media file read from the storage medium on the primary storage device when the removable storage medium is, for example, initially engaged with the secondary storage device. The preemptive recording may also occur at advantageous times other than the time at which the removable storage medium is initially engaged with the secondary storage device. Further, preemptive recording may be limited to the media files selected by the user for complete recording from the secondary storage device to the primary storage device.
US08369960B2
Systems and methods for wireless signal transfers between ultrasound-enabled medical devices are disclosed. An illustrative system includes a source device equipped with multiple transducer elements configured to transmit an acoustic wave, a target device including an acoustic transducer for receiving the acoustic wave from the source device, and a controller configured to determine adjustments to one or more transmission parameters of the source device for increasing the signal coherence of the acoustic wave at the target device.
US08369959B2
The present invention is related to active implantable medical devices comprising an antenna and a band diplexer connected to said antenna. The band diplexer comprises first filter means for a first signal to be transmitted and/or received in a first RF band and second filter means for a second signal to be transmitted and/or received in a second RF band. A method of bidirectional wireless communication is disclosed between an active implantable medical device and an external device, comprising the steps of: communicating unidirectionally from the external device to the implantable medical device over a first wireless link in a first RF band in the MI near-field and communicating unidirectionally from the implantable medical device to the external device over a second wireless link in a second RF band in the EM field.
US08369934B2
A method is provided for establishing contact of a medical device against a three-dimensional surface geometry within a subject body, the method comprising obtaining a three-dimensional tissue surface geometry of an anatomical region within the subject body, obtaining a target location on the surface for the device to contact, determining local surface geometry information in a neighborhood of the target location, and using this information to determine a change of at least one control variable for effecting an over-torque of the medical device to enhance contact of the device with the target surface.
US08369913B2
A living body measuring instrument having a sub-mount on which plural light-emitting devices oscillating at different wavelengths are mounted in proximity, one optical output monitoring device that detects the optical outputs of these light-emitting devices and a light source mounted on the same heat sink which are housed in one can-package, a light-receiving device that detects a signal from a living body, and a circuit that separates the optical output signals from the light-emitting devices, wherein at least one light-emitting device has a light-emitting layer including a In1-xGaxAsyP1-y quantum well layer and a barrier layer on a GaAs substrate, the strain ε satisfies 0.4%≦ε≦1.4%, wherein y in the composition satisfies 0.10≦y≦0.45, and the wavelength of the emitted light is from 700 nm to 760 nm.
US08369912B2
A superconducting cable (1; 10; 30) has a channel (4, 38) for a cooling liquid, a tubular support structure (5, 37), at least two layers (2, 3; 11-15; 31, 32, 35, 36) comprising high Tc conductors (2a, 3a) which comprise a high Tc material, and an insulation (7, 17), in particular a tubular insulation (7). The conductors (3a) of the outer layer (3; 13-15; 33, 36) comprise a first high Tc material that is different from a second high Tc material of the conductors (2a) of the inner layer (2; 11-12; 32, 35), wherein the first high Tc material exhibits lower AC losses as compared the second high Tc material, and that the high Tc conductors (3a) of the outer layer (3; 13-15; 33, 36) comprise normal-conducting interruptions (41, 42, 43). The superconducting cable exhibits reduced AC losses.
US08369909B2
Disclosed are a sliding opening and closing device and a portable terminal having the same. According to the first embodiment of the present invention, a slide plate is linked to a main plate to be slidable in one direction. Also, the main plate supports an elastic part so as to generate an elasticity power in one direction. A power transformation member receives the elasticity power of the elastic member, and transmits the elasticity power to the slide plate in the direction of the opening or the closing according to the position of the slide plate.
US08369898B2
A portable terminal with a touch screen and a method for displaying tags on the touch screen of the portable terminal are disclosed. The method includes: calculating a distance between the first and second touch points detected on the touch screen; identifying the number of tags that will be displayed, according to the calculated distance; and displaying at least one of the identified number of tags.
US08369897B2
A method and system for utilizing smart antenna in transmission of messages between nodes are disclosed. A wireless communication system includes a plurality of nodes, and each node is capable of being connected to each other node. At least a portion of the nodes are provided with a smart antenna configured to generate a plurality of directional beams. Each node maintains a list of other nodes and beam configuration information to be used in transmission of messages to other nodes. When a source node is required to transmit to a target node, the source node retrieves the beam configuration information and transmits with a directional beam directed to the target node.
US08369895B2
A method for aligning polling timer by a mobile station with a first subscriber identity card and a second subscriber identity card, executed by a processor of the mobile station, is provided. First, it is determined whether the second subscriber identity card is operated in an IDLE state when a first timer corresponding to the first subscriber identity card counts to a specific time period. Forthcoming periodic timings are adjusted for polling the first and second subscriber identity cards to be substantially consistent when the second subscriber identity card is operated in an IDLE state.
US08369894B1
A system is provided for confirming certification of combinations of secure elements and mobile devices. The system includes secure element data and a secure element component on a removable secure element. The secure element component detects insertion of the removable secure element in a mobile device, retrieves the secure element data, and retrieves mobile device data from the mobile device. The secure element component determines whether a combination of the removable secure element and the mobile device is certified based on a comparison of the secure element data and the mobile device data. The secure element component provides a certification alert via a user interface on the mobile device in response to a determination that the combination of the removable secure element and the mobile device is not certified.
US08369887B2
A mobile terminal and a method of controlling the mobile terminal are provided. The mobile terminal may generate a haptic effect whose intensity or pattern corresponds to the type and importance of an event occurred therein. Therefore, it is possible for a user to easily identify the event based on the haptic effect. Since the mobile terminal generates a haptic effect in response to a command input thereto by the user, it is possible to prevent a command from being accidently input to the mobile terminal.
US08369885B2
An apparatus and method for providing control information in a Multi User-Multiple Input Multiple Output (MU-MIMO) wireless communication system is provided. The method includes receiving a plurality of Resource Elements (REs) including Downlink Control Information (DCI), determining, using the DCI, a set of REs to which a plurality of Downlink Reference Signals (DRSs) may be mapped, determining remaining REs as REs to which data is mapped, and demodulating the data using a precoding vector of a DRS corresponding to the MS.
US08369882B1
Systems and methods for establishing a push-to-talk (PTT) call are provided. When a group call request that identifies a first and second destination mobile station is received from an originating mobile station, a location of the first destination mobile station is determined. The call is established between the originating mobile station and the first destination mobile station prior to a determination of a location of the second destination mobile station. When the group call involves mobile stations of two different networks, a gateway of the second network sends an acknowledgement message accepting the call to a gateway of the first network and the gateway of the second network receives an acknowledgement message accepting the call from the first destination mobile station. The acknowledgement message is received from the first destination mobile station subsequent to the sending of the acknowledgement message from the second gateway to the first gateway.
US08369881B2
A PTT server includes a controlling unit, a receiving unit, a medium converting unit, and a transmitting unit. The controlling unit controls pieces of connection setting information less than the number of a plurality of PTT terminals having different specifications by complying them with the plurality of PTT terminals. The receiving unit receives a medium coded data from any one of the PTT terminals. The medium converting unit converts the medium coded data with a converting method on the basis of the connection setting information compliant with a PTT terminal for transmission destination to produce an output coded data. The transmitting unit transmits the output coded data to the PTT terminal for the transmission destination.
US08369872B2
A method for improved determination of the position of a user device in a mobile-radio network is provided. In combination with adjacent, second user devices, the method is intended to achieve a relatively-accurate positioning even if only a relatively-inaccurate positioning method is available for the user device itself, especially if the latter is disposed inside a building. An absolute position of a second user device is determined with a first position-determining method. A relative position of the first user device relative to the second user device is then determined with a second position-determining method. Finally, the absolute position of the first user device is determined on the basis of the absolute position of the second user device and the relative position of the first user device relative to the second user device, wherein the first and the second position-determining methods are different methods.
US08369865B2
A method which can reduce loss in data transmission is provided. A data block is prepared in a high-level layer and the data block is transmitted in a low-level layer. Status report information associated with reception or non-reception of the data block is received through the low-level layer. When a receiver fails to receive data transmitted from a transmitter, the transmitter can rapidly recognize the reception failure and can retransmit the data.
US08369858B2
The present application describes methods involving one or more mobile units, one or more macrocells providing wireless connectivity to one or more first coverage areas, and one or more femtocell providing wireless connectivity to one or more second coverage areas overlapping with the first coverage area(s). One embodiment of the method includes determining, at the femtocell(s), whether to transmit one or more beacon signal from the femtocell(s) on one or more carriers associated with the macrocell(s) based on whether mobile unit(s) are located within the first coverage area(s).
US08369853B1
A method and system is disclosed for enhanced idle-state sector selection during hybrid-mode operation of an access terminal. A hybrid access terminal engaged in an IS-856 data communication session in a hybrid IS-2000/IS-856 wireless communication system will, responsive to a handoff of the IS-856 session, select a sector for its next, upcoming IS-2000 idle-state scan prior to the start of the scan. The selection will be made during an interval between IS-2000 idle-state scans, thereby reducing or eliminating the possible need for idle-state handoffs during idle-state scans, and resulting in shorter idle-state scans and better IS-856 performance.
US08369820B2
A frequency multiplier device comprises a first signal combiner having a first port for receiving a first input signal having a first frequency f1 and a second port for receiving a second input signal having a second frequency f2, the first signal combiner configured to provide an output signal having either a sum of the first frequency and second frequency or a difference of the first frequency and second frequency; and a frequency divider having a dividing ratio N, the frequency divider configured to output a divided signal, wherein the output signal from the first signal combiner is coupled to the frequency divider, the divided signal from the frequency divider is coupled to the second port of the first signal combiner, and the output signal from the first signal combiner has a frequency of (N/(N±1))×f1.
US08369813B2
An apparatus and a method for reducing cross-talk between audio channels in a mobile terminal are provided. The apparatus includes an ear jack, a radio signal tuner, a baseband, and a switching unit. The ear jack includes a common port for a reference potential of an earphone and a radio signal. The radio signal tuner processes a radio signal input via the common port. The baseband determines an on/off state of a radio reception function to output a control signal. The switching unit connects the common port of the ear jack to one of a ground and the radio signal tuner according to the control signal.
US08369812B2
A method and system for detecting intermodulation emissions, such as passive intermodulation emissions, is provided. The method comprises retrieving signal quality measurement (SQM) data, and determining whether there is an intermodulation hit in the SQM data. If there is no intermodulation hit, the SQM data is stored in a first data set; if there is an intermodulation hit, the SQM data is stored in a second data set. The method then determines whether there are one or more faults in the first data set. If there are, a confirmation count for an intermodulation failure is cleared, and the method starts again. If there are not one or more faults in the first data set, a determination is made whether there are one or more faults in the second data set. If not, the confirmation count is cleared, and the method starts again. An intermodulation failure can be confirmed if there are one or more faults in the second data set.
US08369803B2
A power correction module for use with an amplifier driving a load impedance is configured to sample the supply current and to cause a change in a control voltage, which corrects the supply voltage in response to a change in the load impedance. The supply voltage is corrected to cause the power amplifier to have a substantially constant output power. The power correction module is further configured to output a corrected peak voltage determined by an average value of the supply current.
US08369799B2
A receiving device embodiment receives a user command from an external source. The user command is directed to a remote target destination. A first interactive programming command communicator embodiment generates a mobile device command from the received user command, and communicates the mobile device command to a mobile device. A second interactive programming command communicator embodiment receives the mobile device command from the receiving device. A target destination is identified from information in the mobile device command, and information from the mobile device command is communicated to the target destination.
US08369797B2
A communication apparatus includes a transmitter for transmitting wireless signals, and a receiver for receiving wireless signals. A first communication functional unit uses the transmitter and the receiver to operate as a station in a first network operating on a first communication channel, while a second communication functional unit uses the transmitter and the receiver to operate as a station in a second network operating on a second communication channel different from that of the first network. A controller conducts time division data transfer by utilizing the respective time periods of receiver inactivity on the first and second channels in order to switch operation to the other channel and attempt to receive a signal on the corresponding other network. In so doing, the communication apparatus is able to fulfill dual roles on the networks operating on different channels with the use of a single modem.
US08369796B2
A wireless device using natural higher order harmonics on multi-band reconfigurable antenna designs where the antenna higher order resonance is used to build a multi-band to multi-band frequency reconfigurable antenna.
US08369794B1
Carrier sensing and power control, or trade-off among two or more communication parameters, can provide relative improvement in throughput. A sensing threshold or transmission power are varied, thus altering a sensing range and a transmission quality, thus maximizing a feasible transmission rate. Transmission power and rate are collectively altered to find a best throughput rate. A transmission rate can incremented after successful transmission and decremented after failed transmission, the described increment possibly being less than the described decrement. Thus, pairs of transmissions where one fails and one succeeds decrease the net transmission rate. Smaller increments, with larger decrements, cause increases to increase throughput without degrading quality, while causing decreases to restore transmission quality if an increase does degrade transmission quality.
US08369791B2
Techniques for determining interference-suppressing downlink transmission parameters in a wireless network using coordinated multi-point (CoMP) transmission are disclosed. In each of several iterations of an exemplary method, a tentative user-specific antenna beam-forming vector for the antennas of the first cell is formed for each of several first mobile stations served by the cell and for each of several second mobiles in neighboring cells, based on a most recent tentative virtual allocation of uplink transmitter power to each of the mobile stations and virtual uplink signal-to-noise-plus-interference ratios for the mobile stations that account for inter-cell interference. Further, a current tentative allocation of downlink transmitter power to each of the first mobile stations is determined for each iteration, based on the tentative user-specific antenna beam-forming vectors for the first cell, a pre-determined transmitter power constraint for the first cell, and target signal-to-noise-plus-interference ratios for the first mobile stations.
