US08673195B2
A reinforced structural part and method are provided. The reinforced structural part includes a body made from a plastic material provided with a core made from a metallic material. The method includes the steps of positioning the metallic core in a first mold cavity, injecting a plastic material into the first mold cavity, the cavity being arranged so that the plastic material over-molds at least part of the inner surface of the core, positioning the over-molded metal core in a second mold cavity and injecting a plastic material into said second mold cavity, the cavity being arranged so that the plastic material over-molds the entire outer surface of the core.
US08673189B2
A method is proposed for constructing multi-story concrete structures using a rail-guided self-climbing formwork system. A climbing rail is thereby displaced in a vertical direction within lower and upper climbing shoes and a lower extension piece is positioned to extend vertically in a downward direction below a lower end of the climbing rail. The lower extension piece has a length which is less than the length of the climbing rail. The climbing rail is then displaced in the vertical direction until the lower extension piece is captured within the lower climbing shoe. The method simplifies construction of the lower stories of concrete structures.
US08673184B2
An alternating electric field responsive biomedical composite is disclosed that provides capacitive coupling through the composite. The biomedical composite includes a binder material, a polar material that is substantially dispersed within the binder material, and electrically conductive particles within the binder material. The polar material is responsive to the presence of an alternating electric field, and the electrically conductive particles are not of sufficient concentration to form a conductive network through the composite unless and until the composite becomes overcharged.
US08673164B2
A method to fabricate nanoporous diamond membranes and a nanoporous diamond membrane are provided. A silicon substrate is provided and an optical lithography is used to produce metal dots on the silicon substrate with a predefined spacing between the dots. Selective seeding of the silicon wafer with nanodiamond solution in water is performed followed by controlled lateral diamond film growth producing the nanoporous diamond membrane. Back etching of the under laying silicon is performed to open nanopores in the produced nanoporous diamond membrane.
US08673161B2
Methods for fabricating a device component are provided. A substrate comprising a RIE stop layer, an oxide layer formed on the RIE stop layer, and a RIE-able layer formed on the oxide layer may be provided. A resist layer may be patterned on the RIE-able layer. A metal layer may be formed on portions of the RIE-able layer that are not covered by the resist layer. The resist layer may be removed and an RIE performed to remove exposed portions of the RIE-able layer and portions of the oxide layer beneath the exposed portions of the RIE-able layer. Thereafter, the metal layer may be removed, and the component may be formed in an opening in the oxide layer formed during the RIE.
US08673157B2
The present invention relates to a reactor for the photocatalytic treatment of liquid or gaseous streams, which reactor comprises a tube through which the stream to be treated flows, wherein, in the tube, there are arranged at least one light source, at least one flat means M1 provided with at least one photocatalytically active material and at least one flat means M2 reflecting the light radiation radiated by the at least one light source, wherein the reflecting surface of the at least one means M2 and the inner wall of the tube are at an angle greater than or equal to 0°, in such a manner that the light exiting from the light source is reflected by the at least one means M2 onto the photocatalytically active material, and to a method for the photocatalytic treatment of liquid or gaseous streams by irradiation with light in the reactor according to the invention.
US08673156B2
The present invention relates to an apparatus for removing liquid from a suspension. More particularly, the present invention relates to a filtration apparatus using vacuum pressure, compressed air and radiant heat to facilitate extraction of water from a suspension and an air flow within the vacuum chamber to remove the evaporate as a cost-efficient and resource-efficient means of filtering and drying solids in large volumes of suspension to remove interstitial and chemically bound liquids, resulting in up to 100% total solids.
US08673154B2
Described herein are systems, methods, and apparatuses for aggregating microorganism in an aqueous suspension. In particular, are systems, methods, and apparatuses that apply an electrical field to an aqueous suspension comprising microorganisms as the aqueous suspension follows a flow path to cause aggregation of the microorganisms. The electrical field may be continuous or pulsed. In some embodiments, the flow path for the aqueous suspension may vary. In some embodiments, the cross-sectional area of the electrical field may be tuned.
US08673151B2
A method for surface modification of a material by means of introducing the phosphorylcholine group represented by the following formula (1-1) onto the surface of the material by treating a material having amino groups with a chemical compound containing an aldehyde derivative obtained by the oxidative ring-opening reaction of glycerophosphorylcholine. The method of the present invention provides various materials such as medical materials having superior biocompatibility and hydrophilicity.
US08673150B2
A method of treating waste water is disclosed which comprises placing a porous container such as a mesh bag containing a gelatinous culture of vegetative bacteria into waste water. The gelatinous culture dissolves over time and releases the bacteria contained therein. In some embodiments, the porous container may be reclaimed at any time. Treatment with the method eliminates a substantial portion of organic waste found in waste water and reduces or eliminates the need for used to eliminate organic waste build up in waste water facilities.
US08673149B1
A liquid filter assembly comprising a filter subassembly is inserted within an elongated tubular filter body, enclosed by a pair of end caps. The filter subassembly includes a plurality of filtration discs placed onto a tubular core and inner support member. A disc aperture is provided concentrically through each filtration disc. An outer filter support member and a central filter support member support each filtration disc. The outer filter support member engages with an interior of the elongated body and an end wall engages with the disc perimeter. The central filter support member engages with an exterior of the inner support member and an end wall engages with the peripheral edge about the filtration disc aperture. Fluid passes through the first end cap orifice, continuing through the inner support member, transferring flow through the filtration discs, returning through the inner support member, and exiting the opposite end cap orifice.
US08673147B2
A container for the filtration of liquid is described, which has a cup and a cover mounted on the cup. The cup is at least partly filled with a filter material and has at least one outlet window for the liquid. The cover has at least one inlet window and at least one outlet window for air, wherein at least the windows have lattice-like structures with lattice openings. The air outlet window has at least one recess extending inward from the plane of the window, which is provided at least partially with at least one lattice structure.
US08673134B2
A method for the removal of nitrogen compounds from FCC feed or from catalytically cracked distillates including FCC cycle oils by using formaldehyde to selectively couple organic heterocyclic nitrogen species in the FCC feed or FCC distillate to form higher boiling coupling products out of the boiling range of FCC distillate. Removal of the nitrogenous compounds improves the operation of subsequent hydrodesulfurization steps needed for the distillate fraction to conform to low sulfur standards. The formaldehyde is preferably used in the form of paraformaldehyde. The reaction between the nitrogenous compounds in the cycle oil fraction with the formaldehyde is conveniently carried out in the cycle oil pumparound circuit of the FCC main column.
US08673123B2
A magnetron sputtering device includes a target holder, a substrate holder, and a first driver. The target holder defines a sputtering space therein, and includes at least one target tray arranged at a periphery of the sputtering space. The substrate holder is rotatably positioned in the sputtering space. The first driver is connected to the substrate holder. The first driver is operable to rotate the substrate holder relative to the target holder.
US08673122B2
A system and method for sputtering a coating onto a glass substrate in a vacuum deposition chamber includes providing a backing plate with a separating element disposed at the backing plate. At least one target element or tile is disposed on a surface of the separating element, wherein an expansion gap is provided to allow for expansion of the target relative to the separating element during the sputtering process. The method includes sputtering material from the target and heating the target to a substantially elevated temperature during the sputtering process. The separating element may be a sheet having a low-coefficient of friction surface, and the target may be disposed on the low-coefficient of friction surface of the separating element. The separating element may thermally insulate the target from the backing plate, whereby the target may be heated to a substantially greater temperature than the backing plate during the sputtering process.
US08673120B2
A process for producing boron nitride nanotubes and/or boron-carbon-nitrogen nanotubes of the general formula BxCyNz. The process utilizes a combination of laser light and nitrogen gas flow to support a boron ball target during heating of the boron ball target and production of a boron vapor plume which reacts with nitrogen or nitrogen and carbon to produce boron nitride nanotubes and/or boron-carbon-nitrogen nanotubes of the general formula BxCyNz.
US08673115B2
A method of making a fabric-creped absorbent cellulosic sheet includes forming a nascent web from a papermaking furnish, the nascent web having a generally random distribution of papermaking fiber, transferring the nascent web having the generally random distribution of papermaking fiber to a translating transfer surface that is moving at a transfer surface speed, drying the web, to a consistency of from about 30 to about 60 percent, including compactively dewatering the web prior to or concurrently with transfer of the web to the transfer surface, fabric-creping the web from the transfer surface at a consistency of from about 30 to about 60 percent utilizing a creping fabric with a patterned creping surface, the fabric-creping step occurring under pressure in a fabric creping nip defined between the transfer surface and the creping fabric, the web being creped from the transfer surface and redistributed on the creping fabric.
US08673097B2
Methods of forming a loop product are provided. Methods include needling polymeric fibers through a substrate to form hook-engageable loop structures of the fibers extending from one surface of the substrate and then using heat and pressure to soften and bond polymer of the fibers directly to the substrate and adjacent fibers, thereby anchoring the loop structures to resist fiber pullout under fastening loads. Loop products are also provided.
US08673089B2
Methods of using an aldimine of formula (I) as cleaning agent or ingredient of a cleaning agent composition for reactive polyurethane compositions, especially for reactive polyurethane hot melt adhesives. It has been found that such cleaning agents can greatly reduce the quantity of wastes and in particular mixtures of blocked and nonblocked reactive polyurethane compositions can be used without problem for gluing, without the gluing being negatively influenced in its properties, especially its thermal stability.
US08673086B2
In a cleaning method, a substrate having a pattern formed on the surface thereof can be cleaned by using a cleaning fluid, while preventing the pattern protrusions from being flattened when the cleaning fluid is removed or dried. The cleaning method includes the steps of: loading a substrate onto a loading platform inside a processing chamber; heating the substrate; and supplying a cleaning fluid onto the surface of the substrate. The substrate is heated in the substrate heating step so that the Leidenfrost phenomenon occurs and steam of the cleaning fluid is interposed between the substrate and droplets of the cleaning fluid supplied to the substrate in the cleaning fluid supply step.
US08673083B2
A showerhead cleaning rack is disclosed. The showerhead cleaning rack includes a frame and a support body, wherein the support body is located and connected with the frame. The support body has a plurality of positioning parts. The positioning parts are used for holding the showerhead. The showerhead cleaning rack is used in an ultrasonic cleaning trough. By utilizing the oscillation of the ultrasonic wave generated in the ultrasonic cleaning trough, the pollutants on the showerhead is cleaned. An ultrasonic cleaning method with the showerhead cleaning rack is also provided.
US08673064B2
A partial wall-flow filter having some unplugged flow-through channels and some plugged channels. Desirable combinations of filtration efficiency and back pressure may be provided by combinations of t wall≦305 urn, MPD≦20 μm, % P≧50%, and CD≧250 cpsi wherein t wall is the transverse thickness of the porous walls, MPD is a mean pore diameter of the porous walls, % P is the total porosity of the porous walls, and CD is the cell density of the channels. In one embodiment, some of the plugged channels are located adjacent to the inlet end and some are located adjacent to the outlet end. Systems and method including the partial wall-flow filter are also described.
US08673063B2
A particulate loader separation device including a particulate and air inlet for receiving a flow of air and particulate. A separation chamber for separating the air and the particulate is connected to the particulate and air inlet. An air outlet is connected to a suction mechanism for providing suction to the separation chamber. A particulate outlet is connected to a particulate conveyor for conveying the particulate from the separation chamber. An inlet air extractor is connected to the particulate and air inlet and is connected to one of the suction mechanism and a second suction mechanism. The inlet air extractor is connected to the particulate and air inlet at a predetermined location thereof such that in operation a portion of the air of the flow of air and particulate is extracted prior entering the separation chamber.
US08673059B2
Novel adsorbent contactors and methods are disclosed herein for use in temperature swing adsorption for gas separation applications, as well as for heat exchange applications.
US08673058B2
A method and arrangement for removing solid particles and tar component from carbon monoxide gas. In the method, carbon monoxide gas is conducted from a ferroalloy smelting furnace (1) to a gas scrubber (2), the carbon monoxide gas is scrubbed in the gas scrubber (2) by a liquid medium for removing part of the solid particles, the carbon monoxide gas is conducted from the gas scrubber to a blower (3), the flow rate of the carbon monoxide gas is increased by the blower (3), and the carbon monoxide gas is conducted to a particulate filter (5) and the remaining solid particles are essentially filtered in the particulate filter (5) from the carbon monoxide gas. Prior to conducting the carbon monoxide gas to the particulate filter (5), it is conducted to a particle feeder (4), where finely divided adsorbent particles (A) are fed in the carbon monoxide gas for adhering the tar component on the surface of the adsorbent particles, and the carbon monoxide gas flow containing adsorbent particles is conducted to the particulate filter (5), in which case the tar component adhered on the adsorbent particles is discharged in the particulate filter (5).
US08673056B2
The invention is directed to processes and apparatuses for gas treatment, in particular for the purification of methane rich gas streams, such as gas obtained from the conversion from organic matter (“biogas”). In accordance with the present invention there is provided an apparatus and a process for producing a purified methane comprising gas stream (P) from a methane containing gas stream (A), comprising the steps of: (a) pressurising said methane containing gas stream (A) and subsequently cooling it, whereby a stream comprising condensed contaminants (C) and a methane comprising stream (B) are obtained; (b) optionally feeding said methane comprising stream (B) to an adsorption unit and/or a catalytic conversion unit, whereby the concentration of contaminants in stream (B) is further decreased; and (c) cooling the methane comprising stream (B) to a temperature which is sufficient to condensate CO2 from said stream (B), whereby said purified methane comprising gas stream (P) is obtained.
US08673049B2
A silver nanoparticle composition is provided which is possible to be sintered through sintering at a low temperature in a short time and to form silver electro conductive film and wiring which is favorable for adhesion to a substrate and low in resistance, and articles using the same are provided. The silver nanoparticle composition is provided, wherein a main component of a solvent is water, a pH of the composition is within a range of 5.3 to 8.0, a silver nanoparticle included in the composition is protected by an organic acid or a derivative thereof, and the content of the organic acid or the derivative thereof with respect to silver is 2 to 20% by mass.
US08673040B2
The filter of the invention is a cartridge filter comprising a structure that can maintain a filter medium in an air stream to filter particulates to protect a gas turbine power system. The filter combines a mechanically adequate filter structure and an effective filter medium for to obtain a useful system.
US08673033B2
A display control circuit includes a device driving unit that alternately writes a left video image and a right video image in a time-division manner to a light modulating device, a light source driving unit that increases or reduces the brightness of a light source that emits light passing through the light modulating device, a shutter eyeglass driving unit that provides shutter eyeglasses with a shutter driving signal, and a control unit that instructs the light source driving unit to reduce the brightness of the light source in the duration of a switchover between the left video image and the right video image for the light modulating device or instructs the light source driving unit to increase the brightness of the light source in the duration in which the left video image or the right video image is written solely to the light modulating device.
US08673032B2
The present invention provides methods of transforming low rank coals into high quality metallurgical coke, and the coke products produced by such methods.
US08673029B2
The invention is directed to the use of triglycerides of modified structure, mostly known per se, as fuels, combustibles, or fuel and/or combustible additives, and to the fuels comprising them. In the description and in the claims the expression “fuel” means liquid motor propulsion materials and/or liquid combustibles. In addition, the invention is directed to new procedures for the simple, economical and environment protecting preparation of the triglycerides of modified structure and/or the mixtures comprising them, and at the same time the glycerol produced in the known procedures in large amounts can be utilized.
US08673027B2
The present invention refers to a method of converting a lignin material into a liquid product and the liquid product obtainable by the method.
US08673019B2
Methods and compositions are provided for reduction of inflammation and improved allograft/host tissue integration comprising placing at least one anti-inflammatory compound onto a site of the defect and placing a graft structure onto the site of the defect.
US08673018B2
A method for controlling generation of biologically desirable voids in a composition placed in proximity to bone or other tissue in a patient by selecting at least one water-soluble inorganic material having a desired particle size and solubility, and mixing the water-soluble inorganic material with at least one poorly-water-soluble or biodegradable matrix material. The matrix material, after it is mixed with the water-soluble inorganic material, is placed into the patient in proximity to tissue so that the water-soluble inorganic material dissolves at a predetermined rate to generate biologically desirable voids in the matrix material into which bone or other tissue can then grow.
US08673017B2
The object of the present invention is a process for obtaining a bone substitute of given chemical and physical characteristics and entirely similar to those of the mineral portion of natural bone tissue. The process substitutes Ca ions with Mg ions in a porous matrix; the process comprises a phase of contacting the matrix with a saline aqueous solution containing an effective quantity of Mg ions at a pressure greater than or equal to 1 bar.
US08673016B2
A resorbable tissue scaffold fabricated from bioactive glass fiber forms a rigid three-dimensional porous matrix having a bioactive composition. Porosity in the form of interconnected pore space is provided by the space between the bioactive glass fiber in the porous matrix. Strength of the bioresorbable matrix is provided by bioactive glass that fuses and bonds the bioactive glass fiber into the rigid three-dimensional matrix. The resorbable tissue scaffold supports tissue in-growth to provide osteoconductivity as a resorbable tissue scaffold, used for the repair of damaged and/or diseased bone tissue.
US08673014B2
A method of cranial repair and the cranial implant molding device used therein, the device having a frame or base that receives a bottom or convex molding plate and a top or concave molding plate in a manner whereby the two plates are separated a distance to receive a settable or curable implant forming material therebetween. The plates are separated by a compressible member such that by the use of threaded mechanical fasteners or similar members the distance between the two plates can be adjusted by tightening or loosening the mechanical members. The thickness of the implant is varied by varying the separation distance on different sides of the frame.
US08673012B2
An intervertebral spacer can have a leading end and a trailing end that includes an engaging portion configured to securely engage complementary features of an insertion tool at any of a plurality of different angles. The engaging portion can have a first radius and a major axis extending from the leading end to the trailing end. The trailing end can have a channel formed around a partially cylindrical portion having a second radius that is less than the first radius. The channel can be configured to accept an extending portion of the insertion tool.
US08673011B2
An apparatus supports the spine between vertebrae and promotes spinal fusion. The apparatus generally includes a first supporting member, a second support member, and an expansion member. The first support member has a first longitudinal passage extending therethrough, a first supporting end configured to engage tissue, and a rack configured to engage a tool. The second supporting member contains a second longitudinal passage extending therethrough and a second supporting end configured to engage tissue. The second longitudinal passage is dimensioned to receive at least a portion of the first supporting member. The first and second supporting members are configured to move with respect to each other. The expansion member is removably positioned between the first and second supporting members and is adapted to maintain the first and second supporting members in a fixed relative position.
US08673006B2
The present invention is a spinal implant that can be inserted into a surgically created cavity of one or more regions of the mammalian spine. Universal corner posts and one or more lateral universal posts are connected with a series of trapezoidal wedge-like braces. The series of braces includes a centralized brace, a first set of braces extending in a first direction away from the centralized brace and a second set of braces extending in a second direction away from the centralized brace. Embodiments of the current cage also include first and second lateral brakes and an end cap.
US08673001B2
A method for controlling the circumference of internal anatomic passages corrects physiologic dysfunctions resulting from a structural orifice or lumen which is either too large or too small. Implants are disclosed which employ various means for adjusting and maintaining the size of an orifice to which they are attached. Systems permit the implants to be implanted using minimally invasive procedures and permit final adjustments to the circumference of the implants after the resumption of normal flow of anatomic fluids in situ. Methods are disclosed for using the implants to treat heart valve abnormalities, gastroesophageal abnormalities, anal incontinence, and the like.
US08672999B2
A prosthetic heart valve assembly comprises a plurality of leaflets configured to replace the function of a native heart valve. Each leaflet comprises laminar pericardium tissue. Each leaflet has a coaptation edge formed by laser cutting. The tissue layers of each leaflet are fused together along an entire length of the coaptation edge, and tissue adjacent each coaptation edge does not have significant thermal energy damage.
US08672990B2
A medical device having a catheter shaft having a distal portion and a proximal portion, a medical balloon co-axially mounted on the distal portion of the catheter shaft and a tubular mesh wrapped around the balloon, wherein the mesh strengthens and reinforced the balloon and may be manipulation to dictate the shape of the balloon and to squeeze the balloon down onto the catheter shaft during deflation of the balloon.
US08672989B2
An endoluminal prosthesis system deployable in a region of a patient's vasculature having one or more branch vessels, having a main graft body having a first opening in a wall portion of the main graft body and a pre-loaded guidewire positioned inside the main graft body and advanced through the first opening. One or more branch grafts can be attached to the main graft body to cover one or more openings in the main graft body.
US08672987B2
Handpiece formed of a shell with a handgrip connected to a bundle of electrical power supply cables and of heat transfer fluid tubes and a head, accommodating a cartridge fitted with the controlled light source and with a light guide fed from the light source and the outlet surface of which constitutes the surface via which the light signal is emitted towards the surface of the skin that is to be treated. It comprises a housing, made in the shell, arriving under the emission surface of the cartridge and equipped with guide means and clip-fastening members. An interchangeable optical unit carrying the light guide is fitted removably into the housing. This optical unit has a casing accepting the light guide and equipped with guiding and clip-fastening surfaces to collaborate with the guide means and the retractable clip-fastening members belonging to the housing.
US08672984B2
A retention system for maintaining a screw to a vertebral plate is described herein. One or more screws extend through apertures within the vertebral plate. A cavity is positioned adjacent to and overlaps into the aperture. A ring is positioned within the cavity and held in position by a cap. The cap attaches to the plate to prevent removal of the ring. The ring is deflectable between a first shape to allow the screw to be inserted and removed from the aperture, and a second shape to prevent screw back-out from the aperture.
US08672979B2
A system and method for the stabilization and fixation of the lumbar spine. The system can include a plurality of pedicle screws, a support rod, a plurality of rod clamps, and a plurality of coupling members. In one aspect, each coupling member can be configured to engage a proximal portion of a pedicle screw and can have a socket portion that is configured to receive a socket engaging portion of the rod clamp, such that the coupling member and the pedicle screw can be pivoted three-dimensionally relative to the rod clamp and the support rod.
US08672972B2
Skeletal stabilization systems include a base, a longitudinal member, and a retaining member. The base includes an engagement surface with a surface area that is positionable in contact with a bone to atraumatically or traumatically engage the base to the bone. The retaining member engages the base to retain the longitudinal member relative to the base so that the longitudinal member can provide a desired stabilization effect to one or more adjacent bony portions.
US08672968B2
A suture construction and method for forming a suture construction is disclosed. The construction utilizes a suture having an enlarged central body portion defining a longitudinal passage. First and second ends of the suture are passed through first and second apertures associated with the longitudinal passage to form a pair of loops. Portions of the suture lay parallel to each other within the suture. Application of tension onto the suture construction causes constriction of the longitudinal passage, thus preventing relative motions of the captured portions of the suture.
US08672953B2
A system for closing an opening in tissue includes a closure element having a coiled body and a plurality of tissue engaging portions disposed about at least a portion of the body, the body being formed of a resilient material. The system also includes a clip applier apparatus that is configured to deploy the closure element into the tissue.
US08672951B2
A method for operating a surgical instrument includes mechanically coupling a manual release to a transmission of a surgical instrument having a self-contained power supply disposed entirely within a handle thereof. The transmission translates movement of an electrically powered motor inside the handle to movement of a part of a surgical end effector connected to the handle. The part is operable to move anywhere between a start position and a fully actuated position. The method further includes selectively interrupting the transmission with the manual release to move the part towards the start position independent of motor operation.
US08672948B2
A disposable measuring device for use in measuring the width, height and depth of an intradiscal space is provided, the device including an elongated body having an upper surface, a lower surface, a proximal end and a distal end. The elongated body also has a first pair of members configured for receiving a first cursor slidably arranged for measuring a width dimension, a second pair of members configured for receiving a second cursor slidably arranged for measuring a height dimension; and a detachable stop operatively connected to the first pair of members and the second pair of members, the detachable stop insertable into at least one opening located at the proximal end of the elongated body, the detachable stop configured for measuring a depth dimension.
US08672947B2
A fluid joint spacer comprising a body having means for receiving a pressurized fluid from an external source and applying that pressurized fluid against a joint element so as to create a flowing fluid bearing within the joint.
US08672944B2
Systems and methods for surgical spinal correction are disclosed. A system including a plurality of bone screws, spinal rods, manipulators, and/or transverse couplers is disclosed for the manipulation of the spinal column is disclosed. A method of achieving, in a single action, manipulation and/or rotation of the spinal column using the disclosed system is disclosed. Also disclosed is a method of conducting spinal surgery to correct spinal deformities wherein spinal rods are pre-bent in a physiological sagittal plane prior to attachment of the vertebrae using bone screws.
US08672937B2
A surgical device for performing a surgical procedure on a patient is provided and includes a handle assembly including a housing having a distal end and a proximal end; a tissue engaging member supported in and extending from the distal end of the housing of the handle assembly; at least one conduit having a first end operatively associated with the tissue engaging member and a second end extending from the housing of the handle assembly; and a strain relief member supported on the at least one conduit and connected to the housing, wherein the strain relief member and the housing are configured to enable poly-axial movement of the strain relief member with respect to the housing.
US08672933B2
A microwave ablation system is provided. The microwave ablation system includes a power source. A microwave antenna is adapted to connect to the power source via a coaxial cable feed including an inner conductor defining a portion of a radiating section of the microwave antenna, an outer conductor and dielectric shielding. The inner conductor loops back around and toward the outer conductor of the coaxial cable feed such that a distal end of the inner conductor is operably disposed adjacent the dielectric shielding. The inner conductor includes one or more reactive components disposed thereon forming a reactively-loaded loop configuration configured to maximize delivery of microwave energy from the power source to tissue such that a desired effect to tissue is achieved.
US08672917B2
A method for adjusting delivery of a therapeutic fluid to a patient suffering from or at risk of pulmonary arterial hypertension includes introducing the therapeutic fluid to a patient via a catheter at a predetermined rate. The catheter is positioned to deliver the fluid to the right ventricle or the pulmonary artery. The catheter a one-way valve configured to allow the fluid to flow from the catheter to the target location. The method further includes monitoring pressure of the target location by monitoring internal catheter pressure, and adjusting the rate at which the therapeutic fluid is introduced to the catheter based on the monitored pressure. The rate at which the fluid is introduced to the catheter is increased if internal catheter pressure increases, and the rate at which the fluid is introduced to the catheter is decreased if the internal catheter pressure decreases.
US08672915B2
A wearing article having front and rear waist belt members that include waist elastic members attached thereto and spaced one from another in a longitudinal direction Y. On non-contractile regions, these elastic members do not overlap graphics on respective heat-sealable sheets or exert contractile force thereon. The non-contractile regions are formed by leaving between inner and outer sheets as well as between inner and outer sheets not coated with adhesive in respective middles of the front and rear waist belt members as viewed in a transverse direction X and cutting the waist elastic members attached under tension in the respective middles of the waist belt members. Along the ends of the non-contractile regions on the side of the crotch member, the inner and outer sheets as well as the inner and outer sheets are respectively joined to each other by means of heat sealing technique so as to form the joint zones.
US08672904B1
A medical system comprising apparatus and methods for improved irrigation and lavage in wound management. The device attaches to at least one irrigation fluid source and is configured to administer the fluid indirectly to a wound or tissue.
US08672903B2
An abdominal wound dressing and methods of use are described that enable the application of negative pressure to the wound site in a healing manner while also limiting the formation of adhesions that would prevent the removal of the dressing. The dressing comprises a layer of porous foam material enclosed by sheets of elastomeric material punctuated by a number of appropriately placed holes. Multiple layers of porous foam may also be used. A suction tube connector is provided on an upper surface of a layer of foam for connection to a negative pressure source. At least one layer of foam is enclosed in elastomeric material and is placed in direct contact with the tissue within the open wound. Fluids are drawn by negative pressure through the holes positioned in the elastomeric envelope and through the foam.
US08672894B2
The invention relates to a protection device (10) for a needle of an assembly or of an injection device having a hub portion provided with a needle, the said protection device (10) comprising: an outer casing (20) formed of a first material; and an inner casing (30) formed of a second material different from the said first material and defining a cavity (32) for receiving in a sealing way at least the hub portion, said cavity (32) having an inner wall (34); attachment means (40) defined in the said cavity (32) to removably engage and secure said protection device (10) at least along a sealing line to the injection device; the protection device being characterized in that it further comprises aspiration limiting means (40, 50) for limiting the deformation of said cavity (32) when said protection device (10) is separated from the assembly or the injection device.
US08672892B2
A one piece molded vacuum tube holder is fitted with a one piece molded needle hub assembly. A needle protection device is further rotatably mounted to the neck of the one piece vacuum tube holder. One portion of a locking mechanism is provided at the neck of the one piece vacuum tube holder and a second portion of the locking mechanism is provided at the needle hub of the needle hub assembly, so that when the needle hub assembly is press fit to the vacuum tube holder, the two portions of the locking mechanism will coact to fixedly retain the needle hub assembly within the vacuum tube holder. The one piece vacuum tube holder is configured to have an elongate needle cover integrally extending from its neck. A finger grasp mechanism may be coupled to the needle cover.
US08672888B2
A device may include a hollow needle, a dilator mounted coaxially on the needle, and a sheath mounted coaxially on the dilator. The dilator may be slideably displaceable relative to the sheath.
US08672887B2
A fluid delivery device includes an array of needles, each in fluid communication with a respective reservoir. Respective actuators are coupled so as to be operable to drive fluid from the reservoirs via needle ports. Each needle can have a plurality of ports, and the ports can be arranged to deliver a substantially equal amount of fluid at any given location along its length. A driver is coupled to the actuators to selectively control the rate, volume, and direction of flow of fluid through the needles. The device can simultaneously deliver a plurality of fluid agents along respective axes in solid tissue in vivo. If thereafter resected, the tissue can be sectioned for evaluation of an effect of each agent on the tissue, and based on the evaluation, candidate agents selected or deselected for clinical trials or therapy, and subjects selected or deselected for clinical trials or therapeutic treatment.
US08672886B2
A fluid delivery device is provided for delivering fluid to a target site such as an intervertebral disc during discography. The fluid delivery device includes pressure and volume sensors to determine the pressure and the volume of the fluid delivered to the intervertebral disc. The fluid delivery device is hand-held during use and includes a syringe assembly having a plunger with threads that enables controlled discharge of the fluid from the fluid delivery device by rotating the plunger in a housing of the fluid delivery device. The fluid delivery device includes a communication module to wirelessly transfer data to an external device outside of a sterile field, while the fluid delivery device is in the sterile field. The fluid delivery device may also include a physiological sensor to monitor involuntary pain responses based on changing physiological parameters such as increases in body temperature or blood pressure.
US08672885B2
A compact fluid dispenser for use in controllably dispensing fluid medicaments, such as antibiotics, blood clotting agents, analgesics, and like medicinal agents from collapsible containers at a uniform rate. The dispenser includes a novel stored energy source that is provided in the form of a compressible-expandable member that functions to continuously and uniformly expel fluid from the device reservoir. The apparatus further includes a novel fluid flow control assembly that precisely controls the flow of the medicament solutions from the device reservoir to the patient.
US08672882B2
A balloon catheter device includes a catheter having a proximal end, a distal end, and catheter walls defining a catheter lumen. An inflatable balloon is located at a distal end of the catheter and is inflated through an inflation valve located on a base. An internal cavity is defined in the base and is in fluid communication with the inflatable balloon. A translucent window is disposed over the internal cavity such that an interior volume of the cavity is externally viewable. Introduction of a colored fluid through the inflation valve to inflate the balloon results in the colored fluid also being present in the internal cavity, thereby providing an externally visual indication of the inflation state of the balloon.
US08672870B2
An ocular implant includes an elongate member having an internal lumen forming a flow pathway that provides a fluid pathway between the anterior chamber and the suprachoroidal space of the eye. The implant includes a hydrogel member attached to the elongate member, wherein the hydrogel member is adapted to expand upon implantation of the elongate member in the eye. An attachment attaches the hydrogel member to the elongate member.
US08672862B2
An apparatus for identifying, during total knee replacement surgery, a position of a center of a femoral head of a patient within a plane parallel to a frontal plane, comprises a marking plate placed to cover, in a direction perpendicular to the frontal plane, a site where the femoral head center of the patient's body is located; a pivotal arm having a pivotal shaft arranged to extend in a direction perpendicular to the frontal plane; and a marker attached to the pivotal arm, for depicting a circular arc on the marking plate according to rotation of the pivotal arm; the pivotal shaft being placed at a distal end of a femur of the patient, a distance from the pivotal shaft to the marker in a direction parallel to the frontal plane being equal to a preliminarily measured distance from the distal end of the femur to the femoral head center.
US08672857B2
The present invention relates to materials and methods for monitoring and predicting a heart failure patient's physiological response to cardiac resynchronization therapy. More specifically, the present invention relates to the endogenous protein galectin-3 and its use in monitoring progression of disease in a patient undergoing cardiac resynchronization therapy, and as a predictor of response to cardiac resynchronization therapy.
US08672847B2
An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus comprises: a detector for detecting a direction of radial expansion/contraction of a vascular wall associated with a heartbeat in a long-axis image of the vascular wall based on amplitude information of reception signals outputted from an ultrasound probe when a first ultrasonic beam is transmitted and received to and from a blood vessel of a subject through the ultrasound probe by a transmitter/receiver; a controller for controlling the transmitter/receiver so as to transmit and receive a second ultrasonic beam parallel to the detected vascular wall expansion/contraction direction through the ultrasound probe; a tracker for tracking a movement of the vascular wall using amplitude information and phase information of the reception signals outputted from the ultrasound probe when the second ultrasonic beam is transmitted and received; and a calculator for calculating elastic characteristics of the vascular wall based on the tracked vascular wall movement.
US08672826B2
The present invention relates to the in vivo stimulation of cellular material. In particular, the present invention relates to a method for stimulating cells and tissue in vivo comprising the step of applying to said cells and tissue an electrobiomimetic stimulus, wherein the growth characteristics of said cells and tissue are enhanced as compared to cells and tissue not receiving said stimulus.
US08672823B2
A napkin folding device is provided having a folding unit provided for folding individual napkins, a storage unit provided for holding the folded napkins from the folding unit, a delivery unit provided for holding out unfolded napkins, and a transport unit provided for feeding the unfolded napkins from the delivery unit to the folding unit. The delivery unit has a magazine including at least two delivery levels.
US08672821B1
A combined paint roller and paint roller cleaner quickly and efficiently removes paint from the paint roller cleaner while preventing fluids from splashing outwardly and away from the paint roller cleaner. The paint roller cleaner includes a main chamber having a first slot formed at an outer surface thereof, and an auxiliary chamber statically coupled to the main chamber. Such an auxiliary chamber protrudes outwardly from the outer surface of the main chamber and preferably has an outer surface provided with a second slot formed therein. Notably, the second slot may be offset from the first slot in such a manner that an external fluid stream, after passing through the first and second slots, is caused to enter the main chamber at a non-perpendicular angle relative to the outer surface of the main chamber and thereby rotate a portion of the paint roller located within the paint roller cleaner.
US08672819B2
In the course of a machining of a workpiece with a tool, a drive spindle with a tilt table secured thereto of a tilt device provided on a work table of a machining center is rotated by a direct drive motor to control the relative angular position between the tool and the workpiece, and within a predetermined period of time in the course of a machining, the direct drive motor is rotated at a high speed with a spindle head and the work table of the machining center kept away to rotate the drive spindle and hence, the tilt table at a high speed, so that chips and cutting lubricant can be shaken from the workpiece and the tilt table.
US08672814B2
A mounting member is adapted for joining a seat back to a frame. The mounting member includes a base and an extension projecting from the base along an axis in absence of external forces to the extension. The extension has an end distant from the base that is connectable to the seat back and that is resiliently linearly movable in directions substantially perpendicular to the axis 360° about the axis.
US08672810B2
Systems and methods for sensing and monitoring various athletic performance metrics, e.g., during the course of a game, a practice, a training session, training drills, and the like, are described. These systems and methods can provide useful metrics for players and coaches relating to athletic performances in various sports, including various team sports.
US08672808B2
Provided is a brake control apparatus for a vehicle which detects an amount of brake-pedal operation by means of an electric signal, and then calculates a braking force demanded by a driver from the electric signal, and thereby generates the demanded braking force. A control mode for a braking force is switched from a normal control mode to a stationary-vehicle control mode, if a determination that the vehicle is in a stationary state is followed by another determination that an electric signal corresponding to an actual braking force exceeds a command value for a stationary-vehicle braking force while the vehicle is in the stationary state. The control mode for a braking force is switched from the stationary-vehicle control mode to the normal control mode, if it is determined that the demanded braking force becomes smaller than the command value for the stationary-vehicle braking force. In addition, in the stationary-vehicle control mode, a braking force generated by a means for braking is equal to the command value for the stationary-vehicle braking force, whereas, in the normal control mode, the braking force generated by the means for braking is equal to the braking force demanded by the driver.
US08672804B2
In a hybrid vehicle in which power of electric motor is transmitted to a counter shaft 14 only via a lock mechanism 61 which is provided on a first main shaft 11 so as to make up an odd-numbered gear or a first gear change shifter 51, when the vehicle is being driven by selecting a given even-numbered gear, a pre-shifting to an odd-numbered gear which is lower than the given even-numbered gear is implemented by the lock mechanism 61 or the first gear change shifter 51. By so doing, not only can good driveability be provided with the assistance of the electric motor, but also a more efficient regeneration can be implemented.
US08672803B2
An automated manual transmission system (1) including an input shaft (4), a clutch, an output shaft (6), and a gearbox enabling selection of different transmission ratios between the input shaft and the output shaft (6). An actuation mechanism (10) is operatively connected to the clutch and the gearbox to effect disengagement and re-engagement of the clutch and coordinated selection of the transmission ratios. A hybrid motor (14) is operably connected to the output shaft (6) and a control system (16) is operable to regulate the actuating mechanism in response to control inputs, to effect automatic gear changes. The hybrid motor (14) is responsive to the control system (16) to provide supplementary torque to the vehicle driveline when the clutch is disengaged, to reduce torque interruption in the driveline.
US08672790B2
A device for torque vectoring in a wheeled vehicle is presented. The device includes a differential mechanism arranged on an axle having a first drive shaft and a second drive shaft, an electrical power source connected to an electrical motor, the electrical motor being connectable to the axle for torque vectoring between the first drive shaft and the second drive shaft, and control means connected to the power source and configured to receive a plurality of variables representing the current vehicle state and to determine drive currents being dependent on the variables, wherein the drive currents are supplied to the electrical motor from the power source for introducing a torque increase to either one of the first or second drive shafts and a corresponding torque decrease to the other one of the first or second drive shafts.
US08672785B2
A blade-type chain tensioner includes a bracket that includes a main wall, a ramp projecting from the main wall, and a pivot pocket including an internal concave pivot surface. A tensioner blade assembly is operatively connected to the bracket. The tensioner blade assembly includes a polymeric shoe and a spring connected to the shoe. The shoe includes a free end supported on the ramp, a pivot end engaged with the pivot pocket, and a central body that extends between the free end and the pivot end. The pivot end of the shoe includes a pivot barrel including an external convex pivot surface. The pivot barrel is engaged with the pivot pocket and the external pivot surface of the pivot barrel is slidably abutted with the internal pivot surface of the pivot pocket such that the pivot barrel is reciprocally angularly movable in the pivot pocket.
US08672781B2
The disclosure relates to a baseball pitcher training apparatus for training a pitcher in controlling his lower and upper body portions in the movement sequence of the human body associated with throwing a baseball during the pitch preparation phase as well as the delivery and follow-through phase to conserve stress or strain in the arm and leg muscles. The apparatus has a frame comprising two vertical post assemblies connected at the top by a horizontal cross beam assembly. Light bag weights are suspended from the cross beam assembly and wires tensioned by circular pulley wheels are attached to the vertical post members. The pitcher learns his body mechanics from pitching with the said wires attached to his body and following a pitching line indicated by the light bag weights and gauging his position by calibration marks on the pitching mound.
US08672777B2
A golf ball including a unitary core having a volume, an outer surface, a geometric center, and an outermost transition volume adjacent to the outer surface, the core being formed from a substantially homogenous composition; and a cover layer including ionomer, metallocene-catalyzed polymer, polyester, polyamide, non-ionomeric thermoplastic elastomer, copolyether-ester, copolyether-amide, polycarbonate, polybutadiene, polyisoprene, or polystyrene block copolymer. The outermost transition volume is disposed between the core outer surface and the geometric center, the transition volume has an outer portion congruent with the core outer surface, and comprises the outermost 45% of the core volume or less. Both a hardness of the core outer surface and a hardness within the outermost transition volume are less than the hardness of the geometric center to define a negative hardness gradient.
US08672775B2
The invention provides a multi-piece solid golf ball composed of a solid core, a cover, at least one intermediate layer situated therebetween, and a plurality of dimples on a surface of the ball. The diameter of the solid core, the deflection of the core when compressed under a final load of 130 kgf from an initial load of 10 kgf, the hardness at the center of the core, the hardness in a region 5 mm to 10 mm from the center of the core, the hardness 15 mm from the center of the core, and the surface hardness are set within specific ranges. The intermediate layer is composed primarily of a material obtained by mixing under applied heat a specific resin composition and the cover is formed primarily of polyurethane. And, the number of dimples and the trajectory volume TVT are set within specific ranges. The golf ball of the invention has an excellent flight performance, feel, controllability and scuff resistance.
US08672774B2
Golf ball 2 has spherical core 4 and cover 6 provided so as to cover this core 4. The core 4 has spherical center 8 and mid layer 10 provided so as to cover this center 8. The resilience coefficient Ec of the center 8, the resilience coefficient Em of the core 4 and the resilience coefficient Eb of the golf ball 2 satisfy the following formulae (1) and (2): Ec>Eb≧Em (1); Eb−Em≧Ec−Eb (2). The difference (Eb−Em) between the resilience coefficient Eb and the resilience coefficient Em is equal to or greater than 0.004. The difference (Ec−Eb) between the resilience coefficient Ec and the resilience coefficient Eb is equal to or greater than 0.004.
US08672773B2
A ball striking device, such as an iron-type golf club, includes a head that has a face having a ball striking surface defined thereon and an arched top edge, an iron-type golf club body connected to the face, and a hosel connected to the body. The arched top edge of the face includes a crest portion, a first upwardly sloping portion extending from a toe edge of the face to the crest portion, and a second upwardly sloping portion extending from the hosel to the crest portion, such that the distance from the bottom edge of the face to the top edge of the face is greatest at the crest portion. The hosel has a first end connected to the body and a second end located below the crest portion of the face.
US08672771B1
A golf putter having a head with a negative loft angle on the two ball striking surfaces, heel, and toe surfaces. The overall weight of the putter may be adjusted and the center of gravity of the putter may be shifted laterally as desired with removable weights that are coupled to the putter head.
US08672768B2
An air bearing for a ram air fan includes a shaft having a first end portion that defines a cap end, a second end portion that defines a thrust shaft receiving end, and an intermediate portion extending between the first and second end portions. The cap end includes a cap pilot bore and the thrust shaft receiving end includes a thrust shaft pilot section. The thrust shaft pilot section has an outer diameter of between about 1.6032-inches (about 40.7212 mm) and about 1.6002-inches (about 40.6450 mm).
US08672763B2
Methods and systems for interfacing a controller device with an interactive program executing at a computer are presented. A controller includes a camera for capturing images of a display. The position of the controller is determined based on the perspective distortion, size, location and orientation of the display in the captured images. The controller may additionally include an IR projector and an IR camera. The IR projector generates an IR beam, which creates a projection on a surface. The IR camera captures IR images of the projection. The distance of the controller from the surface and its relative orientation are determined based on analysis of the IR images.
US08672762B1
In various embodiments, the gaming system of the present disclosure is configured to operate a card game associated with a plurality of cards. For a play of the card game, the gaming system receives a wager from a player, determines a plurality of player cards from the plurality of cards, displays the player cards face up, determines a plurality of dealer cards from the plurality of cards, and displays at least one of the dealer cards face up. The gaming system determines an outcome of the play by comparing the player and the dealer cards. If the outcome is a designated outcome, the gaming system adds the received wager to a side pot. If a side pot reset condition is met, the gaming system resets the side pot to an initial value. If a side pot payout condition is met, the gaming system provides the side pot to the player.
US08672753B2
In a video game, various effects are used to convey the experience of a game world of different kinds of game characters and game objects. For example, if a game character is a dog, a visual effect may be used to convey a dog's red-green color blindness. If a game character is a mouse, another visual effect may be used convey a mouse's blurry vision.
US08672744B1
A wagering game system and its operations are described herein. In some embodiments, the operations can include determining, at a wagering game server, player account information associated with a plurality of players that are logged in at one or more predefined wagering game machines. The operations can also include determining a level of social interactivity to provide during game play to the plurality of players based, at least in part, on the player account information associated with the plurality of players. The operations can further include determining that a current level of social interactivity being provided during game play to the plurality of players is different than the level of social interactivity associated with the player account information, and dynamically changing a configuration of the one or more predefined wagering game machines to provide to the plurality of players the level of social interactivity associated with the player account information.
US08672739B2
In an embodiment, a gaming system includes a plurality of gaming devices and a controller configured to communicate with the gaming devices. The gaming system enables a plurality of players to play an interactive game in a non-competitive mode and in a competitive mode. If at least two players play the interactive game in the competitive mode, for a competitive wagering event, which includes a competition between two players, the gaming system determines a winning player and a losing player. The gaming system causes the winning player to contribute a winning player portion toward a wager associated with the competitive wagering event and causes the losing player to contribute a losing player portion toward the wager associated with the competitive wagering event. The losing player portion is less than the winning player portion. The gaming system randomly determines and provides any awards to the winning player based on the wager.
US08672737B2
A gaming machine of the present invention is arranged so that, in a base game in which unit games can be repeatedly run, bet values on the respective unit games are accumulatively stored in the bet value memory, how many unit games are run is counted, an average of the bet values is calculated based on the bet value accumulatively stored in the bet value memory when a predetermined condition is met in the base game, and a payout calculated by multiplying the average by a predetermined value is awarded.
US08672730B2
An apparatus and a method for forming or polishing a concave or convex radius surface on a work-piece is described herein. The apparatus includes a carrier that is configured to support a work-piece. A substantially hollow rotatable tool, which includes a circumferential surface for either forming or polishing the radius surface, is positioned adjacent the carrier. An axis of rotation of the tool is oriented at an oblique angle with respect to a longitudinal axis of the work-piece and a longitudinal axis of the carrier. Alternatively, the longitudinal axis of the work-piece may be laterally offset from the longitudinal axis of the carrier. The apparatus further includes provisions for rotating the hollow rotatable tool for forming or polishing a radius surface on the surface of the work-piece.
US08672725B1
A scent-free game call mouthpiece section, with a photographic camouflaged or photographic decorative image displayed thereon, in a manner such that paint fragments and VOCs from the camouflaged or decorative image are restrained from contacting the mouth of the game call user, or otherwise being released into the atmosphere around the game call.
US08672724B2
A convertible slip cover for a convertible stuffed animal and pillow toy is quickly and easily removable and interchangeable, the convertible slip cover is much easier to wash and dry then the convertible stuffed animal and pillow, the convertible slip cover can be donned on and is convertible with the convertible stuffed animal toy in both the pillow configuration and the stuffed animal configuration, and the convertible slip cover allows for the arching of the toy in the animal configuration so that the toy still has an animal body appearance.
US08672722B2
A spark plug manufacturing method providing a spark plug equipped with an insulator having dielectric strength by means of judging whether or not the insulator has a defect. A defect judgement step judges whether or not the insulator has a defect, by generating an electric potential difference between the center electrode and the metallic shell under conditions such that an assembly of the center electrode, metallic shell, and insulator is disposed within a pressure vessel; a high-pressure atmosphere higher in pressure than the atmospheric pressure is established within the pressure vessel; a space allowing the presence of insulating oil is a space surrounded by the packing, the metallic shell, the insulator, and an imaginary plane containing a forward end surface of the metallic shell; and the insulating oil is present at least in a region of the space where the distance between the ledge and insulator becomes shortest.
US08672720B1
A life vest with a rescue handle located on the back side thereof. The rescue handle has a flange located at the lower end thereof, the flange being attached to the back side of the life vest with the rescue handle extending substantially vertically upwards. The rescue handle is attached to the back side of the life vest in a manner adapted to support the weight of a user. The rescue handle has a non-loop shape that eliminates the potential for entanglement with objects in the water.
US08672718B2
A board connecting terminal includes a contact that comes into contact with a mate side terminal, an indent that comes into contact with a pad formed on a circuit board, a terminal attaching part connected to the indent to attach the board connecting terminal to the circuit board, and an engaging piece connected to the contact and having a part held by a holder on which the circuit board is mounted. In the terminal attaching part, when the board connecting terminal is attached to the circuit board, a part of the terminal attaching part enters a through hole passing through the circuit board in a thickness direction thereof to restrain the indent from moving in a planar direction of the circuit board.
US08672710B2
An electromagnetic gasket comprises a sheet having a plurality of resilient fingers on an outer peripheral. The fingers are bent outward and at least four resilient prongs are bent inward to form a passageway that is sized and dimensioned to receive an RJ45 connector. When the RJ45 connector is inserted through the passageway, the resilient prongs are adapted to urge against top, bottom, and two side surfaces of the shell of the RJ45 connector in such a manner to prevent the gasket from disengaging from the RJ45 connector. The plurality of resilient fingers extend outward and beyond the top, bottom, and two side surfaces of the shell of the RJ45 connector and are adapted to urge against a surface of a faceplate.
US08672705B2
The invention relates to a enclosure assembly for at least one connector, including an enclosure, the enclosure having a connector volume configured to receive the connector and an opening at least at a rearward end, a strain relief element being adapted to receive a cable, the strain relief element being provided with a relief portion at one end, the relief portion being configured to support the cable elastically, and with a fastening portion, the fastening portion in a mounted state being arranged at least partially within the opening and affixing the strain relief element to the enclosure. To create an enclosure which is easy to mount and assures a reliable anchorage of the cable within the enclosure, in a pre-mounted state, the enclosure and the strain relief element are adapted to be slid relative to each other in a forward direction (F) up to a forward position, and in that in the forward position the enclosure is automatically engaged in a friction lock with the fastening portion.
US08672704B2
In accordance with one embodiment, an electrical connector includes a connector housing, and at least one electrical terminal supported by the connector housing. The electrical terminal defines a mating portion and a mounting portion, the mounting portion carrying a crimp member having crimp teeth configured to pierce through a flex cable when crimped so as to mount the flat flex cable to the mounting portion of the electrical terminal.
US08672701B2
A cable connection device is described for electroconductive connection of a preferably multiwire cable, comprising a forcing nut, a receiving device and a contact carrier. The cable is guided through the forcing nut and through an opening of the receiving device, which comprises a wire receiving element. A stripped wire section of the cable can be positioned radially to the longitudinal axis of the cable connection device, on the wire receiving element, and the forcing nut can be screwed onto the contact carrier so that the forcing nut engages around the receiving device, the wire receiving element is directed towards the contact carrier and the receiving device can be pushed towards the contact carrier by the screwing nut. The cable has a compact structure and can be very easily and/or rapidly connected to a cable, and/or produced very economically on the basis of its simple construction and few individual parts.
US08672698B2
The invention provides a connector including a housing, contacts, and an actuator. The housing includes a first depression and second depressions. The second depressions include bottom surfaces. The contacts include hooks to be disposed within the first depression. The actuator includes bosses, received in the second depressions, and a shaft, received in the first depression. The bosses each include an axial center and first and second contact portions. The distance between the axial center and the first contact portion is smaller than the distance between the axial center and the second contact portion. When the actuator is in an upright position, the first contact portions are on the bottom surfaces and the shaft is on the lower side of the hooks. When the actuator rotates to a lying position, the bosses rotate along the bottom surfaces and the shaft move to the upper side to be engaged with the hooks.
US08672689B2
An electrical connector assembly is provided with an insulating housing, a PCB, and an FFC. The insulating housing includes a plurality of terminals and two side extensions The FFC and the terminals are electrically connected together by the PCB. A plurality of contacts of the PCB are provided on a top surface of the PCB. A space is defined by the extensions and two rearward inclined members on both sides of the insulating housing respectively with each rearward inclined member joining the insulating housing and the extension. The PCB is disposed in the space.
US08672678B2
A nozzle head (5) for a powder jet device (1), for use in applying dental material, comprises a first fluid flow path (8) for delivering a powder/fluid mixture to a first discharge nozzle (8A). A second fluid flow path (6) is provided for delivering a liquid to a second discharge nozzle (6A) located adjacent the first discharge nozzle (8A), so that the materials discharged by the first and second discharge nozzles combine at a desired location to form a dental composition. A nozzle-clearing member (10) is located inside the nozzle head and is movable to remove powder material from the first discharge nozzle when the flow of powder/fluid mixture to the nozzle ceases.
US08672674B2
A burner (1) for burning a gaseous oxidant with a gaseous fuel, with a combustion chamber (2), in which the combustion reaction takes place during the operation of the burner (2), has a wall structure (4) which defines the combustion chamber (2) on the inlet side and which has oxidant openings (5) for introducing the oxidant into the combustion chamber (2) and fuel openings (6), which are separate therefrom, for introducing the fuel into the combustion chamber (2). The wall structure (4) has an oxidant distributor space (7), which is fluidically connected with the oxidant openings (5) on the outlet side and is fluidically connected with at least one oxidant feed opening (9) on the inlet side, as well as contains a fuel distributor space (8), which is fluidically separated from the oxidant distributor space (7) and is fluidically connected on the outlet side with the fuel openings (6) and is fluidically connected with at least one fuel feed opening (10) on the inlet side. A plurality of oxidant feed openings (9) are formed in the wall structure (4) on a side facing away from the combustion chamber (2), a plurality of fuel feed openings (10) are formed in the wall structure (4) on the side facing away from the combustion chamber (2), and the oxidant feed openings (9) and fuel feed openings (10) are arranged next to each other and alternating with one another in a straight connection area (11).
US08672669B2
The invention relates to an injection molding unit for an injection molding machine for processing plastics, comprising an electro-mechanical dosing motor (D) for rotating a worm conveyor (11) during dosing of the plasticizable material, and an electro-mechanical injection motor (E) for the axial movement of the worm conveyor (11) relative to a plasticization unit (10). The injection motor (E) comprises a spindle drive having a spindle (16). The axes of the dosing motor (D) and of the injection motor (E) are aligned with one another. Due to the spindle (16) of the injection motor (E) being rigidly connected to the rotor (12) of the dosing motor (D) and due to the fact that the dosing motor (D) can be blocked by a braking means in a direction of rotation, an alternative compact, energy-saving injection molding unit is created.
US08672660B2
A plate suitable for positioning with an extruder apparatus is provided in which the plate includes at least one temperature sensor. The plate is upstream of the die located at or near the end of the extruder apparatus. The sensor(s) allow for the simultaneous measurement of batch material temperatures at multiple spatial locations across the face of the plate. The temperature sensors associated with the plate can be used to identify spatial and temporal temperature patterns within the batch flow.
US08672654B2
A counterweight mounted to a drive shaft in a scroll compressor is provided. The drive shaft has a central annular segment generally concentric about the central axis and an eccentric annular segment offset from the central axis that can be used for driving the movable scroll compressor body. A counterweight engages the eccentric and also engages the annular segment for location and mounting of the counterweight to the shaft.
US08672644B2
A supersonic ejector assembly may include a housing manufactured from a solid piece of material, a first ejector assembly positioned in a first bore formed in the housing and secured therein by a first input side flange positioned over an input end of the first bore and an output side flange positioned over an output end of the first bore, and a second ejector assembly positioned in a second bore formed in the housing and secured therein by a second input side flange positioned over an input end of the second bore, the second bore terminating into the first bore proximate a suction input of the first ejector assembly.
US08672635B2
When cold and in the non-coated state, the aerodynamic profile is substantially identical to a nominal profile determined by the Cartesian coordinates X,Y,Z′ given in Table 1, in which the coordinate Z′ is the quotient D/H where D is the distance of the point under consideration from a first reference plane P0 situated at the base of the nominal profile, and H is the height of said profile measured from the first reference plane to a second reference plane P1. The measurements D and H are taken radially relative to the axis of the turbine, while the X coordinate is measured in the axial direction of the turbine.
US08672622B2
A fluid machine includes a non-streamline casing capable of forming a stable vortex street on a downstream side by internal and external flows, and an impeller disposed inside the casing. The casing has a vortex generator configured to form the vortex street on the downstream side. The vortex generator is provided with a phase control structure which regulates a phase of a vortex formation that fluctuates along a circumferential direction in a plane including a rear face of the casing and which clarifies a cell structure to be formed along the circumferential direction of the casing to fix, on a surface of the casing, respective positions of cells into a plurality of segmented regions arranged in the circumferential direction. The velocity of the internal flow is increased by the phase control structure.
US08672612B2
A turbine vane is provided which includes a radial outer platform, a radial inner platform and an airfoil extending between the outer platform and the inner platform. Each platform has a gas washed surface facing towards the respective other platform, a non gas washed surface facing away from the respective other platform and a peripheral surface extending from the gas washed surface to the non gas washed surface. The peripheral surface includes an upstream section that is designed to be directed towards the gas flow washing the gas washed surface. Cooling fluid channels each include an opening in the peripheral surface or in the gas washed surface and are located in at least a section of the outer platform and/or in at least a section of the inner platform. The respective section directly adjoins the upstream section of the peripheral surface of the respective platform.
US08672611B2
A rotary blood pump includes a casing defining a pumping chamber. The pumping chamber has a blood inlet and a tangential blood outlet. One or more motor stators are provided outside of the pumping chamber. A rotatable impeller is within the pumping chamber and is adapted to cause blood entering the pumping chamber to move to the blood outlet. The impeller has one or more magnetic regions. The impeller is radially constrained in rotation by magnetic coupling to one or more motor stators and is axially constrained in rotation by one or more hydrodynamic thrust bearing surfaces on the impeller.
US08672607B2
A differentially pumped vacuum system including apparatus having at least first and second chambers; and a vacuum pump for differentially pumping fluid from the chambers to generate a first pressure above 0.1 mbar in the first chamber and a second pressure lower than the first pressure in the second chamber, the pump having at least first and second pump inlets each for receiving fluid from a respective pressure chamber and a plurality of pumping stages positioned relative to the inlets so that fluid received from the first chamber passes through fewer pumping stages than fluid from the second chamber, the inlets being attached to the apparatus such that at least 99% of the fluid mass pumped from the apparatus passes through at least one of the pumping stages of the pump.
US08672600B2
The present invention provides a clip having a general T-shape. The clip may be mounted to a deck board structure for engagement with a joist. The clip may include a base for mounting to a structure, such as a deck board, and barbs located on the base. The clip may also include a pair of supporting arms having clamping tabs with barbs. The barbs of the base and the clamping tabs may grip onto a joist. The clip may also include an aperture that is capable of connecting the base to the deck board. Once assembled with the deck board and joist, the clip may remain completely hidden from view after deck completion.
US08672595B2
The invention relates to an expansion anchor (10) comprising an expansion sleeve (12) which is divided into expansions (18) by means of longitudinal slots (14) arranged in the front section in the direction of placement (16) of the expansion sleeve (12) and also has an inner thread (20) in the rear section in the direction of placement (16). The expansion anchor (10) further comprises an expansion body (22), which preferably has the shape of a cone stump that tapers conically in the direction of placement (18), the conical stump being arranged in the front section in the direction of placement (16) of the expansion sleeve and inside the expansion sleeve (12).
US08672590B2
A cutting insert including a substrate having a seat recessed from a top surface at a corner and a superhard sintered body bonded to the seat. The body includes a cutting edge, a rake face with positive rake angle, and chip breaker including, in plan view, a projection projecting from a line that crosses a bisector of the corner toward a tip end of an arc edge of the cutting edge. A first breaker wall is formed between a top edge of the projection and the rake face. A second breaker wall is formed between a ridge line extending from a base end of the projection to a side surface of the body and the rake face. Another ridge line formed between the rake face and the side surface is inclined whereby a distance to a bottom surface of the substrate decreases as a distance from the cutting edge increases.
US08672583B1
A plastic arch-shape cross section corrugated stormwater chamber has a multiplicity of crest corrugations and valley corrugations which run transverse to its length. Sub-corrugations run along part or all of the arch-curve lengths of either crest corrugations or valley corrugations, or along both of them. A sub-corrugations are smaller in dimension than an associated crest corrugation or valley corrugation. Sub-corrugations may taper in width and depth and may taper to nothingness. A compound convex shape end cap, useful for closing off the ends of stormwater chambers, has substantially vertical corrugations with analogous sub-corrugations.
US08672582B2
A multipurpose compactor with an automatic safety system is provided. The automatic safety system comprises at least one transmitter and one receiver. The transmitter is coupled mechanically fixed to the multipurpose compactor and/or to a unit movable relative to the multipurpose compactor. The receiver is coupled fixedly to the movable unit and/or the multipurpose compactor.
US08672581B2
A road construction machine comprising height adjustment devices which adjust the position of the plane of the machine frame in accordance with control signals, where the leveling device measures the distance of the ground surface to the machine frame and controls the height adjustment devices so the machine frame is movable at an adjusted orthogonal distance to the surface; a transmitter is arranged at the machine frame in a rigid fashion, and a receiver is movable, parallel to and synchronously with the machine frame, or vice versa, where the transmitter emits a measuring beam representative of a reference plane, the measuring beam being detectable by the receiver and representing either a plane extending parallel to the machine frame or a plane extending parallel to the ground surface, where the current distance of the machine frame to the current reference location is measurable from the detected position of the reference plane.
US08672577B2
A post coupler is provided with a pair of coupler flanges having rivet receiving apertures for receiving rivets extending from horizontal shelf-supporting beams to facilitate vertical shelf placement in a shelving unit unfettered by the vertical disposition of the post couplers. Apertures in the coupler index with apertures in abutting corner post sections to permit rivet extension therethrough. The reverse bend flanges of the coupler have a length shorter than the overall length of the coupler and wrap around edges of post sections, to be coupled, from the inside to the outside.
US08672571B2
An illuminated marking device is described for use with colorless marking materials. The marking materials remain colorless until being transferred to a marking surface having a developer material disposed thereon that causes the marking material to develop a colored appearance. The marking material is contained within a marking device having a clear or translucent barrel and a lens integrated into a first end. The lens is tinted in a color similar to that of the developed color of the marking material. The first end of the marker is inserted into a light housing having a light source therein. Light from the light source is filtered by the lens and thereby illuminates the barrel of the marker in a color similar to that of the developed color of the marker. The glowing marker indicates the marking color of the marker and provides an enjoyable glowing experience.
US08672561B2
An optical cable connector is disclosed herein. The optical cable connector includes a housing; an aperture on a side of the housing for receiving unsplit duplex optical cable; a sharp edge, disposed within the housing and positioned to split a portion of the optical cable into two optical fibers when the cable is inserted into the aperture, the fibers for carrying optical signals; and electro-optical transceivers, disposed within the housing and aligned with the two optical fibers to receive the optical signals, the transceivers configured to convert the optical signals into electrical signals. Integrating the sharp edge within the connector precludes a user from having to manually split optical cable prior to inserting the cable into the connector, thereby making the connector relatively easy to use and reducing the likelihood the user will be injured.
US08672552B2
In an embodiment, a bearing assembly includes superhard bearing elements distributed circumferentially about an axis. At least one of the superhard bearing elements may include a first arcuate end portion, a second arcuate end portion, a first substantially planar face, a second substantially planar face, and a bearing surface. The first and second arcuate end portions may be generally opposite each other. The first substantially planar face may extend between the first and second arcuate end portions. The second substantially planar face may be generally opposite the first substantially planar face. The first substantially planar face may have a length greater than a length of the second substantially planar face. The bearing surface may extend between the first arcuate end portion, the second arcuate end portion, the first substantially planar face, and the second substantially planar face. The bearing assembly includes a support ring that carries the superhard bearing elements.
US08672550B1
Cooling-enhanced bearing assemblies, apparatuses, and motor assemblies using the same are disclosed. In an embodiment, a bearing assembly may include a plurality of superhard bearing elements distributed circumferentially about an axis. Each of the superhard bearing elements may have a bearing surface. The bearing assembly may further include a support ring that carries the plurality of superhard bearing elements. The support ring may include at least an upper surface, an inner surface, and an outer surface. A plurality of cooling features may be arranged on at least one of the upper surface, the inner surface, or the outer surface of the support ring.
US08672546B2
An article, such as a bag, with an attached storage pouch or pocket is disclosed. The pouch can be directly attached to the article through an attachment, placing the pouch within close proximity, or coincident with a portion of the article. The pouch can be made from an elastic, flexible material. The pouch can be attached in an inverted state to an article. A user can place a portion of his hand in the pouch, compress the article with both hands, and then invert the pouch while encapsulating the compressed article in the pouch. The pouch can have a flap attached to the pouch. The flap can be used to close the opening of the pouch.
US08672544B2
A method and apparatus for water storage and transport uses a container constructed from one of more flexible plastic sheets. A number of chambers for holding water are formed within the container. Each chamber is separated from an adjacent chamber by a web of the flexible plastic sheet. The web of the flexible plastic sheet is perforated to allow adjacent chambers to be separated from one another. In use, the water in the chambers may be liquid or frozen.
US08672542B2
A thermistor amplifier device comprising a first amplifier and a second amplifier is provided. The first amplifier generates an analog temperature signal output based on a voltage across at least one thermistor. The second amplifier generates an offset voltage input to the first amplifier, wherein the offset voltage is based on maintaining the analog temperature signal within a predefined voltage range. The second amplifier selects the offset voltage corresponding to one of a plurality of range levels, wherein each of the plurality of range levels is associated with a temperature range of the at least one thermistor.
US08672540B2
A device for monitoring the temperature surrounding a circuit, including: a charge storage element; a charge evacuation device; and a thermo-mechanical switch connecting the storage element to the evacuation element, the switch being capable of closing without the circuit being electrically powered, when the temperature exceeds a threshold.
US08672534B2
An integrated beverage dispensing and cleaning system comprising: at least one blender module which blends and/or mixes ice, at least one other ingredient, and/or at least one mixin within a beverage container, thereby producing the beverage; and a cleaning assembly integrated with the blender module, wherein, upon removal of the beverage container from the blender module, a cleaning mode is initiated.
US08672528B2
An object is to implement a narrowed picture-frame while suppressing the occurrence of light leakage and a reduction in luminance in an edge-light type backlight device. A backlight device is composed of LEDs (40); a side chassis (51) supporting a board having the LEDs (40) mounted thereon; a light guide plate (20) for allowing light emitted from the LEDs (40) to exit toward a liquid crystal panel in a planar manner; a reflection sheet (30) for allowing light traveling toward a back surface side within the light guide plate (20) to be reflected thereby; optical sheets (10) including a reflection type polarizer (11), a prism sheet (12), and a diffuser (13); and a top chassis (52) disposed on top of the optical sheets (10). Black printing (60) is provided in a part of the region of the diffuser (13). A length of the reflection type polarizer (11) is longer than a length of the light guide plate (20) such that an edge of the reflection type polarizer (11) is located closer to a side of the LEDs (40) than is an edge surface of the light guide plate (20).
US08672521B1
An image display and a method of making the same. The image display has a translucent medium that has a maximum thickness and at least one area of thinner thickness than the maximum thickness that is used to depict an image. To assist in viewing the image, a light is placed behind a translucent panel, from which the image is made, to provide a more defined image than would be viewable without backlighting. The translucent panel is monolithic and homogeneous. The method of making the image is performed by first digitizing a photograph of the image. After the image is digitized, it is processed by a CNC machine that converts the image into depth. The lighted display is particularly useful as a grave monument marker when the light source is connected to a solar cell that charges a battery so the display is lighted at night.
US08672519B2
A reflector with an alignment recess is provided. The reflector has a recess portion that receives the base of a light emitting diode. At least a portion of an outer periphery of the base of the light emitting diode is adjacent at least portions of the recess portion of the reflector.
US08672511B2
A device for releasably positioning a cable on a support surface comprises a first housing component and a second housing component. The first housing component is releasably engaged with the second housing component. At least one channel is defined between the first and second housing components for releasably receiving and positioning a cable, wherein the at least one channel has an inlet and an outlet that can have the same dimensions.
US08672508B2
An LED light fixture comprising a contoured light transmissive lens cover pivotally mounted between upper and lower end brackets so as to be movable between an open position and a closed position wherein in the closed position the upper and lower contoured edges of the lens cover mate flushly with the contoured surface of respective upper and lower end caps. A bank of LED carrying housing components are attached between the upper and lower mounting brackets so as to direct illumination toward the lens cover. Expansion brackets may be employed to facilitate addition of one or more additional banks of LED carrying housing components behind a lens cover of longer length to thereby created a sconce fixture of extended length.
US08672505B1
A solar powered, illuminated harbor post and pile cover is disclosed that protects a pile from deterioration, prevents bird roosting and droppings as well as other debris, and variably illuminates, beautifies and makes more interesting docks in a harbor. The invention consists of at least one transparent conical cover superimposed over a second base or post cover wherein the interior electronics and LED's are sealed against the environment, weather and other deteriorating elements, yet is simple in manufacture, design, assemblage and repair.
US08672504B2
Drinking vessels and drinking vessel holders display moving images. The vessels and holders include stimulating components for visual, auditory and tactile stimulation, as well as sensing components and processors. Visual stimulation is provided by LEDs, LCDs, electroluminescent light sources and two immiscible liquids in a wall. Speech and vibrations can be output. Sensing components sense location and dynamics of vessels and holders, innate characteristics of the contents, and light. A stimulating component can be activated by signals from a sensing component or processor. A vessel or holder can communicate with a user or device based on the signals received from a sensing component or processor.
US08672502B2
A lamp and a hardscape structure illuminated by the lamp are disclosed. The lamp is formed from a plate to which a light fixture is attached. The plate may have a flange, a decorative face plate and side panels attached to direct light from the fixture along the hardscape on which the lamp is mounted. Mounting is effected by positioning the plate between discrete hardscape elements that are stacked one atop another. A portion of the plate projects out from the structure allowing the fixture to cast light on the structure surface. A light transmitting cover is also provided.
US08672500B2
An optoelectronic component has optically active region, with the optically active region comprising at least one semiconductor chip which is provided for generating electromagnetic radiation, and comprising a beam-forming element through which at least a portion of the electromagnetic radiation which is emitted from the semiconductor chip in operation passes and which has an optical axis, and with the optically active region having quadrant symmetry with respect to a coordinate system which is perpendicular to the optical axis. An illumination device has an optoelectronic component such as this.
US08672487B2
An electronic device includes an instrument panel that includes a display opening, where the instrument panel is located in a first plane; a circuit board located inside the electronic device, where the circuit board includes a display device that includes a display area, and where the display area is located in a second plane that is different from the first plane; and a waveguide that couples the display area to the display opening and guides light, and/or an image displayed in the display area, from the display area to the display opening.
US08672463B2
A fluid ejection device includes a fluid manifold, a substrate coupled to the fluid manifold, and a fluid distribution structure disposed between the fluid manifold and the substrate. The fluid manifold includes a fluid supply chamber and a fluid return chamber. The substrate defines a flow path including a flow path inlet for receiving fluid, a nozzle for ejecting fluid droplets, and a flow path outlet for channeling away un-ejected fluid. The fluid distribution structure includes a fluid supply channel including a supply inlet fluidically coupled to the fluid supply chamber and a supply outlet fluidically coupled to the flow path. The fluid distribution structure also includes a fluid bypass channel including a bypass inlet fluidically coupled to the fluid supply chamber, a bypass outlet fluidically coupled to the fluid return chamber, and a flow inhibitor between the bypass inlet and the bypass outlet providing a supplemental flow resistance to the fluid bypass channel. The flow inhibitor includes a convergent-divergent throat section.
US08672457B2
A piezoelectric film is constituted of a perovskite oxide represented as: Pb1+δ(ZrxTiy)1-a(MgbNb1-b)aOz, where δ and z are values within ranges where a perovskite structure is obtained and δ=0 and z=3 are standard, Pb is replaceable with another A site element in an amount of a range where the perovskite structure is obtained, b is a value in a range of 0.090≦b≦0.25, and a Nb ratio at a B site satisfies 0.13≦a×(1−b).
US08672451B2
Improved output quality of a printer used in UV curable ink jet printing is achieved by minimizing or eliminating a print artifact referred to as gloss banding or tire tracking. A same or a similar number of nozzles as used in conventional printers is used to achieve a desired throughput, but the nozzles are arranged so that any given square inch of substrate to which ink is being applied receives a lower amount of ink. A longer effective print head is provided by arranging the print heads into a longer array, where the print heads are butted substantially end-to-end. As a result, the net throughput of the printer is the same as that of a conventional printer because the printer uses the same number of print heads, but the amount of ink that is applied to any given square inch is less on a pass.
US08672449B2
In an inkjet recording apparatus including an ink and solvent containers, they are coupled with each other through a first exhaust channel, an exhaust gas and ink mist within the ink container are supplied to the solvent container through the first exhaust channel, and the solvent container has an ink mist removal unit removing the ink mist supplied from the first exhaust channel.
US08672448B2
A sun gear which is rotationally driving according to power which is transmitted from a driving motor, a planetary gear which can be displaced in the circumferential direction of the sun gear in a state of being engaged with the sun gear, and a winding-up gear which transmits a rotational driving power to a winding-up roller are provided, and the planetary gear is released from an engagement with a rack gear unit, rotates the winding-up roller by being engaged with the winding-up gear, and winds up a wiping member after the planetary gear moves a wiper holder in the wiping direction by being engaged with the rack gear unit of the wiper holder.
US08672446B2
An image forming apparatus includes a suction controller to seal a nozzle face of a recording head with a cap and drives a suction device to suck liquid from the head to perform sucking operation. The dummy ejection controller ejects, from the head, droplets not contributing to image formation to perform dummy ejection. The first tinier measures a first elapsed time after the dummy ejection. The second timer measures a second elapsed time after the sucking operation. A liquid discharge amount of the sucking operation is set to be greater than that of the dummy ejection. When the first elapsed time is equal to or greater than a first threshold time, the dummy ejection controller performs the dummy ejection. When the second elapsed time is equal to or greater than a second threshold time which is greater than the first threshold time, the suction controller performs the sucking operation.
US08672437B2
A liquid ejecting apparatus is characterized by a configuration in which it has a first carriage movement mode, in which a stop position of a carriage in movement of this time is determined to be at a given position in a width direction on the basis of a size in the width direction of a liquid-ejected medium, and a second carriage movement mode, in which the stop position of the carriage in the movement of this time is determined on the basis of at least one of the liquid ejection data in this movement and the liquid ejection data in the next movement, and liquid ejection is carried out with one of the first carriage movement mode and the second carriage movement mode selected in accordance with a setting mode that is a mode set up with respect to liquid ejection.
US08672426B2
A clothes treating apparatus having a stacking structure. The clothes treating apparatus includes upper and lower clothes treating apparatuses each having a cabinet and legs installed below the cabinet, wherein leg accommodation portions for accommodating the legs of the upper clothes treating apparatus are formed on an upper surface of the cabinet of the lower clothes treating apparatus, and the upper and lower clothes treating apparatuses are fixed to each other as the legs are insertion-fixed to the leg accommodation portions.
US08672423B2
A rubber track having: an endless rubber elastic body 1; a plurality of cores 2 arranged at predetermined pitches in the rubber elastic body so as to extend in a width direction of the rubber elastic body; a reinforcing layer extending in the rubber elastic body so as to surround the cores 2; and a plurality of lugs 4 formed on an outer peripheral surface of the rubber elastic body 1 at predetermined intervals and acting on a road surface, the rubber track comprising; a thick wall rubber portion, located between the lugs on the outer peripheral surface of the rubber elastic body, that covers an end portion of each of the cores and communicates with lugs located therebefore and thereafter, wherein an inclined plane of the thick wall rubber portion facing obliquely outward whose thickness gradually decreases toward a side edge side of the rubber elastic body is coplanar with an inclined plane of each of the lugs on the side edge side of the rubber elastic body.
US08672417B2
The present invention uses an Oscillating Disc Cutter (ODC) in a controlled manner to cut rock for assay purposes. The ODC (1) is mounted in an elongate guide frame typically in the form of an open box channel (2). The ODC is located on a carriage (3), the carriage itself mounted on guide rails (4) within the channel (2). The apparatus includes drive means operable to drive the carriage (3) in a rectilinear manner along the rails (4) such that the rails (4) define a cutting path. The ODC cuts a groove of controlled width and depth in a rock face, yielding rock chips that can be used for accurate assay of the face.
US08672414B2
A method for controlling a longwall mining operation, including a face conveyor, at least one extraction machine, and a hydraulic shield support, in underground coal mining. Using inclination sensors disposed on at least three of the four main components of each shield support frame, such as floor skid, gob shield, support connection rods, and gob-side region of the top canopy, the inclination of the shield components relative to horizontal is ascertained in the direction of step. In a computer, the ascertained inclination data is compared with base data stored in the computer that defines the geometrical orientation of the components and their movement during stepping. From the comparison, a respective height of the shield support frame, at the forward end of the top canopy, is calculated as a measure for the face opening.
US08672407B2
hinge mechanism comprising first and second rotating frames and a control member mounted rotatably in a neck of the first frame, such control member being capable of controlling the relative rotation of the frames. A metal retaining part is held in the neck by pressing, and the control member is mounted rotatably independently of the retaining part and abuts against such retaining part.
US08672406B2
A seating apparatus that is capable of both sliding and pivoting thereby lending to advantageously positioning a hunter in relation to their prey. By enabling a seat portion to horizontally slide along a plane, the hunter can reposition away from an object, e.g., a tree. Additionally, the seat portion of the apparatus is capable of pivoting in either direction thereby enhancing line of sight to hunting game.
US08672401B2
An automotive bolster pillow for providing a barrier that prevents personal items from falling into a gap between a vehicle seat and a center console. The device comprises an elongated pillow adapted to be pressed into the seat/console gap and optionally have an attached insertion tab or seat belt securement loop. Tab insertion or loop attachment limits the bolster freedom of movement such that the apparatus stays securely in place while the vehicle is in motion. The compressible nature of the interior pillow stuffing material provides users with a comfortable cushion for the driver or passenger while its outward appearance is that of a decorative bolster pillow that matches the interior decor. The device provides a boundary to prevent personal articles and loose change from falling into the seat/console gap.
US08672400B2
An apparatus and method for providing a work surface proximate to a seat in a vehicle. The apparatus comprises a base support connectable to the vehicle, a substantially planar member and a parallel linkage extending between the base support and the planar member for planar translational movement from a first position to a second position about an arcuate path defining a first plane. The first position is substantially proximate to the seat and the second position is above the seat and forward of the first position. The planar member is also pivotable about an axis parallel to the first plane away from the seat. The apparatus further comprises a support for selectably maintaining the planar member at a substantially horizontal orientation. The method comprises moving the planar member from the first position to the second position, rotating the planar member to the horizontal orientation and supporting the planar member with the support.
US08672393B2
Side beam extends from a sub frame, mounted to front side frames, to a front frame section, and includes: a lower impact absorbing bar member having a horizontal intermediate portion joined to the sub frame, and a slanting portion extending upward from the intermediate portion; and a bent impact absorbing member joined to the slanting portion and front frame section and having a smaller strength against an impact than the bar member. Skid plate is mounted to a lower cross beam constituting a lower portion of the frame section and projects forward from the cross beam. Lower impact absorbing bar member is mounted to the cross beam and extends rearward, and an impact absorbing projecting member is provided in front of the bar member. The absorbing projecting member defines a closed sectional shape in conjunction with a rear portion of the skid plate.
US08672383B2
The present invention is a moveable connector for connecting two components on a vehicle. The connector has a body portion, and a first end formed as part of the body portion. The connector is movable about at least one axis located at the first end of the body portion. The connector is also connected to a first vehicle component, such as a carrier, using the first end of the body portion. There is also a second end formed as part of the body portion. The second end is operable for being connected to a second vehicle component, such as a fender. During assembly, the first vehicle component is positioned relative to the second vehicle component, and the connector is pivoted about the axis to allow the second end of the body portion to be connected to the second vehicle component.
US08672382B2
A pedestrian protection system for a motor vehicle includes an impact recognition sensor for recognizing an impact of the motor vehicle with a pedestrian. The impact recognition sensor is located in a front fender of the motor vehicle, next to an outer skin that lines the fender, or in a front part of the motor vehicle, next to an outer skin that lines the front part of the motor vehicle.
US08672381B1
A grab handle assembly for a vehicle has an asymmetrical handle that spans between a first end and a second end. The first end is operably coupled with an A-pillar of a frame of the vehicle. The second end is operably coupled with the A-pillar below the first end. The asymmetrical handle has a slanted portion and a curved portion, configured to provide a smooth downward transition between the A-pillar and the handle and to slidably deflect a forward moving object. The slanted portion extends down from the first end at a first angle. The curved portion protrudes outward and upward from the second end at a second angle to join the slanted portion. The first angle is less than the second angle and the first angle is less than thirty-five degrees, such that the first angle provides a smooth transition to the handle.
US08672368B2
The present invention is directed to improvements in latch design. The illustrated embodiment of the present invention is a rotary pawl latch with the capability to provide a compressive force between the first member and the second member. The illustrated embodiment of the present invention is of an electromechanical type. The control circuit of the latch detects when a striker attached to one member, for example a door, has moved the pawl to a first latched position. A motor is then activated that drives the pawl to a second latched position to provide compression between the first member and a second member, for example a door frame.
US08672351B2
A side curtain airbag (110, 210, 310, 410, 510) for use with a linear gas generator or inflator. In one embodiment, the airbag (110, 210, 310, 410) includes a first longitudinal panel (113, 213, 313, 413), a second longitudinal panel (114, 214, 314, 414) adjacent the first panel, and a plurality of seams (116, 220, 320, 420) connecting the adjacent panels to define a plurality of inflation fluid flow passages (117, 217, 317, 417) between the scams. The seams extend along a substantial portion of a lateral extent of the airbag. The seams are also distributed along substantially an entire length of the airbag. In another embodiment, the airbag includes a first panel (513), a second panel (514) adjacent the first panel, and a plurality of substantially straight seams (520) connecting the adjacent panels to define a plurality of inflation fluid flow passages (517) between the seams (520). Use of the seam patterns described herein in side airbag systems allows for improved airbag performance, particularly when used in conjunction with a linear inflator. Inflation of the airbag takes place in a more uniform manner, reducing the risk of localized overpressurization and seam bursting, and improving occupant protection. Moreover, the seam patterns disclosed herein are relatively simple, and their manufacture is relatively easy ands inexpensive.
US08672349B2
An airbag module including an inflatable airbag and an inflator configured to provide gas for inflating the airbag. The airbag includes a vent opening in a surface of the airbag to allow inflation gas to escape the airbag. A tether is aligned against the surface of the airbag adjacent the opening. The tether includes a first tether opening and wherein the tether is configured so that the first tether opening and the vent opening are aligned prior to the full deployment of the airbag. During deployment of the airbag the position of the tether changes so that the first tether opening and vent opening are no longer aligned.
US08672348B2
Gas-generating devices with grain-retention structures and related methods and systems are described. In particular, gas-generating devices having at least one retention structure fixed to a frame and positioned between adjacent gas-generant grains arranged in a longitudinal stack. Fire suppression systems comprising such gas-generating devices are also described. Additionally, methods of manufacturing gas-generating devices, as well as methods of generating a gas and methods of suppressing a fire utilizing such gas-generating devices are described.
US08672334B1
In a vehicle height adjusting device for a motorcycle, the vehicle height is adjusted on the basis of proper vehicle speed information when a failure occurs in a vehicle speed sensor. In the vehicle height adjusting device for a motorcycle, when a failure occurs in a vehicle speed sensor, a control section adjusts vehicle height by using vehicle speed information calculated from an engine speed signal, a shift position signal of a transmission, and an ON/OFF signal of a clutch.
US08672328B2
A method of playing a word forming game comprises distributing a predetermined number of tiles to a set of players so as to form a hand of play associated with each player. Each tile has a character value associated with the tile, and at least one tile has a special feature value. The players form words on a playing surface, and the words comprise one or more tiles from a player's hand of play and one or more tiles already on the playing surface. Exemplary special feature values instruct players to skip a turn, to reverse the order of play, or to redistribute tiles. Each tile has a nesting portion and a nested portion. The nesting portion is characterized a concavity into which another playing tile may be nested and the nested portion is characterized by a convex edge.
US08672320B2
A recording-material transport apparatus includes a retracting member that moves at a speed lower than a transport speed of a recording material transported from an upstream side in a transport direction, to a downstream side in the transport direction along a transport path for the recording material, and that retracts from the transport path after a leading end of the recording material contacts with the retracting member, a first transport member that transports the recording material from the upstream side in the transport direction toward the retracting member, and a second transport member that further transports the recording material in contact with the retracting member to the downstream side. After the leading end of the recording material contacts with the retracting member, without being paused, transport of the recording material with the first transport member is continued to deliver the recording material to the second transport member.
US08672316B2
A paper sheet seasoning apparatus includes a mount on which a plurality of sheet-like recording media are loaded. A central portion of the mount is curved in a convex shape when seen in a first direction. The apparatus also includes a blowing member that blows air in the first direction onto end portions of the recording media loaded on the mount. The apparatus further includes a pair of side panels that support both end portions in a direction that intersects the first direction of the recording media on the mount, and a top panel disposed with a gap in a vertical direction between the top panel and the uppermost recording medium on the mount. On at least one of the side panels, there is disposed an approaching surface that approaches the opposing side panel as the approaching surface heads upward in the vertical direction.
US08672315B2
In a sheet feeder comprising a pair of sheet feeding units and an image forming apparatus comprising the sheet feeder according to the present invention, a feed roller of a first sheet feeding unit of the pair of sheet feeding units is driven to rotate when a driving source of the first sheet feeding unit rotates in the forward direction, and a conveying roller of a second sheet feeding unit of the pair of sheet feeding units is driven to rotate when the driving source of the first sheet feeding unit rotates in the backward direction.
US08672305B2
A work apparatus has at least one handle (12) and a drive motor (3). The handle (12) is connected to said drive motor (3) via at least one anti-vibration element (16, 17, 18, 19, 20). The anti-vibration element (18, 19) is held on a first housing part and coacts with a second housing part. To achieve good damping, the anti-vibration element (19) includes a damping section (25) having an annularly-shaped wall (37) which expands in the direction of the second housing part.
US08672303B2
A bush for isolating a stabilizer from vibration, is adapted to be fitted from the open end of an axle beam having a substantially U-shaped cross-section, to a stabilizer bar passing through the inside of the axle beam. The bush includes a fitting hole and an opening for guiding the bar into the fitting hole. The opening has a pair of first projections facing each other and a pair of second projections facing each other. When the opening becomes engaged with the bar, the first and second projections sequentially and individually contact with the bar and elastically deform in the direction in which the opening opens. When the fitting hole has engaged with the bar, the bush makes contact with the inner surface of the beam and elastically deforms in the direction in which the opening closes, and this causes the second projections to make contact with the first projections
US08672301B2
An overhead wire tension balancer has a water draining structure and can prevent lubricating oil in the tension balancer from scattering to the outside. The overhead wire tension balancer is for supporting a spanned overhead wire while applying tension thereto, and rainwater collecting inside the overhead wire tension balancer is collected from a collecting pipe connecting part into a collecting tank through a collecting pipe. The oil content of grease applied to the inside of the overhead wire tension balancer is prevented from scattering to the outside even if the oil content is carried together with the rainwater.
US08672295B2
A gate valve comprises a valve body having an internal working fluid passage and an internal gate chamber extending transverse to the working fluid passage. In addition, the gate valve comprises a gate disposed in the internal gate chamber and movable within the gate chamber between a closed position obstructing fluid flow through the working fluid passage and an open position allowing fluid flow through the working fluid passage. Further, the gate valve comprises an internal sealing arrangement coaxially disposed in the working fluid passage and extending between the valve body and the gate to form a barrier between the internal working fluid passage and the gate chamber. The internal sealing arrangement includes a frustoconical metal sealing surface adapted to sealingly engage an opposed mating frustoconical metal sealing surface on the valve body to form a first tapered metal-to-metal seal between the sealing arrangement and the valve body.
US08672292B2
A valve comprises a magnetic drive and a core which is arranged therein to be movable in an axial direction, and which serve to open and close a valve seat. At least two flat springs stacked upon each other are arranged on an axial end of the core.
US08672276B2
A pipe clamp, for installing a filler pipe on a vehicle body panel having a locking hole, includes a base member, a lid member, and a pin member. The base member is arranged on the vehicle body panel and includes a pin hole, a plurality of leg piece parts placed projecting from a perimeter edge part of the pin hole and capable of projecting into the locking hole, and pipe holding parts. The lid member is provided rotatably on the base member, and locks to the base member when rotated to a closed position covering the pipe holding parts. The pin member is held in the pin hole displacing the leg piece parts outwardly in a radial direction of the pin hole to engage the leg piece parts in the locking hole. The lid member has an access hole exposing the pin member to the outside when in closed position.
US08672268B2
An aircraft structure includes a wing spar (10), with orbital frames (24, 24′, 24″) arranged in transverse planes, right and left horizontal spars (26) connected to the wing spar (10) at the upper panel (14) of the spar respectively to the right and to the left of the spar, and for each right or left horizontal spar (26), a triangular panel (50) that includes a wall (60), a first edge arranged at the horizontal spar (26), a second side arranged at the wing spar (10), and a third side at which a first rectilinear oblique reinforcement (62) connecting the horizontal spar (26) and the wing spar (10) is provided, characterized in that the triangular panel (50) includes at least one second rectilinear oblique reinforcement (64) that connects the horizontal spar (26) and the wing spar (10).
US08672266B2
An overhead bin for use on both sides in a passenger cabin of an aircraft, includes a first baggage compartment and a second baggage compartment, a first opening and a second opening for loading items into the first baggage compartment and into the second baggage compartment, and a partition for dividing the first baggage compartment from the second baggage compartment. The first baggage compartment and the second baggage compartment differ from each other in their shape and/or alignment. With several overhead bins, the alignment of a larger and a smaller baggage bin can alternate so that adequate bin space for stowing hand baggage is available to passengers in the center seats.
US08672259B2
A supersonic aircraft design using compression lift for enhanced cruise performance. Each engine nacelle at mid-span has a vertical wedge at the nose which creates shock waves under the wings. The increased pressure behind the shock waves pushes up on the wings, creating compression lift. The second part of the process is trapping the shocks by some vertical surfaces. The inboard shocks are intercepted by a keel under the fuselage. This causes the reflected shock effect, which increases compression lift. The keel is just wide enough to store the main landing gear's wheel bogies one behind the other. One strut carrying a wheel bogie retracts upward and forward. The other strut retracts upward and backward. This allows tandem bogie storage in the narrow keel, which reduces drag. Outboard shocks are trapped by wingtip fins with pointed noses to reduce shock interference at the point of shock trapping.
US08672256B2
A print sheet supplying shaft device and a supplying method of the print sheet and a printer for the print sheet which is capable of stably transferring the print sheet 5 along a transfer route, to be capable of maintaining the print position accuracy of the print sheet 5 at a predefined level.A roll supply shaft (25) protrudes at outer surfaces of a roll holding member (22) holding the rolled print sheet (5). Constant friction force is applied to the surface of the roll supply shaft (25) by a shaft clamping member (23). An urging member (24) provides a load resisting the feeding movement of the print sheet (5) to the roll supply shaft (25) by urging the shaft clamping member (23) towards the roll supply shaft (25).
US08672251B2
A paper shredder includes a housing, cutters positioned in the housing, and a feeder base adapted to support a stack of paper. The feeder base includes a feeder slot. A pressure plate is mounted for movement above the feeder base. The pressure plate is mounted to a bottom surface of a feeder door that substantially covers the entire feeder base and is pivoted about an axis at one end of the feeder door. The pressure plate is a one-piece member that spans the feeder slot.
US08672247B2
A shredder is disclosed. The shredder includes a housing having a throat for receiving at least one article to be shredded, and a shredder mechanism received in the housing and including an electrically powered motor and cutter elements. The shredder mechanism enables the at least one article to be shredded to be fed into the cutter elements. The motor is operable to drive the cutter elements so that the cutter elements shred the articles fed therein. The shredder also includes a detector that is configured to detect a thickness of the at least one article being received by the throat, and a controller that is operable to perform a predetermined operation responsive to the detector detecting that the thickness of the at least one article is at least equal to a predetermined maximum thickness.
US08672243B2
In a centrifuge nozzle a nozzle body defines an inlet in fluid communication with a nozzle outlet. The nozzle body is adapted to be releasably positioned in an aperture defined by a centrifuge bowl assembly. A camming portion projects outwardly from the nozzle body and defines a surface frictionally engageable with a portion of the bowl assembly. The nozzle body also defines a male mounting portion for slidably engaging a complimentarily shaped female slot defined by a nozzle insertion and extraction tool. The outlet of the nozzle is located adjacent to the male mounting portion.
US08672241B2
A multi-hole or cluster nozzle having several outlet openings for fluid to be atomized. The central longitudinal axes of at least two of the outlet openings are aligned askew relative to one another, where a distance between the central longitudinal axes of these outlet openings and the main longitudinal axis of the nozzle is initially reduced when seen in the outflow direction, without intersecting the central longitudinal axis, and increases again after passing through a minimum distance. Use for example in nozzles for evaporative cooling or for flue gas cleaning.
US08672234B2
A fuel atomizer that includes a housing having a fuel inlet and at least one primary orifice positioned at the inlet, wherein the at least one orifice configured to disperse a stream of fuel into a plurality of fuel droplets. The plurality of fuel droplets contact a fuel impingement surface to break up the plurality of fuel droplets into a plurality of smaller secondary droplets and create a thin film of secondary droplets on the impingement surface. At least one pressurized air channel delivers an airflow into contact with the secondary droplets. The secondary droplets pass through a plurality of secondary outlet orifices to exit the housing. A size of the plurality of secondary droplets is reduced when passing out of the plurality of secondary orifices.
US08672228B1
Some implementations provide a connector element that may be movable from a retracted position within a cavity to an extended position for contacting an external contact element that may be positioned proximate to an exterior end of the cavity. In some implementations, at least one of the external contact element or the connector element may include a magnet for causing the connector element to extend from the retracted position into contact with the external contact element for forming an electrical connection. In some implementations, a mechanical actuator may be provided for extending the connector element into contact with the external contact element. In some implementations, an actuator having a motive element may extend the connector element into contact with the external contact element based on a detected proximity or an identification of an accessory associated with the external contact element. Some implementations may also include an optical connection.
US08672219B2
A method for handling a sample tube containing a biological sample is presented. A tube label can be attached to the sample tube. The tube label can carry tube data. The tube data can comprise at least geometric tube data descriptive of at least one geometric property of the sample tube. At least the geometric tube data can be read from the tube label by a reader device. At least the geometric tube data from the reader device can be transmitted to a processing device. The processing device for handling the sample tube can be controlled in accordance with the at least one geometric property described by the read geometric data.
US08672208B2
A surgical stapler including an anvil, a staple cartridge, and a buttress material removably retained to the anvil and/or staple cartridge. In various embodiments, the staple cartridge can include at least one staple removably stored therein which can, when deployed, or fired, therefrom, contact the buttress material and remove the buttress material from the anvil and/or staple cartridge. In at least one embodiment, the anvil can include at least one lip and/or groove configured to removably retain the buttress material to the anvil until deformable members extending from the surgical staple are bent by the anvil and are directed toward and contact the buttress material.
US08672204B2
A fastener installation tool including a guide that guides a fastener into a side of a work piece at an angle, while optionally restraining the fastener from wobbling due to rotation, even upon initial entry into the work piece. The guide can define an angled bore including a fastener entrance opening and a fastener exit opening which is adapted to be positioned immediately adjacent the work piece. The guide can include a material ejection port between the openings, through which material bored from the work piece can be evacuated from the angled bore to prevent binding of the material with the fastener. The tool can include a clamp assembly that clamps opposing sides of the work piece to precisely align and steadily hold the angled bore as a fastener is being installed in a side surface. Related methods of using the tool to install fasteners also are provided.
US08672199B1
An adjustable electronic device holder mountable to an elongated shopping cart handle includes a base with an advertising panel, a rear support attached to the back of the base at an obtuse angle, a fixed clamping member and a linearly movable clamping member attached at the rear support. Each clamping member has a concave gripping side, which may include a resilient gripping pad. An adjustable fastener, permanent bonding, or integral formation may attach the base to a handle. A deflectable pawl engages a rack along the rear support for locking and releasing the movable clamping member.
US08672188B2
The intermediate piece connects a static mixer to a dispensing cartridge or to a dispensing device for a plurality of components and contains two separate passages for separate components from the dispensing device. The inlet opening of one passage includes an element for aligning the passage in a matching position to the dispensing device and the inlet openings of the two passages are of different cross-sectional shape to each other.
US08672185B2
A dispensing cap is disclosed for mixing a primary flowable substance, such as a soap, lotion, or the like, with a small dose of a secondary flowable substance, such as a fragrance. The dispensing cap includes a plurality of reservoirs containing a plurality of secondary flowable substances. Each of the reservoirs is associated with a secondary piston that, when actuated, causes the secondary flowable substance to be expelled from the reservoir into a mixing chamber in the cap, where it is mixed with the primary flowable substance. Upon mixing the two are dispensed together from a dispensing end of the cap. A selector ring is provided to enable the user to select one of the plurality of reservoirs. The selector ring has an actuation flange that aligns with the secondary piston that is associated with the selected reservoir. The selector ring is engaged with the main piston so, as the primary flowable substance is introduced into the mixing chamber via movement of the main piston, the selector ring and flange are pressed down onto the selected secondary piston, which expels a quantity of selected secondary flowable substance into the mixing chamber. The mixing chamber may have mixing vanes or other physical features to enhance mixing of the primary and secondary flowable substances. The cap may have a lockout feature that prevents actuation if the selected reservoir is empty. The cap may also have a visual indicator that informs the user of a level of secondary flowable substance within the secondary reservoir.
US08672175B2
A food retaining apparatus and associated methods are described. In one embodiment, the food retaining apparatus includes a food receptacle formed in a first side of a plate. The food retaining apparatus further includes a beverage container receptacle comprising an indented hollow having a receptacle opening, where a beverage container is insertable into the receptacle opening and the opening is located on a second side of the plate, the second side being opposite the first side. Also, in one embodiment, a plurality of ribs extend from an inner wall of the indented hollow, the ribs being positioned to engage a lip on an opening of the beverage container. Alternatively, at least one projection maybe disposed on the inner wall of the indented hollow to grip the beverage container when inserted into the beverage container receptacle.
US08672168B2
Sealing disc (1) for closing a container having a plug or cap closure, comprising a support (2) to be positioned at the bottom of the plug or of the cap, joined by means of a temporary adhesive (7) to a membrane seal (3) to be sealed on the mouth of the container, the membrane seal (3) being provided on all or part of its thickness with a prolongation constituting a pull tab (4), characterized in that the whole surface of the tab is folded back on the face of the membrane seal (3) in contact with the corresponding face of the support (2).
US08672161B2
A nestable display crate for bottle carriers having a floor and a wall structure with that is designed to reveal the labels on the bottle carriers. The wall structure is of double thickness and comprises a lower wall portion adjacent the floor and a plurality of integrally formed contoured upper wall portions extending upward from the lower wall portion. The wall structure is hollow throughout allowing the contoured upper wall portions to be received within the lower wall portion of a crate nested thereabove. The contoured upper wall portions are tapered to be smaller in cross section at the top and larger near the lower wall portion to enable easy nesting and to avoid nested crates from becoming wedged together due to interference. The upper wall portions are in the shape of gear teeth that are spaced along the opposing sidewalls and endwalls of the crate. The upper wall portions along the sidewalls are positioned so that they are between six-pack carriers when the crate is loaded, and the space in between the upper wall portions is a window that allows for a bottle carrier to be visible. The endwalls of the crate comprise integrally molded handles which are configured to allow for palm-up or palm-down gripping. The crate of the present invention combines the advantages of a nesting crate with sufficient strength afforded by its double-walled construction with maximum, unobstructed visibility of bottle carriers.
US08672155B2
The invention relates to a closure cap for a container filled with medicinal fluid, which container has an aperture piece which is sealed off by a diaphragm which can be punctured. The closure cap has a cap-shaped closure body (1) and a drinking neck (4) with a drinking opening (4a) which is pivotable between a first position, in which the drinking neck bears against the closure cap, and a second position, in which the drinking neck projects from the closure cap. In addition, the closure cap has means (20, 22) for puncturing the diaphragm which seals off the aperture piece of the container, which means (20, 22) interact with the drinking neck in such a way that, as the drinking neck (4) is pivoted, the diaphragm is punctured such that a connection is produced between the opening (4a) of the drinking neck and the container interior. The closure cap is characterized in that the closure body has, in addition to the opening (4a) of the drinking neck (4), an opening (20a, 24) for ventilating the container during drinking.
US08672148B2
A push-back cart storage system has one or more push-back carts having a cross-member formed by a structural angle section having cutouts at opposite ends to provide clearance for the second push-back cart to move under the first push-back cart. The cross member provides a truss or joist type of beam support having a full height middle section which resists bending and a reduced height at the ends, to provide a low profile. Side members or angle sections on the cart have through holes for attaching wheels, with no welding of wheel mounts required.
US08672145B2
A sorbent polymer is provided that interacts or reacts with aqueous urea to aid the regeneration of a dialysate liquid. The sorbent polymer may include one or more specific functional groups bonded thereto. Such specific functional groups are selected from carboxylic acids, carboxylic acid esters, carboxylates, amides, dicarboxylic acids, dicarboxylic acid esters, and dicer boxylates to produce the desired urea sorbent.
US08672135B1
A multi-functional survival kit includes a multi-part canteen for storing water, but that can also be broken down into a basin, a parabolic lid, and a cap. The basin, parabolic lid and cap can be used standalone or in conjunction with one another to provide various survival functions. A mirrored concave surface of the parabolic lid provides a means for starting a fire, while a basin handle of the basin allows the basin to be used for cooking purposes. The basin handle has a viewing space that can be used with the cap, which includes a compass, as a directional sight when the basin handle is pivoted ninety degrees. For transport, the canteen can be stored in a carrying case, which includes a strap to which a paracord can be attached. A pan, mess kit, and metal match are also included and stored in the carrying case.
US08672125B2
Embodiments of cushtop laptop stands and methods of manufacture thereof are generally described herein. An article to support a device comprises a first portion having a first interior surface and a first exterior surface, a second portion having a second interior surface and a second exterior surface, and a third portion configured to couple together the first portion and the second portion. At least one of the first, second, and third portions comprises a cushioning material. In a first configuration, the article comprises a first end of the first interior surface spaced apart from a first end of the second interior surface by a first distance, and a second end of the first interior surface spaced apart from a second end of the second interior surface by a second distance greater than the first distance. In a second configuration, the article comprises the first end of the first interior surface spaced apart from the first end of the second interior surface by a third distance substantially equal to a thickness of the device. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
US08672119B2
A system for providing stability to a carriage along a curved portion of a rail. The system includes a support rail having a bend. The bend includes a support surface. The carriage is configured to engage the support surface so as to stabilize the carriage as the carriage is moved through the curved portion of the rail.
US08672106B2
A self-regulating suspension includes a first suspension member movable relative to a second suspension member, a fluid reservoir having a volume, the volume variable in response to a relative movement between the first and second suspension members, and a fluid flow circuit having a first end in fluidic communication with the fluid reservoir and a second end in fluidic communication with an isolated suspension location, the fluid flow circuit comprising a first valve, a second valve and a third valve, wherein said first and third valves are in parallel with each other and the second valve is in series with each of the first and third valves.
US08672092B2
A wire rope tension grid is a walking surface comprised of interwoven wire rope. The wire rope is supported by a framework of steel angle and tubing. The framework is supported by mounts that are hung from the support beams in the ceiling of a structure, often a performing art center, a television studio, a black box theater, museum dioramas, theme park scenes, live animal pens, or other entertainment venues. These grids are not intended for public usage, but rather are intended for operation staff. New improvements to these grids are listed in this document.
US08672079B1
An anti-theft guard for a vehicle component includes a housing adapted to substantially enclose a vehicle component which is to be protected from theft and an attachment mechanism carried by the housing and adapted for attachment to a structural element of the vehicle. The anti-theft guard is forming including a cavity for covering/receiving the vehicle component. The guard includes a plurality of mounting wings extending outward from an edge formed about a periphery of the cavity, wherein the mounting wings are provided to secure the anti-theft guard to the structural element of the vehicle. A suggested application of the anti-theft guard is a cover placed over an electronic control module of a diesel engine.
US08672069B2
A hybrid vehicle comprises an engine, a first traction element, a second traction element, a first electric drive system, and a second electric drive system. The engine is coupled operatively to the first traction element via the first electric drive system and to the second traction element via the second electric drive system.
US08672066B2
An agricultural vehicle includes an internal combustion engine, an electric machine for driving one powertrain and a number of devices selectively drivable by the powertrain. The powertrain has a first section associated to the internal combustion engine, a second section and a first clutch for coupling the first and second sections. The electric machine and at least one of the devices are associated to the second section.
US08672058B2
The invention provides a system for adapting an HVAC system in an existing building for utilizing geothermal energy, the system comprising an incoming flux of geothermal energy; a plurality of heat exchange surfaces adapted to receive the incoming flux of geothermal energy; and an interface between the HVAC system and the heat exchange surfaces, said interface adapted to transfer the geothermal energy to the system. Also provided is a method for repairing aberrations in drill borings, the method comprising using a rotary mud drill system to produce a drill hole up to the location of the aberrations; removing the rotary mud drill from the drill hole; inserting an auger into the drill hole to a point directly above the location of the aberrations; actuating the auger; introducing loose substrate into the drill hole; allowing the substrate to contact the auger; and lifting and lowering the auger along longitudinally extending regions of the drill hole defining the aberrations for a time and in substrate amounts sufficient to fill the aberrations. The invention also provides a system which facilitates rotating drill bits at an rpm which are multiples faster than their associated drill strings.
US08672051B2
In an electric hammer, ridges are provided in an outer surface of a barrel, grooves are provided in an inner surface of a front cover, and rotation of the front cover with respect to the barrel is prevented by fitting the ridges in the grooves. A flange, which is latched on a stepped portion provided in front of the ridges and the grooves in the inner surface of the front cover, is provided in a peripheral edge of a lock ring, and forward movement of the front cover is restricted by latching the flange on the stepped portion.
US08672045B2
Fire suppression systems and methods are described. One described system includes a housing configured to house a container of a fire suppression material, a delivery block in fluid communication with the container, and a nozzle in fluid communication with the delivery block and configured to disperse the fire suppression material from the delivery block. The described system can also include a power supply; a thermal indicator coupled to the power supply and operable to: detect the presence of a fire, generate a first signal indicating the presence of the fire, and transmit the first signal; and an actuator coupled to the power supply, the actuator in communication with the thermal indicator and configured to cause the fire suppression material to be transferred from the container to the delivery block in response to receipt of the first signal.
US08672038B2
A retrievable bridge is provided which mounts to the top of a subsea tree to provide fluid communication between the production line of the subsea tree and a production flowline. The retrievable bridge mounts to the top of the subsea tree and preferably connects to a vertically oriented pipe of the production flowline. The retrievable bridge can be utilized to carry wear items such as chokes, subsea control modules, and flow meters which may require maintenance more often than other components of the subsea tree. By mounting these items along the flow passageway in the retrievable bridge the components are securely mounted and still available for maintenance/replacement without the need to remove the entire tree. In one embodiment, Intervention into the well is available without removing the retrievable bridge.
US08672037B2
A method for removing a plug from and setting a plug into a subsea installation is provided. The method for removing the plug includes the steps of deploying an intervention package having at least one valve, pipe rams, and a lubricator into a subsea environment and latching the intervention package to the subsea installation. The method further includes lowering a stroking tool into the intervention package by conveyance from a surface facility, and grabbing the stroking tool with the pipe rams that form a part of the intervention package. Once the stroking tool is held by the pipe rams, the method further includes activating the stroking tool to stroke in an upwards or downwards direction to remove the plug positioned in the subsea installation. Once the plug has been removed by the stroking tool, the method further includes pulling the stroking tool out of the intervention package and retrieving the stroking tool and plug at surface.
US08672036B2
A circulation valve includes: an outer tubular sleeve telescopically mounted at its end over a tubular mandrel; a fluid passage between sleeve and the mandrel, the fluid passage providing fluid communication between the inner bore of the valve and its outer surface; a dual knife seal assembly to control flow out of the fluid flow path through the fluid passage, the dual knife seal assembly including a first annular knife seal edge and land that seal up when the sleeve and mandrel are in a fully axially compressed position and a second annular knife seal edge and land that seal up when the sleeve and mandrel are pulled into a fully in tension position; and, a J-slot position indexing mechanism including a slot and a key to guide movement of the sleeve and the mandrel between the fully in tension position and the fully compressed position. The circulation valve is employed in a wellbore treatment assembly and methods.
US08672004B2
A pneumatic tire comprises a tread portion provided with: an inside circumferential groove (3) near the tread edge (Ti); 1st axial grooves (4) extending from the inside circumferential groove (3) toward the tire equator (C); oblique grooves (5) extending from the respective 1st axial grooves (4) to the outside tread edge (To), while inclining to the opposite direction to the intended tire rotational direction (R); 2nd axial grooves (6) extending from the inside circumferential groove (3) to the oblique grooves (5); and connecting grooves (7) extending between the oblique grooved 5. The tread portion (2) is provided with bent blocks (B1) each made up of an axial part (11) and oblique part (12). The bent point (E1) of the bent block (B1) is positioned on the inside tread edge side of the tire equator (C), and the axial distance (L1) therebetween is 0.10 to 0.25 times the tread width (TW).
US08672003B2
An assembly of a tyre and a member fitted to the tyre respectively include complementary connecting portions. The connecting portion of the member is more flexible than that of the connecting portion of the tyre.
US08671999B2
A method for removing foam with a foam retainer constructed with a hollow tubular body including a receiving end and a discharge end. A passage is formed within the hollow tubular body through which a liquid is adapted to flow. The discharge end of the hollow tubular body is adapted to snugly fit onto an open end of a container into which the liquid flows. As the container is filled with the liquid, the foam generated during the dispensing of the fluid rises back into the discharge end of the hollow tubular body. In the hollow tubular body, the foam is received and captivated therein such that when the hollow tubular body is removed, the foam may also be removed from the container.
US08671997B2
Device for filling a container with a gas under pressure comprising at least one source of gas pressurized to a first pressure, a transfer circuit capable of selectively connecting the source or sources of pressurized gas to the tank to be filled, the transfer circuit comprising control members for controlling the flow of the gas from the source or sources to the tank, the transfer circuit further including at least one cooling exchanger for cooling the pressurized gas comprising a hot flow circuit for the pressurized gas to be cooled, a cold flow circuit for a cold cooling fluid, and a refrigeration hold-over medium being in direct heat exchange with the cold fluid of the cold circuit and with the pressurized gas to be cooled of the hot circuit, in order to selectively carry out indirect heat exchange between the pressurized gas and the cold fluid, wherein the refrigeration hold-over medium forms and fills a gap between the cold fluid of the cold circuit and the pressurized gas of the hot circuit, the gap having a thickness of greater than 5 mm and preferably between 20 and 50 mm.
US08671994B2
A syringe filling apparatus having a housing, a fluid reservoir, and a port for providing a fluid pathway between the syringe and the fluid reservoir. The apparatus has an alarm to indicate the fluid level within the reservoir. The apparatus has a heating system for heating the fluid within the reservoir to a predetermined temperature.
US08671990B2
Embodiments of the invention provide a vacuum valve apparatus and method to provide a vacuum to equipment. The vacuum valve can include an air port tube, a vacuum port tube, a motor, and a control arm coupled to the vacuum port tube and the motor. The motor can cause the control arm to move in an arc in order to flex the vacuum port tube and selectively create the vacuum and vent the vacuum provided to the equipment.
US08671986B2
A pair of supply/drain pipes continuous with an actuator are respectively communicable with a pair of oil sumps respectively through an intermediation of a pair of extended paths. The pair of oil sumps is formed in a switch-spool insertion hole and enter a neutral state or a state of being selectively communicated with any one of respective pressure-oil paths and respective oil-return paths. A non-leak valve is provided over respective connection portions and between the pair of supply/drain pipes and the pair of extended paths. The non-leak valve is opened when an operation of a pump is started, is maintained to be opened during the operation of the pump, and is closed when the pump is out of operation.
US08671984B2
The present invention relates generally to fluid control valves and, more particularly, to a mixing valve for use within a faucet.
US08671983B2
A gas pressure regulator comprises a central body having a first, gas inlet pipe and a second, gas outlet pipe; a shutter housed at least partially in the central body and mobile to adjust the opening of a section for the passage of the gas between a position (B) in which the section is fully open and a position (A) in which the section is closed; a silencing device located in the central body at the passage section, for reducing the noise created by the passage of the gas; and means for fastening the silencing device to the central body. The silencing device comprises a cylindrical perforated plate to allow the passage of the gas.
US08671980B2
An apparatus for filtering water has an interface and a filtration/purification canister removably mountable thereon. Connecting the canister to the interface automatically opens a check valve in the interface to permit water to flow from the interface into and through the canister, and then back to and through the interface to an outlet port. Disconnecting the canister from the interface automatically closes the check valve, stopping the flow of water. An end cap may be substituted for the canister to permit fluid to flow through the interface when the canister is not mounted on the interface. The outlet port may be directly connected to an appliance that uses water, to eliminate possible contamination that may occur when water is brought indirectly form the outlet port to the appliance instead. A flapper valve is provided in the canister to prevent back flow of fluid from the inlet port of the canister when the canister is not mounted on the interface. The flapper valve also is provided with an actuating means to automatically open the flapper valve when the canister is mounted on the interface, which permits fluid to be drained from the canister when the fluid distribution system is being drained without disconnecting the canister from the interface.
US08671978B2
A refueling device (1) for refueling a fuel tank (2) of an internal combustion engine (3) in a motor vehicle (4) has a filler connector (5) for feeding fuel to the fuel tank (2). An integrated fuel feed device (10) feeds the fuel from the filler connector (5) to the fuel tank (2).
US08671977B2
A container assembly for windshield or headlight washing fluid in a vehicle. It includes in combination: an elongated hollow structure demarcated by a wall with a plurality of asymmetric accordion folds that can be arranged in a stable retracted position and in a flexible extended position, in which it is suitable for being installed in a useful space of an engine compartment in the vehicle, the hollow structure in the extended position containing an operational amount of windshield or headlight washing fluid; a filling opening located at an inlet end portion of the hollow structure; at least one pump associated to the hollow structure for transferring contained fluid to a service point; and a securing device for securing the inlet end portion and one or more sections of the hollow structure to the engine compartment in an installation area.
US08671976B2
An exhaust check valve installed in an exhaust opening of a swash plate compressor comprises: a valve body having a refrigerant inlet and at least one refrigerant outlet; a movable body installed in the valve body and configured to move such that the refrigerant inlet and the refrigerant outlet communicate with each other; and a spring configured to push the movable body with a certain pressure. At least one refrigerant vent hole for venting a leak gas generated during an operation below a preset pressure difference to the outside of the valve body is formed in the valve body.
US08671972B2
An overpressure protection system provides for protection of a hydraulic system from elevated pressures. The system automatically stops flow to the system and prevents system pressure from exceeding a predetermined level. The system requires manual intervention to reopen flow, giving a worker the opportunity to resolve any system problems before system damage occurs.
US08671959B2
An apparatus for cleaning a substrate includes an application unit having a top inlet conduit and a bottom plate section. The top inlet conduit has an opening for receiving a non-Newtonian fluid and the bottom plate section has an opening through which the non-Newtonian fluid can flow. The bottom plate section is perpendicular to the top inlet conduit, and a surface of the bottom plate section is disposed above and parallel to a surface of a substrate so as to define a gap between the surface of the bottom plate section and the surface of the substrate. The defined gap has a height configured to create a flow of the non-Newtonian fluid in which a portion of the flow exhibits plug flow, and the plug flow moves over the surface of the substrate to remove particles from the surface of the substrate.
US08671955B2
A hair weaving apparatus and method for making and using same. The present invention comprises various embodiments for making a hair weave tract extension apparatus and a method of making and using said apparatus. Embodiments are described and shown herein for making and using a hair weave tract apparatus with attachment means comprising a crimped flexible band and, and with attachment means comprising a crimped flexible band with a single bladed comb. It is an object of this present invention to provide a hair weave tract extension that is easy to attach to the natural hair, is less damaging to the natural hair and remains more securely attached to the natural hair.
US08671950B2
A method of performing a medical procedure (e.g., a cardiac bypass procedure) on a patient comprises introducing at least one medical instrument into a patient (e.g., percutaneously), conveying control signals from a remote controller to a drive unit, and operating the drive unit in accordance with the control signals to actuate at least one tool respectively located on the medical instrument(s) to transversely secure a first anatomical vessel (e.g., a blood vessel) to a sidewall of a second anatomical vessel (e.g., another blood vessel). In one method, the control signals are conveyed from the remote controller to the drive unit in response to user commands. The user commands may be movements made at a user interface that correspond to movements of the medical instrument(s).
US08671944B2
The present invention relates to the surface structure of a plastic material and particularly of silicone surfaces. More particularly, the present invention relates to the surface structure of the surfaces of a breathing mask assembly or a patient interface to be used for supplying breathing gas to a patient. Such patient interface for providing respiratory gas to a patient comprises a contact surface for contacting a patient's skin, wherein at least a part of said contact surface is a structured surface.
US08671935B2
The invention relates generally to a device for delivering a substance in an aerosol, liquid or cream form into a cellular organism with the assistance of asymmetric pulse magnetic energy and ultrasound.
US08671934B2
A nebulizer includes a body, an air channel section and medication reservoir. An air line extends through the air channel section. A venturi nozzle is configured to form at its end a low pressure mixing chamber. A primary suction line extends from the medication reservoir to the low pressure mixing chamber through which medication is drawn upward into the low pressure mixing chamber and mixed with air from the venturi nozzle and nebulized for discharge through a nebulizer outlet. The venturi nozzle, low pressure mixing chamber and air channel section are configured such that at standard temperature and pressure (STP) a differential pressure results in no medication that is drawn upward through the primary suction line for nebulization and discharged the through the nebulizer outlet until a negative inspiratory pressure is created from inhalation by a user.
US08671924B2
The apparatus disclosed begins exterior of archery bow stave cam slot and traverses a generally elliptically ovidly path concaved inward and roughly shaped paralleling exterior perimeter edge movement of the take up track of an elliptically ovid cam module and idler module; and a portion of the apparatus is formed to terminate at the power and buss cable's contact point on the take-up track of the cam module and idler module without interference of the aforementioned. Said apparatus additionally is shaped cross sectionally in a manner that shields said power and buss cable's contact point on said take-up track of the cam module and idler module. In addition said apparatus is able to be canted to change apparatus chord angle relationship to archery bow's chord angle; and to aid in tilling said archery bow.
US08671921B2
The present invention provides an exhaust gas recirculation cooler for transferring heat from engine exhaust to coolant including a pair of spaced apart headers, a tube body extending between the pair of headers and positioned along a flow path for the coolant and at least partially defining a flow path for the engine exhaust along a length of the tube between the pair of headers, and a corrugated insert supported in an interior of the tube and having a height in a direction of a plurality of corrugations and a width between about 8.6 and about 13.5 times the height. The width can be substantially perpendicular to the length of the tube and can be substantially perpendicular to the height of the insert.
US08671910B2
In the intake air quantity control device for an internal combustion engine, in which an open area formed at a portion of the throttle body is encapsulated by a cover including a rotational angle detector, a throttle gear is fixed to a throttle shaft for rotatably supporting a throttle valve and has a fitting portion at a portion of the throttle gear. The rotational angle detector includes a rotor that is rotatably supported and arranged in the cover in such a way that an axis of the rotor is identical to an axis of the throttle gear, and a lever that is provided at a portion of the rotor, which is faced to the throttle shaft, and engaged to a wall portion of the throttle gear at a portion of the lever.
US08671909B2
A method is provided for controlling an engine via an outlet control device of an intake manifold, such as via variable valve lift operation. The engine may further include an inlet control device, such as an electronic throttle, as well as coordination between the inlet and outlet control devices for controlling airflow in the engine.
US08671901B2
A vehicle ignition system is provided that alleviates the problems associated with excessive voltage demand by spark plugs. The ignition system has a spark plug with an electrode and a voltage relief feature operatively connected with the electrode. The voltage relief feature is operable to discharge current from the electrode at a predetermined voltage.
US08671900B2
A device (11) for variably adjusting the control times of gas exchange valves (9, 10) of an internal combustion engine (1), including a drive element (13), an output element (14), and at least one lateral cover (15). The drive element (13) can be brought into driving connection with a crankshaft (2) of the internal combustion engine (1), and the output element (14) can be brought into driving connection with a camshaft (6, 7) of the internal combustion engine (1) and is arranged in a pivotable manner with respect to the drive element (13). The lateral cover (14) lies on an axial lateral surface of the output element (14) or of the drive element (13) and is connected to the drive element (13) or to the output element (14) in a rotationally fixed manner. A spring element (25) lies on the lateral cover face that faces away from the drive and output element (13, 14), and the lateral cover (15) has a disk-shaped portion (23) from which multiple fixing elements (24) protrude in the axial direction, said elements lying on the lateral cover (15) face that faces away from the drive element (13).
US08671896B2
The present variable compression ratio V-type internal combustion engine is a variable compression ratio V-type internal combustion engine which joins cylinder blocks of two cylinder groups and makes the joined cylinder block 10 move relatively to a crankcase along an arc-shaped path so as to move away from an engine crankshaft, wherein the arc-shaped path is set so that the mechanical compression ratio of one cylinder group and the mechanical compression ratio of the other cylinder group become equal when the cylinder block is at the lowest position closest to the engine crankshaft and when the cylinder block is at a specific position between the lowest position and a highest position which is furthest from the engine crankshaft.
US08671877B2
A measuring unit 13 is provided inside a rotary drum 11. The measuring unit 13 is provided with a light transmitting member 13a and an optical sensor 13b that are provided at the central region on the inner wall of the other end portion 11b. When particles are subjected to a coating treatment, information as to the properties (such as the coating thickness, the moisture, the coating performance, and the impurity) of the particles of a particle layer A being brought into contact with the surface of the light transmitting member 13a is measured on a real-time basis by the NIR sensor 13b via the light transmitting member 13a. The data is processed by the processing unit of the NRI spectroscopic analyzer to thereby perform monitoring. By appropriately adjusting the coating operation conditions (such as the supplied air volume, the supplied air temperature, the spraying condition, and the rotation speed of the rotary drum 1) by feedback control or a manual operation according to the result, it becomes possible to perform the coating treatment of high quality.
US08671876B2
A system and method for managing energy usage in a manufacturing facility includes harvesting the thermal properties of paint particulate wash for pre-conditioning air that is drawn into the building. The drawn-in air may be conditioned to a target temperature by an air makeup unit and then used in a painting operation wherein the air is subsequently passed through a water wash unit. Heat exchangers in thermal communication with the water inside the wash unit enable heat to either be transferred from the water to the air makeup unit, or vice versa. One or more ovens may have their energy usage managed in such a manner that they switch between using gas heat and electrical heat. Such management may take into account the daily variation in electrical rates, as well as the total amount of electrical usage currently being drawn by the electrical utility customer.
US08671873B2
A painting device is disclosed that is simple and easy to use to produce a faux brick appearance on domestic and commercial walls. The painting device has a base plate with a handle. An absorbent layer is attached to the base plate to absorb and hold paint that is to be applied to a wall. The painting device preferably also has vertical and horizontal spacing guides and a leveling device. The base plate and absorbent layer are preferably formed in the shape of the cross-section of a brick but may be formed in many shapes. The painting device is able to produce exacting, ordered results. In addition, there is no need for the operator to be highly skilled. The invention is used in combination with a paint tray and multiple colors of paint to produce an end result of an ordered brick appearance.
US08671867B1
A construction barge having a body with a generally rectilinear configuration, including two substantially vertical side walls and two substantially vertical end walls, together with a top support platform and a bottom platform. The top and bottom platforms may be made of a rigid, yet relatively lightweight construction including a plurality of elongate roll-formed metal sections connected to one another. The side and end walls each include a pair of vertically-spaced connection angles each having a horizontal flange with a plurality of spaced openings. The dimensions of the barge and the configuration of the connection arrangement are designed such that the barge may have a reduced size and/or weight compared to existing barges, yet may be connected to existing barges while floating in a body of water with the top support platforms of the barges properly aligned.
US08671865B2
A bridle line control winch for a deflector for marine towing, with fore and aft double or triple bridle lines to attachment points in upper, possible middle, and lower parts of the deflector, preferably in horizontal plate frames, wherein at least said fore or aft bridle lines are arranged to be adjusted inwardly and outwardly so as for adjusting an attack angle of said deflector relative to a course line. The bridle line control winch is provided with a pivotally arranged control winch frame arranged between said bridle lines' attachment points to the deflector, and the bridle lines themselves. The control winch frame is provided with a winch sheave with an asymmetrically arranged pulley arranged on said winch sheave for holding an eyelet or end of said bridle line. The winch sheave is arranged to be driven by an actuator in a desired direction of rotation.
US08671863B2
The present disclosure relates to hull conversion of existing vessel for tank integration to allow storage of multiple hydrocarbon and non-hydrocarbon products onboard the existing vessel. In a converted vessel, a first liquefied hydrocarbon fluid may be stored in an added independent tank, while a second hydrocarbon fluid or a non-hydrocarbon fluid may be stored in an un-converted carge tank, which can be any one of a centre cargo tank, a port side tank or a starboard side tank.
US08671860B2
A punch data generating device generating punch data for execution with an embroiderable sewing machine including a needle bar that is moved up and down and mounted with a punch needle for forming penetrations on a workpiece in dot-by-dot strokes, a transfer mechanism transferring the workpiece in two directions in coordination with the movement of the punch needle to form the penetrations. The punch data generating device includes a punch data generator generating punch data, the punch data including at least either of draw data being configured to instruct sequential formation of the penetrations to draw a predetermined pattern, and cut data being configured to instruct sequential formation of the penetrations along an outline of a predetermined pattern to allow cutting of the outline; and a data modifier modifying at least either of the draw data and the cut data to change how the penetrations are to be formed.
US08671859B2
A workpiece holder for use with an embroiderable sewing machine including a transfer device that transfers a workpiece in two predetermined directions, and a needle bar having a punch needle attached thereto, the workpiece holder being attached to the transfer device and holding a workpiece on which punch work is executed by the punch needle, the workpiece holder including a connecting element that is detachably attached to the transfer device; a placement element on which the workpiece is placed; a support element that is provided with the connecting element and that supports the placement element; a frame element that clamps the portions of the workpiece placed on the placement element exclusive of a workface on which the punch work is executed; and a retainer element that retains the frame element clamping the workpiece.
US08671858B2
A crank adjusted shifting mechanism having a servo driven eccentric in communication with a drive rod and optional clamping assembly provides for a fast and programmable needle bar shifting mechanism for a tufting machine.
US08671841B2
The invention relates to a ballistic ammunition or projectile that is non-lethal or has controlled effects, of small or medium caliber. An internal structure is provided, made of a low-density cellular material with an elongation at break of less than 10%. An external casing encases the structure. The casing is made of a low hardness material with an elongation at break in excess of 100%. The casing is attached to the structure. The projectile may contain at least one cavity containing a different material from that of the structure and may also contain a payload.
US08671831B2
The present invention relates to an apparatus facilitating the cooking of multiple products simultaneously. More particularly, the present invention relates to cooking tray and cooking rack for securing the cooking tray. The cooking tray of the present invention comprises a downward extending member, a planar surface, convex rounded edges, lateral straight edges, convex upward extending surfaces, lateral upward extending surfaces, a transition area, and circulation vents. The cooking tray is inserted into a cooking rack along support bars or a platform and is secured using a downward extending member that is obstructed by a wire or the edge of the platform, deterring the cooking tray from falling or shifting during use. The cooking tray is removable from the cooking rack by lifting the cooking tray up the height of the downward extending member. The cooking tray is made of either a punched aluminum or wire, with circulation vents such that the products being cooked may be cooked evenly.
US08671826B2
A brew through lid for a thermal carafe that has a pouring provision and an internal liquid reservoir. The brew through lid has a cap member with a cone shaped cap top wall, a brew inlet in a center of the cap top wall at a lowest part of the cone shaped cap top wall, a substantially cylindrical connection wall having a top edge that is connected to the cap top wall and a lid connector that is an integral part of the connection wall. The brew through lid further has a pouring skirt wall that extends around an upper portion of the connection wall and defines a liquid space between the connection wall and the pouring skirt wall. A plurality of pouring passages is circumferentially spaced in the pouring skirt wall and that allow passage of brew liquid out of the liquid space. A plurality of connection wall passages that are circumferentially spaced in the cylindrical connection wall and is configured to allow passage of brew liquid from the internal liquid reservoir of the carafe to the liquid space.
US08671820B1
A soft ballistic shield comprises a shell adapted to support at least one soft ballistic panel made from a soft ballistic material suitable for protecting a user from bodily injury from projectiles. At least one generally horizontal support is adapted to be coupled to the shell in a deployed configuration. First and second generally vertical supports are adapted to be coupled to the shell in a deployed configuration. The first and second generally vertical pockets cover a majority of the first and second generally vertical supports when housing the first and second generally vertical supports in a deployed configuration to provide a support structure for the soft ballistic shield to absorb energy from an impact of a projectile. A retainer cap is coupled to the shield and configured to be positioned over an end of the at least one elongate generally horizontal support.
US08671815B2
A self-expanding, pseudo-braided device embodying a high expansion ratio and flexibility as well as comformability and improved radial force. The pseudo-braided device is particularly suited for advancement through and deployment within highly tortuous and very distal vasculature. Various forms of the pseudo-braided device are adapted for the repair of aneurysms and stenoses as well as for use in thrombectomies and embolic protection therapy.
US08671808B2
A wrench includes a body having a driving head which has a ratchet mechanism having a rotatable ratchet gear. An engaging hole is defined in one side of the ratchet gear and a groove is defined in the inner periphery of the engaging hole. A stop portion extends from the other side of the ratchet gear. A universal connector has a driving part extending from the first end thereof and a head is located on the second end of the universal connector. The head is located within the engaging hole and swingable relative to the axis of the head and non-rotatable relative to the axis of the head. A resilient member is located in the engaging hole and located between the stop portion and the head. A clip is engaged with the groove so as to restrict the universal connector from dropping out from the engaging hole.
US08671806B2
This invention is a new beginning for AN wrench users. No more uncomfortably thin AN or Bonney wrenches are needed. This wrench/tool system with separate, ergonomic handle is loaded with features designed for comfort. The separate handle is specifically designed with contoured finger grips, and gently radiused back edge resting against the palm of the user's hand. These are features that will provide the user all-day comfort. In addition, with the common blade of the wrench/tool ends, fitting the matching receiving groove of the handles, wrench/tool ends and handles of differing styles can be added, and upgraded to build a set of wrench/tool ends and handles to meet every need.
US08671802B2
A movable outer cylindrical member and a movable inner cylindrical member are arranged vertically movably in a lower half of a cylindrical main body. By placing the movable inner cylindrical member on a bottle mouth and pushing down the cylindrical main body, a lower end of a hooking member is engaged with a lower end of the crown cap to pry the crown cap away. At the same time, the movable outer cylindrical member is moved up and a piston inside a cylinder arranged in an upper half of the cylindrical main body is moved up with the movable outer cylindrical member, so that the air in the cylinder is compressed, and a cover member is brought out in by the compressed air.
US08671794B2
A manual device for controlling brake and accelerator of a vehicle, a device having a body coupled with the vehicle and remaining substantially standstill while the device is used. The device includes a first lever provided with an upper handgrip projecting from inside the body and movable independently with respect to the same, a second lever and a third lever and a frame the first lever being pivoted on the frame in a substantially central position. When the user exerts an action on a handgrip it can be displaced forward or backward, the second lever being pivoted above on a frame in correspondence of one of its ends the upper part of the first lever shaped not to interfere with the second lever as an upper kinematic torque, the third lever being pivoted at the bottom of the frame in correspondence of one of its ends lower end of the first lever being so shaped to interfere with the lever, as an upper kinematic torque, free end of the second lever being coupled with brake and free end of the third lever being coupled with accelerator.
US08671783B2
An adapter device includes a receptacle including at least one receiving element that detachably secures a sample chamber for cryoconservation of a biological sample, and a coupling device that connects the receptacle to a base section which can be secured in a cooling device, wherein the receiving element is 1) immobile in a holding state at a cryoconservation temperature and secures the sample chamber and 2) at least one of deformable and movable in a release state at a temperature above the cryoconservation temperature so that the sample chamber is detachable from the adapter device or can be inserted into the adapter device.
US08671782B2
A force sensor includes a first surface and a second surface located opposite the first surface, the first surface translatable against a resilient force in a direction towards and/or from the second surface; a distance sensor, arranged to measure the distance between the first surface and the second surface; characterized in that the force sensor comprises a flexible coupling extending along the direction, flexibly coupling the first surface to the second surface; and in that the flexible coupling is provided with a resilient means to provide the resilient force; and a space encompassed by the flexible coupling together with the first surface and the second surface being accessible to the distance sensor, the space filled with a medium for providing the resilient force.
US08671777B2
A Coriolis mass flowmeter (1) having at least one sensor arrangement (2), at least one transducer (3) and at least one housing (4), wherein the sensor arrangement (2) has at least one measuring tube (5) that can be excited to oscillation, at least one oscillation generator (6) and at least one oscillation sensor (7), wherein the transducer (3) at least in part has evaluation and power electronics for controlling and measurement evaluation of the sensor arrangement, wherein the sensor arrangement (2) and the transducer (3) are arranged adjacent to one another in a common volume defined by the housing (4). A Coriolis mass flowmeter of the described type, in which the physical interaction between the sensor arrangement and transducer is reduced, is realized by the provision of a thermal barrier (8) arranged at least in a space between the sensor arrangement (2) and the transducer (3).
US08671772B2
A novel RFID tag-bending test apparatus and a related method of using the novel RFID tag-bending test apparatus are disclosed. In one embodiment of the invention, the novel RFID tag-bending test apparatus can place a plurality of RFID tags in corresponding tag holding clips on the novel RFID tag-bending test apparatus to execute a bending test sequence along a particular bending axis for each RFID tag. The bending test sequence can assist identifying defective RFID tags which cannot overcome external bending pressures asserted by the novel RFID tag-bending test apparatus. By excluding these defective RFID tags from a commercial shipment of RFID tags to customers, a manufacturer of RFID tags may be able to reduce a rate of premature RFID tag failures due to external bending pressures in real-life applications of RFID tags, thereby achieving a higher quality assurance and reliability of RFID tags.
US08671771B2
A biaxial tensile testing machine performing a tensile test of a test piece by stretching the test piece in four directions along two axes perpendicular to each other includes: first and second turntables which are disposed so as to be parallel to each other and relatively rotatable about a rotary axis along the planer direction thereof; first to fourth link mechanisms which are provided at 90° intervals in the circumferential direction about the rotary axis so that one ends of respective members of a pair of members are rotatably connected to each other, and the other ends of respective members of the pair of members are attached across the first and second turntables; and first to fourth test piece holding units which are respectively attached to the first to fourth link mechanisms and hold the test piece.
US08671768B2
A remaining lifetime of a pressure vessel mounted on a fuel cell vehicle or the like and comprises a liner at its inner side and a reinforcing layer at its outer side can be predicted with high precision and in short time. An artificial imperfect structure is formed at an outer surface of the liner in a size capable of being maintained by a weakest part of a hydrogen gas tank throughout the total period of use of the hydrogen gas tank. A detector is, for example, comprised of a crack gauge intervening between the liner and the reinforcing layer, and is fixed to the outer surface of the liner close to the artificial imperfect structure. A crack length increases accompanying the increase of a pressure cycle of an internal pressure caused by usage of the hydrogen gas tank. The detector increases a resistance value accompanying a crack growth.
US08671767B2
A pressure sensor for detecting a pressure of a medium, in particular for a braking apparatus, includes a connecting flange having a fluid channel for connection to the medium which is to be measured, a pressure measuring cell which is arranged at the end of the fluid channel, and a circuit mount, with the pressure measuring cell having a contact surface for making contact. The contact surface is arranged at an angle relative to a center axis of the pressure sensor.
US08671758B2
A system and method for measuring a frequency of a wire in a vibrating wire gauge. The system may include a signal generator for generating a signal at a frequency that matches a frequency of the wire vibration and an excitation unit for exciting the wire to increase an amplitude of the wire vibration. The excitation unit may excite the wire using the signal. The system may further include a signal gate for controlling when the signal is sent to the excitation unit.
US08671752B2
A sensor system includes a supporting element and a sensor element attached to the supporting element and having a main plane of extension. The supporting element has (i) at least one contact element for electrical contacting of the sensor system and (ii) at least one relief structure for stress decoupling, the at least one relief structure being situated in a plane parallel to the main plane of extension essentially between the at least one contact element and the sensor element.
US08671745B2
A method for testing a transmission gear shift device includes using an electric machine and a primary mechanism to place the device and a secondary mechanism, latched to the primary mechanism, in a park position, using a motor to delatch the secondary mechanism from the primary mechanism, using the electric machine to absorb energy released by a spring when delatching, and using the electric machine to relatch the secondary mechanism to the primary mechanism.
US08671744B1
The present invention features an engine pulley testing device allowing a user to detect a damaged engine pulley. The engine pulley testing device comprises a first support arm and a second support arm pivotably attached to a front side of a top panel, a third support arm pivotably attached to a top panel on a back side of the top panel. A top pulley is attached on the top panel and a first bottom pulley and second bottom pulley are attached to the first and second support arms respectively. An engine belt can be wrapped around the pulleys and a testing pulley for testing. The engine pulley testing device may be attached on a sliding rail to slide to a desired working position.
US08671737B2
A target odor detection apparatus and system configured to temporarily house one or more animate odor detectors for screening air passed across odor emitters or conveyances that pass through the target odor detection apparatus. Various types of sensor technologies are incorporated in certain embodiments to provide consistent detection results by, inter alia, consistently interpreting trained signals from animate odor detectors. Various communication technologies are incorporated in certain embodiments to provide enhanced control over an apparatus or system located in multiple and, in some cases, very distant, geographic locations.
US08671731B2
A noise damping shim for a friction assembly is produced by a pre-slit step and a bend and blank step. The pre-slit step forms pre-slits in a shim material at locations where tabs of a noise damping shim are to be formed. The bend and blank step bends each of the tabs at a bent angle relative to the shim material while simultaneously blanking a shim body from the shim material to produce a noise damping shim having bent tabs extending outwardly from a periphery of the shim body.
US08671716B2
There is provided a method of manufacturing a vitreous silica crucible having non-bubbles on the inner surface without necessitating new apparatuses for grinding and polishing and without damaging the productivity. According to the present invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing a vitreous silica crucible including the processes of: gathering a vitreous silica layer containing residual bubbles existing in a near-surface region of the transparent layer of the vitreous silica crucible by controlling the number of rotations applied to the vitreous silica crucible in a state that an inner surface side of the vitreous silica crucible is fused by arc heating; and moving a portion of a non-bubble layer in the surface of the transparent layer exposed by movement of the residual bubble-containing layer to cover a region in which bubbles have gathered with the non-bubble layer.
US08671714B2
A heat exchanger unit includes first and second plate heat exchangers disposed in series along a refrigerant flow direction. A refrigerant flows from the first plate heat exchanger to the second plate heat exchanger when the heat exchanger unit operates as an evaporator to heat the refrigerant, and the refrigerant flows from the second plate heat exchanger to the first plate heat exchanger when the heat exchanger unit operates as a condenser to cool the refrigerant. The first and second plate heat exchangers have first and second gas-liquid mixing structures to promote gas-liquid mixing of the refrigerant when the heat exchanger unit heats the refrigerant. The first and second gas-liquid mixing structures are configured such that pressure loss becomes larger when the gas-liquid mixing action becomes higher and such that the gas-liquid mixing action of the first gas-liquid mixing structure is higher than the gas-liquid mixing action of the second gas-liquid mixing structure.
US08671702B1
In an aspect, a recessed thermostat assembly includes a thermostat housing having a face plate and one or more side walls at least partially enclosing one or more thermostat components. The face plate is wider than the side walls. A moveable brace is responsive to and operatively associated with a brace actuator such that movement of the brace actuator in a first direction responsively causes the moveable brace to move toward the face plate, and movement of the brace actuator in a second direction responsively causes the moveable brace to move away from the face plate. The brace actuator accessible through the face plate. The movable brace is configured to impinge a building wall structure between the movable brace and a rear surface of the face plate when the moveable brace is moved toward the face plate.
US08671694B2
In one aspect, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides an Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) apparatus. The apparatus includes a saturator configured to saturate NPG with water vapor, and a heat recovery steam generator (HRSG), a low pressure steam loop through the saturator, wherein the HRSG is configured to heat the low pressure steam loop. The apparatus further includes a compressor and a heat exchanger configured to heat the NPG using waste process heat and extraction air from the compressor, wherein the heated NPG thereby becomes diluent nitrogen.
US08671690B2
A combustor 500 is composed of a plurality of premixed combustion burners 100 each comprising a fuel nozzle 110 provided in a burner tube 120, the fuel nozzle 110 having a plurality of swirl vanes 130 on an outer peripheral surface thereof. Injection holes 133a, 133b are formed in each swirl vane 130. Staging control is exercised such that when a gas turbine is in a full load state, a fuel is injected through the injection holes 133a, 133b of all the swirl vanes 130, and when the gas turbine is under a partial load, the fuel is injected only through the injection holes 133a, 133b of a specific number of the swirl vanes 130 adjacent in a circumferential direction, and fuel injection through the injection holes 133a, 133b of the remaining swirl vanes 130 is stopped. By performing such staging control over fuel injection or its stoppage for the swirl vanes 130, a fuel-air ratio can be increased locally, generation of CO and UHC can be suppressed, and high efficiency combustion can be achieved, even under the partial load.
US08671680B2
A hydraulic system comprising a receiving body with electrohydraulic valve, with at least one hydraulic pump, and with channels for connecting the pump to at least one hydraulic load. A pulsation situation arises as a result of the delivery of a pressure medium by the pump and/or as a result of pressure medium being withdrawn by the load. At least one damping unit is provided, having a plurality of pulsation damping means such as, in particular, a damping chamber, and orifice. The hydraulic system provides a uniform and cost-effective solution for different operating situations and prevents a decrease in comfort. The damping unit has at least one switching means for adjusting the action of said damping unit to a varied pulsation situation by connecting or disconnecting one or more damping means.
US08671674B2
Hydrostatic transmission apparatus for a vehicle having a front group of drive members and a rear group of drive members, a pump, a front motor and a rear motor contributing to driving respective ones of the front and rear groups of drive members; a first one of the motors and a second one of the motors connected to the first motor via a series duct also being connected to the main orifices of the pump, thereby constituting a closed transmission circuit; at least one pressure-limiting valve being interposed between the series duct and a low-pressure circuit, and being suitable for connecting the series duct to the low-pressure circuit while being controlled as a function of the high pressure of the pump. The pressure in the series duct is thus effectively limited to a pressure representative of the pressure necessary for driving the vehicle.
US08671666B2
An aftertreatment system including a method which provides a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) catalyst disposed in an exhaust stream of an engine; determines that an ammonia pre-load condition for the SCR catalyst is present; determines a first amount of ammonia pre-load in response to the ammonia pre-load condition; injects an amount of ammonia or urea into the exhaust stream in response to the first amount of ammonia; and adsorbs a second amount of ammonia onto the SCR catalyst in response to injecting an amount of ammonia or urea, where the second amount of ammonia is either the injected amount of ammonia or an amount of ammonia resulting from hydrolysis from the injected amount of urea.
US08671660B2
A catalyst degradation determination device is provided that can determine the degradation of a selective reduction catalyst with high precision while also suppressing a temporary decline in purification performance. By way of controlling a urea injection device, the catalyst degradation determination device increases, in a selective reduction catalyst in a state in which the storage amount is a maximum, the storage amount thereof by a detection reduced-amount portion DSTNH3—JD, and then decreases the amount until it is determined that ammonia slip has occurred. Then, degradation is determined based on the time at which the slip determination flag FNH3—SLIP was set to “1” when fluctuating the storage amount. The detection reduced-amount portion DSTNH3—JD is set to a value that is larger than the storage capacity of the selective reduction catalyst in a degraded state and smaller than the storage capacity of the selective reduction catalyst in a normal state.
US08671654B2
A case is disclosed that is made from a corrugated material and has a generally flat transversely extending base panel and first and second transversely extending, generally parallel, side wall panels upstanding from, and being oriented generally orthogonal to, the base panel. First and third end wall panels meet at a first vertically extending seam extending upwards from one end of the base panel and second and fourth end wall panels meet at a second vertically extending seam extending upwards from an opposite end of the base panel. A blank for forming such a case is also disclosed. A method comprises forming a sheet of corrugated fiberboard; operating a die cutting apparatus to form a generally flat case blank from the sheet of corrugated fiberboard at a first location; transporting the flat case blank to a second location; operating a case forming apparatus at the second location to fold the case blank to form the case; after the case has been formed by the case forming apparatus, operating a loading apparatus to load at least one item into the case; and sealing opposed top panels.
US08671651B2
A packaging machine (10) comprising two or more packaging subsystems each capable of packaging articles (A) into a carton, wherein the packaging subsystems share a common source of articles (11) to be packaged and at least one transfer mechanism 5 (22) is provided for transferring articles (A) from the common source to any of the two or more packaging subsystems.
US08671645B1
The present invention relates safing insulation and, particularly, to safing insulation with pre-applied smoke sealant and methods for using the same. In one exemplary embodiment, safing insulation sheets are formed from individual safing insulation sections having a layer of smoke sealant applied to the upper surface of the safing insulation sections. In order to form the safing insulation sheets, individual safing insulation sections are arranged with the fibers of each individual section extending in a vertical direction and a smoke sealant is applied thereto. The smoke sealant acts to mechanically secure the individual sections of safing insulation to one another and also eliminates the need to apply smoke sealant to the safing insulation after installation. Advantageously, by pre-applying the smoke sealant to the safing insulation, the need to use spraying equipment to apply the smoke sealant to the safing insulation at a job site is eliminated.
US08671643B2
The invention relates to a wind turbine including a foundation and a tower positioned on the foundation where the tower includes more than one modules, where the modules each include a separate strengthening structure defining the outer edges of the module and wind turbine equipment, and where the more than one module are positioned substantially vertically on top of each other in an upright position within the tower. The modules are connected directly and/or indirectly through the strengthening structure, to the foundation. The invention further relates to a method for assembling a wind turbine at a wind turbine site and a method for handling more than one wind turbine modules.
US08671637B2
A concrete wall mold formed with a structural insulating core of horizontally and vertically integrated spacer blocks with tongue and groove connections between framing members having connectors attached to the framing members and embedded into the concrete surface. The spacer blocks having additional support molds to reinforce the concrete surface by means of adding rib, column, beam molds or drainage channels and recess grooves. The concrete surface may be located above or below the concrete wall mold.
US08671636B2
A wall is provided with a plurality of stud frames disposed in at least one row, an outer layer, an inner layer, and an insulation layer. The stud frames are coupled between the outer layer and the inner layer. The stud frames are provided with a front stud, a back stud, a top plate, a bottom plate and at least one support member. The support members are coupled with the front stud and the back stud. The front stud and the back stud are disposed vertically. The broad sides of the front stud are parallel with the broad sides of the back stud. The top plate and the bottom plate are disposed horizontally. The top member is coupled with a top end of the front stud and a top end of the back stud. The bottom plate is coupled between the front stud and the back stud.
US08671621B2
A vehicle window opening/closing device 1 comprises: an inversion pulley 12 provided to an upper portion of a guide rail 10; a drive mechanism 14 provided, in line, to a lower end of the guide rail 10, and constituted so that a speed reduction mechanism including a worm and a worm wheel, and a drum connected concentrically with the worm wheel are received into a same housing 15; a close-side cable 24, whose one end is fixed to the drum and whose other end is coupled to a carrier plate 11 via the inversion pulley 12; an open-side cable 25, whose one end is fixed to the drum and whose other end is coupled directly to the carrier plate 11; and an electric motor 17 having an armature coupled mechanically to the worm, the electric motor being capable of being coupled to the drive mechanism 14.
US08671614B1
An injection tip for use with an injector for injecting liquid chemical into a tree such as a palm tree which includes a body portion, a needle and a point member mounted on the forward end of the needle. The needle has liquid ejector holes formed therein adjacent the forward end thereof.
US08671613B2
A tree slide facilitating movement of a Christmas tree via sliding along a support surface without damage to the surface is described. The tree slide includes a central region of substantially planar extent and an arcuate perimeter which surrounds and extends from the central region. The arcuate perimeter forms a cavity along one side of the tree slide. In some embodiments, a rim is provided which extends from the arcuate perimeter opposite of the central region. In other embodiments, the tree slide could also include a cover, composed of a stretchable and conformable material, which conceals a tree stand and the tree slide.
US08671609B2
A method of producing a superalloy gun barrel includes providing a tubular workpiece made of a cobalt-based superalloy material, the workpiece having at least about 30% by weight of fcc phase and having an inner diameter and an outer diameter. The method further includes placing the workpiece on a mandrel such that the inner diameter is adjacent to the mandrel and compressing the outer diameter of the workpiece at a temperature below a recrystallization temperature of the workpiece using a combination of axial and radial forces so that the mandrel contacts the inner diameter and imparts a compressive hoop stress to the inner diameter of the workpiece.
US08671606B2
A firearm includes a barrel having first and second ends, and is adapted to fire a round of ammunition from the second end. A handgrip is operatively coupled to and extending in a downward direction relative to the barrel. An ammunition magazine is removably received within the handgrip. The magazine includes a front, a rear, and a pair of opposed side surfaces extending between the front and rear. A clip member includes at least an arm portion extending along the rear of the magazine. The arm portion of the clip member is adapted to allow the ammunition magazine to be temporarily attached to an object while outside of the magazine.
US08671605B2
An off-trigger locator for firearm comprises an elongated member adapted to mounted to a frame of the firearm adjacent a trigger of the firearm. The member is configured to allow a user of the firearm to sense the member with a trigger finger of the user and to move the trigger finger between the member and the trigger without significant movement of a hand of the user. The member comprises longitudinally opposite first and second ends with longitudinal sides extending between the longitudinally opposite ends. A locator surface is arranged between the longitudinal sides. The longitudinal side adjacent the trigger of the firearm forms a shoulder. The other longitudinal side is spaced from the shoulder by the locator surface. The width of the member at the shoulder is greater than the width of the member at the other longitudinal side. A method of mounting the off-trigger locator is provided.
US08671604B2
For a marking carrier, the following is provided for the purpose of simple production and installation: the marking carrier has at least one spring tongue extending from the main body of the marking carrier, the spring tongue being designed to act on the vehicle component in a resilient manner and to preload the main body against the vehicle component in a preloading direction, and the marking carrier has at least one spring tab, which acts on the vehicle component in such a way that the spring tab retains the marking carrier in a retaining direction opposite the preloading direction.
US08671603B2
A sign system for displaying product information proximate a product being vended. The sign system includes a support for maintaining a sign system at a predetermined orientation. A substantially planar face is appended to the support having a front surface and a rear surface. A primary sign is releaseably retained to the front surface of the planar face, the primary sign having an opening or window therein. At least one channel is configured to the front or rear surface of the planar face and positioned substantially behind the opening or window of the primary sign. A secondary sign is releaseably retained within the channel such that at least a portion of the secondary sign is visible through the opening or window in the primary sign.
US08671600B2
Disclosed herein are electric fireplaces comprising (a) a shade comprising a plurality of openings; (b) a reflector comprising a shaft and a plurality of flame-shaped reflecting elements; (c) a simulated fuel bed; (d) a light source; and (e) a flame display screen, wherein the flame display screen is located between the reflector and simulated fuel bed, and wherein the shade is located between the light source and the reflector so that light from the light source passes through the plurality of openings of the shade.
US08671597B2
A snow plow towing hitch system removably attached to an existing vehicle hitch which is lightweight and compact to allow an individual to attach the snow plow towing hitch system to a vehicle hitch when needed and to remove and store it when not in use. The snow plow towing hitch system includes a connecting bar connected to a vehicle hitch, a vertical support bar attached to the connecting bar, a plow blade rotatably attached to the vertical support bar, and a spring attached to the vertical support bar and the plow blade to limit rotation of the plow blade. Another alternate embodiment of the snow plow towing hitch system comes in a kit form allowing the user to easily assemble the snow plow towing hitch for use and to disassemble for storage or to use portions as a snow shovel.
US08671580B2
A power operated knife comprises a blade supporting structure supporting an annular blade for rotation about a central axis. The blade and blade supporting structure are engagable along bearing contact locations that are spaced apart in a direction parallel to the axis so that the blade is stabilized both radially and axially as the knife operates. The blade supporting structure comprises a split blade housing member that is radially expandable and contractible to receive the blade. The split blade housing member and blade engage along relatively short lines of bearing contact that serve to minimize friction and blade heating when the knife operates. The bearing locations are spaced apart both circumferentially around the blade perimeter and in the direction of the axis so that the blade position is stabilized during operation of the knife.
US08671570B2
The vapor chamber is used in an electronic device. The electronic device includes a metal casing. The vapor chamber includes an upper cover, a working fluid, a waterproof layer, and a wick structure layer. The upper cover is disposed on inner walls of the metal casing to define a containing space. The working fluid is filled into the containing space. The waterproof layer is formed on inner walls of the containing space. The wick structure layer is formed on the waterproof layer.
US08671569B1
A cleaning and piston replacement kit for an accumulator of a vehicle transmission which includes a brush for cleaning, reconditioning and polishing worn accumulator bores and replacement pistons each of which includes a pair of sealing rings for supporting and spacing the replacement pistons from the accumulator bores to thereby prevent scrapping of the walls of the bores by movement of the pistons within the bores and a method of reconditioning the accumulator bore.
US08671544B2
A microneedle mold and a method of manufacturing a microneedle mold are provided for use in fabricating microneedles. The method includes providing a microneedle mold base with recesses therein, the recesses corresponding to the microneedles to be fabricated and extending from a first surface of the microneedle mold base; and forming side-port forming holes in the microneedle mold base, the side-port forming holes extend in side surfaces of the recesses within the microneedle mold base at side-port forming positions of the recesses.
US08671532B2
An eyeglass lens processing apparatus includes: a mode selector for selecting an auxiliary lens processing mode; an eyeglass data input unit for inputting a first target lens shape of the eyeglass lens and a right target lens shape-to-left target lens shape distance; a first hole data input unit for inputting a position of a first hole, to which a first magnet is attached; a determination unit which determines second target lens shape of the auxiliary lens, a position of a second hole to which a second magnet is attached, positions of third holes to which a bridge is attached; and a processing controller which processes the auxiliary lenses based on the second target lens shape data, and drills the auxiliary lenses based on the second and third hole positions in the auxiliary lens processing mode.
US08671528B2
An assembling construction assembles a mountable member to a support member by holding a head portion of a clip on a mounting seat of the mountable member while securely fitting a leg portion in a mounting hole in the support member, the mounting seat has an instruction groove and guide grooves, the head portion of the clip has a first flange portion beam-like strip-shaped elastic pieces and which are brought into press contact with end portions of the guide grooves and stopper projections which are adapted to be brought into engagement with the end portions of the guide grooves when the clip is attempted to be shifted largely relative to the mounting seat.
US08671524B2
The present invention concerns processes for reducing water in never-dried fiber comprising copolymer derived from the copolymerization of para-phenylenediamine, 5(6)-amino-2-(p-aminophenyl)benzimidazole; and terephthaloyl dichloride, the process having the following steps in a continuous process, (a) a step of drying a never-dried fiber having at least 0.1% sulfur at less than 150° C. until the moisture content of the fiber is less than 60 weight percent; and (b) a step of further drying the fiber above 150° C. while the moisture content of the fiber is no more than 60 weight percent; and the fiber being further heated to at least 350° C. in either an additional continuous or separate step.
US08671522B2
The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a hinge between two workpieces or components; first a hinge socket is inserted in an opening of the first component and then a hinge pin is inserted in the hinge socket; the second component can be fastened to the hinge pin end protruding from the hinge socket.
US08671511B2
An upright surface treating appliance includes a main body having a user operable handle, a surface treating head connected to a yoke moveable relative to the main body, a stand moveable relative to both the main body and the yoke between a supporting position for supporting the main body in an upright position, and a retracted position, and a stand retaining mechanism for releasably retaining the stand in the supporting position and from which the stand is releasable upon application of a force to one of the main body and the stand. The yoke is moveable relative to the main body in response to an impact on the surface treating head to apply said force to the stand. This allows the force of the impact on the surface treating head to be transferred through the stand to the stand retaining mechanism, which, depending on the magnitude of the impact, can release both the stand and the yoke for movement relative to the main body. This avoids the need to provide separate releasing mechanisms for both the yoke and the stand.
US08671510B2
A hand-held and stick vacuum cleaner includes a stick body having a body discharge part formed in a front part thereof and a first connecting terminal provided on a rear part thereof; and a hand-held cleaner unit detachably mounted in the rear part of the stick body and having discharge parts formed in front and rear part thereof and a second connecting terminal corresponding to the first connecting terminal provided on the rear part thereof.
US08671503B2
A cleaning sponge with embedded clusters for providing enhanced scouring is disclosed. In one embodiment, the cleaning sponge comprises a sponge body and a plurality of discrete fiber clusters embedded within the sponge body. Each fiber cluster is a matrix of interconnected fibers. In one embodiment, each fiber cluster is a three dimensional web of entangled fibers bonded to one another at their mutual contact points.
US08671501B2
An adjustable roller frame may include a frame, a pair of extension arms that are slidable within a channel in the frame, and a pair of cam assemblies that are used to selectively prevent and permit the extension arms to slide.
US08671492B2
An attachment part for an electric toothbrush is disclosed. The attachment has a brush head, a tubular connecting piece being connected to the brush head for connecting the same to the head of a toothbrush handle, and a drive shaft for driving the working head. The connecting piece has at least one interior latching element that is arranged such that it is suitable to move into the interior of the neck of the handle and to create a disengageable connection of the attachment part to the neck of the handle, the interior latching element being radially inwardly offset, with regard to the diameter thereof, relative to an internal cylindrical surface of the connecting piece, such that a gap remains between the exterior of the interior latching element and the internal cylindrical surface, the gap being suitably made such that a wall of the neck of the handle can be moved into it.
US08671486B1
A blanket assembly for swaddling an infant (e.g., newborn baby) includes a blanket body defining a pocket between an upper layer and a lower layer of the body at one end of the blanket body, the pocket accessible via an opening selectively closeable to seal the pocket. A neck, spine and spinal cord support device of a semi-rigid material is removably insertable in the pocket of the blanket body and secured within the blanket by the pocket so as to maintain the support device in a substantially fixed position within the blanket body. The support device supports the head, neck, spine and spinal cord of a newborn baby or infant when the infant is laid on the blanket body in a supine position and wrapped in the blanket body, so as to inhibit injury to the infant's head, neck, spine and spinal cord while carried by a person.
US08671483B2
A furniture cushion comprises a matrix of interconnected pocketed springs, each spring of which is contained within a pocket of fabric, and a fiber pad overlying an upper surface of the matrix of pocketed springs, the fiber pad having a first layer in contact with the upper surface of the matrix of pocketed springs and a second layer in contact with the first layer, the first layer having a first density and said second layer having a second density, the first density being greater than the second density. At least one edge guard may be secured to the matrix of pocketed springs.
US08671478B2
The present invention relates to a cover for a mattress and bed deck. More particularly, the present invention relates to a mattress and bed deck cover for an adjustable bed that reduces the exposure of the mattress and bed deck to unsanitary conditions.
US08671472B2
An air control and aromatherapy module for a jetted tub comprising an air control member having a body portion defining an intake opening, a scent container defining a scent opening, and a housing having a body portion. The scent container is positioned within the body portion of the air control member. The air control member and the scent container are at least partially disposed within the body portion of the housing. The air control member and the housing define a central passageway and the scent opening of the scent container is in fluid communication with the central passageway. A method of providing aromatherapy to a jetted tub is also disclosed.
US08671471B2
A bath includes a water outlet or outlets arranged to in use direct a flow of water from behind onto the upper body of a bather or bathers sitting in the bath and leaning back against the wall of the bath. The upper body water outlet(s) may comprise two spaced water outlets one positioned to direct a water flow onto the left-side upper body of a bather and the other positioned to direct a water flow at the same temperature onto the right-side upper body of the bather.
US08671470B2
A wax-less toilet gasket is provided that is formed of an open cell foam having a hydrophobic skin, layer, coating or covering. To this end, the toilet gasket may be formed of a self-skinning polyurethane, a polyurethane with an in-mold coating, or a polyurethane with a waterproof agent. The toilet gasket is characterized by a body with a ring shaped upper portion and a truncated conical extension integrally extending downwardly therefrom. In use, fastening bolts that project through the toilet flange attached to the floor conduit then extend through the ring shaped configuration and attach to the toilet base.
US08671468B2
A hinge assembly for a toilet seat, the hinge assembly comprising a hinge post for pivotally supporting the toilet seat on a toilet bowl, and a bolt embedded in the hinge post and configured to extend through an opening in the toilet bowl, the bolt having thereon a plurality of projections extending into the hinge post to distribute to the hinge post forces applied to the bolt.
US08671465B2
A nursing canopy for concealing a nursing mother's upper front torso and infant is disclosed. The canopy comprises a panel of opaque fabric having dimensions sufficient to cover at least a region from the mother's upper chest to below the mother's breasts. A fastening strap can be attached to the upper edge of the panel for securing the panel around the mother's neck. A self-supporting neckline stiffener is located along the top edge of the panel and defines a self-supporting neckline of the panel. The neckline cooperates with the fastening strap to hold the neckline a spaced-apart distance from the mother, defining an open viewing area between mother and infant. A secondary self-supporting stiffener is provided on the panel at a distance below the neckline, the ends of which rest against the mother's sides to hold the panel a spaced-apart distance from the feeding infant.
US08677511B2
The present disclosure describes an apparatus of leveling a substrate in a charged particle lithography system. In an example, the apparatus includes a cantilever-based sensor that includes an optical sensor and a cantilever structure. The optical sensor determines a distance between the optical sensor and a surface of the substrate based on light reflected from the cantilever structure. In an example, a first distance is between the cantilever structure and optical sensor, a second distance is a height of the cantilever structure, and a third distance is between the optical sensor and the surface of the substrate. The optical sensor determines the first distance based on the light reflected from the cantilever structure, such that the third distance is determined from the first distance and the second distance.
US08677506B2
In an application, variants of a class may be generated and associated with different security permissions for the application. When a class is to be loaded, a determination is made as to the application's security permissions, e.g. by decoding a security token. The class is then retrieved from a repository that stores class variants matching the required security level. The retrieved class variant, which may have a full or a reduced functionality as appropriate for the security permission may then by loaded.
US08677505B2
The method for securing data includes establishing a group of security sensitive items, filtering data and extracting and separating the security items from remainder data. The filtered data are separately stored (locally on a PC or on another computer in a LAN or WAN or on the Internet.) A map may be generated. The filter and/or map may be destroyed or stored. The data input, extracted data and remainder data may be deleted from the originating computer. Encryption may be utilized to enhance security (including transfers of data, filter and map). Reconstruction of the data is permitted only in the presence of a predetermined security clearance. A plurality of security clearances may be used to enable a corresponding plurality of partial, reconstructed views of the plaintext (omitting higher security words).
US08677503B2
A mechanism for protecting software and computing devices from unintentional pre-release disclosure (“leak”) is provided that includes applying a security enhancement to an object on the graphical user interface of the computing device such that the object can be used to visually determine the origin of the leak without obstructing the user's experience or being easily detected or defeated.
US08677502B2
Among other things, methods, systems and computer program products are disclosed for manipulating media. In one aspect, one or more processes executing on a host computer system detect that a portable electronic device is within a predefined communications proximity relative to the host computer system, establish wireless communications and exchange information with the portable electronic device sufficient to determine that metadata relating to one or more items of visual media content reside on the portable electronic device. The metadata is used to retrieve the one or more items of visual media content from a storage location separate from the portable electronic device. The retrieved one or more items of visual media content are added to a list of visual media content available for presentation on a presentation device associated with the host computer system.
US08677492B2
System and method for detecting a security compromise of a service module of an operating system running on a computer. At least one native service module returns a first set of requested information relating to at least one object in the computer system in response to a request made by at least one process or thread. A secondary service module generates and returns a second set of requested information relating to the at least one object in the computer system in response to a request made by at least one authorized process or thread, bypassing the at least one native service module. Access of threads is limited to the secondary service module such that only predetermined threads generated by a trusted security application are permitted to access the secondary service module.
US08677488B2
Provided is a DDoS attack detection apparatus including an information collecting unit to collect DDoS detection information including rate information about traffic change, variation of a first type flow and a Packet Per Second (PPS) for a second type flow, in which the rate information about traffic change is obtained using packet count of packets input per a unit time, flow count of flows input per the unit time and the byte count of bytes input per the unit time; and a testing unit to calculate a probability of occurrence of the DDoS attack by use of a first probability determined by the rate information about traffic change, a second probability determined by the variation of the first type flow and a third probability determined by the PPS for the second type flow and detect occurrence of the DDoS attack based on the probability of occurrence of the DDoS attack.
US08677481B1
Methods and systems for checking for malicious modifications in web pages. A web page may have corresponding portal page and web page verifier. To receive the web page in a client computer, the portal page is provided to the client computer. The portal page allows for checking of the web page for malicious modifications. For example, the portal page may include or download the web page verifier. The web page verifier may check the web page for signs indicative of malicious modifications. The web page itself may be verified by program code included in the web page.
US08677478B2
According to one embodiment, a method for removing authentication of a supplicant includes monitoring communication between the supplicant and an authenticator. The method also includes determining, based on the monitored communication, the MAC address for the supplicant and an attachment port of the supplicant to the intermediate network device disposed between the supplicant and the authenticator through which the monitored communication occurs. The method also includes determining that the supplicant no longer has a link connection with the intermediate network device, and in response, sending via the intermediate network device a logoff message having a spoofed source address of the supplicant to the authenticator.
US08677477B2
Provided is an application program launching method and system for improving security of an embedded Linux kernel by distributing superuser privileges. The method includes: searching security set information on an application program selected by a user; changing a user account for a processor of the application program to a user ID associated with the application program in the security set information; setting a capability for the processor according to setting information for the capability in the security set information; changing a basic directory for the processor according to a basic directory in the security set information; and launching the application program.
US08677473B2
Improved techniques are disclosed for use in an intrusion prevention system or the like. For example, a method comprises the following steps performed by a computing element of a network. A packet of a flow is received, the flow comprising a plurality of packets, wherein the plurality of packets represents data in the network. A network intrusion analysis cost-benefit value is determined representing a benefit for analyzing the received packet for intrusions in relation to a cost for analyzing the received packet for intrusions. The method compares the network intrusion analysis cost-benefit value to a network intrusion analysis cost-benefit threshold to determine whether analyzing the received packet for intrusions before forwarding the received packet is warranted. Responsive to a determination that analyzing the received packet for intrusions before forwarding the received packet is not warranted, the received packet is forwarded, an indication is made that subsequent packets of the flow should be forwarded, and a determination is made whether the received packet indicates an intrusion after forwarding the received packet.
US08677472B1
A method of operating a VM server (VMS) is described, including (a) executing a VM instance (VMI) at the VMS, the VMI having a remote display within a terminal program of a client computer, the terminal program being configured to send commands received by the client from a user to the VMS to affect operation of the VMI, (b) running a browser within the VMI, the browser having a connection to a secure web application running on a web application server, the commands sent from the terminal program to the VMS allowing the user to interact with the web application via the terminal program and the browser running on the VMI, (c) at the VMS, asynchronously collecting information in connection with the commands sent from the user to the VMS, and (d) at the VMS, asynchronously sending the collected information to an analysis server to be analyzed for anomalous behavior.
US08677470B1
In accordance with embodiments, there are provided mechanisms and methods for security verification of communications to tenants of an on-demand database service. These mechanisms and methods for security verification of communications to tenants of an on-demand database service can enable embodiments to allow tenants to selectively implement security measures with respect to inbound communications, etc. The ability of embodiments to provide such feature may allow tenants to efficiently and effectively implement security measures for in-bound emails.
US08677467B2
A computer, such as a WINDOWS® operating system-based PC, has associated with it a Subscriber Identity Module (or SIM), such as of the type used in a GSM cellular telephone system. The SIM can be authenticated by the telephone network, in the same way as for authenticating SIMs of telephone handset users in the network, and can in this way authenticate the user of the PC or the PC itself. Such authentication can, for example, permit use of the PC in relation to a particular application which is released to the PC after the authentication is satisfactorily completed. The application may be released to the PC by a third party after and in response to the satisfactory completion of the authentication process. A charge for the session can be debited to the user by the telecommunications network and then passed on to the third party.
US08677464B2
According to various embodiments, a session manager generates, stores, and periodically updates the login credentials for each of a plurality of connected IEDs. An operator, possibly via an access device, may provide unique login credentials to the session manager. The session manager may determine the authorization level of the operator based on the operator's login credentials, defining with which IEDs the operator may communicate. According to various embodiments, the session manager does not facilitate a communication session between the operator and a target IED. Rather, the session manager maintains a first communication session with the operator and initiates a second communication session with the target IED. Accordingly, the session manager may forward commands transmitted by the operator to the target IED. Based on the authorization level of the operator, a session filter may restrict what may be communicated between an operator and an IED.
US08677452B2
A computer system. In one embodiment, the computer system includes a remote management computer with a user input device and a display device, a plurality of target computers communicatively connected to the remote management computer over a communications link, and a computer-executable remote management application. Each target computer includes a baseboard management controller (BMC) executing a keyboard, video, and mouse (KVM) redirection application and storing remote management data. The remote management application causes the remote management computer to perform functions that include receiving user authentication data for a user to remotely access particular target computers, sending a request for remote management data to each of the particular target computers, receiving remote management data from each of the particular target computers in response to the request, and causing the display device to simultaneously display the graphical user console for each one of the particular target computers in a common graphical interface.
US08677447B1
Techniques for identifying user names and enforcing policies are disclosed. An external user account associated with an external application request is identified. A policy is applied based on the identified external user account. One example policy is that access to the external application (via the external user account) should be blocked.
US08677444B2
A set-top box for receiving radio and television signals is disclosed in which there is the presence of at least one unit (2) for receiving a signal (S) and at least one unit (3) for sending the received and processed signal (S′) to an image and/or sound broadcasting apparatus (4) such as a television set, radio set, PC, iPOD, and any other existing and/or achievable apparatus; means for processing the signal (S) converts said signal (S)—into the signal (S′) to be sent through a circuit (5) adapted to allow passage towards the broadcasting apparatus' (4) of information, data, promotions or advertising depending on suitable scheduling of said circuit.
US08677443B2
A method for performing a service action on a particular set top box based on a particular private identifier associated with the particular set top box is disclosed. At a database associated with a service provider, a user record is created. The user record includes a public identifier and a private identifier for each set top box that is available to the user. The public identifier for a particular set top box is accessible by the user and may be used to determine the private identifier for the particular set top box.
US08677440B2
Apparatus to determine the position of a user terminal, the apparatus having corresponding methods and computer-readable media, comprise: a receiver to receive at the user terminal an American Television Standards Committee Mobile/Handheld (ATSC-M/H) broadcast signal from a ATSC-M/H transmitter; and a pseudorange module to determine a pseudorange between the receiver and the ATSC-M/H transmitter based on the ATSC-M/H) broadcast signal; wherein the position module determines the position of the user terminal based on the pseudorange and a location of the ATSC-M/H transmitter.
US08677433B2
A content processing device is configured to selectively receive a media signal from a media signal provider. A distribution device is configured to selectively receive a media signal from the content processing device, and to selectively provide one or more command signals to the content processing device. A computer is configured to selectively receive the media signal from the distribution device, and to selectively provide commands to the distribution device. The distribution device is further configured to provide the received one or more commands to the content processing device via the one or more command signals.
US08677427B1
A method, system, and medium are provided for enabling playback of licensed media content. The depicted embodiments provide a method to enable users to play a high-quality media file on a computing device. More specifically, the method provides a method to authenticate a high-fidelity license on a computing device to enable playback of an associated high-quality media file. Illustrative examples of high-quality media files include any media file that may contain a video and/or audio component.
US08677425B2
The present invention provides a Set-Top Box, a home gateway, and a method and a system for implementing interaction between the Set-Top Box and the home gateway, and the method comprises: the Set-Top Box transmitting a subscription message to the home gateway by means of a UPnP protocol message; the home gateway receiving and parsing the subscription message, combining a subscription response event according to the parsed subscription information, and then transmitting the subscription response event to the Set-Top Box by means of a UPnP protocol message; and the Set-Top Box triggering a corresponding operation according to a subscription response event message, after receiving the subscription response event message. The flexible coordination between the home gateway and the Set-Top Box can be implemented in accordance with the present invention, which can achieve the purposes of automatic diagnosis and automatic adjustment of services, and improve the user experience effectively.
US08677416B2
A method, system, and software for improved display of multiple media channels are disclosed herein. A system may be used to select, independent of direct user input, a subset of a plurality of media channels based on a user's viewing pattern. The system can include one or more media sources, a media processing system, and a display device, as well as a method for its use. The media processing system receives a plurality of media channels from the one or more media sources. One or more attributes associated with each media channel are compared with a user's viewing pattern determined independent of direct user input by the media processing system. A surf list is generated from the plurality of media channels, where the surf list includes a subset of the plurality of media channels having one or more attributes that are congruent with the user's viewing pattern. A portion, such as a still image, of each media channel in the surf list is output to an output device, such as a display device or storage device. The portions can be displayed simultaneously in a grid on the screen of the display device; the portions can be displayed individually in sequence; or displayed using a combination thereof.
US08677388B2
A system and method for verifiable two-way communication and interaction with audiences using Visual Cues and images to enable an audience, irrespective of size, to interact with multiple media formats, using smart devices such as smartphones and smart cameras. Allows interactions with viewers in real-time that will provide richer data that can be used to measure an audience more reliably.
US08677385B2
Methods, apparatus, and systems to collect audience measurement data are disclosed. A disclosed example method includes collecting first program identification data and audience identification data during a first time period, the audience identification data being collected by prompting audience members in the monitored household to self-identify using a people meter, developing audience member behavior data based on the first program identification data and the audience identification data collected in the first time period, collecting second program identification data in a second time period after the first time period without collecting audience identification data, and identifying the audience members associated with the second program identification data based on the audience member behavior data.
US08677381B2
An optical drive installation device including: a support frame that disposes a removable optical drive to an installation position; a lock mechanism that has a locking member which can move to a locked position preventing the optical drive from being removed or an unlocked position not interfering with the optical drive being removed, and supports the optical drive at the installation position of the support frame when the locking member is set to the locked position; an unlocking mechanism that releases the lock mechanism from the locked position; and a pushing member that pushes the optical drive in the direction in which the optical drive is removed from the installation position.
US08677380B2
A laser diode assembly for an optical pickup includes a laser diode, a holding member, and a position adjustment member. The holding member has a housing portion formed therein. The laser diode is housed in the housing portion. The position adjustment member is disposed between the laser diode and an inner wall of the housing portion and configured to adjust a mounting position of the laser diode by abutting the inner wall and the laser diode.
US08677372B2
An improved method to compensate for coupling overhead in a distributed computing system offering a raw processing capacity, comprising an effective processing capacity (404) and the coupling overhead, is disclosed, wherein the distributed computing system comprises at least one computer system and at least one coupling facility. The method comprises determining a coupling efficiency, determining and adding an amount of missing processing capacity to the effective processing capacity based on the coupling efficiency in a way that the effective processing capacity of the raw processing capacity corresponds to a billable target processing capacity.
US08677371B2
Functionality is implemented to determine that a plurality of multi-core processing units of a system are configured in accordance with a plurality of operating performance modes. It is determined that a first of the plurality of operating performance modes satisfies a first performance criterion that corresponds to a first workload of a first logical partition of the system. Accordingly, the first logical partition is associated with a first set of the plurality of multi-core processing units that are configured in accordance with the first operating performance mode. It is determined that a second of the plurality of operating performance modes satisfies a second performance criterion that corresponds to a second workload of a second logical partition of the system. Accordingly, the second logical partition is associated with a second set of the plurality of multi-core processing units that are configured in accordance with the second operating performance mode.
US08677370B2
A resource consumption control method and system. The method includes deploying by a computing system, a portlet/servlet. The computing system receives monitor data associated with a first resource consumed by the first portlet/servlet during the deploying. The monitor data comprises a maximum resource consumption rate value for the portlet/servlet and a mean resource consumption rate value for the portlet/servlet. The computing system generates a resource consumption rate limit value for the first portlet/servlet based on the monitor data. The computing system generates action data comprising an action to be executed if the resource consumption rate limit value is exceeded by a consumption rate value for the portlet/servlet. The computing system transmits the resource consumption rate limit value and the action data to the portlet/servlet. The resource consumption rate limit value and the action data are stored with the portlet/servlet.
US08677367B2
An execution sequence decision device is capable of efficiently and appropriately determining the execution sequence of processing modules even in a case where those have a closed circuit in the input/output dependencies. A dependence evaluation sub-unit and an anti dependence evaluation sub-unit evaluate the dependence and anti dependence of each processing module in a processing module group. A priority evaluation sub-unit determines the priority of each processing module in the processing module group based on the dependence and anti dependence. An execution order allocation sub-unit allocates the top of execution sequence to one processing module that has the highest priority obtained by the priority evaluation sub-unit. An execution sequence allocation unit causes the respective sub-units to repeatedly execute the above-mentioned process every time the order of execution sequence of one processing module is determined, and then sequentially allocates the orders of execution sequence to the respective processing modules.
US08677364B2
In an apparatus for generating a series, a task discrimination unit identifies a task executed on a first device and tasks executed on a second device, on the basis of messages exchanged between those devices. A memory stores models defining caller-callee relationships between caller tasks on the first device and callee tasks on the second device. A series grouping unit produces a series of tasks from a callee-eligible sequence of tasks executed on the second device during a processing time of the identified task on the first device. The series grouping unit achieves this by selecting one of the models that defines the identified task on the first device as a caller task and extracting a portion of the callee-eligible sequence that matches at least in part with the callee tasks defined in the selected model while excluding therefrom the tasks that cannot be the callee tasks.
US08677361B2
Scheduling threads in a multi-threaded/multi-core processor having a given instruction window, and scheduling a predefined number N of threads among a set of M active threads in each context switch interval are provided. The actual power consumption of each running thread during a given context switch interval is determined, and a predefined priority level is associated with each thread among the active threads based on the actual power consumption determined for the threads. The power consumption expected for each active thread during the next context switch interval in the current instruction window (CIW_Power_Th) is predicted, and a set of threads to be scheduled among the active threads are selected from the priority level associated with each active thread and the power consumption predicted for each active thread in the current instruction window.
US08677360B2
Various embodiments provide techniques for managing threads based on a thread history. In at least some embodiments, a behavior associated with currently existing threads is observed and a thread-related action is performed. A result of the thread-related action with respect to the currently existing threads, resources associated with the currently existing threads (e.g., hardware and/or data resources), and/or other threads, is then observed. A thread history is recorded (e.g., as part of a thread history database) that includes the behavior associated with the currently existing threads, the thread related action that was performed, and the result of the thread-related action. The thread history can include information about multiple different thread behaviors and can be referenced to determine whether to perform thread-related actions in response to other observed thread behaviors.
US08677358B2
A client hypervisor comprises a virtual agent that runs outside of a system OS and that allows device management independent of the OS and user. The virtual agent is tied to a device and not a specific instance of the OS. Such client hypervisors expose new functionality to ease managing systems. Some of these capabilities come from the persistence and privileges outside the OS. In some embodiments of the invention, this new management functionality is exposed to allow device management via new virtualization concepts, such as multiple VMs per system, VM replacement, snapshot/rollback, etc.
US08677353B2
A shared server 40 includes an active virtual machine 41 where a sufficient amount of resources are allocated to an operation of an application system and a standby virtual machine 42 that starts with a minimum amount of resources. When it is predicted that a provisioning request is generated, a standby construction determining unit 22 previously executes provisioning on a standby virtual machine 42, and performs a start of an OS and an application or a setting change of a network apparatus. A provisioning determining unit 23 changes the resource allocation amounts of the active virtual machine 41 and the standby virtual machine 42, allocates a sufficient amount of resources to the standby virtual machine 42, registers the standby virtual machine 42 as a target of load balancing in a load balancer 11, and executes provisioning.
US08677351B2
One embodiment entails delivering a software payload to guest software in a virtual machine so that the software payload is part of a file system accessible by the guest software, wherein delivery avoids a data path involving a network stack of the virtual machine.
US08677345B2
A virtual application creating system comprises: a virtual environment library block including a plurality of modules that process native application program interfaces (APIs) of an operating system such that the native application APIs are suited to a virtual environment, finding a module capable of processing a specific native API from the plurality of modules when the specific native API is called and operating the found module; a virtual application installation block receiving position information of an application to be virtualized and information on an installation place where the application will be virtualized and installed from a user and inserting the virtual environment library block into a memory to install a virtual application in the installation place; and a virtual application execution block executing the virtual application installed in the installation place.
US08677336B2
The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for block count based procedure layout and splitting. Embodiments of the invention utilize code block counts to provide a total ordering of code blocks that improves execution time of generated procedure code by minimizing branches along more frequently executed paths. The total ordering is optimized using prioritized precedence relationships. For example, the total ordering is optimized to maximize the appropriate placement of code block chains after other code block chains. The total ordering is also optimized to place zero count (untouched) code blocks after any non-zero (touched) code blocks.
US08677331B2
A lock-clustering compiler is configured to compile program code for a software transactional memory system. The compiler determines that a group of data structures are accessed together within one or more atomic memory transactions defined in the program code. In response to determining that the group is accessed together, the compiler creates an executable version of the program code that includes clustering code, which is executable to associate the data structures of the group with the same software transactional memory lock. The lock is usable by the software transactional memory system to coordinate concurrent transactional access to the group of data structures by multiple concurrent threads.
US08677328B2
Provides methods and apparatus that can reduce the time required for processing, when generating a dynamic content using JSP or the like. An example device for generating a dynamic content creation program internally handles text by expressing the text in a predetermined general character encoding format. The device generates a dynamic content creation program, based on a predetermined file containing static text for constituting static part of a content; and prepares in advance content character encoding format-based character code information on the static text so that the program can utilize the information.
US08677325B2
An embodiment of the disclosure can compile source of an interactive application with debug options enabled. Execution activity of the interactive application can be enabled. A code path of a selected service of the interactive application can be executed in a debug environment using a user interface of the selected service to identify execution data associated with the selected service. Unresolved branch conditions in the execution data can be addressed for each code path of the selected service. A source extraction of the selected service can be performed.
US08677320B2
A software testing system and method provides full reuse of software tests and associated test data in a centralized shared repository, including enabling the full reuse of test assets including test actions, test scenarios, test data; and automation scripts. Reusable test components consisting of test steps and the type of test data needed by those test steps, are managed and maintained. These components are assembled into reusable components with no binding of test data until execution time, thereby treating the test data as a reusable asset. A reusable test is initially defined using only an indication of a type or category of data, and not bound to the actual data itself, until it is assembled into an executable immediately prior to automated or manual test execution.
US08677319B2
Computer method and apparatus manage requests to make changes to a given software system (e.g., application program or program portion). The invention method and apparatus form a change request object representing a user's request to make a change to the given software system. The invention method and apparatus form one or more hierarchies of objects and sub-objects to represent work to be performed and work performed in making the requested change. One embodiment creates a root issue object for each change request object and allows a user to partition an issue object into issue sub-objects. The embodiment (a) allows a user to create a task object to define the work needed to address an issue and allows a user to partition a task object into task sub-objects, and (b) allows a user to create an activity object to track work performed and allows a user to partition an activity object into activity sub-objects. Issue objects and issue sub-objects are relatable to task objects and task sub-objects. Task objects and task sub-objects are relatable to activity objects and activity sub-objects. State of an object is determined based on the status of each of its related objects and sub-objects.
US08677318B2
A computer implemented method, data processing system, computer usable program code, and active repository are provided for management of a software service. A request is received to deploy the software service in a computer network. A dependency analysis is performed for the requested software service to determine component software services and physical resources necessary to deploy and manage new software service as a composite in responsive to the software service being the new software service. An active object is created to manage the new software service using an active template based on the analysis. The new software service is deployed in the computer network using the active object. The new software service is managed using the active object.
US08677317B2
A deployment modeling platform enables a user to model application characteristics of target software and to associate application modeling parameters to the modeled application characteristics. A user may also model environment characteristics of a target deployment environment and to associate environment modeling parameters to the modeled deployment environment characteristics. Still further, a user may create a deployment model that associates and maps selected parameters of the modeled application characteristics of the target software to associated parameters of the modeled environment characteristics of the deployment environment, and to verify that each parameter that relates to a requirement is mapped to and is fulfilled by an associated parameter that relates to a corresponding capability to determine whether validation problems exist in order to deploy the target software in the associated deployment environment.
US08677316B2
Architectural design intent for software is represented in some type of concrete form. A set of computable rules are inferred from the representation of the architectural design intent. The rules are applied to the codebase at various points in the development process including but not limited to when source code is checked into a project or when a build is run, or when a test run is performed. If the codebase being developed is not consistent with the architectural intent of the designer as captured, feedback concerning non-compliance is provided.
US08677312B1
A computer implemented method of generating a compiler description from an architecture description. Information is automatically extracted from an architecture description that is usable in a description of an architecture described by the architecture description. The extracted information is imported into a program comprising a graphical user interface that accepts user provided additional information that is usable in the compiler description. User provided additional information is accessed that is usable in the compiler description. A compiler description is automatically generated for the architecture described by the architecture description, based on the automatically extracted information and the accessed user provided additional information.
US08677310B2
The invention relates to a system and/or methodology for the abstraction and creation of templates for use in industrial automation. The system providing for the abstraction of one or more engineering specifications, and creation of design templates based at least in part on the abstracted design templates. Additionally, the invention provides a user interface for modification of the template creation process and/or templates.
US08677299B1
A method, system, and computer usable program product for latch clustering with proximity to local clock buffers (LCBs) where an algorithm is used to cluster a plurality of latches into a first plurality of groups in an integrated circuit. A number of groups in the first plurality of groups of clustered latches is determined. A plurality of LCBs are added where a number of added LCBs is the same as the number of groups in the first plurality of groups. A cluster radius for a subset of the first plurality of groups of clustered latches is determined, a group in the subset having a cluster radius that is a maximum cluster radius in the subset. The plurality of latches are reclustered into a second plurality of groups responsive to the maximum cluster radius exceeding a radius threshold, the second plurality of groups exceeding the first plurality of groups by one.
US08677298B1
A method of configuring an integrated circuit device with a user logic design includes analyzing the user logic design to identify critical and near-critical cyclic logic paths within the user logic design, applying timing optimizations to the critical and near-critical cyclic logic paths, and retiming logic paths other than the critical and near-critical cyclic logic paths.
US08677295B1
The circuit design process requires ways to reduce the power consumption of large integrated circuits and system-on-chip designs. This is typically done by introducing a process of clock gating thereby enabling or disabling flip-flops associated with specific functional blocks within the circuit. However, such changes in the circuit require synthesis and verification to ensure correctness of design and operation as sequential clock gating changes the state function dynamically. It is therefore necessary to define synthesis methods adapted to such dynamic changes in the design. According to an embodiment a sequential clock gating method uses an exclusive-OR technique to overcome the deficiencies of the prior art methods.
US08677283B2
A first set of entries in a list having multiple entries is displayed. Different ones of the multiple entries are displayed as the list is scrolled through in response to a first user gesture. Additionally, in response to the first user gesture when a second set of entries at an end of the list is being displayed, the second set of entries is displayed in a manner in which the second set of entries appear to react against (e.g., bounce or compress) against a barrier at the end of the list. Furthermore, in response to a second user gesture when the second set of entries is being displayed, the first set of entries at the beginning of the list is displayed.
US08677278B2
A method, apparatus, and data structure provide the ability to author and maintain assets in a computer system. Assets belonging to disconnected applicative fields are defined and represented in a hierarchical structure. The structure includes data (i.e., physical resources), nodes that act as a container for the data and other nodes, and constructs that establish a template that defines a contextual structural view for the data and nodes. The constructs are bound to the data and nodes and access is provided to the assets to a user using a computer and display.
US08677270B2
An apparatus and method provide a companion application via a companion application corresponding to a host window provided by a host application, the companion window providing information or metadata descriptive of data in the host window. The host application and companion applications may be separate applications such that the host application is unaware of the companion application. The companion application may hook into the host application (e.g., via an application programming interface) and may monitor host application activities and/or data. Based on identification of data or events in the host application, the companion application may obtain information characterizing or providing a context for data provided by the host application. The host window and companion window may be attached to each other, the host window providing host application data and the companion window providing data describing the host application data.
US08677269B2
Method, device, and computer product for displaying a single focus on a device. A piece of content is displayed in a first application on a display of the device. The piece of content is enlarged to create a single focus on the piece of content on the display. Parameters of the piece of content are passed to a second application. The piece of content is duplicated as an identical piece of content in the second application, and the identical piece of content is visually exactly positioned behind the piece of content on the display. The piece of content is seamlessly swapped with the identical piece of content of the second application, so that the identical piece of content is visually positioned to be viewable by the user. Tools of the second application are visually presented in an incremental transition until the tools are viewable and available to the user.
US08677248B2
Techniques are described for providing information about a current state that is modeled with multiple state attributes. In some situations, the providing includes receiving from first and second sources indications of an ability to supply values for, respectively, an indicated one of the state attributes and another of the state attributes. In such situations, the providing also includes, in response to receiving a request from a first client for a value of the indicated one attribute, determining that the first source is available to supply the value, obtaining the value from the first source, and supplying a value obtained from the first source to the first client.
US08677241B2
A method and system are disclosed for adapting the media contained in a multimedia messaging service (MMS) message, which may include a presentation, into a single media format such as an audio/video file or stream by creating a logical timeline from information found in the presentation, creating an adaptation pipeline from the logical timeline, and executing the adaptation pipeline.
US08677236B2
Word predictions in a message are selected or prioritized based on the recipient of the message and a previous location of use by a user. An input history is created based on messages sent to the recipient from the user at a particular location (e.g., global positioning system coordinates). As the user composes subsequent messages, a current location of the user is determined. Word predictions are performed based on a comparison of the current location to the previous locations, and based on the recipient(s). In further embodiments, location-aware spell-check functionality is provided for the messages.
US08677223B2
An apparatus and method for processing fast feedback payload data to generate symbols for transmission through a fast feedback channel in a wireless network are presented. The technique first encodes payload data using a tail biting convolutional code. The encoded bits are then de-multiplexed to five different data subblocks in a sequential fashion. Subblock interleaving is then used to interleave the data of the subblocks according to a predetermine scheme. A bit selector then selects interleaved subblock bit for output. The selected bits may then be modulated by a modulator using quadrature phase shift keying (QPSK). The resulting symbols may then be mapped to a predetermined fast feedback subcarriers within a feedback channel.
US08677201B2
Semiconductor integrated circuit and method of retrieving signal to semiconductor integrated circuit
A semiconductor integrated circuit is configured so that a transition scan test can be performed thereon. The semiconductor integrated circuit includes a plurality of logic circuit blocks having different operation frequencies; a clock supply unit for supplying a plurality of clock signals having frequencies corresponding to the operation frequencies of the logic circuit blocks from a clock supply source; a compression scan circuit including a plurality of scan chains formed of a plurality of flip-flop circuits, a pattern deployment circuit connected to the scan chains on an input side thereof, and a pattern compression circuit; and a clock control unit for controlling the clock supply unit to stop supplying the clock signals to specific ones of the flip-flop circuits of the scan chains when a capture operation is performed during a transition scan test.
US08677195B2
Disclosed is a data transmission method in a wireless network capable of improving transmission performance on a wireless network by transmitting data, on which ACK is piggybacked, using the ACK transmission opportunity having high priority. The data transmission method includes acquiring a wireless channel by a STA to transmit a first data to the AP, transmitting the first data by the STA acquired the wireless channel to the AP through the wireless channel, analyzing by the AP whether there are second data intended to any one of the plurality of STAs, and, if there are the second data to transmit, transmitting the second data, on which an ACK is piggybacked, to the intended STA from the AP using ACK transmission opportunity having higher priority than that of data transmission.
US08677190B2
Disclosed is a method and system for transmitting data on a data channel from a source to a destination. The data channel has a plurality of wavelength channels and a throughput. The system and method include a storage application for multicasting data on each of the plurality of wavelength channels, a storage protocol extension device using buffer credits to adjust the throughput during the multicasting, and an application optimization device for managing data channel latency to achieve asymmetric mirroring behavior at the same time as the multicasting.
US08677187B2
Core dump is performed over a network without relying on network device drivers. Instead of network device drivers, firmware of network devices that is typically used during boot is preserved in memory post-boot, and one or more application program interfaces of the firmware are invoked to perform the network core dump. For ease of implementation, a network bootstrap program that has standard application program interfaces for calling into the firmware of network devices may be invoked when performing core dump over the network.
US08677182B2
A computer system including a first processor, an error detecting circuit and a south bridge chip is provided. The first processor outputs a first catastrophic error signal. The error detecting circuit is coupled to the first processor to receive the first catastrophic error signal. When the first catastrophic error signal changes to a first level and is maintained for a period exceeding a first predetermined time, the error detecting circuit outputs an internal error reset signal. When the first catastrophic error signal changes to a first level and passes a second predetermined time, the error detecting circuit outputs a machine error reset signal. Here, the second predetermined time is greater than the first predetermined time. The south bridge chip is coupled to the error detecting circuit and reboots the computer system according the internal error reset signal or the machine error reset signal.
US08677181B2
A storage apparatus includes a drive unit device including multiple storage drives, a drive interface unit and a power supply unit, a storage controller including multiple processing units and a drive control interface unit, a recording part recording whether a relevant data input/output process was successful for each of multiple data paths, and a failure detection unit performing a process which, when one processing unit determines the data input/output process not being performed successfully, determines whether a result of the data input/output process performed by other processing units is recorded in the recording part within a predetermined period of time after an abnormality of the relevant data input/output process is recorded, and, when the first processing unit detecting the abnormality determines that the data input/output process abnormality is recorded, provides an instruction to stop the data input/output processes to the drive unit device in which the abnormality is detected.
US08677177B2
An apparatus and method for automatically recovering a hardware when the hardware is not accessible from the processing unit. The hardware is recovered via a path different from a path which the processing unit uses when the processing unit fails to access to the hardware via the path initially used.
US08677165B2
A computing system includes a controller to undergo a variably delayed wakeup transition. The controller is to transition a processing module from an idle state to an active state in response to successive assertions of a wakeup interrupt command. The system includes a variable delay module to vary delay lengths between assertion and execution of each of the successive wakeup interrupt commands during the wakeup transition to substantially cause power supply components to vibrate in a non-periodic manner.
US08677163B2
Embodiments of an invention related to context state management based on processor features are disclosed. In one embodiment, a processor includes instruction logic and state management logic. The instruction logic is to receive a state management instruction having a parameter to identify a subset of the features supported by the processor. The state management logic is to perform a state management operation specified by the state management instruction.
US08677159B2
A system and method for extending the USB VBUS power signal. A system for extending the USB VBUS power signal includes at least one PCA board. The system includes a USB host. The USB host outputs a new power signal compliant with USB VBUS power signal requirements. The VBUS signal may be connected to a voltage converter to change the voltage level to a desired enable signal for the voltage supply at the receiving end of the system. The VBUS signal may be connected to logic to change the polarity of the enable signal. The enable signal is routed across traces on the one or more PCA boards. A voltage supply is located on a PCA board and receives the enable signal. The enable signal causes the voltage supply to output a new power signal that is compliant with USB VBUS power signal requirements.
US08677155B2
The invention comprises an intrusion-detection system based on a switch 1 that provides more effective protection by means of an innovative arrangement of three intrusion-detection contacts 16-17-18 on an electronic circuit, connected to two different intrusion-detection electronic circuit and an intrusion-detection switch 1 with a special design that provides three different interconnections between said contacts in response to different intrusion attacks. The special arrangement of the contacts on the electronic board provides protection against different sophisticated attacks even without the participation of the intrusion-detection switch.
US08677150B2
A method, system, and apparatus for managing a plurality of cipher processor units. A cipher module may receive a cipher instruction indicating a cipher algorithm to be used. The cipher module may identify a cipher processing unit of the plurality of cipher processing units associated with the cipher algorithm. The cipher module may execute the cipher instruction using the cipher processing unit and the common register array. The cipher module may store a state of a common register array to be used by the cipher processing unit of the plurality of cipher processing units.
US08677145B2
A method and device include a power pin, a ground pin, and a communications pin. A communications module receives power from the power pin and utilizes an edge counting communication protocol over the communication pin.
US08677127B2
An electronic device includes a first connection interface and a second connection interface. The first connection interface is operable to exchange security information with another electronic device for use in encrypting data transmissions with the other electronic device. The first connection interface is inoperable to communicate payload data encrypted using the security information. The second connection interface is different than the first connection interface and operable to securely communicate payload data with the other electronic device over an unsecure medium in accordance with the security information exchanged via the first connection interface.
US08677126B2
A method and system for transmission of digital content via e-mail with point of use digital rights management is disclosed. The secured access rights to the digital content may be customized for individual recipients by the sender, and may evolve over time. The access rights are enforced according to a time-dependent scheme. A key server is used to arbitrate session keys for the encrypted content, eliminating the requirement to exchange public keys prior to transmission of the digital content. During the entire process of transmitting and receiving e-mail messages and documents, the exchange of cryptographic keys remains totally transparent to the users of the system. Additionally, electronic documents may be digitally signed with authentication of the signature.
US08677122B1
Method and apparatus for secure processing. The method includes detecting communication among secure and non-secure data entities, prohibiting execution of non-secure executable instructions on secure data entities unless the non-secure executable instructions are recorded in a permitted instruction record, and prohibiting execution of non-secure executable instructions if the non-secure executable instructions are recorded in a prohibited instruction record. The apparatus includes a processor, at least one non-secure data entity, and secure data entities including: a communication monitor adapted to detect communication among secure and non-secure data entities; a permitted instruction record; a first prohibitor adapted to prohibit execution of non-secure executable instructions on secure data entities unless the non-secure executable instructions are recorded in the permitted instruction record; a prohibited instruction record; and a second prohibitor adapted to prohibit execution of non-secure executable instructions if the non-secure executable instructions are recorded in the prohibited instruction record.
US08677120B2
System, computer program product, and method embodiments for communication between a kernel operational on a storage subsystem and a key manager (KM) through a hardware management console (HMC) to provide encryption support are provided. In one embodiment, an event request is initiated by the kernel to the KM to execute an event flow. Pursuant to a communication request by the kernel to the HMC, a socket of the HMC is opened along a communication path between the KM and the kernel according to an event flow type selected by the KM for the event flow. Pursuant to a data request by the kernel to the KM, data including a data payload is sent by the KM to the kernel, the data payload corresponding to the selected event flow type.
US08677116B1
Computer systems and methods are provided for authenticating a user seeking to conduct at least one interaction with a secured capability provided by a computer. The method includes receiving a first signal from the computer providing the secured capability. The first signal includes a reusable identifier corresponding to the secured capability. The method further includes receiving a second signal from an electronic device being used by the user. The second signal includes a copy of the reusable identifier and user verification information. The method further includes using a processor to evaluate, based at least on the first signal and the second signal, whether the user is authorized to conduct the at least one interaction with the secured capability. The method further includes, in response to an indication from the processor that the user is authorized to conduct the at least one interaction with the secured capability, transmitting a third signal including authorization information to at least one of the electronic device and the computer.
US08677114B2
Techniques are provided for enabling application steering/blocking in a secure network which includes a network entity, and a first tunnel endpoint coupled to the network entity over an encrypted tunnel. The first tunnel endpoint associates at least a first Security Parameter Index (SPI) to a first application identifier to generate first mapping information (MI), communicates the first MI to the network entity, and transmits an encrypted message to the network entity over the encrypted tunnel. The encrypted message includes an encrypted packet and an unencrypted header including the first SPI. The network entity determines the first SPI from the unencrypted header, determines the first application identifier based on the first SPI and the first MI, and identifies a first application associated with the first application identifier. The network entity can still perform application steering/blocking even though traffic passing through the tunnel is encrypted.
US08677113B2
A method and system for providing e-mail messages to a receiving e-mail application. The e-mail messages as sent from a sending e-mail application being secure and in opaque signed format. The opaque signed e-mail messages being converted to clear signed e-mail messages by decoding extracting message content and digital signatures. The clear signed e-mails being sent to a receiving e-mail application.
US08677107B2
Processing circuitry 4 has a plurality of exception states EL0-EL3 for handling exception events, the exception states including a base level exception state EL0 and at least one further level exception state EL1-EL3. Each exception state has a corresponding stack pointer indicating the location within the memory of a corresponding stack data store 35. When the processing circuitry is in the base level exception state EL0, stack pointer selection circuitry 40 selects the base level stack pointer as a current stack pointer indicating a current stack data store for use by the processing circuitry 4. When the processing circuitry 4 is a further exception state, the stack pointer selection circuitry 40 selects either the base level stack pointer or the further level stack pointer corresponding to the current further level exception state as a current stack pointer.
US08677101B2
A processor system executes multiple applet programs within a software application program in an information handling system. The information handling system includes operating system software that manages processor system hardware and software in a multi-tasking environment. In particular, the operating system software manages partitioning of a register file in the processor system to achieve a cooperative relationship among multiple applet programs within respective partitions of the register file. In one embodiment, the operating system software manages unique applet ID's to modify register file partition sizes and locations during applet program instruction text execution. In one embodiment, applet ID masking hardware provides sharing of register file space among multiple copies of applet program code.
US08677100B2
An integrated circuit memory device has a memory array and control logic with at least a first addressing mode in which the instruction includes a first instruction code and an address of a first length; and a second addressing mode in which the instruction includes the first instruction code and an address of a second length. The first length of the address is different from the second length of the address.
US08677095B2
An apparatus and method to allocate memory in a storage system. Firmware running the method uses an iterative approach to find the best optimal memory configuration for a particular storage system given a variety of configuration data parameters stored as persistent data in non-volatile flash memory. The configuration data relates to resources in the environment that the storage system is found in, such as the number of virtual ports, targets and initiators supported by a storage system IOC. The configuration data is alterable, to allow flexibility in updating and changing parameters, and is employed at runtime when the storage system powers on, to enable the most flexible resource allocation. In a preferred method of determining the most optimal memory configuration for a given set of parameters corresponding to a given set of resources, an iterative method is employed to decrement parameter values from their maximum values, taking into account the minimums, and then testing the configuration by performing a memory allocation. If the allocation fails, because for example the wrong type memory or size of memory for any of the resources found, then the firmware resets the memory areas back to predetermined Start of Day (SOD) parameter values, decrements the values until a successful configuration of memory is found for the given set of parameters, and tries again, or until the firmware is caused to fault, whichever comes first.
US08677092B2
A computing device and method for managing security of a memory or storage device without the need for administer privileges. To access the secure memory, a host provides a data block containing a control command and authentication data to the memory device. The memory device includes a controller for controlling access to a secure memory in the memory device. The memory device identifies the control command in the data block, authenticates the control command based on the authentication data, and executes the control command to allow the host device to access the secure memory.
US08677088B1
A computer-implemented method for recovering primary sites after failovers to remote secondary sites may include: 1) identifying a primary system configured to replicate data to both a local bunker system and a remote secondary system, 2) failing the primary system over to the remote secondary system, 3) replicating, to the local bunker system, data changes made on the remote secondary system, and then 4) updating the primary system with the data changes stored on the local bunker system. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US08677082B2
A data mask system includes a processor providing control signals including a command signal, an address signal, and a data signal, a data mask processor receiving the control signals and providing either write data or masked data in response to the control signals, and generating data mask information and a data mask selection signal from at least one of the control signals, and a data mask register unit receiving the data mask selection signal, storing the data mask information, selecting a subset of the stored data mask information in response to the data mask selection signal, and returning selected data mask information to the data mask processor. The data mask processor receives the selected data mask information from the data mask register unit and provides the masked data as a result of performing a data mask operation on the data signal according to the selected data mask information.
US08677079B2
An apparatus and method are provided for selecting a specific position from a plurality of positions in a memory to which data elements are cyclically written. A specific data element is stored in the plurality of positions. The apparatus comprises a determination unit for determining whether the plurality of positions include any position in a specific area of the memory to which data elements are written in a current cycle. The apparatus further comprises a selection unit for selecting at least one position in the specific area out of the plurality of positions as the specific position if the determination unit determines that the plurality of positions include any position in the specific area, and for selecting at least one position out of the plurality of positions as the specific position if the determination unit determines that the plurality of positions do not include any position in the specific area.
US08677078B1
A device for managing multiple instructions to access multiple wide registers may include logic to receive the multiple instructions to access one of the multiple wide registers, associate each received instruction with a corresponding one of multiple buffer memories, and allow simultaneous processing of the multiple instructions associated with each of the multiple buffer memories, where the multiple instructions are processed such that data is transferred between the multiple buffer memories and the multiple wide registers in one operation.
US08677075B2
Described embodiments provide a network processor having a plurality of processing modules coupled to a system cache and a shared memory. A memory manager allocates blocks of the shared memory to a requesting one of the processing modules. The allocated blocks store data corresponding to packets received by the network processor. The memory manager maintains a reference count for each allocated memory block indicating a number of processing modules accessing the block. One of the processing modules reads the data stored in the allocated memory blocks, stores the read data to corresponding entries of the system cache and operates on the data stored in the system cache. Upon completion of operation on the data, the processing module requests to decrement the reference count of each memory block. Based on the reference count, the memory manager invalidates the entries of the system cache and deallocates the memory blocks.
US08677064B2
Embodiments of the invention provide a method associated with a RAID configuration, wherein RAID storage volumes are created by RAID controllers from a shared pool of disk drives. A specified RAID volume is mapped to a virtual target port, and is accessed by each of one or more servers via the virtual target address. One embodiment of the invention is directed to a method associated with multiple RAID controllers, and a pool of disk drives that comprises multiple storage disks. The method comprises operating one or more of the RAID controllers to each configure one or more RAID volumes from selected storage disks. A unique identifier is assigned to each of the RAID volumes, wherein a specified RAID volume is assigned a specified unique identifier, and a particular RAID controller is provided with ownership of the specified RAID volume at a particular time. The method further comprises using the specified unique identifier in an address to route an I/O message at the particular time between a selected host and the specified RAID volume, wherein the unique identifier includes no information that identifies the particular RAID controller.
US08677063B2
This disclosure relates to parity declustered storage device arrays having partition groups. In an exemplary embodiment, the storage system includes a storage device array, such as disk array. Each storage device is divided into partitions. Each partition includes stripe units, such as hundreds or thousands of stripe units in exemplary embodiments. The storage system also includes a physical array controller coupled to the storage device array. In an exemplary embodiment, the array controller includes a partition group lookup table and stores and retrieves data and parity in the storage devices based on the partition group lookup table. In this exemplary embodiment, the array controller also includes a stripe lookup table and/or a log. In an exemplary embodiment, the partition group lookup table and the stripe lookup table take up less memory (e.g., by an order of magnitude) than a single-level stripe map conveying the same information.
US08677055B2
Approaches for performing a write operation on a solid state device (SSD). One or more containers are maintained on the solid state device. Each container is a logical grouping of objects independent from where the logical grouping of objects are physically stored on the solid state device. When a write operation is received at the SSD, the manner is which changes requested by the write operation should be stored are determined based on which container is being written. Containers provide a flexible approach for specifying attributes of how data should be stored and accessed which is independent from where the data is physically stored. Containers also have particular utility in performing load balancing and ensuring high availability and recovery.
US08677048B2
One or more techniques and/or systems are disclosed for enabling communication between a SAS communication port of a SAS communication component and multiple storage devices. In a first example, a first SAS to SATA bridge chip and a second SAS to SATA bridge chip may be configured to route data from a SAS communication component to multiple storage devices. In a second example, a SAS to SATA bridge chip and a port multiplier may be configured to route data from a SAS communication component to multiple storage devices. In a third example, a four port SAS to SATA bridge comprising two SAS ports and two SATA ports may be configured to route data from a SAS communication component to multiple storage devices. Supporting two or more storage devices with a single SAS communication port allows storage enclosures to increase storage capacity, while decreasing cost per slot.
US08677044B1
Method and system for sending data from a memory of a computing system interfacing with a device is provided. An input/output control block (IOCB) from the computing system for transferring the data from the memory of the computing system is received by the device. The device then allocates a plurality of DMA channels to the IOCB for transferring the data from the memory of the computing system when a number of pending input/output (I/O) requests when the IOCB is received is less than a number of available direct memory access (DMA) channels to receive the data from the memory of the computing system.
US08677038B2
A handheld electronic device includes a reduced QWERTY keyboard and is enabled with disambiguation software that is operable to disambiguate text input. In addition to identifying and outputting representations of language objects that are stored in the memory and that correspond with a text input, the device is able to employ contextual data in certain circumstances to prioritize output and to learn new contextual data.
US08677035B2
Aspects of the subject technology relate to a data storage system controller including a host interface configured to be coupled to a host device, to receive data from the host device, and to send data to the host device. In certain aspects, the data storage system includes a primary compression engine configured to compress data received from the host device via the host interface, and a secondary compression engine configured to decompress and compress data associated with operations internal to the data storage system. In some implementations, the data storage systems can further include a processor configured to transfer data between the host interface and the primary compression engine, between the primary compression engine and a non-volatile storage medium, between a memory and the secondary compression engine, and between the secondary compression engine and the memory. A data storage system is also provided.
US08677029B2
As part of a communication session, a wireless source device can transmit audio and video data to a wireless sink device, and the wireless sink device can transmit user inputs received at the wireless sink device back to the wireless source device. In this manner, a user of the wireless sink device can control the wireless source device and control the content that is being transmitted from the wireless source device to the wireless sink device. As part of establishing the communication session, the wireless sink device and the wireless source device may perform capability negotiation.
US08677023B2
Methods and apparatus are provided for virtualizing port adapter resources such as network interface cards (NICs) used to connect servers to packet based networks. Resources are offloaded from individual servers onto a resource virtualization switch. Servers connected to the resource virtualization switch using an I/O bus connection share access to NICs. Redundancy can be provided using multipathing mechanisms implemented at individual servers or high availability mechanisms implemented at the resource virtualization switch. Switchover can occur between ports on the same port adapter, between ports on separate adapters, or between ports on separate resource virtualization switches.
US08677014B2
Fine granularity exchange level load balancing may be performed in a device in a storage area network in order to ensure that processors in a multi-core environment are not overloaded. This may be accomplished by assigning input/outputs relating to a particular exchange to a specific processor, and maintaining that association so that subsequent related input/outputs are handled by the same processor. In this process, the system may first determine if a received IO is new. If so, then it may assign the IO to a particular data path processor and create a context corresponding to the IO and the processor, as well as to the type of the non-command frame. Subsequently, an event may be received corresponding to the IO, which may then be forwarded to the processor assigned to the IO.
US08677001B2
A data processing apparatus edits an actual data portion excluding a header from data transmitted by streaming transmission from a first information processing apparatus after start of streaming transmission. The data processing apparatus transmits edited actual data portion and header to a second information processing apparatus by streaming transmission. The second information processing apparatus reproduces the voice data or the animation data transmitted by streaming transmission. The actual data portion is edited so that the voice data or the animation data to be transmitted may be reproducible in the second information processing apparatus, and so that a program may become unexecutable even if it would be transmitted to the second information processing apparatus. Even if the voice data or the animation data transmitted from the first information processing apparatus by streaming transmission would be deteriorated, an executable virus program does not transmitted to the second information processing apparatus, thereby that makes it possible to realize the streaming transmission method which can realize simple and high security.
US08676999B2
An apparatus comprising a client node configured to communicate with a server node and a plurality of mobile nodes, wherein the client node is configured to obtain Prefix Authorization (PA) for the mobile node from the server node using a Remote Authentication Dial In User Service (RADIUS) protocol. Also disclosed is a network component comprising at least one processor configured to implement a method comprising sending an Access-Request message to an Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting (AAA) PA server using a RADIUS protocol, receiving an Access-Accept message from the AAA PA server using the RADIUS protocol if the Access-Request message is accepted by the AAA PA server, and receiving an Access-Reject message from the AAA PA server using the RADIUS protocol if the Access-Request message is not accepted by the AAA PA server.
US08676998B2
A client-server communication protocol permits the server to authenticate the client without requiring the client to authenticate the server. After establishing the half-authenticated connection, the client transmits a request and the server performs or responds accordingly. A network management system and environment where this protocol can be used is also described and claimed.
US08676985B2
A system context aware resource management, method of managing shared resources and services and a computer program product therefor. Client devices, e.g., handheld or mobile devices, request resources from provider computers, e.g., in a cloud environment. The provider computers provide cloud-based personal assistants. Resource requests from client devices may be context related that may be provided in response to a selected context. A resource management system schedules resource processing for requesting mobile client devices, initially, and responds to device context changes by selectively adjusting shared resource job priorities, e.g., creating a new job, pausing or restarting/resuming a respective job.
US08676981B2
A method for providing a virtual cloud service at the lowest actual cost can begin with an optimal transaction handler of a federated virtual service cloud maintaining a virtual resource pool of transactional units. Each transactional unit can represent a service application deployed to a cloud service provided by a cloud service provider having a usage-based service cost model that allows transactional units to be placed in an inactive state to suspend its operating expense. Operational metrics data for the cloud service providers can be continuously captured. In response to a service request, the transactional unit that meets fulfillment requirements of the service request and incurs a lowest actual cost can be determined based upon cost factors derived from the operational metrics data, the usage-based service cost model, and a current usage state of the virtual resource pool. The received service request can be routed to the determined transactional unit.
US08676974B2
Embodiment of the present invention include a method, system and computer program product for a data processing system for QoS based planning in a Web services aggregation. The system can include Web service aggregation and coordination logic configured to identify accessible Web services in a registry and to arrange an aggregation of the Web services for invocation responsive to requests received from communicatively coupled clients over a computer communications network. The system further can include QoS planning logic coupled to the Web service aggregation and coordination logic. The QoS planning logic can be enabled to measure both the individual performance of the Web services in an aggregation of Web services and also the cumulative performance of the aggregation of Web services. Finally, the QoS planning logic can be enabled to modify the aggregation of Web services responsive to measuring both of the individual performance of Web services in the aggregation of Web services and also of the cumulative performance of the aggregation of Web services.
US08676966B2
A computer-implemented method, system, and computer program product for detecting and monitoring server side state during the scanning of a web application. The method includes: monitoring executed code of the web application while scanning the web application; retrieving code coverage information from the monitoring of the executed code and retrieving scanning information from the scanning of the web application; correlating the code coverage information with the scanning information; and determining a change in the server side state based on the correlation. The system includes one or more devices that executes the steps of the method. The computer program products includes computer program instructions stored on a computer readable storage medium, where the instructions, when executed, will cause a computer to perform the steps of the methods.
US08676963B1
Determining an attribute of a target computer is disclosed. A first ICMP query is set to a first state. A second ICMP query is set to a second state. The first and second ICMP queries are sent to the target computer. Responses associated with the first and second ICMP queries that are received from the target computer are combined. An attribute of the target computer is determined based on the combination of the responses.
US08676961B2
An improved system and method for web destination profiling for online population-targeted advertising is provided. A web destination profiler may be provided for generating web destination profiles. Traffic may be analyzed at a particular web destination in order to understand the population visiting the web destination. The analysis of user traffic, including differentiated clickstream data, may be applied for determining known characteristics of a web destination profile. Moreover, unknown characteristics of a web destination profile may be determined using a variety of techniques including inferring characteristics by modeling traffic flow through other web destinations, estimating characteristics from other web destination profiles by predicting traffic flow through other web destinations, propagating characteristics to a web destination profile by smoothing a joint distribution of characteristics of other web destination profiles, and so forth. Web destination profiles may be used by applications such as an online application for population-targeted advertising.
US08676956B1
A system and method are provided for monitoring utilization of network resources in a photonic network. A monitoring threshold is set for monitoring utilization of network components of interest. A resource utilization data processor obtains resource utilization data indicating utilization of the network resources. A threshold crossing determination unit determines if threshold crossing has occurred based on the utilization data and the monitoring threshold. A user interface indicates the utilization of the network components in accordance with the determination of the threshold crossing.
US08676949B2
Methods for controlling a virtualized computer service remotely through a client includes receiving a connection request from the client for controlling the virtual service available at a virtual machine. The request includes a plurality of connection parameters that describe the connection requirements of the client and is received at a virtual machine that is equipped with an image processor algorithm. The connection parameters are interrogated using the image processor algorithm to identify a specific virtual machine that provides the requested virtualized computer service. A framebuffer data for the identified virtual machine located in virtual memory is accessed and read directly through a hypervisor. The framebuffer data is processed into a plurality of image data packets using the image processor algorithm and transmitted to the client for presenting on a display device associated with the client. The image data packet grammar is tailored to the client and represents an image of the virtual machine display for the specific virtual machine.
US08676944B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide network models, methods, systems, and computer program products for managing a service. For example, in some embodiments, a network model for managing a service includes an end service domain that associates the service with an end service provider. The end service domain includes a plurality of wholesale service domains that each includes one or more networks that provide traffic transport for the end service domain. One or more gateways are used to couple one of the wholesale service domains to another one of the wholesale service domains, and to perform protocol translation on traffic passing between the coupled wholesale service domains. In addition, one or more gateways are configured to couple a user to the end service domain, and are further configured to communicate with the user by a protocol associated with the service. A process domain provides an abstract representation of applications provided by the end service domain.
US08676930B2
A system and method are disclosed for enhancing the throughput of signals from a security system receiver to an associated automation server. Multiple parallel Ethernet connections or ports are provided between the receiver and server to enable multiple signals to be transmitted between the two when such signals are received from a client's security system panel. The system and method may access the ports in a variety of orders to provide efficient transmittal of signals from the receiver to the server. In one embodiment, received event signals may be routed though the ports in numeric sequence, forward or reverse. In another embodiment, received event signals may be routed preferentially to the first port, if it is not busy. If the first port is busy then the signal may be routed to the second port, and so on. In a further embodiment, received event signals from specific client panels may be directed through predetermined ports, and a predetermined automation server at the central monitoring facility.
US08676926B2
Examples of systems and methods are provided for handling remote drawing commands. A system may comprise a buffer module configured to receive, at the system from a remote server system over a remote access connection between the system and the remote server system during a remote connection session, remote drawing commands, according to a drawing command rate, of a remote application running on the remote server system. The buffer module may be configured to store the remote drawing commands. The system may comprise a timer module configured to facilitate sending at least some of the remote drawing commands in the buffer module to a graphics module according to a refresh rate that is less than the drawing command rate. The timer module may be application agnostic.
US08676922B1
The proxy settings for a browser are modified to route public Internet traffic through a local client assistant, while keeping previous proxy policies intact. The process compares the previous proxy results for a known, public Internet address to the previous proxy results for the desired Internet address. If the two proxy results are equivalent, then the request is directed to the local client assistant, otherwise the request is directed according to the previous proxy results. If the testing of the public Internet address had resulted in the use of a proxy, then the local client assistant will route its requests to the proxy so indicated.
US08676921B1
A method, network server, communication device and system of preparing a pictorial representation of information. The system comprises a server for providing information and generating the pictorial representation, a wireless network for communicating said server over the air waves, and wireless terminals of said wireless network for receiving the information and making mark-ups or indications to the information from which the pictorial representation is created.
US08676920B2
A method and system for cooperatively caching digital content in a vehicle for sharing with other vehicles in a vehicle-to-vehicle network. A content utility value is assigned to each piece of digital content available on the network, where the utility value is a function of the popularity of the content, the freshness of the content, and the size of the content. Any piece of content with a sufficiently high content utility value is stored in a host vehicle's collective cache, so that other vehicles may be able to retrieve it quickly on demand. The host vehicle may cache a particular piece of digital content even if the host vehicle is not interested in it. The host vehicle periodically re-computes the content utility value for all digital content in the vehicle's cache to determine if any of the data should be evicted from the cache.
US08676918B2
A system and method for the management of client computing device DNS queries and subsequent resource requests within a content delivery network service provider domain are provided. The management of the DNS queries can include the selection of computing devices corresponding to various Point of Presence locations for processing DNS queries. Additionally, the management of the content requests can include the selection of computing devices corresponding to resource cache components corresponding to various Point of Presence locations for providing requested content. The selection of the computing devices can incorporate logic related to geographic criteria, performance threshold criteria, testing criteria, and the like.
US08676915B2
Apparatus and method for controlling peripheral in wireless communication system using an IP address
An apparatus and method control a connection between peripheral devices in a control server of a wireless communication system providing an IP-based communication service. The method for controlling the connection between peripheral devices includes registering at least one device in a group list classified by user identification information. The method also includes, if a control node including a user identifier of the group list requests a control of any one device included in the group list, checking an IP address of the device that is requested to be controlled by the control node. The method further includes sending a control command of the control node using the IP address.
US08676911B1
Systems, methods, and computer-readable media that may be used to present messages posted on messaging networks to a user in a time-shifted manner are provided. One method includes transmitting a request to a server to provide messages posted by users of one or more messaging services. Each of the messages has a timestamp associated therewith that falls within a time range associated with the request. The timestamp is based on a time at which the message was originally posted. The method further includes receiving the messages from the server. The method further includes correlating, for each of the messages, the time at which the message was originally posted with a time in the time range associated with the request. The times are correlated based on the timestamp of the respective message. The method further includes transmitting, to one or more display devices, display data representing the messages. Display of each of the messages is shifted based on the correlation such that the messages are displayed in substantially the same manner as if the messages had been viewed live during the time range associated with the request when they were posted.
US08676906B2
In general, this disclosure relates to techniques for management of email access for a wireless communication device (WCD). The techniques may utilize an email access manager that selects a synchronization mode to synchronize with a remote email server and selects a transfer mode to transfer email messages with the remote email server based on context data regarding the WCD. The context data of the WCD may include one or more of quality of service (QoS) of network connections with the remote email server, battery status of the WCD, and user settings for the WCD. The email access manager monitors the context data from one or more managers, applications, and/or memory within the WCD. The techniques described herein enable an email application on a WCD to dynamically alter synchronization and transfer of email messages with a remote email server as appropriate given the context of the WCD.
US08676905B2
A method for processing a DCD content in a DCD (Dynamic Content Delivery). When a DCD content is delivered between a server and a terminal in a DCD service system, a client of the terminal delivers the DCD content to a DECA (DCD Enabled Client Application) of the terminal. If the DECA cannot play (execute) the content, the DECA sends to the client an error notification message and a generated status value (information about device capabilities of the terminal), and the client sends the error notification message and the status value to the server. Accordingly, if an error informing that the content received from the server cannot be played has occurred, the error is processed between the terminal and the server from the point of the terminal.
US08676899B2
An instant message (IM) connection is established at an IM server in the usual manner, under the policies and security rules promulgated by the IM service provider. Using this connection to the IM server, an offline IM chat request is made at the IM server for establishing an offline connection directly between consenting IM clients. The request may be included in a message to the IM server from a client, or the request may be in the form of IM session parameter, for the client, that authorizes an offline chat as the preferred type of IM session under certain conditions, such as the IM server being unavailable, IM server loading level or other factors that are under the control of the server. The conditions may also specify the presence of other IM clients as a criterion for establishing an offline chat, whether present in an online chat session or merely available.
US08676897B1
A method and apparatus for collaborative chatting on a plurality of hand held computer systems are disclosed. A Bluetooth communication may be established among several hand held computer systems. A participants list may be cached from previous sessions, eliminating a typical step of discovery. Collaborative chatting software may be automatically initiated on the hand held systems in the group. Information entered by any member of the group may be displayed in substantially real time on all hand held computer systems. Information may be color coded to identify its source. In this novel manner, collaborative chatting on a plurality of hand held computer systems may occur, resulting in richer, more efficient and more secure communication between group members.
US08676895B1
A method, computer-readable medium and system for interacting using content are disclosed. A web response may be executed on a first computer system and/or another computer system associated with the first computer system responsive to the initiation of a call over a voice channel between the first computer system and a second computer system. The web response may include automatically downloading content over a data channel so that it can be automatically presented at the first computer system and/or another computer system associated with the first computer system. The content may include video, audio, information from a social networking website, a blog, other content, some combination thereof, etc. In this manner, more and/or different types of content can be used to communicate with callers by causing content to be presented in conjunction with communication over a voice channel.
US08676892B2
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for transmitting a content data set to a computing device for displaying content to a non-author user, receiving user input from the non-author user, the user input corresponding to the content, and, in response to receiving the user input, transmitting first data and second data to the computing device for display to the non-author user, the first data comprising a number of contacts associated with an author user, the author user having authored the content, the second data being a sub-set of the first data and comprising a number of contacts associated with the non-author user.
US08676891B2
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for transmitting a content data set to a computing device for displaying digital content to an author user, the author user having authored the digital content, receiving user input from the author user, the user input corresponding to the digital content, and, in response to receiving the user input, transmitting first data and second data to the computing device for display to the author user, the first data comprising a number of contacts that are able to access the digital content and the second data indicating one or more relationships between the author user and the contacts.
US08676889B2
A connection device according to an aspect of the present invention is a server (104) which establishes a connection among a terminal (101), a terminal (102), and a terminal (103) for a multipoint conference in which media data is directly transmitted and received among the terminals (101 to 103), the connection device includes a caller information obtaining unit (202) and a callee information obtaining unit (203) which obtains media information of the terminals, a holding unit (204) which transmits, to the terminal (101), a first message for preventing the terminal (101) from starting a transmission of the media data to the terminal (102) and the terminal (103), when the media information of the terminal (102) and the terminal (103) is not obtained, and a communication starting unit (205) which transmits a second message (i) including the media information of the terminal (102) and (ii) for causing the terminal (101) to start transmitting the media data to the terminal (102), when the media information of the terminal (102) is obtained after the first message is transmitted.
US08676885B2
The invention is directed to a method of transmitting a file having an advertising portion and a requested portion different from the advertising portion. The method includes receiving a request to transmit the file, via a streaming protocol allowing non-sequential access, transmitting the advertising portion of the file, receiving a request to transmit a portion of the requested portion of the file prior to completing transmitting the advertising portion of the file, completing the transmission of the advertising portion of the file, and transmitting the requested portion of the file.
US08676881B2
A location update method, and a heterogeneous network communications system and a device are provided herein. The method includes: an information server receives a location update request message from a multimode terminal; the information server searches the pre-stored location area mapping information for the location area information of the second interface; and the information server sends the location update request message of the second interface to a second Paging Coordinator (PC) corresponding to the second interface, where the request message carries the found location area information of the second interface so that the second PC can update existing location area information of the second interface. The system includes an information server, a first PC and a second PC. Therefore, the interfaces of the multimode terminal do not need to initiate location update frequently, message interactions between the terminal and the network are reduced, and not all interfaces of the multimode terminal need to report location area information, thus saving power.
US08676880B2
A server apparatus includes, a transceiver unit to transmit to a communication apparatus a web page having link information to each of a plurality of contents, to transmit to the communication apparatus a content requested by the communication apparatus among the plurality of contents, and to transmit to the communication apparatus navigation information that includes link information to any of the plurality of contents; a storage unit to store identification information for identifying each of the plurality of contents and reference information indicating whether each content corresponding to the identification information is transmitted to the communication apparatus; and a generation unit to generate, on the basis of the reference information, the navigation information which does not include the link information corresponding to the content requested by the communication apparatus from among the plurality of contents.
US08676873B2
A circuit is provided with a plurality current cells. The current cells each comprise a main current source and an auxiliary current source coupled in parallel. The main current source supplies a main current to a current output of the current cell, and the auxiliary current source supplies an auxiliary current to the current output of the current cell. The main current sources are weighted according to a first predefined waveform, and the auxiliary current sources are weighted according to a second predefined waveform which is different from the first predefined waveform.
US08676867B2
A new file system is mounted to a mount point of an existing file system implemented in a computational system. A sentinel indicator is stored in the mount point. Prior to initiating an input/output (I/O) operation by a program, a determination is made by the program as to whether the sentinel indicator exists. In response to determining by the program that the sentinel indicator exists, the I/O operation is performed by the program. In certain alternative embodiments, in response to determining by the program that the sentinel indicator exists, the I/O operation is not performed by the program.
US08676866B2
Methods, systems, and computer-readable storage media for receiving a plurality of source hierarchical schemas, processing the source hierarchical schemas to generate a merged graph, which is comprising a plurality of merged nodes, each merged node being provided based on one or more nodes from at least two of the source hierarchical schemas, determining and resolving using conflicts in the merged graph to generate a conflict-free merged graph, wherein resolving comprises splitting one or more merged nodes into respective sub-sets of merged nodes, defining and processing a constraints satisfaction problem (CSP) to generate a plurality of mediated hierarchical schemas (MHSs), each MHS being a solution to the CSP, identifying an MHS of the plurality of MHSs as an optimum MHS, wherein a canonical hierarchical schema (CHS) is provided as the optimum MHS, and storing the CHS as a computer-readable document in a computer-readable memory.
US08676865B2
A query processing method intersects two or more unsorted lists based on a conjunction of predicates. Each list comprises a union of multiple sorted segments. The method performs lazy segment merging and an adaptive n-ary intersecting process. The lazy segment merging comprises starting with each list being a union of completely unmerged segments, such that lookups into a given list involve separate lookups into each segment of the given list. The method intersects the lists according to the predicates while performing the lazy segment merging, such that the lazy segment merging reads in only those portions of each segment that are needed for the intersecting. As the intersecting proceeds and the lookups are performed, the intersecting selectively merges the segments together, based on a cost-benefit analysis of the cost of merging compared to the benefit produced by reducing a number of lookups.
US08676860B2
A method includes querying a discovery registry associated with a data abstraction model of a database to discover one or more web services that are resolvable based on a particular logical field selected via a database query interface. The data abstraction model includes a plurality of logical fields that each correspond to a particular data structure of the database. A web service input of a discovered web service is associated with a first logical field of the data abstraction model via the discovery registry, and a web service output of the discovered web service is associated with a second logical field of the data abstraction model via the discovery registry. A modified database query interface includes a text entry element to receive a text search term and a first selectable input associated with the first discovered web service.
US08676850B2
A reference counter corresponding to a base chunk of a plurality of chunks of a deduplicated data object is maintained, where the reference counter is incremented in response to an insertion of any chunk that references the base chunk, and where the reference counter is decremented, in response to a deletion of any chunk that references the base chunk. A queue is defined for processing dereferenced chunks of the plurality of chunks. The dereferenced chunks in the queue are processed in a predefined order, to free storage space.
US08676840B2
A network's evolution is characterized by graph evolution rules. A graph, formed by merging multiple graphs representing the multiple snapshots of the network, that represents an evolutionary network is mined to identify evolutional patterns of the network. A pattern is selected from the identified patterns. Graph evolution rules are generated using identified evolutional patterns. The generated graph evolution rules represent the evolutional patterns of the network, the rules indicating that any occurrence of a child pattern of the selected pattern implies a corresponding occurrence of the selected pattern.
US08676838B2
Disclosed is a system for, and method of, determining whether records and entity representations should be linked. The system and method include assigning to each pair of entity references a match value reflecting the likelihood that the entity references are related. Based on the match values, each entity reference may then associated with a preferred entity reference. Pairs of entity references that are mutually preferred may then be identified and linked. The process may be iterated to generate further links.
US08676837B2
A system customizes a news document associated with a user of a news aggregation service. The system includes multiple news source servers that store news content and a remote news aggregation server. The news aggregation server creates a customized news document based on one or more personalized search queries received from a user. The news aggregation server fetches the news content from the multiple news source servers, aggregates the news content, and searches the aggregated news content based on the one or more personalized search queries. The news aggregation server provides selected news content to the customized news document based on results of the search.
US08676835B2
The invention described herein is generally directed to a method and apparatus for creating and retrieving audio data. In one implementation the invention comprises an annotation system configured to record, store, and retrieve media. The annotation system contains a set of client-processing devices configured to capture media for subsequent playback. Each client-processing device typically contains a record button to initiate the capture and is configured upon performing the capture operation to trigger an association of a unique ID with the media. The client-processing devices are further configured to upload the media and a unique ID to a server for purposes of storage. The server obtains the media and unique ID for subsequent retrieval and provides the media and the unique ID to at least one client-processing device from the set of client processing devices.
US08676829B2
There is provided an ecommerce method and system to generate a data dictionary for searching data items stored in a database. In one embodiment, the system comprises a candidate list generator module to generate a list of keywords from search query information and generate a set of token pairs including a keyword from the list of keywords and a token, the token being a synonym of the keyword. Demand information retrieved from query logs maintained for user-provided query entries is used to apply candidate selection rules to token pairs. The system also comprises a validation module and a data dictionary module to receive validated token pairs as entries in a vocabulary.
US08676824B2
A first search query is received from a user, the first search query having one or more characters, and a search result is determined based on the first search query. Based on the search result, the first search query is determined to have an incorrect input mapping. A first keyboard layout is identified for the first search query, and a second keyboard layout is identified. A corrected search query is generated from the first search query by mapping characters from the first keyboard layout to characters in the second keyboard layout. A corrected search result is determined based on the corrected search query, and the corrected search result is presented to the user.
US08676815B2
The subject innovation provides for systems and methods to facilitate weighted suffix tree clustering. Conventional suffix tree cluster models can be augmented by incorporating quality measures to facilitate improved performance. Further the quality measure can be employed in determining cluster labels that show improvements in accuracy over conventional means. Additionally “stopnodes” can be defined to facilitate traversing suffix tree models efficiently. Quality measurements can be determined based in part on weighting factors applied to terms in a vector model, said terms being mapped from a suffix tree model.
US08676809B1
Embodiments of the present invention include a method and apparatus for performing incremental mapping of virtual machine incremental images. The method and apparatus comprise creating a map of the base file as well as the incremental file, utilizing at least a portion of the file tables contained in the various images. This map indicates the type of change (i.e., whether the file is contained completely in an incremental image, is contained in the base image, or is contained in both). In another embodiment, the map may also contain the location of the change or the location of the file within the sequentially stored images upon the backup media.
US08676808B2
Methods and systems for facilitating distribution of application functionality across a multi-tier client-server architecture are provided. According to one embodiment, a method is provided for instantiating a DataMap. A data store interface reads a set of definitions and instructions from a datastore that describe the structure of the DataMap. The data store interface interprets the set of definitions and instructions to instantiate the DataMap. According to another embodiment, a method is provided for indexing into a DataMap. A data store interface receives an expression. The data store interface parses the expression to identify a set of keys suitable for indexing into the DataMap and corresponding DataPoints.
US08676796B2
The present invention relates to displaying coordinated related-search feedback in a single active window, to help a user develop, refine and select a useful search. In particular, it relates to conducting a plurality of related searches and making the results simultaneously available to the user in a coordinated display.
US08676789B2
Systems and methods sort location dependent information based on selecting multiple groups of information according to location, ordering the groups based on location, and ordering the information within the groups based on at least one or more other criteria. The size(s) of the areas used to select the groups may be predetermined, or dynamically determined (e.g., based on clustering of information along distance to a location of interest).
US08676785B2
System and method for translating statements and expressions within statistical language programs into SQL. These statements include one or more input statements and have a plurality of data rows. These statements include one or more array statements, the array statements having a set of original variables. The method for translating statements and expressions within statistical language programs into SQL includes the step of defining a select statement including a subset of the original variables. The expressions include one or more assignment expressions, the assignment expressions including a set of original variables and a set of new variables affected by the assignment expressions.
US08676782B2
The present invention provides an information collection apparatus, an information collection method, and a program capable of collecting information from information resources on a network effectively as well as a search engine that searches the information resources collected. An information collection apparatus of the present invention that collects information from information resources on a network includes an extraction unit that acquires data from an information resource via the network to extract a link-destination address included in the data, a calculation unit that calculates, by comparing each link-destination address with a collection rule describing a set of addresses qualified for a collection target, a score for each link-destination address that reflects a distance from the set to a link-destination information resource indicated by the link-destination address, and a judgment unit that judges whether the link-destination information resource is to be included in the collection target or not in accordance with the score calculated for the link-destination information resource.
US08676779B2
A computer readable storage medium tangibly embodying machine-readable digital data arranged to facilitate expedited searching. The data includes a plurality of words residing in a table having rows and columns, each word residing in a different row and each letter of the word occupying a different column in that row. Each continuous run of same letters in a column forms an interval. The words are positioned relative to each other to maximize lengths of the intervals, and/or optimize efficiency of compression of the columns by run length encoding.
US08676773B2
Some embodiments of the inventive subject matter are directed to performing sub-transactions from a long-lived transaction using an identifier, wherein the sub-transactions are required to be completed in a sequence for the long-lived transaction. In some embodiments, the method is further directed to determining that the sub-transactions require a write of a data value to a database, writing in a log, using the identifier, an entry that indicates the data value, detecting an interruption in performing of the write of the data value to the database, and initiating re-performance of the sub-transactions in order of the sequence. Some embodiments are further directed to, during re-performance of the sub-transactions, detecting the data value in the entry of the log using the identifier, and using the data value indicated in the entry of the log to write the data value to the database.
US08676766B2
A computer-readable recording medium stores a cluster system control program controlling a cluster system in which clustered nodes are connected to a shared disk having a journaling file system. The cluster system control program causes a computer to execute a request reply information generation procedure for, when a request is accepted from a client, generating request reply information including an identification number identifying the request and reply data to respond to the request from the client, and a saving procedure for saving the request reply information generated by the request reply information generation procedure in the journaling file system.
US08676764B1
A method, article of manufacture, and apparatus for backing up data. In some embodiments, this includes setting a minimum number of files modified, setting a minimum amount of time elapsed, scanning a computer system for files to backup, determining if there were at least the minimum number of files modified on the computer system within the minimum amount of time elapsed, grouping the files based on the determination, and storing the grouping in a storage device.
US08676759B1
A continuous data backup using real time delta storage has been presented. A backup appliance receives a backup request from a backup agent running on a computing machine to back up data on the computing machine. The computing machine is communicatively coupled to the backup appliance. Then the backup appliance performs block-based real-time backup of the data on the computing machine. The backup appliance stores backup data of the computing machine in a computer-readable storage device in the backup appliance.
US08676753B2
Replicated instances in a database environment provide for automatic failover and recovery. A monitoring component can obtain a lease enabling the component to periodically communicate with, and monitor, one or more data instances in the data environment, where the data instance can be a replicated instance including a primary and a secondary replica. For a large number of instances, the data environment can be partitioned such that each monitoring component can be assigned a partition of the workload. In the event of a failure of a monitoring component, the instances can be repartitioned and the remaining monitoring components can be assigned to the new partitions to substantially evenly distribute the workload.
US08676752B2
A method and system that annotates a redo log to provide information concerning the execution of a procedure at a primary database. The annotations include entry and exit markers that indicate the beginning and the end of the execution along with any arguments passed to the procedure, and whether the execution of the procedure was successful. At the standby database, these markers are used to create a logical transaction associated with the procedure. The operations performed by the procedure are grouped into individual transactions, and these individual transactions are grouped as belonging to the logical transaction. If the execution of the procedure was successful at the primary database, then the individual transactions are discarded, and the logical transaction is applied by executing the procedure at the standby database. If the execution of the procedure failed at the primary database, then the individual transactions and the logical transaction are discarded.
US08676746B2
A method of evaluating an implementation of a DBMS is provided. The method comprises collecting data associated with the implementation of the DBMS and accessing a database comprising problems and their associated solutions, wherein the solutions are configured to remedy at least one of the problems. The method further comprises comparing the data associated with the implementation of the DBMS with the problems and identifying at least one problem associated with the DBMS. Finally, a DBMS risk assessment report is generated that identifies the problem associated with the DBMS and a solution configured to remedy the problem.
US08676741B2
In accordance with aspects of the present disclosure, a method, product, apparatus and system is disclosed. The method includes monitoring, by a processor, a predetermined number of web pages viewed by a user; determining a likelihood that the user is interested in a related web page based on previously viewed web pages; comparing the determined likelihood against a predetermined threshold value; and preloading the related web page for viewing by the user if the determined likelihood is greater than the predetermined threshold value.
US08676736B2
A system and method of providing personalized item recommendations in a communication system comprising a server and a plurality of client devices. At the server, a plurality of user rating vectors are received from a plurality of client devices and aggregated into a rating matrix that is factorized into a user feature matrix and an item feature matrix, with the product of the user feature and item feature matrixes approximating the user rating matrix. The factorization comprises the steps of the ALS1 or the IALS1 algorithm including: initializing the user feature matrix and the item feature matrix with predefined initial values; alternately optimizing the user feature matrix and the item feature matrix until a termination condition is met. The item feature matrix is transmitted from the server to at least one client device, and a predictive rating vector is generated as the product of the associated user feature vector and the item feature matrix. At least one item is selected for recommendation to a user from the items associated with the predictive rating vector.
US08676734B2
Certain embodiments of the present disclosure support techniques for storing synaptic weights separately from a neuro-processor chip into a replaceable storage. The replaceable synaptic memory gives a unique functionality to the neuro-processor and improves its flexibility for supporting a large variety of applications. In addition, the replaceable synaptic storage can provide more choices for the type of memory used, and might decrease the area and implementation cost of the overall neuro-processor chip.
US08676731B1
A data extraction system for receiving and scanning documents to generate ordered input for storage in a database employs a non-linear statistical model for a data extraction sequence having a plurality of transformations. Each transformation transitions an extracted data value in various forms from a raw data image to a computed data value. For each transformation, a confidence model learns a confidence component for the particular transformation. The learned confidence components, generated from a control set of documents having known values, are employed in a production mode with actual raw data. The confidence component corresponds to a likelihood of transformation accuracy, and the confidence model aggregates the confidence components to compute a confidence for the extracted data value. A database stores the extracted data value labeled with the computed confidence attribute for subsequent use by an application employing the extracted data.
US08676727B2
Provided is an apparatus determining values of N and K for an abnormality diagnostic logic which makes a diagnosis N times for each diagnosis target by using observation values collected therefrom, and generates a diagnosis result showing that the diagnosis target is abnormal if the diagnosis target is judged to be abnormal K or more times. A calculator calculates average false detection rate PFP, average overlooking rate PFN, bias level of false detection MFP, and bias level of overlooking MFN, based on diagnosis result data and inspection result data. A determiner calculates an optimization metric for each combination of values N and K by using the average false detection rate, the bias level of false detection, the average overlooking rate, and the bias level of overlooking, and selects a pair of N and K by which the optimization metric becomes minimum or a threshold value or less.
US08676715B2
Methods and systems for verification of indicia that do not require key management systems, and in which revocation of key pairs is easily performed without adding costs to the verification process are provided. Indicia are generated and authenticated utilizing an identity-based encryption (IBE) scheme. A key generating authority generates a private key for a PSD, distributes the private key securely to the PSD, and provides public information for use by a verification service when verifying cryptographic digital signatures generated with the private key. The corresponding public key is a string consisting of PSD information that is provided as part of the indicium. The verification service can verify the signature of each indicium by obtaining the public key string from the indicium, and utilizing the key generating authority's public information.
US08676707B2
A credit card system is provided which has the added feature of providing additional limited use credit card numbers and/or cards. These numbers and/or cards can be used for a single or limited use transaction, thereby reducing the potential for fraudulent reuse of these numbers and/or cards. The credit card system finds application to “card remote” transactions such as by phone or Internet. Additionally, when a single use or limited use credit card is used for “card present” transactions, so called “skimming” fraud is eliminated. Various other features enhance the credit card system, which will allow secure trade without the use of elaborate encryption techniques. Methods for limiting, distributing and using a limited use card number, controlling the validity of a limited use credit card number, conducting a limited use credit card number transaction and providing remote access devices for accessing a limited use credit card number are also provided.
US08676703B2
An insurance policy is stored (101) as a plurality of discrete temporally-sequential policy data revisions. A legally binding revision for a first given date is then determined (102) by identifying all policy data revisions effective on the first given date and choosing a most temporally recent policy data revision temporally prior to a second given date. When a new policy data revision is (103) temporally subsequent as compared to a first policy data revision and also comprises a legally effective date range preceding at least in part an effective date range of the first policy data revision, legally non-overlapping policy data revisions are created (104) for each legally overlapping effective date range as exists between the new policy data revision and all temporally preceding revisions. Each newly-created legally non-overlapping policy data revision comprises changes introduced by the new policy data revision and at least one temporally preceding policy data revision.
US08676702B1
A method and apparatus for generating at least one bill in a packet network is described. In one embodiment, a request to change a billing cycle is received by an application server from a customer via a packet network. The billing cycle is subsequently changed to a modified billing cycle in accordance to the received request. Lastly, at least one bill is generated by the application server in accordance with the modified billing cycle.
US08676696B2
The present invention is a system and method for providing a trading platform for the trade of F.I.s. According to some embodiments of the present invention, there may be provided a server or server cluster including at least one Interfacing Server adapted to interface with a user, possibly via a distributed data network such as the interne. The IS1 may be adapted to present to a user a trading platform, to receive from a user trade instructions, via the platform, and execute them. The trading platform may include innovative trade options including mid-trade options (e.g. trade insurance), batch trade options, series trade options, parlay trade options and “close now”/“extend” options.
US08676693B2
A margin requirement is computed while trading. The margin requirement may be calculated while trading because the preferred system takes into account working orders to generate the margin requirement. The on the fly possibility allows the preferred system to provide pre-trade risk calculations, but can also be used to provide post-trade calculations. A generic spread number and the maximum number of outright positions are determined. Average expirations for the generic spread are computed. Using the spread positions, the average expirations and the maximum number of outright positions, a spread margin and an outright margin are calculated, which when summed provide a total margin requirement. Limits based in part on the total margin requirement may be imposed on one or more traders.
US08676686B2
An investment program for funding benefits by maintaining assets in the investment program that includes an employer owned trust account and at least one life, disability, health or annuity contract (including a terminal annuity) obtained directly or indirectly from a partially or wholly owned or non-owned captive insurance company. The insurance contract is purchased with assets from the trust account and the partially or wholly owned or non-owned captive insurance company is a least partially, wholly or non-owned by the employer. When paying or reimbursing benefits, the employer or the trust may pay the benefit and if the employer pays the benefit, the trust may reimburse the employer.
US08676685B2
Financial and player tracking/reward transactions are facilitated by a system including at least one server and a plurality of gaming machines. The server has a memory containing data files corresponding to players that contain information such as credits or monies in an account belonging to the player. The data files also contain player tracking information, such as points awarded to a player based upon their game play. Players are issued media in the form of player cards having identification information thereon that may be used to access the player's account or files. A player and a casino may manage the player's accounts, such as by placing criteria upon the account, including the use of associated credits. A player may play a game using credits associated with their account. A player may also manage their accounts, including viewing financial and game play or reward information and transfer funds into and out of an account.
US08676683B1
Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to methods, systems and computer program products for facilitating a business relationship between a customer and at least one provider. The methods, systems and computer program products allow for a system for conducting business transactions and/or facilitating business relationships wholly electronically via an e-vault system. The e-vault system provides at least one interface for one or more client systems to upload data to and from an storage system via a network.
US08676682B2
A system for generating a schedule for use in triggering transmission of message content in a telecommunications network is provided. The system comprises a store for storing profiles of a plurality of recipients, and a plurality of message delivery campaigns with one or more criteria. The campaigns to be executed in relation to a given inventory, which may relate to a predetermined time period, may be arranged into one or more campaign clusters. A suitable allocation method may be used individually for each of said plurality of campaign clusters to allocate, among the plurality of recipients, target recipients for each of the campaign clusters based on campaign criteria and the profiles. The allocation process may be repeated to obtain, for example as high a number of messages as possible with the network resources available without exceeding a predetermined maximum number of messages per any given recipient. After the allocation process is completed, the campaign messages are delivered to the allocated target recipients via a communications network.
US08676679B2
Systems, methods, and computer program products for establishing and using credit limits between counterparties and for managing risk in the trading of financial interests. A trading party may control the amount of future financial exposure that the trading party will incur with any counterparty in one or more future time periods in trades by the trading party during a trading session. Credit limits may be used to permit proposed trades to be completed or not depending upon available credit. Where there is insufficient credit, the trade may be blocked or otherwise prevented from progressing towards completion. If there is insufficient credit and if trading up to available credit is permitted, a partial trade for an amount up to the credit limit may be allowed. During a trading session, the credit remaining of a set credit limit between the trading party and the respective counterparty is changed according to trades executed between the trading party and the counterparty. After the end of the trading session, the remaining credit may be automatically reset to the set credit limit for each counterparty and future time period.
US08676676B2
A system and method for associating payments with spending vehicles so that an individual who is entitled to receive periodic or special payments such as social security checks receives in place of the payment a spending vehicle such as a discount card, rebate, or coupon for use with purchases of the sponsor's products or services. Sponsors include companies and organizations interested in offering purchase incentives to their customers. An individual who wishes to receive a spending vehicle rather than the regular payment selects the spending vehicle he or she would like to receive. The individual then assigns his or her right to receive the payment to a third party. The third party then arranges to give a spending vehicle to the individual and to transfer the individual's payment to the sponsor of the spending vehicle. The third party may take a portion of the payment as compensation for the service.
US08676672B2
Systems and methods for electronic delivery of stored value are provided. An example method includes receiving a set of identifiers corresponding to a merchant's stored value tracking system, receiving a request for an electronic value card, associating an identifier from the set of identifiers with the electronic value card, synchronizing the merchant's stored value tracking system with the issued electronic value card, and delivering the electronic value card to a customer. An example system includes a merchant stored value tracking system having a set of unique identifiers, a network communicatively linked with a merchant stored value tracking system; and a value card manager communicatively linked with the network. The value card manager may be configured to receive a request for an electronic value card, synchronize the electronic value card with the merchant stored value tracking system using the unique identifiers, and deliver the electronic value card to a customer for use in the merchant stored value tracking system.
US08676671B2
Systems and methods provide shipping services information. In one implementation, a method is provided in which an e-commerce server receives a request for shipping information from an end-user. The e-commerce server generates an extensible markup language (XML) request based on the requested shipping information and sends the XML request to an application programming interface (API) server. The API server determines, based on the XML request, one of a plurality of API modules stored in the API server to process the XML request and generates an XML response based on data included in the XML request. The API server sends the XML response to the e-commerce server, which sends the XML response to the end-user.
US08676669B1
Disclosed are various embodiments for providing confirmations for list modifications. A network page is sent to a client. The network page includes one or more components for requesting that one or more items be added to a list of items. The item(s) are added to the list of items in response to a request from the client. A display region is encoded for rendering in the client as a layer superimposed on the network page. The display region includes a confirmation that the item(s) have been added to the list of items. The display region includes one or more undo components for requesting that a last modification to the list of items be reversed.
US08676667B1
A method for simulating the entire superset of potential valid keyword regular expression requests constructed during an Internet browser search and converting the result sets into Environmental summary report to enable efficient and accurate searching without requiring Browser Engine supercomputer cluster searching capabilities.
US08676664B2
A method and system are provided that enable buyers and sellers to communicate with each other and to negotiate the purchase terms of featured merchandise in a group-buying opportunity. Sellers and buyers may use various forms of on-line group-buying mechanisms in conjunction with the negotiation features of the invention. Buyers may send various inquiries to sellers regarding merchandise offered for sale through the online group-buying sale. Sellers may respond to buyer questions and queries, and in some instances, sellers may communicate instructions to the on-line group-buying mechanism to alter the course of an on-line group-buying sale in progress, e.g., a further reduction in price. The method and system further provides a mechanism for calculating a demand curve based on received buyer offers and applying the demand curve to an on-line group-buying sale.
US08676662B1
A method is provided for selecting one of a plurality of different bedding mattresses for a customer. The method includes the steps of receiving a first set of data related to body characteristics of the customer and receiving a second set of data related to a dominant sleep position of the customer. The method further includes the steps of processing the first and second sets of data to evaluate support needs for a customer and determining which of the plurality of bedding mattresses has support characteristics that closely match the support needs of the customer.
