US08382026B2
A paper toweling dispenser selectively operable to dispense paper toweling from a roll of paper toweling employing a plurality of alternative operational modes.
US08382015B2
A hand-held, electrostatically- and/or compressed gas-aided coating material dispensing device comprises a barrel and a handle extending downward from the barrel. The handle includes a module selected from modules having a number of different characteristics for coupling sources of coating material, compressed gas and/or electrical supply to the coating material dispensing device.
US08382013B2
An air knife system includes a first set of openings and a second set of openings arranged along opposite first and second walls, respectively, of a main body. The first set of openings may be aligned with the second set of openings such that a coupling member may be inserted through each one of the first set of openings and a corresponding one of the second set of openings. The coupling members may be fixedly joined to the first and second sets of openings to maintain a desired width of a discharge slot defined by a first lip extending from the first wall and a second lip extending from the second wall. In one embodiment, the coupling members may be joined to the first and second sets of openings using a welding process.
US08382011B1
The shower head apparatus has a first end spaced apart from a second end, a first tube extended from proximal to the first end, a second tube extended from proximal to the second end, a ball valve with lever threadably disposed in-line between the tubes, a pair of spaced apart 90 degree junctions with a swivel connecting the 90 degree junctions at the first end, an attachment collar connected to one swivel at the first end, a pair of spaced apart 90 degree junctions with a swivel connecting the 90 degree junctions at the second end, a head collar connected to one swivel at the second end, a positionally adjustable shower head with face connected to the head collar of the one swivel at the second end, and a plurality of nozzles disposed distally within the shower head face.
US08382005B1
A rideable toy that includes a base that includes a quartet of wheels and a battery-powered motor. The base also has a control pad attached to the motor and a pair of speakers that can be controlled through the control pad. The rideable toy is used in conjunction with a track that is fabricated from a number of track segments that can be interconnected with one another in a wide variety of configurations. Each track segment has placement holes that allow a stop block to be inserted, providing some limitation and perhaps safety considerations to the use of the rideable toy.
US08382002B2
Improved methods, devices, compositions, and systems are provided for concealing information on articles in commerce, such as pharmaceuticals, to improve detection of counterfeits. Embodiments are provided where Moiré patterns on article surfaces are detectable using a revealing layer only when the surfaces are illuminated at or near particular angles. Embodiments incorporating revealing layers into detection systems, such as microscopes, are also provided. A method comprising: providing at least one pharmaceutical composition which comprises at least one surface which comprises at least one area which is adapted to provide a Moiré base layer; illuminating the area at an angle; imaging the illuminated area with a Moiré revealing layer to generate a Moiré pattern. Such embodiments provide an additional layer of security over previous methods of detecting counterfeit articles.
US08381999B2
The present disclosure is directed to a system and method for selectively switching antennas of transaction cards. In some implementations, a method includes physically interfacing a card with a mobile host device including a Graphical User Interface (GUI). The card executes wireless financial transactions independent of the mobile host device. User credentials used to execute financial transactions with retail terminals are stored. Information is presented through the GUI of the mobile host device. An antenna of the card is selectively switched between an activate state and an inactive state in response to at least an event.
US08381990B2
An antenna module in which an antenna coil formed of a metal foil and a condenser are formed on an insulating substrate, the antenna module includes: a control circuit configured to control communications done by the antenna coil, the control circuit disposed on the insulating substrate; and a pattern formed of a metal foil, wherein the pattern is formed on the insulating substrate on the opposite side of the control circuit through the insulating substrate, and the control circuit has: a detecting means for detecting a temperature of the control circuit, and a control means for terminating the communications when a temperature of the control circuit is equal to or above a predetermined temperature.
US08381987B2
Among other things, a portable memory card that conforms to a size, shape, and connection interface of an industry-standard memory card is smaller than and held by a support that conforms to a shape and size of an industry-standard credit card. The support is insertable into a receptacle with the connection interface of the memory card mated with a corresponding connection interface of the receptacle.
US08381974B2
A mobile communication device is equipped with hardware and/or software components to enable the device to output a data in a form of a radio frequency signal, emulating outputting of the data by either an active or a passive RFID transponder. The data may be a security key or an identifier. Emulation of an active RFID transponder includes facilitating selection of the data and instruction to output by a user. Emulation of a passive RFID transponder includes detecting for proximal presence of a RFID reader. Either case, provision of the data to the mobile communication device may include provision of associated signal attribute(s).
US08381968B2
A food tray is automatically convertible from a flat position to an erect, elevated position. The food tray is fabricated as a blank, preferably of rigid cardboard, which is appropriately folded and, with interlocking tabs, assembled to lay flat under the food, particularly a pizza pie, when the pizza remains in its flat delivery box. When the pizza is to be removed from its box, the central tray section of the convertible food tray is lifted, with the pizza thereon. This permits folded wing sections of the tray located beneath the central section to swing down to become tray leg support members. When the support members of the tray are placed on a table or similar surface, the weight of the pizza on the central section compels the support members inward, to a position perpendicular to the central section, to securely provide elevated support to the pizza on the food tray.
US08381966B2
A first substrate mounted to a bonder head and a second substrate mounted to a base plate are held at different elevated temperatures at the time of bonding that provide a substantially matched thermal expansion between the second substrate and the first substrate relative to room temperature. Further, the temperature of the solder material portions and the second substrate is raised at least up to the melting temperature after contact. The distance between the first substrate and the second substrate can be modulated to enhance the integrity of solder joints. Once the distance is at an optimum, the bonder head is detached, and the bonded structure is allowed to cool to form a bonded flip chip structure. Alternately, the bonder head can control the cooling rate of solder joints by being attached to the chip during cooling step.
US08381960B2
A hand-held drive-in tool (10) for fastening elements (60) includes a driving unit (30) for a drive-in ram (13) which is displaceably mounted in a guide (12), and has at least one driving element for the drive-in ram (13) formed by an elastomeric band (31) and tensioned by a tensioning device (70).
US08381957B2
The invention relates to a bag (30) dispenser comprising a receptacle (10) inside which a supply of bags (30) is located. Said bags (30) form a supply roll (37). The dispenser further comprises a device for accommodating or mounting said roll (37) in a housing (1). The housing (1) has at least one gap (17) through which individual bags (30) can be discharged from the housing (1). One respective tearing mechanism (20) is assigned to said gap (17).
US08381955B2
An embodiment of the present invention relates to a fastening device for the fastening of an attachment part on a carrying part, for a motor vehicle, with at least one hooking-in device, which includes a carrying element that is fastened or can be fastened to the carrying part. The fastening device further includes an attachment element that is configured to be fastened to the attachment part, and also has a securing element.
US08381949B2
A magnetically-hanging spice dispenser comprises a plate assembly and a container assembly. The plate assembly comprises a non-magnetic planer plate and permanent magnets. The container assembly comprise a cylindrical spice container, a circular removable cap and a magnetic element. Magnetic attraction force between the magnetic element of the container assembly and the permanent magnet of the plate assembly is exerted when the container assembly is placed in proximity to the plate assembly. The container assembly and the plate assembly form self-seal in order to prevent dust, air, moisture and the like from entering into the spice container. The container assembly further comprises a circular elastic cover for covering the removable cap. The elastic cover is capable of variably overlapping with the removable cap so that spices can be dispensed at continuously-variable flow rate. This invention relates to spice dispensers, and the principal use of the invention is for dispensing spices in a kitchen.
US08381943B2
An obturator for an opening of predetermined outline produced in a metal sheet comprising a cap, at least one stiff wall projecting transversely of said cap and at least one snap-fastening blade having a resting position in the absence of urging in which it extends in a direction parallel to said cap, said snap-fastening blade being moveable parallel to said cap against elastic return forces returning it towards said resting position, said snap-fastening blade having an insertion cant adapted to bear on the surface of said metal sheet delimiting said opening when the obturator is pushed therein, said insertion cant sloping relative to a direction transverse to said cap such that said snap-fastening blade is driven to displace to pass through said opening and that slope progressively increasing between said attachment end and said free end.
US08381942B2
A cooking vessel for cooking foodstuff includes a base that has an outer sidewall, a generally hollow interior and a generally open top. A lid is removably mounted to the base and complementarily covers the open top of the base in a first position. The lid includes a handle that extends outwardly from the lid away from the base in the first position. A lid holder is rotatably mounted to the outer sidewall of the base. The lid holder engages with the handle to support the lid in a second position. The open top of the base at least partially exposes the hollow interior when the lid is in the second position. The lid holder is rotatable between a support position and a storage position. The lid holder extends partially above the open top of the base in the support position and is entirely below the open top in the storage position.
US08381938B2
In a propellant tank, which especially stores cryogenic propellants, for example a fuel or an oxidizer for a spacecraft, and which operates with a driving gas to drive or convey the propellant, the propellant is separated from the driving gas in a propellant extraction apparatus using sieves with hydrostatic forces and capillary forces. The extraction apparatus includes a refillable reservoir, which is mounted near the tank floor outside of the tank shell, and which is connected via plural holes with the interior of the propellant tank. The extraction apparatus includes a double-walled housing that is thermally insulated. Capillary plates and struts are inserted in an L-shape into the reservoir. To substantially prevent the penetration of gas out of the propellant line, a cylinder-shaped pleated sieve is mounted at the end of the propellant line.
US08381936B1
A laundry-sorting hamper device including a top portion disposed atop a bottom portion, the top portion including a plurality of horizontally-aligned top-loading box compartments, each of said plurality of compartments including an open top, an access door hingedly disposed upon a front side proximal to a closed bottom side, and a color-code bar disposed on the front side, wherein laundry is presorted between the plurality of compartments, and easily retrievable therefrom into a plurality of baskets, each of the plurality of baskets storable in the bottom portion, each basket underlying each compartment. The present laundry-sorting hamper device further includes an alternative embodiment for use in tight spaces, wherein the plurality of compartments are stacked atop each other, each of the plurality of compartments having an accepting window disposed in the front side through which laundry is inserted into each compartment.
US08381932B2
A storage system for storing a plurality of fluids or other goods has a plurality of containers adapted to fit within a receptacle. Each of the containers has an inner sidewall, an outer sidewall, and a top sidewall having a spout sealable with a cap such that the container contains the fluid or other goods when the cap is engaged with the spout. The plurality of containers are shaped such that the containers are stackable or nestable within the receptacle such that the containers tessellate, the inner sidewalls of the containers abutting each other, and the outer sidewalls abutting the inner surface of the receptacle, filling substantially all of the receptacle.
US08381927B2
A container is provided, which includes a container main body having a loading space formed therein to load freight therein; a door opening/closing a freight doorway formed on one side of the container main body and including a first door of which one side is hinge-engaged with the container main body by a first hinge portion, and a second door of which one side is hinge-engaged with the other side of the first door by a second hinge portion; a slide rotation portion including a slide rail provided on the container main body, a movement member connected to the second door to slidably move along the slide rail, a link member connected to the movement member and an inner side surface of the second door to make the door rotate at 0 to 270 degrees around the first hinge portion, and a movement limit member connected between the movement member and one side of the link member to limit the movement of the link member; and a locking portion locking/unlocking the door with respect to the container main body. The capturing of freight can be originally prevented by a finished product itself without any separate locking device, and the merchantability and convenience in use can be improved through limiting of movement of a link member using the movement limit member to prevent the rattling of doors.
US08381925B2
A dispensing closure and label system provides a clear indication of prior opening directly at the point of application of force to open the closure. The dispensing closure includes a closure body, a living hinge and a lid. The lid includes a downwardly depending sidewall that has a thumb tab that extends down beyond the parting line of the lid and the closure body. A label wraps around the skirt and container neck. The label overlaps that portion of the thumb tab that extends below the parting line of the lid and body. When the thumb tub is lifted to open the container, the paper label is ripped in the area of the thumb tab to evidence opening.
US08381922B2
A shelf includes a rear frame, two side frames pivotally mounted on two opposite ends of the rear frame respectively, two connecting frames each detachably mounted on the rear frame and each located between the two side frames to locate the two side frames, and at least one placement board mounted between and supported by the rear frame and the two side frames. Thus, the shelf can be folded to have a smaller volume so as to decrease the cost of packaging, storage and transportation of the shelf.
US08381921B2
A rolling extension tray bag dispenser rack includes a bag pack support tray that has a base, a first side wall, a second side wall, a back wall, a front wall and is sized and shaped to hold a merchandise bag pack. The front wall has an opening sized and shaped to permit extraction of bags from the pack. Rolling extenders are provided that have fixed portions and moving portions. The moving portions are attached to outer surfaces of the first and second side walls or the underside of the support tray and are slidably mounted to the fixed portions. The fixed portions have mounting features for attaching to an underside or back wall of a counter. A spring-loaded check ball or other latching mechanism is mounted to the support tray. A detent panel or other mating latching mechanism is mounted to the underside or back wall of the counter.
US08381917B2
A method for destroying bank notes is provided, wherein bank notes are checked and sorted by at least one bank-note processing machine in at least one decentralized place, whereby unfit bank notes are sorted out in order to be transported to a central place for destruction. It is provided that all bank notes recognized as unfit are stored on a single stack independently of the bank-note denomination and/or orientation recognized during the check, for which purpose a single output pocket of the bank-note processing machine is used for all unfit bank notes.
US08381916B2
An aggregate washing and classification system incorporates into a water-filled receptacle a sand classifier and one or more rotating augers. The augers are wrapped with screens or perforated walls that are fixed relative to the augers. The size of the perforations may be chosen to selectively sift particular sizes of gravel and rock, and if the perforations increase in size along the length of the augers, either continuously or discontinuously, the material which passes through the perforations will likewise increase in size with greater travel through the auger passageway. Consequently, a set of rock bins may be provided adjacent to the auger outlet, for collecting various sizes of larger aggregate, such as washed rocks. Sand will typically be permitted to pass through the screen perforations near the aggregate inlet. Once outside of the auger and screens, the sand will drop directly into a sand classifier, which is conveniently located directly below the augers and adjacent to the material inlet. Fresh water is pumped into the bottoms of the rock bins, and flows counter to the aggregate passing through the augers. The counter-flow keeps the rock bins clean, and the flow of water adjacent and counter to the material inlet is used to extract and discharge low-density matter from the aggregate inlet. The entire system is desirably incorporated into a single land vehicle for transport to aggregate sources, such as gravel pits and the like, where the finest grades of aggregate may be rapidly prepared.
US08381915B2
The invention concerns a process for purification of calcium carbonate-comprising minerals comprising at least one flotation step, characterized in that this step implements at least one quaternary imidazoline methosulfate compound as collector agent.
US08381912B2
A tray for retaining food items during transportation includes a lower deck having a base and a side wall extending about and upward from a perimeter of the base; an upper deck which includes a plurality of apertures spatially positioned across the deck, the upper deck configured to fit within the lower deck and removably disposed thereon; and a plurality of pegs, each peg configured to friction fit within at least one of the apertures to be retained therein.
US08381900B1
An auger assembly is disclosed that comprises an extendable auger section that includes an auger trough having first auger, an auger tube having a second auger and configured to couple to a grain-receiving hopper, and a drive mechanism configured to move the auger tube and the second auger substantially parallel to the auger trough.
US08381899B2
The invention relates to an apparatus for stacking rolling material, such as e.g. wood chips, bark or grain into a pile (10) and reclaiming from the pile (10) to a material-discharging conveyor (20) located below the storing point, which apparatus comprises a center column (30) that supports a stacker boom (40) and a reclaimer boom (50), an equalizing hopper (60), at least one conveyor (25) located in the equalizing hopper (60) for transmitting the material being discharged to the discharging conveyor (20). A characteristic feature of the apparatus is that the center column (30) is supported directly through the equalizing hopper (60) onto the bottom of the equalizing hopper's (60) foundation.
US08381897B2
A sorting system having a vertical sorter for conveying and sorting parcel goods, including a plurality of sorting units provided at specified distances from one another extending over a closed conveyor belt along a traveling path and being connected with the conveyor belt and movable along the traveling path. Two reversing drums with horizontal rotational axes are provided, at least one of the reversing drums serving as the drive drum to reverse and drive the conveyor belt and the sorting units provided thereat around the horizontally oriented rotational axes. The conveyor belt is configured as a traction carrier. To this end the conveyor belt is reinforced by reinforcing apparatus for driving the sorting units. A sorting unit includes a moving device with wheels and is attached to the conveyor belt, the sorting unit including at least one parcel goods receiver which allows controlled discharge of a parcel.
US08381896B2
A conveyer apparatus for transporting and processing tablets includes a conveyer and an ejection system. Each of the tablets includes a first side, a second side opposite the first side, and a belly band that interconnects the first and second sides. The conveyer includes a plurality of carrier links to convey a plurality of tablets along a predetermined conveyer path. Each carrier link has a pocket to receive and transport a tablet in a vertical orientation along the predetermined conveyer path. The ejection system is structured to selectively accept or eject a tablet from the carrier link in response to a signal provided by a sensor positioned upstream of the ejection system. The ejection system includes at least one ejection finger movable between a non-ejection position in which the ejection finger is positioned out of the conveyer path of the carrier link and an ejection position in which the ejection finger is positioned with respect to the carrier link to contact and eject the tablet from the carrier link. At least a portion of the ejection finger defines a width that is smaller than a tablet width of the tablet and larger than a link width of the carrier link.
US08381887B2
In a shock absorber of a vehicle, when a moving speed of a piston rod in relation to a cylinder tube is slow and first and second input forces are externally applied to the shock absorber, damping forces of pressure side and extension side first damping force generating devices are larger than that of pressure side and extension side second damping force generating devices. On the other hand, when the moving speed is fast, the damping forces of the pressure side and the extension side second damping force generating devices are larger than that of the pressure side and the extension side first damping force generating devices. A gas enclosure chamber filled with gas is connected to a first chamber through a free piston.
US08381881B2
A brake sensor apparatus is provided, including a base unit, a movement unit, a spring, a first buckle unit and a second buckle unit. The movement unit is partially confined inside the base unit so that the movement of the movement unit is restricted to a short distance and along the direction of the base unit. The spring is to allow the retracted movement unit to be moved to the original position. The first buckle unit and the second buckle unit are engaged respectively to the outer wall of base unit and movement unit, and can be hanged and buckled to the positions of brake wire of the brake. In this manner, when the bicycle brakes, the movement unit is retracted into the base unit so as to trigger the trigger switch to connect the connected circuit.
US08381879B2
A drive system for use with a cable and a carrier for raising and lowering a payload includes a reel, a drive mechanism, a cable slack control mechanism, and a tension adjustment system. The drive member is operatively connected to the reel to rotate the reel in a winding direction when the drive member is rotated in a raising direction, and to controllably rotate the reel and/or permit the reel to rotate in an unwinding direction when the drive member is rotated in a lowering direction. The cable slack control mechanism is operative to automatically selectively decouple the drive member from the reel while the drive motor is rotating the drive member in the lowering direction when a tension on the cable does not exceed a threshold tension and/or the cable is fully unwound from the reel. The tension adjustment system is operable to selectively adjust the threshold tension.
US08381871B1
A resonator for a vehicle is provided, including a housing having at least one chamber formed therein. The housing has at least one aperture formed in a wall thereof. The housing is in fluid communication with an air conduit of the vehicle. At least one flexible member is disposed within the chamber of the housing. The flexible member includes an outer portion and an inner extension protruding from the outer portion which vibrates to attenuate low frequency sound energy transmitted from the air conduit.
US08381861B2
A transfer case for use in motor vehicles for transferring drive torque from a powertrain to first and second drivelines includes a first output shaft adapted to transmit drive torque from the powertrain to the first driveline. The second output shaft is adapted to transmit drive torque to a second driveline. The transfer case includes a first spiral bevel gear set driven by the first output shaft and a second spiral bevel gear set driven by the first spiral bevel gear set and driving the second output shaft.
US08381857B1
The present invention generally relates to snowmobiles. More particularly, the present invention relates to skis for a snowmobile.
US08381856B2
A plurality of supports and a top plate attached to between upper ends of the supports are provided, and a power storage device and a controller are installed on the both upper and lower sides of the top plate respectively. Meanwhile, a hydraulic pump and a control valve are accommodated in space for hydraulic devices on the lower side of the top plate, and a heat insulating member and heat shield plates are provided as heat shield means for protecting the power storage device and the controller against heat from the exterior including heat of the hydraulic pump and the control valve.
US08381837B2
A downhole tool including a tubular body having an upper connection and a lower connection and an axial borehole therethrough, wherein the upper and lower connections are configured to connect to a drilling assembly, at least one expandable component coupled to the tubular body and configured to selectively extend radially therefrom, and an actuation assembly configured to selectively actuate, deactuate, and reactuate the at least one component. A method of selectively actuating a downhole tool, wherein the downhole tool comprises a tubular body with an axial borehole therethrough and at least one component, the method including circulating a drilling fluid in the axial borehole of the downhole tool, actuating the at least one component, deactuating the at least one component, and reactuating the at least one component. An actuation assembly including a mandrel having an actuation chamber port, at least one drop device, a piston disposed within the mandrel and configured to move to open the actuation chamber port, at least one dart, a sleeve disposed within the mandrel and configured to move to close the actuation chamber port; and at least one biasing member configured to exert a force on the sleeve in an upstream direction.
US08381835B2
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a power tool including: a housing; a fan rotatably supported by the housing so as to generate an air flow; a wall portion supported by the housing; and a heat generation portion supported by the wall portion, wherein the wall portion has an exposing hole to expose a part of the heat generation portion so that the exposed part of the heat generation portion is positioned within the air flow.
US08381834B2
A drive system for releasably interconnecting a motor shaft of a rotary hand held power tool and an input shaft of an attachment device. The system includes an elongated flexible drive shaft connected to the input shaft, wherein the flexible drive shaft has an outer end portion with a non-circular cross-section configured to engage a complementarily shaped cavity of an output shaft operatively attached to the power tool motor shaft, where the output shaft has a generally cylindrical outer configuration along its length and a rearward mounting portion for attachment to the motor shaft, an intermediate portion having the complementarily shaped cavity for receiving the flexible drive shaft and a forward portion with an enlarged concentric opening for receiving and guiding the outer end portion of the flexible drive shaft into the cavity during mounting the attachment device on the power tool.
US08381832B1
A combination drywall screw gun and rotary saw device kit featuring a base that has a body, a handle with a trigger, and a drive shaft connected to a motor. The kit has a screw attachment component that functions to install screws that has a screw bit, a shaft lock, a screw drive shaft, a depth guide, and a collet nut. The screw attachment component can be attached to and removed from the base using an attachment means. The kit has a saw attachment component that functions as a rotary saw that has a saw component and a saw drive shaft. The saw attachment component can be attached to and removed from the body portion of the base using the attachment means The kit has a wrench piece for engaging the collet nut to tighten or loosen the screw bit.
US08381828B2
A surgical device includes a first jaw and a second jaw moveable relative to the first jaw between a first position, in which the first and second jaws are aligned within a plane, and a second position, in which the second jaw is in non-parallel correspondence to the plane. The surgical device may include a surgical member, e.g., a cutting and/or stapling element, disposed within the first jaw, and a second driver configured to cause relative movement of the surgical member in a direction parallel to the plane. The first and second jaws may include a camming arrangement that is configured to move the second jaw between the first and second positions. The camming arrangement may include a channel disposed along at least a portion of one or both of the first and second jaws, a ball bearing disposed within the channel.
US08381825B1
A sprinkler mounting strut that secures an unrestrained pipe and a sprinkler together to engage a wall through which the sprinkler extends. The strut provides prongs and engagement portions that secure the strut to the edges of a hole extending through the wall. The strut provides a base against which a pipe abuts to secure the pipe to the wall. The sprinkler extends through an escutcheon and through the base of the strut to engage the pipe and draw the pipe and escutcheon towards each to secure the components to the surfaces of the wall.
US08381819B2
A system for rotating an element inside a pressure containing housing. In some embodiments, the mechanism includes a pressure containing housing having an opening through a wall of the housing into an internal chamber in which, in use, the element to be rotated is located, a bushing located within the opening, and a worm gear rotatably mounted in the bushing. The worm gear is offset from the axial center of the bushing such that rotation of the bushing moves the worm gear between an extended position, wherein the thread of the worm gear engages an element in the chamber, and a retracted position, wherein the thread is disengaged from the element in the chamber.
US08381816B2
A method of flushing a wellbore fluid from a downhole tool containing a bearing package includes pumping hydraulic oil through at least one of a hydraulic inlet line and at least one of a pneumatic inlet line connected to the main housing and into an annulus formed between the bearing package and a main housing of the downhole tool, wherein the hydraulic oil replaces the wellbore fluid in the annulus, removing the wellbore fluid from the annulus through at least one hydraulic outlet line and at least one pneumatic outlet line connected to the main housing, pumping air through the at least one pneumatic inlet line connected to the main housing and removing the hydraulic oil from the at least one pneumatic inlet line connected to the main housing, and removing the hydraulic oil through at least one pneumatic outlet line connected to the main housing.
US08381808B2
A cement head, comprising a first module comprising a first module outer profile, a second module comprising a second module outer profile, a bridge comprising a bridge profile engaged with each of the first module outer profile and the second module outer profile. A wellbore servicing apparatus, comprising a first module coaxial with a central axis, the first module comprising a first module outer surface, and a plurality of first module protrusions extending radially outward from the first module outer surface, a second module coaxial with the central axis, the second module comprising a second module outer surface, and a plurality of second module protrusions extending radially outward from the second module outer surface, a bridge having an outer bridge surface and an inner bridge surface, the bridge inner surface substantially complementing each of the first module outer surface, including the plurality of first module projections, and the second module outer surface, including the plurality of second module projections, when the first module is substantially adjacent the second module and a bridge outer surface, and a retainer coaxial with the central axis and configured to substantially radially retain the bridge toward the central axis with respect to each of the first module outer surface and the second module outer surface.
US08381799B2
A heat radiating unit in the form of a heat sink includes a contact section arranged on a central portion of an end face of the heat sink for contacting with a heat source, and having more than one extension plate outward extended therefrom; a first heat-dissipating section composed of multiple curved radiation fins outward extended from two opposite sides of the contact section to provided increased heat radiating areas; and a second heat-dissipating section composed of multiple straight fins outward extended from another two opposite sides of the contact section and outer surfaces of the extension plates. The contact section conducts heat generated by the heat source to the first and second heat-dissipating sections, through which airflow produced by a cooling fan flows to carry the heat away from the heat sink in multiple directions to achieve enhanced heat-dissipating effect.
US08381789B2
An automatic drywall taper is provided. The automatic drywall taper has a securing device for securing drywall tape to the body of the taper during use. The securing device has an elongated bar which runs substantially parallel to the body of the taper. The elongated bar is spring activated to lock a hub on a bar which is attached substantially perpendicular to the body of the taper. The hub rotates thereby allowing the tape to dispense and be used on drywall. The hub has a braking mechanism which allows for the controlled release of the tape.
US08381788B2
To provide a plurality of conveyor belts which are disposed, with a space kept mutually in the width direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction thereof, and capable of running along the longitudinal direction thereof in such a state that the sheet pieces with cords are placed thereon, and a lift mechanism installed between the plurality of conveyor belts to support the sheet pieces with cords on the upstream side or those on the downstream side in the longitudinal direction among the sheet pieces with cords placed on the conveyor belts while in contact with these sheet pieces from the lower side, thereby allowing them to make a relative upward movement from the sheet placing surfaces of the conveyor belts.
US08381784B2
A groove is positioned within the bending region of the first tire sidewall and deforms segment by segment within the rolling tire footprint. An air tube positioned within the sidewall groove is in contacting engagement with groove sidewalls and resiliently squeezes and collapses segment by segment as the groove constricts segment by segment within the rolling tire footprint. A series of adjacent projecting ridges extend from a groove sidewall segment into the groove air passageway, the projecting ridges operatively positioned to vary the applied pressure on the air tube increase the air pressure within the air tube passageway as the air tube rolls segment by segment with the tire through tire footprint. The series of projecting ridges are constructed having a variable amplitude and/or spacing frequency in a direction of air flow within the air passageway to increase the pressure applied to the air tube and air pressure of the air flowing through the tube passageway.
US08381782B2
It aims to provide a heavy duty pneumatic tire with block patterns and capable of improving deflected wear resisting performances without sacrificing wet grip performances or on-snow performances and that can particularly be favorably used for all seasons. The present invention comprises block patterns employing at least three types of blocks 4 comprised of central blocks 4C delimited by the central longitudinal groove 2M, the intermediate longitudinal grooves 2M, and the central lateral grooves 3C, intermediate blocks 4M delimited by the intermediate longitudinal grooves 2M, the outer longitudinal grooves 2S and the intermediate lateral grooves 3M, and outer blocks 4S that are delimited by outer longitudinal grooves 2S, outer lateral grooves 3S that extend from this outer longitudinal grooves 2S to the tread ends E, and wherein longitudinal length ratios (L4/W4) of blocks 4, groove width ratios of longitudinal grooves and lateral grooves (w2/w3), maximum widths of blocks, minimum widths of blocks and ratios thereof (W4max/W4min), and circumferential edge components and tire axial edge components and ratios thereof (EC/EL) at respective stages of wear are defined to be within specified ranges.
US08381779B1
A system for wirelessly refueling an aircraft includes an aircraft having a fuel tank, a control valve, a fuel sensor outputting a fuel signal indicative of the amount of fuel in the at least one fuel tank, and a controller controlling the control valve in response to the fuel signal, a refueling apparatus having a fuel supply, a pump and a controller in which is stored a fuel profile including fuel data indicative of the amount of fuel to be supplied to the at least one fuel tank, and wireless communication systems operably coupled to the controllers within the aircraft and refueling apparatus to control the operation of the control valve and the pump to fill the at least one fuel tank in accordance with the fuel profile and in response to the fuel signal.
US08381777B2
A filling valve includes a hollow housing including a liquid chamber, a gas chamber, and a sliding valve assembly. The sliding valve assembly includes a hollow valve rod with an opening in the gas chamber at an upper end of the valve rod, the valve rod sliding in the housing between an open position where valve rod opens an aperture in the housing allowing liquid to flow from the liquid chamber through the aperture, and a closed position where the valve rod closes the aperture, and a sliding piston disposed in the housing between an open position where a lower end of the piston is spaced from the upper end of the valve rod allowing gas to pass from the gas chamber to the opening in the valve and a closed position where the lower end of the piston contacts the upper end of the valve rod.
US08381775B2
A passive method for conserving fuel vapor by connecting the ullage space of the liquid fuel storage tanks to a bladder in a vapor conservation tank; connecting the ullage space of a liquid fuel delivery vehicle to air space of the vapor conservation tank, external of the bladder; delivering liquid fuel from the delivery vehicle into the liquid fuel storage tanks, the liquid fuel displacing fuel vapor from the storage tanks; delivering displaced fuel vapor into the bladder, the delivered fuel vapor inflating the bladder and displacing air from the air space of the vapor conservation tank, external of the bladder; and, thereafter, over time, delivering fuel vapor from the bladder into ullage space of the fuel storage tanks, replacing the volume of liquid fuel delivered from the fuel storage tanks into vehicle fuel tanks. A passive system for conserving fuel vapor is also described.
US08381763B2
The invention relates to a gas filling and dispensing device that comprises a body to be positioned in the opening of a pressurized gas storage tank, a gas-tapping circuit extending between a first upstream end to be connected to the inside of the tank and a second downstream end to be connected to a gas user, wherein the tapping circuit includes a first insulation valve, the device further including a safety valve subjected to the tank pressure for blocking or selectively opening a passage for the gas from the tank towards a discharge area based on the temperature and/or pressure of the gas in the tank relative to at least one predetermined threshold, characterized in that the discharge area of the safety valve is located upstream from the first insulation valve.
US08381759B1
A faucet apparatus has a bolt assembly with a brake shaft lever extending therefrom, a handle lever, and a handle holder lock having one end affixed to the handle lever, a handle holder having an axial hole extending therethrough, and a handle lever assembly positioned in the axial hole. The handle lever is connected to the brake shaft lever. The handle lever assembly is sleeved over the handle holder lock. An elastic locker is positioned in a radial slot of the handle holder lock so as to engage with a notch in the handle lever assembly.
US08381751B2
A self service automated dump station is provided using a control mechanism for the collection of money that releases a latching mechanism located on a removable lockable cap that sits upon the dump station's drain line. In one embodiment provided, the removable lockable cap is lifted from the dump station inlet line by a remote foot pedal—this allows for a cleaner and more efficient means for inserting the hose from the waste tank of a vehicle into the dump station inlet line. Money payment can be either made by cash or by credit or debit cards. The operation of the dump station is made more efficient and requires fewer interactions between those who need to transfer waste from their vehicle waste tanks, such as operators of campers or recreational vehicles, and the dump station operator. Remote sensors can also be deployed to minimize the possibility of spillage or over-fill of the dump station if the dump station is not hooked up to a sewer system.
US08381740B2
The invention provides a tobacco smoking apparatus that enables a person to smoke; namely, inhale and exhale smoke and other combustion products from burning tobacco, while isolating and protecting others from a substantial portion of the combustion products, including smoke, smoker's exhale, and odor, that are produced from smoking tobacco.
US08381737B2
A smoking pipe comprising an elongated body with a removable chassis located therein. Located on the chassis is a lighter with an activation switch and flame opening located on one end. The lighter is positioned in the chassis so that the lighter's flame opening is located adjacent to the upper bowl on the bowl assembly also mounted on the chassis. Formed over the upper bowl are air openings which allow heated hot gas to enter the bowl and vaporize or burn material placed therein Rotatably mounted on the lower neck on the bowl assembly is a ratchet. Attached to the ratchet is an elongated mouthpiece. The ratchet which includes a cam surface with a hook formed thereon that engages the distal end of a pawl. The proximal end of the pawl sits in a receiving cavity form a moveable head also mounted on the chassis that selectively presses against the activation switch on the lighter. The relative locations of the cam surface, smoke bores on the bowl assembly, and the mouthpiece are designed so that less movement of the mouthpiece is required to activate the lighter.
US08381733B2
Contraceptive methods, systems, and devices generally improve the ease, speed, and reliability with which a contraceptive device can be deployed transcervically into an ostium of a fallopian tube. The contraceptive device may remain in a small profile configuration while a sheath is withdrawn proximally, and is thereafter expanded to a large profile configuration engaging the surrounding tissues, by manipulating one or more actuators of a proximal handle with a single hand. This leaves the other hand free to manipulate a hysteroscope, minimizing the number of health care professional required to deploy the contraceptive device.
US08381732B2
A nasal interface device and a method of use are disclosed. The device includes a facial adaptor configured to be secured to the nose of a user and having two nostril pads having open channels configured to be inserted into nostrils of the user and a piercing/swivel adaptor configured to interact with the facial adaptor through the two nostril prongs. The piercing/swivel adaptor is further configured to be coupled to an airway tube, the airway tube is configured to supply air/gas to the user.
US08381729B2
Modes, methods, systems and devices are described for providing assisted ventilation to a patient, including wearable ventilation systems with integral gas supplies, special gas supply features, ventilation catheters and access devices, and breath sensing techniques.
US08381728B2
The self-cleaning and sterilizing endotracheal and tracheostomy tube may include a combination of an endotracheal tube or a tracheostomy tube and a suction catheter that decreases the tendency of mucus and bacteria to adhere to the inner surfaces of the thereof. The endotracheal tube and the catheter may have a hydrophobic surface exhibiting the lotus effect, which may be formed either by femtosecond laser etching or by a coating of ploy (ethylene oxide). Alternatively, the endotracheal tube and the catheter may have a lumen coated with a photocatalyst. The endotracheal tube may also have a light source and a fiberoptic bundle mounted thereon, the optical fibers extending into the lumen to illuminate the photocatalyst.
US08381720B2
An inhaler for delivery of a powder-form inhalation formulation from a blister strip has a plurality of blister pockets and uses a pivotable mouthpiece cover to move the blister strip onward. The mouthpiece cover is drivingly coupled with a conveyor wheel to drive the conveying wheel and to move the blister strip onward, and the axis of the actuator and of the conveying wheel is identical to the cover axis of the mouthpiece cover.
US08381716B2
A flame ignition device for a gas burner is described, comprising at least one ignition circuit and electric switching means that are associated with the gas tap for the respective burner. The electric switching means include at least one electric contact member (50) which is integral, at least in translation, with the control rod of said gas tap.
US08381710B2
Paintball ejecting apparatus having a body, a breech, and a barrel for ejecting paintballs through and out of the barrel is disclosed. There are included a paintball reservoir disposed in an other-than-top-of-body position and a paintball conduit coupling the paintball reservoir to the breech for facilitating transport of paintballs from the paintball reservoir to the breech. There is also included a paintball transport arrangement having an actuator to move paintballs toward the breech, the paintball transport arrangement automatically moves at least a first paintball from the paintball conduit into the breech if the breech is empty and open for receiving the at least first paintball, the paintball transport arrangement automatically ceasing moving another paintball into the breech after the at least first paintball is disposed in the breech.
US08381707B2
Internal combustion engine air-fuel ratio control apparatus and method in which the target air-fuel ratio of exhaust gas flowing into an exhaust-gas purification catalyst unit is controlled through at least proportional-integral control such that the correction amount per unit time of the oxygen amount in said catalyst unit is maintained constant. When the intake air amount is smaller than a predetermined amount and the air-fuel ratio detected by an oxygen sensor provided downstream of the catalyst unit is rich, the target air-fuel ratio is controlled to suppress an increase in the air-fuel ratio in the exhaust-gas purification catalyst unit. Accordingly, even if rapid acceleration operation is performed in a state where the intake air amount is extremely small and the air-fuel ratio detected by the oxygen sensor is rich, NOx in exhaust gas can be sufficiently removed through reduction reactions at the exhaust-gas purification catalyst unit.
US08381702B2
A load adjustment device for an actuator that determines the power of an internal combustion engine, designed as a throttle valve and is disposed on an actuator shaft in a housing, the actuator shaft being pivotally drivable about the rotary axis of the actuator shaft between a minimal load setting defined by a minimal load stop and a full load setting defined by a full load stop by means of a reversibly drivable actuating drive via an actuating part rotationally fixed to said shaft. The actuator shaft is subject to a load in the minimum load direction by a restoring spring. The actuating part can be subjected to a load by a leg of a torsion spring disposed radially outside the pivoting range of the part, the leg of the torsion spring extending into the pivoting range of the actuating part.
US08381697B2
An internal combustion engine for reducing the amount of bubbles contained in the circulated oil without reducing the ground clearance of the engine. A crankcase is provided therein with an oil suction passage makes an oil pump and an end part of a bottom wall of an oil sump chamber communicate with each other, passes between the oil sump chamber and a hanger boss, and has a lowest part located below the bottom wall of the oil sump chamber.
US08381690B2
A cleaning system and method for cleaning heat transfer surfaces in a boiler using a temperature measuring system for measuring and monitoring wall temperature of an annular wall of the tube of a lance of one or more sootblowers. Controlling a flow of steam or other fluid through the tube during the cooling portions of the strokes based on wall temperature measurements from the temperature measuring system. Infrared or thermocouple temperature measuring systems may be used. The steam or other fluid may be flowed at a default flowrate that may be substantially zero until the temperature measuring system indicates the wall temperature of the annular wall begins to exceed a predetermined temperature limit which may be the softening point of the annular wall. Then the steam or other fluid is flowed at a rate greater than the default flowrate.
US08381679B2
The invention relates to a method in a milking system for creating a required vacuum level, the milking system comprising at least two variable speed vacuum pumps P1, P2. The method comprises the steps of: utilizing a first variable speed vacuum pump P1 for creating the required vacuum level within the milking system; monitoring the vacuum level requirement within the milking system, and when the vacuum level requirement of the milking system is such that the speed of the first variable speed vacuum pump P1 reaches a first speed threshold then: starting a second variable speed vacuum pump P2, and running the first and second variable speed vacuum pumps P1, P2 in parallel for creating the required vacuum level. The invention also relates to computer program products.
US08381673B2
An apparatus for stabilizing a watercraft for boarding or exiting comprising an elongated cradle arm support member for attaching vertically to a docking structure and a cradle arm for attaching to the cradle arm support member, in which the cradle arm has a generally V-shaped upper surface for cradling the under surface of a watercraft, restricting roll. The cradle arm is adjustably connecting the cradle arm support member, for selectively fixing the arm to the cradle arm support member in one of a range of vertical positions to accommodate changing water levels.
US08381672B1
Systems and methods for compensating for compressibility and thermal expansion coefficient mismatch in buoyancy controlled or buoyancy-driven underwater vehicles are disclosed herein. An underwater vehicle configured in accordance with one embodiment of the disclosure, for example, can include a hull and a compartment carried by the hull and at least partially flooded with a first liquid having similar properties as a surrounding liquid into which the hull is configured to be deployed. The first liquid has a first compressibility and thermal expansion coefficient. The underwater vehicle can further include a compressibility and thermal expansion coefficient compensation system comprising a container filled or at least partially filled with a compressible liquid comprising silicone in the compartment. The compressible liquid has a second compressibility higher than the first compressibility and second thermal expansion coefficient higher than the first thermal expansion coefficient. The compressible liquid can include, for example, hexamethyldisiloxane (HMDS).
US08381671B2
A shallow water anchor is provided. The shallow water anchor comprises a first anchor extension and a second anchor extension axially received by a housing. The first anchor extension is axially received by the second anchor extension such that the first and second anchor extensions are sequentially deployable from the housing an actuation arrangement. The actuation arrangement is controlled by a control interface that is operable to detect when the shallow water anchor has reached a fully extended state and fully retracted state. The shallow water anchor further includes a biasing compensator that compensates for fluctuations in the overall depth of water the anchor is deployed in due to waves or other anomalies.
US08381666B2
A table includes a table top and a pair of support pedestals. A first pivotal support brace can be attached to the first support pedestal. A second pivotal support can be attached to the second support pedestal. The distal ends of the first and second pivotal support braces can be pivotally attached to a retaining assembly, which may include a cross-brace member. Alternatively, a second retaining assembly including a cross-brace member may be mounted in relation to the table top. In addition, the first and second support pedestals may comprise at least one support leg, wherein each support leg of the first and second support pedestals are laterally offset from each other so as to permit an offset displacement of the support legs when the support pedestals are disposed in a collapsed position.
US08381665B2
A table includes a table top and a pair of support pedestals. A first pivotal support brace can be attached to the first support pedestal and a second pivotal support can be attached to the second support pedestal. The distal ends of the first and second pivotal support braces can be pivotally attached to a retaining assembly, which may include a cross-brace member. Alternatively, a second retaining assembly including a cross-brace member may be mounted in relation to the table top. In addition, the first and second support pedestals may comprise at least one support leg, wherein each support leg of the first and second support pedestals are laterally offset from each other so as to permit an offset displacement of the support legs when the support pedestals are disposed in a collapsed position.
US08381659B2
A railway vehicle including a plurality of bogies is provided. Each bogie includes a chassis, two front wheels and two rear wheels. For each front wheel and each rear wheel, a guidance device is provided for guiding the wheel in rotation and a primary suspension device of the chassis is provided on the guidance device. At least the primary suspension devices associated with the front and rear wheels are arranged on the same first lateral side of the bogie. The primary suspension devices each include two longitudinal connecting rods, each connected by a first connection point to the chassis and by a second connection point to the corresponding guidance device and at least one resilient component inserted between the two connecting rods to define at least the vertical stiffness of the primary suspension device, the two connecting rods being offset longitudinally relative to one another. Each of the bogies also includes a pivot connection device for connecting the bogie to the railway vehicle.
US08381655B2
A cartridge casing for rifles is made from a high strength aluminum alloy. A method for making such cartridge casing includes the steps of (a) forming a cylindrical blank from an aluminum alloy having a tensile strength greater than 80,000 psi, and (b) rotating the blank at a rate greater than 500 rpm and forcing the blank into a die, the die having a bore with progressively reduced interior diameters which are less than the external diameter of the blank. In the method, the forcing of the blank into the die results in the finished cartridge casing having a distal end with an external diameter which is less than the external diameter of its proximal end.
US08381654B2
A method of charging explosives in a substantially vertical blast borehole, with a loading density reduced in relation to that corresponding to the complete fill up of the borehole diameter. The method includes the step of introducing a charging hose in fluid connection with a nozzle into an end opening of the vertical blast borehole. The charging hose and nozzle are then moved along the blast borehole along a travel direction at a controlled rate. As the nozzle is being moved, an explosive emulsion is forced though the nozzle at a controlled pumping rate such that the emulsion is sprayed by the nozzle laterally relative to the travel direction, in an arc formation extending around an axis of the nozzle, which axis is parallel to the travel direction, and onto an inner wall of the blast hole. The pumping rate and the controlled moving rate are adjusted so as to form a coherent string of the explosive emulsion exiting from the nozzle, whereby the string only partially fills up the blast borehole diameter.
US08381649B2
A printing method including the steps of, forming a transfer layer on a blanket, forming a groove portion on the transfer layer by pressing a protrusion portion of a mold member including the protrusion portion having a predetermined pattern against the transfer layer, the groove portion having the pattern corresponding to the protrusion portion, forming a print pattern layer on the blanket by causing the transfer layer on the blanket and a relief printing plate including a convex portion having a pattern corresponding to a reverse pattern of the protrusion portion to face each other and pressure-contacting them so that a portion on the transfer layer corresponding to the convex portion is selectively eliminated, and transferring the print pattern layer onto a substrate to be printed by causing the print pattern layer on the blanket and the substrate to be printed to face each other and pressure-contacting them.
US08381645B2
A radial press comprising a first and a second structure, each having a press yoke that form a receiving chamber for a press tool. Under the action of a drive unit, the second structure can be linearly moved by a pressing stroke relative to the first structure between an open position and a pressing end position in a working plane perpendicular to the press axis. In the open position of the radial press, a lateral feed opening is formed between the two press yokes. The drive unit is arranged offset with respect to the press axis only on the side facing away from the feed opening. A supporting drive, which is arranged on the side of the drive unit facing away from the press axis and can be continuously longitudinally adjusted in a defined manner within a supporting stroke, acts between the first structure and the second structure.
US08381643B2
A pitting knife assembly including a pitting knife mount and a pulley drive assembly coupled and configured to move the knife mount around a circular or substantially circular path, and a fruit pitting apparatus including such an assembly. During operation of the pitting knife assembly with at least one pitting knife mounted to the knife mount and a fruit conveying assembly positioned to convey fruit to the pitting knife assembly, the pitting knife can produce pitted fruit by moving into engagement with fruit conveyed by the conveying assembly (to pit the fruit) as the knife mount moves through a first portion of the path, and the pitting knife can then move out of engagement with (and away from) the pitted fruit as the knife mount moves through a second portion of the path.
US08381636B2
The present invention relates to a grill pan, which comprises a main body, an electrothermal tube disposed on the lower surface of the main body; wherein the electrothermal tube comprises an normal-temperature area for grilling food and an high-temperature area for burning smoking materials to generate smokes; the normal-temperature area and the high-temperature area are connected integrative, and the two ends of the electrothermal tube have an adapter connected to exterior power supply; there is a smoking box for containing smoking materials disposed on the main body corresponding with the high-temperature area. The present invention achieves the functions of roasting and smoking by only one heating source. That can reduce the cost of production and is convenient for use.
US08381628B1
An ambidextrous receiver and bolt operating assembly for use in combination with a standard bolt for a Ruger® 10/22® rim-fire firearm action. A receiver housing is configured to function with the original Ruger® 10/22® firearm bolt and has an ejection port which is smaller than the ejection port of the original Ruger® 10/22® receiver and which does not include a bolt handle reciprocation opening. The receiver housing also includes a longitudinally extending upper guide channel and an opening at an aft end of said channel. A bolt closure mechanism is adapted to bias the original Ruger® 10/22® firearm bolt into battery and to be received in a seat of the original firearm bolt. The engagement member does not include a laterally extending bolt operating handle. An ambidextrous charging handle is positioned in the channel and has a forward portion including a hook portion adapted to retract the original firearm bolt during rearward movement of said handle. The handle has a T-shaped aft portion extending out of said opening in said receiver housing.
US08381622B2
A hand tool for assembling and disassembling a plurality of workpieces is provided. The hand tool comprises a pair of handle members, a pair of intermediate members pivotally coupled to the pair of handle members, a pair of jaw members pivotally coupled to the pair of intermediate members, a spring member mounted between the pair of handle members, and a locking mechanism configured on the pair of handle members. Accordingly, upon applying a grasping force to the pair of handle members, the spring member is compressed and the pair of intermediate members converge towards each other thereby allowing the pair of jaw members to grasp the at least a portion of the workpiece therebetween for assembling and disassembling the plurality of workpieces. Further, upon grasping the at least a portion of the workpiece, the pair of handle members are held in a locked state by the locking mechanism.
US08381618B2
For driving an extruder (1) having disposed along a circle a plurality of shafts (3) with processing elements (4), the shafts (3) are connected to the output shafts (11) of a gearing (7) which are provided with output pinions (12, 13). The output pinions (12, 13) are disposed axially offset so that adjacent output shafts (11) have a different length (L1, L2) between the end facing the extruder (1) and the output pinion (12, 13). The axially offset output pinions (12, 13) are in engagement each with a sun gear (18, 19). One sun gear (19) is connected to a hollow torque shaft (21) and the other sun gear (18) to an inner torque shaft (22) disposed therewithin. The hollow torque shaft (21) and the inner torque shaft (22) are configured such that the difference in torsional rotation angle caused by the different length (L1, L2) of the output shafts (11) is compensated by a different torsion of the hollow torque shaft (21) and the inner torque shaft (22).
US08381616B2
A pedal includes a pedal body configured for engagement with a person and defining a first major side and a second major side of the pedal. A first plate member engages the first major side and has a first outer surface. Similarly, a second plate member engages the second major side and has a second outer surface. At least one of the first or second outer surfaces includes a graphic design feature. The first and second plate members may be coupled to each other through openings in the pedal body. The graphic design feature may be carried on a graphic design element which is coupled to the first and/or second outer surface.
US08381614B1
An apparatus includes a linkage having an axis of rotation, a handle member being linked to the linkage, a stop member connected to the handle member, and a guide member defining an engagement region aligned with the stop member such that a portion of the stop member engages the engagement region.
US08381611B2
A vehicle, such as an all-terrain or utility-terrain vehicle, includes a telescoping, adjustable, steering assembly. The steering assembly includes a steering device that is coupled to the steering assembly, which can be adjusted to increase or decrease the height of the steering device. The steering assembly may include a detent member, a steering post, a yoke, a collar, and a biasing member. The steering post includes axially spaced arcuate grooves where a detent member is seated and held in place with a collar. The collar includes a tapered internal surface for applying lateral pressure to the detent member to lock the yoke in place relative to the steering post. Without the use of tools, the collar may be moved to release the lateral pressure on the detent member, which in turn permits the yoke to be moved relative to the steering post—resulting in adjustment of the steering device.
US08381599B2
A wind energy installation is disclosed. The wind energy installation includes a rotor with at least one rotor blade. The wind energy installation includes at least one wind speed measuring system. The at least one wind speed measuring system optically measures the vibrations of an optical fiber due to vortex shedding.
US08381592B2
An apparatus and method for ultrasonic non-destructive testing provides an elongate strip of ultrasound transmissive material coupled at a proximal end to an object under test. The elongate strip has a transverse cross-section with a width and thickness giving an aspect ratio greater than unity and matched to the ultrasonic transducer such that excitation induces a substantially non-dispersive ultrasonic signal to propagate along the elongate strip to the proximal end and to enter the object under test. These non-dispersive pulses are particularly suited for time-of-flight measurements, thickness measurements, crack measurements and the like. The elongate strip helps to separate the transducer from a potentially hostile environment associated with the object under test. The elongate strip also has a large area of contact with the object under test allowing efficient transmission of energy into the object under test.
US08381581B2
Disclosed is a method of determining a volume of liquid in a sample tube, comprising the steps of capturing an image of the sample tube, determining a first region of interest within the sample tube based upon pre-stored information concerning dimensional properties of the sample tube, scanning the first region of interest to detect the position of a meniscus indicative of an upper extent of the liquid, and using said meniscus position together with certain pre-stored properties of the sample tube to determine a volume of liquid in the tube, and outputting said volume. Also disclosed is an apparatus for performing the method.
US08381577B2
A leak-testing method for a test container comprises measuring background noise within a chamber at atmospheric pressure with a trace sensor of volatile organic compounds that exhibit a measurement sensitivity less than or on the order of 1 ppb. Pollution is removed from an internal atmosphere of the chamber when the measurement of the background noise is greater than a predetermined threshold. The internal atmosphere of the chamber is mixed to homogenize a composition of the internal atmosphere receiving a container that defines a bounded internal space within which a volatile organic compound is present.A concentration of volatile organic compounds is measured within the atmospheric pressure chamber with the trace sensor of the volatile organic compounds. The measurement of the background noise is compared to the measurement of the concentration of the volatile organic compounds to detect the leak in the test container.
US08381573B2
A system and method of monitoring sobriety using a hand-held breath testing device that, on receipt of a user's breath, generates a breath test signal comprising substance content data and user identification data, and wirelessly transmits the breath test signal to a breath test signal receiving station. The breath test signal includes substance content data and user identification data. The substance content data includes a blood alcohol level and the user identification data includes compressed image data. The signal receiving station is monitored by a supervisor who is able to intervene should the blood alcohol level be greater than a predetermined threshold, or should the user identification data no match with a reference user identification data.
US08381572B2
The device is used to record measurement data and has a housing, a housing interior and a membrane that is held by the housing and delimits the housing interior in regions. At least one sensor is arranged inside the housing interior. Furthermore, a thermocatalytic element for the decomposition of at least one gas is arranged in the housing interior.
US08381567B2
A procedure for detecting manipulations at lambda comprises the following steps; the lambda probe is excited by at least one electric excitation signal; at least one electric response signal of the probe is detected; the at least one response signal is compared to at least one default electric response signal that characterizes a not manipulated probe; the deviation of the detected at least one electric response signal from the at least one default electric response signal is used for detecting a manipulation of the probe. A device for detecting manipulations at lambda probes characterized by a switch assembly, with which the probe can be impinged with an electric excitation signal, in particular a step-wise electric excitation, preferably with a current impulse, by a evaluation switch device for evaluating a response signal, in particular the probe voltage and for comparing the excitation signal with the response signal and for assuming a manipulation in the case of a deviation of the response signal from a response signal that characterizes a not manipulated probe.
US08381560B2
The present invention provides a hydroforming method able to increase the expansion ratio to obtain a complicated shape hydroformed product and able to reduce the number of steps of work, that is, a hydroforming method loading a metal pipe into a divided mold, clamping the mold, then applying an internal pressure and pushing force in the pipe axial direction to said metal pipe, comprising, in a first hydroforming step, expanding said metal pipe in one direction of said metal pipe cross-section to obtain an intermediate product having a circumferential length of 90% to 100% of the circumferential length of the product shape in all of the expanded part in the pipe axial direction and having a height greater than the height of the product in said one direction and at least part of the pipe axial direction, then, in a second hydroforming step, reducing the height in the one direction of said intermediate product in all or part of the pipe axial direction while shaping the product to the final product shape. Further, in the case of a shape including bending, a bending step is performed between the above first hydroforming step and second hydroforming step.
US08381556B2
This invention relates to a coupling plug lock assembly 2 for controlling access to a coupling plug 1. The lock assembly 2 includes a housing 9 for receiving the plug 1, an actuator 10 moveable between a latch position and a release position, and a lock means 17 for locking the actuator in the latch position. The lock assembly 2 is intended for obstructing access to the plug 1 for discouraging unauthorized access to the plug 1.
US08381555B2
A cutting device is provided which can simultaneously achieve a shorter machining time, lower machining resistance during cutting, and high-precision machining. To be specific, the cutting device of the present invention includes a three-axis tool unit including a first actuator operating in a u direction, a second actuator operating in a v direction orthogonal to the u direction, a third actuator operating in a w direction orthogonal to the u direction and the v direction, a tool holder disposed at the intersection of the u direction, the v direction, and the w direction, a tool mounted in the tool holder, and three sensors for measuring the displacements of the first, second, and third actuators, respectively and feeding back displacement signals representing the measured displacements, wherein the first, second, and third actuators of the three-axis tool unit vibrate so as to perform vibration cutting on a work material.
US08381544B2
A method of altering the heating value of a liquefied natural gas by adding higher heating value components is disclosed. A portion of the liquefied natural gas is used to cool the higher heating value component stream prior to combining the higher heating value components with the liquefied natural gas to obtain a combined stream having a heating value greater than the liquefied natural gas.
US08381540B2
An installable HVAC system used for a vehicle is disclosed. The HVAC system includes a housing, a compressor, a motor operatively coupled to the compressor; a condenser in fluid communication with the compressor; and a power management controller configured to run the motor with power from a given power source. The compressor, the motor, the condenser, and the power management controller are located within the housing. The housing is configured to attach to an existing HVAC system of the vehicle.
US08381533B2
An apparatus for cooling turbine blades in a turbine engine including a direct transfer axial tangential onboard injector (TOBI) for a turbine rotor and a self-supporting seal plate disposed on a rotating disk for the turbine engine. The TOBI includes a plurality of openings emanating a flow of cooling air. The self-supporting seal plate comprises a plurality of shaped cooling holes in fluid communication with the flow of cooling air emanating from the TOBI. The rotating disk includes a plurality of turbine blade slots formed therein. The plurality of cooling holes are in fluid communication with the plurality of turbine blade slots for directing the flow of cooling air to provide cooling to the plurality of turbine blades. The plurality of openings, the plurality of cooling holes and the plurality of turbine blade slots are in axial alignment and optimized to minimize radial and hoop stresses.
US08381529B2
A system includes a water injection system configured to supply water from a pressure regulating valve to a water manifold of a turbine engine. The system also includes a drain valve configured to drain at least a portion of the water from the pressure regulating valve during a start-up period of the water injection system at least until a stable water pressure is achieved downstream of the pressure regulating valve.
US08381522B2
A steam powered engine system wherein hot exhaust gas produced by a small secondary engine is used to heat water to a temperature above 212 degrees F., the superheated water being injected into a cylinder containing hot compressed gas. The water then flash expands into steam to drive a piston. The hot exhaust gas from the secondary engine is further utilized to scavenge spent gas and liquid from the cylinder during the return stroke of the piston, as well as to maintain a suitably high temperature within the cylinder.
US08381521B2
An apparatus and method for improving vehicle performance by application of pneumatic boost to vehicle engines, including diesel engines having at least one turbocharger supplying air to the engine, in a manner which increases engine torque output while minimizing the potential for exceed various operating limits to the maximum practicable extent. The vehicle's pneumatic booster system controller implements strategies for shaping the rate of the air injection during a boost event, tailoring the air injection to obtain maximum engine torque output while respecting the operating limits, by controlling the timing, duration, quantity and/or injection pattern during a boost event to achieve a refined distribution of compressed air injection over the course of the boost event to provide desired engine torque output and fuel efficiency while minimizing the potential for exceeding a wide variety of operation limits, regulatory, engineering and passenger comfort limits.
US08381512B2
Engine exhaust gas feedstream NOx emissions aftertreatment includes a catalytic device connected upstream of an ammonia-selective catalytic reduction device including a base metal. Engine operation can be modulated to generate an engine-out exhaust gas feedstream that converts to ammonia on the catalytic device. The ammonia is stored on the ammonia-selective catalytic reduction device, and used to reduce NOx emissions in the exhaust gas feedstream.
US08381502B2
A cut sight gauge for corn field production equipment used for detasseling operations where the cut sight gauge allows the operator to visually monitor the height of cutters and tassel pullers on corn crop cutting machines. The cut sight gauge ensures a uniform operating height of cut consistent with the optimum growing demands of the plants. The added safety advantage to the operator and the area supervisors who manage field operations are also a benefit for the field-specific set up applications as described herein.
US08381498B2
A method of making a packaged dressing involves coating a pattern of detachable high tack pressure sensitive adhesive on a cover material such that the cover material includes a tackless area; forming a release island on a backing material; and sandwiching a dressing between the cover material and the backing material such that the adhesive on the dressing abuts the release island, and the pattern of adhesive on the cover material adheres to and supports the dressing along its extent except for the portion overlying the tackless area and hermetically seals the dressing within the package.
US08381496B2
A container can have a body with an integrally formed base attached to the body. The base includes a concave annular wall extending from the container sidewall to a standing surface, and an inner wall extending from the standing surface to a substantially flat inner annular wall. The inner annular wall is recessed in the base and is substantially perpendicular to the container sidewall. The inner annular wall includes a centrally located dimple. The dimple includes a plurality of spaced apart and radially extending indented ribs. One or more of the ribs extend radially into a brace that tapers to meet the inner annular wall.
US08381483B1
An improved terrazzo process for applying terrazzo to an existing concrete surface comprising preparing the concrete surface, applying two coatings of primer agent, applying a layer of mortar, smoothing out and leveling the mortar topping layer, applying decorative aggregate to the mortar topping layer, troweling the aggregate into the mortar topping layer, grinding and polishing the cured aggregate/topping layer, and sealing the terrazzo finish.
US08381477B2
Floor panels are shown which are provided with a mechanical locking system consisting of an extruded flexible tongue in a sidewardly open groove which during a vertical folding motion is bent horizontally.
US08381474B2
A surface repair kit includes an air-permeable breathable membrane coated with a premeasured amount of joint compound in its wet state. The membrane is suspended in a semi-rigid flexible frame and an opposing cover sheet is affixed over the compound around the backside of the frame. This framed composition is encased in an airtight package to prevent the compound from hardening. Included in the packaging may be a wall patch with an adhesive surface that holds a peel-off covering. Sandpaper may also be included in the kits since some repairs may require a final light sanding. The outside of the packaging carries simple printed instructions for the user to carry out the steps of peel, press and roll with accompanying illustrations so that drywall repairs can be carried out even by an unskilled novice.
US08381473B2
Connectors for joining adjacent modular floor covering units. The connectors include a film and an adhesive layer coated on one side of the film. To install tiles using the connectors, a first tile is placed on the floor and a connector is positioned so that the adhesive layer faces upward and does not contact the floor. The connector is typically positioned so that only a portion of the adhesive layer adheres to the underside of the tile, leaving the remainder of the connector extending from the underside of the tile. Tiles are then positioned adjacent the first tile so that a portion of the connector adheres to the adjacent tiles. In this way, the connectors span adjacent tile edges. The tiles are assembled on a underlying flooring surface without the need to attach them to the floor surface. Rather, the tiles are linked to each other with the connectors, so that the tiles create a floor covering that “floats” on the underlying floor surface.
US08381471B2
Material engineered with outer flat and inner cushioned layers for fabricating shipping and gift boxes of various sizes to handle items of diverse dimensions. Thin, strong sheet that will remember a right angle bend after scoring or hand-flexing, molded or bonded to inner surface grid of right-angle, equal-sized pyramid shapes covering the entire surface that will serve to cushion fragile items placed inside a variable sized box made from the subject material. The material will be available in different size sheets and pyramid sizes, depending the dimensions and weight of the items to be boxed. The right angle pyramids will allow easy scoring and bending of the material, and each right angle formed for the box under construction will have one right angle pyramid abut another, forming a larger right angle pyramid that along with the bend in the material sheet will afford great rigidity to the finished box.
US08381470B2
A tapered load plate transfers loads across a joint between adjacent concrete floor slabs. The top and bottom surfaces may taper from approximately 4 inches wide to a narrow substantially pointed end over a length of approximately 12 inches. The tapered load plate accommodates differential shrinkage of cast-in-place concrete slabs. The tapered load plate may comprise a main plate and at least one extension. When adjacent slabs move away from each other, the narrow end of the tapered load plate moves out of the void that it created in the slab thus allowing the slabs to move relative to one another in a direction parallel to the joint. Tapered load plates may be assembled into a load-plate basket with the direction of the taper alternating from one tapered load plate to the next to account for off-center saw cuts.
US08381464B2
Systems and methods for disposing and supporting a solar panel array are disclosed. The embodiments comprise various combinations of cables, support columns, and pod constructions in which to support solar panels. The solar panels can incorporate single or dual tracking capabilities to enhance sunlight capture. The embodiments encourage dual land use in which installation of the systems minimizes disruption of the underlying ground. Supplemental power may be provided by vertical axis windmills integrated with the columns. Special installations of the system can include systems mounted over structures such as parking lots, roads and aqueducts.
US08381459B2
A roof ventilator mount for mounting a roof ventilator onto a gable-type roof (21), the roof ventilator including a roof ventilator base (10) defining a cupola mounting portion (25) for mounting a cupola (12) thereto, the roof ventilator mount comprising: a first mounting component (26), the first mounting component (26) including a first mounting plate (48) mountable to the roof (21); a second mounting component (26), the second mounting component (26) including a second mounting plate (48) mountable to the roof (21); the first and second mounting components (26) being mountable to the roof ventilator base (10) with proximal edges (47) thereof located substantially adjacent to each other and distal edges (49) thereof located spaced apart from each other; the first and second mounting plates (48) being each provided with a breakable segment (66) extending from the proximal edge (47), the breakable segment (66) being breakable from the remainder of the mounting plate (48) along a predetermined break line located at a predetermined distance from the distal edge (49).
US08381458B2
A vent baffle can be arranged so as to direct air near an underside of a roof. The vent baffle can feature bending structures, which can allow the vent baffle to transition from a substantially columnar orientation to a bent orientation.
US08381455B2
A modular shelter comprising a first side wall, first end wall, second side wall, second end wall, first roof section, and a second roof section cut from stock material, such that: (a) the first side wall and the first end wall, the first end wall and the second side wall, the second side wall and the second end wall, and the second end wall and the first side wall are disposed at an angle between 60 and 120 degrees relative to one another and are connected by at least two mortise and tenon joints; and (b) the first roof section and the second roof section are disposed at an angle between 45 and 180 degrees relative to one another and are connected by at least two mortise and tenon joints; wherein the components of the mortise and tenon joints are created using one tool resulting in a novel joint.
US08381454B1
Low-cost, semi-permanent rigid-wall modular longhouse-type, peaked-roof structures, stadium-shaped (in plan view), made of light-weight, water-proof cellular extruded plastic sheet material die cut into blanks that are easily portable, quickly field erectable and dismountable by unskilled workers for a wide variety of uses. Two semi-circular end portions are spaced apart and joined by multiple segments of straight wall and roof modules, the length depending only on the number of intermediate segments. Blanks are easily folded on site into double-walled, bolt-together, modular wall and roof panels. Only four basic panel configurations are needed to form all structural elements. Multiple modular structures may be grouped to form larger compound structures with individual ones assigned to individual persons or dedicated work space usages: disaster shelters, sleeping, gathering, storage, hygiene, medical treatment, schooling, entertainment, goods manufacture, cooking, eating, herding, etc. Double-wall modules provide inter-stitial space for cold-weather insulation and passive ventilation in hot environments.
US08381449B1
A building structure has a generally horizontally disposed modular roof made-up of a plurality of side-by-side roof units which are mutually joined. Each roof unit is constructed as a pair of spaced apart rigid skins shaped in such manner as to eliminate additional supporting structure and which are joined along mutual edges of the pair of skins and forming an interior space filled with a thermal insulator. One end of each of the roof units is curved in a downward arc. A skylight frame protrudes above an upper one of the pair of skins, the frame supporting an upwardly facing window. An electrical circuit includes LED lamps mounted in a lower one of the pair of skins with its illumination directed downwardly. The circuit may also include a motorized shade or a liquid crystal shade for limiting natural light transmission through the window.
US08381444B1
A sliding door assembly has a frame with a movable panel and a fixed panel. The movable panel has a pair of rollers that roll along a header located above the panels with the rollers attached to the movable panel via posts that pass through a channel on the header. The posts pass through a curved section of the channel whenever the movable panel is proximate its closed position and a straight section of channel when the movable panel is traveling laterally. The movable panel presses against a gasket located on the frame components surrounding the movable panel wherein one or more latches press the movable panel against the gasket whenever this panel is in the closed position. Valve is positioned within a weep hole on the threshold in order to prevent water from seeping into the building via the bottom of the door assembly.
US08381433B2
A grafted seedling producing device including a stock seedling holding unit that holds and conveys a stock seedling, a stock cutting unit that cuts the stock seedling held by the stock seedling holding unit, and a joining unit that joins the stock seedling conveyed by the stock seedling holding unit and a scion seedling, the stock cutting unit including a stock cutter unit that includes a stock blade for cutting the stock seedling by a predetermined stock cutter trajectory, the stock seedling holding unit holding an embryonic stem of a seedling for grafting at a predetermined position on the stock cutter trajectory in a vertical posture, the grafted seedling producing device includes: a supporting unit configured to retract the stock cutter unit from an advance position for cutting in proximity to the stock seedling holding unit; and a stock pressing member that presses and fixes a portion ahead of a cutting position of the embryonic stem from a seedling holding position against the stock seedling holding unit side at the advance position.
US08381430B1
A fishhook disgorger and method of disgorging employ a pair of opposed, widely-spaced, rotating jaws having surfaces configured to grip and hold a fishhook or lure. The jaws are pivotally connected to each other, and a hand operated mechanism uses links and hingepins to draw the jaws toward each other for clasping an impaled fishhook or portion of a fish lure therebetween. The disgorger clasping force may be increased by extending linked elements at an angle to the surfaces configured to hold a fishhook or lure.
US08381429B2
A tube shaped skirted lure comprising a flexible cylindrical silicon tube having a closed end and an open end. A circular channel surrounding the open end and a plurality of flat silicon blanks, each blank having a tab end and a plurality of flexible strands. The circular channel having a “U” shaped cross section. Each tab inserted into the channel and adhesively attached in the channel such that the open end has a plurality of flexible strands radiating out from the open end.
US08381423B2
A vehicle showcase display badge is provided which includes a bezel, a substantially transparent front lens, and a rear lens comprising a light transparent front surface and a colored reflective rear surface. The badge also includes a graphic assembly disposed between the front lens and the rear lens, wherein the rear lens provides a three-dimensional appearance of the graphic assembly. The badge further includes an attachment for attaching the badge to a vehicle such that the graphic assembly is viewable. One or more curved surfaces may be employed on the rear lens to provide a shadow effect. One or more of the lenses may be overmolded.
US08381417B2
An article of footwear includes a footwear upper and a sole assembly secured to the footwear upper. The sole assembly has a heelward portion and a toeward portion, and includes a deck assembly disposed substantially in the heelward portion of the sole assembly. The deck assembly includes an upper deck portion, a lower deck portion spaced from the upper deck portion, and right and left supports attached to respective right and left portions of the upper and lower deck portions substantially near respective right and left lateral edges of the upper and lower deck portions. The deck assembly defines a cavity between the upper and lower decks. The deck assembly directs translation of ground contact forces incurred by the heelward portion of the sole assembly at least partially laterally outwardly.
US08381412B2
A dryer is provided, in which foreign substances contained in air circulating through an inside of a drum is filtered by a filter unit, and the foreign substances attached to the filter unit are separated by air flowing in a direction opposite to a flow direction of the circulating air. The separated foreign substances are collected in a separate lint case.
US08381406B2
A replacement blade razor including a holder having a head portion, a razor head supported by the head portion of the holder, and a blade member removably mounted in the razor head is provided. The head portion of the holder or the razor head includes a holding mechanism that assists in mounting of the blade member in the razor head by attracting or adhering to the blade member and thus causing the razor head to hold the blade member.
US08381401B2
A method of assembly of a rotatable flapper valve to an interior of a conduit features the ability to couple the valve plate to its axle outside of the conduit in an independent operation. The conduit is split into first and second sections each having a flared end and a pair of indentations for receipt of the valve axle. While separated, the valve axle is placed in a pair of indentations in one of the conduit sections and then the second conduit section is moved into abutting engagement such that its indentations also partially surround the axle. The first and second conduit sections are then joined by welding.
US08381395B2
A device and appertaining method for picking up devices in a component placement device permits even very small components and even a first component of a new belt to be picked up by scanning the structural features of the belt directly in the proximity of the components. The positional tolerances can be disregarded so that even the first component of a new belt can be reliably detected by the pick-up tool.
US08381388B2
A method for handling a stator bar at a braze station including: lifting the stator bar from a platform, wherein the stator bar is in a substantially horizontal orientation on the platform; turning the stator bar from the horizontal orientation to an orientation at least 45 degrees from horizontal; aligning an upper end of the bar with a brazing station and positioning a lower end of the bar in a pit; turning the bar to reverse positions of the ends of the bar, and returning the stator bar to a horizontal orientation.
US08381382B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide methods and equipment for automatically assembling three panes of glass and corresponding spacers so that air or other gas can be injected into the two between-pane spaces. The equipment can receive two glass panes that each have spacers coupled to one of their major surfaces, along with a third glass pane having no spacer coupled to its major surfaces, and can assemble the three glass panes into a “teepee” configuration in which the two spacers each contact two of the glass panes along a common edge of the glass panes. Preferred equipment can receive a glass pane in a first orientation and rotate the glass pane 180° to a second orientation in which the glass pane's two major surfaces face opposite directions from the first orientation. Such preferred equipment can then receive a two-pane teepee from a previous piece of equipment and can add the “flipped” single glass pane to the teepee to create a three-pane teepee.
US08381377B1
A bridge system for a string instrument includes a plate that is bonded to a string instrument soundboard. The plate has a plurality of first holes for respectively receiving a string ball end. A bridge box is attached to the underside of the plate. The bridge box has a bottom plate with a plurality of second holes aligned with third holes within the plate for accommodating a string ball end entrapper. The entrapper entraps the string ball end within the bridge system.
US08381374B2
A shower curtain fastener includes a body portion adapted to couple to a shower curtain rod and a shower curtain. A hook portion formed integrally with the body portion includes a first segment extending substantially vertically downward from the bottom section of the body portion and a second segment extending outwardly to receive items apart from the shower curtain.
US08381372B1
A camming clamp has a fixed jaw, a pair anchored in the fixed jaw, and a moving jaw threaded onto the guides. A levered cam is threaded onto at least one guide. A backing surface is threaded onto the same one guide. It sandwiches the levered cam between itself and the moving jaw. An adjustable locking provision locks the backing surface at fixed positions along this guide with the levered cam. Wherein, the levered cam has a cam head with an over-center axis such that, when rolled on one side of the over-center axis the camming clamp is slack and adapted to position the jaws on opposite sides of an object to be clamped, and, when rolled over the other side of the over-center axis the jaws clamp tight on said object. The over-center axis prevents the cam head from auto-pivoting back to slack.
US08381371B2
The description relates to a clip fastening for fastening fitting parts such as locks, hinges, grips and/or for fastening thin-walled structural component parts provided with an opening to a thin wall, such as a sheet-metal cabinet door, provided with an opening or openings, comprising a head part with a flange which overlaps the outer rim or edge of the opening after assembly, and a body part which proceeds from the head part and extends through the opening after assembly, a substantially U-shaped spring being held at the end of the body part and supported by its leg ends on the inner edge of the opening. According to the invention, the spring is a flat structural component part with U-legs that are cut off or shaped at the free end substantially at right angles to the running direction of the U-leg in such a way that they are supported on the rim or edge of the opening after assembly at a slight inclination to the plane of the thin wall.
US08381364B2
A socket and wedge assembly that securely holds wire rope and is easy to release includes a collapsible wedge. The wedge collapses at the front, narrowed end to utilize the high pressures at the front end of the wedge in effecting the collapse and releasing the rope. The wedge includes a movable element that pivots and/or translates to facilitate a quick and reliable collapse of the wedge and release of the wire rope. The wedge includes a cavity to at least partially exhaust the fumes created from cutting the support with a torch for release of the wire rope.
US08381363B2
A securing mechanism for a shackle having a pair of opposed legs with an opening at one end of each of the pair of opposed legs to form a pair of opposed openings. The securing mechanism includes a shackle bolt having a head at one end and a circumferential groove near an opposed end wherein the shackle bolt is received through the pair of opposed openings in the shackle. A two piece hinged clamp assembly is received in the circumferential groove in order to retain the shackle bolt in the shackle. A retainer pin is received in an opening in the two piece clamp assembly to hold the two piece clamp assembly in a closed position. A retainer clip surrounds the retainer pin. A lock pin through the two piece clamp assembly retains the retainer pin in the two piece clamp.
US08381362B2
Disclosed is a closure system used in combination in any of a variety of applications including clothing, for example as a footwear lacing system comprising a lace attached to a tightening mechanism. The lace extends through a series of guide members positioned along two opposing footwear closure portions. The lace and guides preferably have low friction surfaces to facilitate sliding of the lace along the guide members so that the lace evenly distributes tension across the footwear member. The tightening mechanism allows incremental adjustment of the tension of the lace. The closure system allows a user to quickly loosen the lace and inhibits unintentional and/or accidental loosing of the lace.
US08381352B2
An extractor has a duct door moveably mounted to a working air conduit for movement between a first position at which normal suction at a suction nozzle is reduced and a second position at which normal suction at the suction nozzle is unreduced. An actuator is connected to the duct door for selectively moving the duct door between the first position and second position. In one embodiment, a suction leak hole is formed within the working air conduit and the duct door is moveable with respect to the leek hole to selectively fluidly open and close the leak hole. In another embodiment, the duct door is moveable within the working air conduit to selectively fluidly restrict the working air flow in the working air conduit and the actuator selectively moves the duct door between the first and second positions. The suction reduction selectively increases the cleaning solution dwell time.
US08381349B2
A windshield wiper blade assembly comprises: a middle housing having a middle frame segment that defines an accommodating recess; an elastic wiper blade; and a bridging member fitted in the accommodating recess. The bridging member has two end parts, a middle part and a pivot part. The pivot part protrudes upwardly from a top wall of the middle part. Each of the end parts has a top edge extending upwardly from the top wall so as to cooperate with the pivot part to define an extension recess. At least one of the end parts engages the middle frame segment in a tongue-and-groove engaging manner and at least one of the end, parts and the middle part engages the middle frame segment in a snap-fit engaging manner.
US08381348B2
The invention relates to a wiper arm/wiper blade connection between a wiper blade (3, 3a, 3b) and a wiper arm (1) of a windscreen wiper installation for vehicles, comprising a wiper blade adapter (4) which is mounted on the wiper blade for detachably fastening the wiper blade to the wiper arm. The wiper blade is designed as a flat wiper blade and comprises at least one nozzle opening (11.1, 12.1) and/or at least one spray or distribution channel (11, 12) having nozzle openings for applying a cleaning or washing liquid to a vehicle screen on at least one wiper blade longitudinal side. The connection further comprises at least one liquid connection (32, 33) on the wiper blade adapter on the adapter end for detachably connecting the at least one nozzle opening and/or the at least one spray or distribution channel to at least one outer liquid line (14) for supplying the washing or cleaning liquid, namely via a coupling unit (39) that is connected to the at least one liquid line and detachably connected to the at least one liquid line. The invention is characterized in that, if the wiper blade is configured as an electrically heated wiper blade, the wiper blade adapter has at least one electrical connection (35) in addition to the at least one liquid connection, said electrical connection being detachably connected to the at least one outer electrical line (15) via the coupling unit to supply the heating current to the wiper blade.
US08381337B2
An endboard for a person-support apparatus comprises an endboard assembly including a first endboard body rotatably coupled to a frame and a second endboard body rotatably coupled to the first endboard body by a locking mechanism. The second endboard body is configured to be movable between a storage position and a deployed position with respect to the first endboard body. The locking mechanism is configured to selectively maintain the second endboard body in at least one of the storage position and the deployed position with respect to the first endboard body. The second endboard body is configured to assist a person during at least one of ingress and egress to/from the frame when the second endboard body is in the deployed position.
US08381335B2
This invention is directed towards a patient single surface system, PS3, which is a next generation system solution for patient accommodation, diagnosis, treatment, transfer and transport. PS3 provides a single surface for the patient to remain on from the trauma site through diagnosis, treatment and convalescence. Needs addressed by the PS3 system include improved patient treatment through reduction in time to treatment, reduced or eliminated unnecessary patient movement and injury, as well as improved comfort throughout treatment and convalescence. In addition, the PS3 system solves significant economic considerations.
US08381332B2
A rigid sling system is provided to ease the lifting of a disabled person by sliding its constituent sections under the subject as opposed to lifting the disabled person into the sling. This sling system is comprised of two sections, a right section and a left section. A right side main frame and its appropriate straps, a back connector, a right leg support, and a front connector with its appropriate straps are constituent members of the right section of the sling system. A left main frame and its appropriate straps, a left leg support are constituent members of the left section of the sling system. The two sections interlock via the connectors and configure to become engaged to a person lifting the sling system.
US08381326B2
A Steam Bath And Steam Generating Unit has a steam generating unit comprised of a housing, a module or system comprised of stainless steel plates affixed inside said housing, two electric poles that supply the module with 120 volts or 240 volts making it possible for the water delivered by the a water regulator in the form of drops to make contact with the plates, where steam is generated and goes out from the steam generating unit through at least one steam outlet. Said steam generating unit also has a water level regulator inside the steam generator and a manual drainage that allows draining the water held in the interior of the steam generator every time it is used.
US08381321B2
A toilet apparatus includes a bowl cleaning unit for mixing a detergent that removes dirt on the inner walls of the bowl with cleaning water which is to be flushed into the bowl. The detergent is stored in a detergent tank which is provided inside a housing forming the outer shell of the toilet apparatus, and is supplied to the water supply channel of the cleaning water from the detergent tank through a detergent supply unit. The detergent tank is accommodated in an internal space of the housing and is concealed inside the housing behind a detachable cover which constitutes a portion of the outer walls of the housing.
US08381320B2
An improved an impact force-dissipating device which can be used as part of a hip protection system is provided. The impact force-dissipating devices may be incorporated into a garment, worn comfortably, and significantly reduce the risk of hip or other bone fracture in the event of a fall or other trauma to the hip or trochanteric region.
US08381315B1
The specialized glove apparatus has a plurality of fingers, a thumb, a thumb side, a finger side, a backhand, a forehand, a wristband disposed most downwardly, a reinforced panel disposed on the finger side below the fingers, the reinforced panel beginning proximal to the fingers, an abbreviated, substantially stubby spike disposed upwardly and laterally on the reinforced panel, a cutter disposed on the backhand substantially below the thumb, the cutter comprising, a triangulated clam shape, an opened deep recess, a blade disposed completely within the deep recess, a fat lip guide disposed medially on the cutter, at a beginning of the deep recess, a thin upturn disposed laterally on the cutter, the thin upturn opposite the fat lip guide, across the deep recess, and a wrist pad disposed adjacent to the reinforced panel, the wrist pad extended to the wristband.
US08387157B2
The present invention relates to a recording and storage means in digital STB (Set Top Box) and PVR (Personal Video Recorder) and method thereof. The digital broadcast receiver for receiving real-time digital broadcast programs comprises: storage means for storing broadcast programs, being attachable and separable to and from a set by a user without taking the set apart; a coupling means for attachment and separation of the storage means to and from a main body of the broadcast receiver; and a connection means as a path for power supply of the storage means, and signal. The method for storing real-time digital broadcast programs comprises the steps of: extracting a broadcast program to be stored from a digital broadcast stream being received by a tuner; detecting whether a storage means is installed in a broadcast receiver; if the storage means is installed, storing the broadcast program in the storage means, if the storage means is not yet installed, storing the broadcast program in a temporary memory, and redetecting the installation of the storage means and if the installation of the storage means is confirmed, storing the broadcast program stored in the temporary memory in the storage means. The present invention allows users to record and store real-time data for an extended period of time, simply by changing the storage medium with a new one without interruption of the data being received.
US08387156B2
An equipment managing system includes an intermediating apparatus and an equipment managing apparatus. The intermediating apparatus is connected to a license management apparatus and a program management apparatus via a network. The equipment managing apparatus is connected to an electronic equipment via a network. The intermediating apparatus stores a program acquired from the program management apparatus and a license file acquired from the license management apparatus to an external storage medium. The equipment managing apparatus sends the program and the license file recorded in the external storage medium to the electronic equipment.
US08387149B2
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for managing license keys. A license key service module creates a license key service object of a license key service class. The license key service class extends a SMI-S CIM CIM_Service class. The license key service object comprises a plurality of management operations. A hosted license key service module creates a hosted license key service object of a hosted license key service class. A license key module creates a license key object of a license key class. The license key class extends a SMI-S CIM CIM_ManagedElement class. The license key object comprises a license key and employs the plurality of management operations. A management module manages the license key using the license key object, license key service object, and hosted license key service object.
US08387145B2
An IP (Internet Protocol) address is a directly observable identifier of host network traffic in the Internet and a host's IP address can dynamically change. Analysis of traffic (e.g., network activity or application request) logs may be performed and a host tracking graph may be generated that shows hosts and their bindings to IP addresses over time. A host tracking graph may be used to determine host accountability. This can enable host-based blacklisting instead of the traditional IP address based blacklisting. Host tracking results can be leveraged for forensic analysis to understand an attacker's traces and identify malicious activities in a postmortem fashion. The host tracking information may be used to build a tracklist which can block future attacks.
US08387144B2
An improved network protocol for mitigating network amplification attacks is provided. The absolute network load that any transient distributed attack can cause is bounded based on a resource crediting scheme. The protocol accumulates “credit” upon reception and detection of candidate attack request packets, and draws against that credit when transmitting responsive packets. In some implementations, the time frame of such an attack is also bounded using time limits applied to a resource crediting scheme. Other resources may also be bounded by the resource crediting scheme, including without limitation CPU utilization, storage capacity, power, etc.
US08387141B1
System for protecting a mobile device against malware or harmful communications via calls and SMSs. A security module for a personal mobile device protects the device (and the user) against malicious communication, unauthorized access to resources and user private data, and against other security threats. The security module includes a combination of some or all of the following features: control of third-party applications, validation of the SMS sender's number, protection against fake contact name of the SMS sender, collection of data about fraudulent and spam SMS messages, robust sending of SOS SMSs and SOS e-mails with geographic coordinates of the mobile device, verification of validity of the base station, deletion of user data from a mobile device remotely, locking of a phone until the password is entered and filtering calls and SMS messages.
US08387135B2
A method and apparatus are provided for controlling access to a secure area. The method includes the steps of providing a plurality of user credentials, generating a Boolean equation based upon the plurality of user credentials where the generated Boolean equation provides a predetermined response to each user credential of the plurality of credentials, saving the generated Boolean equation in a memory in place of the user credentials and recognizing a user credential of the plurality of user credentials by reference to the Boolean equation.
US08387130B2
Virtualizing a service is disclosed. A request to access a service from a first server is received from a client. A secret data associated with the first server is used to process the received request. The processed request is sent to a second server. The first and second servers are associated with a virtualization; and wherein the processed request can be used by the second server to authenticate the client.
US08387128B1
A system and method for a distributed multi-processing security gateway establishes a host side session, selects a proxy network address for a server, uses the proxy network address to establish a server side session, receives a data packet, assigns a central processing unit core from a plurality of central processing unit cores in a multi-core processor of the security gateway to process the data packet, processes the data packet according to security policies, and sends the processed data packet. The proxy network address is selected such that a same central processing unit core is assigned to process data packets from the server side session and the host side session. By assigning central processing unit cores in this manner, higher capable security gateways are provided.
US08387112B1
A method may include contacting, by a network device, another device to obtain at least one of a network address, authentication, or authorization, receiving, from the other device, software update information that identifies an up-to-date software that the network device should have installed and location information that identifies a location from which to retrieve the up-to-date software, comparing, by the network device, the software update information to software information that identifies software currently installed on the network device, retrieving, by the network device, the up-to-date software based on the software update information and the location information when the software update information and the software information do not match, and auto-installing, by the network device, the up-to-date software.
US08387103B2
A video server device provides digitization and networking functions to a CCTV camera. To make installation of a video server device easier, the video server device includes a network connector for carrying first data signals, second data signals, and direct current power, an interface circuit including transformers for splitting the data signals and the power signals and/or traces for carrying the direct current, a DC/DC converter for tapping the direct current power from the transformers and/or the traces of the network connector for generating a first voltage source, and an output power connector for providing the fourth voltage source to the CCTV camera.
US08387101B2
A method and apparatus for providing an interactive service and a method and apparatus for performing communication are provided. An Open Cable Application Platform (OCAP) application may be directly executed in at least one broadcasting receiving apparatus by determining whether an application for providing the interactive service is independently executable using middleware installed in the broadcasting receiving apparatus and selectively requesting a set-top box to provide data needed for executing the application based on the determination result.
US08387097B2
A digital broadcasting system and a data processing method are disclosed. A receiving system of the digital broadcasting system includes a baseband processor, a table handler, a FLUTE handler, and a display module. The baseband processor receives a broadcast signal including mobile service data and main service data. Herein, the mobile service data may configure an RS frame. And, the RS frame may include mobile service data, file data, and a table having at least one channel configuration information on the mobile service data and estimated download time for the file data described therein. The table handler parses the table from the RS frame, thereby extracting and outputting at least one channel configuration information on the mobile service data and estimated download time information of the file data. The FLUTE handler parses the file data from the RS frame and storing the parsed data. And, the display module receives the estimated download time for the file data parsed by the FLUTE handler from the table handler, thereby displaying the estimated download time on a portion of a display screen.
US08387096B2
A web-based subscription service PVR system. An Internet server maintains, for each subscriber, the subscriber's aggregated content including digital rights management (DRM) rules for each piece of content as defined by the content provider. Pointers to requested content are provided.
US08387093B2
A media recommendation system gathers negative user feedback associated with media content. Based on the gathered feedback, the media recommendation system extracts a list of recommended media content from program data describing available media content.
US08387089B1
Systems and methods for a video scan are provided. The scan may be dynamically interactive and a function of characteristics of the programs in the scan (e.g., commercial breaks or the end of a program approaching) The scan may simultaneously display multiple scan windows for a plurality of programs, for example in a scan wizard. The scan wizard allows the user to simultaneously view a scan window and an information panel, select criteria for the scan from a criteria panel, and control the scan using a scan control panel. The scan may allow the user to record a program displayed in the scan without interrupting the scan (e.g., by using an additional tuner). The scan may display, within the scan interface, trick-play functions for appropriate scanned programs (e.g., recorded, cached and on-demand programs). The user may select and perform trick-play functions for a scanned program without exiting the scan mode.
US08387074B2
An apparatus and method provides directory service to software applications throughout an enterprise. Directory entries are kept in a data store. A web server having one or more API's is coupled to the data store. The web server may have an API locator for selecting an appropriate API. An enterprise software application such as a purchasing or accounts payable transaction requests directory information by sending a query to an appropriate wrapper based on the programming language, protocol or format of the application. The wrapper sends the request to the appropriate API which then sends a request to the data store. A directory entry is received and returned to the enterprise.
US08387073B1
Method and system for transferring information from a host system is provided. The method includes sending a SCSI read command and a scatter/gather (“S/G”) list from an application executed by a processor for the host system to a iSCSI software layer executed by the processor for the host system; generating an iSCSI protocol data unit (“PDU”) header for a iSCSI PDU for the SCSI read command; sending the iSCSI PDU to a data mover layer executed by the processor for the host system; and sending the iSCSI PDU to an iSCSI offload module in a network adapter operationally coupled to the host system; wherein the iSCSI offload module appends a PDU header digest to the iSCSI PDU header; and transmits the PDU to a PDU destination.
US08387067B2
A message tracking and verifying system for verifying the correctness of messages being passed may comprise a tracking module for tracking a request message and a verifying module for verifying a response message. The tracking module may be configured to store a calculated source address and a calculated response address range. The verifying module may be configured to obtain an actual source address from the response message and an actual response address range for the response message. The correctness of the response message is determined based on the comparison of the calculated source address with the actual source address and the comparison of the calculated response address range with the actual response address range.
US08387066B1
In a storage area network, a task manager identifies a set of preconditions for execution of storage management tasks. The set of preconditions establish dependencies between tasks in the storage area network. Execution of the tasks is contingent upon satisfaction of the set of preconditions. In addition, the task manager generates a scheduling data structure based on the set of preconditions in order to schedule execution of the tasks. As a result, the task manager can utilize the scheduling data structure to optimize task execution in the storage area network (e.g., by applying a task optimization algorithm). Such optimization minimizes resource consumption (e.g., thread allocation, processor time commitment, etc.) in the storage area network during execution of the tasks.
US08387040B2
The dynamic creation of a client-side environment for problem analysis includes the delivery and installation of a cohesive file structure to a client-side machine, the cohesive file structure including a data structure containing data files and an analyzer tool.
US08387027B2
A method for compiling source code, involving: obtaining a statement of the source code comprising a method call, where the source code is composed in a statically-typed programming language; determining whether the method call is a dynamic method call; upon determining that the method call is a dynamic method call, compiling a dynamic method invocation without performing type checking on the method call; upon determining that the method call is not a dynamic method call: performing type checking on the method call, selecting a target method to invoke, and compiling a static method invocation to invoke the target method.
US08387022B2
Systems and methods are disclosed for protecting a computer program from unauthorized analysis and modification. Obfuscation transformations can be applied to the computer program's local structure, control graph, and/or data structure to render the program more difficult to understand and/or modify. Tamper-resistance mechanisms can be incorporated into the computer program to detect attempts to tamper with the program's operation. Once an attempt to tamper with the computer program is detected, the computer program reports it to an external agent, ceases normal operation, and/or reverses any modifications made by the attempted tampering. The computer program can also be watermarked to facilitate identification of its owner. The obfuscation, tamper-resistance, and watermarking transformations can be applied to the computer program's source code, object code, or executable image.
US08387018B2
Disclosed is a novel computer implemented system, on demand service, computer program product and a method for fault-localization techniques that apply statistical analyses to execution data gathered from multiple tests. The present invention determines the fault-localization effectiveness of test suites generated according to several test-generation techniques based on combined concrete and symbolic (concolic) execution. These techniques are evaluated by applying the Ochiai fault-localization technique to generated test suites in order to localize 35 faults in four PHPWeb applications. The results show that the test-generation techniques under consideration produce test suites with similar high fault-localization effectiveness, when given a large time budget.
US08387013B2
A system resource manager of a site management server registers a server domain as a group of servers having a uniform physical wire connection. A software RM of the site management server and a software sub RM of a domain management server install, in cooperation with each other, a software used by a server that belongs to a registered server domain in a storage connected via a SAN, and causes the server to use installed software.
US08387012B2
In and for software projects, arrangements for permitting a user to understand how the spatial locality of a function call may have changed with respect to any changes in a function definition. This permits an analysis of different workflows which use the same function, wherein the definition of the function may have changed. To the extent that there might be corresponding changes in the workflows which use such a function, the user will readily develop an idea of why some workflows changed and some did not. The invention method and apparatus determine and display deltas (changes) between different versions of a file where the function call occurs.
US08387003B2
Various embodiments herein include one or more of systems, methods, software, and/or data structures to implement a “pluperfect” hash function. Generally, a pluperfect hash function is a hash function that maps distinct elements in a set S to distinct hash values H with no collisions (i.e., perfect hash function) and also includes an additional constraint that the hash function does not map other elements outside the set S into the set of distinct hash values H. In some example embodiments, pluperfect hash functions are used to implement a multi-way branch statement in a computer programming language. The implementation may include generating hash values for each of the case labels of the branch statement according to a pluperfect hash function.
US08386982B1
The present disclosure relates to a computer-implemented method for assigning pins in an electronic design. The method may include generating a pin list associated with the electronic design, the pin list having a one or more pins that are directly and indirectly connected with at least one of a master partition and a clone partition. The method may further include sorting one or more pins within the pin list based upon, at least in part, a number of local connections to generate a sorted pin list and selecting a first pin having a highest number of local connections of the sorted pin list as a reference pin. The method may also include selecting a partition of the reference pin, as a reference partition and identifying one or more alignment zones for every connected pair of pins in the sorted pin list. The method may further include transforming all alignment zones to the reference partition using a depth-first-search.
US08386978B1
In one embodiment of the invention, a physical layout wire-load algorithm is used to generate a wire-load model based on physical data including aspect ratio and wire definitions defined in a physical library. The physical layout estimator is utilized to dynamically produce the physical layout wire-load model and to calculate net length and delay for each optimization iteration.
US08386974B2
In a method for increasing coverage convergence during verification of a design for an integrated circuit, multiple simulation runs can be performed. Symbolic variables and symbolic expressions can be generated for the variables and the variable expressions in the hardware code of the design and a test bench. Exemplary hardware code can include the hardware description language (HDL) code and/or the hardware verification language (HVL) code. Symbolic properties, which are derived from propagating the symbolic variables and symbolic expressions through the design and the test bench during the multiple simulation runs, can be collected. Coverage information from the multiple simulation runs can be analyzed to identify coverage points to be targeted. At this point, for each identified coverage point, the constraints resulting from the collected symbolic properties can be solved to generate directed stimuli for the design. These directed stimuli can increase the coverage convergence.
US08386973B2
Disclosed is a behavioral synthesis apparatus for generating a test bench where the same test vector can be used in both the behavioral simulation and the RTL simulation. The apparatus includes input application/output signal observation timing signal generation means that generates an input application timing signal, an output observation timing signal, and logic circuits for the input application timing signal and the output observation timing signal; and test bench generation means that generates a test bench that observes the signals, applies inputs, and observes outputs.
US08386970B2
According an aspect of the invention, there is provided a design support system of a semiconductor integrated circuit includes: a first unit configured to determine a wiring path by calculating wiring resource consuming information for carrying out a connection through a multi-cut via in case that the connection is carried out through the multi-cut via in a wiring region having a plurality of layers; and a second unit configured to replacing a single-cut via into the multi-cut via.
US08386966B1
Some embodiments provide a system that monitors use of an application. During operation, the system uses the application to track a set of interactions between a set of users and the application without impacting the performance of the application. Next, the system stores the interactions as the interactions are detected by the application. Finally, for each user from the set of users, the system periodically processes a subset of the stored interactions associated with the user to obtain an activity history for the user, wherein the activity history is used to facilitate subsequent real-time use of the application by the user.
US08386963B2
A virtual inking device is created in response to a touch input device detecting a user's inking gesture. For example, when a user places one of their hands in a pen gesture (i.e. by connecting the index finger with the thumb while holding the other fingers near the palm), the user may perform inking operations. When the user changes the pen gesture to an erase gesture (i.e. making a fist) then the virtual pen may become a virtual eraser. Other inking gestures may also be utilized.
US08386959B2
Apparatus, methods and software for creating resolution-independent vector display of Internet (Web) content to allow Web pages to be scaled (zoomed) and panned for better viewing and/or to fit any resolution or screen size. According to one aspect, novel client-side processing of markup language-based Web content is provided that translates employs a rendering engine to interpret original page layout information into scalable page layout information. The scalable page layout information is then scaled and employed to enable the Web content to be rapidly rendered, zoomed, and panned. According to another aspect, display lists are generated to provide further enhancements in rendering speed. According to other aspects, bounding boxes are generated and scaled to lay out text and/or images on scaled Web content that is used to facilitate browsing of Web pages with zooming and panning.
US08386953B1
A method executed at a client computer accesses a data record having a fixed set of predefined fields and a set of custom fields. Each predefined field has a predefined field name and a field value, and each custom field has a user-specified field name and a field value. The method displays the data record in a graphical user interface, which includes data entry controls for user specification of a field name and a field value. The method receives input from a user that includes a user-specified field name in the data entry controls. When the user-specified field name matches a field name of a predefined field, the method stores a user-supplied value in that predefined field. When the user-specified field name does not match the field name of any predefined field, the method stores the user-specified field name and the user-supplied value in an allocated custom field.
US08386949B2
A mobile terminal and a method of providing a scheduler therein are provided. The mobile terminal comprises: a touch screen; a memory unit for storing a scheduler; and a controller for controlling to display, when displaying a screen of the scheduler on the touch screen, an indicator for changing a relative position thereof to a time axis and for representing a time range of any schedule item by the relative position thereof on the scheduler screen.
US08386946B2
A system with the ability to dynamically compose a sequence of visual views or flows allowing a single object or region, or multiple objects or regions, to be viewed from different perspectives and visual distances is described. The sequence of views can provide smooth flyovers over positions and details on objects that are deemed to be of interest, with changes in zoom level and/or velocity that are functions of the estimated complexity and/or unfamiliarity with features of the object. In an example, a flyover displaying different views on a map of a city arterial system on a small-screened mobile device is composed based on current traffic conditions, swooping up and down with parabolic trajectories, based on distances being traversed, and pausing at times over key traffic jams and other findings of interest based on the estimated visual complexity and predicted atypicality of situations.
US08386945B1
A system and method for managing production printing workflow is disclosed. The system includes workflow management software which manages and facilitates the procedural stages of the workflow including job origination, job preparation, job submission and job fulfillment. The workflow management software provides an integrated object oriented interface which visually reflects and interacts with the workflow. The software further provides functionality to create, manage and manipulate compound documents as ordered collections of documents.
US08386944B2
A method for providing a graphical user interface (GUI) and an electronic device using the method are provided. The method includes forming one or more groups of GUI items other than a GUI item selected by a user, moving the GUI items in the one or more groups, and enlarging and displaying the selected item on an area formed by movement of the GUI items. Therefore, it is possible to provide a GUI which enables easy manipulation and which is displayed with superior visual effect on a screen that is relatively small in size.
US08386931B2
A context-sensitive process guidance system provides process guidance based on context data from a system used in performing the process. The system may be a work item tracking system or similar project management tool. Process guidance may provide information to a user performing actions related to a process. Context data may be derived from various sources, including the state of an application at the time of the request for process guidance, the user making the request and the role assigned to that user in the process, or the data displayed for the user who made the request. The context-sensitive process guidance system may display context-sensitive process guidance content and provide links to related process guidance content based on the context data.
US08386928B1
A system and method are disclosed for automatically captioning an electronic demonstration using object properties captured from the operating system. In response to an action that is initiated by a demonstrator, the operating system is queried to obtain the property information for the target object to which the action is directed as well as the parent object of the target object. This property information is then used to generate explanatory captions that are displayed to a user or trainee during the playback of the electronic demonstration.
US08386921B2
A system and method for developing a website are provided. Under the present invention, content can be provided in a non-HTML format. In addition, a the web pages of a website developed can each include categories. Each category can be assigned to a particular group of creators, which will submit content therefor.
US08386920B2
A data visualization system provides data visualization objects to a live document author for incorporation into a live document. The system is responsive to selection of one or more objects by incorporating the object in a hypertext markup. Objects may include view objects, such as bar charts and dynamic tables, text objects, which permit an author to guide a reader through the live document, and interaction objects which permit a reader to interact with a live document. The system also permits views to be linked by an author and interaction sessions to be saved by a reader.
US08386913B2
The invention relates to a method for providing hypertext data through a hypertext server (43) on a portable data carrier (10) for a terminal (80) connected to the portable data carrier (10), and to an accordingly adapted portable data carrier (10). The hypertext server (43) receives (100) a hypertext query of the terminal (80) and thereupon provides (200) hypertext data relating to the hypertext query. The hypertext server (43) then sends (400) the provided hypertext data as a hypertext response to the terminal (80). The method is characterized in that upon the providing (200) of the hypertext data at least one hyperlink contained in the hypertext data is checked and the checked hyperlink is contained in the hypertext response.
US08386904B2
Certain aspects of the present disclosure relate to a method for generating a single rate or multi-rate highly structured low density parity check, encoding a data stream with the generated LDPC matrix for transmission in a wireless communication system, and for efficient LDPC decoding at a receiver.
US08386902B1
A method and apparatus to select bits for puncturing forward error correcting code frames to synthesize higher code rates. For example, there is provided a method of puncturing a digital data stream that includes a first parity bit stream and a second parity bit stream to generate a punctured bit stream. In one example, the method includes operating a first counting loop to select a first number of punctured bits from the first parity bit stream, comparing the first number of punctured bits with a desired number of bits for the punctured bit stream, and if the first number of punctured bits is less than the desired number of bits, operating a second counting loop to select a second number of punctured bits from the second parity bit stream until the sum of the first number of punctured bits and the second number of punctured bits is equal to the desired number of bits for the punctured bit stream.
US08386896B2
Data to be more robustly transmitted within 8VSB broadcast DTV signals are turbo coded using parallel concatenated convolutional coding (PCCC) and incorporated within the segments of data fields, the bytes of which are convolutionally interleaved before trellis coding and 8VSB symbol mapping. Packing the PCCC into payload fields of MPEG-2-compatible null data packets and Reed-Solomon coding the packets to generate the segments of data fields, the bytes of which are convolutionally interleaved, conditions legacy DTV receivers to disregard PCCC components not useful to them. Transversal packing turbo-coded Reed-Solomon codewords into the payload fields of MPEG-2-compatible null data packets increases the capability of those turbo-coded Reed-Solomon codewords to overcome burst errors. Repeated transmissions of the transversally packed turbo-coded Reed-Solomon codewords in whole or in part allows them to overcome protracted deep fades encountered during mobile reception of 8VSB DTV signals.
US08386895B2
Subject matter disclosed herein relates to semiconductor memories and, more particularly, to multilevel non-volatile or volatile memories.
US08386888B2
An error correcting circuit includes a marker decoder for sampling 2-bit markers from a data string and, from sample values of the 2-bit markers, determine whether there is an occurrence of an error on the 2-bit markers, of an insertion error, or of a deletion error. The circuit also includes an error corrector for performing an error correction on the data string received from the marker decoder by using an error correcting code in the data string. When either one of the insertion error and the deletion error is determined to have occurred, the marker decoder can perform another error correction on the either one of the insertion error and the deletion error, and output the data string from which the 2-bit markers are removed.
US08386880B2
The invention relates to a decoding method for non-binary codes, in particular non-binary LDPC codes, amenable to representation by a bipartite graph representing N variables and M constraints. The invention also relate to a transmission method for transmitting non-binary codes, in particular non-binary LDPC codes, and to a reception to receive the same. The invention can be applied in particular to an IR-HARQ or a cooperative network using a non-binary code, in particular a non-binary LDPC code.
US08386877B2
Intended is to achieve, in a wide range of an SN ratio, throughput on the same order of that attained by a method based on puncturing and improve computational complexity of decoding processing at a high coding rate. In a communication system for transmitting an error correcting code for an error on a communication path from a transmitter to a receiver, the transmitter divides information bits of a code word to be transmitted into a plurality of blocks based on a request for retransmission of an error correcting code from the receiver, generates an error correcting code by compact-coding of one block among the plurality of blocks and transmits the generated error correcting code.
US08386874B2
Methods and apparatus utilize hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) transmissions and retransmissions that are usable on multiple carriers, i.e. joint HARQ processes. For example, a downlink (DL) shared channel transmission of a joint HARQ process is received on one of the carriers. A first part of an identity of the joint HARQ process is determined by using HARQ process identity data received on a shared control channel. A second part of the joint HARQ process identity is determined using additional information. The joint HARQ process identity is then determined by combining the first part and the second part. A WTRU is provided that is configured to receive the DL shared channel and to make the aforementioned determinations. A variety of other methods and apparatus configurations are disclosed for utilizing joint HARQ processes, in particular in the context of DC-HSDPA.
US08386869B1
A defect portion in a signal is processed by receiving an input signal. A location of a defect portion within the input signal and an amplitude of the defect portion is determined. An adjusted signal is generated by adjusting the amplitude of the defect portion using the determined location of the defect portion and the determined amplitude of the defect portion. Information associated with the adjusted signal is decoded.
US08386868B2
Methods, apparatus and computer readable medium for handling error correction in a memory are disclosed. In some embodiments, first data is written to the memory, and a value(s) of an operational parameter(s) that is a consequence of the writing of the first data is determined. Second data is read from the memory, and the value(s) of the operational parameter(s) may be used when correcting errors in the second data. In some embodiments, the first data is the same as the second data. The presently-disclosed teachings are applicable to any kind of memory including (i) non-volatile memories such as flash memory, magnetic memory and optical storage and (ii) volatile memory such as SRAM or DRAM.
US08386866B2
In an embodiment of the invention, variable test clock circuitry is provided within an integrated circuit desired to be tested. The variable test clock frequency implements a test clock control register that receives serial test data from a device tester and is configured to serially pass the received test data to scan test chains within the integrated circuit. The test clock control register stores test clock information. The test clock information is provided to a test clock generator where the test clock generator then produces test clock signals at a predetermined frequency. The test clock signal is then provided as a test clock frequency for the scan test chains within the integrated circuit. Methods are also disclosed for operating the variable test clock frequency.
US08386859B2
Mechanisms for controlling an operation of one or more cores on an integrated circuit chip are provided. The mechanisms retrieve, from an on-chip non-volatile memory of the integrated circuit chip, baseline chip characteristics data representing operational characteristics of the one or more cores prior to the integrated circuit chip being operational in the data processing system. Current operational characteristics data of the one or more cores are compared with the baseline chip characteristics data. Deviations of the current operational characteristics data from the baseline chip characteristics data are determined and used to determine modifications to an operation of the one or more cores. Control signals are sent to one or more on-chip management units based on the determined modifications to cause the operation of the one or more cores to be modified.
US08386852B2
A method of regression testing a software application in an execution environment is disclosed. The software application interacts with a data storage and is run a first time. While running the software application for the first time, interactions of the software application with the data storage are monitored. Also while running the software application for the first time, first output data written from the software application to the data storage are recorded, and input data received by the software application from the data storage are recorded. The software application is run a second time after the first time. While running the software application the second time, when the software application calls for data from the data storage, at least a portion of the recorded input data is provided to the software application, and, when the software application writes data to the data storage, second output data written by the software application are recorded. The second output data are compared with the first output data to evaluate whether the software application has passed the regression test.
US08386850B2
Backup set metadata is received, wherein the backup set metadata comprises information about backup data sets that are received by a backup storage system that stores the backup data sets. The manner in which the backup data sets flow through a processing flow path of the backup storage system is emulated. One or more processes that process the backup set metadata through an emulated processing flow path are executed, wherein the emulated processing flow path is indicative of the manner in which the backup data sets flow through the processing flow path of the backup storage system when the backup storage system stores the backup data sets. One or more timing statistics are calculated based on the flow of the backup set metadata through the emulated processing flow path.
US08386842B2
A computer system with a damaged BIOS data recovering function is disclosed. When BIOS data in the computer are damaged, the computer system may update and recover the BIOS of the storage unit of the computer system in a standby mode via an external electronic device (another computer or a USB flash disk). The computer system includes a storage unit, a data transferring interface, a power supply unit, and a control unit. The computer system is electrically connected with the external electronic device via the data transferring interface. The power supply unit provides standby power (in the standby mode) when the computer system is shut down. The control unit is electrically connected with the power supply unit and the data transferring interface, respectively. The control unit is actuated via the standby power, receives the external BIOS stored in the external electronic device.
US08386839B2
Availability of an information system including a storage apparatus and a computer is improved. First and second storage apparatuses execute remote copy of copying data written into a first primary volume from the computer to a second primary volume, at least one of the first and second storage apparatuses executes local copy of copying the data written into the first or second primary volume in a self-storage apparatus to the corresponding first or second secondary volume, and the computer switches the destination of a write request of the data from the first storage apparatus to the second storage apparatus in case of a failure occurring in the first storage apparatus.
US08386837B2
A storage control device includes a first rebuilding unit rebuilding information stored in one of a plurality of storages that fails by using information stored in the plurality of storages excluding said failed storage and storing rebuilt information in a spare storage replaced with the failed storage, a second rebuilding unit rebuilding information stored in two of said plurality of storages that fail by using information stored in said plurality of storages excluding the two failed storages and storing rebuilt information in two spare storages replaced with the two failed storages, and a rebuilding control unit for controlling said first rebuilding unit and second rebuilding unit where one of said spare storages fails during rebuilding the data stored in said two failed storages to replace the failed spare storage with other spare storage whereby said second rebuilding unit continues rebuilding the data.
US08386831B2
A Downloadable Conditional Access System (DCAS) headend system and method for processing an error of Secure Micro (SM) Client Software are provided to prevent further transmission of SM Client Software where an error occurred, and to prevent unnecessary traffic due to repeat reinstallation of SM Client Software between an Authentication Proxy (AP) server and a terminal, by changing policy information regarding a transmission of SM Client Software associated with error information, when a number of terminals that transmit the error information exceeds a reference value as a result of analyzing result information regarding a reception and an installation of the SM Client Software received from a terminal corresponding to a DCAS headend system.
US08386829B2
A method is described for performing an automatic internal trimming operation that can compensate process variation and supply voltage variation in an integrated circuit. A reference signal is applied when the integrated circuit is in an automatic internal trimming mode, and integrated circuit timing is trimmed into a predetermined target range after applying predefined reference cycles.
US08386828B1
Circuits and methods are provided for estimating a latency through a FIFO buffer. A first detector detects first instances of a pattern in first data values serially written to a write port of the FIFO buffer. A second detector detects second instances of the pattern in second data values serially read from a read port of the FIFO buffer. The second data values are the first data values delayed by the latency through the FIFO buffer. A counter counts a count of active transitions of a sample clock signal. The counter starts on each detected first instance and stops on each detected second instances. The count provides an estimate of the latency of the FIFO buffer.
US08386827B2
Various embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for event alignment control. For example, an event alignment control circuit is disclosed that includes a delay table, a flag write controller circuit, and a signal reconstruction circuit. The delay table includes at least a first register and a last register, and is operable to transfer data from the first register to the last register. The flag write controller circuit is operable to receive an indication of assertion of an event flag and to write information relevant to the event flag to the first register of the delay table. The signal reconstruction circuit is electrically coupled to the last register, and reconstructs the event flag based at least in part on the information relevant to the event flag obtained from the last register.
US08386805B2
A system and a method are provided for activating one or more security functions of a mobile electronic device. The system and method provide for the activation of one or more security functions when the mobile electronic device is stored in a mobile electronic device holder. Security functions include, for example, closing a data item currently being displayed on the mobile electronic device, erasing decrypted information stored on the mobile electronic device, locking the mobile electronic device, and performing a secure garbage collection operation.
US08386804B2
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor integrated device which stores secret data and is capable of operating in a test mode in which a scan test with respect to an internal circuit is executed, the semiconductor integrated device comprises a mode signal receiving module configured to receive a scan mode signal designating the test mode, a mask module configured to mask the secret data when the mode signal receiving module receives the scan mode signal, and an error detection module configured to detect presence or absence of error in the secret data and to store detection result in a first flip-flop.
US08386799B2
Methods and apparatuses for providing DRM interoperability are provided. Proxy re-encryption technique using bilinear map is used, and the same content can be used in different devices. According to the method of providing DRM interoperability includes in proxy agent with respect to digital rights management (DRM) service providers and device which supports predetermined DRM, first DRM service provider, second DRM service provider, the proxy agent, and the device identify each other, and proxy re-encrypt an interoperable content (IC) and provide the IC to the device. The IC is second-level encrypted by using a key of the first DRM service provider, and the proxy re-encryption is performed by using a proxy key generated from proxy key information provided from the first DRM service provider and the second DRM service provider. Therefore, a problem in which interoperability cannot be guaranteed since a DRM technique depends on a service provider is resolved.
US08386796B2
An information processing apparatus includes a chip implemented therein to independently perform a predetermined process. The chip includes a storage unit that stores therein user signature information in which biometric information of a user and a user electronic signature key that is a key for generating an electronic signature of the user for information created by the user are associated with each other and an encryption key that is a key for encrypting information, an electronic signature adding unit that, if the biometric information is obtained from the user, searches the storage unit for the user signature information corresponding to the biometric information, and adds the electronic signature of the user to user created information with a user electronic signature key in the user signature information, and an encrypt processing unit that encrypts with the encryption key the user created information processed by the electronic signature adding unit.
US08386777B2
The invention relates to a method of controlling access to multicast IP flows. Following connection to a collection equipment by a user terminal, the method consists in: transmitting an access authorization request message from said collection equipment to an access control server; and, subsequently, upon successful verification of the user access right, transmitting an access authorization acceptance message comprising at least one multicast filter from the server to the collection equipment or, in the absence of a successful verification, transmitting an access refusal message from the server to the collection equipment in order to inhibit the connection of the user terminal. The invention is suitable for multicast broadcasting over an IP, Internet and/or corporate network.
US08386771B2
There is disclosed a process for encrypting a data stream to secure the data stream for single viewing and to protect copyrights of the data stream. Specifically, there is disclosed a process for protecting streaming multimedia, entertainment and communications in an Internet-type transmission. There is further disclosed a streaming server component operably connected with a streaming server that interacts with a client system to affect the inventive process.
US08386768B2
High-performance data encryption/decryption server and method for transparently encrypting/decrypting data. System and method for encryption and/or decryption cryptographic services that have applicability small and large databases and especially to encryption and/or decryption of bulk data. Method for transparently applying a cryptographic operation to application-specific data. Encryption server for transparent encryption and decryption of application specific data. Method for transparently encrypting application specific data. Computer program stored on a computer readable media for modifying the operation of a computer process implementing a method for transparently encrypting application specific data. System and appliance for transparently encrypting application specific data. System for transparently applying a cryptographic operation to application-specific data.
US08386767B2
Methods, systems and communication nodes for bootstrapping key establishment to exchange encryption keys between a terminal-based client and an application server using Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) signaling are described.
US08386764B2
A BIOS architecture adapted in a computer system is provided. The BIOS architecture includes at least one BIOS, a programmable chip module, a baseboard management controller (BMC), a south bridge chip and a network interface controller (NIC). The NIC is connected to the south bridge chip and the BMC and is to receive a remote update data to determine the destination of the remote update data. When the destination of the remote update data is the south bridge chip, the south bridge chip updates the BIOS according to the remote update data. When the destination of the remote update data is the BMC, the NIC informs the BMC to receive the remote update data, such that the BMC controls the programmable chip module to update the BIOS according to the remote update data.
US08386760B2
An electronic apparatus and a booting method of the same are provided. The booting method of the electronic apparatus, including a non-volatile first storage unit storing a device initialization file and a device execution file, and a volatile second storage unit, includes: loading the device execution file from the first storage unit into the second storage unit at an initial booting; generating reference information about the loaded device execution file; maintaining power supplied to the second storage unit when the electronic apparatus is turned off; loading and executing the device initialization file from the first storage unit into the second storage unit at a rebooting; and executing the device execution file stored in the second storage unit with reference to the reference information.
US08386759B1
An integrated circuit (“IC”) including a configurable configuration controller and associated IC boot program product is disclosed. One embodiment of the present invention provides an IC boot program product including IC boot code for configuring a configuration controller of an IC such that an updated programming file can be read out of the configuration memory prior to loading an initial default programming file from the configuration memory into configuration elements of the IC. Another embodiment of the present invention provides an IC boot program product including IC boot code for configuring a configuration controller of an IC in accordance with a particular configuration memory interface selected from a plurality of such interfaces. Another embodiment of the present invention provides a method for reading configuration memory device information in a first read mode and then reading a programming file from the configuration memory device in a second read mode. Another embodiment of the invention provides an IC including a configurable configuration controller adapted to be configured by IC boot code read from a configuration memory device.
US08386753B2
A mechanism is provided for thread completion arbitration. The mechanism comprises executing more than two threads of instructions simultaneously in the processor, selecting a first thread from a first subset of threads, in the more than two threads, for completion of execution within the processor, and selecting a second thread from a second subset of threads, in the more than two threads, for completion of execution within the processor. The mechanism further comprises completing execution of the first and second threads by committing results of the execution of the first and second threads to a storage device associated with the processor. At least one of the first subset of threads or the second subset of threads comprise two or more threads from the more than two threads. The first subset of threads and second subset of threads have different threads from one another.
US08386748B2
An address translation unit includes a translation lookaside buffer (TLB), a miss queue, and a control unit. The TLB may store a plurality of address translations. The miss queue may store received address translation requests that missed in the TLB. The miss queue includes a plurality of entries. At least some entries may each store a respective address translation request and a corresponding identifier. The corresponding identifier of a given entry identifies another entry in the miss queue that stores another respective address translation request having a process ordering constraint that is the same as a process ordering constraint of the respective address translation request in the given entry. Address translations having a same ordering constraint that are linked together via the identifier belong to the same virtual miss queue. The control unit may process the received address translation requests in an order dependent upon the identifier.
US08386747B2
Non-intrusive techniques have been developed to dynamically and selectively alter address translations performed by, or for, a processor. For example, in some embodiments, a memory management unit is configured to map from effective addresses in respective effective (or virtual) address spaces to physical addresses in the memory, wherein the mappings performed by the memory management unit are based on address translation entries of an address translation table. For a subset of less than all processes, entry selection logic selects from amongst plural alternative mappings coded in respective ones of the address translation entries. For at least some effective addresses mapped for a particular process of the subset, selection of a particular address translation entry is based on an externally sourced value. In some embodiments, only a subset of effective addresses mapped for the particular process are subject to dynamic runtime alteration of the address translation entry selection.
US08386743B2
Art is provided that is capable of easily performing update processing in a short time even when updating numerous data of a storage medium of a navigation device. A directory structure corresponding to a partition structure of a storage medium is created. Image files IF are generated for updated data content within partitions HDn (n=0, 1, 2, 4, 6). The generated image files IF of the partitions HDn are stored in directories DIR that correspond to the partitions HDn in the created directory structure. Data content of the image files IF read from the directories DIR that correspond to the partitions HDn is written to the partitions HDn of the storage medium.
US08386741B2
Embodiments of the invention relate to block layout and block allocation in a file system to support write transactions. Regions in a cluster file system are defined to support a block allocation, include both write affinity and wide striping region. An allocation map is maintained to define and support the block allocation regions. For each write transaction, a copy of data is written to both regions, and in the event there is a shortage of blocks in one of the regions, at least one block in the other region is dynamically converted to support the write transaction.
US08386734B2
A method and apparatus for constructing a memory-based database service platform, in which database can be on-loaded and off-loaded or unloaded as needed, and can reserve schedule and size of memory and other resources, including CPUs, network, backup, mirroring and recovery recourses. With the service platform, multiple different types of databases can be chosen by specifying data storage type and data operation interfaces, such as Relational Database (RDB), Biometric Database (BDB), Time Series Database (TDB), Data Driven Database (DDDB) and File-based Database (FDB) etc. Database types can be chosen either by user directly or by platform automatically or semi-automatically based on data types and data operation characteristics.
US08386730B2
It is an object to provide a data logger which solves a problem in which data required to analyze a cause of occurrence of abnormality cannot be acquired. Temporary memory 102 stores newer data among data sequentially outputted from measurer 101 wherein the number of the newer data corresponds to a specific number of times. Manager 103 repeatedly calculates an index value indicative of stability of the data outputted from measurer 101 based on the data stored in temporary memory 102 at least until the index value satisfies a predetermined stability condition. Further, if manager 103 accepts an abnormal value trigger, manager 103 sequentially stores the data outputted from measurer 101 in main memory 104. When the index value satisfying the stability condition is calculated by manager 103, manager 103 stops saving the data in main memory 104.
US08386729B2
A method, device, and computer program product for performing asynchronous remote copy verification is provided. An initial track-to-track comparison between a primary and a secondary volume pair is performed. Differences between primary and secondary volume tracks are recorded as noncompare tracks. A first predetermined time is waited for. A subsequent track-to-track comparison of the noncompare tracks is performed.
US08386724B2
Memory devices and methods facilitate handling of data received by a memory device through the use of data grouping and assignment of data validity status values to grouped data. For example, data is received and delineated into one or more data groups and a data validity status is associated with each data group. Data groups having a valid status are latched into one or more cache registers for storage in an array of memory cells wherein data groups comprising an invalid status are rejected by the one or more cache registers.
US08386718B2
According to embodiments described in the specification, a method and apparatus for managing memory in a mobile electronic device are provided. The method comprises: receiving a request to install an application; receiving at least one indication of data intended to be maintained in a shared cache; determining, based on the at least one indication, whether data corresponding to the intended data exists in the shared cache; upon a negative determination, writing the intended data to the shared cache; and repeating the receiving at least one indication, the determining and the writing for at least one additional application.
US08386715B2
A tile-map caching technique in which it is determined whether a tile object is stored in a first cache that is configured to store a plurality of tile objects associated with a map. It is also determined whether a resource locator associated with the tile object is stored in a second cache, if the tile object is not in the first cache. The tile object is retrieved based on the resource locator if the resource locator is stored in the second cache.
US08386711B2
The present invention provides a technique to efficiently rearrange data in actual regions.A management system acquires load lumped region variation information (access distribution variation amount) indicative of a variation in the position of a virtual region in a virtual volume in a storage subsystem which region corresponds to a hot spot. Then, based on the load lumped region variation information, the management system determines a load position unvaried hour(s) indicative of a hour(s) in which the position of the virtual region corresponding to the hot spot is almost or perfectly unvaried (the hour(s) in which the position of the hot spot is stable). The management system then displays the load position unvaried hour(s) on a display device (see FIG. 19).
US08386702B2
In one embodiment, a memory control system is provided with a memory controller having 1) a first interface to receive memory read/write requests; 2) a second interface to read/write data from a number of memory modules; 3) a memory cache containing spare memory locations; and 4) logic to, upon receipt of a memory read/write request, i) direct the read/write request to the memory cache when an address associated with the read/write request resides in the memory cache, and ii) direct the read/write request to the second interface when the address associated with the read/write request does not reside in the memory cache.
US08386687B2
A method and apparatus for data transfer includes receiving a first data packet across a first bi-directional bus and receiving a second data packet across a second bi-directional bus. Next, the first data packet is written to a first register operably coupled to the first bi-directional bus and the second bi-directional bus. The second data packet is written to a second register operably coupled to the first bi-directional bus and the second bi-directional bus. The second data packet is then transferred across the first bi-directional bus and the first data packet is transferred across the second bi-directional bus, thereby providing data transfer across a plurality of bi-directional buses and providing for data to be transferred across those buses to be stored at an intermediate register so that the data may be transferred in the next clock cycle, overcoming any latency requirements.
US08386680B2
An interface and protocol allow a media player to communicate with external accessories over a transport link. The protocol includes a core protocol functionality and a number of accessory lingoes. Examples of accessory lingoes include a microphone lingo, a simple remote lingo, a display remote lingo, an RF transmitter lingo, and an extended interface lingo.
US08386679B2
A computer-implemented method may include determining that a slot coupled to a peripheral component interconnect host bridge is occupied by an input/output adapter. The computer-implemented method may include determining one or more characteristics of the input/output adapter and determining whether the input/output adapter is capable of using additional memory based on the one or more characteristics of the input/output adapter. The computer-implemented method may also include allocating the additional memory for the input/output adapter in response to determining that the input/output adapter is capable of using the additional memory.
US08386676B2
Embodiments of the invention are generally directed to systems, methods, and apparatuses for transferring data mask bits to a memory device. In some embodiments, an integrated circuit includes logic to issue a partial write command to a memory device. In addition, the integrated circuit may include logic to transfer a write frame to the volatile memory device over an N bit wide data bus, wherein the write frame includes one or more data mask bits to be transferred over the N bit wide data bus.
US08386673B2
A KVM switch connected between a plurality of consoles including a plurality of monitors, and a plurality of information processing apparatuses, comprises a setting portion that sets a part or all of the plurality of consoles to each information processing apparatus as one group, wherein the plurality of monitors included in the plurality of consoles which are set as one group by the setting portion display information from an information processing apparatus corresponding to the group.
US08386670B2
A system controlling device having a tree structure includes a data controlling unit that functions as a root device. The data controlling unit is connected to a first image processing unit and a second image processing unit by separate high-speed serial buses. The first image processing unit performs image processing on image data scanned by a scanner, while the second image processing unit performs image processing on image data to be output to a printer. A storage unit is independently connected to the data controlling unit and stores therein image data processed by the first image processing unit and the second image processing unit.
US08386668B2
In one embodiment, the present invention includes a method for receiving in a processor complex a first write request from a peripheral device, obtaining information of the processor complex responsive to the first write request, and transmitting a second write request from the processor complex to the peripheral device including the information. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US08386659B2
A configuration adaptation layer (CAL) for I/O devices such as I/O adapters is provided. This configuration adaptation layer (CAL) explicitly provides a mapping between adapter functions and adapter resources in a way such that it is senseable in-band by the computer system using the adapter, e.g., by a virtual machine monitor.
US08386658B2
A communication method of a host apparatus capable of connecting with a device by using a Wireless Universal Serial Bus (WUSB) includes operations of receiving a connection request signal from the device to be connected to the host apparatus, according to a determination of whether a request to perform an operation in the device occurs in the host apparatus, selectively responding to the connection request signal to connect the device thereto, and performing data communication with the device to perform the operation. According to the communication method, the host apparatus is connected to the device when the host apparatus uses the device, to improve effective and convenient use of the device.
US08386654B2
A system for transforming a single root input/output virtualization (SR-IOV) function to appear as a legacy function, and a corresponding method includes a switch platform coupled between a legacy host and a SR-IOV-enabled device. The switch platform includes a processor programmed to discern configuration cycles by type and to process the configuration cycles, and one or more local registers that store data related to the configuration cycles.
US08386643B2
A method of upgrading the software load of a device includes receiving a configuration file and checking if a device software load matches load information (EE) of the configuration file. If the device software load does not match the EE of the configuration file, a check is made to determine if the device software load matches new load information (NE) of the configuration file.
US08386641B2
A system and method for implementing functionality within a network on behalf of first and second devices communicating with each other through the network. A front-end device is provided within the network that communicates data traffic with the first device. A back-end device is also implemented within the network and communicates data traffic with the second device. A communication channel couples the front-end device and the back-end device. Data traffic may be encoded into a different type or protocol for transport through the communication channel by the front-end device and back-end device. The front-end device and back-end device exchange quality of service information and may alter characteristics of the data traffic through the communication channel according to the quality of service information.
US08386640B2
Different services are provided to different users or groups of users of an aggregate endpoint in an internet protocol multimedia subsystem (IMS) network. The different users or groups of users are differentiated based on service profiles designated by different PUIDs for the different users or groups of users of each of the users or groups of users. Different services for transmission and/or receipt of packets for the different users or groups of users of the aggregate endpoint are provided, depending upon the differentiation between the different users or groups of users.
US08386639B1
A system for optimized and distributed resource management, comprising a plurality of media servers, a statistics server, a historical statistics database, a forecasting engine, a scheduling engine, and an activity manager. The forecasting engine generates a forecast of estimated volume of imperative demand and determines a required volume of contingent demand to be handled based on managing a backlog of contingent demand. The scheduling engine generates a schedule that provides an adequate number of resources to handle the forecasted imperative demand and to handle the required volume of contingent demand over an aggregated time. The activity manager monitors statistical data, compares actual staffing and imperative demand to scheduled staffing and forecasted imperative demand, and determines activity switches needed to reallocate available resources, the activity switches only occurring switched after a configured minimum activity switching time.
US08386638B2
Computer program products, apparatus, and methods for processing digital messages to recipients at destination domains is provided. A plurality of profiles are established, each profile for handling digital to a specific domain or set of domains. A request to process a plurality of outbound digital messages is handled by, for each given digital message, processing the given digital message by (i) determining a destination domain for digital messages, (ii) reading a profile for the determined destination domain for the digital messages and (iii) based on at least one parameter set in the profile: (a) sending the given digital message to the determined destination domain in accordance with the profile when permitted by the at least one parameter set in the profile, or (b) not sending the digital message to the determined destination domain when required by the at least one parameter set in the profile.
US08386621B2
Embodiments of the present invention set forth techniques for a content player to stream a media file using multiple network connections. To stream the media file, the content player downloads metadata associated with a requested media file, establishes a network connection with multiple content servers (or multiple network connections with a single content server or both) and begins requesting portions of the media file. In response, the requested portions are transmitted to the content player. The content player may employ a predictive multi-connection scheduling approach to determine which network connection to use in downloading a given chunk.
US08386605B2
Accessing a digital file from a database which includes the steps of determining a first set of data entry protocols for enabling a user to access i.e. preview at least one portion of the digital file, enabling a user to access the one or more portions by entering the first set of protocols, determining a second set of data entry protocols for enabling a user to access the entire digital file from the database, and enabling a user to access the entire digital file by entering the second set of data entry protocols in response to the user accessing the one portion or some threshold of a predetermined number of such portions.
US08386603B2
An information processing terminal device (1) is provided which is reliably connectable to a desired server on the Internet and includes: a cable interface (3) that requests connection to a predetermined server; a connection information obtainment unit (4) that obtains, from the server, connection information which includes an IP address and is necessary for the connection to the server; an obtained IP address obtainment unit (8) that obtains the IP address assigned to a communication interface (2) connected to a different network; an IP address scheme determination unit (7) that determines whether or not the obtained IP address and the IP address included in the connection information have the same address scheme; an IP address setting management unit (6) that determines a method of setting the IP address and the connection information for the cable interface (3) and the communication interface (2); and a connection information setting unit (5) that sets and releases the IP address and the connection information according to the method determined by the IP address setting management unit.
US08386597B2
In exemplary embodiments of the present invention, information integration software can be used to gather and transform information from data processing system monitors and present the information in one or more custom screens or views which can enable operations personnel and management personnel to manage and operate a system with a minimum of human resources, fatigue and cost. In exemplary embodiments role-based screens can be specifically prepared for use by individuals performing such roles in an entity or organization. In exemplary embodiments of the present invention custom views can be prepared for production managers, financial managers, human resources managers, etc., using similar techniques.
US08386595B2
Methods and systems described herein can secure and deliver data over a network. A recipient computer requests a human-readable report from a transmitter computer that initiates a software application to generate a report using data from a backend database. In the application layer, the combination of the report and data is parsed and certain components are replaced to form multiple derived packets of the random strings, the replaced strings, and the combined unaltered string with random strings. The replacement is performed in a pre-determined order that can be a mathematical or logical function. The derived packets are encrypted at the application layer. Further, the receiving computer, in the application layer, decrypts the packets, then finds and replaces the random strings in the combined derived packet, thereby recreating the human-readable report.
US08386584B2
A multimedia processing control apparatus according to embodiments has a holding section which holds groups of information for management of a plurality of components generated in a first address space, and a plurality of groups of first address information, and also holds a plurality of groups of second address information in a second address space; a control section request issue section which converts, when a processing request is issued, each of the plurality of groups of second address information into the plurality of groups of first address information by referring to the holding section, and issues the processing request; a processing section request issue section which issues from the first address space the processing request; and a component processing section which controls the plurality of components on the basis of the plurality of groups of first address information the processing request.
US08386581B2
This invention relates to a communication system including a first apparatus having a first storage medium, and a second apparatus for transmitting data to the first apparatus, the second apparatus comprising: a second storage medium for storing management information of data to be transferred to the first storage medium; communication means for communicating data with the first apparatus; edit means capable of editing the management information; and control means for making a control to transfer data stored in the second storage medium to the first storage medium by way of the communication means on the basis of the management information edited by the edit means.
US08386577B2
Provided are a message brokering systems, computer program products and methods for communication in a publish/subscribe environment in which publisher application programs send messages to subscriber application programs via one or more message brokers, the method comprising the following steps: responsive to receipt of a published message at a message broker, referring to characteristics of the received message and subscriber-specified quality of service requirements to determine an appropriate quality or service for onward transmission of the message; selecting a communication protocol in accordance with the determined quality of service; and transmitting the message using the selected communication protocol. Information relating to the quality of service requirements of a first message broker's subscribers is passed to other brokers and subsequently used for selection of an appropriate communication protocol for transmitting messages between the brokers.
US08386576B2
A method, system and graphical user interface for a chat room system is disclosed. One aspect of certain embodiments includes sending messages that originate from a user's current chat room as well as messages that originate from nearby chat rooms to the user. Both types of messages are displayed in a single context to the user.
US08386559B2
This invention relates to a method for exchanging requests between the computer application of a mobile terminal (A) and an instantaneous messaging server (1), wherein: the computer application sends requests (2) to server (1) relative to the detection of an event (3), requests (2) are sent according to a request frequency set to a first value, whereby: when requests (2) are sent, if the event (3) is not detected by server (1), said server controls the computer application so that the latter sends the requests (2) according to a request frequency set to a second value that is lower than the first value, as soon as server (1) detects the event (3), said server controls the computer application so that the latter sends the requests (2) according to a request frequency set to the first value.
US08386556B2
The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for composing message processing pipelines. Embodiments utilize intra-pipeline communication links to physically and/or temporally decouple pipeline stages, configure branching message flows, and bridge protocols. The use of intra-pipeline communication links permits composition of a message processing pipeline without having to alter the pipeline components or application. Each communication link is itself an application with incoming and outgoing message processing pipelines that bridge messages across time and/or space and application logic for satisfying message processing requirements.
US08386550B1
A hybrid FIR filter includes a plurality of FIR filter units arranged as Direct Form FIR filters, connected together in an arrangement similar to a Transpose Form FIR filter. The hybrid filter arrangement may be used to configure a larger FIR filter in a programmable logic device having one or more specialized functional blocks, incorporating multipliers and adders, that are particularly well-suited for configuration as small Direct Form FIR filters.
US08386546B2
A Montgomery multiplication device calculates a Montgomery product of an operand X and an operand Y with respect to a modulus M and includes a plurality of processing elements. In a first clock cycle, two intermediate partial sums are created by obtaining an input of length w−1 from a preceding processing element as w−1 least significant bits. The most significant bit is configured as either zero or one. Then, two partial sums are calculated using a word of the operand Y, a word of the modulus M, a bit of the operand X, and the two intermediate partial sums. In a second clock cycle, a selection bit is obtained and one of the two partial sums is selected based on the value of the selection bit. Then, the selected partial sum is used for calculation of a word of the Montgomery product.
US08386528B2
A data processing system comprises an interface configured to communicate with a data source, a memory, and a reference data module. The data processing system comprises a processor which is configured to communicate with the memory, the interface, and the reference module. The processor is further configured to request a first list from the data source. The first list comprises a record. The record being modified based on a comparison of a data characteristic to a first reference data. The processor is further configured to receive the first list from the data source for a communication operation and to compare the data characteristic of the first list to a second reference data. The processor is further configured to generate a second list based on comparing the data characteristic of the first list to the second reference data.
US08386526B2
A coupled node tree has a root node and a node pair, the node pair being a branch node, which includes position information of a link target node pair, and a leaf node, which includes a search target index key, or a pair of branch nodes, or a pair of leaf nodes located in adjacent storage areas. The nodes of the coupled node tree are backed up in a depth precedence search sequence. The coupled node tree is restored by repeating the following process: reading out the nodes in the sequence they are backed up, storing in a stack the position information of the node to be restored, successively restoring child nodes as long as branch nodes are encountered, restoring a leaf node which is read out and then, tracing back up the stack, a decision being made as to which node is next to be restored.
US08386521B2
In one example, a system that is operable to back up and restore data may include a high efficiency storage application configured to back up a chunk of data of a client system to a content addressed storage system by generating a recipe that includes instructions for generating the chunk of data from a plurality of data pieces. The system may further include a backup server communicably connected to the high efficiency storage application and configured to, among other things, in response to receipt of a restore request, recover the chunk of data by retrieving the recipe and appended storage addresses in one index seek without separately looking up a storage address for any of the plurality of data pieces in an index.
US08386518B2
When a user records confidential data in a communicating object, the user inputs the confidential data which are encoded and transmitted, with a reference of the user, towards a server in order to record the encoded confidential data in association with the reference. When a user searches for a reference of another user of a communicating object in the communicating object, the user inputs a search datum which is encoded and transmitted to the server for comparing therein the encoded search datum transmitted to all of the encoded confidential data recorded in the server. The server transmits a reference associated with an encoded confidential datum corresponding to the encoded search data to the communicating object. In this way, the user of the communicating object is put into contact with the other user without knowing the data of the other user.
US08386516B2
A computer system and method is disclosed for mining current and archived address data in order to identify a preferred address for each service point in a territory. The data mining system may start in response to the presentation of a candidate address for matching. The set of mined data may be prioritized by clustering like characteristics, building similarity matrices, and by constructing dendrograms with nodes joined according to common characteristics. A computer system and method for maintaining a central database of preferred addresses is also disclosed. Selected address data gathered in a queue may be scored by characteristic, grouped by consignee location, and staged for processing. The scored queue of data may be prioritized by clustering like characteristics, building similarity matrices, and by constructing dendrograms.
US08386515B2
Methods and systems are provided, for persistent querying in a federated database system. A federated database system has a plurality of connectable database management system nodes, each database node having at least one database. Persistent querying includes: receiving a query at a first database node and propagating the query from the first database node to other database nodes in the federated database system. A responding database node satisfying the query: obtains a query results set; defines a topic identifier for the query; and publishes subsequent messages relating to the topic identifier when data updates are available. The first database node receives query results sets from one or more responding nodes and the first database node subscribes to topic identifiers for publications of subsequent messages from the responding database nodes. Subsequent messages are published relating to the query along the connection through which the query is returned.
US08386497B2
A system includes reception of a query filtered on an object of a hierarchical list of values and comprising a first filter value, generation of an SQL script based on the first filter value and at least one ancestor value of the first filter value in the hierarchical list of values, and retrieval of a data set associated with the query based on the SQL script.In some aspects, reception of the query includes reception of a command to refresh a document including the query and a prompt on a filter value, presentation of the prompt and the hierarchical list of values, and reception of the first filter value.
US08386492B2
An information processing system retains one or more files utilized by an external apparatus, each of which is made up of a plurality of chunks, in a manner that the chunks making up each of the files are distributed. The information processing system includes a plurality of chunk servers, each storing chunks, and one master server communicatively coupled thereto. The master server retains a file name of a file, chunk IDs indicating chunks making up the file, and chunk IDs indicating chunk servers storing the chunks. When a snapshot taking request for a file is received, the master server identifies chunks included in the file from the file name and the chunk IDs to instruct the chunk servers having these chunks to take a differential snapshot of each of the chunks with the use of a differential snapshot function included in a local file system of each of the chunk servers.
US08386487B1
Among other disclosed subject matter, a computer-method includes receiving a plurality of documents at a server and adding meta-data to each of the plurality of documents. The meta-data added to a particular document comprises at least one of task flow features of the particular document or data associated with an author of the particular document. The method also includes selecting a plurality of features for use in clustering the plurality of documents. The plurality of features includes a subset of the meta-data and a subset of content associated with one or more of the plurality of documents. The method also includes clustering the plurality of documents based on the plurality of features including identifying a topic associated with each cluster, and preparing a report based on the clusters and metric information associated with each cluster. The method also includes displaying the report to a user.
US08386479B2
Routing method for computing routes over uncertain geo-spatial data whereby only upon visiting the geographic entities it can be determined whether the needed service or product is actually provided and is adequate. When dealing with uncertain data, the returned route may need to go via several entities of the same type. Another routing method consists of finding an efficient and effective route from a starting point to an ending point going trough a predetermined number of objects, wherein each object represents a geographical entity of a unique type, and each object is selected from a distinct set of similar objects.
US08386471B2
In a method, system, and computer-readable medium having instructions for optimizing a query in a database system, a database statistic is generated for a number of related records for one or more entities for at least one tenant and a related record is a record with a relationship to a shared record in a database table for an entity from the one or more entities, a first cost is calculated for accessing the number of related records for at least one tenant, a second cost is calculated for accessing a number of related records accessible to a user, a comparison of the first cost to the second cost is performed to determine a data access path for retrieving accessible related records, and the data access path for retrieving accessible related records is determined based upon the comparison.
US08386468B2
One example method of spatial query processing using query window indexes includes receiving a spatial query on spatial data that has an associated spatial data index. The spatial query specifies a query window. A query window index structure is constructed that describes a geometry of the query window. The query window index structure is compared to the spatial data index and, when necessary, to the spatial data to determine a spatial relationship between the query window and the spatial data.
US08386466B2
Techniques for logging data pertaining to the operation of a data stream processing server. In one set of embodiments, logging configuration information can be received specifying a functional area of a data stream processing server to be logged. Based on the logging configuration information, logging can be dynamically enabled for objects associated with the functional area that are instantiated by the data stream processing server, and logging can be dynamically disabled for objects associated with the functional area that are discarded (or no longer used) by the data stream processing server. In another set of embodiments, a tool can be provided for visualizing the data logged by the data stream processing server.
US08386461B2
Methods and computing devices enable users to identify documents using a hash value mapped to a word mnemonic for easy recall and comparison. A hash algorithm may be applied a document to generate a distinguishing hash value. The hash value is mapped to a plurality of words to form the mnemonic. To obtain the words, the hash value may be mapped to word indices used to identify particular words in word lists. Word lists may include a list of nouns, a list of verbs, and a list of adverbs or adjectives, so that the resulting three word mnemonics are memorable. More word lists may be used to map hash values to four-, five- or more word mnemonics. The number-to-mnemonic mapping methods may be used to map large numbers, such as account numbers, telephone numbers, etc. into mnemonics which are easier for people to remember and compare.
US08386449B2
A method and service for establishing a web-based network that includes an enterprise locking service. The enterprise locking service is able to coordinate multiple, cooperating applications that need to ensure that one and only one user is modifying a database record at a given time. These database records may be stored in multiple databases having potentially different database record locking protocols. Through monitoring and tracking of requests for database locks, the enterprise locking service is also able to determine database usage trends under various metrics.
US08386447B2
Provided are techniques for selecting row identifiers from an initial index structure storing rows of randomized indexes. The row identifiers are randomized. Groups are formed with the randomized row identifiers so that each group has a predetermined number of row identifiers. At least one group is selected from the groups. Indexes are retrieved from the initial index structure that correspond to the row identifiers in the selected at least one group. The retrieved indexes are encoded by adding product information to form new identifiers.
US08386446B1
A method and apparatus for proxying search requests for a storage system and maintaining a central index for performing the search requests is described herein. An index manager on the storage system may initially produce the central index by examining each file in a file system and update the central index thereafter by examining only those files that have changed since the central index was initially produced or last updated. The index manager may receive a changed file list from a differencing layer configured for comparing snapshots of the file system at different time points to produce changed file lists. A search proxy module may receive search requests in a search protocol and proxy the search requests to a search engine by converting the search requests to another search protocol compatible with the search engine. The search engine may then use the central index for performing the search request.
US08386437B2
A system and method for document management are provided. The method relies on a logging system which automatically generates image logs for input documents for each job (print, copy, fax, scan, etc.) processed by the multifunction printing device(s) of an organization. The image logs are processed to identify keywords which are the basis of a search for similar documents among those which have been previously archived as well as documents in other accessible document repositories, including Web documents. The method identifies matching documents and optionally also revisions and related documents. A procedure is provided for ensuring that for each document processed by a multifunction device or other image output device of the organization, image data is archived (or identified as a public document without archiving). The method avoids duplication by using a digital matching document, where available, enabling the images of the image log for the input document to be discarded.
US08386435B2
A searchable archiving system. A searchable archiving system includes one or more compacted files of archive data loosely coupled to a search process. To create a compacted file, an archiving process tokenizes the archive data, optimizes the tokenized archive data, and extracts archive metadata from the tokenized data. The tokenized data may then be compressed in a variety of ways into compressed segments that may be individually accessed and decompressed by the search agents. Before compression, segment metadata is extracted from the segments. The compressed segments and segment metadata are then combined to create a compacted file. The search process accesses the compacted files by consulting locally stored archive metadata extracted from the files during the compaction process. The search process then invokes one or more search agents that actively search the compacted files. The search agents do so by using the segment metadata to identify segments to decompress and search.
US08386426B2
Systems, methods, and computer program products for editing and displaying cartographic data are described. Cartographic source data is retrieved from a first record set and displayed in a display device. Based on a selection by a user of a feature in the display device, source data corresponding to the selected feature is selected. Based on a modification of the selected feature by the user in the display device, cartographic edit data is created. The cartographic edit data is associated with the cartographic source data for the feature and the associated cartographic edit data is stored within a second record set that is editable by the user. An output record set is created for display on the display device, at least in part, from the associated cartographic edit data for the feature.
US08386411B2
A method and a device for distributing patterns to scanning engines for scanning packets in a packet stream are provided. The method includes providing a plurality of scanning engines and patterns, calculating a respective distance metric for every pair of patterns, and providing a plurality of distribution functions. Further, the method includes calculating a respective sum of the calculated distance metrics for distributing the patterns for each of the distribution functions, and utilizing the sums for selecting a distribution function of the D distribution functions for distributing the patterns to the M scanning engines. A device for implementing the method is also provided.
US08386399B2
Methods for selecting transportation parameters for transporting parts from at least one point of part supply to at least one point of part demand in a manufacturing facility include determining a physical relationship between the at least one point of part supply and the at least one point of part demand, selecting a transportation route type from a preselected group of transportation route types based at least in part on the physical relationship, selecting an automated guided carrier type from a preselected group of automated guided carrier types based at least in part on the transportation route type, determining a need for traffic control based at least in part on the transportation route type, and if it is determined traffic control is needed, selecting a traffic control type from a preselected group of traffic control types based at least in part on the transportation route type.
US08386394B1
In general, the subject matter described in this disclosure can be embodied in methods, systems, and program products. A computing device provides a user interface of a third-party application program. The user interface includes an interface element that causes purchase of a product. The computing device receives an indication that the user has selected the interface element. The computing device identifies a first identity certificate that is assigned to the third-party application program from among multiple identity certificates that are assigned to multiple respective third-party application programs. The computing device sends the first identity certificate to a server system so as to cause the server system to determine whether the first identity certificate matches a second identity certificate. The computing device receives an indication that the third-party application program is able to legitimately purchase the product. The computing device sends a request for purchasing the product.
US08386393B2
A computerized method of verifying the identity of an attendant operating a money transfer transaction device includes receiving at the money transfer transaction device a user identification and password from the attendant and receiving at the money transfer transaction device additional information from the attendant. The additional information relates to a security feature that limits access to the transaction device. The method also includes using the additional information, the user identification, and the password to evaluate whether to allow the attendant to operate the transaction device to process a transaction.
US08386392B2
A license handling information handling system receives an electronic message from a first computer system utilized by a first user. The first user's message requests a license to a licensed product that has previously been purchased by the organization. The license handling information handling system identifies a second user in the organization that currently has a license to the licensed product, and requests that the second user relinquish the license to the licensed product. The second user indicates that the second user's license will be relinquished for a temporary time period. The licensing handling information handling system sends an electronic message, including the temporary time period, to the first user. In response to the first user accepting the temporary time period, the second user's license to the licensed product is revoked, and the first user is granted a license to the licensed product.
US08386388B2
A system, apparatus, and method are provided for entitlement security and control. According to one embodiment, an entitlement request is matched against entitlement rules, the entitlement permission is granted if the entitlement request satisfies the entitlement rules, and an audit trail of entitlement events is generated.
US08386381B1
According to an embodiment of the present invention, an automated computer implemented method for detecting one or more data compromises comprises the steps of detecting an activity indicative of a data compromise based at least in part on a compromise detection report involving at least one of merchant compromise report, region compromise report and acquirer compromise report, wherein the compromise detection report is generated by an automated detection algorithm; classifying the activity based on a combination of risk level, size of data compromise and fraud severity; and identifying a specific mitigation response to the activity through an interface. Another embodiment of the present invention determines whether one or more accounts associated with the activity have been probed or tested by a fraudster to determine if the one or more accounts are valid.
US08386375B2
Systems, program product, and methods for securing or procuring destination currency funds for a traveler to be used for travel in a destination country commencing at a scheduled future travel date, are provided. A system can include a domestic financial institution server including foreign destination currency transaction account program product. The system provides for establishing an interest-bearing foreign destination currency transaction account having a user-selected maturity date coinciding with a preselected travel date, and near, but prior to the preselected travel date, providing to the traveler a travel debit card having access to the balance of foreign destination currency funds including both principal and accrued interest.
US08386362B2
A process for distributing information in an electronic market includes an insertion process to insert, in a file that resides in a storage medium, information representing an activity relating to a security interest stored in an order book that resides in main memory and is accessible by a matching process.
US08386351B2
To provide optimized real-time charging for simultaneous services there is provided a method and apparatus for executing a real-time charging session in a charging system being interfaced to at least one communication network. At start of a charging session or during re-authorization of reserved funds there is executed an optimized fund reservation for multi-service and/or multi-unit type services such that it is possible to optimize the fund resources considering various services and related service types in parallel. Fund reservation is executed for multi-service and/or multi-unit type services such that deviations between time of predicted fund depletion for the at least two services and/or for the at least two service types are minimized. Therefore, the signalling traffic to and from the charging system is reduced significantly.
US08386346B2
A method of evaluating underwriting activities of a company providing insurance coverage is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of storing data related to the underwriting activities for the company; receiving information from employees related to tasks associated with the underwriting activities; analyzing the information from the employees; and generating a report based upon the information from employees. A system for evaluating underwriting activities for a company is also disclosed. The system comprising a user computer storing a program containing questions related to tasks for underwriting activities; a server coupled to the user computer to receive information entered by a plurality of users related to tasks for underwriting activities; and a report generated by the server and providing analyzed information related to responses of the plurality of users.
US08386344B2
Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture for tax computation, management, and compliance reporting via a centralized transactional tax platform capable of incorporating transaction data and/or tax information from multiple locations and/or multiple business applications via a network architecture are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a central server may be configured to execute an application to generate a user interface to enable configuration of tax compliance data via a network link, to receive transaction data from one or more client systems via the network, to calculate transaction taxes corresponding to the transaction data, and to store tax information, including outputs and computational logic generated by tax calculation engines executed by the server. In another embodiment, the tax calculations may be executed client-side, while administration of tax compliance data and reporting are facilitated by the central server.
US08386343B2
A system for managing electronic receipts is provided. According to one aspect, the system includes a portable device, a base device, a user device and an electronic receipts administration system. The electronic receipts administration system provides the base device with the appropriate data to allow the base device to generate, store and manage electronic receipts accordingly. A user uses the portable device to conduct a transaction with the base device. The base device uses a variety of information to generate an electronic receipt for the transaction. Such information includes, for example, information stored on the portable device, information stored locally on the base device and information stored on another device such as an electronic cash register. The electronic receipt is then stored on the portable device. The user device allows the user to subsequently retrieve the electronic receipt for management purposes.
US08386342B2
A method, system, and computer program product for performing inventory management. The method includes determining excess inventory for a plurality of site locations, determining inventory shortfalls for a plurality of site locations, and applying business logic to the excess inventory resulting in an inventory balancing plan. The inventory balancing plan includes optimal redistribution of excess inventory to site locations determined to be in need of the excess inventory. The method also includes generating and transmitting orders for the excess inventory in accordance with the inventory balancing plan prior to developing a supplier forecast.
US08386339B2
A content receiver receives ordering information from a content provider for orderable content or products. The content receiver also derives information specific to the content receiver and dynamically generates a matrix code including the ordering information and the specific information. The content receiver then transmits the matrix code to a display and when the displayed matrix code is detected and decoded by a reader, the reader initiates an order for the orderable content to be transmitted to the content receiver or products. In some implementations, the orderable content may be ordered from the content provider, which may then transmit the ordered content to the content receiver. However, in other implementations the orderable content may be ordered from a third party provider. As such, the third party provider may transmit the ordered content to the content provider, which may then transmit it to the content receiver.
US08386336B1
An online merchant can use a product review to customize a solicitation of a product suggestion. If a customer reviews a product unfavorably, the customer might be solicited to suggest alternate products to the reviewed product. If a customer reviews a product favorably, the customer might be solicited to suggest accessories or other products related to the reviewed product. The products suggested by the customer might then be utilized to recommend the suggested products to other customers. Information provided by a customer in a product review or other data might also be utilized to customize a product recommendation for the customer. If a customer reviews a product unfavorably, a recommendation might be provided to the customer for an alternate, or substitutable, product for the reviewed product. If a customer reviews a product favorably, a recommendation might be provided to the customer for related products or accessories to the reviewed product.
US08386332B2
Systems, methods, and devices for the automated, community-based exchange of procurement documents. In some embodiments, there may be different sets of rules for each of a number of different communities of trading partners. Each set of rules may be made up of rules data for direct peer-to-peer exchange and/or transformation of procurement documents in respective communities. By way of example, a host trading partner may select the rules for exchange of procurement documents for a community. Invited trading partners may register for the community, and rules for the community may then be distributed to the registered trading partners.
US08386331B2
Detailed information about a particular used motor vehicle is quickly provided to a potential buyer having a personal digital assistant equipped with a receiving means. To provide the information, it is first necessary to obtain standard information about used motor vehicle values in digital form from a provider of such information. It is then necessary to obtain specific information about an inventory of used motor vehicles from the owner or seller of the vehicles. The standard information and the specific information are then integrated on a server computer and transmitted to the potential buyer.
US08386330B1
A tool used for managing multiple auctions is presented. The tool includes instructions providing the capability of creating subgroups of auctions based on criteria used to sort data pertaining either to the subject matter of the auction or to its participants. Further, the tool manages within-group closing times by extending closing times of all auctions in the group. A comparison of a recent bid to extension criteria may extend the closing time of an auction by an extension period; if the number of times this auction is extended meets a trigger number, then all closing times of all auctions in the group are extended by a specified time related to the trigger number and the extension period.
US08386328B2
Disclosed is a sales system for lots of items that includes business rule definition logic. The sales system also includes offering creation logic that is operative to dynamically create different offerings for items in the lots. The offering creation logic optimizes return based on one or more of the business rules by using different offering parameter values for the different offerings.
US08386323B1
A facility for assessing availability of an item for purchase from a merchant using a model of the availability of the item is described. The facility receives asynchronous messages identifying changes in the merchant's inventory for the item that affects the availability of the item for purchase from the merchant. For each received asynchronous message, the facility updates the model to reflect the changes in the merchant's inventory identified in the message. The facility then evaluates the state of the model in order to assess availability of the item for purchase from the merchant.
US08386319B1
Embodiments of the present invention relate to systems, methods, and computer program products for assessing student prospects. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention are directed to receiving transaction data from a transaction involving a consumer, comparing the transaction data to an education position rule, and determining an education position based at least partially on a comparison of the transaction data to an education position rule.
US08386313B2
A system evaluates and selects temporal and spatial locations for introduction of stimulus material. Video streams, physical locations, print advertisements, store shelves, images, commercials, etc. are analyzed to identify locations for introducing stimulus material, such as messages, brand images, products, media, marketing and/or other sales materials. The system analyzes neuro-response measurements from subjects exposed to stimulus material in different temporal and spatial locations. Examples of neuro-response measurements include Electroencephalography (EEG), Galvanic Skin Response (GSR), Electrocardiograms (EKG), Electrooculography (EOG), eye tracking, and facial emotion encoding measurements. Neuro-response measurements are analyzed to select temporal and spatial locations for introduction of stimulus material.
US08386309B2
In an embodiment, a system for validating, redeeming, and financially settling paper coupons coded with a GS1 barcode and 8110 Application Identifier comprises a real time network through which a Point-of-Sale (POS) terminal communicates directly to, or through a POS controller, with an Intelligent Clearing Network (ICN) server. One or both of the POS terminal and POS controller are installed with a ICN POS data bridge which stores computer code. The ICN server is configured to run a real time application while in communication with the POS terminal, wherein the POS terminal transmits paper coupon data elements read from the GS1 barcode and other consumer transaction information including universal product codes purchased, and transaction details to the ICN server via the network.
US08386308B2
An assignment system and method for generating content creation requests or “assignments” and targeting assignments to content contributors. The assignment system is part of a content distribution system that aggregates, manages, and distributes/syndicates multimedia content that is generated by content contributors. As part of the acquisition of content, the assignment system may compensate the content contributors for the content that they provide to the system. The assignment system generates assignments that are likely to result in content that will be of interest to content consumers. The assignment system targets the generated assignments to content contributors that are well-suited to generate content that will be successful among a target audience. The assignment system notifies those contributors of available assignments and allows contributors to claim assignments to fulfill. The assignment system also manages the flow of content submissions and verifies that submitted content meets the assignment's requirements.
US08386306B2
A computer-assisted method of establishing a brand presence in a facility. The method includes accessing, by facility personnel, a computer having a playlist that controls the playback of audio and video broadcasting within the facility and entering on the playlist, by facility personnel, identifiers of advertisements related to the facility.
US08386294B2
A system for determining a level of optimality for countries in which to perform a specified business function includes a data storage unit, a mapping engine and a mapping generator. The data storage stores a composite business environment index, a composite input resources index, and an innovation index. The mapping engine receives the specified business function and input factors related to the specified business function and selects at least two of the composite business environment index, the composite input resources index, and the innovation index based on the input factors. The matrix generator determines the level of optimality indicating a measure of success in achieving the specified business function for each of the countries based on scores in the at least two selected indices.
US08386293B2
A hardware platform (300) of choice can be configured and arranged to determine (101) a current need to respond to a previously unknown person with content and to then obtain (102) from that person only a modicum of personal information. The hardware platform can then use (103) that modicum of personal information to access a store of characterizing general information and thereby obtain a corresponding profile for this person. The hardware platform can then automatically and currently provide (104) initial content to this person, wherein the initial content is customized as a function, at least in part, of this profile information.
US08386280B2
The present invention is a tool including a spatial database and a data warehouse used to track portfolio sites that are affected by weather events, such as hurricanes, earthquakes, wildfires, hail, tornados, or manmade events. A spatial database provides rich spatial geometry features using earth longitude and latitude as a 2-D reference system in spatial system. A insurer portfolio site, which is defined by longitude and latitude data, includes portions that are represented as a point. A weather event is represented as polygon in the spatial database. Based on user configured threshold values, it may be determined when a point falls inside, or on a boundary, of a polygon to identify a site that is affected by that weather event and corresponding reports may be generated, including maps identifying the affected sites and total insured value calculations for the affected sites, in order to gauge risk.
US08386274B1
Systems and methods may be provided for a prescription safety network program. The systems and methods may include receiving an eligibility verification request for a prescribed drug or product, where the eligibility verification request may include a pharmacy identifier, a patient identifier, and physician identifier; determining, based upon the received pharmacy identifier, that a pharmacy associated with the pharmacy identifier has enrolled in the prescription safety network program for filling the prescribed drug or product; determining, based upon the received patient identifier, that a patient associated with the patient identifier has enrolled in the prescription safety network program for utilizing the prescribed drug or product; and determining, based upon the received physician identifier, that a physician associated with the physician identifier has enrolled in the prescription safety network program for prescribing the prescribed drug or product; and generating an approval authorization by the validation engine in response to the eligibility verification request.
US08386266B2
A scalable audio codec for a processing device determines first and second bit allocations for each frame of input audio. First bits are allocated for a first frequency band, and second bits are allocated for a second frequency band. The allocations are made on a frame-by-frame basis based on the energy ratio between the two bands. For each frame, the codec transform codes both frequency bands into two sets of transform coefficients, which are then packetized based on the bit allocations. The packets are then transmitted with the processing device. Additionally, the frequency regions of the transform coefficients can be arranged in order of importance determined by power levels and perceptual modeling. Should bit stripping occur, the decoder at a receiving device can produce audio of suitable quality given that bits have been allocated between the bands and the regions of transform coefficients have been ordered by importance.
US08386265B2
A computer program product for communicating across channels with emotion preservation includes a computer usable storage medium having computer useable program code embodied therewith, the computer usable program code including: computer usable program code to receive a first language communication comprising text marked up with emotion metadata; computer usable program code to translate the emotion metadata into second language emotion metadata; computer usable program code to translate the text to second language text; computer usable program code to analyze the second language emotion metadata for second language emotion information; and computer usable program code to combine the second language emotion information in first language communication with the second language text.
US08386260B2
Embodiments of a system include a client device (102), a voice server (106), and an application server (104). The voice server is distinct from the application server. The client device renders (316) a visual display that includes at least one display element for which input data is receivable though a visual modality and a voice modality. The client device may receive speech through the voice modality and send (502) uplink audio data representing the speech to the voice server over an audio data path (124). The application server receives (514) a speech recognition result from the voice server over an application server/voice server control path (122). The application server sends (514), over an application server/client control path (120), a message to the client device that includes the speech recognition result. The client device updates (516) one or more of the display elements according to the speech recognition result.
US08386259B2
A method for combining speech recognition with near field communication (NFC) to enable a user to enter, store, and use web addresses on portable devices. A user of a portable device having a NFC reader, a voice input interface, a speech recognition system, and memory enables the NFC reader of the portable device to touch a NFC tag or reader found on an object. The object containing information of interest to a user of the portable device; wherein when the NFC reader and the NFC tag or reader touch, the portable device receives a URI and default keywords associated with the URI. The portable device stores the URI in a persistent storage of the portable device based on the default keywords, and date, time, and location of when and where the URI was obtained. The user of the portable device can then retrieve and use the URI at a later time using the voice input interface and the speech recognition system, wherein when the user speaks the default keywords into the voice input interface, the speech recognition system to retrieve the URI.
US08386258B2
A method for recognizing an audio sample locates an audio file that closely matches the audio sample from a database indexing a large set of original recordings. Each indexed audio file is represented in the database index by a set of landmark timepoints and associated fingerprints. Landmarks occur at reproducible locations within the file, while fingerprints represent features of the signal at or near the landmark timepoints. To perform recognition, landmarks and fingerprints are computed for the unknown sample and used to retrieve matching fingerprints from the database. For each file containing matching fingerprints, the landmarks are compared with landmarks of the sample at which the same fingerprints were computed. If a large number of corresponding landmarks are linearly related, i.e., if equivalent fingerprints of the sample and retrieved file have the same time evolution, then the file is identified with the sample.
US08386256B2
An apparatus for providing improved speech synthesis may include a processor and a memory storing executable instructions. In response to execution of the instructions by the processor, the apparatus may perform at least selecting a real glottal pulse from among one or more stored real glottal pulses based at least in part on a property associated with the real glottal pulse, utilizing the real glottal pulse selected as a basis for generation of an excitation signal, and modifying the excitation signal based on spectral parameters generated by a model to provide synthetic speech.
US08386255B2
Descriptions of visually presented material are provided to one or more conference participants that do not have video capabilities. This presented material could be any one or more of a document, PowerPoint® presentation, spreadsheet, Webex® presentation, whiteboard, chalkboard, interactive whiteboard, description of a flowchart, picture, or in general, any information visually presented at a conference. For this visually presented information, descriptions thereof are assembled and forwarded via one or more of a message, SMS message, whisper channel, text information, non-video channel, MSRP, or the like, to one or more conference participant endpoints. These descriptions of visually presented information, such as a document, spreadsheet, spreadsheet presentation, multi-media presentation, or the like, can be assembled in cooperation with one or more of OCR recognition and text-to-speech conversion, human input, or the like.
US08386250B2
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for disambiguating contact information. A method includes receiving an audio signal, generating an affinity score based on a frequency with which a user has previously communicated with a contact associated with an item of contact information, and further based on a recency of one or more past interactions between the user and the contact associated with the item of contact information, inferring a probability that the user intends to initiate a communication using the item of contact information based on the affinity score generated for the item of contact information, and generating a communication initiation grammar.
US08386249B2
Methods for compressing a transform associated with a feature space are presented. For example, a method for compressing a transform associated with a feature space includes obtaining the transform including a plurality of transform parameters, assigning each of a plurality of quantization levels for the plurality of transform parameters to one of a plurality of quantization values, and assigning each of the plurality of transform parameters to one of the plurality of quantization values to which one of the plurality of quantization levels is assigned. One or more of obtaining the transform, assigning of each of the plurality of quantization levels, and assigning of each of the transform parameters are implemented as instruction code executed on a processor device. Further, a Viterbi algorithm may be employed for use in non-uniform level/value assignments.
US08386248B2
A method of tuning reusable dialog components within a speech application can include detecting speech recognition events generated from a plurality of recognitions performed for a field of a reusable dialog component. The speech recognition events can be generated over a plurality of interactive voice response sessions. The method also can include automatically computing a suggested value for a tuning parameter corresponding to the field of the reusable dialog component according, at least in part, to the speech recognition events.
US08386247B2
An adaptive audio system can be implemented in a communication device. The adaptive audio system can enhance voice in an audio signal received by the communication device to increase intelligibility of the voice. The audio system can adapt the audio enhancement based at least in part on levels of environmental content, such as noise, that are received by the communication device. For higher levels of environmental content, for example, the audio system might apply the audio enhancement more aggressively. Additionally, the adaptive audio system can detect substantially periodic content in the environmental content. The adaptive audio system can further adapt the audio enhancement responsive to the environmental content.
US08386241B2
A system and method for automated dictionary population is provided to facilitate the entry of textual material in dictionaries for enhancing word prediction. The automated dictionary population system is useful in association with a mobile device including at least one dictionary which includes entries. The device receives a communication which is parsed and textual data extracted. The text is compared to the entries of the dictionaries to identify new words. Statistical information for the parsed words, including word usage frequency, recency, or likelihood of use, is generated. Profanities may be processed by identifying profanities, modifying the profanities, and asking the user to provide feedback. Phrases are identified by phrase markers. Lastly, the new words are stored in a supplementary word list as single words or by linking the words of the identified phrases to preserve any phrase relationships. Likewise, the statistical information may be stored.
US08386240B2
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, to identify topic words in a collection of documents that includes topic documents related to a topic are disclosed. A reference topic word divergence value based on a document collection and the topic document collection is determined. A candidate topic word divergence value for a candidate topic word is determined based on the document collection and the topic document collection. The candidate topic word is determined to be a topic word if the candidate topic word divergence value is greater than the reference topic word divergence value.
US08386236B2
A method for prompting by suggesting the stroke order of a Chinese character, an electronic device, and a computer program product are provided. The electronic device includes a database for storing codes of Chinese characters, and at least one stroke order of at least one handwriting of each of the Chinese characters. In the present method, when a character input through a phonetic transcription input method installed in the electronic device is identified, at least one Chinese character code corresponding to the input character is obtained from the database, and a stroke order of a handwriting of the input character from the database is shown according to the Chinese character code. Accordingly, a user is assisted to memorize the stroke orders of Chinese characters when the user inputs Chinese characters.
US08386234B2
By inputting words of source language as a keyword (31), a translation pairs are extracted (50) from a parallel corpus database including source language and target one. From the partially corresponding information on the translation sentence, a corresponding phrase group table formed by the corresponding phase of the target language corresponding to the source language phrase including a keyword phrase f the source language is stored (60). Text generator (70) assumes a relationship between the phrases of different language contained in the corresponding phrase group table and generates a text sentence candidate (32) of the target language.
US08386230B2
A method includes generating a first behavioral model of a circuit, the first behavioral model describing a physical circuit in a first configuration. The first configuration comprises a first logic structure configured to generate a first intermediate signal based on a received first plurality of inputs. The first configuration further comprises a logic cone configured to generate a scan output based on the first intermediate signal and a plurality of scan inputs. The first behavioral model is modified to generate a second behavioral model describing the physical circuit in a second configuration. The second configuration comprises an error circuit configured to receive the scan output and the first intermediate signal. A testability model is generated based on the second behavioral model, the testability model comprising a first structural representation of the first logic structure. In the event the first logic structure causes a coverage problem, the testability model is modified to include an inversion structure. The inversion structure is configured based on the first logic structure. The inversion structure is configured to generate an inversion structure output. The testability model is modified to couple the inversion structure output as an input to the error circuit.
US08386229B1
A simulation model is provided for flip-chip BGAs to help engineers determine the effects of IC package components. The simulation model includes a bump model, a package planes model, a package bypass capacitor model, a ball model and a PCB model. The simulation model in particular includes resistors, inductors, capacitors and transmission lines to simulate the electrical interaction between signal conductors, power/ground planes, vias and balls that exist in a flip-chip ball grid array (BGA) package. The simulation model helps engineers understand actual physical effects of flip-chip and IC package interactions, as well as the impact of the effects of power supply droop, ground bounce and crosstalk between adjacent signals, not only on the IC package level, but at the computer system level.
US08386217B2
Method for determination of a rigid value of an aerodynamic coefficient of an aircraft, in which measurements are made in a wind tunnel on a model of the said aircraft and, on the basis of these measurements, at least one value, known as flexible model value, of this aerodynamic coefficient is determined, characterized in that a rigid value of the aerodynamic coefficient is calculated on the basis of the said flexible model value(s) and a correction taking into account the flexibility of the model. A plurality of flexible model values is determined on the basis of measurements made by varying the parameter q/E and maintaining the angle of incidence at a constant value, and the correction consists in an extrapolation operation providing a value of the aerodynamic coefficient corresponding to q/E=0. As a variant, a single flexible model is determined and the correction consists in adjusting the said value with the aid of a correction factor.
US08386216B1
A method and system are provided for adaptively modeling and simulating high speed response of a transmission line. A simulation unit maintains a plurality of curve approximation options for modeling the transmission line. The suitability of a predefined primary one of the curve approximation options for modeling is determined based on frequency-domain modal scattering parameters obtained according to frequency-dependent data characterizing the transmission line. One of the options is selectively executed in response to the determination, in order to generate a macromodel of the transmission line. The primary option is executed upon determination of suitability, while a secondary one of the curve approximation options is alternatively executed upon determination of non-suitability. Transient simulation is then executed upon the resulting macromodel of the transmission line.
US08386204B2
A method is provided for the diagnosis of the EGR cooler efficiency in a Diesel engine that includes but is not limited to construction of a model for determining the temperature drop y=ΔT in the EGR cooler, the model having a parameter vector θ and an input vector x; performing a model calibration phase in order to estimate the bias h0 of the system; calculation of a set of primary residuals ε(θ0, x, ΔT), staffing from the model equation and using the results of the calibration phase; calculation of a set of improved residuals εN(θ0): ɛ N ( θ 0 ) = 1 N ∑ k = 1 N ( ɛ ( θ 0 , x k , y k ) - h 0 ) where N is the number of samples on which the diagnostic test is performed; calculation of a diagnostic index S: S=εTNR0−1εN and, use of the diagnostic index S in order to diagnose the efficiency of the EGR cooler.
US08386203B2
An evaluation method of a progressive-addition lens is provided. First, powers of the progressive-addition lens at a plurality of measurement points are measured to obtain an actually measured power distribution. Next, a comparison power distribution created based on the actually measured power distribution and a defective power distribution prepared in advance are compared with each other to perform similarity search between the both. Thereafter, whether or not the comparison power distribution and the defective power distribution are similar to each other is determined based on the result of the similarity search step, and if it is determined that the comparison power distribution and the defective power distribution are similar to each other, then the progressive-addition lens is evaluated as defective.
US08386190B2
A system and method for identifying high order associations between variables in complex systems that is particularly useful where there is no correlation or weak correlation between variables due to the influence of a third variable, a ternary relationship. The ternary relationship describes how the variation in the pattern of association between a pair of variables, including its sign and strength, is mediated by a third variable. In one embodiment applied to gene expression data, the activity of pairs of correlated genes due to the activity of one or more third genes is shown.
US08386185B2
A system may include utensil means for portioning a foodstuff into a first portion and a second portion, a means for detecting a first portion size for the first portion with the utensil means, a means for detecting a second portion size for the second portion with the utensil means, and a means for determining a cumulative amount of portioned foodstuff based upon the first portion size and the second portion size.
US08386184B2
Systems and methods for calculating an initial amount of target nucleic acid N0 in a sample are provided. A plurality of fluorescent measurements is received. Each respective fluorescent measurement FSn is taken in a different cycle n in a PCR amplification experiment of the sample. Then, a model for the PCR amplification experiment is computed. For each respective fluorescent measurement, the model comprises a respective equation for Nn, where (i) Nn is the calculated amount of the target nucleic acid in cycle n of the corresponding PCR amplification experiment, and (ii) the equation for Nn is expressed in terms of K and N0, where K is the Michaelis-Menton constant. The model can be refined by adjusting K and N0 until differences between model values Nn and corresponding fluorescent measurements are minimized, thereby calculating the initial amount of a target nucleic acid N0 as the minimized value for N0 for the model.
US08386171B2
A method of matching a virtual map, the method including: receiving Global Positioning System (GPS) information; generating a basic map matching result using the GPS information; generating a virtual map matching location based on the basic map matching result; and displaying the virtual map matching location.
US08386170B2
A method is provided for presenting audio information related to scenic points of interest (POIs) to a user traveling along a predetermined route. The predetermined route is guided by a navigation device for providing audio navigation announcements that include turn-by-turn directions to the user. The predetermined route is defined between the starting location and a destination that includes scenic POIs. Audio navigation announcements are output to the user for selectively guiding the user along the predetermined route. An active region around each POI while traveling along the predetermined route is used to identify a current POI. Audio POI information is reproduced relating to the current POI while the user is within the active region of the current POI. Audio POI information reproduced to the user is selectively scheduled at a time not conflicting with the audio navigation announcements output to the user.
US08386168B2
A server device collects traveling speed data from a first mobile device when the first mobile device is located within an area of potential traffic congestion; and records or updates a congestion factor, associated with the area of potential traffic congestion, based on the collected traveling speed data, where the congestion factor identifies an amount of traffic congestion associated with the area of potential traffic congestion. The server device receives, from a second mobile device, a request for traffic information, where the request includes information identifying a current geographic location of the second mobile device and a destination geographic location to which the second mobile device plans to travel; and provides information regarding the congestion factor, associated with the area of potential traffic congestion, to the second mobile device to permit the second mobile device to generate navigational directions based on the congestion factor.
US08386167B2
Methods, systems, and computer-readable media described herein provide for the display of taxi route control point information in conjunction with an alphanumeric taxi route display in an aircraft. Taxi route data is received and compared with airport map information to determine any taxi route control points along the taxi route. Information associated with the taxi route control points is then collected and displayed on a display unit of the aircraft in conjunction with an alphanumeric display of the taxi route. The information associated with the taxi route control points may include ATC clearance information, runway and taxiway status information, runway orientation information, runway and taxiway traffic information, or taxi route information such as distance remaining to the taxi route control point.
US08386160B2
A body detection apparatus includes: movement direction calculation portion that calculates a movement direction of each of acquisition points by using signals that show the acquisition points and that are obtained through detection of a body present around the vehicle; and determination portion that pre-sets a frame commensurate with a shape of a body as a detection object, and for pre-setting for the frame a reference traveling direction as an assumed traveling direction of the body, and for determining, among the acquisition points, acquisition points present within the frame whose reference traveling direction is aligned with the movement direction as being acquisition points of a single body.
US08386150B2
An engine control system includes a fuel cutoff (FCO) module, a fuel control module, and a spark control module. The FCO module, when a FCO event is disabled, determines a feed-forward (FF) number of cylinders to offset a delay period associated with supplying fuel to the cylinders of an engine and selectively maintains a FCO torque request at a predetermined torque. The fuel control module commands fuel be supplied to the FF number of cylinders of the engine when the FCO event is disabled. The spark control module maintains a spark timing of the FF number of cylinders at a fully retarded spark timing based on the FCO torque request.
US08386143B2
A control device for controlling a front wheel drive force and a rear wheel drive force of a vehicle comprises a first controller for controlling a drive force of a main drive wheel and a drive force of an auxiliary drive wheel, the drive force of the main drive wheel being one of the front-wheel drive force and the rear-wheel drive force, and the drive force of the auxiliary drive wheel being another of the front-wheel drive force and the rear-wheel drive force; a second controller for sending to the first controller an auxiliary-drive-wheels-limiting drive force for limiting the drive force of the auxiliary drive wheels in a case that the vehicle is traveling in an unstable state; and a third controller for controlling a motor drive force, which is a source of the drive force of the main drive wheel and the drive force of the auxiliary drive wheel. The third controller reduces the motor drive force on the basis of the auxiliary-drive-wheel-limiting drive force.
US08386136B2
In the construction vehicle, a controller is configured to implement a pump displacement rapid change suppression control for controlling the displacement of a travel hydraulic pump so that travel circuit oil pressure reaches a maximum value equal to or less than a cutoff pressure value when the vehicle has stopped regardless of engine speed, and the displacement of the travel hydraulic pump gradually increases as the travel circuit oil pressure decreases from the maximum value.
US08386135B2
The invention relates to a drive system and to a method for monitoring a hydrostatic drive (1). The hydrostatic drive (1) has at least one hydrostatic piston engine (2) on which a control unit (6, 6′), which controls the hydrostatic piston engine (2, 2′), is arranged, wherein the control unit (6, 6′) is connected to a central control device (13), which controls the drive system (1), via a first interface (14). Control signals for controlling the drive system (1) can be transmitted using the first interface (14). The central control device (13) is additionally connected to the control unit (6) via a second interface (26, 26′), and a switch-off signal can be transmitted from the control unit (6, 6′) to the central control device (13) and/or from the central control device (13) to the control unit (6, 6′) using the second interface (26, 26′).
US08386134B2
A method for enhancing payload control is disclosed. The method includes removing material during a plurality of work cycles with at least one loading machine and associating the loading machine relative to at least one haulage machine. The method also includes determining the relative locations of the loading machine and the haulage machine and, during the plurality of work cycles, loading removed material into the haulage machine with the loading machine. The method also includes determining payload and payload distribution within the haulage machine at least before a last work cycle of the plurality of work cycles and communicating to the loading machine, via a machine-to-machine communication system, the amount and position within the haulage machine of additional payload desired in at least the last work cycle of the plurality of work cycles for desired payload and payload distribution.
US08386133B2
A first sensor detects a boom angle of a boom with respect to a support. An attachment is coupled to the boom. A second cylinder is associated with the attachment. A second sensor detects an attachment angle of the attachment with respect to the boom. An accelerometer detects an acceleration or deceleration of the boom. A switch accepts a command to enter a ready position state from another position state. A controller controls the first hydraulic cylinder to attain a boom angle within the target boom angular range and for controlling the second cylinder to attain an attachment angle within the target attachment angular range associated with the ready position state in response to the command in conformity with at least one of a desired boom motion curve and a desired attachment motion curve.
US08386132B2
A method and system for preventing vehicle movement during start-up arising from a false-neutral indication. Using signals from one or more wheel speed sensors of the vehicle, a vehicle processor determines if the vehicle is moving during start-up, and if so, outputs a termination signal to shut-down the vehicle before any additional movement occurs.
US08386128B2
A method for adapting steering characteristics of a motor vehicle with an electric power steering system, including determining of steering angle signals of a steering train utilizing at least one steering angle sensor in the steering train, determining measuring and control quantities of a dynamic drive system, and adapting the steering characteristics based on the steering angle signals and the measuring and control quantities.
US08386124B2
A device for stabilizing a vehicle after a collision, including a control device having a regulation algorithm, a sensor system for recording various quantities that describe the vehicle state, and an actuator for carrying out a stabilization intervention. The driving state of the vehicle is monitored for the occurrence of a collision, a setpoint value is calculated for a vehicle movement quantity, the setpoint value being at least partly independent of the steering instruction of the driver, and the vehicle movement quantity of the vehicle is regulated to this setpoint value in the case of a collision.
US08386123B2
A method for automatically determining a current offset value for the zero-point correction of a vehicle inclination sensor including the steps of while driving in a first driving direction, the current driving resistance is determined repeatedly, without regard to the sensor and stored temporarily, and a current raw signal value of the sensor is noted. Upon a change in the driving direction, the last-noted raw signal value is stored temporarily and while driving in the second driving direction. The current driving resistance is determined repeatedly, without regard to the sensor and stored temporarily. Then, if the difference between the two stored driving resistances agree with a tolerance threshold, the noted raw signal value is stored as the offset value for the zero-point correction of the inclination sensor.
US08386121B1
A methodology for minimizing the error in on-line Kalman filter-based aircraft engine performance estimation applications is presented. This technique specifically addresses the underdetermined estimation problem, where there are more unknown parameters than available sensor measurements. A systematic approach is applied to produce a model tuning parameter vector of appropriate dimension to enable estimation by a Kalman filter, while minimizing the estimation error in the parameters of interest. Tuning parameter selection is performed using a multi-variable iterative search routine which seeks to minimize the theoretical mean-squared estimation error. Theoretical Kalman filter estimation error bias and variance values are derived at steady-state operating conditions, and the tuner selection routine is applied to minimize these values. The new methodology yields an improvement in on-line engine performance estimation accuracy.
US08386104B2
A system and method is provided for determining a mode of operation of a hybrid vehicle, obtaining torque data and speed data based on the mode of operation, and displaying component icons as well as a graphical representation of power flows. The graphical representation of power flows is displayed between pairs of the component icons. The component icons represent components of the hybrid vehicle including an engine, a battery, drive wheels, and an electric machine arrangement.
US08386101B2
A diagnostic system for a hybrid vehicle comprises a processor module and a motor control module. The processor module outputs a seed value. The motor control module controls torque output by an electric motor of the hybrid vehicle, receives the seed value, generates a final key value based on the seed value, and outputs the final key value to the processor module.
US08386082B2
A cell phone location-based system is described that determines the occupancy of a home and controls home energy consumption such that energy is saved when the home is unoccupied. Occupancy is determined according to cell phone locations, occupant behavior patterns, or burglar alarm status. When an occupant is determined to be returning to their unoccupied home, the heating or cooling apparatus is activated to return the temperature in the home to a comfortable level by the time the occupant arrives.
US08386081B2
An autonomous cleaning apparatus includes a chassis, a drive system disposed on the chassis and operable to enable movement of the cleaning apparatus, and a controller in communication with the drive system. The controller includes a processor operable to control the drive system to steer movement of the cleaning apparatus. The autonomous cleaning apparatus includes a cleaning head system disposed on the chassis and a sensor system in communication with the controller. The sensor system includes a debris sensor for generating a debris signal, a bump sensor for generating a bump signal, and an obstacle following sensor disposed on a side of the autonomous cleaning apparatus for generating an obstacle signal. The processor executes a prioritized arbitration scheme to identify and implement one or more dominant behavioral modes based upon at least one signal received from the sensor system.
US08386071B2
An automatic store and a method for storing plates of electronic circuits comprising a feed belt that feeds the plates of electronic circuits along a first plane (F); collection boxes positioned along at least one side of the feed belt and in which the plates of electronic circuits fed by the feed belt are grouped together according to quality classes; and one or more clearing stations disposed in cooperation with the feed belt in order to position the plates of electronic circuits in the respective collection boxes. The store comprises at least two rows of collection boxes disposed along at least one side of the feed belt, and a movement unit associated with the collection boxes to discharge the filled collection boxes and to position new collection boxes to be filled.
US08386068B2
The present invention is directed to a method of calibrating drill depth of an ophthalmic processing device. A number of drill cycles are selected for drilling an expected number of holes in a lens blank. The selected number of drill cycles is performed. The drill depth of each consecutive drill cycle varies incrementally. An actual number of locations the drill bit contacted the lens blank during the drill cycles is compared to the expected number of holes. The drill depth is adjusted depending on the compared values. A method of calibrating drill hole size is also disclosed.
US08386065B2
A method for manufacturing smart pressure suits, comprises steps of: measuring physical properties of lycra materials and select a lycra material suitable for making the smart pressure monitored suits; measuring body contour data of a patient and computing a pressure value applied to a disease's part of the patient; inputting the body contour data into a computer and creating a pattern of the smart pressure monitored suits by the body contour data and the pressure value processed by a drawing process module in the computer; plotting a blueprint of the smart pressure monitored suits with a plotter controlled by the computer; and sewing the smart pressure monitored suits according to the selected lycra material and the blueprint. Said method makes whole manufacturing process shorten and the manufactured smart pressure monitored suits has advantages of aesthetic, comfort, good air permeability, less deformation after it is wore in a period of time.
US08386063B2
A foreign matter detection unit detects an entry of an unexpected foreign matter that is other than the substrates by light transmitting optical sensors 7 having light projecting portions 7a and light receiving portions 7b at opening sections 3a, 3b formed in cover members 2 through which the substrates pass. By executing an emergency stop processing, when the entry of the foreign matter is detected at one of the opening sections, to stop the electronic component mounting apparatus that is adjacent to the opening section at which the entry of the foreign matter is detected, safety of the machine operators is properly ensured in check and confirmation works conducted at the time of machine troubles etc even in an electronic component assembling line in which the small-sized thin unit apparatuses are combined.
US08386061B2
Methods and systems for producing customized dental restoration and prosthesis, particularly denture prescriptions using a computer software program are provided. In this system, digital photographs of the patient to be fitted with the denture are taken, and the photographs are transferred to the software program. Based on these photographs, the program makes certain calculations. The program then prompts the dental professional to select the desired materials and structure for the denture. Based on this input, the program automatically produces a prescription for the denture. The digital prescription is sent to a dental laboratory for making the denture.
US08386059B2
A prog analysis and execution system and method. The system includes a computer control system, an interface engine in communication with the computer control system, the interface engine being configured to receive prog information, and an action item development engine in communication with the control system, the action item development engine being configured to analyze received prog information and to determine corresponding action items. The system further includes a sensor engine in communication with the computer control system, the sensor engine being configured to receive input from at least one sensor for use in controlling a well drilling operation, and an operational equipment engine in communication with the computer control system, the operational equipment engine being configured to receive input from the computer control system and to control the well drilling operation in accordance with the determined action items in the prog.
US08386056B2
Apparatus is provided that includes an electrode device, adapted to be coupled to a vagus nerve of a subject, and a control unit, adapted to drive the electrode device to apply to the vagus nerve a current that reduces heart rate variability of the subject. Also provided is a method comprising applying to a vagus nerve of a subject a current that reduces heart rate variability of the subject.
US08386054B2
Disclosed is a modular system for providing electrical stimulation, in which a first modular electrode section has a contoured back end configured to engage a contoured front end of another electrode section or a tool that may be used to place the first modular electrode section in the patient's body. The contours of the modular electrode section allow the two components to engage with one another so as to prevent their separation in the horizontal plane, and a lead extending from the first modular electrode is configured to engage keels on the top surface of the second electrode portion or tool, with such keels providing a snap-type attachment between the lead and the second electrode portion or tool, such that the two components may be joined together but easily separated from one another through the intentional separation of the lead from the keels on the second electrode portion or tool.
US08386030B2
An iontophoresis device including an active electrode assembly or a counter electrode assembly with a polarizable electrode containing any one of a conductive material having a capacitance per unit weight of 1 F/g or greater, a conductive material having a specific surface area of 10 m2/g or greater, and activated carbon is disclosed. The generation of gas or ions due to an electrode reaction occurring in an electrode assembly may be reduced or prevented. In addition, the alteration of an active agent due to a chemical reaction upon energization may be reduced or prevented.
US08386028B2
A method of analyzing a composition of a human body having a plurality of body segments is disclosed. The method can include applying a current signal to a body. The method can further include simultaneously measuring a plurality of voltage signals from a plurality of measuring positions of the body during a predetermined period, and processing at least two of the plurality of voltage signals to determine a composition parameter of a body segment so as to assess or analyze composition of the body.
US08386024B2
A method for identifying and classifying various types of oversensing in implantable medical devices (IMDs), such as implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs), to assist a physician in choosing corrective action to reduce the likelihood of oversensing and inappropriate therapy delivery. Far-field electrogram (EGM) signals are analyzed to detect the occurrence of R-waves, and the result is compared to the number and pattern of R-waves sensed by the IMD and indicated on the marker channel. A marker channel with more sensed R-waves than indicated by analysis of the far-field EGM indicates the presence of oversensing, including double-counting of R-waves, T-wave oversensing, lead malfunction or failure, poor lead connections, noise associated with electromagnetic interference, non-cardiac myopotentials, etc. Identification of the type of oversensing may be determined by analysis of the number and pattern of marker channel sensed R-waves with respect to the timing of the R-waves detected from the far-field EGM.
US08386018B2
A medical device for determining the position of intracorporeal implants such as fixation systems, plates or the like, comprises at least one impedance-measuring device and an ultrasound device which are both connected to at least one intracorporeal probe, the impedance-measuring device being additionally equipped with at least one connector for connection to the implant. The device is suitable for determining the position of pedicle screws and the like in a spinal column fixation system with metal rods as stabilizers.
US08386016B2
In a method and device for determination of a position shift, first image data of a body region of a treatment-positioned patient that contain derivable temperature information are acquired. A focal area in the body region is determined, and the focus of a hyperthermia applicator can be aligned on the focal area. Second image data of the body region of the treatment-positioned patient that contain derivable temperature information are acquired, and a position shift of the focal area is determined by a comparison of the second image data with the first image data.
US08386015B2
Macroscopic imaging data, such as from a CT, MR, PET, or SPECT scanner, is obtained. Microscopic imaging data of at least a portion of the same tissue is obtained. To align the microscopic imaging data with the macroscopic imaging data, intermediate data is also obtained. For example, photographic data is acquired at an intermediary stage of a process of preparing tissue for microscopic scan. The macroscopic and microscopic data are registered to the intermediary photographic data. Once registered to the intermediary data, the spatial relationship between the macroscopic and microscopic data is known and may be used for imaging or quantification.
US08386014B2
In some embodiments, the disclosed subject matter provides a method of identifying the source of arrhythmia, e.g. reentrant ventricular tachycardia, in a patient. In other embodiments, the disclosed subject matter provides a method for treating or preventing reentrant ventricular tachycardia in a patient. In still other embodiments, the disclosed subject matter provides systems for identifying the location of a candidate ablation site in a patient. In some embodiments, the patient has suffered from a myocardial infarction or has undergone structural remodeling of the heart caused by, e.g., cardiac fibrosis or the presence of dense trebeculation, resulting in nonviable areas with border zones (BZ).
US08386013B2
Methods, systems and computer program products of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) using ultra short echo times and spiral sampling in k-space are disclosed. A long inversion radio frequency (RF) pulse that inverts magnetization of long T2 components are applied to a sample that exhibits long transverse relaxation time (T2) components and short T2 components to minimize signals corresponding to the long T2 components. In addition, half RF excitation pulses are applied to the sample to select one or more echo times. Data corresponding to the selected one or more echo times are acquired using a spiral trajectory, and a first echo image is obtained based on the acquired data.
US08386006B2
A medical microelectrode includes portions capable of movement relative to each other when implanted in or inserted into soft tissue, so as to increase or decrease their distance along the electrode. The electrode is at least partially embedded in a substantially rigid biocompatible matrix that is soluble or biodegradable a body fluid. Also disclosed are uses of the microelectrode; microelectrode bundles and arrays of microelectrode bundles and their uses; methods for inserting or implanting microelectrodes, microelectrode bundles and arrays of microelectrode bundles in soft tissue.
US08385994B2
There is provided a superconducting joint for electrically connecting a first multifilamentary superconducting wire including a plurality of first superconducting filaments embedded in a first stabilizer matrix and a second multifilamentary superconducting wire including a plurality of second superconducting filaments embedded in a second stabilizer matrix. The joint includes: a first bundle of bare superconducting filaments being formed by removing the first stabilizer matrix at an end joint portion of the first superconducting wire; a second bundle of bare superconducting filaments being formed by removing the second stabilizer matrix at an end joint portion of the second superconducting wire; and an intermediate superconductor interposed in contact relationships between the first and the second bundles, a critical current density of the intermediate superconductor under an operating condition of the superconducting joint being less than a critical current density of the bare superconducting filaments under the operating condition.
US08385991B2
A dual-axis hinge structure and electric device having the same are provided, and the dual-axis hinge structure includes a hinge base having a pushed portion, a first pivot portion having a first cam and a first shaft, a second pivot portion having a second cam and a second shaft, and a restoring member connected both the first pivot portion and the second pivot portion. The first shaft is pivoted on the hinge base, and the first cam is fixed on the first shaft, and the first cam is contacted with one lateral side of the pushed portion. The second shaft is parallel to the first shaft, and is pivoted on the hinge base, and the second cam is fixed on the second shaft, and the second cam is contacted with another lateral side of the pushed portion.
US08385974B1
A grip attachment for an electronic device, such as a mobile phone, which enables a user to grasp and control a camera of the mobile phone with one hand. The grip attachment includes a main body and an enlarged grip extension attached to a first end of the main body. The enlarged grip extension is sized and shaped to enable a user's hand to hold the grip extension and attached mobile phone with one hand. The grip attachment also includes a locking mechanism for attaching the attachment grip to a portion of a mobile phone protective case. A second end of the grip extension includes a connector for interfacing with a connector of the mobile phone. The grip extension includes an external control located on an outer surface of the grip attachment for activating a camera control of the mobile phone.
US08385973B1
A system for remote control of equipment such as office equipment is provided. The system involving a telephone interface and a control system. A method is provided for remote equipment control having steps of installing and configuring equipment. A method is provided controlling equipment remotely having steps relating to using elements of a control system.
US08385965B2
A method for generating a filtered signal quality value used in a power control system of a wireless communication apparatus. An estimated signal quality value of a received signal is generated. A filtered signal quality value is generated based on the estimated signal quality value. The filtered signal quality value is generated in dependence of at least one of registering a difference between a first and a second reference signal quality value, and a change in transmitted power of said received signal. A power control device comprising a signal quality estimator, a BLER estimator, a regulator, and an inner loop is configured to implement the method.
US08385957B2
A base station apparatus including a receiving unit to receive, from a terminal, quantized channel state information with respect to a radio channel from a plurality of transmission antennas of the base station apparatus to a plurality of receiving antennas of the terminal. A control unit to determine a control ratio of interference signal to noise with respect to the radio channel based on the channel state information. A precoding matrix computing unit to compute a precoding matrix based on the control ratio of interference signal to noise and a transmission unit to transmit data to one or more of the connected terminals using the precoding matrix.
US08385952B2
A mobile communications device user interface is described. In an implementation, a method is implemented by a mobile communications device that includes outputting a user interface having a portion that is configured to accept content. When an option is selected in relation to the portion to initiate a communication and the content includes one or more contacts, the communication is formed that includes the content and is automatically addressed to the one or more contacts.
US08385950B1
A computer-implemented method for automatically uploading media content from a mobile device to an online service provider can include receiving, in the mobile device, identifying information corresponding to a user account associated with at least one of a plurality of online service providers; capturing media content with a media input component included in the mobile device; and after the media content is captured, automatically uploading to the at least one online service provider the captured media content and the identifying information, without receiving user input contemporaneous with the automatic uploading that specifies that the captured media content is to be uploaded. The mobile device can further include a wireless communication component configured to wirelessly send data to and wirelessly receive data from the plurality of online service providers, which can be external to the mobile device.
US08385949B2
A method, call setup device (10) and computer program product for controlling telephone call setup for an associated user and having access to different communication networks are provided. The call setup device (10) comprising a data receiving unit (52) receiving a first data message (DM1) from the user comprising callee identifying information and user identifying information and a control unit (48) having access to call placing units (12, 14, 58), each connected to corresponding network (24,32) and providing telephone call set up via these networks, wherein the control unit analyses the callee and user identifying information, orders a call placing unit to set up a first telephone call to a user terminal, orders a call placing unit to set up a second telephone call to a callee terminal and orders an interconnection of the first and the second call.
US08385944B1
A computer-implemented user alert method includes identifying a task for a user, associating a location with the task, monitoring a location of a mobile device associated with the user, and notifying the user about the task when the mobile device comes within a defined proximity of the associated location.
US08385938B2
The data transmission activity of established connections is monitored along with a measure of the load or drain on communication resources. When the load on communication resources increases or when it moves past a threshold, inactivity over an connection is not permitted or is permitted for a shorter time before releasing that user's connection. On the other hand, lower loads allow for a longer (or no) inactivity period before disconnecting the connection. Once inactivity on a connection exceeds the time determined based on load, that connection may be transferred to a lower capacity channel, e.g., a common channel. Alternatively, that inactive connection may be disconnected.
US08385936B2
A method of interference suppression in a wireless cellular network includes notifying a first base station that there is a second User Equipment (UE) that currently suffers downlink interferences from the first base station, when an second UE in an active state suffers the downlink interferences from the first base station; and reallocating, by the first base station, spectrum resources for a first UE communicating with the first base station. A first base station, a second UE and a second base station for implementing the above method of interference suppression are also provided. When the second UE in the active state suffers the downlink interferences from an adjacent first base station, the first base station can adjust the spectrum resources occupied by the first UE through resource scheduling, so as to reduce the downlink interferences on the second UE in the active state, thus to reduce the influence on the communication between the second UE and the second base station.
US08385935B2
A method for measuring a self-interference (SI) which occurs in a relay and controlling radio resources of a base station based on the measured SI, and a mobile telecommunication system using the same. The mobile telecommunication system includes a relay which calculates intensity of SI; and a base station which performs radio resource management based on the calculated SI intensity. The method for measuring SI includes calculating intensity of SI using a relay; and performing radio resource management at a base station based on the calculated SI intensity.
US08385930B2
It is described a method for distributing radio resources between a first radio link between a primary network element being assigned to a first hierarchic level of a network and a first secondary network element being assigned to a second hierarchic level and a second radio link between the primary network element and a second secondary network element being assigned to the second hierarchic level. The method includes (a) transmitting respectively a first resource allocation parameter from the first and the second secondary network element to a decision unit, the first resource allocation parameter being indicative for a minimum performance requirement, (b) transmitting respectively a second resource allocation parameter from the first and the second secondary network element to the decision unit, the second resource allocation parameter being indicative for a performance increase for the respective radio link following an allocation of additional radio resources, and (c) distributing the radio resources between the first and the second radio link based on the first and the second resource allocation parameter.
US08385907B2
A communication system switches a communication state from a first communication state where a wireless communication unit of a communication device performs data communication and voice communication with an external device and a phone device to a second communication state to perform the data communication between the phone device and the external device, in response to electric power supply to the wireless communication unit being interrupted. The first communication state is set with a communication-device network ID used for the communication device and a phone-device network ID used for the phone device. The second communication state is set with the phone-device network ID used for the communication device and the communication-device network ID used for the phone device.
US08385905B2
Cell information broadcast system and method for reduced local environments, inferior to a radio cell, and applied to a cell (9) of a mobile telephone system. The system comprises for said cell (9) a base station (1), a plurality of mobile terminals (2), and at least one local cell broadcast equipment LCBE (3), which transmits local cell broadcast messages (5) to the mobile terminals (2) located within its coverage area (4) using a physical channel of the cellular system. Each LCBE (3) comprises reception means to recognize the transport configuration of the cell broadcast messages (5′) in said cell (9), configuration and content means, to determine the format and content of the local cell broadcast messages (5), and transmission means to broadcast the local cell broadcast messages (5).
US08385899B2
The present invention provides a method for automated application-selective processing of data by a portable processor based terminal device and the portable processor based terminal device enabled to perform the aforementioned method. The data is receivable wirelessly from an external counterpart data provision entity. One or more content data is extracted from the wirelessly received data. Then it is checked whether an application, which is currently carried out on the portable processor based terminal device, is applicable or compatible with the one or more content data and in case a content data is applicable with the current running application, the content data is supplied to the application, which processed on the supplied content data accordingly.
US08385893B2
A particular method includes processing a call connection between a user equipment (UE) device and a first network. The UE device is coupled to or includes at least a first subscriber identity module (SIM) that is associated with the first network and a second SIM that is associated with a second network. The method includes sending a status update message to the second network associated with the second SIM. The status update message instructs the second network to provide a busy status message in response to receiving a call connection request that is directed to the second SIM.
US08385888B2
Mobile devices are authorized to access PBX-based voice services through presentation of audible tones on a voice channel, which are determined based on a code received over a separate data channel. The device can request a code over a data channel from a server in communication with the PBX. The server provides data representative of the code over the data channel to the device, and arranges for local storage of the code. The device makes a connection with the PBX over a separate voice channel. The mobile device presents the received code as a sequence of audio tones (e.g., DTMF tones). The audio tones are used to generate data that can be compared with stored codes by an authentication module. The authorization module can indicate to the PBX that the code is valid; services can be provided by the PBX in response. The valid codes can be maintained, such as by removing used codes from code storage.
US08385885B2
A method of unlocking a mobile electronic device and a mobile electronic device are disclosed. The mobile electronic device is operable in a locked state with the touch screen of the mobile electronic device being deactivated. In an embodiment, the mobile electronic device comprises a pressure sensor coupled to the touch-screen for detecting an application of pressure to the touch screen.
US08385884B1
A do not disturb (DND) mode for telephonic devices, in which the DND mode is automatically deactivated after a time increment has elapsed, the DND mode having been activated based on detecting, upon receiving a telephone call, a selection of the control.
US08385883B2
Methods, systems, devices and computer program products are provided for locating, tracking and/or recovering a wireless communication device that has been misplaced, lost or stolen. In addition, the aspects provide for tracking or surveillance of the location or user in instances in which the wireless device has been loaned or is being used for covert surveillance. The aspects include communicating a locating state code to the targeted device, which detects the code and executes one or more routines that are associated with the respective code. In this regard, the targeted device is capable of carrying out different routines or sequences of actions depending on the state of the device, such as a misplaced state, a lost state, a stolen state or the like, which is based on the respective code.
US08385878B2
Embodiments include methods of activity control in which a time of initiation of an active period of a discontinuous reception (DRX) cycle is based on a value calculated with respect to a wireless signal received during an active period of a previous DRX cycle.
US08385877B2
Fully integrated compact cross-coupled low noise amplifier. A circuitry implementation that includes two pairs of metal oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) (either N-type of P-type) operates as an LNA, which can be used within any of a wide variety of communication devices. A majority of the elements are integrated within the design and need not be implemented off-chip, and this can provide for a reduction in area required by the circuitry. A differential 100Ω input impedance is provided by this design. A higher than typical power supply voltage can be employed (if desired) to accommodate one possible implementation that includes two parallel implemented resistors to ground.
US08385873B2
An equivalent radio frequency (RF) notch filter, an RF chip, and a receiver are provided. The equivalent RF notch filter includes: a local oscillation (LO) circuit, configured to provide a LO frequency signal; configured to be connected in parallel with the main chain, and down-convert signals of the main chain; and a frequency selective circuit realized by impedance difference, configured to provide different impedances for down-converted signals with different frequencies from the mixing circuit, so as to absorb the signals that need to be suppressed.
US08385872B2
The present patent application comprises a linear transconductor having at least one input and at least one output, comprising a differential amplifier having a plurality of transistors and a plurality of inputs, wherein a difference of input signals is amplified, a cascode circuit having a plurality of transistors, wherein the transistors are operably connected to the differential amplifier, wherein reverse isolation between an input and an output of the linear transconductor is improved by decoupling the input and the output of the linear transconductor by mounting at least one transistor of the plurality of transistors of the cascode circuit as a common-gate stacked on the at least one transistor of the differential amplifier, an active load having a plurality of transistors operably connected between the cascode circuit and supply voltage, and an auxiliary device operably connected to the connection between the active load, the cascode device and ground.
US08385865B2
The wireless receiver of the present invention accommodates dual-carrier Evolved EDGE without significantly impacting existing receiver architectures. The inventive receiver comprises a shared local oscillator and two image-rejecting downconverters. The local oscillator generates a local oscillator frequency between two carrier frequencies of adjacent radio channels. The receiver receives a signal in each of the adjacent radio channels. In a dual-carrier mode, a first image-rejecting downconverter uses the local oscillator frequency to downconvert a first signal received in the first radio channel while rejecting a second signal received in the second radio channel. A second image-rejecting downconverter uses the local oscillator frequency to downconvert the second signal while rejecting the first signal. In a diversity mode, the first and second image-rejecting downconverters use the local oscillator frequency to downconvert the signal received in one of the radio channels while rejecting the signal received in the other radio channel.
US08385861B2
A disclosed radio communication apparatus transmits a radio signal to multiple users via multiple transmit antenna groups at appropriate transmit power levels, each of the transmit antenna groups including one or more transmit antennas, the transmit antenna groups having respective transmit power constraints. The apparatus includes a precoding unit configured to perform precoding on signals modulated for individual users and generate transmit weights, an optimum transmit power calculation unit configured to receive the transmit weights from the precoding unit and use components of the transmit weights and respective transmit power limit values for the transmit antenna groups to calculate an initial value for a transmit power optimization problem for calculation of the appropriate transmit power levels for the users, and a transmission unit configured to transmit radio signals at the calculated transmit power levels.
US08385855B2
The present disclosure relates to systems, devices and methods related to transmitters, and/or transceivers having a single, tunable oscillator in a dual conversion architecture. In various exemplary embodiments, this transmitter may include: a first mixer configured to receive a first oscillator signal from the single oscillator; a filter configured to band pass filter the converted signal and output a filtered signal; and a second mixer in communication with the filter, configured to receive the filtered signal. This dual conversion transmitter may be configured to receive a communication signal from an input to the transmitter and to output a converted signal based on the first oscillator signal and the communication signal. The second mixer may be configured to receive a scaled version of the first oscillator signal and to output a desired frequency output signal based on the scaled version of the first oscillator signal and the filtered signal.
US08385834B2
A control section 8 detects the symmetry of an input pulse-like noise waveform with respect to a reference value from its Fourier spectrum distribution, and restricts, in the case of a symmetric wave, the operation of a noise elimination circuit such as a noise killer circuit 7, which performs previous value hold or various interpolation processing.
US08385828B1
A method of data transfer using short range technology. An originating short range wireless technology enabled device wirelessly communicates a first portion of content to a destination short range wireless technology enabled device along with location information that enables retrieval of a remaining portion of the content from a back office location. The destination short range wireless technology enabled device processes the first portion of content. The remaining portion of the content may be retrieved for processing by the destination short range wireless technology enabled device before the completion of processing of the first portion of content.
US08385815B2
A service management platform for processing packet switched communications is provided. The service management platform has a component for handling voice calls. The component for handling voice calls comprises a first input/output for sending and receiving data packets associated with a first leg of a call, a second input/output for sending and receiving data packets associated with a second leg of the call, a monitoring component for monitoring copies of the data packets for commands contained within a payload of the data packets, and a relay component for directly relaying the data packets between the first input/output and the second input/output and for generating and forwarding copies of the data packets to the monitoring component.
US08385811B1
Systems and methods are provided for improved processing of forms using color. One aspect is a method for processing a plurality of test answer sheets in a standardized test system. In various embodiments, each of the plurality of completed test answer sheets is recorded. The completed test answer sheet is scanned, an identifier for the completed test answer sheet is determined, and three or more colors are electronically recorded to form a multicolor image on a computer readable medium. The multicolor image is representative of the scanned completed test answer sheet. The multicolor image is associated with the identifier in a database. Each of the plurality of completed test answer sheets is scored. Scoring the test answer sheets includes digitally modifying at least one color in the multicolor image at an image use point to assist with scoring the completed test answer sheets. Other aspects are provided herein.
US08385809B2
A sheet cutting device includes: an interposing section that interposes a sheet bundle in which a plurality of sheets are bundled; a cutting blade section having a cutting blade that cuts a sheet bundle interposed by the interposing section; a blade receiving member that receives a cutting edge of the cutting blade in the case of cutting; and a controller that controls a stop position of the cutting blade in the case of cutting. The controller controls the cutting blade section so that an amount of movement from a standby position of the cutting blade to the stop position becomes great when the number of times of cutting operations is increased.
US08385801B2
An image heating apparatus includes a magnetic flux generator for generating magnetic flux; and a rotatable belt including an electroconductive layer which generates heat by the magnetic flux generated by the generator and having flexibility and a cylindrical shape. The generator is outside the belt. The apparatus further includes a back-up member inside the belt member; a rotatable pressor for pressing the belt against the back-up member to form a nip, in which a recording material is nip-conveyed; and a regulator, provided in a sheet passing area of a passable recording material having a maximum size, for regulating movement of the recording material with respect to a longitudinal direction of the belt. The regulator regulates the shape of the belt so that the belt dimension member in a recording material conveying direction is longer than the belt dimension perpendicular to the recording material conveying direction.
US08385794B2
A belt device includes an endless belt bearing a toner image having a plurality of different colors superimposed one on another, a plurality of rollers on which the belt is mounted, a meandering correcting member correcting the meandering of the belt in a belt width direction, a sensor detecting the position of an end surface of the belt in a width direction of the belt, an adjusting mechanism adjusting the movement of the meandering correcting member, and a controller controlling the adjusting mechanism based on the position detection of the belt end surface by the sensor. The controller controls the adjusting mechanism so that the belt end surface approaches a specified target position and lies within a specified position range including the specified target position. The specified position range is set based on the magnitude of fluctuation of the position of the belt end surface.
US08385791B2
A developer regulating member regulates a thickness of a layer of a developer on a surface of a developer bearing body. The developer has a degree of circularity in a range from 0.94 to 0.97. The developer regulating member includes a resilient plate member composed of a metal material and having a bent portion. An outer surface of the bent portion contacts the surface of the developer bearing body so that a ridge line of the outer surface of the bent portion crosses a moving direction of the surface of the developer bearing body. A curvature radius R (μm) of the outer surface of the bent portion and a mean crystal grain diameter D (μm) of the metal material satisfy the relationship: 60×10−3×R−11≦D≦93.75×10−3×R−6.875.
US08385785B2
Development stations are provided. A development station has a housing having a recirculation path and an auger being rotatable to move the developer along part of the recirculation path. A first output is at a first end of the auger through which a first urging force urging the first end of the auger away from the second end can be applied and a second output at a second end of the auger through which a second urging force urging the second end away from the first end can be applied. At least one actuator generates an input force from which at least one of the first force and the second force can be provided; and a separator provides the first urging force and the second urging force to create a tension in the auger.
US08385777B2
A drive transmission mechanism including a drive shaft, a rotational driving member having at least two first protrusions and provided to the drive shaft, a driven member having at least two second protrusions and provided to a rotary shaft of a rotary member, deformable connecting parts provided to at least one of portions between the first protrusions and the rotational driving member and portions between the second protrusions and the driven member, and an elastic member covering the deformable connecting parts. The deformable connecting parts displace one of the first and second protrusions relative to one of the rotational driving member and the driven member in a direction tangential to a direction of rotation of the rotational driving member and the driven member upon contact of the first protrusions with the second protrusions.
US08385775B2
A process cartridge is provided that is detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus. The process cartridge includes an electrophotographic photosensitive drum and a developing unit. The process cartridge further includes a portion to be positioned, a displacing portion, and a portion to be urged. The portion to be positioned is positioned to a main assembly side positioning portion by the portion to be urged when the process cartridge is set in the main assembly.
US08385772B2
An image forming apparatus includes a toner cartridge that has an inner shutter and an outer shutter and is attached to and detached from a main body through a door disposed on a main body. The outer shutter moves to a position in which toner is allowed to be discharged through a toner outlet of the toner cartridge when the toner cartridge is loaded into the main body, and the inner shutter moves to an open position in which the toner outlet is opened by being interlocked in a closing operation of the door after the toner cartridge is loaded into the main body.
US08385770B2
There is provided a developer recovery device including: a casing; a recovery member disposed along an edge portion of the aperture portion; a sealing member disposed along an edge portion at a conveyance direction upstream side of the aperture portion; a moving section that moves the recovery member and the sealing member between a position of being touched against the developer-bearing member and a position of being apart from the developer-bearing member; a suction section that sucks the developer separated from the developer-bearing member into the casing; and a filter that is long in the length direction of the aperture portion and that is disposed in the casing between the aperture portion and the suction section with an inclination such that a lower portion of the filter is further away from the aperture portion than an upper portion of the filter.
US08385765B2
An image forming apparatus capable of selectively discharging a sheet having an image formed with toner on one surface thereof and a sheet having images formed with toner on both surfaces thereof includes a fixing unit configured to fix a toner image on a sheet, a sheet stacking portion configured to stack sheets each having the toner image fixed thereon, and a control portion configured to control a maximum sheet stacking amount of sheets stacked in the sheet stacking portion. The control portion controls the maximum sheet stacking amount set when sheets, at least one of which has the toner images formed on both surfaces thereof, are stacked to be smaller than the maximum sheet stacking amount set when sheets each having the toner image formed on one surface thereof are stacked.
US08385763B2
A heating fixer, including a fixing member heating and melting a toner image; a pressure member contacting the fixing member upon application of pressure to form a nip; a variable device varying the pressure of the pressure member to the fixing member with rotation of a cam to vary a width of the nip into at least three steps; a drive motor driving the cam; and at least two position detectors detecting a rotational position of the cam, wherein each of the position detectors is formed of a fixed transmission sensor and a blocking filler coaxially rotating with the cam in a body, the blocking filler includes a blocking blade capable of blocking light received by the transmission sensor, the plural blocking fillers include blocking blades so as to have phases different from each other among the blocking fillers.
US08385762B2
A transfer roller lies opposite to a supporting roller across an image carrying belt and abuts against the outer surface of the image carrying belt to form a transfer nip. A driving force transmission unit transmits driving force from a driving source to a driving roller. A drive control unit performs drive control of the driving source. A feedforward control unit performs feedforward control on the driving source via the drive control unit. An entry detecting unit detects entry of a sheet in the transfer nip. The feedforward control unit considers an entry detection signal output by the entry sensor as a trigger for performing feedforward control after a predetermined time.
US08385758B2
An image forming device includes a first medium container for a first printing medium; a second medium container for a second printing medium; a medium feeder for feeding one of the first and second media from one of the first and second medium containers; a special process unit that performs a special process on the first printing medium fed by the medium feeder when image data, including instruction information instructing the special process, is received; a detector that detects a characteristic of the first printing medium; a special process capability determination unit for determining whether or not the special process can be performed based on the characteristic; and a control unit that ejects the printing medium and that causes the second medium to be fed from the second medium container when the special process capability determination unit determines that the special process cannot be performed.
US08385755B2
A fixing device and an image forming apparatus having the same, and a method of operating the fixing device, the fixing device being provided with a power interruption unit to prevent overheating of the fixing device by physically separating a fuse element from a power line and/or approximating a thermostat to a fixing member of the fixing device.
US08385750B2
An optical transceiver includes an optical transmitter. The optical transmitter varies the wavelength of its output beam in accordance with the setting of a digital to analog converter. Two split beams emerging respectively from beam splitters are introduced into a photodetector and a wavelength filter, respectively. A quotient is calculated by dividing the digital value output from an analog to digital converter (ADC) by the digital value output from another ADC. A memory address m is then determined based on this quotient without making any calculation for compensating for the imperfect characteristics of the wavelength filter. A wavelength notification value is then selected from a wavelength notification table based on the determined memory address m, and sent to the system host.
US08385746B2
An optical interface device determines whether frequency deviation of a clock signal corresponding to an optical signal from a client side is abnormal based on a stuff amount when subjecting a data signal corresponding to an optical signal input from the client side to a stuffing process, inserts an alarm indication signal (AIS) indicating that the frequency deviation is abnormal into a predetermined region of a data signal when the deviation is determined to be abnormal, and outputs an optical signal generated corresponding to the data signal to a WDM line side so as to transfer the AIS to another component disposed downstream therefrom, so that locating a site where an abnormal state occurs is made easier.
US08385744B2
A method for controlling delay in a Passive Optical Network (PON) is applicable when a Precision Timing Protocol (PTP) message is transmitted in a downlink direction. The method includes obtaining a buffer duration of the PTP message destined for an Optical Network Unit (ONU), storing the PTP message destined for the ONU, and sending the PTP message to the ONU when a duration for storing the PTP message reaches the buffer duration.
US08385742B2
Consistent with the present disclosure, clock-and-data recovery (CDR) circuitry and driver circuitry are provided on a chip that is separate from the driver circuitry, thereby reducing the amount of power consumed by the driver circuitry and simplifying system design. In one example, timing of the ERZ signals is controlled by a feedback loop that adjusts the phase of a data carrying signal relative to a clock signal, such that the phase has a desired value. Timing of the ERZ signals may thus be adjusted to minimize errors.
US08385739B2
An apparatus comprising a path computation element (PCE) configured to perform a path computation using a wavelength converter (WC) pool information based on a dynamic WC pool model, wherein the dynamic WC pool model comprises information regarding WC pool usage state represented using a WC pool usage state vector, and wherein the information regarding WC pool usage state is communicated to the PCE using a WC usage state Type-Length-Value (TLV) that indicates an available WC in a WC pool, a used WC in the WC pool, or both. Also disclosed is a network component comprising at least one processor configured to implement a method comprising receiving a WC usage state TLV comprising information regarding WC pool usage state, establishing a WC pool usage state vector using the information in the WC usage state TLV, and calculating a WC pool connectivity matrix based on the WC usage state vector.
US08385737B2
A stereopicture shooting bracket, includes: a bracket (10), a base (9) mounted on the base (10), a curved rail mounted on the base (9), a sliding block (2) moving along the curved rail (1), a camera (3) capable of continuous shooting mounted on a top of the sliding block (2), and a driving device for driving the sliding block (2). A circle the curved rail (1) locating locates on a horizontal plane. The stereopicture shooting bracket according to the present invention is capable of shooting pictures of a same object continuously from different angles, so as to overcome the drawback that the focus, metering, and angle of different cameras can not be consistent at the shooting moment.
US08385726B2
A playback apparatus includes an output unit configured to output main video data used as a main image, sub-video data used as a subsidiary image, cursor data to display a cursor, graphics data to display operation guidance, and sub-picture data to display subtitles, a first blend processing unit configured to superimpose the sub-video data, the sub-picture data, the cursor data and the graphics data, and a second blend processing unit configured to superimpose the superimposed data obtained by the first blend processing unit and the main video data.
US08385723B2
A video recording system that controls recording of television programming relating to sporting events to better match the intent of a user who specified programming for recording. The system merges data from an electronic program guide and sports data, such as from a news feed, to determine values of recording parameters, such as start and stop time and channel. User input may specify a player, team, league or other sports entity for which sporting events are to be recorded. The system may use the sports data to identify sporting events involving the specified sports entity and then access an electronic program guide to determine a channel on which to record the sporting events. When the user specifies a sporting event to record, sports data may be used to track progress of the event and dynamically adjust an ending time of the recording to ensure that the full event is recorded.
US08385718B1
A process for programming actions of resources in a network of domestic devices to enable a user to program an action to be performed by one of the devices from another device. The process includes sending a request for programming an action, the request including a set of parameters defining the action, a time indication, and a list of resources involved in the action. An actions manager verifies the availability of the resources at the time the action is to be carried out, and a message of acceptance or refusal of the programming action is sent out in response to the verification.
US08385711B2
Splice holders for managing and storing splices between optical fibers in fiber optic hardware and equipment are disclosed herein. The splice holder include a base portion and an array of splice holding partitions extending from the base portion. In some embodiments the array of splice holding partitions define a plurality of rows for receiving a respective first splice component along a first direction and a plurality of columns intersecting the plurality of fiber rows for receiving a second splice component along a second direction. Similarly, in some embodiments, selected pairs of splice holding partitions define a column width and selected pairs of splice holding partitions define a row width. Additionally, in some embodiments, the column width is sufficiently greater than the row width to accommodate the second splice component oriented along one of the plurality of columns that could not otherwise be accommodated if oriented along one of the plurality of rows.
US08385689B2
A computer implemented method and system is provided for aligning multiple overlapping images in real time using translation invariant feature matching. A user captures overlapping images comprising a first image and a second image using one or more image capture devices. An image aligning application determines one or more local maxima pixel points and local minima pixel points in the first image and the second image based on predetermined statistical criteria. The image aligning application performs iterative intra image correlation in the first image for selecting a predetermined number of feature points. The image aligning application performs iterative inter image correlation for the selected feature points, for determining a predetermined number of best correlated feature point pairs, and selects a matching feature point pair from the best correlated feature point pairs. The image aligning application aligns the first image and the second image using the selected matching feature point pair.
US08385687B1
In accordance with one embodiment, a method of determining a transformation between a first image and a second image includes acts of, for at least one region in the first image, determining a corresponding region in the second image as a function of a transformation parameter and determining a similarity function as a function of the transformation parameter between the region in the first image and the corresponding region in the second image. In one embodiment, the method further includes acts of determining a similarity function between the first image and the second image using the similarity function for the at least one region, and determining a value of the transformation parameter, wherein the value substantially optimizes the similarity function between the first image and the second image.
US08385681B2
A method of removing blemishes from an image. The method receives a selection of an area of an image, divides the area into at least two interior sub-areas, and replaces the colors of each sub-area independently from each other sub-area.
US08385677B2
A method and an electronic device for reducing digital image noises are described. The method includes the steps of sequentially selecting a pixel from a digital image, and setting the pixel as a target pixel; defining a first area, and setting at least two of the rest pixels surrounding the target pixel in the first area as adjacent pixels; setting a first weighted area; setting a second weighted area corresponding to the first weighted area; computing a weight of the adjacent pixel located at a center position of the second weighted area by using a piecewise linear curve according to a similarity value of the first weighted area and the second weighted area; computing a weighted average of all the adjacent pixels and the target pixel, to determine a new value of the target pixel; and performing the above steps repeatedly, till all the pixels are processed.
US08385674B2
This invention makes it possible to obtain an enlarged image while suppressing noise and maintaining the sharpness of an original image only by setting a simple enlargement ratio without no special knowledge. Original image data (Ia) is enlarged in accordance with a set enlargement ratio (E) to generate an enlarged image (IA). The enlarged image (IA) is smoothed by using a smoothing filter with a size depending on the enlargement ratio (E) to generate smoothed image data (IB). Difference image data (IC) is generated by calculating the difference between the enlarged image data (IA) and the smoothed image data (IB). The generated difference image data is multiplied by an emphasis coefficient. The product is added to the enlarged image data, thereby obtaining image data (IS) that has undergone enlargement/unsharp masking.
US08385673B2
An image processing apparatus includes: ΔΣ modulation means for applying, when predetermined signal processing is applied to a modulated image obtained by applying ΔΣ modulation to an image in a signal processing unit, the ΔΣ modulation to the image, wherein a frequency characteristic of noise shaping by the ΔΣ modulation is a characteristic opposite to a frequency characteristic of the predetermined signal processing.
US08385664B2
A progressive JPEG image decoding method is provided. In the decoding method, a non-zero history table and a sign table of each variable length decoding (VLD) result are recorded and used as a reference for decoding the next scan layer. The decoded coefficients are no longer directly stored in a memory so as to save the memory space. Accordingly, an image can be decoded and displayed correctly even with limited memory space.
US08385662B1
Clustering algorithms such as k-means clustering algorithm are used in applications that process entities with spatial and/or temporal characteristics, for example, media objects representing audio, video, or graphical data. Feature vectors representing characteristics of the entities are partitioned using clustering methods that produce results sensitive to an initial set of cluster seeds. The set of initial cluster seeds is generated using principal component analysis of either the complete feature vector set or a subset thereof. The feature vector set is divided into a desired number of initial clusters and a seed determined from each initial cluster.
US08385656B2
An image processing apparatus reduces two input images to be compared by the predetermined number of times to generate two image groups, extracts a plurality of feature points and a local feature amount of each feature point from these image groups, and determines a combination of feature points in which local feature amounts are similar to each other, between the image groups. Then, the image processing apparatus determines a relation of a reasonable combination, assigns high weights to the reasonable combination, and calculates a similarity degree between the two input images.
US08385652B2
An image processing apparatus segments Western and hieroglyphic portions of textual lines. The apparatus includes an input component that receives an input image having at least one textual line. The apparatus also includes an inter-character break identifier component that identifies candidate inter-character breaks along a textual line and an inter-character break classifier component. The inter-character break classifier component classifies each of the candidate inter-character breaks as an actual break, a non-break or an indeterminate break based at least in part on the geometrical properties of each respective candidate inter-character break and the bounding boxes adjacent thereto. A character recognition component recognizes the candidate characters based at least in part on a feature set extracted from each respective candidate character that can be histogram features, Gabor features or any other feature set applicable to character recognition. A Western and hieroglyphic text classifier component finds and classifies textual line segments as Western text segments or hieroglyphic text segments and further passes the recognition results to an output component.
US08385647B2
A digital image includes a plurality of pixels arranged in an array. In a method of analyzing the image, some of the pixels are purposefully not processed. In particular, only those pixels in a particular subgroup are processed according to a Hough or similar transform. The number of pixels in the subgroup is less than the total number of pixels in the image (e.g., as little as about 5% of the total pixels), and each pixel in the subgroup is pseudo-randomly selected. The Hough transform is inherently configured to function within the context of noisy images, for identifying features of interest in the image, as simulated by the pseudo-random selection and processing of less than the total number of pixels in the image. This significantly reduces the processor resources required to analyze the image.
US08385641B2
A method and apparatus for eliminating chromatic aberration; in an embodiment, only the chrominance signal is filtered in the luminance/chrominance coordinates so as to eliminate the chromatic aberration so that the chromatic aberration can be eliminated regardless of a property of a lens. In addition, there are advantages in not only eliminating the chromatic aberration but also preventing resolution of the original image from being damaged.
US08385639B2
A compressive coding device converts three color components of pixel data from the RGB presentation to the YCbCr presentation according to a mapping rule. Converted pixel data are subsequently subjected to irreversible compressive coding, thus producing compressive coded data. Pixel data ascribed to transparency control are converted to a prescribed value out of a mapping range according to the mapping rule. Compressive coded data are supplied to a visual display control device, in which they are decoded and reproduced into original pixel data of the first color presentation. Compressive coded data corresponding to pixel data ascribed to transparency control are rendered with a prescribed color in the RGB presentation which is designated as transparency in advance or not rendered on screen. Thus, it is possible to precisely perform the transparency control without causing a reduction of the compression factor regardless of the irreversible compressive coding and decoding.
US08385635B2
An image processing apparatus includes a screen processing unit that performs, on a color component basis, screen processing for a color signal having basic color components and at least one spot color component. The screen processing unit performs FM screen processing for one of the basic color components of the color signal and performs AM screen processing for the color components, other than the one of the basic color components, of the color signal with four types of screen angles.
US08385629B2
The present invention provides a band-pass filter, being capable of fitting a frequency spectrum area having phase information in a frequency spectrum image, to obtain a spectrum information corresponding to the phase information during the process of obtaining the phase information from the frequency spectrum image with respect to an object's surface profile. In another embodiment, the present invention further provides a method to optimize the spectrum range of the band-pass filter so as to enhance measuring accuracy and efficiency while restoring the surface of the object. In addition, by employing the foregoing method, the present invention further provides a measurement system for measuring three-dimensional surface shapes in which a deformed fringe pattern with respect to the measured object's surface is acquired and the phase information is obtained from the fringe pattern according to the foregoing method so as to restore the surface profile of the measured object.
US08385625B2
A method for providing quantitative information regarding the extent of infection of host cells by an infectious agent. A microscope image of a specimen of a bodily fluid is analyzed using image processing techniques to quantify the percentage of the area of the specimen that is infected.
US08385619B2
Apparatus for and method of fully automatic rapid scanning and digitizing of an entire microscope sample, or a substantially large portion of a microscope sample, using a linear array detector synchronized with a positioning stage that is part of a computer controlled microscope slide scanner. The invention provides a method for composing the image strips obtained from successive scans of the sample into a single contiguous digital image.
US08385616B2
A report-data collecting unit retrieves and collects a character string in accordance with the prescribed character-string retrieval condition and the character string of annotation data. An image data display unit displays the character string and a list showing a medical image referred to while the object is being photographed. When the user selects the character string by designating the medical image shown in the list, both the character string and the medical image are associated by an image-data acquisition/process unit and then pasted at a prescribed position in a medical-image reading report preparation screen. Further, the data representing the medical image thus pasted is archived in an image database.
US08385610B2
A method of tracking faces in an image stream with a digital image acquisition device includes receiving images from an image stream including faces, calculating corresponding integral images, and applying different subsets of face detection rectangles to the integral images to provide sets of candidate regions. The different subsets include candidate face regions of different sizes and/or locations within the images. The different candidate face regions from different images of the image stream are each tracked.
US08385608B2
A face data registration apparatus is an apparatus to register dictionary data for walker authentication by use of a face image. The face data registration apparatus causes a posture data collection unit to collect posture variation data from a plurality of face images obtained by photographing a face of a registrant whose posture (face direction) is changed, further causes a walking data collection unit to collect walking data from a face image obtained by photographing a face of the registrant who actually walks along a passage, causes a synthesizing unit to create dictionary data by synthesizing posture variation data and walking data and registers the created dictionary data as dictionary data used to authenticate a person who walks in the passage by face collation into a dictionary data unit.
US08385604B2
The invention is provides a method of logging rock core. A digital photograph of core from a borehole is taken and the image is first processed. This involves calibration and correction, or un-distortion, of the digital image. A reference frame is included in the photograph to facilitate processing. The two-dimensional image is then used as a virtual three-dimensional model of the core enabling length and angle measurements to be logged. These include linear rock interval measurements as well as angular measurements of geological structures. The method is implemented using a software program which enables suitable hardware. The software program will be provided on a suitable computer readable medium. Manually logged data of the same kind is imported for comparison to data logged using the software program. All of this data can be displayed on the image and incrementally on a Stereonet as it is logged. A permanent visual record and reliable means of rapidly assessing the accuracy and quality of the data is provided. The invention also provides for automation of a significant part of the image processing and logging. The reference frame is preferably provided by a rock core tray frame having suitable indicators with known dimensions. The frame is rectangular with orthogonal lines on an upper surface. The mid-points of these lines are marked and spaced apart brackets provide for elevated lines superimposed on the orthogonal lines.
US08385601B2
An in-vehicle white line recognition apparatus is disclosed. Form an image captured by a camera, the apparatus extracts multiple white line candidates including a first white line candidate and a second white line candidate. The apparatus calculates a certainty factor of each white line candidate, the certainty factor indicating a degree of certainty that the each white line candidate represents the white line. When the first and second white line candidates are within a predetermined range and when a ratio of contrast of the first white line candidate to that of the second white line candidate is less than a predetermined value, the apparatus decreases the certainty factor of the first white line candidate.
US08385596B2
A virtual skeleton includes a plurality of joints and provides a machine readable representation of a human target observed with a three-dimensional depth camera. A relative position of a hand joint of the virtual skeleton is translated as a gestured aiming vector control, and a virtual weapon is aimed in proportion to the gestured aiming vector control.
US08385591B1
In one aspect, a system and method is provided that matches images that are associated with street addresses with images that are associated with locations that are stored with respect to another reference system, such as latitude/longitude. If the images match, the street address is associated with the location. In a further aspect, text contained in the images is extracted and associated with the street address as well.
US08385577B2
A thin hearing tube is to be fastened in a hearing apparatus such that it can be easily exchanged again. To this end, the end of the sound tube is melted, so that its diameter is enlarged. The sound tube can then be drawn into the bore, the inner diameter of which is smaller than the enlarged outer diameter of the end of the sound tube, until the extended end of the sound tube rests closely against one side of the bore. By cutting the sound tube end or by cutting through the tube at another point, it can be removed from the bore without any problem, so that a new tube can be fastened there.
US08385574B2
A hearing system and/or earpiece assembly is comprising an assembly structure with at least three parts. The parts are removably connectable and at least one of the parts can be arranged in relation to another one in a different orientation. Alternatively or in addition, at least one part is made out of a flexible material.
US08385554B2
A method, system and computer program product for preventing execution of pirated software. A file is loaded on an end user's computer containing a binary image that is generated by removing one or more code bits from an executable code. A request is sent to a remote server to return a software key required for execution of the executable code from the binary image. The software key is downloaded to the end user's computer on which the binary image is loaded. One or more bits from the software key is inserted into the appropriate location of the binary image to regenerate the executable code. The executable code is enabled for execution on the end user's computer only following the embedding of the one or more bits.
US08385551B2
A system and method for managing trusted platform module (TPM) keys utilized in a cluster of computing nodes. A cluster-level management unit communicates with a local TPM agent in each node in the cluster. The cluster-level management unit has access to a database of protection groups, wherein each protection group comprises one active node which creates a TPM key and at least one standby node which stores a backup copy of the TPM key for the active node. The local TPM agent in the active node automatically initiates a migration process for automatically migrating the backup copy of the TPM key to the at least one standby node. The system maintains coherency of the TPM keys by also deleting the backup copy of the TPM key in the standby node when the key is deleted by the active node.
US08385549B2
A method for preparing for handover of an apparatus from a first wireless network to a second, different wireless network, a master session key (MSK) having been generated during establishment of a connectivity of the apparatus to the first wireless network includes detecting signals of the second wireless network. In response thereto, establishing a connectivity of the apparatus to the second wireless network, using a pairwise master key (PMK) derived from the MSK generated during establishment of the connectivity to the first wireless network, one or more encryption keys being derivable from the PMK to support secure communication over the second wireless network.
US08385538B2
A differential transformer-free hybrid circuit includes a first amplifier configured to receive a first signal from a transmitter and output the first signal to a telephone loop, and a second amplifier configured to receive a second signal from the telephone loop and output the second signal to a receiver. Further, the differential transformer-free hybrid circuit also includes at least one balanced network element and a transformer-less interface configured to couple the first amplifier and the second amplifier to the telephone loop, wherein the transformer-less interface includes at least one current blocking device.
US08385532B1
Methods, devices, and systems are provided for monitoring and reporting various metrics associated with objects of interest. The present invention is adapted to monitor objects of interest, such as contact center agents, to determine whether a triggering event has occurred and, if so, report metrics associated with the object of interest in a dynamic, customized, and real-time fashion.
US08385527B2
Information may be provided to a telephony customer from an overlay service by causing a second stream of audio information to be overlayed on a primary stream of audio information. The overlayed information may be whispered to the user by causing the overlayed information to be compressed into a limited frequency spectrum which is inserted into a manufactured gap in the primary audio stream. This allows the user to continue to hear the main audio stream while also hearing the overlayed information. The overlay service may provide administrative information, advertisements, music, and/or Internet search results via the overlayed audio. Users may issue commands to the overlay service, to have particular information transmitted via overlayed audio. Where the user is also associated with a telephony application running on a computer platform, the overlayed information may be incorporated onto the information being shown to the user on a computer display.
US08385526B2
A method of controlling conference calls includes initiating a conference call between multiple conferees using a conferencing controller, placing each of the multiple conferees in a listen only mode using the conferencing controller, receiving a signal at the conferencing controller from a plurality of the conferees requesting active participation in the conference call, displaying a list of the plurality of conferees requesting active participation in the conference call, receiving from a user a selection of one of the plurality of conferees who have requested active participation in the conference call, and placing the one of the plurality of conferees in a talk mode using the conferencing controller. The method may also include monitoring a connection between the conferencing controller and a controlling application and notifying an operator if the connection is disrupted.
US08385520B2
After the user purchased an information apparatus, even when he turns on a power source without setting a line and automatic line identification fails, a demonstration mode is not started, and when the information apparatus exists in a shop, the demonstration mode can be certainly started by the minimum number of steps. The information apparatus has: a communicating situation identifying unit for identifying a communicating situation of the information apparatus; a display unit for displaying the demonstration mode and an electronic key for promoting sales of the information apparatus; an operation unit for selecting the electronic key; and a control unit for identifying the communicating situation when the power source is turned on, starting a regular mode in which the information apparatus is normally used when the identification of the communicating situation succeeds, and displaying a demonstration mode selection display screen to select start-up of the demonstration mode when the identification of the communicating situation fails.
US08385519B2
The present invention relates to arrangements and methods for information relating to updates of a web page associated with a call dialog between the client that has a call set up with a further client via the telephony server, wherein the client comprises a telephony interface for managing at least one dialog and a browser for disclosing at least said web page. The method of the client comprises the steps of: receiving a first telephone signaling message, wherein the message comprises an address to said web page and a first identifier associated with the address of said web page, connecting to said web page, receiving a second telephone signaling message, wherein the message comprises executable code, a web page, or a link to a web page, and a first identifier associated with the address of the web page to be updated, mapping the executable code, a web page, or a link to the web page identified by the first identifier and updating said web page disclosed on the browser of the client by executing the executable code or showing the web page or following the link to the mapped web page.
US08385510B2
A FDR SELT measurement is made in a stop band of a DSL band plan, using a PSD allowed by the PSD mask. Further measurements may also be made in an adjacent pass band and further bands, and the results combined to create a wide-band measurement result. When transformed into the time domain (e.g. by inverse Fourier transform to produce the line impulse response) greater resolution in time (and hence greater spatial resolution) is achieved. In order to compensate for AGC calibration errors measurements using different AGC steps may be scaled to fit smoothly to each other. If measurements overlap, measurement results in the region of overlap may be combined in various ways to limit the influence of noise and to create a smooth transition from one measurement to the next.
US08385508B2
A scattered radiation collimator element is disclosed for producing a scattered radiation collimator for absorbing scattered radiation which is generated during an examination of an object by interaction of x-ray or gamma radiation used for this purpose. For the purposes of simplification and reducing costs during production, in at least one embodiment, the scattered radiation collimator element includes a plurality of absorber elements, designed in a strip-like or filament-like fashion and arranged adjacent to one another to form an absorber surface.
US08385504B2
A DC/AC power inverter control unit of a resonant-type power converter circuit (400), in particular a DC/DC converter, for supplying an output power for use in a high-voltage generator circuitry of an X-ray radiographic imaging system, a 3D rotational angiography device, or X-ray computed tomography device, comprises an interphase transformer (406) connected in series to at least one series resonant tank circuit (403a and 403a′ or 403b and 403b′) at the output of two DC/AC power inverter stages (402a+b) supplying a multi-primary winding high-voltage transformer (404). The interphase transformer (406) removes a difference (ΔI) in resonant output currents and (I1 and I2) of the DC/AC power inverter stages (402a+b). In addition, a control method is disclosed which assures that the interphase transformer (406) is not saturated. Furthermore, the control method ensures zero current operation and provides for minimized input power losses.
US08385489B2
Methods and apparatus are provided for wireless channel estimation using interpolation elimination in the Eigen domain. Channel components at known OFDM symbol locations are interpolated to other OFDM symbol locations. Methods and apparatus are provided for interpolating in the Eigen domain between reference signals (i.e., training signals) to estimate the equalizer coefficients with a reduced complexity. In particular, one aspect of the present invention performs the required interpolation before a required matrix inversion in the Eigen domain.
US08385473B2
A receiver supports a single carrier (SC) form of modulation and a multi-carrier form of modulation such as orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM). Upon receiving a signal, the receiver determines a maximum fluctuation range (MFR) as a function of at least a fourth-order cumulant of a received signal; and classifies a modulation type of the received signal as a function of the determined maximum fluctuation range. After determining the modulation type of the received signal, the receiver switches to that modulation mode to recover data from the received signal.
US08385454B2
Methods and systems for optimizing the utilities of receiver devices in a wireless communication network are disclosed. Precoder design formulations that maximize a minimum worst-case rate or a worst-case sum rate are described for both full base station cooperation and limited base station cooperation scenarios. In addition, optimal equalizers are also selected to optimize the worst-case sum rate.
US08385450B2
A trellis processing technique for estimating a transmitted signal from a received signal acquired through a channel achieves a reduced computational structure when implementing a DDFSE-like branch metrics calculation by pre-storing computed values, which can be re-used. The technique involves storing differences between a received symbol and different products, each of which is a product of a channel coefficient corresponding to a least time delay and a different possible transmitted symbol. A summation of products is calculated, each product being a product of a possible transmitted signal symbol and a channel coefficient other than the channel coefficient corresponding to the least time delay, the summation being specific to a branch-start state in a trellis. The summation is combined with different stored differences in a calculation of branch metrics leading to different branch-end states in the trellis.
US08385448B2
A transport stream (TS) generating apparatus, a transmitting apparatus, a receiving apparatus, a digital broadcast system having the above, and a method thereof are provided. The digital broadcast system includes a transport stream (TS) generating apparatus which generates a multi transport stream (TS) by multiplexing a normal stream and a turbo stream having a variable coding rate, a transmitting apparatus which re-constructs the multi TS by processing the turbo stream, and transmits the re-constructed multi TS, and a receiving apparatus which receives the re-constructed multi TS, and decodes the normal stream and the turbo stream respectively, to recover normal data and turbo data. Accordingly, a multi TS, which includes normal stream and a turbo stream of various coding rates, can be transmitted and received efficiently.
US08385446B2
A receiving apparatus and method of a Maximum Likelihood (ML) scheme in a Single-Carrier (SC) system are provided. The apparatus includes at least two antennas, at least two Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) demodulators, at least two subcarrier mappers, at least two OFDM modulators, and a detector. The antennas receive signals. The OFDM demodulators convert the signals into frequency domain signals. The subcarrier mappers confirm signals mapped to frequency domain subcarriers. The OFDM modulators convert the signals into time domain signals. The detector constructs at least one set for candidate transmission symbols and detects receive signals through ML detection using the set.
US08385442B2
A transmitter and the method therefor are provided. The transmitter is applied in an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) based or other multicarrier communication systems. The transmitter uses N sub-carriers. Among the N sub-carriers, L sub-carriers (or tones) are reserved for PAPR reduction. L is less than N. The method includes the following steps. Original frequency domain data symbols are generated and fed into the reserved-tone symbol generation unit. The reserved-tone symbols are generated by using pure frequency domain signal processing. Then the reserved-tone symbols are combined with original data symbols to generate combined PAPR reduction signal. The resultant PAPR reduction signal can be fed into reserved-tone symbol generation unit iteratively to obtain updated reserved-tone symbols. For proper iterations, the original data symbols combined with L frequency domain reserved-tone symbols will result in lower PAPR transmit signal.
US08385428B2
A system, a method and computer-readable media for encoding image data into a compressed bitstream. A mode selection component is configured to select a mode of operation for use in encoding image data. A spatial mode encoder is utilized when the mode selection component selects a spatial mode of operation. The spatial mode encoder is configured to encode the image data into packets by organizing the image data in accordance with a spatial partitioning. A frequency mode encoder is utilized when the mode selection component selects a frequency mode of operation. The frequency mode encoder is configured to encode the image data into packets by organizing the image data in accordance with a frequency ordering.
US08385422B2
According to one embodiment, an image processing apparatus includes a resolution increasing module and a moving-image improving module. The resolution increasing module that performs, on receipt of a first video signal with first resolution, super resolution conversion on the first video signal to obtain a second video signal with second resolution that is higher than the first resolution by estimating an original pixel value from the first video signal and increasing the pixels. The moving-image improving module that increases the frame rate of the second video signal after the super resolution conversion.
US08385421B2
A method of selecting a motion vector for an image block of an image of an image sequence from a number of test vectors.
US08385406B2
An apparatus and a method of coding/decoding an image are provided. The apparatus includes: a low resolution image coding unit that codes a low resolution image corresponding to an input image using motion estimation and compensation; and a residual image coding unit that performs intra mode coding with respect to a residual image which indicates a difference between a reconstructed image of the coded low resolution image and the input image by considering temporal correlation between neighboring residual images.
US08385404B2
Disclosed herein is a method for digital video encoding prediction comprising creating a constructed reference frame using an encoder and compressing a series of source video frames using the constructed reference frame to obtain a bitstream including a compressed digital video signal for a subsequent decoding process. The constructed reference frame is omitted from the series of digital video frames during the subsequent viewing process.
US08385400B2
Methods for providing adaptive equalization in the presence of a burst error are provided. If an equalization algorithm has converged and burst errors are present during a symbol interval, the equalizer coefficients remain unchanged during the symbol interval. If the burst error is no longer present during the next symbol interval, the equalizer coefficients are updated based on the previously converged coefficients.
US08385384B1
Systems, apparatuses and methods for selecting an appropriate frequency hopping sequence in a system of communicating devices. A random seed value is generated at the host device at its point of deployment. A frequency hopping sequence is generated using the random seed value. Other embodiments involve verifying whether the randomly generated seed value is indeed random in the operational vicinity.
US08385381B2
In a VCSEL, a first multilayer film reflector, an active layer having a light emitting central region, a second multilayer film reflector, and a transverse mode adjustment layer are layered in this order. The first multilayer film reflector has a quadrangle current injection region with an intersection of diagonal lines corresponding to the light emitting central region. The second multilayer film reflector has a light emitting window provided in a region corresponding to one diagonal line of the current injection region and a pair of grooves provided with the light emitting window in between. The transverse mode adjustment layer is provided correspondingly to the light emitting window, and reflectance of a peripheral region thereof is lower than that of a central region thereof.
US08385377B2
A semiconductor laser device includes a semiconductor laser element configured to emit a fundamental wave; a transducer configured to receive the fundamental wave incident thereon and convert a wavelength of the fundamental wave to emit wavelength converted light; a filter configured to selectively transmit wavelength range light having a desired wavelength range of the wavelength converted light; a sealing member including a light-transmitting member and configured to enclose the semiconductor laser element, the light-transmitting member being configured to receive the wavelength range light transmitted through the filter and incident on the light-transmitting member, specularly reflect part of the wavelength range light, and substantially transmit the remaining part of the wavelength range light; and a photoreceptor configured to receive the specularly reflected light from the light-transmitting member.
US08385376B2
The invention relates to a laser source with an external cavity generating a useful laser beam (Fu), that comprises at least one laser diode DL (10) mounted in an extended optical cavity (30, 82) defined between two reflecting surfaces (92, 48) forming an optical path for a laser beam Fd generated by the laser diode DL, a mode selection filter (44, 86) in the optical path of the cavity for selecting a resonance mode from a range of resonance modes of the laser beam in the cavity. The extended cavity (2) includes in the optical path thereof an optical device (94) including a polariser (100) that is 100% permissive to a rectilinear polarisation of the beam Fd generated by the laser diode, the reference polarisation angle θ0being of 0 degrees, a polarisation rotator (102) of the beam at the output of the polariser (Fc1) by a predetermined rotation angle θ−1, a polarisation separator (04) of the beam (Frt) at the output of the polarisation rotator, the polarisation separator being inclined in the cavity so that its transmission axis (tt′) is oriented at an angle (−θ−1) having an opposite sign to and the same value as the polarisation angle of the beam (Frt) at the output of the rotator (102), wherein the optical device prevents any feedback of a reflection beam (Fretum) of the useful beam (Fu) towards said laser diode DL. The invention can be used in a laser for cooling atoms, in interferometry experiments, inertial sensors and atomic clocks.
US08385374B1
A multilane communication device and methods for using the multilane communication device. In one embodiment, a physical coding sub-layer module comprising includes multiple data transfer lanes in a port of a multi-lane Ethernet switch for transferring blocks of data between devices in the port. The physical coding sub-layer module further includes a synchronization marker generator for generating synchronization markers to be periodically transmitted over the multiple data transfer lanes. The physical coding sub-layer module further includes a data marker module configured to generate at least two data marker blocks from a respective portion of a synchronization marker and a respective portion of a block of data, and to provide the at least two data marker blocks to respective first and second ones of the multiple of data transfer lanes.
US08385373B2
A method of determining a boundary of a subframe in a time division duplexing (TDD) system is provided. The method detects a power level of a signal on at least one radio frequency, the signal comprising at least one subframe. A time-domain correlation is done on the detected signal with a first reference signal, wherein the first reference signal represents at least one subframe. The location in time of a boundary of the at least one subframe of the detected signal is determined based on the correlation of the detected signal and the first reference signal.
US08385359B2
A connection setting apparatus includes: a device-registered section to register first and second device information specifying a first and a second information-communication device, respectively; a physical-connection-port-information-acquiring section to acquire a physical connection port information from a first information output port of the first information communication device; a logical-connection-port-information-acquiring-section to acquire a logical connection port information from the second information output port of the second information communication device; a connection-port-display section to display a mark representing the first physical connection port specified by the physical connection port information and a mark representing the second information communication device; a selection section to select the first physical connection port and the second information communication device to be communication parties in information communication by a selection operation to the marks; and a correspondence-registering section to register a logical correspondence between the logical connection port and the first physical connection port.
US08385358B2
A method for managing packets, including identifying a first packet source having a first weight and second packet source having a second weight, where the first weight exceeds the second weight; assembling a first regular subsequence of packets using a first packet from the second packet source and a first set of packets from the first packet source having a cardinality equal to a first weight ratio; assembling a first augmented subsequence of packets using a second packet from the second packet source and a second set of packets from the first packet source having a cardinality equal to the first weight ratio plus one; and forwarding a first sequence of packets including a first set of regular subsequences, which includes the first regular subsequence, and a first set of augmented subsequences, which includes the first augmented subsequence and has a cardinality based on the first augmented subsequence factor.
US08385357B2
A network device of is a network device that transfers frames by repeating, in a constant cycle, a reserved transfer interval and a free transfer interval. The network device includes a transmission port, a cycle timer, a mode switching control unit that monitors a transfer state of the transmission port and selects a store-and-forward system when the transmission port is in the transfer process and selects a cut-through system when the transmission port is not in the transfer process, and a transfer prohibition control unit that selects the cut-through system as a transfer system when a non-reserved frame is transmitted and switches a transfer method of the non-reserved frame to the store-and-forward system when a reserved transfer interval is established, with reference to the cycle timer.
US08385354B2
Methods and apparatus for minimizing resources for handling time-outs of read requests to a work queue in a work queue memory are described. According to one embodiment of the invention, a work queue execution engine receives a first read request when the work queue is configured in a blocking mode and is empty. A time-out timer is started in response to receiving the first read request. The work queue execution engine receives a second read request while the first read request is still pending, and the work queue is still empty. When the time-out timer expires for the first read request, the work queue execution engine sends an error response for the first read request and restarts the time-out timer for the second read request taking into account an amount of time the second read request has already been pending.
