Document Document Title
US07967928B2 Methods of extruding magnesium alloys
Methods of extruding magnesium-based casting alloys are provided. The magnesium alloys have relatively high strength and castibility, as well as an improved ductility and extrudability for wrought alloy applications. The magnesium-based wrought alloy comprises aluminum (Al) of between about 2.5 to about 3.5 wt. %, manganese (Mn) of less than about 0.6 wt. %, zinc (Zn) of less than about 0.22 wt. %, other impurities of less than about 0.1 wt. %, and a balance of magnesium (Mg). The disclosure provides various methods of forming extruded structural components, including automotive components, and methods of forming such wrought alloys.
US07967922B2 Ferrous abrasion resistant sliding material
A ferrous abrasion resistant sliding material capable of improving seizing resistance, abrasion resistance and heat crack resistance is provided. The ferrous abrasion resistant sliding material has a martensite parent phase which forms a solid solution with carbon of 0.15 to 0.5 wt %, and the martensite parent phase contains one or more types of each special carbide of Cr, Mo, W and V dispersed therein in a total content of 10 to 50% by volume.
US07967918B2 Low-pressure sludge removal method and apparatus using coherent jet nozzles
Provided area cleaning apparatus and an associated method of using the disclosed apparatus wherein the apparatus utilizes one or more nozzles configured to provide a coherent stream of one or more cleaning fluids for removing accumulated fine particulate matter, sludge, from surfaces. The nozzles may be sized, arranged and configured to provide coherent streams that maintain the initial stream diameter for a substantial portion of the maximum dimension of the space being cleaned. The apparatus and method are expected to be particularly useful in the cleaning of heat exchangers incorporating a plurality of substantially vertical and narrowly spaced tubes by directing cleansing streams along a plurality of intertube spaces.
US07967912B2 Manufacturing apparatus for semiconductor device and manufacturing method for semiconductor device
A manufacturing apparatus for a semiconductor device, includes: a reaction chamber to which a wafer w is loaded; a gas supply port for supplying first process gas including source gas from an upper portion of the reaction chamber; a first rectifying plate for supplying the first process gas onto the wafer in a rectifying state; a first gas exhaust port for exhausting gas from a lower portion of the reaction chamber; a second gas exhaust port for exhausting gas from the upper portion of the reaction chamber; a heater for heating the wafer w; a susceptor for retaining the wafer w; and a rotation drive unit for rotating the wafer w.
US07967911B2 Apparatus and methods for chemical vapor deposition
Methods and apparatus are disclosed for the formation of vaporizing liquid precursor materials. The methods or apparatus can be used as part of a chemical vapor deposition apparatus or system, for example for forming films on substrates. The methods and apparatus involve providing a vessel for containing a liquid precursor and diffusing element having external cross-section dimensions substantially equal to the internal cross-sectional dimensions of the vessel.
US07967908B1 Light-weight composition and mix for masonry, mortar and stucco
An application for a pre-mixed mortar, stucco or masonry composition includes a approximately 75% sand and 25% of a light-weight cement mix comprising a cement (either Portland cement or hydraulic cement), hydrous magnesium silicate, sodium tall oil, sodium stearate, sodium C14-16 Alpha Olefin, linear alkyl benzene; and silicon dioxide.
US07967907B2 Fiber reinforced cement composition and products and manufacturing process
The problems to be solved by the invention are to provide a fiber reinforced cement composition for obtaining a fiber reinforced cement product which is inexpensive and economical, and to provide pushing forward disposal of defective products.Namely, the fiber reinforced cement composition comprises a hydraulic inorganic material, a siliceous material, a woody reinforcement and a finely dividing fiber reinforced cement product which is produced by said raw materials and cured in an autoclave.
US07967906B2 Method for directly producing fine-particle diketopyrrolopyrrol pigments
The invention relates to a method for directly producing fine-particle 1,4-diketopyrrolo[3,4-c]pyrrols of formula (1), wherein R1a, R1b, R2a and R2b independently represent hydrogen, halogen, C1-C4 alkyl, C1-C4 alkoxy, cyano or phenyl, said compounds being characterized by a maximum frequency distribution between 20 and 120 nm. According to the method, nitriles are reacted with succinic acid esters or lactames or enamines in an alkali medium to form a pigment salt, and then protolysis of the pigment alkali salt is carried out. Said method is characterized in that an effective quantity of a pigment dispersant of formula (II) is added during the protolysis of the pigment alkali salt. In formula (II), Q is a radical of an organic pigment from the group of perinone, quinacridone, quinacridonquinone, anthanthrone, indanthrone, dioxazine, diketopyrrolopyrrol, indigo, thioindigo, thiazineindigo, isoindoline, isoindolinone, pyranthrone, isoviolanthrone, flavanthrone or anthrapyrimidine pigments.
US07967895B2 Process and device for regenerating the loaded scrubbing agent in a physical gas wash
For regenerating the loaded washing (scrubbing) agent (6, 7) from a physical gas wash (T1), in which one or more gas components are removed, to a large extent selectively, from a gas mixture (1) to be purified at least in a first of at least two successive washing steps, the loaded washing agent (7) withdrawn from the first washing step is, independently of the remaining quantity of loaded washing agent (6), subjected to a regeneration step (T2a) for separating the gas components (11) which have been selectively removed from the raw gas in the first washing step.
US07967888B2 Filtration plate for a particle filter
A filtration plate (1, 1′) for a particle filter which serves to separate particles from an exhaust gas flow of an internal combustion engine is composed of a gas-permeable carrier material which is coated with sintered metal powder, and has a surface region (2) which extends substantially in one plane and on which at least one spacer element (3, 3′) is situated. The at least one spacer element (3, 3′) has an inner elevation (9) or depression (9′) which extends away from the surface region (2) in one direction, and an outer depression (10) or elevation (10′) which surrounds the inner elevation (9) or depression (9′) at least partially and extends away from the surface region (2) in the opposite direction to the inner elevation (9) or depression (9′).
US07967877B2 Biomass energy product and processing method
An energy product made from biomass, and a method of making an energy product from biomass. The energy product is made by processing biomass in a pressurizable reaction vessel with heat, pressure and agitation.
US07967875B2 Flexible cathodes
This disclosure relates to methods of making a cathode for a lithium batter. The methods include: (a) treating a cathode current collector with flame or corona; (b) coating a slurry containing iron disulfide, a first solvent, and a binder onto the cathode current collector obtained from step (a) to form a coated cathode current collector, in which the slurry contains about 73-75% by weight solids and the binder contains a polymer selected from the group consisting of linear di- and tri-block copolymers, linear tri-block copolymers cross-linked with melamine resin, ethylene-propylene copolymers, ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymers, tri-block fluorinated thermoplastics, hydrogenated nitrile rubbers, fluoro-ethylene-vinyl ether copolymers, thermoplastic polyurethanes, thermoplastic olefins, and polyvinylidene fluoride homopolymers; and (c) drying the coated cathode current collector obtained from step (b) to provide a cathode, in which the cathode contains no more than 0.5% by volume of the first solvent and is capable of being bent to 180°. This disclosure also relates to methods of making a lithium battery.
US07967872B2 Azo quinolinium compounds comprising a disulphide/thiol unit, compositions containing same, process for dyeing keratin fibres and device
The present invention relates to thiol/disulphide azo quinolinium compounds for dyeing keratin fibres. The invention relates to a dye composition comprising a particular thiol/disulphide azo quinolinium chromophore-containing thiol or disulphide dye, and to a process for dyeing keratin fibres such as the hair, using said composition. It similarly relates to novel particular thiol/disulphide azo quinolinium chromophore-containing dyes and to the uses thereof in dyeing keratin fibres. The dyeing process according to the invention makes it possible to dye keratin fibres without damaging them, in a manner which is particularly persistent with respect to shampooing operations and common attacks. Moreover, the novel dyes according to the invention extend the colour range to violets and blues. This process also makes it possible to dye bleached keratin fibres in a strong and chromatic manner.
US07967860B1 Prosthetic breast form
A prosthetic breast form that is worn external to the human body to simulate a missing breast or portion thereof has a fabric pouch that defines an outer shape that approximates a breast shape or portion thereof, and that further defines an inner compartment; and a filler disposed within the inner compartment, the filler comprising a free flowing blend of clustered fiber filler, filler beads and weighting beads that are intermingled, where the weight of the filler is between approximately 1.25 ounces and 40 ounces. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.
US07967859B2 Prosthetic eye
A prosthetic eye with an iris constructed of a photoresponsive, polymer based element. The photoresponsive element is responsive to light, so that the pupils constrict in the presence of light. The responsiveness of the pupils to light gives the prosthetic eye a more natural appearance.
US07967857B2 Gasket with spring collar for prosthetic heart valves and methods for making and using them
A heart valve prostheses includes an annular member implantable within a biological annulus, a collar extending upwardly from the annular member, and a sewing ring extending from the annular member. A spring structure couples the collar to the annular member and biases the collar to align with the annular member at a predetermined distance above the annular member. During use, the prosthesis is introduced into a biological annulus, and fasteners are directed through the sewing ring into surrounding tissue to secure the prosthesis with the annular member within the biological annulus. A mechanical or bioprosthetic valve is introduced and coupled to the collar, e.g., using tabs or other connectors on the collar. The spring structure allows the collar to be directed towards the annular member and/or folded inwardly, e.g., to facilitate accessing the sewing ring to deliver fasteners.
US07967856B2 Microtubes for therapeutic delivery
A medical implant that delivers therapeutic via microtubes and a method of making the same is provided. In one embodiment a biologically implantable structure adapted to fit within the body of a patient is provided. This structure may have a plurality of individual microtubes in physical communication with its outer surface, the microtubes containing or carrying a therapeutic. In another embodiment a method of manufacturing an implantable medical appliance is provided. This method includes placing a pliant stratum of microtubes onto a biologically implantable medical structure and then applying a therapeutic to the pliant stratum to cover or fill the microtubes.
US07967852B2 Stent having helical elements
An expandable stent comprised of a plurality of helical segments is disclosed. In one embodiment, the stent is generally cylindrical in shape having a cylindrical axis, and comprises a first and second set of helical segments. The helical segments in the first set are substantially parallel and have a first pitch forming a first helical angle with respect to the cylindrical axis. The helical segments in the second set are also generally parallel to each other and form a second pitch that differs from the first pitch, thereby forming a second helical angle with respect to the cylindrical axis. In an alternative embodiment, the stent comprises one set of helical segments and a plurality of circumferential elements that are joined together by the helical segments to form a plurality of cylindrical elements which are joined together to form a stent body. The stent may also have endzones.
US07967838B2 Removable embolus blood clot filter
A removable blood clot filter includes a number of locator members and anchor members disposed radially and extending angularly downward from a hub. The locator members include a number of linear portions having distinct axes configured to place a tip portion approximately parallel to the walls of a blood vessel when implanted and to apply sufficient force to the vessel walls to position the filter near the vessel centerline. The anchor members each include a hook configured to penetrate the vessel wall to prevent longitudinal movement due to blood flow. The hooks may have a cross section sized to allow for a larger radius of curvature under strain so that the filter can be removed without damaging the vessel wall.
US07967831B2 Non-invasive surgical ligation clip system and method of using
A surgical ligation clip capable of remote deployment through a cannula to engage an anatomical structure.
US07967829B2 Medical device delivery system
Medical device delivery systems, as well as related methods and components, are disclosed.
US07967828B2 Gravity feed implant dispenser
Instruments and methods are provided for delivering multiple implants to multiple implant locations in a patient without requiring a second implant to be loaded onto or engaged to the delivery instrument after delivery of a first implant. The implants can be sequentially engaged, using the delivery instrument, to the patient or to receptacles of one or more receiving members secured to the patient.
US07967827B2 Methods and devices for treating fractured and/or diseased bone using an expandable structure that remains within the bone
A percutaneous path is created into a bone having an interior volume occupied, at least in part, by a cancellous bone, e.g., a vertebral body. An expandable structure is introduced into the cancellous bone by deployment of a tool through the percutaneous path into the cancellous bone. The expandable structure is expanded and the tool withdrawn, leaving the expandable structure expanded inside the cancellous bone. Expansion of the expandable structure within cancellous bone can, e.g., compact cancellous bone, and/or create a cavity in cancellous bone, and/or move fractured cortical bone.
US07967824B2 Bone cutting fixture assembly with guide appendages
A bone cutting fixture assembly for use as guide for a cutting blade in shaping a distal end of a femur to receive a component of a knee prosthesis is provided. The assembly has a centrally located, elongated support structure, made of a polymeric material, having a trapezoidal cross section, pairs of adjacent blade guide appendages supported therein so as to define four cutting planes, and two outrigger portions extending therefrom defining anchor points in distal ends thereof. The assembly defines a substantially flat support plane and has spaced apart anchor points positioned so as to enable secure fixing of the fixture to a femur by fixing devices.
US07967818B2 Cautery catheter
A cautery catheter is described having an expandable and electrically conductive mesh that can cauterize treatment sites having large effective surface areas. The mesh is composed of interwoven filaments which are aligned with the cautery catheter in an unexpanded state. Reorientation of the filaments of the mesh enables expansion of the mesh. When the expanded mesh contacts the desired treatment area, an electrocautery unit supplies electrical energy to the filaments of expanded mesh to cauterize the treatment site.
US07967814B2 Cryoprobe with vibrating mechanism
Cryoprobes and a cryotherapy method. A cryoprobe includes: a shaft having a central axis, a tip at a first end, a male socket section at a second end opposite the first end, a cryogen feeding pipe extending from the tip through the male socket section along the axis, and a cryogen return passage extending from the tip through the male socket section; and a handle having a female socket adapted and configured to receive and connect with the male socket section in a quick connect manner, a vibration section that selectively causes vibration along the axis, a cryogen exhaust passage extending from the female socket to an exterior of the handle, and a cryogen supply tube connected to the female socket at an end of the tube.
US07967813B2 Surgical instrument control and actuation
Two or more telemanipulated surgical instruments are inserted through a guide tube. Each instrument has a transmission mechanism that transmits actuating forces from actuators to components of the instrument. The transmission mechanisms are arranged around an extended centerline of the guide tube and are wedge-shaped so that they can be positioned more closely to the extended centerline.
US07967809B2 Self-sealing assembly for preventing fluid leakage from medical device
Self-sealing assemblies and methods of establishing a fluid-seal around a medical instrument are disclosed herein. An assembly for providing resistance to fluid leakage includes an introducer section having a mouth portion, a stem portion, and a longitudinal axis therebetween, wherein a diameter of the mouth portion decreases over a length of the mouth portion, and wherein a diameter of the stem portion remains substantially the same over a length of the stem portion; a transfer section having a proximal end and a distal end; and a self-sealing membrane at a junction between the stem portion and the proximal end of the transfer section, wherein the self-sealing membrane is composed of a single piece flexible elastomeric material, and wherein the diameter and the length of the stem portion and a thickness and a diameter of the self-sealing membrane provide structural integrity to the assembly resulting in the ability of the self-sealing membrane to resist fluid leakage prior to, during, and after the self-sealing membrane is punctured.
US07967806B2 Method of delivering a fluid medication to a patient in flex mode
A method of delivering a fluid medication to a patient under direction of a medical professional continually at a basal rate and at an interval rate in each of a plurality of time slots over a specified period of time. The total dose of the fluid medication to be delivered to the patient over the period of time based on the basal rate and the interval rate for each of the plurality of time slots is determined, compared the total dose against a maximum dose. The basal rate is adjusted, if necessary, so that the total dose does not exceed the maximum dose.
US07967802B2 Breast milk absorbent pad
A breast milk absorbent pad includes elastically stretchable/contractible members arranged along transversely opposite side edges of the pad. Corners where one of the transversely opposite side edges and one of the longitudinally opposite end edges of a pad-chassis join are folded to a non-skin-contactable side. The breast milk absorbent pad is packed in a package with the corners folded.
US07967798B2 Introducer apparatus with eversible sleeve
Disclosed is an introducer apparatus comprising an sleeve fixation mechanism or introducer member, such as a catheter, introducer, or ring-like structure, which is attached to a protective sleeve comprising a thin flexible material such a polymeric film. The sleeve is inverted into the passageway of a second member, such as a catheter, feeding tube, introducer, etc., that is advanced through the passageway of the introducer member and is introduced into a bodily passage of a patient, such as the bile duct, nasal passages, colon, etc. The sleeve everts from the passageway of the second member during its advancement to lay down a friction-reducing surface. The sleeve prevents frictional contact between the second member and delicate or sensitive tissues.
US07967792B2 Catheter anchoring system
A catheter anchoring system is provided to securely anchor to a patient's skin a catheter and fluid supply tube interconnection. The anchoring system comprises a retainer configured to receive a catheter adaptor in a variety of positions. The adaptor interconnects the catheter and the fluid supply tube. In one embodiment the adaptor has a radial recess that circumscribes the adaptor. The anchoring system additionally includes a flexible, adhesive anchor pad which can supports a tube clip, as well as the retainer. The retainer includes a channel that is configured to receive the adaptor in a snap-fit manner. The retainer also includes a plurality of laterally arranged projections that extend from a channel wall and into a channel. Each radial recess is sized to receive and to capture at least a portion of the projection of the retainer so as to inhibit the adaptor from moving within the channel.
US07967790B2 Hemostasis valve with iris seal
A hemostasis valve is disclosed herein. The hemostasis valve may include an inner bushing, a rotation sleeve, an elastomeric sleeve, and a biasing element. The rotation sleeve may extend about the inner bushing and be rotationally displaceable relative to the inner bushing. The elastomeric sleeve may include a first end operably coupled to the inner bushing, a second end operably coupled to the rotation sleeve, and an iris valve portion. Rotation of the rotation sleeve relative to the inner bushing may cause the iris valve to transition from an open state to a closed state. The biasing element may act between the rotation sleeve and inner bushing to bias the iris valve towards at least one of a closed state or an open state.
US07967784B2 Hand-held electronically controlled injection device for injecting liquid medications
A medication delivery device includes a housing, a door coupled to the housing and moveable between a closed position and an open position. The door permits insertion of a medication container, containing liquid medication, into the housing in the open position. A door opening mechanism is coupled to the door. A push member is axially moveable between a retracted position and a non-retracted position and located external to the medication container. The push member enters the medication container and pushes the liquid medication out of the medication container. A lock mechanism is coupled to the door opening mechanism and prevents opening of the door when the push member is in the non-retracted position inside the medication container, wherein the lock mechanism automatically unlocks the door opening mechanism when the push member is in the retracted position.
US07967781B2 Rapid exchange balloon catheter having a reinforced inner tubular member
A balloon catheter including an elongated shaft having an inflation lumen, a guidewire lumen, a proximal shaft section, and a distal shaft section with a balloon on the distal shaft section, the distal shaft section formed by an outer tubular member having an opening in a sidewall, and an inner tubular member having a distal portion in the outer tubular member and a proximal portion extending through the sidewall opening and along an outer surface of a portion of the outer tubular member located proximal to the sidewall opening, with polymeric filler material around the outer surface of at least the proximal portion of the inner tubular member. The inner tubular member preferably comprises a polymeric tube having a reinforcing coiled member embedded therein. Preferably, a crescent shaped portion of the inflation lumen extends along side the proximal portion of the inner tubular member.
US07967776B2 High performance cannulas
A cannula having a proximal end, a distal end, and a lumen extending between the proximal and distal ends is provided. The diameter of the lumen of the cannula can be varied to take into account differences in the diameter of access and target vessels during cannulation. The cannula is further characterized by at least one mechanism that, upon actuation, serves to alter the conformation of the cannula between a normal profile conformation and a low profile conformation. The normal profile conformation is characterized by the cannula having a lumen diameter at the point of insertion, which is smaller than the lumen diameter both proximal and distal to the point of insertion, with the lumen diameter distal to the point of insertion also expandable to the diameter of the cannulated vessel of the patient. The low profile conformation is characterized by the cannula having a lumen diameter at the point of insertion that is greater than the lumen diameter distal to the point of insertion.
US07967774B2 Four function surgical instrument
A unique four function surgical instrument that performs aspiration, irrigation, dilation and cauterization with an innovative trigger mechanism. An embodiment is “gun-like” in configuration having a housing with a depending handle and a protruding trigger, a forward extending pair of forceps-like arms that terminate in dilation/cauterization tips and a common conduit between the forceps-like arms. The unique trigger mechanism utilizes a pinch valve concept where the trigger button has an elongated portion that has two slide surfaces with offset a recesses that act like tracks on which pinch sliders follow and the pinch sliders act like valve stems that squeeze close and allow to open silicone tubing. The end result, being a single poll, two stage actuator such that a half a pump of the trigger delivers irrigation or aspiration and a full pump delivers the other. The instrument provides the advantages of small size, ergonomical and all-in-one so as to eliminate the need for a surgeon to fumble around in switching between instruments.
US07967773B2 Two piece medication cassette closure apparatus and method
A disposable medical cassette apparatus and method for housing medication in a tamper resistant enclosure for selective coupled attachment to an ambulatory infusion pump. In some embodiments, the device may include a first assembly comprising a rear housing and a pressure plate affixed to one another, as well as a second assembly comprising a cover that includes a plurality of lock feature protrusions and at least one slotted aperture. The first assembly and second assembly are adapted for permanent coupling by a first and second lock arrangements. Generally, the first lock arrangement includes lock feature protrusions of the second assembly engaging within the lock receiving structures of the first assembly. Further, the second lock arrangement includes at least one tabbed snap member of the first assembly engaging within at least one corresponding slotted aperture of the second assembly.
US07967772B2 Injector for viscous materials
An injector is provided to deliver microquantities of viscous materials into the body, such as the eye, for surgical purposes. The injector comprises a syringe body with a plunger disposed therein coupled to a positive displacement mechanism capable of progressively advancing the plunger to precisely deliver microquantities of materials at a constant or predetermined delivery rate.
US07967771B2 System for use in draining fluid from a brain or spinal fluid cavity unto another body cavity of a human being
This invention describes a method for processing pressure signals derivable from locations inside or outside a human or animal body or body cavity. Different aspects of the invention relate to a method for optimal differentiating between cardiac beat- and artifact-induced pressure waves and a method for obtaining new and improved information from said pressure signals. In particular, this invention describes a system for draining fluid from a brain or spinal fluid cavity according to the inventive method of processing pressure signals.
US07967770B2 Implantable drainage device with planar dual curved portion
In a first embodiment, implantable drainage devices with a curvilinear portion are provided, such as stents or drainage catheters formed as a tubular member having a curvilinear portion comprising one or more pairs of adjacent bends curved in opposite directions. The drainage devices house a drainage lumen that may extend through the curvilinear portion, which may be dimensioned to retain the drainage device within a body vessel and provide a desired fluid conductance through a tortuous portion of the drainage lumen within the curvilinear portion. The curvilinear portion may include two or more planar bends facing in opposite directions. The drainage device is preferably a biliary stent or drainage catheter constructed of thermoplastic material resilient enough to permit the bends of the curvilinear portion to straighten in response to placement of a guidewire through the drainage lumen, and to permit a portion of the tubular member to again form the plurality of bends when the guidewire is removed from the drainage lumen. In a second embodiment, methods of implanting the drainage devices within a body vessel, such as a biliary duct, are provided. For example, the drainage device may be a biliary stent implanted within the Papilla of Vater (e.g, within a biliary or pancreatic duct) without traversing the Sphincter of Oddi.
US07967766B2 Compression garment with heel elevation
A garment that includes at least one inflatable chamber for applying compression to a limb for assisting venous return, and an elevation member to elevate the limb. The elevation member may comprise an inflatable chamber, and the garment may be configured for compressive therapy of the leg while elevating the heel, eliminating or otherwise reducing or mitigating pressure on an individual's heel while the leg is in an extended position and undergoing compressive therapy.
US07967754B2 Integrated bias circuitry for ultrasound imaging devices configured to image the interior of a living being
The systems and methods described herein allow for the application of a bias voltage to one or more transducers implemented within a medical ultrasound imaging system. Bias circuitry is placed within an imaging device and used to apply a DC bias to one or more transducers requiring a DC bias to operate. The one or more transducers can be fabricated in a semiconductor manufacturing process and integrated with the bias circuitry on a common semiconductor substrate. Also provided is a method for operating the one or more transducers and bias circuitry using a communication channel having two signal lines.
US07967744B2 Biopsy inlet valve
A valve for use in irrigating, accessing and sealing the instrument channel of an endoscope is disclosed. The valve is adapted for installation onto an endoscope instrument inlet port. The valve includes a body, a flip cap, and a seal curtain. The body has an open end adapted for connection to the inlet port, interior walls defining an cavity, and an outer surface defining a valve entry port. The entry port is connected to a channel open to the cavity. The flip cap is removably connectable to the valve entry port and has a slit therethrough. The seal curtain contains a flexible cylindrical portion, and a lid at one end, and is removably insertable into the cavity. A longitudinal axis of the seal curtain in an installed position within the cavity is at an angle with respect to a longitudinal axis of the body.
US07967740B2 Therapeutic devices for the treatment of various conditions of a female individual
This invention relates to devices targeted to resolving various conditions of a female patient in need thereof, the conditions being female sexual dysfunction and urinary incontinence. The present disclosure provides for a device which incorporates a variety of elements in an effort to treat certain conditions of a female individual in need thereof. Optionally, the device of the present invention may be used as a prophylactic measure to prevent a condition selected from the group consisting of female sexual dysfunction and urinary incontinence.
US07967733B2 Exercise device
An exercise device is provided, having a frame, an arm link pivotally coupled to the frame, a leg link pivotally coupled to the frame and a countermovement mechanism coupling the arm link and the leg link to enable substantially opposite direction of movement of the arm link relative to the leg link. A first and second set of the arm and leg links may be provided and positioned each adjacent a seat adapted to support a user. The range of motion of the arm links and therefore the leg links are controlled by the user as well as the direction of movement of the first set relative to the second set. This enables the user to perform a simulated walking gait exercise by moving the first and second arm links in generally opposing directions or an abdominal exercise by moving the first and second arms links in substantially the same direction.
US07967732B2 Finger and hand exerciser with tension adjuster
A finger and hand exerciser includes a housing defining four chambers arranged side-by-side in parallel with one another. Each chamber receives a tension adjustment member, a plunger that is reciprocatingly slidable in the chamber, and a helically wound compression spring extending between the plunger and the tension adjustment member. Each tension adjustment member includes a knurled wheel which the user of the finger and hand exerciser may turn to decrease or increase the force the spring exerts on the plunger.
US07967730B2 System and method for controlling an exercise apparatus
The various embodiments of the present invention generally provide a control system and a process for an exercise apparatus configurable into a combined treadmill and stepper mode. The apparatus may also be configured into stepper only and treadmill only modes. The apparatus generally includes a master control unit, a first sensor, in communication with the master control unit, which generates a first signal indicative of an effective tread speed for the apparatus, and a resistive element that includes at least one resistance level. Using the first signal, the resistance level, and empirical information, the amount of energy expended by a user of the apparatus may be calculated and the operation of the apparatus controlled. Various sensors, actuators and information, such as that obtained from various data structures, may be utilized in performing calculations and controlling the features, functions and operation of the apparatus.
US07967727B2 Clutch control device
An oil pressure command value for slip-control of a lock-up clutch of a torque converter is calculated based on a feed-forward oil pressure value calculated by an FF value calculating unit and a feed-back oil pressure value calculated by a feedback value calculating unit. When the feedback oil pressure value is calculated, a deviation out-of-range determining unit determines whether a deviation between actual rotational speed difference and target rotational speed difference is outside of a predetermined range. If the deviation is outside of the predetermined range, a feedback value correcting unit calculates a correction value and corrects the feedback oil pressure value. Therefore, when the deviation is outside of the predetermined range, the actual rotational speed difference is brought into convergence with the target rotational speed difference with rapid response. When the deviation falls within the predetermined range, normal feedback control is adopted to assure stability without overshooting, even in a high engine speed, high engine torque state.
US07967721B2 Control apparatus for an automatic transmission
A transmission system in a vehicle using a motor to transmit power assists acceleration by generating auxiliary engine power during acceleration in addition to gear changing by the motor. Where acceleration assistance is added, torque transition is conducted along a torque transmission route of dog clutch, second intermediate shaft, motor, first intermediate shaft, and gear position of first intermediate shaft before shifting so as to avoid the torque reduction in uncomfortable shocks and feelings to the driver due to torque reduction when shifting.
US07967718B2 Bicycle hub transmission
A bicycle hub transmission basically includes a hub axle, a driver, a hub shell, a power transmission mechanism and a shift mechanism. The driver is rotatably supported relative to the hub axle. The hub shell is rotatably supported relative to the driver. The power transmission mechanism includes a downstream planetary gear unit and an upstream planetary gear unit disposed between the driver and the hub shell to selectively transmit rotational power from the driver to the hub shell through one a plurality of power transmission paths. The shift mechanism is operatively coupled to the power transmission mechanism to select one of the power transmission paths. The downstream planetary gear unit includes at least a planetary gear carrier that meshes with planetary gears of the upstream planetary gear unit.
US07967714B2 Drive and transmission module with a layout adapted for a vehicle
A drive consists of a drive source and a connected transmission module that is built up of a bypass transmission with connected supporting devices for the support of torque, a transmission, a torque converter, and several clutches and reductions. The bypass transmission has three rotation bodies and is made as a planetary gear. The third rotation body can be connected via a clutch to the supporting devices, which are formed by a flywheel. The first rotation body is connected via the torque converter to the drive source, and via a drive clutch to an ingoing shaft of the transmission. The second rotation body a finally is connected via a first and third reduction to an outgoing shaft of the transmission and the outgoing shaft can be connected via the first and second reduction to the driven wheels of a vehicle, which are depicted schematically by a rectangle. Each reduction is formed by two interlocking gear wheels, in which the first and third reduction possess a joint gear wheel.
US07967710B2 Link-plate chain for a v-pulley continuously variable transmission
The invention relates to a link-plate chain for a v-pulley-continuously variable transmission, especially for motor vehicles, with several cradle thrust pieces configured in pairs and projecting transversely through the link-plate chain, and links which are offset to each other and which connect the cradle thrust pieces in the lengthwise direction of the chain, the cradle thrust pieces adjoining each other with the inner rolling surfaces facing each other and interacting with outer rolling surfaces with openings of the links and on their front sides having friction surfaces which run onto the annular surfaces of the v-pulleys to transmit torque, and furthermore the cradle thrust pieces being made such that the differences of the torque transmitted by way of the cradle thrust piece pairs to the links, which differences are present over the width of the link-plate chain, are at least partially compensated. To obtain a link-plate chain with low wear and improved stability of running, the outer rolling surfaces of at least one of the respective cradle thrust pieces, but preferably of both cradle thrust pieces, are made such that the links of the link-plate chain which lie outside when viewed in the transverse direction are relieved at low load and at full load are loaded at the same time in the elastic deformation region of the cradle thrust pieces.
US07967708B2 Chain guide for use in engine
A chain guide is composed of a resin shoe engageable with an aluminum base frame. The shoe has a hook formed at a chain entry end for engagement with a chain entry end of the base frame, and a C-shaped hook at the chain exit end engageable with a side edge of the base frame. The shoe is engaged with the base by first engaging the C-shaped hook with the side edge of the base frame, then flexing the chain entry end of the shoe until the hook at the chain entry end can receive the chain entry end of the base. The shoe is moved a short distance toward the chain exit end of the base until a projection formed on a back surface of the shoe near the chain entry end snaps into a depression formed on a front surface of the base frame, locking the shoe and base together.
US07967705B2 Backboard replacement system
A storage cart for supporting a backboard assembly during replacement and storage is provided, which may also be used in combination with a quick change coupling system to permit the quick removal and replacement of the backboard assembly. The storage cart can include a frame, a carrier unit and a lifting mechanism. The frame includes a base, a top, and upright support members interconnecting the base and top. The base depth can be greater than the top depth to form a taper, permitting a backboard assembly to lean against the frame. The carrier unit includes a shelf sized to support the backboard assembly. The lifting mechanism includes means for adjusting the vertical position of the shelf to (dis)engage the shelf with the backboard assembly. The storage cart can include wheels, where the storage cart can be easily moved through a standard sized door and into its suitable position.
US07967693B1 Rotary game table
A rotary game table includes a combination game table, two side support members, and at least one cross member. The combination game table includes one type of game on one side and another type of game on the other side. The at least one cross member is terminated on each end by a single side support member. The combination game table is pivotally retained by one side support member on each end thereof. A locking device is used to pivotally constrain rotation of the combination game table. At least one table cross member is used to internally brace the combination game table with at least one air passage formed therethrough. In another embodiment, a substantially U-shaped side member is attached to one cross member and one end of the two side support members. In another embodiment, a collapsible support is used to increase rigidity of the side support members.
US07967685B2 Inner ring for constant velocity universal joint and manufacturing apparatus therefor
An inner ring of a constant velocity universal joint includes ball tracks formed in an outer surface at predetermined intervals in a circumferential direction. Portions of side walls of the ball tracks that form edge lines with the outer surface are formed with a chamfer along the entire length of the axial direction.
US07967679B2 Tactile wearable gaming device
A tactile garment, such as a gaming vest (420) or other garment or body-enveloping device. A pneumatic force-generating device (425) is embedded in the vest in multiple cell zones for selectively applying a modulated force to a user wearing the multi-layered vest. A compressed air source comprising a compressor (612) and an associated canister (606) selectively actuates the pneumatic force-generating devices to produce a tactile response. A control valve assembly couples the pneumatic force-generating device to the compressed air source. A controller (426) selectively opens and closes the control valve to modulate the pneumatic force-generating device and generate forces simulating real forces, such as impact and G-forces. Force sensors may be deployed in the cell zones to provide force data for generating secondary forces.
US07967677B2 Gaming system and method for providing virtual drawings
A gaming system and method of providing a virtual drawing or drawing promotion including a central server, one or more location servers, and a plurality of gaming devices. A player is provided with a drawing account voucher, which is associated with a drawing account. Based on game play, the drawing account is credited with drawing entries or virtual tickets for a drawing promotion. In one embodiment, the gaming system provides a number of drawing entries when a wager placed by a player meets at least a wager threshold amount, wherein the number of drawing entries provided is based on a ticket award amount. The gaming system, upon expiration of a drawing period, selects a winner of the drawing promotion by selecting a drawing entry. In one embodiment, the gaming system progressively increases the drawing prize based on the number of drawing entries provided or wagers placed by the players.
US07967676B2 Gaming device and method having an award generator and a plurality of tracking meters
A gaming device having an award generator and a plurality of tracking meters. In one embodiment, each tracking meter is associated with one of a plurality of indicators. The gaming device increments at least one of the plurality of tracking meters based on one or more events which occur in association with a play of a game. The gaming device then determines if at least one of the tracking meters has been incremented a predetermined number of times. If at least one of the tracking meters has been incremented the predetermined number of times, the gaming device activates the award generator, indicates a plurality of the sections of the award generator with a plurality of indicators, determines the award indicated by the indicator associated with the tracking meter which has been incremented the predetermined number of times, and provides the determined award to a player.
US07967675B1 Fixed pool bonus method and apparatus
A gaming system that uses centrally determined game outcomes to generate both a simulated primary game and a multiplicity of bonus games are revealed. The predetermined outcome bonus games are designed to mimic actual Nevada-style bonus games using novel methods to both create the look-and-feel of the actual bonus games as well as being able to use existing central determination game system protocols, which have severe limitations in their message fields.
US07967674B2 Gaming device and method having a first interactive game which determines a function of a second wagering game
A gaming device including a first player interactive game requiring one or more player inputs which result in an outcome. The outcome does not result in an award provided to the player. In one embodiment, the gaming device determines a paytable employed in the wagering game based on an outcome of the interactive game. In another embodiment, the gaming device includes a plurality of different wagering games. The gaming device determines which wagering game to provide to the player based, at least in part, on the outcome of the interactive game. Other suitable functions can be employed in the wagering game based on the outcome of the interactive game in accordance with the present invention. In any embodiment, the gaming device provides an outcome to the player for the wagering game which can result in an award.
US07967665B2 Substrate holding apparatus, polishing apparatus, and polishing method
A substrate holding apparatus prevents a substrate from slipping out and allows the substrate to be polished stably. The substrate holding apparatus has a top ring body for holding and pressing a substrate against a polishing surface, and a retainer ring for pressing the polishing surface, the retainer ring being disposed on an outer circumferential portion of the top ring body. The retainer ring includes a first member made of a magnetic material and a second member having a magnet disposed on a surface thereof which is held in abutment against the first member.
US07967663B2 Process of forming a deflection mirror in a light waveguide
A process of forming a deflection mirror in a light waveguide with a use of a dicing blade having a cutting end with a flat top cutting face and at least one slanted side cutting face. The process includes a cutting step of cutting a surface of the light waveguide to a depth not greater than a width of the flat top cutting face, thereby forming a groove in the surface of the light waveguide. The groove has a slanted surface which is formed by the slanted cutting face to define the deflection mirror in the waveguide.
US07967651B2 Deployable rescue apparatus
Disclosed herein is a deployable apparatus and method for rescuing persons and animals from a water surface. The deployable apparatus comprises a buoyant support structure and multiple rescue units. The rescue units are detachably attached to the buoyant support structure for securing and supporting the rescued persons and animals. The rescue units, for example, comprise multiple undercarriage structures, buoyant longitudinal members, loop extensions, etc. The buoyant support structure with the rescue units is suspended from a height and lowered to the water surface using a cable. The undercarriage structures extend radially from the lower surface of the buoyant support structure on contacting the water surface. The buoyant longitudinal members are projected outwardly from the buoyant support structure in a projectile towards the persons and animals to be rescued to allow the persons and animals to grasp the longitudinal members and be drawn to the buoyant support structure.
US07967641B2 Connector
It is an object of the invention to provide a connector in which a plurality of stationary contacts 5 are arranged on an insulator 3, a plurality of cantilevered movable contacts 8 are arranged in rear of the stationary contacts while tip end sides are placed in a front side, and, even when at least one specific stationary contact 5b of the stationary contacts 5 and at least one specific movable contact 8b of the movable contacts 8 are arranged in substantially one row in a state where the specific contacts are anteroposteriorly close to each other, tip end portions of all of the movable contacts can be engaged with the insulator.
US07967640B2 Card connector with a bottom wall with isosceles triangle shaped contacts
A card connector according to the present invention includes a bottom wall of a base member configured to support a plurality of contacts in a cantilever manner. A rectangular SIM card is inserted into the card connector in such a manner that the shorter side of the card is parallel to the direction of insertion. The plurality of contacts of the card connector are arranged to correspond to respective plural external contact points of the SIM card. Each of the contacts includes a contact portion, two elastic deformation portions, and a terminal portion. The two elastic deformation portions of the contact are coupled together so as to substantially form an isosceles triangle shape with a vertex angle θ1 at a vertex corresponding to the contact portion. The plurality of contacts are arranged parallel to one another, each in an inverted V shape with respect to the card insertion direction.
US07967632B2 Card connector
A card connector includes a base housing configured to allow attachment of different kinds of memory cards; multiple kinds of memory card contacts held in the base housing and configured to connect to the corresponding memory cards; a module housing stacked on the base housing and configured to allow attachment of an expansion module; and a module contact configured to connect to the expansion module. The memory card contacts and the module contact are electrically separated.
US07967623B2 Lamp socket, backlight assembly having the same and display device having the same
A lamp socket includes a socket housing and a plurality of power supply members. The socket housing has a plurality of connecting holes extended in a vertical direction. The power supply members are disposed in the connecting holes, respectively, and each of the power supply members includes a plurality of lamp connecting parts and an inverter connecting part. The lamp connecting parts are protruded from an upper surface of the socket housing and include first and second portions facing each other. The inverter connecting part is integrally formed with the lamp connecting parts, and is protruded from a lower surface of the socket housing.
US07967621B2 Electrical contactor, especially wafer level contactor, using fluid pressure
An electrical interconnect assembly and methods for making an electrical interconnect assembly. In one embodiment, an interconnect assembly includes a flexible wiring layer having a plurality of first contact elements and a fluid containing structure which is coupled to the flexible wiring layer. The fluid, when contained in the fluid containing structure, presses the flexible wiring layer towards a device under test to form electrical interconnections between the first contact elements and corresponding second contact elements on the device under test. In a further embodiment, an interconnect assembly includes a flexible wiring layer having a plurality of first contact terminals and a semiconductor substrate which includes a plurality of second contact terminals. A plurality of freestanding, resilient contact elements, in one embodiment, are mechanically coupled to one of the flexible wiring layers or the semiconductor substrate and make electrical contacts between corresponding ones of the first contact terminals and the second contact terminals. In another embodiment, a method of making electrical interconnections includes joining a flexible wiring layer and a substrate together in proximity and causing a pressure differential between a first side and a second side of the flexible wiring layer. The pressure differential deforms the flexible wiring layer and causes a plurality of first contact terminals on the flexible wiring layer to electrically connect with a corresponding plurality of second contact terminals on the substrate.
US07967619B2 Light string with improved shunt system
This utility model relates to a decorative light, and particularly, to a decorative light capable of avoiding an open circuit condition on an entire string of bulbs that operate in series when an individual bulb is removed. The decorative light comprises a socket, a bulb base, a bulb and two terminals, wherein the socket is provided with a retainer therein, which has an opening laterally extending therethrough, and an elastic, conductive ring or coil with a thickness smaller than a width of the opening is disposed within the opening. When the elastic ring or coil is in a natural state, the elastic ring extends outside the retainer through the opening at two sides of the retainer. The bulb base is further provided with an inserting partition at the bottom thereof The elastic conductive ring has two states: one is a separating state where the bulb base is inserted into the socket. In this first state, the inserting partition of the bulb base separates one side of the elastic ring or coil from the corresponding terminals. The other state is a conducting state of the two terminals when the bulb base is removed from the socket. In this second state both sides of the elastic, conductive ring or coil provide contact with the two terminals respectively. This utility model provides a decorative light capable of preventing failure of the complete string of bulbs when any bulb is removed.
US07967616B1 In-wall mounted receptacle device
An in-wall mounted receptacle device includes a body and an electrical outlet box, wherein the body has an accommodating section. The electrical outlet box has a junction surface and is disposed inside the body. When the electrical outlet box rotates, a perpendicular direction of the junction surface varies and points outwardly or inwardly. Whereby, the in-wall mounted receptacle device of the present invention is capable of receiving both an electrical plug which is connected with the junction surface and an electric wire coupled to the electrical plug into the accommodating section, thereby preventing the electrical plug from exposure outside and further reducing the occupied space of the electrical plug. Moreover, the orientation of the junction surface is capable of changing directions so as to alter the direction of the electric wire adjacent to the electrical plug, thereby minimizing the possibility of bending or damaging the electric wire exposed outside.
US07967605B2 Endodontic files and obturator devices and methods of manufacturing same
An endodontic file, or a series of endodontic files, and an endodontic obturator or series of obturators, and methods of manufacturing same. Regarding the endodontic files, they may include a file body extending from a tip region to a shank region, at least one helical flute extending from the tip region towards the shank region. Each helical flute may have an up-sharp cutting edge without a land. For one such set of endodontic files, there is included at least a first and a second file, each one of the files having a tip and a shank, the first file having a tip size that is substantially the same as a tip size of the second file, wherein the first file has a different taper configuration relative to the taper configuration of the second file. The taper configurations of each one of the first and second files include at least two different rates of taper, the taper configurations of each one of the first and second files arranged such that at least one rate of taper closer to the shank of the file is smaller than at least one rate of taper closer to a tip of the file.
US07967601B2 Safety mechanism for a torch
A device for creating an electrical potential, such as a piezoelectric igniter, is connected to a conductor that conducts current to a burn tube to create a spark that ignites the fuel in the burn tube. In one embodiment a gap is formed in the conductor. An insulator is located in the gap such that is can be selectively moved between an insulating position where the flow of electricity over the gap is prevented such that no spark is created in the burn tube and a non-insulating position where electricity is allowed to flow over the gap such that a spark is created in the burn tube. In another embodiment the piezoelectric igniter forms part of the electrical circuit and is in electrical conductive contact or proximity to an electrical conductor that forms part of the ignition circuit. An insulator may selectively located between the igniter and the conductor.
US07967600B2 Flare apparatus
A flare apparatus for burning combustible gases. A flare tip unit comprises an inner member and an outer member defining an annulus therebetween. The annulus defines an annular gas passage through which combustible gas passes. Air moved by a motive force, preferably steam, passes through the inner member and a steam/air mixture exits an outlet of the inner member. The combustible gas and an air/steam mixture mixes in a premix zone between the inner member outlet and the exit opening of the outer member. The combustible gas/air/steam mixture is ignited for burning in the atmosphere above the exit opening. The flare apparatus may include a plurality of flare tip units.
US07967594B2 Facility for forming cell electrode plate
Even when a cell electrode plate with broader width is press formed to enhance bulk density of electrode active material, it is made possible to positively and reliably provide a high-quality cell electrode plate with good productivity. From upstream to downstream in a travel direction of a cell electrode plate including a core member with electrode active material applied thereon, an uncoiler, a tension applicator, a four-high mill type roll press device, a thickness detector, a tension applicator and a coiler are arranged in the order named.
US07967593B2 Apparatus for supplying synthetic resins
An apparatus for supplying synthetic resins applicable to a metal mold wheel that rotates at a high speed. A cutter of a cutter unit and a holding fitting are attached to an air cylinder, so that the cutter unit can be advanced and retreated in the radial direction of rotation. When the molten resin is stably blown out from an extrusion nozzle, the air cylinder is expanded to move the cutter to an advanced position to cut the molten resin. When the molten resin is unstably blown out from the extruder, the air cylinder is contracted and the cutter is arranged at a retreated position so will not to come in contact with the molten resin. Despite the cutter wheel continues to rotate, the molten resin is not contacted by the cutters.
US07967571B2 Advanced booster rotor blade
A rotor airfoil having a leading edge extending from a root to a tip, an inner span region and an outer span region the leading edge having a sweep angle profile such that the sweep angle increases from the root a first height location at a first rate of change of sweep angle that is substantially constant and thereafter increases at a second rate of change of sweep angle that is substantially constant.
US07967568B2 Gas turbine component with reduced cooling air requirement
Introducing a plurality of geometrically shaped members (27) into a cooling passage (16) of a gas turbine airfoil (10) will effectively reduce the cross-sectional flow area while simultaneously retaining a sufficiently thick external contour desired for proper gas path aerodynamic behavior. Small cooling sub-passages (18a, 18b) formed around the geometric members will create a preferentially higher coolant flow rate and heat transfer coefficient at the cooled surface (14) when compared to the interior of the cavity. The geometric shapes may be metal or ceramic spheres retained in the cooling cavity by a retaining structure such as a screen grid (30) or perforated plate (32). The openings (34) in the retaining structure may be unevenly distributed to preferentially allow more coolant to enter the cavity proximate the cooled walls. The size/shape of the geometrically shaped members may be varied to achieve a desired heat transfer coefficient along the cooled wall surface (17).
US07967566B2 Thermally balanced near wall cooling for a turbine blade
A turbine blade including an airfoil having an airfoil outer wall extending radially outwardly from a blade root to a blade tip. The airfoil outer wall includes a pressure sidewall and a suction sidewall, and the pressure and suction sidewalls are joined together at chordally spaced leading and trailing edges of the airfoil. A pressure side serpentine cooling path extends adjacent the pressure sidewall and a suction side serpentine cooling path extends adjacent the suction sidewall. The pressure side cooling path conducts cooling fluid in a first chordal direction between the leading and trailing edges, and the suction side cooling path conducts cooling fluid in a second chordal direction, opposite the first chordal direction, between the leading and trailing edges. A central partition extends chordally through the airfoil, and a transverse passage extends through the central partition and connects the pressure side cooling path to the suction side cooling path.
US07967558B2 Hybrid seal assembly for a fan-turbine rotor of a tip turbine engine
The hybrid seal assembly includes a seal for use with rotating surfaces which may suffer significant deflections such as for sealing between flanges and mating surfaces typical of annular seal face surface of a diffuser section of a tip turbine engine.
US07967542B2 Bin sweep auger
A discharge system for a grain storage bin has a discharge auger extending from the center of the bin floor to an exterior location and a sweep auger pivotally supported at an inner end on a post at the center and extending across the floor to the periphery of the bin for sweeping movement over the floor. The sweep auger is carried on a pivot link arm which pivots at one end on the post and at the other end on the sweep auger to allow it to move from a first position along one side of the discharge auger to a second position along the other side. The sweep auger is driven by a wheel at the outer end carried on a plate attached to an end plate of the shroud of the sweep auger and extending parallel thereto to a location behind the shroud at which is located the hydraulic motor directly driving the wheel with the motor shaft parallel to the auger shaft and behind the shroud. An extra weight plate can be slid into a receptacle on the mounting plate.
US07967536B2 Blade transportation
A transportation tooling of the type that borders the blade at its root and at an intermediate point. This tooling is used in combination with platforms placed on the transportation elements and the platforms can move transversely and turn or rotate with respect to the devices of transportation without affecting blade integrity. Also a method for blade transportation with the tip of one blade facing the tip of the adjacent blade so as to use the minimum space on the devices of transportation. The rail tooling takes into account the maximum corner radius that the train will encounter while absorbing the bending and torsion stress acting on the blades.
US07967533B2 Surface-coated cutting tool
A surface-coated cutting tool includes a coating layer (108) formed on a substrate (104), wherein assuming that the average thickness of the coating layer (108) on a first surface (106) and a second surface (107) of the substrate (104) is A, a difference between the maximum and minimum thicknesses of the coating layer (108) is 0.04×A or less. Also, a surface-coated cutting tool includes a coating layer (108) formed on a substrate (104), wherein assuming that the average thickness of the coating layer (108) on a first surface (106) of the substrate (104) is B1, and the average thickness of the coating layer (108) on a second surface (107) of the substrate (104) is B2, a value obtained by dividing an absolute difference value between B1 and B2 by a larger value of B1 and B2 is 0.04 or less.
US07967532B2 Ground anchor or rock anchor with an anchor tension member comprised of one or more individual elements with corrosion-protected anchor head design
A ground anchor or rock anchor is provided that includes an anchor tension member composed of one or more individual elements, such as steel bars, steel wires, or steel wire strands. While the anchor tension member is intended to be introduced into a drilled hole and anchored there, the anchoring of the anchor tension member at the exposed end of the drilled hole is achieved with the aid of anchor head. To this end, the anchor head comprises a support element to bear directly or indirectly against the underlying rock or substratum, and an anchoring component for tensioning the individual elements, which can be brought into a frictional connection with the individual elements while bearing against the support element. In addition, a cap, which extends around the anchoring component and the ends of the individual elements, protects the exposed end of the anchor head. For secure attachment of the cap to the rest of the anchor head, between the support element and anchoring component, a connecting element is arranged that has a first closure component at its circumferential side, and has a second closure component of complementary shape on its circumferential side, wherein the first and second closure component work together to produce a frictional connection between the cap and connecting element.
US07967527B2 Concrete slab joint system including a load plate sleeve
A load plate sleeve assembly for maintaining a load plate in position between adjacent concrete slabs and facilitating controlled lateral movement of the load plate includes a housing and an insert clip coupled to the housing. The housing includes a top wall, a bottom wall, opposing side walls extending between the top and bottom walls, and an end wall extending between the top and bottom walls, and between the side walls. The walls define an internal cavity, and the housing includes a cavity access opening. The insert clip includes a opposing side walls having a first end and a second end. The insert clip also includes an end wall extending between the side walls, a plurality of deformable centering fingers extending from the side walls, and a collapsible diamond shaped center support extending from the end wall. The insert clip is positioned inside the internal cavity of the housing.
US07967517B2 Printing system and cutting method where when cutting information is not detected, cutting occurs at a set length set in advance
A printing system comprising: a printing device having a printing portion and a printing control portion; and a cutting device having a cutting portion which cuts a continuous sheet, a conveying portion conveying the continuous sheet, a detecting portion detecting cutting information, and a cutting control portion which controls the cutting portion such that the continuous sheet is cut at a cutting position indicated by the cutting information, when the cutting information is detected at the continuous sheet within a predetermined range from a cutting position at an upstream side in a conveying direction of the conveying portion, and controls the cutting portion such that the continuous sheet is cut at a set length which is set in advance, when the cutting information is not detected at the continuous sheet within the predetermined range from the cutting position at the upstream side in the conveying direction, is provided.
US07967514B2 Dust protector for camera module and portable electronic device using the same
A dust protector module comprises a protective cover and a decorative element. The decorative element defines a receiving area corresponding to the protective cover, the receiving area has the same shape and a smaller size than the protective cover. Therefore, the protective cover is frictionally engaged in the receiving area.
US07967513B2 Reflector assembly for use with electronic devices
A reflector assembly for use with an electronic device includes a light guiding member forming a light-guiding passage having a light guide assembly in the form of a plurality of lens assembled therein, the light guiding member is assembled in an electronic device having a display window formed in the front surface and a camera module formed in the back surface. An end of the light guiding member aligns with the camera module, the other end of the light guiding member extends to the front surface of the electronic device, outside lights can enter into light-guiding passage and be reflected by the lenses and reach to the camera module.
US07967504B2 Push-button control device for a watch
The push-button control device for a watch includes a push-button stem (28) inserted via a bottom end into an orifice (22, 23) of a watchcase and a button (29) mounted on a top part (28a) of the stem (28) outside the watchcase. The stem can slide axially between a rest position and an active position against a return member (35) to control at least one function of the watch. The control device is characterized in that the top part (28a) of the stem includes an annular groove delimited by two parallel shoulders (44, 46) perpendicular to the axis of the stem, and in that the button (29) includes an annular base (27) that is engaged in the groove so as to be held between the two shoulders (44, 46) in the axial direction and centred with some play by the bottom of the groove such that the button (29) is free to move off-centre relative to the axis of the stem (28) while remaining secured thereto.
US07967497B2 Geometric and perforated paint mixer and paint roller cleaner
The present invention sets forth an implement which enables the user to mix paint, and optionally to perform several other painting related functions. The implement has a perforated paddle with oppositely deflected upper portions to enhance mixing of the paint. The implement may be selectively positionable to either mix paint or to support a paint roller for cleaning. A paint can remover and a paint can rim cleaning device are also incorporated into the implement. A single implement can serve the functions of opening paint cans, stirring paint in a container, cleaning the groove around the lip of a paint can, cleaning a paint roller, and as a spatula to aid in removing paint from a can.
US07967495B2 Scuff plate
Luminous surfaces 25 of a concave-convex shape are formed on a light guide member 2 of a scuff plate, and a screen member 4 made of a non-transparent material is disposed between the light guide member 2 and a wire harness 31 of the scuff plate. The light guide member 2 luminously displays a design in a three-dimensional manner, and also the wire harness 31 will not be visually recognized through the light guide member 2, and therefore the design is enhanced.
US07967481B2 Adjustable recessed light fixture
A recessed light fixture includes a housing or can, a junction box, a protective flexible wire conduit connected to the junction box and the housing, and an adjustment assembly adjustably and detachably connecting the housing to the junction box. The adjustment assembly includes a first bracket connected to the housing and a second bracket connected to the junction box. The second bracket is slidably and detachably connected to the first bracket.
US07967472B2 Light unit
The light unit comprises a light source and a reflector. The light source is surrounded by an exterior pipe. Spring clips with a centering effect for the exterior bulb of the light source are anchored at the open end of the exterior pipe.
US07967466B2 Movable light bar assembly
A movable light bar assembly includes a primary frame having a side coupled with a secondary frame and an opposite side coupled with at least one lighting element and a battery element. The secondary frame has a surface provided with solar chips and is provided internally with a photoelectric transducer electrically connected to the battery element and the at least one lighting element. Each lighting element is provided with at least one light-emitting body and secured to the primary frame by a lamp cover. The battery element is secured to the primary frame by a battery cover. The primary frame is peripherally provided with at least one rotatable handle which, when angularly offset from the primary frame, serves to support the primary frame. The at least one handle is insertable into a fixing base and connectable with a hanging cord. The primary frame can be positioned at a lamp frame.
US07967450B2 Light amount control device and projector
A light amount control device that controls an amount of light acquired from a light source provided in an image display apparatus includes: a pulse generator; an operation processing portion for light amount control that outputs a transfer start signal at timing when the amount of light is controlled; a data setting circuit that is provided outside the operation processing portion and that stores data, in which various kinds of signals instructing the operation processing portion to set transfer data beforehand are set, in a memory; an address generator that is provided outside the operation processing portion and that sets an address in response to the transfer start signal output from the operation processing portion; a memory that is a main component included in the pulse generator and that outputs data on the basis of a memory address generated by the address generator; a pulse driven body whose operation direction and speed are determined by a pulse signal formed by data output from the memory and which is driven by a pulse; an actuator connected to the pulse driven body; and an opening capable of adjusting the amount of transmitted light according to an operation of the actuator inserted in an emission path of the light source.
US07967444B2 Multi-resolution digital table display system with projection device
A multi-resolution digital table display system is provided for integrally displaying an image picture with more than one resolution. The multi-resolution digital table display system includes a table, a peripheral projection device, a foveal projection device, and an image module. For saving space and avoiding affection of user's hand, the peripheral projection device and the foveal projection device required for projecting images are disposed under the table. The image module provides a peripheral image with a first resolution to the peripheral projection device for projecting the same to a projection screen, and provides a foveal image with a second resolution to the foveal projection device for projecting the same to the projecting screen, such that an image picture can be integrally displayed on the projecting screen.
US07967442B2 Methods, systems, and devices for monitoring anisocoria and asymmetry of pupillary reaction to stimulus
A Pupillometer is disclosed. The Pupillometer has a display, an imaging apparatus that has a pupil finder and a microprocessor, and a memory in communication with the microprocessor. The display is sized to simultaneously display a video of y or more seconds in length of a left pupil and a video of y or more seconds in length of a right pupil. The pupil finder identifies the perimeter of a pupil. The imaging apparatus is capable of recording images of an individual's pupils at a rate of x image frames per second for a period of y or more seconds and playing back said image frames as a video at x image frames per second or at another rate that is faster or slower than x image frames per second. The memory has stored therein a program for enabling said microprocessor to do the following: (i) identify a center of the left pupil and a center of the right pupil for each image frame; (ii) synchronize each image frame of the two videos starting from the first frame; (iii) cause the display to display the two videos simultaneously such that each of the image frames of the video of the left eye is synchronized to a corresponding image frame of the video of the right eye when played back on the display; and (iv) cause the two videos to be displayed so that the center of the left pupil in each image frame is aligned on the display with the center of the right pupil for the corresponding image frame.
US07967438B2 System for obtaining a fundus image
The present invention is related to a system for obtaining a fundus image, constituted by optical means implemented in an equipment to observe and photograph the image of the wall fundus (16), comprising a capturing optical means composed by high sensibility digital camera, constituted by an image sensor (2) and focal optical system (3), said digital camera being used to register a captured image by an afocal optical system, composed by a capturing lens (13) and its afocal complement (6); a lighting optical means provided from a arrangement conformed with optical fiber bundle (7), (8), (9) and (10), halogen light source (23) or light emitting diode source (LED); wherein said light beam from the halogen light (23) or light emitting diodes has an annular form when it pass in the anterior part of eyeball (14) and focus in the pupil plan (15); both the means having the optical path partially common over the optical axle (1) from the optical fibers arrangement (7), (8), (9) and (10) to the fundus (16), region in that both the beams are coaxial; in that both the optical means are equipped with light polarizers (4) and (11), being integrated with mechanical, electronics and computerized components, and applicative program, which allow control the equipment and its multiple operational configurations, conducing image acquisition and processing, and displaying the results.
US07967431B2 Spectacles
A pair of rimless spectacles includes two lenses, a frame including two temple units and a bridge, and a connection mechanism. The connection mechanism includes a plurality of first connectors spacedly provided at the lenses at a predetermined location and a plurality of second connectors provided at a predetermined location of each of the temple units and the bridge respectively, wherein the second connectors are coupled with the first connectors respectively to couple the temple units at two outer sides of the lenses respectively and to couple the bridge between two inner sides of the lenses respectively in a tool-less manner.
US07967430B2 Heated ink delivery system
An ink umbilical provides different colors of heated ink to multiple print heads in an integrated structure. The ink umbilical includes a first and a second plurality of conduits, each conduit in the first and the second plurality of conduits having a flat surface between a first end and a second end of the conduit, and a heater having a first side and a second side, the flat surfaces of the conduits in the first plurality of conduits being coupled to the first side of the heater and the flat surfaces of the conduits in the second plurality of conduits being coupled to the second side of the heater to enable the heater to heat ink being carried between the first and the second ends of the conduits in the first and in the second plurality of conduits.
US07967420B2 Inkjet printhead nozzle arrangement having non-coincident low mass electrode and heater element
An inkjet printhead nozzle arrangement includes side walls provided on a wafer substrate and a roof layer deposited on said side walls to define an ink chamber, the roof layer defining a nozzle aperture; an inlet defined in the substrate to supply the ink chamber with printing fluid; and at least one heater element having two opposite sides parallel to a plane of the ejection aperture, the heater element adapted to generate a gas bubble at both of said opposite sides. The heater elements and associated electrodes are arranged in the chamber to be non-coincident and have an annular shape facilitating a point of collapse of the bubble near a center thereof. The heater element has a mass of less than 10 nanograms.
US07967418B2 Printhead with nozzles having individual supply passages extending into substrate
An inkjet printhead has a wafer substrate with a droplet ejection side and a liquid supply side opposite the droplet ejection side. Drive circuitry layers are formed on the droplet ejection side of the wafer substrate. An array of nozzles is formed on the droplet ejection side of the wafer substrate, each nozzle having a drop ejection actuator and an associated drop ejection aperture for ejecting drops of liquid. Ducting extends from the liquid supply side into the wafer substrate and terminating before reaching the droplet ejection side. Liquid inlets establish fluid communication between the ducting and the array of nozzles.
US07967403B2 Home bar for refrigerator and assembly method thereof
Provided is a home bar for a refrigerator that reduces assembly costs of a gasket and prevents cooling air leakage by improving a gasket structure of a home bar. The home bar includes an opening, a home-bar frame, a home-bar door, and a gasket. The opening is formed on a refrigerator door. The home-bar frame forms an edge portion of the opening. The home-bar door is rotatably coupled to one end of the home-bar frame. The gasket is coupled to the home-bar frame and surrounds both a front surface and a rear surface of the home-bar frame. The home bar can be easily sealed by preventing cooling air leakage from a storing portion of the home bar. In addition, assembly costs of a gasket and a home-bar frame can be reduced, thereby reducing a fabrication cost of a refrigerator.
US07967401B2 Systemic cabinet
A systemic cabinet is composed of multiple boards and multiple connecting pieces. Each board has multiple mortises defined at sides respectively to combine the corresponding connecting pieces with supporting strength by wedging to form a configuration of the systemic cabinet. The connecting pieces have multiple types in design variation to provide orientation-positioning efficiency and have supporting strength to make the composed systemic cabinet firm and stable. Therefore, once one board is worn out, only the worn board is replaced by detaching the connecting pieces to save other elements and to make the replacement easy and environmental for future repair.
US07967392B2 Hub body for a bicycle wheel and hub comprising such a hub body
A hub body for a bicycle wheel has a substantially tubular body extending along a longitudinal axis with a pair of opposite end portions, at least one of which has an annular front surface on which a plurality of housing seats for an end portion of respective spokes are formed. Advantageously, at least some of these seats comprise retention elements adapted to prevent said spokes from moving along a direction substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis in all operating conditions. The spoke is thus prevented from moving away from the hub in the case of untightening or breaking of a spoke during a race, which would compromise the correct operation of the wheel and/or constitute a danger to the cyclists.
US07967391B1 Saw and water combination system
A saw and water dispensing combination system includes a handsaw that includes a motor, a handle attached to the motor, and a blade mechanically coupled to the motor that is rotated when the motor is turned on. The blade is configured to cut through cement blocks. A shroud extends over an upper portion of the blade relative to the motor and a grip is attached to the motor distal to the blade. A container is provided that has water therein. A pump is fluidly coupled to the container and creates pressure within the container when the pump is actuated. An outlet conduit is fluidly coupled to the container. Water is forced into the outlet conduit when the pump is actuated and the outlet conduit ejects the water onto the saw blade. A coupler releasably couples the container to the handsaw.
US07967390B2 Machine and method for deconstructing a vertical wall
A machine and method are disclosed for deconstructing walls and other substantially vertical surfaces. The machine comprises a static, stand-alone support-frame. A carriage is movably mounted on the support-frame, which carriage is operable to be raised and lowered along the support-frame adjacent to a workface. To the carriage are mounted one or more nozzles, preferably the nozzles are mounted to the carriage by means of a nozzle carrier that is operable to move back and forth along the length of the carriage. The nozzles are connected to a high-pressure supply of an erosive material, preferably water. The erosive material, when forced through the nozzles, form jet streams that are directed against the surface of the workface, thereby eroding the surface.Optionally, the invention comprises means of yawing or means of rotating the nozzles in order to access the sidewalls of the opening in the workface produced by the invention.Optionally, the invention comprises means of adjusting the nozzles towards or away from the workface surface in order to maintain an optimal gap between the nozzle and the workface surface as the opening gets deeper.Optionally, the invention comprises a work platform mounted on the support-frame and operable to be raised and lowered along the support-frame, thereby providing access to the workface for workers cutting rebar and carrying out other ancillary tasks.
US07967379B2 Seat with independently adjustable user support assemblies
A seat including a plurality of user support assemblies that are independently adjustable. User support assemblies, which are independently adjustable, include a head support assembly, a thoracic support assembly, and a lumbar support assembly. Moreover, the seat might include a independently adjustable seat assembly.
US07967372B2 Sound-insulation structure for cab-over truck
A cab-side cover 10 is fixed to a cab 1, and a chassis-side cover 13 is fixed to a side member 2. A rear edge portion 7a of a tilt stay 7 is located between a front tire 5 and the side member 2 while the cab 1 is in a non-tilted state. The cab-side cover 10 includes a cab-side front cover portion 12, and the chassis-side cover 13 includes a chassis-side front cover portion 15. The cab-side front cover portion 12 is located at the outer side, in the vehicle-width direction, of the tilt stay 7 and extends further forward than the rear edge portion 7a of the tilt stay 7 while the cab 1 is in the non-tilted state. The chassis-side front cover portion 15 is located at the inner side, in the vehicle-width direction, of the tilt stay 7 and extends further forward and downward than the front lower edge of the cab-side front cover portion 12 while the cab 1 is in the non-tilted state.
US07967370B2 Vehicle bed system
A variable length bed system is provided for a vehicle having a load-carrying bed and a support structure configured to provide support to the bed system. The bed system comprises a floor structure including a bed floor and a separate shell. The bed floor includes a support for directly supporting cargo. The support is a selected support that is selected from a first support having a first length and a second support having a second length that is greater than the first length. The separate shell is connected to a first end section of the support and defines a first storage chamber disposed adjacent the support. The shell has first and second chamber openings. The first chamber is accessible through the first opening. The shell has a fixed size. The differing lengths of the first support and the second support allow the fixed sized shell to be used in varying vehicle sized load-carrying beds.
US07967365B2 Motor vehicle stowable roof assembly
An actuation mechanism for a stowable front roof panel includes a first support assembly to provide vertical movement of the roof panel and a second sliding support structure to provide horizontal movement of the front roof panel. The first support assembly includes first and second upwardly extending supports and a transverse tubular cross member that in combination form an inverted U-shaped roll over protection member. The roll over protection member is used to provide roll over protection to the occupants of the motor vehicle in the event of a vehicle roll over.
US07967364B1 Tarp system with flexible torque shaft
A tarp system with a knuckle arm assembly having a housing on an upper aim with a bent enclosure with a flexible torque shaft substantially within the enclosure, such as an extruded tube. A first end of the flexible torque shaft may be used in conjunction with a motor, preferably mounted away from the bend in the enclosure to minimize the envelope of the tarp system around a container of a container of a trailer or rail car. A second end of the flexible torque shaft is attached to an axle shaft for a roller or the like that is used in conjunction with a tarp.
US07967362B2 Motor vehicle with a protective sunscreen for the windowpane
A motor vehicle is provided that includes, but is not limited to a windowpane and a protective sunscreen for the windowpane, and the protective sunscreen exhibits a cover that can be moved from a non-use position into a use position, in which the cover at least partially covers the windowpane. The cover exhibits a rigid load-bearing section that accommodates at least one sun visor, which can be moved from a non-use position into a use position.
US07967354B2 Mixed size product handling end of arm tool
A mixed size product end of arm tooling is used in conjunction with a robot to pick mixed size product and place the product onto a pallet or layers resting on top of a pallet. The end of arm tooling includes two center rails/forks mounted to a base. Two outer rails/forks are mounted to linear bearings that guide the outer rails/forks when moving inwardly or outwardly from the center rails for pre-sizing to the product. Pusher arms are formed of two outer pusher arms and one center pusher arm. These pusher arms are attached to linear bushings that guide the pusher arms forward and backward. The pusher arms push off the product simultaneously as the robot is withdrawing the rails.
US07967349B2 Side impact guard device for industrial vehicles, particularly trailers or semi-trailers
An industrial vehicle, in particular a trailer or semi-trailer, comprises on its two sides two side-impact guard devices each comprising at least one bar extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and connected to the frame of the vehicle. Set between the bars of the two side-impact guard devices is a housing structure for one or more spare wheels, in such a way that said housing structure and the spare wheel or wheels housed therein contribute, together with the aforesaid bars, to absorbing the energy of a lateral impact.
US07967348B2 Key alignment system for keyed safety interlocks
A key alignment system for safety interlock switches uses alignment holes, and alignment pins to compensate for misalignment between a body assembly and a key assembly. The misalignment is often due to normal wear and tear or outright abuse of a gate or other movable member that should be safely interlocked. The key is fixed to a floating plate connected to a mounting plate by a suspension. The alignment pins and holes on or in a fixed alignment assembly and the floating plate can move the floating plate into a position such that the key enters the key hole. Some embodiments incorporate the fixed alignment assembly into the body assembly. The normal function of a keyed safety interlock wherein the key can be caught and held or released is preserved and enhanced by compensating for misalignment.
US07967346B2 Slider mechanisms for opening and closing portable terminals
Exemplary embodiments are provided of slider mechanisms for slidably opening and closing portable communications terminals. In one exemplary embodiment, a portable communications terminal includes a main body and a slider body sliding on the main body. The slider mechanism includes a first slider member fixed to one of the main body and slider body and a second slider member fixed to the other one. The second slider member is slidably engaged with the first slider member. A zigzag spring is disposed between the first and second slider members. One end portion of the zigzag spring is rotatably supported on one of the first and second slider members and the other end thereof is rotatably supported on the other one of the first and second slider members. The zigzag spring is formed of a first zigzag portion and a second zigzag portion having spring characteristics different from the first zigzag portion.
US07967344B2 Portable balloon tying device, station and caddy
A balloon tying device has a base adapted for attaching to a support structure. A cantilever, supported by the base and protruding away from the support structure, is attached to the base. The cantilever has a U-shaped cross section and two ears defining generally parallel planes extending outwardly and terminating at the tip for retaining a loop of balloon material. Inside the U-shape of the cantilever is an axially oriented recess for passing ribbon and providing clearance for tucking the overhand knot. A brace tab extends downward from the lower edge of the base. A ribbon retainer is disposed on the device for integrating spooled or pre-cut ribbon into the balloon knot. The support structure can be human fingers, a station stanchion, a tank stand, or a caddy leg.
US07967343B2 Adapter for clamps, particularly for welding plastic pipes
An adapter for pipe locking clamps, particularly but not exclusively useful for welding portions of plastic piping by polyfusion. The adapter has at least two bodies obtained from a metal plate, and arranged parallel to each other. The bodies have respective circular arc-like lateral rims that have a same radius of curvature. The centers of curvature of the circular arc-like lateral rims are all arranged on a same axis so as to form a partially cylindrical concave surface forming an open cradle which is adapted to lock the pipes in cooperation with a similar surface formed on a complementary and opposite reduction unit.
US07967331B2 Passenger airbag structure of vehicle
The present invention provides a passenger airbag structure that prevents an airbag cushion from directly shocking a child in a passenger seat to secure safety of the child by controlling the flow of an inflation gas in an early inflation of the airbag cushion and has the same of improved performance in protecting an adult by inflating the airbag cushion in the same shape as in the related art, when the airbag cushion has completely inflated.
US07967328B2 Continuous side airbag seam
A continuous side airbag seam for use in a seat of a motor vehicle is disclosed. The seam includes a first material and a second material or a combination of materials joined to one another. The seam further may include any known thread member used to join the first material to the second material. The seam will extend from a portion near the top of the side panel of the seat cover to a portion near the back of the side panel of the seat cover. The seam will be continuous from the top portion to the back portion of the side panel cover of the seat. The continuous seam will have a predetermined shaped curve therein. The predetermined shaped curve will allow for quicker deployment of both the thorax section and pelvis section of an advanced two part side airbag to deploy both downward and forward in a controlled manner.
US07967321B2 Roll coupling trailer hitch assembly
A roll coupling assembly includes a roll torque transfer structure and an alignment mechanism. The torque transfer structure includes a first load bearing structure mountable to the rear of the tow vehicle, and a second load bearing structure mountable to the front of the trailer drawbar. Corresponding first and second load bearing surfaces cooperate so as to releasably mate with one another for towing of the trailer behind the tow vehicle. The bearing surfaces are distributed across a substantially planar interface between the rear of the tow vehicle and the front of the trailer drawbar so as to distribute to the tow vehicle torque imparted to the drawbar by relative rolling motion between the trailer and tow vehicle. The coupling alignment mechanism adjusts the relative orientation of the first and second load bearing surfaces so as to align them for mating to one another.
US07967320B2 Attachment for a trailer hitch bracket
An accessory for trailer hitch systems having components for equalizing loads and reducing trailer sway. The accessory includes a jacket for attaching to a bracket that supports a load equalizing spring bar. The bracket may include a lateral extending portion for supporting the spring bar. The jacket may include a socket for receiving the lateral extending portion of the bracket, such that the jacket may be removably installed on the bracket. The jacket may include a contact surface for contacting the spring bar. The contact surface may include a different coefficient of friction or a different shape, as compared to the lateral extending portion of the bracket, such that movement of the spring bar with respect to the bracket may be altered as compared to conditions in which the spring bar is supported on the bracket without the jacket.
US07967318B2 Stand device for motorcycle
A stand device for a motorcycle includes an interlocking mechanism having a coil-formed stand spring connected to a stand at one end thereof. A spring support member has a spring support portion connected with the other end of the stand spring and is interlocked and connected to an operating element so that the position of the spring support portion can be changed according to a manual operation of an operating element. The position of the spring support portion determined according to the operation of the operating element toward the erect position side is so set that the stand spring is put in the state of urging the stand toward the erect position side.
US07967314B1 Wheeled vehicle drive mechanism with hand lever arm
A wheeled vehicle drive mechanism is provided that has a hand leverage arm and one or more horizontal gears to move associated drive gears. A drive chain meshed with a fixed drive sprocket keyed to the drive gears may be used to transmit motion from the horizontal gears to the vehicle wheels.
US07967304B2 Steering stopper unit for vehicle
A steering stopper unit for vehicle includes a stopper that is disposed to a knuckle and a stopper bracket that corresponds to the stopper and is disposed to a lower arm that is rotatably connected with a lower portion of the knuckle, and includes a stopper plate, which is hingedly engaged with an end of the stopper bracket, selectively contacts a forward side or rearward side of the stopper bracket, and has a predetermined thickness.
US07967301B2 Level control system and method for controlling or regulating a level control system
A method for controlling or regulating a level control system for a motor vehicle including a compressed air source, at least one air spring, a switchable directional control valve associated with the air spring and a master line connecting the compressed air source to the switchable directional control valve. The switchable directional control valve blocking the master line in a normal state thereof and connecting the master line through for filling the air spring in a switching state thereof. The master line is filled with compressed air before filling the air spring until the air pressure in the master line is at least equally as high as a predetermined threshold value, and only thereafter is the switchable directional control valve transferred into the switching state for filling the air spring. A level control system for a motor vehicle is also provided.
US07967298B2 Lateral sealing gasket and method
An elongated elastomeric gasket (10) seals a pair of opposing flanges (12, 14) against the passage of liquid without compressing the flanges (12, 14) together. A reinforcing spring (32) is embedded within the elastomeric gasket (10) and is shaped so as to react when deflected by the operation of installing the gasket (10) into an operative position between the flanges (12, 14). A strategically located U-shaped bend (34) formed in the reinforcing spring (32) causes, in a preferred embodiment, contact pressure to be increased between opposed sealing beads at the other end of the gasket. More specifically, lateral contact pressure between a first pair of sealing beads (24) and their associated contact faces (38) is increased as a direct result of the reinforcing spring (32) being displaced during the assembly process. Likewise, lateral contact pressure between a second pair of beads (28) and their respective contact faces (42) is increased in direct response to the lateral displacement of the reinforcing spring (32) in the region of the first beads (24) during assembly.
US07967293B2 Poker dice game
The present invention relates to a game of dice wherein each player (i) draws a hand of at least three dice, wherein each die possesses a number of sides, an equivalent number of consecutive numerical values with one numerical value per side, and a suit, the suits being ranked from highest suit rank to lowest suit rank, wherein each side and numerical value in a die is associated with said suit; wherein the dice in a hand are of different suits, none having the same suit, but all of the dice in a hand having the same number of sides and numerical values; and (ii) compares the hand to an established ranking system of hands to determine the hand of highest rank, wherein the hand of highest rank is deemed the winner.
US07967289B2 Drive roll/idler roll nip release mechanism
A drive roll/idler roll nip release mechanism utilizes the motor used for the drive nip, coupled with one-way clutches, to power the nip release as a sheet is handed off to a downstream nip. A drive shaft is coupled to a first one-way clutch in one direction and an idler cam shaft is coupled to a second one-way clutch in the opposite direction. This allows the idler cam shaft to be driven only when the motor is reversed, and the drive shaft to be driven only when the motor is moving forward. The one-way clutch on the drive shaft allows the drive wheels to freewheel when the motor is reversed in order to engage the nip release. Thus, the nip release is activated while the drive nip continues to rotate in the direction of sheet motion.
US07967284B2 Sheet conveying device, sheet processing apparatus, and image forming apparatus
A sheet conveying device in which at least a sheet is guided and conveyed by a guiding member includes a discharging roller that conveys the sheet, a first guiding member and a second guiding member that are arranged along an outer periphery of the discharging roller, and a supporting shaft that rotatably supports both the first guiding member and the second guiding member. When the first guiding member is located at a first position in which a path between the first guiding member and the discharging roller is closed, the sheet is guided to a shift conveying path, and when the first guiding member is located at a second position in which the path is opened, the sheet is guided to a folding processing tray.
US07967281B2 Vibration isolation member
A vibration isolation member comprising an inner member comprising an outer periphery having a first dimension; an outer member comprising a base and a shroud that extends away from the base, the shroud adapted to overlay the inner member, said shroud defining an inner periphery having a second dimension, the second dimension being less than the first dimension; and a resilient member constrained between the shroud and the inner member, whereby the vibration isolation member provides iso-elastic dynamic stiffness and an interference between the inner and outer members in the event of a failure of the resilient member.
US07967278B2 Winch assembly
The present invention is directed to apparatus for a winch assembly. The winch assembly may be secured to a towing trailer and arranged to assist in loading and unloading cargo from the trailer. The winch assembly may include mechanisms, systems, and features to make the winch assembly easy to assemble and use, increase the service life of the winch assembly, and improve the consistency of the performance of the winch assembly. Embodiments of a winch assembly disclosed include novel drive systems, novel ratchet and pawl systems, novel systems for guiding a winch strap, novel systems for securing the winch assembly to a towing trailer, and a novel frame member for a winch assembly.
US07967271B2 Viewing angle adjustment system for a monitor
This invention provides a support arm to couple a monitor to a surface such as a wall or ceiling to remotely adjust the viewing angle of the monitor. The support arm includes at least one motor along a pivot axis in the support arm. The motor may be activated by a processor based on the control signal provided by the remote control. The support arm may include a plurality of pivot axes with a motor in each of the pivot axis to adjust the viewing angle along the vertical and horizontal planes. The support arm may be also provided with a tracking device that follows the movement of the viewer to adjust the viewing angle of the monitor corresponding to the movement of the viewer. The support arm may also receive periodic signal from the remote control to determine the location of the remote control. Based on the periodic signal, the processor may adjust the viewing angle of the monitor towards the location of the remote control.
US07967263B2 Fixing device
A fixing device is provided. The fixing device is fixed to a surface, comprising a sucker, a rack, a gear, a transforming unit and a limiting unit. The rack is connected to the sucker. The gear is engaged to the rack. The transforming unit is connected to the gear. The transforming unit rotates the gear to move the rack between a first position and a second position. The rack pushes the sucker to apply a suction force to the surface when the rack is in the first position, and the suction force of the sucker is released when the rack is in the second position. The limiting unit is connected to the rack to restrict the rack.
US07967256B2 Spacecraft battery thermal management system
A spacecraft battery thermal management system is provided that includes a battery, a first radiator panel and a second radiator panel. A first face of the first radiator panel is arranged to face a first direction and a first face of the second radiator panel is arranged to face a second direction opposite the first direction. A first heat pipe thermally couples the battery and the first radiator panel and is configured to control the transfer of heat between the battery and the first radiator panel. A second heat pipe thermally couples the battery and the second radiator panel and is configured to control the transfer of heat between the battery and the second radiator panel. Solar cells are optionally arranged on the faces of the first and/or second radiator panels.
US07967254B2 Sling release mechanism
A sling release mechanism for releasing the sling of a drogue parachute from a descending aerially delivered cargo pallet. The sling release mechanism has a body, with which a pivot arm, an inner and outer hinge plate articulate. The inner and outer hinge plates articulate in opposite directions when in use. The inner hinge plate has a cavity or receiver into which the end tip of the pivot arm may engage. The end of a parachute sling is placed over the pivot arm, and the pivot arm and inner hinge plate are articulated to engage the pivot pin end with the receiver of the inner hinge plate. The outer hinge plate is then articulated to engage the inner hinge plate, and is held in place with a releasable retainer. The parachute sling is released by releasing the retainer, allowing the outer and then the inner hinge plates to articulate, thereby releasing the pivot arm to articulate, after which the end of the parachute sling slides off the pivot pin. Other embodiments include multiple mechanisms for releasing a plurality of slings.
US07967253B2 Antenna fairing and method
A fairing suitable for enclosing a component mounted on an exterior surface of a mobile platform, and more particularly on an outer surface of a high speed mobile platform such as a jet aircraft or an aerospace vehicle. The fairing provides aggressive closure angles for optimum RF performance when used to house an antenna that is scanned to varying azimuth and elevation angles. The fairing further provides low aerodynamic drag, is scalable to enclose components having wide ranging dimensions, and provides attached flow with minimum separation of airflow thereover for airflows experienced by high speed jet aircraft, and reduces or eliminates RF reflections within the fairing from the RF beam of the antenna.
US07967245B2 Brace-locking device for an aircraft undercarriage
The invention relates to a wind-brace device for an aircraft undercarriage, the device comprising a hinged brace movable between a folded position and a stabilization position for stabilizing the undercarriage in the deployed position, a stabilizer member for stabilizing the brace comprising two hinged-together arms, one of the arms having one end hinged to the brace about a hinge axis, and a spring member for urging the arm of the stabilizer member towards the locked position. The spring member is connected to a lever hinged to the brace, the lever presenting a slot in which there is engaged a finger secured to the arm that is hinged to the brace.
US07967238B2 Composite air vehicle having a heavier-than-air vehicle tethered to a lighter-than-air vehicle
A system including a heavier-than-air vehicle (HTA), a lighter-than-air vehicle (LTA), and a tether is disclosed. The tether is coupled between the HTA and the LTA such that the LTA supports the HTA. The system may be further configured to suit the needs of the particular application. For example, the system may be configured to be controllable from a remote location or capable of autonomous operations. The system may also be configured such that the HTA comprises a mission payload and communications equipment. In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the LTA is configured to provide lift for the system and the HTA is configured to provide station-keeping propulsion, the advantage being reduced fuel consumption and increased mission endurance.
US07967236B2 Arrangement for attenuating vibration of a roll assembly
An arrangement of attenuating the vibration in a roll assembly of a fiber web machine, in which assembly the roll (10) being rotatably suspended at its end on bearings in bearing housings (13a, 13b), and the bearing housings being supported on the frame or the foundation of the machine via viscoelastic intermediate piece or pieces (21a, 21b). The loss factor of the intermediate piece is greater than 0.1 at the normal operating conditions of the roll at a frequency range, which is ±10% calculated from the lowest bending eigenfrequency of the roll, and in the each end of the roll the spring constant of the total influence of the intermediate piece or pieces is in the range of 0.04 GN/m-1 GN/m.
US07967221B2 Prefilming atomizer
A method of forming droplets comprises flowing a liquid through a channel; spreading the liquid into a thin film in the channel; and impinging the thin film with a flowing gas to atomize the liquid into droplets. The droplets may then be dried to produce dried particles, such as particles comprising a pharmaceutical active agent. The droplets formed by the disclosed process have improved size and/or size distribution characteristics.
US07967214B2 Card configured to receive separate battery
An electronic card comprises a thin, flexible substrate having electrical circuitry embedded therein. An activation device is disposed in the substrate and is configured to complete a circuit in response to a stimulus, such as light or sound. An output device is disposed in the substrate and is configured to produce an output, such as music or vibration, wherein the output device is activated upon the completion of the circuit by the activation device. A cavity is formed in an outer surface of the substrate and has electrical contacts at an inner portion thereof in electrical communication with the electrical circuitry. The cavity further comprises retaining means for replaceably retaining a battery in the cavity to enable the battery to provide power to the electrical circuitry, the activation device, and the output device. The retaining means allows a battery to be removed from the cavity and replaced with another battery.
US07967212B1 Web content power consumption notification for wireless devices
A network node in a communication path between a client station and a web content server determines or estimates a power consumption level associated with particular web content requested by the client station. The client station is preferably a wireless communications device operating on battery power. Based on the current battery level in the device, the battery type or total capacity, user preferences and determined or estimated power consumption level, the node sends a power consumption notification to the client station, either prior to or simultaneously with the transmission of the web content. The notification message alerts the user to the possibility of their battery being drawn down to a low level if they download the content, and thus allows the user to abort the download to preserve battery capacity.
US07967207B1 Bar code data entry device
Bar codes used for various applications. A bar code can be used for biometrics, or for computer data entry. A special bar code is described that has additional information, but can be read by other readers.
US07967206B2 Functional aiming system for an automatic data collection device, such as an image acquisition device
An automatic data collection device is provided for reading barcodes, matrix codes, stacked codes, or other machine-readable symbol. The data collection device generates an aiming beam that serves a dual purpose of target locating and data acquisition, such as data acquisition using imaging methods. The aiming beam defines the field of view of the data collection device for imaging. The illumination pattern provided by the aiming beam for imaging can have its shape, size, and/or intensity adaptively changed depending on conditions.
US07967203B2 Authenticating a document with a magnetic stripe
Methods, systems, and apparatus for efficiently authenticating a document (e.g. a credit card) having a magnetic stripe are provided. The magnetic field at different points of the magnetic stripe are measured, e.g., by a checkout scanner to create a magnetic signature. Digital samples of the measurements may be transformed into coefficients of continuous basis functions, e.g., a Fourier transform. These coefficients are then compared to reference values (e.g. corresponding coefficients) to produce a measure of the authenticity of the document. The number of coefficients used can advantageously be smaller than the number of digital samples without compromising accuracy, thus using less bandwidth between a scanner and an authentication entity.
US07967192B1 Automated banking machine controlled responsive to data bearing records
An automated transaction machine can operate to carry out a financial transaction for a machine user responsive to communication with a financial transaction host computer. The machine includes a card reader that can read a user identifier from a magnetic stripe of a user card. The machine sends the read user identifier to a remote marketing computer. The marketing computer uses a user identifier to determine the next marketing presentation to be presented to a machine user corresponding to the user identifier. Responsive to a message received from the marketing computer, the machine operates to display the determined next marketing presentation to the machine user. A marketing campaign includes a sequence of presentations to be output in a predetermined order to a machine user. Machine communication with the remote marketing message computer is independent of machine communication with the transaction host computer.
US07967189B2 Computer keyboard overlay
In one embodiment, the invention provides a keyboard overlay adapted to indicate which one of a plurality of menu commands provided by a particular software application is invoked when an alphanumeric key is pressed together with a modifier key on a computer keyboard. In this embodiment, the keyboard overlay has a portion overlaying the modifier key and displaying a predetermined color thereby associating the color with the modifier key. The keyboard overlay has a portion overlaying the alphanumeric key and displaying the predetermined color together with closely associated indicia identifying the menu command. More complex arrangements are described that indicate keyboard equivalents that involve pressing an alphanumeric key together with more than one modifier key.
US07967186B2 Package with reconfigurable handle
The present invention relates to a reconfigurable carrying device. The device includes a container and a handle. The handle is movably coupled to the container and reconfigurable between a collapsed or stored position and an extended or deployed position. In one position, the handle extends from the container to form a hand grip for carrying the container. In another position, the handle lies substantially flat against a wall or surface of the container from which the handle extends.
US07967185B2 Method of forming bonded body and bonded body
A method of forming a bonded body comprised of a first base member, a second base member, and a first bonding film and a second bonding film provided between the first base member and the second base member is provided. The first bonding film and the second bonding film are constituted mainly of copper. The method is comprised of: forming the first bonding film on the first base member by using a chemical vapor-film formation method; forming the second bonding film on the second base member by using a chemical vapor-film formation method; bringing the first bonding film formed on the first base member into contact with the second bonding film formed on the second base member so that the first bonding film faces the second bonding film; and applying a compressive force to the first base member and the second base member so that the first bonding film and the second bonding film are bonded together to thereby obtain the bonded body. Two base members can be firmly and efficiently bonded together with high dimensional accuracy at a low temperature, and the two base members can be efficiently separated (peeled off) to each other after use of the bonded body. Further, a bonded body is also provided.
US07967180B2 Surgical stapling apparatus with locking mechanism
The present disclosure provides for a loading unit for use with and/or supportable on a distal end of a surgical stapling apparatus. The loading unit includes a housing portion including a distal end and a proximal end, a drive assembly slidably supported within the housing portion of the loading unit, and a locking mechanism pivotally supported on the housing portion of the loading unit, the locking mechanism having a first position wherein the locking mechanism engages a portion of the drive assembly and maintains the position, preferably the axial position, of the drive assembly relative to the housing portion of the loading unit, and the locking mechanism having a second position wherein the locking mechanism disengages the drive assembly and enables the drive assembly to move relative to the housing portion.
US07967172B2 Metered dosage dispenser closure for powders
A dispenser for a container has an annular ring with a central portion which has at least one aperture. The annular ring is attached to a valve dimensioned to close an opening of the dispenser. The valve is operatively associated with the opening and biased in the closed position. Depressing the annular ring acts as an actuator to cause the valve to move inwardly into the container and away from the opening, thereby allowing the contents to be dispensed from the container through the at least one aperture of the annular ring.
US07967158B2 Mobile lift crane with variable position counterweight
A mobile lift crane includes a carbody, a rotating bed, a boom, a moveable counterweight unit, at least one linear actuation device and at least one arm pivotally connected at a first end to the rotating bed and at a second end to the linear actuation device. The arm and linear actuation device are connected between the rotating bed and the counterweight unit such that extension and retraction of the linear actuation device changes the position of the counterweight unit. In one method of operation, the counterweight is never supported by the ground during crane pick, move and set operations other than indirectly by the ground engaging members on the carbody. One embodiment includes a counterweight movement structure having a rectangular rack with at least first and third pinion gears engaged with teeth on one side and second and fourth pinion gears engaged with teeth on the opposing side.
US07967151B1 Universal fuel recycling machine
A money saving universal fuel recycling machine has a reservoir for receiving fuel from a used fuel filter or other source of used or old fuel. A pumping device selectively moves the fuel from the reservoir through the filtration devices. Each filtration device has a lower portion for collecting water and other waste material for selective removal to a waste receptacle. The filter fuel that can be selectively routed to either a new fuel filter or a recycled fuel container.
US07967150B2 Centrifugation dewatering apparatus
According to the present invention, there is provided a centrifugation dewatering apparatus that is capable of using a flow of air to dry a material to be dewatered while the material is being subjected to centrifugation dewatering. A centrifugation dewatering apparatus has a water-draining basket (2) for accommodating a material to be dewatered (i), and the water-draining basket (2) is rotatably provided to an apparatus main body (3). The water-draining basket (2) is rotatably driven, whereby water that has adhered to the material to be dewatered (i) is centrifugally removed. A hollow rotating shaft part (5) that is caused to rotate using a drive source (4) is vertically provided to the apparatus main body (3). The water-draining basket (2), which rotates in tandem with the rotating shaft part (5), is provided to a periphery of the rotating shaft part (5). The interior of the hollow rotating shaft part (5) and the interior of the water-draining basket (2) are provided in a communicating state. Air introduced into the rotating shaft part (5) is introduced into the water-draining basket (2) via the interior of the rotating shaft part (5) when the material to be dewatered (i) that is accommodated in the water-draining basket (2) is centrifugally dewatered by the rotation of the rotating shaft part (5) as provided by the drive source (4). The material to be dewatered (i) is dried using the air flow and the centrifugal force.
US07967145B2 Kit for fabricating and maintaining dentures and dental apparatus and for personal professional tooth whitening by autonomous dental impression taking
The present invention relates to a kit for whitening teeth and a kit for fabricating a dental apparatus and/or denture without visiting the dentist or stomataologist.
US07967144B2 Child-resistant, senior-friendly package having a squeeze-release mechanism and method of assembly
A package is provided that is able to contain tablets or like separate dispensable items in a manner exhibiting child-resistant and senior-friendly dispensing properties. The package includes a card, such as a blister card, and a protective hollow sleeve. The card has a base strip on which a plurality of spaced-apart compartments are provided for holding the tablets or like items, and the sleeve has an opposed pair of side edges extending between opposite ends with at least one of the ends being a dispensing end of the package. The sleeve provides a protective housing for the card when the card is in a storage position within the sleeve, and the card is slidable relative to the sleeve between the storage position and a dispensing position in which the card extends at least partially outside the sleeve to expose at least one of the compartments. The card has a pair of locking tabs extending laterally from opposite sides of the card, and the side edges of the sleeve cooperatively engage the locking tabs to lock the card in the storage position when the card is slid within the sleeve to the storage position.
US07967134B2 Suture pledget package
A suture pledget assembly is disclosed that includes a block with at least one slit and a pledget in an abutting relationship to the block. A suture has first and second end portions that are retained by the first and second slits, respectively. The first and second end portions generally extend beyond a face of the block and are substantially parallel to each other. A suture pledget package for retaining a suture is disclosed. The suture pledget package includes a front panel and a backing panel where the backing panel forms a plurality of tracks. Each track is configured and dimensioned to receive at least one suture pledget assembly.
US07967131B2 Low friction, direct drive conveyor with a raked tooth drive
An endless conveyor belt has teeth with drive faces raked away from the direction of travel. The belt can be driven by a drive pulley having sheaves with drive faces raked toward the direction of travel. The drive faces on the sheaves engage the drive faces on the teeth to move the belt and the raked angle tends to pull the belt inwardly. A stationary foot assists removing a driven tooth from its corresponding sheave.
US07967128B2 Article conveying device
An article conveying device 10 in which a floor surface 21 of each of a plurality of fixed floors 20 is arranged so as to form a descending slope towards a downstream side in a conveying direction with respect to each other, each of a plurality of moving floors 30 is adjacently arranged on a side in the conveying direction with respect to each fixed floor 20, and a raising/lowering operation of simultaneously positioning the respective floor surface 31 of each moving floor 30 at a high position and a low position with respect to the floor surface 21 of the adjacent fixed floor 20 is repeated to arrange the floor surface 31 of each moving floor 30 positioned at the high position so as to form a descending slope towards the downstream side in the conveying direction with respect to each other.
US07967127B2 Adjustable star wheel conveyor
The present invention relates to an adjustable star wheel and guide rail assembly for use with containers being processed on an automated handling line between machines such as rotary packaging machines. Star wheels derive their name from their general shape. The star wheels of this invention have fingers that support containers, such that they convey the containers as the star wheel rotates. Conveniently, the fingers of the present invention may be set in any position within their range of movement. In addition, a supporting guide rail may be adjusted, for example by rotation on cams. Thus, the fingers and the guide rail may be set to convey containers of varying sizes while keeping the container's centers travelling along the centerline of the conveyor.
US07967124B2 Package stream indexer device
A package stream indexer device for indexing a stream of packages being displaced thereon within a stream plane includes a first articulated track with live rollers and a second articulated track with depending pressure wheels for maintaining packages in contact with the first track and within the package path defined there between within the stream plane. The first and second articulated tracks are each composed of a plurality of interconnected links frictionally engaged together to allow adjustment in track orientation from one set position to another by means of dynamic movement on the track.
US07967122B2 Torque transmission device
A torque transmitting device in a drive train of a motor vehicle to transmit torque between an internal combustion engine having a drive shaft and a transmission having coaxial input shafts. The transmission input shafts are each non-rotatably connected with a respective clutch disc having friction linings. An intermediate pressure plate is positioned between the friction linings of the clutch discs and is non-rotatably connected to the engine drive shaft. The friction linings of the clutch discs are between the intermediate pressure plate and respective axially movable clutch pressure plates that are actuated by an actuation device. To provide support for the double clutch unit the intermediate pressure plate is radially mounted on one of the two transmission input shafts.
US07967120B2 Maritime power supply system
A maritime power supply system for supplying power to a docked ship, including a cable management system having at least one power cable assembly having, at a first end, a first connection arrangement for connecting the power cable assembly to the ship and, at an opposite second end, second a connection arrangement for connecting the power cable assembly to a dockside power supply; and a reel for winding the at least one power cable assembly thereon and for unwinding the at least one power cable assembly therefrom. According to an important aspect of the invention, the cable management system is arranged in a stackable power supply container placed on the ship.
US07967110B2 Tubular access ladder and method
An access ladder includes a plurality of sections connected together to telescope between an extended position and a retracted position that has an increasing reactive force to counterbalance the weight of the sections as they extend. A method for accessing a room with a ladder connected to a ceiling including the steps of moving the ladder to a fully extended position subject to an increasingly active force to counterbalance the weight of the ladder as it extends. There is the step of retracting the ladder into a retracted position in the ceiling.
US07967106B2 Air induction sound modification system for internal combustion engine
An air induction sound modification system for an internal combustion engine includes a multi-frequency sound suppression unit having Helmholtz resonators and a multi-component expansion chamber. A sound generator, which functions to radiate sound at a desirable, tuned frequency, extends between the multi-function sound suppression unit and a second expansion chamber, such as an air cleaner box.
US07967104B2 Shippable speaker box
A speaker enclosure, or enclosure, and kit with plural linearly aligned panels connected by flexible couplings are shipped in a parallel stack with all the coupled panels still coupled during shipment, plus additional panels, also stacked parallel. The flexible couplings may be provided by a single sheet of flexible substrate coupled to the linearly aligned panels. One side of the assembled speaker enclosure includes a middle panel of the coupled panels, having at least one flat rabbet joint. The external length of the middle panel is long enough to permit folding of at least one of the outermost of the panels, with flexible substrate and a covering, under the middle panel. The assembled speaker enclosure is held together with a flexible substrate, adhesive, clamps, or preferably, any two thereof. Openings for speakers and connector cups are provided. The kit includes adhesive, instructions, at least one connector cup, and hardware.
US07967101B2 Combination drive and suspension system for a vehicle
The invention is a combination drive and suspension system that includes an upper drive assembly and a lower drive assembly pivotally connected. The pivoting drive system provides improved ground clearance for a farm vehicle capable of carrying a large quantity of field application material.
US07967097B2 Motorcycle suspension method and apparatus
A motorcycle suspension apparatus and method is provided. In one embodiment, a motorcycle suspension assembly includes a shaft and at least two asymmetric bushings, with each bushing comprising an inner element and an outer element, with the outer element and inner elements constructed of different materials. This Abstract is provided for the sole purpose of complying with the Abstract requirement rules that allow a reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the disclosure contained herein. This Abstract is submitted with the explicit understanding that it will not be used to interpret or to limit the scope or the meaning of the claims.
US07967094B2 Construction machine
A machine room (15) is provided between a cab (14) and a counterweight (6) which are mounted on a revolving frame (5) to accommodate an engine (7). The machine room (15) is built of a left front support member (20), a rear support member (21), a connecting support member (22) and a left side housing door (25). A horizontal grip portion (22B) and an inclined grip portion (22C) are provided in intermediate portions of the connecting support member (22) which connects the left front support member (20) and the rear support member (21). By opening the left side housing door (25), the inclined grip portion (22C) of the connecting support member (22) comes out, permitting a servicing worker to hold on thereto helping him or her perform a cleaning job of a rear face portion (14B) of a cab (14) in an efficient manner.
US07967091B2 Hybrid electric vehicle powertrain with engine start and transmission shift arbitration
A control method and control system for a hybrid electric vehicle powertrain with a multiple-ratio transmission is disclosed in which engine start events are separated in time from transmission ratio shift events to effect a smooth transition from an electric drive state with the engine off to a drive state in which the engine delivers driving power.
US07967089B2 Children's ride-on vehicles with powered window mechanisms
Children's ride-on vehicles having powered window mechanisms, and window mechanisms for such vehicles. The window mechanism includes a window drive assembly that selectively drives movement of a window member relative to the vehicle body. In some embodiments, the window drive assembly includes a window motor assembly and a window linkage to couple the output of the window motor assembly to the window member. In some embodiments, the window member includes a receiving region coupled to the window linkage. In some embodiments, the window mechanism includes a window support assembly that maintains the window member in a predetermined orientation relative to the vehicle body.
US07967073B2 Control line running system
A control line running system includes a control line storage unit and a guiding system having a guiding device and a guide rail for guiding a control line from the control line storage unit toward a well center. The system may also include a control line manipulator assembly for moving the control line toward a tubular and a control line clamp for attaching the control line to the tubular.
US07967066B2 Method and apparatus for Christmas tree condition monitoring
A method for monitoring a Christmas tree assembly installed on a subsea hydrocarbon well includes receiving a plurality of parameters associated with the Christmas tree assembly. A health metric for the Christmas tree assembly is determined based on the parameters. A problem condition with the Christmas tree assembly is identified based on the determined health metric.
US07967064B2 Apparatus for radially expanding and plastically deforming a tubular member
An apparatus for radially expanding and plastically deforming a tubular member includes a support member with a fluid passage. A mandrel is movably coupled to the support member and includes an expansion cone operable to radially expand and plastically deform the tubular member when moved relative to the tubular member. A pressure chamber is positioned between the support member and the mandrel, and the pressure chamber is fluidicly coupled to the fluid passage. A releasable support is coupled to the support member and operable to selectively couple the support member to the tubular member.
US07967056B2 Process and related plant for manufacturing steel long products without interruption
A process for manufacturing steel long products provides for starting from a continuous casting step with liquid core reduction, followed by induction heating without interruption until the end of a rolling step in a plurality of stands. The blooms or billets subjected to such a process have initial thickness in the range between 120 and 400 mm and a high “mass flow” passing in the time unit at the outlet from the continuous casting, as well as an average temperature in the cross-section which is higher than the surface temperature, being in the core or inner middle region higher by 100° C. than on the surface, that is of about 1200° C. A plant for carrying out such a process is also described.
US07967053B2 Process for casting a part from a pour of molten metal into a mold assembly
This invention relates to filters made from a refractory material, preferably an insulating material, and chemical binder. The filters are used in the foundry industry to filter molten metal. The invention also relates to a process for preparing the filters.
US07967052B2 Vehicle roof blind assembly
A vehicle roof blind assembly includes a guide rail having upper and lower slide grooves, a pull rod, and a slide member having a slide portion extending slidably into the upper slide groove. A fabric blind has a transverse end portion connected to the pull rod, and a longitudinal insert portion received slidably in the lower slide groove and including first and second insert parts, and an angled part interconnecting the first and second insert parts. A guiding device is connected to the slide member, and includes a guide insert projecting into the lower slide groove and into the angled part between the first and second insert parts so as to push the angled part transversely of the fabric blind and inwardly of the lower slide groove.
US07967050B2 Adjustable pitch power awning hardware
An awning assembly includes a canopy, a first and second arm assembly, and a canopy rod. The arm assemblies can each include an adjustable pitch arm assembly configured to adjust the pitch of the canopy. The canopy rod has a first end and a second end each supported by one of the arm assemblies. Manual adjustment of the adjustable pitch arm assemblies is configured to move the ends of the canopy rod. The canopy is movable from a first deployed position to a second deployed position when the adjustable pitch arm assemblies are both manually adjusted from an extended position to a collapsed position. The canopy can be movable from either deployed position to a retracted position without manually adjusting the adjustable pitch arm assemblies. The adjustable pitch arm assemblies can change positions in response to water being collected on the awning assembly to drain the collected water.
US07967048B2 Transferring device and transferring method
A transferring device 10 for transferring plate-like members such as a semiconductor wafer and the like among the first table T1, the second table T2 and the third table T3. The transferring device 10 includes a supporting unit provided with a supporting face for the semiconductor wafer W, and a multi joint robot 12 for transferring the supporting unit 11. The supporting face includes an adhesive sheet S in which an adhesive layer A is laminated on a sheet base material SB, and transferring among the table T1 through T3 can be performed through sticking and peeling operation between the adhesive sheet S and the semiconductor wafer.
US07967047B2 Film splicer
A film splicer including a base body on which two films to be spliced are aligned such that splicing ends thereof make contact with each other, an adhesive tape applied to the splicing ends of the films to join them, and a splicer arm that is folded against the base body to bore sprocket holes by punching members and to cut the adhesive tape by cutting members to a length corresponding to the length in the width direction of the films, wherein the cutting members comprise punches capable of punching out both the adhesive tape and excessive edge areas in the width direction of the films and that are formed with tapered portions having an angle relative to a cutting direction that extends in the longer direction of the films, the tapered portions being formed at both end areas in the cutting direction, whereby edge areas in the width direction of the films spliced together are free of steps.
US07967045B2 Drive axle with air passage for tire inflation system
A drive axle assembly includes a non-rotating spindle having a cylindrical body defining an internal cavity and an axle shaft assembly mounted within the internal cavity for rotation about an axis. A seal assembly is positioned within the internal cavity to provide a sealed chamber between the axle shaft assembly and the non-rotating spindle. A first air passage is formed within the cylindrical body and includes an air inlet to be in fluid communication with an air supply and an air outlet in fluid communication with the sealed chamber. A second air passage is formed within the axle shaft assembly and receives air input from the sealed chamber and includes an air output to be associated with at least one tire.
US07967038B2 Beverage filling machine lock lever and methods for use
A method for installing lock levers for a beverage filling machine includes supplying a plurality of lock levers, including a plurality of regular size lock levers with a first dimension associated with the height of an engagement surface relative to the axis of rotation of the lever, and at least one other lock lever having a second dimension for the height such that the second dimension is reduced or increased relative to the first dimension, installing a plurality of regular size lock levers on the beverage filling machine, determining if the engagement surface of any of the regular size lock levers is not positioned at a predetermined position and thereby non-conforming, then installing at the location of any non-conforming regular size lock lever one of the at least one other lock lever having a second dimension to position the engagement surface thereof substantially at the predetermined position.
US07967036B2 Recipicating compressor with inlet booster for CNG station and refueling motor vehicles
The present invention provides a natural gas compression system, comprising a gas inlet component for the entrance of natural gas into the system, a booster component for increasing the pressure of the natural gas, a drying component for drying the natural gas, a compressor component including a reciprocating compressor for further increasing the pressure of the natural gas, a valve control panel and storage component, and a dispensing component.
US07967035B2 Method and system for the quick refill of an irritant dispenser
A system and method for quickly refilling a pressurized irritant dispenser is disclosed. In the system and method, either the dispensing nozzle or the connection between the dispensing nozzle and the valve assembly is replaced with a quick connect fitting. The quick connect fitting allows for both the quick refill of irritant and the quick attachment (and detachment) of various accessories to the pressurized irritant dispenser.
US07967030B2 Spliced long-length hose and method for splicing hoses
A long-length hose spliced from two or more hoses containing an inner sealing layer, at least two spirally laid reinforcing plies, and a cover. A liner forming the inner sealing layer is formed by leak-tight splicing of liners of hoses to be spliced and the reinforcing plies are embedded into filling/adhesive material inside of a rigid outer sleeve, at the location of the splicing.
US07967027B2 Simple diverter valve for a roman tub with replaceable cartridge including at least two checks
A diverter valve includes a housing and a diverting stem cartridge. The housing has a top and a bottom and a stem cartridge receiving chamber. The housing also has an inlet port proximate the bottom thereof and a plurality of laterally directed outlet ports. Each outlet port directs water to selective alternative uses such as a spout, shower, body spray or the like. The stem cartridge also has an inlet port proximate the bottom and has a plurality of laterally directed outlet ports for selective alignment with the outlet ports of the housing. The inlet ports and outlet ports of said stem cartridge has there-between a stem waterway to allow water to flow from the inlet to said outlets. The cartridge has contained therein at least two checking mechanisms disposed prior to the waterway. The at least two check mechanisms prevents water from the outlet ports from contaminating the water supply. Replacement of the stem cartridge permits simple replacement of faulty checking devices without the need for skilled tradesmen being involved.
US07967015B2 High resilience flanged earplug
An earplug has a single very long main flange with a maximum diameter that is at least 80% of the length of the main flange, and at least 55% of the entire length of the earplug except for the stem. This allows the outside of the long flange to extend at a very small angle to the axial direction, and apply a constant force against the walls of the ear canal, for good and comfortable sealing to the ear canal.
US07967011B2 Inhalation device
Actuator for an inhaler for delivering medicament by inhalation, having a mouthpiece for guiding medicament to the mouth of a user; and a removable protection cap for the mouthpiece. The cap is secured to the mouthpiece by a cap retaining member that engages a mating recess in the mouthpiece outer periphery. The cap includes at least one release button arranged to provide an elastic deformation of the cap inner periphery that disengages the cap retaining member from the recess.
US07967010B2 Spray or injection device allowing at least two preset doses of product to be delivered
A spray or injection device that includes a casing or a pusher that includes at least one tab radially moveable between a first radial position, in which the tab does not impede the movement of the pusher with respect to the casing, and a second radial position in which the tab opposes movement of the pusher. The pusher or the casing, respectively, includes at least one ramp-shaped projection configured to bring the tab into the second radial position and then allow it to return to the first radial position. The pusher or the casing further includes at least one stop between the pusher and casing to delineate the end of a first stroke corresponding to a first dose of medicament, and the beginning of a second stroke corresponding to a second dose of medicament.
US07967003B2 Windscreen for backpacking stoves
A windscreen configured for use with a backpacking type of stove and a cooking container. The windscreen more effectively and efficiently directs the heat from the stove to the sides of the container so as to utilize less fuel to warm the materials therein, thereby reducing the weight to be carried by the user. In one embodiment, a plurality of adjustable lower vents selectively partially or fully open to control the wind allowed into the interior area of the windscreen so as to better transfer heat from the stove to the sides of the container. In another embodiment, adjustable support tabs at the upper end of the windscreen allow the user to adjust air flow out of the windscreen. In yet another embodiment, the upper end of the windscreen engages the sides or lip of the cooking container and air flows from the interior area through upper vent holes.
US07967002B2 Cooking utensil and cooking method
It is an object of the invention to provide a cooking device and a cooking method which can quickly discharge a steam supplied into a heating chamber from the heating chamber and can cook an object to be heated through uniform steam heating by setting the steam in the heating chamber to have a suitable temperature for the cooking.A cooking device (100) for supplying a steam S to a heating chamber (11) accommodating an object M to be heated, thereby heating the object M to be heated includes steam supplying means for supplying the steam (S) to the heating chamber (11), and air discharging means for discharging the steam supplied to the heating chamber (11) from the heating chamber (11).
US07966995B2 Dual level pressurization control based on fuel flow to one or more gas turbine engine secondary fuel loads
A system and method provide dual level pressurization control of a fuel supply system based on whether fuel is being supplied to one or more secondary fuel loads. Fuel pump discharge backpressure is maintained above either a first minimum pressure value or a lower second minimum pressure value by determining whether fuel is being supplied to one or more secondary fuel loads. The fuel pump discharge pressure is maintained above the first minimum pressure value if it is determined that fuel is being supplied to the one or more secondary loads. The fuel pump discharge backpressure is maintained above the lower second minimum pressure value if it is determined that fuel is not being supplied to the one or more secondary loads.
US07966984B2 Direct injection fuel system with reservoir
A method of operating a fuel delivery system for an internal combustion engine is described. The method may include, after or during engine shutdown, and during a fuel system cool down, activating the first pump; and varying the activation of the first pump responsive to temperature to maintain a higher pressure for high temperatures. By utilizing the pump to generate increased pressure at an appropriate condition during the cool down, for example, the pressures in the system can be managed to reduce the likelihood of fuel migrating to the rail.
US07966982B2 Fixation structure for valve system rotation shaft of internal combustion engine
A fixation structure for a valve system rotation shaft of an internal combustion engine to support a camshaft with a cylinder head through the use of a lower cam holder and cam caps, which are formed separately from the cylinder head. The fixation structure eliminates the necessity of taking special vibration/noise control measures for a head cover thus preventing an increase in the cost, size, and weight of the head cover. A head external wall extends toward the head cover rather than toward a head middle surface in such a manner so as to cover the circumference of the lower cam holder fixed to a head middle surface. The connection to the holder fixation section is established with the base end of an external wall of the head cover abutted on the leading end of the head external wall.
US07966965B2 Aircraft gas turbine oil tank with indication of filling level
An aircraft gas turbine oil tank 1 includes a casing, which is connected to a filler port, with an optical indicator 2 being associated with the oil tank 1, which includes at least one light emitter 3. This light emitter is associated with a specified filling level and emits an optical signal.
US07966964B2 Tamper-evident mechanism
A tamper-evident mechanism for use with an electronic appliance includes a first housing, a second housing, a fastening device and a shielding element. The first housing includes a perforation, which is surrounded by a ring-shape member. The second housing includes a groove corresponding to the perforation of the first housing, wherein the groove has an inner thread formed on a portion of inner wall thereof. The fastening device includes a head portion and a shaft portion, wherein the shaft portion has an external thread engaged with the inner thread of the groove and the head portion is sustained against the ring-shape member, thereby coupling the first housing with the second housing. The shielding element is inserted into the perforation of the first housing for shielding the head portion of the fastening device.
US07966953B2 Planter with direct hydraulic seed drive
The invention provides an innovative yet straightforward approach to driving the seed distribution system in planters which feature hinged winged extensions. The flexibility of the hinged winged extensions may allow the planter to adjust to the contours of a field and to fold to facilitate transport of the planter. In one embodiment, for example, the invention may provide a mechanical coupling between several sections of a seed drive shaft which may support and be driven by a hydraulic motor for each of the winged sections. The seed drive system may also be coupled to row units to synchronize and power the distribution of seeds by the planter.
US07966938B2 Machine for picking up and storing rail fastenings of a track, and a method
A machine (1) for picking up and storing rail fastenings (2) of a track (3) includes two rail fastening pickup devices (9). Arranged between these and a rear on-track undercarriage (4)—with regard to a working direction (6)—is a crawler track (24). At each longitudinal side of the machine, two devices (29) for guiding rails (30) are provided which are adjustable by drives (28) relative to the machine frame (5) and arranged one following the other in the longitudinal direction of the machine.
US07966937B1 Non-newtonian projectile
A projectile is provided comprising a body with a channel that contains a non-Newtonian fluid. In various embodiments a plunger is located in the channel, wherein the plunger transmits a force to the non-Newtonian fluid upon interacting with a target, causing the non-Newtonian fluid to exert a pressure in the channel, and wherein the viscosity of the non-Newtonian fluid changes upon interacting with the target. By way of non-limiting example, the non-Newtonian fluid of embodiments of the present invention can comprise a shear-thickening fluid that increases its viscosity with at least the rate of shear upon interacting with the target.
US07966933B2 Apparatus and method for clamping printing plates on a plate cylinder
An apparatus and method for clamping printing plates on a plate cylinder is disclosed. A clamping element is integrated into a lockup slot of a plate cylinder with an actuating element. The clamping element is transferred by the actuating element between a first position, where the clamping element clamps the leading end and/or the trailing end of the printing plate, and a second position, where the clamping element releases the leading end and/or the trailing end of the printing plate. The clamping element can be adjusted exclusively in the radial direction of the plate cylinder and the actuating element exclusively in the axial direction of the plate cylinder such that, depending upon the relative axial position of the actuating element with respect to the clamping element, the clamping element is displaced either radially outwardly for clamping the printing plate or is displaced radially inwardly for releasing the printing plate.
US07966931B2 Sheet-fed offset printing press and method of two-sided multi-color printing
A sheet-fed offset printing press prints multiple colors on both sides of sheets, preferably on sheets of paper. A first row of in-line printing units print a first side of the sheet, before the sheets are turned in a reversing device, which is followed by a second row of in-line printing units for printing the other side of the sheets. The second row of in-line printing units is followed by one or more varnishing units that are arranged in such a way or include varnishing blanket cylinders that are arranged in such a way that the front sides and the back sides of the passing sheets are varnished.
US07966923B2 Conformable self-healing ballistic armor
A conformable self-healing ballistic armor protective structure has a shell formed of a laminated cloth material having outer and inner lamellae. The outer lamella of the laminated material is a ballistic cloth and the inner lamella is a soft, conformable self-healing, rubber compound. The shell is filled preferably with multiplicity of ceramic particles disposed in a fluid.
US07966922B2 Electro-magnetic restraint
A restraint for immobilizing a projectile with respect to its launch system is disclosed. When electromagnetic force is applied to the restraint, the restraint releases the projectile, thereby enabling its launch.
US07966920B2 Airbag deployment and disposal devices and methods
Disclosed is an airbag deployment device that includes a containment vessel and a retention rack disposed within the containment vessel, wherein the retention rack comprises at least one container, and wherein at least one airbag pyrotechnic actuator may be placed within the at least one container and secured through utilization of at least one pin.
US07966919B2 Safe inspection system and kit
A safe inspection system for the manual inspection of personal luggage, which comprises an inspection module including at least one inspection member which defines an inspection surface, for supporting a potentially explosive object for manual inspection by an inspector; a blast containment container arranged in a position of immediate communication with the inspection module; and transfer means for effecting the immediate transfer of a suspicious inspected object from the inspection surface to the blast containment container by an inspector without requiring further handling of the object by the inspector, thereby to immediately confine the object within the blast containment container and so as to thus reduce the reduce blast damage in the event that the suspicious object explodes after confinement therewithin. The present invention also includes a kit for converting a blast containment container to a safe inspection system.
US07966915B2 Extensive device for tool
An extensive device is disclosed to connect a bit to a handle of a tool. The extensive device includes a rod, a polygonal sphere, a socket and a retaining element. The polygonal sphere is connected to the rod near an end. The socket includes a polygonal cavity, a tunnel and a groove. The polygonal cavity receives the polygonal sphere so that the surface of the polygonal sphere is in contact with the wall of the polygonal cavity. The rod and the socket are coaxial when the end of the rod is disposed in the tunnel. The rod can be pivoted relative to the socket when the end of the rod is located outside the tunnel. The groove is defined in the wall of the polygonal cavity. The restraining element is fit in the groove of the socket to keep the polygonal sphere in the polygonal cavity of the socket.
US07966914B2 Screwdriver handle
A screwdriver handle comprising a base portion adapted to accommodate a screwdriver shaft member; at least one arm pivotally connected to the base portion; a locking sleeve mounted on the base portion; and an electric motor operatively connected to the base portion and adapted to rotate the screwdriver shaft member in any of a clockwise and counter-clockwise manner. The screwdriver handle may further comprise a switch adapted to turn the motor on and off. Additionally, the screwdriver handle may further comprise an electromechanical actuator operatively connected to each of the electric motor and the locking sleeve. Preferably, the locking sleeve is adapted to move along a longitudinal axis of the base portion, and wherein the electromechanical actuator is adapted to prevent the locking sleeve from moving along the longitudinal axis of the base portion.
US07966911B2 Hose clamp removal and installation tool
A hose clamp compression tool for engaging and compressing opposed or opposite end tangs of a hose clamp includes a first fixed plate and jaw and a second fixed plate spaced from the first fixed plate and jaw. The first and second plates are mounted on rails with a sliding plate and jaw also mounted on the rails and positioned between the fixed plates. The sliding plate is rotatably adjustable in spacing from the one fixed plate by means of a threaded rod journaled to the fixed plates and threaded to the sliding plate. The jaws each include both a transverse slot cooperative with an end tang of a band type hose clamp and a channel extending from the slot for engagement with the end tang of a ring or wire type hose clamp thereby enabling use of the tool for either a band type or a wire type hose clamp.
US07966904B2 Low axial play drive system
A drive system for rotating an assembly, such as an external vehicle mirror housing, about an axis is provided with a drive housing containing a worm drive assembly coupled to an axis gear mounted about the axis. The worm drive assembly is rotated by an electric motor. The axis gear is stationary with respect to the axis, such that rotation of the worm drive assembly will cause it to travel about the axis gear. Such movement of the worm drive assembly will cause the drive housing and the associated external vehicle mirror housing to rotate about the axis. Thrust transmitted to the worm drive assembly is transmitted to a central portion of the drive housing by a shaft retainer associated with the worm drive assembly. Play between the axis gear and the worm drive assembly is prevented by eliminating separation between adjacent components of the worm drive assembly.
US07966899B2 Source dilution sampling system for emissions analysis
A system for sampling emission products from an emissions source, for example combustion engines including gasoline, diesel and natural gas engines, for subsequent measurement and analysis of the emission products. The system includes a dilution apparatus, a residence time chamber, a plurality of sampling probes within the residence time chamber, and a plurality of sampling trains connected to the sampling probes to take simultaneous representative emission samples for subsequent analysis. The system has particular use in quantifying chemical and toxic trace species from emissions sources. The results of the analysis can be used to formulate decisions on changes in engine design strategy, and can be used to determine the effectiveness of aftertreatment systems on the emissions source.
US07966897B2 Plating apparatus
A plating apparatus includes a plating tank for storing a plating liquid, and applies a magnetic alloy plating to a shaft-shaped member immersed in the plating liquid by using the shaft-shaped member as a cathode. The plating apparatus further includes a rotable member configured to rotate the shaft-shaped member as a rotary shaft; annular shielding tools mounted on the outer peripheral surface of the shaft-shaped member; a plating liquid discharge nozzle including plating liquid discharge ports which are provided to face the shaft-shaped member so as to avoid the shielding tools; and an anode provided around the shaft-shaped member and the plating liquid discharge nozzle.
US07966894B2 In-line measuring device
An in line measuring device, includes a measuring transducer having: a least one measuring tube vibrating, during operation, and serving for conveying, a two- or multiphase, flowable medium; an exciter mechanism for producing vibrations of the at least one measuring tube; a sensor arrangement for registering vibrations of the measuring tube and for delivering an oscillation measurement signal representing oscillations of the measuring tube, and a measuring device electronics electrically coupled with the measuring transducer. The measuring device electronics delivers, at least one exciter signal driving the exciter mechanism, and, in such a manner that the at least one measuring tube, during operation, —driven by the exciter mechanism driven by means of the at least one exciter signal—is excited, to execute vibrations in a wanted mode of the measuring transducer, in which it, at least partially, executes bending oscillations about an imaginary bending oscillation axis of the measuring transducer, Moreover, the measuring device electronics ascertains, a damping value of first type, which represents, instantaneously, a damping of vibrations of the at least one measuring tube, which opposes the bending oscillations of the at least one measuring tube corresponding to the Coriolis mode.
US07966892B1 In line sampler separator
The in-line sampler separator utilizes an improved method of measuring the gas, oil and water components in a fuel material mixture being processed at high pressure in a processing system. A sampling loop obtains mixture samples to be collected in a sampler. The sampler releases the collected sample to a separator tank when a certain volume has been reached. The tank operates at or below a pressure that allows the gas component to be released in gaseous form. The oil and water components separate within the tank, and their respective volumes are determined.
US07966887B2 High temperature optical pressure sensor and method of fabrication of the same
A high-temperature pressure sensor is provided. The sensor includes a quartz substrate with a cavity etched on one side. A reflective coating is deposited on at least a portion of the cavity. The sensor further includes a ferrule section coupled to the quartz substrate with the cavity therebetween. The cavity exists in a vacuum, and cavity gap is formed between the reflective metal coating and a surface of the ferrule. The sensor also includes an optical fiber enclosed by the ferrule section and extending from the cavity gap to an opposing end of the ferrule section and a metal casing surrounding the ferrule section and the quartz substrate with an opening for said optical fiber extending therefrom. The pressure applied to the quartz substrate changes the dimensions of the cavity gap and a reflected signal from the reflective coating is processed as a pressure.
US07966884B2 Two-dimensional-array ultrasonic probe and ultrasonic diagnostic system
A two-dimensional array ultrasonic probe has an ultrasonic transducer. The transducer has transducer elements that are arranged in a first direction and a second direction, forming a lattice. Acoustic-emission electrodes are provided on the acoustic-emission surfaces of the transducer elements. Back electrodes are provided on the backs of the transducer elements. A transmitting-circuit unit is connected to the acoustic-emission electrodes. A receiving-circuit unit is connected to the back electrodes. Of the acoustic-emission electrodes, two electrodes are short-circuited to the transmitting circuits of the transmitting-circuit unit. The remaining two acoustic-emission electrodes are short-circuited to the receiving circuits of the receiving-circuit unit.
US07966883B2 Non-destructive inspection using laser-ultrasound and infrared thermography
An inspection system is provided to examine internal structures of a target material. This inspection system includes a generation laser, an ultrasonic detection system, a thermal imaging system, and a processor/control module. The generation laser produces a pulsed laser beam that is operable to induce ultrasonic displacements and thermal transients at the target material. The ultrasonic detection system detects ultrasonic surface displacements at the target material. The thermal imaging system detects thermal transients at the target material. The processor analyzes both detected ultrasonic displacements and thermal imagery of the target material to yield information about the target material's internal structure.
US07966878B2 Method for measuring liquid cryogen level using a level probe
A method of measuring a level of liquid cryogen, comprising the steps of immersing a liquid cryogen level probe in a liquid cryogen, applying a propagation current to the heater (26) to induce quench in at least an adjacent part of the superconductive material (22); removing the propagation current from the heater; applying a measurement current to the superconductive material; and measuring (30) a voltage across the superconductive material thereby to determine the level of the liquid cryogen. In articular, the method comprises the steps of monitoring (40) the voltage across the superconductive material while the propagation current is being applied; and ceasing application of the propagation current in response to the detection of a voltage across the superconductive material which exceeds a certain threshold level.
US07966877B2 Heated hot-film air-mass sensor
To determine air mass flows, especially for controlling internal combustion engines, a hot-film air-mass sensor is provided, which may be used especially for sensing air mass flows in the intake tract of an internal combustion engine. The hot-film air-mass sensor has a sensor chip having a sensor frame and a sensor diaphragm having at least one heating element and at least two temperature sensors. Furthermore, the hot-film air-mass sensor has a chip carrier for mounting the sensor chip, as well as at least one additional heating element. The sensor chip is able to be heated up using the at least one additional heating element, which is inserted into the chip carrier. Compared to the usual devices, the hot-film air-mass sensor has a lower susceptibility to contamination, especially by oil films.
US07966875B2 Methods and apparatus for measuring formation properties
This application relates to various methods and apparatus for rapidly obtaining accurate formation property data from a drilled earthen borehole. Quickly obtaining accurate formation property data, including formation fluid pressure, is vital to beneficially describing the various formations being intersected. For example, methods are disclosed for collecting numerous property values with a minimum of downhole tools, correcting and calibrating downhole measurements and sensors, and developing complete formation predictors and models by acquiring a diverse set of direct formation measurements, such as formation fluid pressure and temperature. Also disclosed are various methods of using of accurately and quickly obtained formation property data.
US07966873B1 Systems and methods for providing a severe acoustic, thermal, and airflow test environment
A system for simultaneously creating severe acoustic, thermal and airflow environmental conditions is described. The system includes a jig for mounting a test article, a jet engine, and a nozzle attached to the jet engine. The nozzle includes an opening for defining a two dimensional exhaust flow from the jet engine to create an acoustical, thermal and airflow environment across the test article. The jig is operable for maintaining a position of the test article with respect to the nozzle.
US07966862B2 Electrode structure for particulate matter sensor
A particulate matter detector formed in an insulated device such as a spark plug. The insulated device has a center electrode having a first end and a second end. The first end of the center electrode passes through the insulated device and may be connected to a terminal. The second end of the electrode is formed to provide a greater surface area. The form may be a star, circle, series of S's or a helix to increase the surface area of the second end of the center electrode that may be exposed to the exhaust from an engine. The sensor may be used to measure particulate matter in the exhaust of an engine and permit a processor to regulate the operation of the engine.
US07966853B2 Key carrier
The invention relates to a key carrier comprising a base body (1) and a window, wherein one respective end of the base body (1) and window (6) is provided with a fork-shaped termination. A key ring (21) can be introduced into a gap (18) defined by the prongs (10,11) of the fork-shaped end of the window (6). When inserted, said key ring is secured by means of a retaining bolt (14). The prongs (10,11) of the window can be clipped in between the prongs (2,3) of the base body. When clipped in, the window is retained by pivoting journals (16,17) which engage with the opposite ends of the window bores (12,13) receiving the retaining bolts (14).
US07966852B1 Two-stage lock cylinder structure
The present invention relates to a two-stage lock cylinder structure, which includes a lock casing, a lock barrel and an actuating unit, wherein a first joining member is located at one end of the lock barrel, and the actuating unit is fitted with a corresponding second joining member. Moreover, a flexible member is located between the lock barrel and the actuating unit, and the displacement distance of the first joining member towards the second joining member is smaller than the center distance of any of two through holes of the lock casing. Accordingly, the flexible member and the actuating unit are used to enable achieving two-stage actuation as an unlocking operation for a locking device, thereby providing the present invention with burglar-proof effectiveness.
US07966849B2 Sliding padlock
A sliding padlock has a shell, a locking assembly, a shackle and a resilient element. The locking assembly is mounted in the shell and has a lock cylinder and a lock rod. The shackle is mounted in a locking end of the shell, is selectively blocked by the lock rod and abuts the resilient element. Because of the resilient element, the shackle is held to abut the shell without external force even when the lock cylinder is unlocked. Therefore, the sliding padlock still holds an object in position when unlocked so a user may take the object easily without using a key.
US07966843B2 Cool air supplying apparatus and refrigerator having the same
A cool air supplying apparatus is provided for a refrigerator. The cool air supplying apparatus includes a box fan motor integrally having a fan that blows cool air generated by an evaporator to a freezing chamber or a refrigerating chamber and a motor that drives the fan, a first passage that supplies cool air generated from the evaporator to the box fan motor, and a second passage that supplies cool air blown by the box fan motor to the freezing chamber or the refrigerating chamber. Since the box fan motor does not interrupt a cool air passage, energy loss may be decreased. Further, since the motor does not protrude towards the inside of the refrigerator, a capacity volume of the refrigerator may be increased.
US07966842B2 Refrigerator, and electric device
The refrigerator includes a vegetable compartment (107) thermally insulated by a rear partition (111), and a mist generation department (139) for atomizing a mist into the vegetable compartment (107), and the mist generation department (139) includes a atomizing electrode (135) for atomizing the mist into the vegetable compartment (107), a voltage applicator (133) for applying a voltage to the atomizing electrode (135), and a cooling pin (134) coupled to the atomizing electrode (135), in which the atomizing electrode (135) is cooled to a temperature lower than the dew point by a outlet air-duct for freezer compartment (141), and the moisture in the air is cooled to condense dew on the atomizing electrode (135), and is atomized as a mist into the vegetable compartment (107), and dew can be condensed from moisture onto the atomizing electrode (135) stably and in a simple configuration, and the freshness of the food is enhanced while the reliability of the refrigerator is enhanced.
US07966832B1 Combustor
A combustor includes a first wall, a second wall, an injector grommet, a combustor longitudinal axis, and a connection assembly indirectly connecting the first wall to the second wall. A portion of the injector grommet is disposed within a groove of the connection assembly.
US07966831B2 Apparatus and method for suppressing dynamic pressure instability in bleed duct
An apparatus and method for suppressing dynamic instability in a bleed duct of a gas turbine engine includes a fan bypass duct configured to permit a flow of air through the gas turbine engine. The fan bypass duct defines a fan duct surface, and the bleed duct has an inlet in fluid communication with the fan bypass duct and a flow control valve having an opened position and a closed position. A flow diverter is positioned on the fan duct surface proximate the inlet of the bleed duct and diverts the flow of air from the inlet when the flow control valve is closed, while permitting a portion of the flow of air to enter the inlet when the flow control valve is opened.
US07966825B2 Exhaust eductor system with a recirculation baffle
An exhaust educator system includes a primary exhaust nozzle configured to transport an active flow stream; and a mixing duct at least partially surrounding the primary exhaust nozzle and configured to transport a passive flow stream that is entrained by mixing with the active flow stream from the primary exhaust nozzle. The mixing duct has an interior, and a baffle on the interior of the mixing duct is configured to prevent the mixed flow streams from exiting the mixing duct.
US07966815B2 Engine load estimation
Engine load for a supercharged engine is estimated by determining airflow upstream of a throttle valve that is upstream of a supercharger, subtracting a value representative of a change in air mass between the throttle valve and the supercharger based on a measured change in pressure between the throttle valve and the supercharger, and subtracting a modification value dependent upon a current engine speed and a signal representative of a pressure at the intake manifold.
US07966813B2 Sealing element for a brake cylinder of a vehicle braking system
A sealing element seals a pressure piston which is movably arranged in a housing of a brake cylinder. The sealing element may be inserted into a ring-shaped groove which is provided in the housing. The sealing element includes an outer sealing lip for contact with a floor of the ring-shaped groove, an inner sealing lip for contact with the pressure piston, and a sealing element back. At least one non-sealing spacer element is provided on the sealing element back.
US07966810B2 Control device and exhaust purification method of internal combustion engine
It is suppressed that nanoparticles generated in an internal combustion engine are discharged into the atmosphere. In a cylinder or an exhaust system of the internal combustion engine, microparticles having a particle diameter larger than that of the nanoparticles are generated, and the nanoparticles generated in the internal combustion engine are adsorbed by the microparticles, thereby increasing the diameter of the nanoparticles. The microparticles can be generated in the cylinder as the soot, for example. Additionally, by providing a carbon microparticle generation device in the exhaust system, the microparticles can be generated, too. By making the nanoparticles adsorbed by the microparticles and increasing the diameter of the nanoparticles, discharging of the nanoparticles can be suppressed.
US07966809B2 Single-piece hybrid rocket motor
A hybrid rocket motor is formed from a single piece of material, such as, for example, by extrusion or injection molding. The rocket motor includes various components, such as casing, structure, oxidizer tank, combustion chamber, fuel, port and nozzle that are all formed from a single piece of material. The material can be, for example, a material that can be used as solid rocket fuel.
US07966805B2 Hydroxyl amine based staged combustion hybrid rocket motor
A new rocket motor assembly configuration is disclosed. Amine based oxidizer is decomposed in the presence of a metallic catalyst to generate an oxygen rich hot gas stream. The hot gas stream is used to trigger a Magnesium based solid fuel in the combustion chamber. The thrust of the rocket motor may be regulated at multiple points. This design thus offers an IM compliant, thrust-adjustable rocket motor that is of a low hazard classification without compromising its performance.
US07966804B2 Method and apparatus for testing gas turbine engines
A method for testing a cooling system for use in a gas turbine engine control system is provided. The method includes connecting an inlet of the cooling system to a differential pressure sensor, connecting an outlet of the cooling system to the differential pressure sensor, and determining whether or not a difference in pressure exists between the inlet and outlet, wherein such a pressure difference is indicative of whether cooling fluid is flowing through the cooling system.
US07966798B2 Device for stretching a transmission chain
Device for stretching a transmission chain closed in itself and comprising pairs of elongated rocker elements mutually coupled by links, said rocker elements being destined for a torque transferring cooperation with the pulley sheaves of a pulley sheave transmission, and comprising a first and a second supporting surface which support a chain to be treated over an angle of an arc and having an adjustable mutual distance to generate tensile stresses in the chain supported thereby, in which the first supporting surface is freely rotatable accommodated between the first ends of two distant frame parts, the second supporting surface is freely rotatable accommodated on an auxiliary carrier between the two frame parts, said carrier being provided with two opposite stubby shafts, protruding there from and of which the axis lies at a distance from the axis of rotation of the second supporting surface which is rotatably supported by said auxiliary carrier and lies near the second end of the frame parts while of said supporting surfaces at least one can be driven in rotation.
US07966794B2 Method for a drive system of an agricultural machine with a floating work tool
A drive system for agricultural implements having at least one floating head and a tongue that may be disposed at various angles relative to a longitudinal angle of the implement. Two swivel gearbox assemblies are used, each comprising a first 90° gearbox rigidly attached to the implement and a second 90° gearbox that is permitted to rotate about an axis passing through one of its shafts and one of the first 90° gearbox's shaft. Because the tongue angle is variable, the drive shafts for driving the implement must take on a plurality of angles. The swiveling gearbox assemblies allow variable angles at the tongue and at the header.
US07966786B2 Molded sectioned riser and locking cover
A riser formed from a plurality of curved cylindrical segments with vertical side edges having mating vertically tapered projections and slots brought into interlocking engagement to pull confronting surfaces together as the tapered elements become increasingly mechanically engaged. The segments are assembled by a sliding engagement of the protruding mating element of one segment into the vertically tapered slot of an adjacent segment. When sufficient segments are joined together horizontally to complete a ring except for a last adjacent pair of vertical side edges, the ring is warped to align the protruding mating element of the last adjacent pair of vertical side edges with an opposite end of the adjacent tapered slot. Thus aligned, the final protruding mating element and tapered slot are then slipped together while un-warping the joined segments forming the remainder of the ring until the top and bottom ends of all the segments are aligned. A cover has a flexible spider on a lower surface that can be locked into a groove or other feature on an inside surface of the curved riser segments.
US07966784B2 Veneer anchoring system
A masonry anchoring system for use in commercial and residential construction is described. In one aspect, the invention includes a brick tie that interfaces the masonry veneer and interlocks with an anchor plate mounted on a structure.
US07966776B2 Textured window well
A window well structure adapted to be disposed at least partially below grade and adjacent a window in a foundation. The window well structure includes a main body having a center wall portion and two opposing side wall portions. The window well structure may also include a decorative design on its front surface and a plurality of support ribs to reinforce the main body. Each of the support ribs may include a core comprised of a filler material, such as foam, and may be comprised of a composite material.
US07966775B2 Convertible hard side shelter
A hard side shelter is convertible between transport and deployed modes. When in the transport mode, the shelter has an envelope identical to an ISO-cargo container. A side section floor and cover are each connected to the center section for rotating between being coplanar with the center section floor and roof when in the deployed mode, and being vertical and lying in a center section side planes when in a transport mode. Each side section has end and middle panels that are turnable relative to each other, and a door assembly that is turnable relative to the middle panels. Locking bars engaged the center section floor when the shelter is in a transport mode, and engage the side section floors when the shelter is in the deployed mode. The shelter is handleable by pallet handling systems and includes insulation panels to enhance the heat transfer characteristics of the shelter.
US07966747B2 Dance footwear
An item of footwear (10), which exposes a substantial portion of a wearer's foot, is disclosed. The footwear includes a plurality of foot enclosures (110, 112) operably connected to each other via a connector (114), such as a plurality of elastic straps (200, 202). Protective pads (180, 182) may be attached to the footwear, such as leather pads on the plantar surface of the footwear. One advantage offered by this footwear is that the wearer's foot—and particularly the arch and middle of the foot—is substantially exposed to view, achieving a new aesthetic for ballet and dance footwear.
US07966744B2 Food waste treatment apparatus using microwave
The present invention relates to a food waste treatment apparatus that can effectively dispose food waste containing a large amount of water, rapidly dry food waste using microwaves, and remove odors and vapors generating during the drying process, thereby discharging clean air. The food waste treatment apparatus comprises a pulverizer (10) for pulverizing food waste, an endless track (20) for transferring food waste, a plurality of containers (30) installed on the upper surface of the endless track (20) for storing pulverized food waste, and a microwave dryer installed above the endless track for drying the pulverized food waste by making microwaves pass through the endless track in a direction perpendicular to the moving direction of the endless track (20).
US07966740B2 Post sleeve positioning apparatus and method
A post sleeve installation device includes a standing structure, a structure coupled to the standing structure and configured to support a post sleeve below the standing structure, and a mechanism configured to enable selective translation of the support structure in three axes and rotation around a vertical axis. Locks are provided to lock the post sleeve at a selected position and orientation relative to the standing structure. A beam extending from one installation device to another measures or controls the relative spacing, orientation, and elevation of associated post sleeves, and related data is collected for off-site manufacture of fence panels. Additionally, a repository is provided, to which the data is transmitted for retention, and from which the data can be retrieved for manufacture of replacement fence panels.
US07966732B2 Safety cutting apparatus
A cutting apparatus has a unidirectionally-locking blade cover that automatically snaps back over the exposed blade after each cut, and a dependent, index finger operated unlocking trigger.
US07966730B2 Method of assembling a constant velocity joint
A constant velocity joint in the form of a counter-track joint. The circumferential length (L1) of the first cage windows for the balls in the first pairs of tracks is greater than the circumferential length (L2) of the second cage windows for the balls in the second pairs of tracks. This permits a method of assembly wherein first the first balls, one after the other, are mounted in first pairs of tracks which widen from the aperture end to the attaching end and wherein then the second balls, one after the other, are mounted in second pairs of tracks which widen from the attaching end to the aperture end. For mounting the second balls in the second pairs of tracks, only a small overarticulation angle is necessary, and thus a shorter circumferential length of the respective windows than there is required for mounting the first balls in the first pairs of tracks.
US07966728B2 Method making ink feed slot through substrate
The described embodiments relate to methods and systems of forming slots in a substrate. One exemplary embodiment forms a feature into a substrate having a first substrate surface and a second substrate surface, and moves a sand drill nozzle along the substrate to remove substrate material sufficient to form, in combination with said forming, a slot through the substrate.
US07966725B2 Flat gasket and process for the production of a flat gasket
In order to provide a flat gasket, in particular cylinder head gasket, comprising at least one metal gasket sheet made of a spring steel or a metallic material with a percentage elongation after fracture corresponding to the percentage elongation after fracture of a spring steel, which has a novel structure, it is proposed that the gasket sheet is provided with at least one edging fold, which comprises a bending region and a flange region connected in one piece to the gasket sheet via the bending region.
US07966724B2 Conduit assembly methods
A method of assembling a conduit assembly can include seating a ferrule on a distal end portion of an elongate conduit body. The method can further include providing an elongate body insert having a large diameter end an a small diameter end, wherein the elongate body insert defines a hollow tubular body having a passage along a symmetrical axis between the large and small diameter ends. The method can further include mounting the end portion of the elongate conduit body on the small diameter end of the body insert, such that the large diameter end of the body insert contacts an end of the ferrule interposed axially between the large diameter end of the body insert and the distal end of the elongate conduit body, the distal end of the elongate conduit body axially adjacent the end of the ferrule to prevent axial contact between the distal end of the elongate conduit body and the large diameter end of the body insert. The method can further include compressing the elongate conduit body between the body insert and the ferrule, deploying a transmission line into the elongate conduit body wherein the transmission line comprises at least one of a hydraulic hose and an electrical cable, and pouring potting material into the elongate conduit body.
US07966719B2 Set head
A set head for setting clip nuts on workpieces by means of pushing, having at least one channel embodied in the set head, which (channel) ends at one front end of the set head in an output or mounting opening, with which the set head can be positioned for setting the clip nuts on workpieces.
US07966713B2 Tooling head mounted structural positioning
Embodiments of tool mounted structural positioning devices and techniques are described. In one embodiment, a positioning device includes mountings to mount the device directly to a tool device configured to travel a path and perform a manufacturing operation on an element. Engagement mechanisms coupled to the positioning device are aligned to the predefined path and are configured to exert a clamping force upon the element such that the element is secured and positioned by the positioning device in constant relation to the predefined path as the operations are performed.
US07966707B2 Method for repairing superalloy components using inserts
A method for forming or remanufacturing a component to have an internal space. A refractory metal blocking element is formed, in situ, with at least a portion to be within the internal space. A material is added by at least one of welding, laser cladding, and diffusion brazing, the blocking element at least partially blocking entry of the material to the internal space. The blocking element is removed.
US07966703B2 Clamp for securing shuttering panels
The clamp comprises two substantially L-shaped members, arranged opposite each other, articulated on an intermediate support on which rest the lateral profile sections of the frames of the panels to be clamped, one of the arms of each of the L-shaped members having an end profile adapted for its coupling to the profile sections to be clamped, while the other arm of each of said L-shaped members receives a displacement action in order to effect its rotation from a mechanism incorporated in the intermediate support, intended to effect the opening and closing of the L-shaped members of the clamp.
US07966699B2 Shutter (or door) fitting
Shutter (or door) fitting for fastening a furniture shutter (or door) in a pivotable manner on a basic cabinet structure, having at least one actuating arm, which is provided for moving the furniture shutter, and having at least one shutter-mounted fitting part, which can be connected to the actuating arm, characterized in that the shutter-mounted fitting part has a rotation-prevention means for temporarily fixing the pivoting position of the at least one actuating arm, preferably in the fully open position thereof, wherein the rotation-prevention means, in a first operating position, arrests the at least one actuating arm in its pivoting position relative to the shutter-mounted fitting part and, in a second operating position, allows the actuating arm to pivot.
US07966688B2 Cleaning tool and cleaning element
A cleaning tool and an effective technique for realizing a higher cleaning effect in the cleaning tool having a cleaning element for wiping a region to be cleaned is provided. A representative cleaning tool for wiping a region to be cleaned includes an elongate cleaning element holder, and a cleaning element having an outer surface which has predetermined dimensions and can extend in a longitudinal direction of the cleaning element holder. The cleaning element is attached to the cleaning element holder. When the cleaning element is attached to the cleaning element holder, the cleaning element is wrapped in a helical form around an outer surface of the cleaning element holder in such a manner that the cleaning element outer surface moves toward the outer surface of the cleaning element holder.
US07966685B2 Pocket ramp
A pocket ramp for loading objects or cargo onto the floor of a vehicle and which is mounted between the longitudinally extending frame members of the vehicle. The pocket ramp assembly includes a main frame, a primary slide, a secondary slide, a lower ramp section, an upper ramp section and a latching mechanism which selectively locks the pocket ramp assembly in either of its stowed or operative positions. The main frame is fixed to the longitudinally extending frame members of the vehicle, the primary side being slidably mounted therein. The secondary slide is slidably mounted in the primary slide. The upper ramp section is pivotally mounted to the rearward end of the secondary slide and the lower ramp section is pivotally mounted to the rearward end of the upper ramp section.
US07966683B2 Method for operating a steam generator in a fabric treatment appliance
A method of controlling the operation of a steam generator in a fabric treatment appliance may include setting an operational temperature for the steam generator based on calcification of the steam generator. A change in the calcification of the steam generator may be determined by behavior of the actual temperature of the steam generator in response to changing a flow rate of water supplied to the steam generator.
US07971266B2 Method for providing a probe for a probe-microscopic analysis of a test sample in a probe microscope and arrangement with a probe microscope
The present invention relates to a method for providing a measuring probe (1, 1a, 2) for a probe microscopic examination of a sample in a probe microscope, in particular a scanning probe microscope, in which the measuring probe (1), which has a probe base (1a) and a probe extension (2) formed thereon, is held on a carrier device and the measuring probe (1) is processed before or after a measurement by detaching a section of the probe extension (2). The invention further relates to an arrangement having a probe microscope for the probe microscopic examination of a sample, in particular a scanning probe microscope.
US07971262B2 Protecting against software piracy
Methods and software products are disclosed for protecting against software piracy. When a customer purchases software, the seller performs an activation process by identifying a unique computer identifier (ID) for the computer system of the customer, and activating the software based on the computer ID, such as by encoding the computer ID on the media storing the software. When the customer attempts to install the software on a computer system, the computer system executes an installation process. The computer system identifies its own computer ID and the computer ID used to activate the software. The computer system determines if its computer ID corresponds with the computer ID used to activate the software. If the computer IDs correspond, then the computer system is allowed to install the software. If not, the computer system is prevented from installing the software.
US07971261B2 Domain management for digital media
In accordance with the domain management for digital media, a device accesses a domain administrator in order to obtain a domain membership license. The domain membership license indicates that the device is part of a domain that includes multiple devices associated with a user of the device. The device also obtains multiple pieces of protected content from multiple content providers, with two or more of the multiple content providers employing different digital rights management systems. The device also accesses a license server to obtain, for each piece of protected content, a content license that is bound to the domain. The content license permits the device to play back the piece of content to the user.
US07971258B1 Methods and arrangement for efficiently detecting and removing malware
A method for detecting malware in a computer that employs a production operating system during normal use is provided. The method includes activating on the computer a first operating system while the production operating system is dormant and ascertaining at least a portion of the production operating system that would be involved in booting up the computer if the production operating system had been activated instead. The method further includes scanning, while the first operating system is activated and while the production operating system is dormant, the portion of the production operating system. The method further includes neutralizing, while the first operating system is activated and while the production operating system is dormant, the malware responsive to the scanning.
US07971254B1 Method and system for low-latency detection of viruses transmitted over a network
This invention relates generally to systems and methods for rapid, low-latency detection of viruses in network transmissions and specifically to methods for determining which parts of a network transmission might contain viruses and checking and cleaning only those parts of the transmission which could potentially be infected as soon as sufficient information is available for such a check.
US07971250B2 System and method for providing data content analysis in a local area network
A system and method for providing data content analysis is disclosed. The system includes an intelligent switch in a local area network, where the intelligent switch has content analysis applications stored therein and is configured to apply one or more content analysis applications on a port-by-port basis. The method includes remotely updating one or more content analysis applications at intelligent switches of subscriber networks.
US07971237B2 Method and system for providing fraud detection for remote access services
An approach provides fraud detection in support of data communication services. A usage pattern associated with a particular account for remote access to a data network is monitored. The usage pattern is compared with a reference pattern specified for the account. A fraud alert is selectively generated based on the comparison.
US07971236B1 Method and system for secure remote direct memory access
Method and system are provided where a memory key structure is used for authenticating access to a memory location that is registered for a remote direct memory access (RDMA) operation. The memory key structure not only includes a standard memory key that is expected by an RDMA enabled network interface card (RNIC), but also includes an endpoint network address identifier and a transport identifier. The endpoint network address identifier and the transport identifier are verified before an entity is granted access to the registered memory location.
US07971230B2 System and methods providing enhanced security model
The present invention relates to a system and methodology to facilitate security for data items residing within (or associated with) a hierarchical database or storage structure. A database security system is provided having a hierarchical data structure associated with one or more data items. The system includes a security component that applies a security policy to the data items from a global location or region associated with a database. Various components and processes are employed to enable explicit and/or inherited security properties to be received by and propagated to the data items depending on the type of data structure encountered or processed.
US07971225B2 Bandpass component decimation and transmission of data in cable television digital return path
A device for and a method of decreasing the data rate of a digital return path link in a Cable Television Hybrid Fiber-Coax system (CATV system) is disclosed. At the node of the CATV system, the bandwidth of the a digital data stream representative of an analog return signal is limited to a desired frequency band. The bandwidth-limited data stream is then digitally re-sampled at a predetermined multiple of a center frequency of the frequency band. The re-sampled data stream is then separated into two data streams. Then, these separate data streams are digitally decimated to a lower data rate, interleaved and serialized for transmission to a head end of the CATV system. A reverse process reconstructs the original analog return signal's signal components within the desired frequency band at the head end.
US07971222B2 Interactive television systems with digital video recording and adjustable reminders
An interactive television system is provided in which an interactive television application is used to support network-based or local personal video recorder capabilities. A user may use this application to view lists of program listings. The user may select a program listing of interest. The interactive television application may allow the user to set a reminder for the selected program at the scheduled broadcast time. This application may also allow the user to set a reminder for the selected program at a later time at which the program is not scheduled to be broadcast. The user may be provided with a reminder at this later time. In response, the user may direct the network-based or local personal video recorder to play back the program or may defer the reminder again. The interactive television application may collect information on program usage and popularity to determine how long to retain certain programming.
US07971217B2 Content digest system, video digest system, user terminal, video digest generation method, video digest reception method and program therefor
Meta data about content is converted into characteristic values. Each characteristic value is associated with one or more content segments of content. The content can be audio, video, or other data or combinations of data. Importance levels for content segments are determined from content scores. Content scores are generally an indication of how one person would rate a particular characteristic value. The content scores may be estimated by using previously determined scores of similar content segments. The similarity is preferably determined by a particular metric. A user may also supply his or her own content scores for content segments. The user profile content scores can be combined with the determined content scores or completely supplant these scores. Based on the importance levels for content scores for content segments, content segments may be packaged into a content digest that a user may view.
US07971215B1 System, method and computer readable medium for managing media streams
A method, system and computer readable medium for managing media streams, the computer readable medium has computer-readable code embodied therein for sharing media content, the computer-readable code comprising instructions for: associating different program map tables with devices of different users that are scheduled to filter, at a certain point of time, streams that form a same program; wherein the different program map tables reflect streams that should be filtered by devices of the different users.
US07971211B2 Disk drive, disk feeding device, and disk loading mechanism
The present invention provides a disk drive with a compact size that makes it possible to effectively utilize space within a disk drive and permits a straightforward layout of members.The disk drive comprises a disk holder 10 that has a plurality of holder plates 11 that individually hold disks D, a drive unit 62 that plays back disks D, disk selectors 41A and 41B that form a space above and below a desired disk D by raising and lowering the holder plates 11, and a drive base 60 that moves the drive unit 62 into the space that is formed by raising and lowering the holder plates 11. The opening amount of the disk holder 10 by the rise and fall of the holder plates 11 is fixed. The height of insertion of disk D into the disk holder 10 is on the upper side between the highest holder plate 11 and the lowest holder plate 11 when the disk holder 10 is open.
US07971204B2 System and method of co-allocating a reservation spanning different compute resources types
A system and method of co-allocating resources within a compute environment are disclosed. The method embodiment of the invention comprises receiving a request for a reservation for a first type of resource, analyzing constraints and guarantees associated with the first type of resource, identifying a first group of resources that meet the request for the first type of resource and storing in a first list, receiving a request for a reservation for a second type of resource, analyzing constraints and guarantees associated with the second type of resource, identifying a second group of resources that meet the request for the second type of resource and storing in a second list, calculating a co-allocation parameter between the first group of resources and the second group of resources and reserving resources according to the calculated co-allocation parameter of the first group of resources and the second group of resources. The request may also request exclusivity of the reservation.
US07971201B2 Multiple operating device version software generating system and multiple operating device version software generation support program and method
A multiple operating device version program generating device for generating software for multiple versions of an operating device, has an environment file storage unit having environment file storage folders, prepared for multiple versions of an operating device, each storing environment files including a library, at least one source program, and a compile and link operation instruction file; a generation environment table defining storage positions of the versions of the operating device and the environment file storage folders; a generation environment storage unit storing the environment files when generating the software; a software generation environment construction unit for copying environment files for specific versions of the operating device in the generation environment storage unit; and a software generating processing unit for executing the compile and link operations based on the compile and link operation instruction files in the generation environment storage unit.
US07971199B1 Mobile device with a self-updating update agent in a wireless network
A mobile device with a self-backup mechanism may conduct an implicit backup of update agent code during an update of firmware in the electronic device, using a package of update information. Another embodiment may perform an explicit backup of update agent code before the update of other firmware is performed. In an electronic device employing NAND flash non-volatile memory for firmware storage, a boot code may copy all firmware, including update agent code, from the non-volatile memory to RAM for execution. A determination may be made whether a backup copy of update agent code exists, and the existing update agent code may be updated by a copy of the update agent code stored in an area in RAM. An updated update agent code may be capable of employing update status data used by old update agent code, as well as update status data used by an updated update agent code.
US07971198B2 Method for global resource sharing having logically linked means and integrated functionality for building solutions
A resources sharing container having logic-linking mechanism for logically linking program code to pages, pages to applications and applications to solutions. The resources sharing container will have the ability to create finished solutions by using its logic functionalities (logic-linking, resources code, enhancements, etc.), application requirements (application pages and their programming code logic) and preconfigured enhancements (settings, translations, interfacing, securities, etc.), and have the final solution tailored to each user's prerequisites. Moreover, it will permit the creation of a global resource sharing of logically linked software code blocks, application pages and application page's settings that can be shared in house, over a network or globally over the Internet, thus, reducing replication and distribution costs, since all the developments, securities and enhancements are at the resources level at a single location.
US07971191B2 System and method for analyzing a process
The present disclosure relates to a system and method for analyzing a process. Embodiments of the present invention may include obtaining a process execution trace including at least one subtrace, the process execution trace comprising at least one loop repetition. Further, embodiments may include removing loop repetitions within the process execution trace, identifying the subtrace as a point for data collection in a process, and collecting data related to the subtrace.
US07971189B2 Automated interaction diagram generation using source code breakpoints
An automated interaction diagram generation using source code breakpoints is presented. A user sets diagram breakpoints at locations in source code using an integrated development environment (IDE) that includes a diagram generation manager. The user sets the breakpoints at locations where the user wishes to capture the interaction between objects on an interaction diagram. The IDE executes the code and the diagram generation manager collects breakpoint data corresponding to the breakpoints. Once the source code finishes executing, the diagram generation manager formats the breakpoint data and generates an interaction diagram based upon the formatted breakpoint data. The user may instruct the diagram generation manager to add or remove detail from the interaction diagram by adjusting breakpoint attributes and/or adding/deleting breakpoints.
US07971185B2 System and method for supporting data driving a software process using objects of arbitrary data types
The present invention provides a method for supporting data driving a software process. The method comprises receiving, from a user, input of a class of an object of a non-primitive data type; and providing to the user a description of the collection of attributes necessary to construct an instance of the object, based only on the class of the object. The step of receiving the class of the object is free of receiving a pre-existing instance of the data type. In further related embodiments, the method further comprises receiving, in a single user step, user input of defining attribute data necessary to create the instance of the object and set it into a desired state; and creating and initializing the instance of the object using the defining attribute data; wherein the defining attribute data does not include a pre-existing instance of the data type.
US07971175B2 Method and system for implementing cached parameterized cells
Parameterized cells are cached and provided by the plug-in to increase the speed and efficiency of an application for circuit design. This allows source design to be read-interoperable and also enables some basic write-interoperability in the source design.
US07971169B1 System and method for reducing the generation of inconsequential violations resulting from timing analyses
A system for, and method of, reducing the generation of inconsequential violations resulting from timing analyses and an electronic design automation (EDA) tool incorporating the system or the method. In one embodiment, the system includes: (1) a timing violation identifier configured to identify at least some timing violations in a circuit based on a timing analysis, (2) an unsensitizable path identifier configured to identify at least some unsensitizable paths in the circuit and (3) a repair list generator coupled to the timing violation identifier and the unsensitizable path identifier and configured to generate a repair list based on both the at least some timing violations and the at least some unsensitizable paths.
US07971165B2 Method and apparatus for logic equivalence verification, and computer product
A verification apparatus that verifies whether a reference circuit and an implemented circuit are logically equivalent deletes, respectively therefrom, all buffers and an even number of inverters between flip-flops. On each of the circuits, the apparatus further deletes and merges a flip-flop to another flip-flop that is logically equivalent. The name of the deleted flip-flip is added to the name of the flip-flop to which it is merged. The apparatus compares all of the names of the flip-flops and pairs the flip-flops by name. From the input pin of each of the paired flip-flops, logic cones are defined and using these logic cones, comparison of and verification between the reference circuit and the implemented circuit is performed.
US07971160B2 Creating method of photomask pattern data, photomask created by using the photomask pattern data, and manufacturing method of semiconductor apparatus using the photomask
A method for creating a pattern on a photomask includes steps of recognizing a space between main patterns by using pattern data which indicate the main patterns to be adjacently transferred onto a wafer, determining a 1st rule about arrangement of an assist pattern on the photomask, the assist pattern being adjacent to the main patterns and not being transferred onto the wafer, estimating a depth of focus in the presence of the assist pattern among the main patterns, determining a 2nd rule about arrangement of the assist pattern on the photomask to improve the depth of focus in the presence of the 1st assist pattern among the main patterns in a group having one or more number of appearance times of the space between main patterns, and correcting the assist pattern on the photomask using the assist pattern data on the basis of the 2nd rule.
US07971159B2 Data generating method, data generating device, and program in an exposure system for irradiating multigradation-controllable spotlights
To provide a data generating method, device, and program that can generate drawing data for drawing the entire general design graphic data with an accuracy of about 1 to 4 nm in a drawing method or a drawing system adapted to draw gradation-controllable spotlights in a two-dimensional array. The data generating method is a method for generating, in an exposure system having a function of irradiating multigradation-controllable spotlights in a two-dimensional array onto a photosensitive film on a substrate, gradation values of the spotlights based on design graphic data. Using reference data classified by features of a graphic and describing in advance combinations of gradation values mapped to coordinate information of a graphic, the method discriminates the feature in the design graphic data near positions of the spotlights and selects the combination of the gradation values in the reference data corresponding to coordinate information of the positions of the spotlights, thereby determining the gradation values.
US07971149B2 Method for comparing an original document and a modified document using user-selected reference point sets
A method for emphasizing differences between original and modified documents. The method includes displaying the original document with the original document defining an original document boundary and a first bitmap. The method includes displaying the modified document with the modified document defining a modified document boundary and a second bitmap. The method includes receiving a user-selected first reference point set including a plurality of reference points correlated to coordinates within the original document boundary. The method includes receiving a user-selected second reference point set including a plurality of reference points correlated to coordinates within the modified document boundary. The method includes transforming the first bitmap to a common reference using the first reference point set. The method includes transforming the second bitmap to the common reference using the second reference point set. The method includes comparing the bitmaps. The method includes displaying indicia related to the comparison of the bitmaps.
US07971141B1 Method and system for populating a form based on an existing format
A method of populating at least one form involving selecting a current completion option based on a previous completion option, obtaining a first completion process based on the current completion option, and populating the at least one form using the first completion process, wherein a format of the first completion process is determined by the selected current completion option.
US07971139B2 Correlation, association, or correspondence of electronic forms
Determining correspondence, association, and/or correlation between nodes of electronic forms based on schemas of those forms is described. Importing, merging, and/or annotating data from one electronic form into another electronic form based on correspondence, association, and/or correlation between nodes is also described.
US07971138B2 Common design for web pages through employment of master specifications
A master specification is provided to specify a common design for a number of resultant web pages to be generated. The common design includes common content placement, and at least one of a common style and a common navigation arrangement. The content of a first resultant web page is defined employing a first subordinate web page specification, including reference to the master specification for content placement, and at least one of style and navigation. The content of a second resultant web page is similarly defined. In turn, the first and second resultant web pages are generated with first and second contents being placed, styled and/or having the common navigation arrangement in accordance with the master specification.
US07971137B2 Detecting and rejecting annoying documents
A system and method for evaluating documents for approval or rejection and/or rating. The method comprises comparing the document to one or more criteria determining whether the document contains an element that is substantially identical to one or more of a visual element, an audio element or a textual element that is determined to be displeasing.
US07971133B2 Content administration system
A content administration system receives user identification information from a terminal device via the Internet. The content administration system then specifies content administration information storage means corresponding to the received user identification information. The content administration system acquires object path information correlated to sharing permission information from a content administration information storage means of another unspecified user. The content administration system then acquires an icon image from the icon image storage means. The content administration system then makes display control information for the content administration screen containing the icon leading to the object based on the acquired icon image and the acquired object path information. The content administration system transmits the made display control information to the terminal device via the Internet. As a result, an administrator of a web site does not have to add a content path corresponding to an HTML file when adding content to a web site administered by themselves or when sharing content with another web site.
US07971127B2 Guided simulated annealing in non-volatile memory error correction control
Data in non-volatile storage is decoded using iterative probabilistic decoding. An error correcting code such as a low density parity check code may be used. In one approach, initial reliability metrics, such as logarithmic likelihood ratios, are used in decoding sensed states of a set of non-volatile storage elements. The decoding attempts to converge by adjusting the reliability metrics for bits in code words which represent the sensed state. Simulated annealing using an adjustable temperature parameter based on a level of error in the data can be performed. The simulated annealing can introduce randomness, as noise for example, into the decoding process. Moreover, knowledge of the device characteristics can be used to guide the simulated annealing process rather than introducing absolute randomness. The introduction of a degree of randomness adds flexibility that permits possible faster convergence times and convergence in situations where data may otherwise be uncorrectable.
US07971126B2 Apparatus, system, and method for hard disk drive redundancy
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for hard disk drive redundancy. A demarcation module demarks a parity data block in each set of a specified number of data blocks on a hard disk drive. An association module associates a PBA of each un-demarked data block with a LBA. A write module writes the data to the un-demarked data blocks. A parity module calculates parity data for the data written to the un-demarked data blocks and the write module writes the parity data to the parity data block.
US07971125B2 Systems and methods for prioritizing error correction data
Various systems and methods for generating and/or ordering error indications are disclosed herein. In some cases, the error indication is used as an erasure pointer in a memory access system. As one particular example, a system for ordering erasure pointers is disclosed that includes a group of N sort cells, where N is a whole number. Each of the sort cells is operable to maintain a respective error indication that includes an error value and an associated error pointer. Further, the group of N sort cells is operable to receive an incoming error indication including error value and associated error pointer, and to update the error indication of one or more of the group of N sort cells based in part on the incoming error value. The system also includes a selector circuit that is operable to allow selectable access to each of the respective error pointers maintained in the group of N sort cells.
US07971124B2 Apparatus and method for distinguishing single bit errors in memory modules
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for distinguishing correctable bit errors in memory. A bit error detection module detects a correctable bit error in memory. The correctable bit error is correctable using error-correcting code (“ECC”). A comparison module compares an error location indicator with a stored error location indicator. The error location indicator is a location of the correctable bit error. The stored error location indicator includes to at least one previously stored error location indicator of a previously detected correctable bit error. A storage module stores the error location indicator in response to the comparison module determining that the error location indicator differs from a stored error location indicator. A bit error counter module increases a random bit error counter if the comparison module determines that the error location indicator differs from a stored error location indicator and does not increase the random bit error counter otherwise.
US07971117B2 Test circuits of semiconductor memory device for multi-chip testing and method for testing multi chips
A test circuit of a semiconductor memory device for performing a test in cooperation with a tester having a plurality of input/output pins connected to a plurality of input/output lines. The test circuit may include a first comparing unit adapted to compare, on a bit-by-bit basis, read data that may be read from memory cells corresponding to an address with expected data, and to output the comparison results as first comparison signals, a second comparing unit adapted to perform a logic operation on the first comparison signals and to generate a flag signal when determining a failure of at least one of the memory cells on the basis of the operation result, and a storage unit adapted to store the first comparison signals in response to the flag signal.
US07971116B2 Semiconductor storage device and test method therefor
Disclosed is a semiconductor device including a BIST provided with a plurality of scan FFs (flip-flops), a data address signal generation circuit unit which respectively generates a data signal and an address signal based on a set value of a scan FF, WEB generation circuit unit which generates a signal WEB which controls writing to and reading data from the semiconductor memory based on an scan FF value, and a test signal control circuit unit which controls the data address signal generation circuit unit and the WEB generation circuit unit, based on a received control signal, controls selectors, and selects and controls, as data and address signals to be supplied to the memory, data signal and address signals from the data address signal generation circuit unit or data and address signals via a user defined circuit.
US07971113B2 Method for detecting disturb phenomena between neighboring blocks in non-volatile memory
A method for detecting disturb phenomena between neighboring blocks in non-volatile memory includes, sequentially erasing and writing test data (pattern) to each block of a plurality of blocks under test in the non-volatile memory at a first time point, dividing the plurality of blocks under test into a first block group and a second block group based on ordinal number included in each block of the plurality of blocks under test, reading data from each block of the first block group at a second time point, and comparing the data with the test data written at the first time point to generate a first detecting result, and determining applicability of each block of the first block group based on the first detecting result.
US07971106B2 Method and apparatus for maintaining the status of objects in computer networks using virtual state machines
A network appliance for monitoring, diagnosing and documenting problems among a plurality of devices and processes (objects) coupled to a computer network utilizes periodic polling and collection of object-generated trap data to monitor the status of objects on the computer network. The status of a multitude of objects is maintained in memory utilizing virtual state machines which contain a small amount of persistent data but which are modeled after one of a plurality of finite state machines. The memory further maintains dependency data related to each object which identifies parent/child relationships with other objects at the same or different layers of the OSI network protocol model. A decision engine verifies through on-demand polling that a device is down. A root cause analysis module utilizes status and dependency data to locate the highest object in the parent/child relationship tree that is affected to determine the root cause of a problem. Once a problem has been verified, a “case” is opened and notification alerts may be sent out to one or more devices. A user interface allows all objects within the network to be displayed with their respective status and their respective parent/child dependency objects in various formats.
US07971101B2 Systems and methods for management and capturing of optical drive failure errors
The systems and methods herein may be used for management and capturing of optical drive failure errors. One implementation of a method for capturing a failure error of an optical storage drive may include detecting the failure error of the optical storage drive. The failure error may be characterized by an error identifier, which may be stored in a drive memory. In certain embodiments, methods herein may also include storing media information available on optical storage media to the extent that such media information may be available. Among other advantages, storage of error identifiers and/or media information may aid manufacturers in diagnosing problems with returned optical storage drives.
US07971098B2 Bootstrap device and methods thereof
A method of booting a multi-processor data processing device includes establishing a link between a first processor and a memory. The link is monitored to determine if, in response to a request from the processor, expected initialization data is communicated between the memory and the first processor. If unexpected data is detected on the link, the link is severed and a new link established between a second processor and the memory to allow the second processor to initiate the boot process. This ensures that, in the event of an error in the boot process at the first processor, the device can complete the boot process, thereby reducing device downtime.
US07971095B2 Fault recovery for real-time, multi-tasking computer system
System and methods for providing a recoverable real time multi-tasking computer system are disclosed. In one embodiment, a system comprises a real time computing environment, wherein the real time computing environment is adapted to execute one or more applications and wherein each application is time and space partitioned. The system further comprises a fault detection system adapted to detect one or more faults affecting the real time computing environment and a fault recovery system, wherein upon the detection of a fault the fault recovery system is adapted to restore a backup set of state variables.
US07971094B1 Method, system and apparatus for creating and executing a failover plan on a computer network
A failover module generates a user interface to enable an administrative user to define a failover plan for a primary site. The failover plan includes user-specified information for use by multiple operations of a failover process for failing over a server system from the primary site to a failover site. The failover plan can be stored as a data object on a computer system at the failover site. In the event of a serious failure at the primary site, the failover process can be invoked and carried out on the failover site with little or no human intervention, based on the failover plan, to cause the server system to be failed over to the failover site, thereby substantially reducing downtime of the server system and its data.
US07971089B2 Switching connection of a boot disk to a substitute server and moving the failed server to a server domain pool
When a server RM detects a failure in an operating server, a system resource manager selects a substitute server from a pool of a server domain to which a failed server belongs, based on information in a system resource DB, disconnects the failed server from a business network and a storage sub group and moves the failed server to a pool, and permits the substitute server to access a storage group to which the failed server had an access and to connect to the business network to which the failed server was connected, to boot up the substitute server from a SAN.
US07971088B2 Clock skew controller and integrated circuit including the same
A clock skew controller for adjusting a skew between a first clock, which is input to a first clock mesh, and a second clock mesh input to a second clock mesh, includes a pulse generator adapted to output a pulse signal corresponding to a delay time between a first output clock output from the first clock mesh and a second output clock output from the second clock mesh, a pulse width detector adapted to generate a digital signal corresponding to a pulse width of the pulse signal, and a clock delay adjuster adapted to delay one of the first and second clocks by a time corresponding to the digital signal.
US07971086B2 Integrated waking/while-awake power management system with breaking distance timer for high wake-up latency portion of hardware
A system for activating and deactivating a hardware device including a first stage electronic deactivation unit operative, responsive to a deactivation request, to perform a first deactivation operation including deactivation of a first portion of the hardware device having low wake-up latency at a first time, a second stage electronic deactivation unit including a breaking distance timer activated subsequently to the deactivation request and operative to deactivate a second portion of the hardware device having high wake-up latency at a subsequent second time separated from the first time, and a power management system including a power source and a power supply regulator operative to control the supply of power in accordance with a selectable one of a plurality of regulator settings, selected using a hardware setting selector. Responsive to a wakeup event, the first portion of the hardware device is reactivated and the breaking distance timer is deactivated.
US07971083B2 Output system, printing system, printing device management device and printing device, print instruction program, printing device management program and printing device control program, and printing method
An output system having an output device that performs output based on output data so that the output device performs the output after having acquired authentication. In the system, an operating state controlling unit outputs a power-save-cancel command for causing a power-saving state to be changed into an active state to a power-save switching unit after a device having an output data storing unit acquires the output data, and a transition-to-power-save command for causing the state to be changed from the active state to the power-saving state is outputted to the power-save switching unit when the output process of the output data is completed by an output process completion detecting unit.
US07971078B2 System and method for measurement-based power and energy accounting for virtual machines
A method for measurement-based power and energy accounting for virtual machines distributed among at least one hosting device is disclosed. The method comprising determining an energy for the hosting device during a first time interval and a second time interval, partitioning a difference in the determined energy among virtual machines within a plurality of regions of the hosting device, determining a level of activity of each of the resources in each virtual machine within a corresponding one of the regions, determining an energy of each resource in each corresponding virtual machine wherein energy associated with resources shared among an plurality of virtual machines are allocated to a corresponding one of the virtual machines based on a number of requests made to the shared resource by the corresponding virtual machine, determining a total energy for each of the virtual machines in corresponding regions based on a level of activity of the virtual machine and the energy associated with the corresponding shared resources, and determining a power for each of the virtual machines by dividing the determined total energy by a length of the time interval.
US07971077B2 Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and program for executing the method
An information processing apparatus is disclosed as an example. The information processing apparatus sends data to an image forming apparatus and causes the image forming apparatus to generate an image. The information processing apparatus includes a receiving unit configured to receive information that is sent from an image forming apparatus and indicates whether the image forming apparatus has a power saving function, a determination unit configured to determine, on the basis of the information received by the receiving unit, whether the image forming apparatus has the power saving function, and a setting unit configured to perform setting on a communication program in the information processing apparatus so as to reduce a number of times a power saving mode of the image forming apparatus having the power saving function is released due to communication between the information processing apparatus and the image forming apparatus.
US07971076B2 Circuitry and method for monitoring a supply voltage
A method for monitoring the supply voltage of an electronic device includes the steps of: determining an operating condition of the electronic device, adjusting a plurality of reference voltages dependent on the operating condition of the electronic device, wherein each of the plurality of reference voltages is adjusted at a different time, and comparing the supply voltage of the electronic device with at least one of the plurality of reference voltages.
US07971075B2 Four-pair midspan powering with a splitter in a power over ethernet application
A midspan power sourcing equipment (PSE) that supports four-pair powering in a power over Ethernet (PoE) applications. The midspan PSE can provide power to two separate end devices using a single cable. To ensure compatibility with legacy Ethernet devices, the ports used for transmission of data are designed with a sufficient inductance level or a low effective impedance at a frequency of operation.
US07971073B2 Adaptive real-time methodology for optimizing energy-efficient computing
Dynamic voltage and frequency scaling (DVFS) is an effective way to reduce energy and power consumption in microprocessor units. Current implementations of DVFS suffer from inaccurate modeling of power requirements and usage, and from inaccurate characterization of the relationships between the applicable variables. A system and method is proposed that adjusts CPU frequency and voltage based on run-time calculations of the workload processing time, as well as a calculation of performance sensitivity with respect to CPU frequency. The system and method are processor independent, and can be applied to either an entire system as a unit, or individually to each process running on a system.
US07971071B2 Integrated delivery and protection device for digital objects
A method of securing a digital object with a secure hardware adjunct in communication with a digital device, comprising configuring the digital object on the secure hardware adjunct so that the digital object may be portable among digital devices, executing a first portion of code on the digital device, and providing predefined digital rights verification and enforcement located on the secure hardware adjunct.
US07971070B2 Read/write media key block
A recorder system contains a media key block (MKB) and selectively writes protected content into a recording medium according to the following content protection logic, to combat theft of the protected content: If the medium does not have a MKB, then the recorder writes its stored MKB into the medium and writes protected content into the medium. If the medium has a MKB that is older than the stored MKB in the recorder, then the recorder writes its stored MKB into the medium before re-encrypting and writing protected content into the medium. If the medium has a MKB that is newer than the stored MKB, then the MKB in the medium is used for content protection. The recorder may store the newer MKB in non-volatile memory, effectively updating its previous stored MKB, so the recorder will have the most recently observed MKB for content protection use.
US07971049B2 Systems and methods for managing user configuration settings
A computer system may include a virtual configuration settings package that captures a user's configuration settings in a user layer. The user layer may represent the files, registry entries, and the like, that make up the virtualized configuration settings. The configuration settings may be captured by filtering file system requests through a virtualization driver. The file system requests that are associated with the user's configuration settings may be redirected to the user layer. Virtualizing the configuration settings may make them much simpler to manage. The virtual configuration settings package may be selectively activated or deactivated, imported and exported, reset, deleted, and so forth. The user layer may include configuration settings from the operating system, applications, and the like.
US07971043B2 Electronic system and method for changing number of operation stages of a pipeline
An electronic system includes a pipeline having a first number of pipeline stages coupled in series, a pipeline control unit, and a logic engine, wherein each pipeline stage in the pipeline is for outputting data to a next pipeline stage at each cycle of a clock signal. The pipeline control unit is for changing the first number of pipeline stages in the pipeline to a second number of pipeline stages. The logic engine is for performing operations of the electronic system in a first mode by utilizing the pipeline having the first number of pipeline stages and for performing operations of the electronic system in a second mode by utilizing the pipeline having the second number of pipeline stages. A frequency control unit and a voltage control unit, coupled to the pipeline and the logic engine, respectively adjust the frequency and voltage of the electronic system accordingly.
US07971042B2 Microprocessor system and method for instruction-initiated recording and execution of instruction sequences in a dynamically decoupleable extended instruction pipeline
Systems and methods for recording instruction sequences in a microprocessor having a dynamically decoupleable extended instruction pipeline. A record instruction including a record start address is sent to the extended pipeline. The extended pipeline thus begins recording the subsequent instruction sequence at the specified address until an end record instruction is encountered. The end record instruction is recorded as the last instruction in the sequence. The main pipeline may then call the instruction sequence by sending a run instruction including the start address for the desired sequence to the extended pipeline. This run instruction causes the extended pipeline to begin autonomously executing the recorded sequence until the end record instruction is encountered. This instruction causes the extended pipeline to cease autonomous execution and to return to executing instructions supplied by the main pipeline.
US07971040B2 Method and device for saving and restoring a set of registers of a microprocessor in an interruptible manner
The disclosure relates to a method for executing by a processor an instruction for saving/restoring several internal registers of the processor. The method comprises breaking down the saving/restoring instruction to generate micro-instructions for saving/restoring the content of a register, executing each of the micro-instructions, initializing a progress status of the saving/restoration of the registers, updating the progress status of the saving/restoration upon each generation of a micro-instruction for saving/restoring a register, saving the progress status in the event of an interruption in the saving/restoration of the registers to execute a higher-priority task, and restoring the progress status when the saving/restoration of the registers is resumed.
US07971023B2 Guaranteed memory card performance to end-of-life
In order to maintain a memory system's performance levels to its end-of-life, latency threshold level(s) are specified and associated with different memory system operating parameters. In one embodiment, the memory system monitors and gathers performance statistics in real time, and in accordance with specific memory transfer sizes. A current latency level can be dynamically calculated using the performance statistics and compared to previously established latency threshold levels. If the current latency level is greater than or equal to a specific latency threshold level, the memory system's configuration setting can be adjusted according to the operating parameters associated with the latency threshold level to offset the increased latency.
US07971001B2 Least recently used eviction implementation
Methods for a treatment of cached objects are described. In one embodiment, management of a region of a cache is configured with an eviction policy plug-in. The eviction policy plug-in includes an eviction timing component and a sorting component, with the eviction timing component including code to implement an eviction timing method, and the eviction timing method to trigger eviction of an object from the region of cache. The sorting component includes code to implement a sorting method to identify an object that is eligible for eviction from said region of cache. The sorting method includes identifying an object for eviction that is cached in the region of cache and that has been used least recently compared to other objects that are cached in the region of cache.
US07970993B2 Rotating parity redundant array of independent disk and method for storing parity the same
A rotating parity redundant array of independent disk (RAID) and a method for storing parity of the same are provided. The rotating parity RAID comprises a first˜a third disk. The first disk has A1˜Am blocks for storing A1˜Am data respectively. The second disk has B1˜Bm blocks for storing B1˜Bm data respectively. The third disk has C1˜Cm blocks for storing C1˜Cm data respectively. The Cn+k data is an nth parity data obtained from the An data and the Bn data. The Bn+k+1 data is an (n+1)th parity data obtained from the Cn+1 data and the An+1 data. The An+k+2 data is an (n+2)th parity data obtained from the Bn+2 data and the Cn+2 data.
US07970991B2 Storage control apparatus and storage control method
A storage control apparatus capable of rapidly carrying out data processing according to requests from upper order apparatus, and capable of rapidly returning the results of processing to the upper order apparatus is provided. A computer system comprised of upper order apparatus and storage control apparatus is disclosed. The upper order apparatus accesses a virtual volume. A pool volume is allocated to the virtual volume. The pool volume is provided with a storage region of storage discs. The pool volume classifies data sent from the upper order apparatus for every type into text data, block data, and large sized data. The storage control apparatus then recognizes the types of data and stores the data on respective volumes.
US07970989B2 Write ordering on disk cached platforms
A hard disk cache includes entries to be written to a disk, and also includes ordering information describing the order that they should be written to the disk. Data may be written from the cache to the disk in the order specified by the ordering information. In some situations, data may be written out of order. Further, in some situations, clean data from the cache may be combined with dirty data from the cache when performing a cache flush.
US07970988B2 Recording medium with status information thereon which changes upon reformatting and apparatus and methods for forming, recording, and reproducing the recording medium
A recording medium, such as a high-density and/or optical recording medium and apparatus and methods for recording to and reproducing from the recording medium, in order to initialize, reinitialize, format, and/or re-format the high-density and/or optical recording medium.
US07970987B2 Partial block data programming and reading operations in a non-volatile memory
Data in less than all of the pages of a non-volatile memory block are updated by programming the new data in unused pages of either the same or another block. In order to prevent having to copy unchanged pages of data into the new block, or to program flags into superceded pages of data, the pages of new data are identified by the same logical address as the pages of data which they superceded and a time stamp is added to note when each page was written. When reading the data, the most recent pages of data are used and the older superceded pages of data are ignored. This technique is also applied to metablocks that include one block from each of several different units of a memory array, by directing all page updates to a single unused block in one of the units.
US07970985B2 Adaptive deterministic grouping of blocks into multi-block units
The present invention presents techniques for the linking of physical blocks of a non-volatile memory into composite logical structures or “metablocks”. After determining an initial linking of good physical blocks into metablocks, a record of the linking is maintained in the non-volatile memory where it can be readily accessed when needed. In one set of embodiments, the initially linking is deterministically formed according to an algorithm and can be optimized according to the pattern of any bad blocks in the memory. As additional bad blocks arise, the linking is updated using by replacing the bad blocks in a linking with good blocks, preferably in the same sub-array of the memory as the block that they are replacing.
US07970979B1 System and method of configurable bus-based dedicated connection circuits
A high performance field programmable gate array is described with one or more signal processing engines coupled to a programmable logic fabric. Each signal processing engine includes a signal processing unit for performing specifying tasks and a bus-based configurable connection box for routing a bus-based input to a bus-based output. The signal processing unit has a floating point unit (FPU)/multiply accumulate (MAC) for computation and register files for storing information. The programmable logic fabric is coupled to the one or more signal processing engines for routing of information between the signal processing engines.
US07970970B2 Non-blocking address switch with shallow per agent queues
In one embodiment, a switch is configured to be coupled to an interconnect. The switch comprises a plurality of storage locations and an arbiter control circuit coupled to the plurality of storage locations. The plurality of storage locations are configured to store a plurality of requests transmitted by a plurality of agents. The arbiter control circuit is configured to arbitrate among the plurality of requests stored in the plurality of storage locations. A selected request is the winner of the arbitration, and the switch is configured to transmit the selected request from one of the plurality of storage locations onto the interconnect. In another embodiment, a system comprises a plurality of agents, an interconnect, and the switch coupled to the plurality of agents and the interconnect. In another embodiment, a method is contemplated.
US07970969B2 Method for communication on a multidrop bus of a magnetic resonance system
In a method of communication on a multidrop bus of a magnetic resonance system, an adaptive protocol script for telegrams on the multidrop bus is used, that implements adaptive protocol matching using telegram start characters, addresses and frame-type binding. For this purpose, a telegram frame is divided into a link layer and a service layer, the link layer being device-based and being responsible for differentiating addresses and frame types, and enabling devices that use different communication protocols to be simultaneously present on the bus. The service layer represents the load of the link layer, and its service script is operation-based, and the service layer provides, for the exterior, interfaces that are independent of the communication protocols used by the devices.
US07970968B2 Apparatus and method for controlling plural functional blocks using common command
This invention relates to an information-signal-processing apparatus etc. for performing a series of processing pieces by using plural functional blocks in response to any information signals, in which functions can be easily upgraded through version upgrading of the functional blocks. Control block 110 issues a common command and transmits it to a control block 120 via a control bus 111. Control I/F 120 of the functional block 120 converts this common command into an intra-functional-block command if the common command is the common command related to its own functional block, and supplies the functional section 120e with it. This enables the functional block 120 to operate adaptively in accordance with the common command. When performing upgrade of the functions by the version updating of a predetermined function block, the common command need not be changed.
US07970959B2 DMA transfer system using virtual channels
A DMA transfer system includes a DMA controller having at least one channel coupled to a system bus, the DMA controller configured to perform a DMA transfer via the system bus according to a DMA transfer setting of the at least one channel, and a DMAC control unit coupled to the DMA controller, wherein the DMAC control unit includes a plurality of virtual channels configured to have respective DMA transfer settings made thereto, a virtual channel arbiter configured to select one of the plurality of virtual channels, and a DMA setting circuit configured to read a DMA transfer setting of the selected virtual channel to write the read DMA transfer setting to the at least one channel of the DMA controller.
US07970954B2 System and method of providing a user-friendly device path
A method can include, during a boot flow at an information handling system, receiving an initial device path related to a device that is integrated with or coupled to the information handling system. The method can also include identifying a system-specific device location table based on a node included in the initial device path and receiving a particular alternate location string associated with the node at the system-specific location table. Further, the method can include adding the particular alternate location string to an alternate device path string related to the device and outputting the alternate device path to a user after the alternate device path includes an alternate location string associated with each node of the initial device path.
US07970940B1 Domain name system lookup latency reduction
A technique to reduce the latency of a remote DNS lookup operation is disclosed. More specifically, a machine-readable medium, method, device, and system are described that scan a document when it is retrieved from the Internet. The scan takes place for one or more patterns, where each pattern denotes an Internet host name. The technique then asynchronously causes an Internet Domain Name System (DNS) server to translate each Internet host name pattern discovered from the document scan to an associated Internet Protocol (IP) address. The technique then asynchronously stores each translated IP address in a local DNS cache.
US07970935B2 Network system, information processor, and information processing program recording medium
A content distribution system in which content is distributed from a broadcasting station via a plurality of nodes connected in a hierarchical tree structure, including: a base tree obtained by connecting the plurality of nodes in a hierarchical tree structure using the broadcasting station as an apex; an extension tree obtained by connecting the plurality of other nodes in a hierarchical tree structure using, as an apex, a first root node as any of the nodes included in the base tree; and a topology controller for controlling a topology of each of the nodes belonging to the base tree.The first root node controls the topology of each of the nodes belonging to the extension tree using the first root node as an apex.
US07970927B1 Concurrent transmit processing
A method and system for concurrent processing transmit requests uses transmit queue including a circular buffer and a queue state including a producer index, a consumer index, and a producer list. Producer processes write to the circular buffer concurrently. The producer list signals which portion of the circular buffer are allocated to each of the producer processes.
US07970920B1 Dynamic two-dimensional coding for applications
Disclosed herein are methods and systems for selecting a coding scheme for application-session content in an application session between a server and a client device. In an exemplary embodiment, the client device receives application-session content from the server via a communication path that comprises a wireless link. An exemplary method may involve (a) at the client device, determining current values of one or more quality-of-service indicators, wherein the quality-of-service indicators are indicative of quality of service over the wireless link; and (b) using the current values of the quality-of-service indicators as a basis for selecting a coding scheme that should be used to encode forthcoming applicant-session content. Further, if the selected coding scheme differs from the coding scheme being used by the server, the client device may request that the application server use the selected coding scheme.
US07970917B2 Virtual file servers with storage device
A system renting out file servers to many companies in a data center has a security problem so that the user cannot perform operation needing manager authorization in the file servers. An OS provides execution administrative area information of an application program designated by process information which can specify the range of an accessible device to operate the server system of the customer in the administrative area information.
US07970910B2 Method of forwarding/sharing service and device of enabling the method
A terminal apparatus for forwarding/sharing a data service is provided. The terminal apparatus for forwarding/sharing the data service includes a service receiver to receive the data service from a service provision apparatus; a connector to perform a connection with a corresponding terminal; and a service forwarding unit to forward the data service to the corresponding terminal via the connection with the corresponding terminal.
US07970906B2 Method and apparatus for allocating resources in a wireless communication system and system thereof
A method is provided for allocating resources by a Base Station (BS) in a wireless communication system. The method includes persistently allocating one or more resource slots among a plurality of resource slots, the persistently allocated one or more resource slots being allocated to corresponding one or more Mobile Stations (MSs), de-allocating at least one persistently allocated resource slot of the one or more persistently allocated resource slots, determining whether a hole is created due to the de-allocation among the one or more persistently allocated resource slots not de-allocated, and shifting a location of at least one of the one or more non-de-allocated persistently allocated resource slots when it is determined that the hole is created due to the de-allocation.
US07970894B1 Method and system for monitoring of wireless devices in local area computer networks
A method and a system for detecting access point devices that provide unauthorized wireless access to local area computer networks is provided. The method includes transferring one or more marker packets to the wired portion of the local area network. The one or more marker packets include an authentication data that is computed based at least upon identify of the wirelessly active access point device and a secret key. The method includes processing one or more wireless frames transmitted from the wirelessly active access point device to extract and to verify at least a portion of the authentication data.
US07970885B2 Method for interacting with user and terminal thereof
The present specification related to a method for interacting with a user and terminal thereof. The present specification provides a terminal comprising a first module adapted to receive a scheduling context including scheduled device management from a server and to install the received scheduling context, and a second module adapted to provide one or more of notification to a user about the scheduled device management, and an option allowing the user to modify the scheduled device management before performing the scheduled device management.
US07970884B1 Distribution of intermediate data in a multistage computer application
A method, system and computer program product for distributing intermediate data of a multistage computer application to a plurality of computers. In one embodiment, a data manager calculates data usage demand of generated intermediate data. A computer manager calculates a computer usage, which is the sum of all data usage demand of each stored intermediate data at the computer. A scheduler selects a target computer from the plurality of computers for storage of the generated intermediate data at such that a variance of the computer usage demand across the plurality of computers is minimized.
US07970880B2 Computer program product for recovery of a failed flash of a blade service processor in a server chassis
A computer program product is presented for recovering a server blade, in a multiple server blade computer, that is lost during a flash update operation on a service processor in the server blade. Because of the flash update failure, the lost server blade is unaware of its location on a management pathway, which in an exemplary form may be a midplane or a bus, which connects the server blade and a management module in a server blade chassis. The lost server blade puts a signal on the management pathway indicating that the flash failed. The signal is put on a special channel reserved for such messages. The management module receives the signal, and then determines which of the multiple server blades are lost due to the flash update failure.
US07970878B1 Method and apparatus for limiting domain name server transaction bandwidth
A method of limiting domain name server (DNS) transaction bandwidth comprises intercepting one or more DNS packets, examining said one or more packets for the presence of a suspect transaction criterion and, if said suspect transaction criterion is present, implementing a transaction bandwidth limitation action.
US07970874B2 Targeted web page redirection
The present invention provides redirection for a web page request for an old URL received at a web server. In an embodiment, a web page request from an end-user is redirected to a Common Gateway Interface (“CGI”) script for handling the web page redirection. In an embodiment, the CGI script includes a routine for matching an old URL to a new URL provided in a lookup table. In an embodiment, each web page of an old URL has a corresponding new URL such that an end-user trying to access a web page using an old URL is always directed to a corresponding new web page, or to a relevant page if a corresponding new page does not exist. In another embodiment, a customized message may be associated with a match between an old URL and a new URL, and the customized message may be displayed prior to redirection.
US07970864B2 Detecting outbound nagling on a TCP network connection
Systems and media for detecting outbound Nagling on a TCP network connection are disclosed. Embodiments may include creating by a sender computer one or more segments to be transmitted to a receiver computer and determining by the sender computer whether any of the one or more segments to be transmitted are small segments and determining whether a previously transmitted small segment is unacknowledged by the receiver computer. If the previously transmitted small segment is unacknowledged by the receiver computer and at least one of the segments to be transmitted is a small segment, embodiments may also include detecting by the sender computer a Nagling condition on the network connection. Further embodiments may include modifying a Nagle algorithm configuration of the network connection in response to the detected Nagling condition by turning off the Nagle algorithm or reducing a delayed acknowledgement timer for the network connection.
US07970862B2 Web services response templates
Provided is a Web Services Response Template (WSRT) that addresses the problems of efficiency and robustness to change in Web Services response by allowing a requestor to explicitly specify, in a response template what information is to be returned by the request. A requestor of a web service gets just the information it needs; different requestors of the same operation may get different information; and a responder sends the requestor only what is asked for so there is no problem when new information becomes available. WSRTs are specifically designed to allow the type of control needed in program-to-program (P2P) communication, while being very efficiently and simply processed by a web service. Thus, WSRTs address difficulties that arise in typical distributed, P2P communication without adding much overhead or complexity to either a service requestor or a service provider. The efficiency and flexibility afforded by WSRTs is essential to emerging enterprise architectures based on SOA (Service Oriented Architecture).
US07970861B2 Load balancing in a distributed computing environment
Systems, methods, and computer storage media for load balancing at a client device in a distributed computing environment based on a dynamic validity duration and utilization metrics of one or more data stores are provided. The client device selects a data store from a plurality of data stores that each maintains a copy of a datum. The selection of data stores by a client is based on utilization metrics of the data stores. The utilization metrics are stored at the client. A data store determines if a request for a particular datum may be fulfilled within a validity period associated with a request from the client. The validity period is dynamically changed by the client across multiple requests to aid in the load balancing process. Additionally, a gossip protocol may be used to propagate utilization metrics of a plurality of data stores across the system.
US07970854B2 Method and system for requesting image prints in an online photosharing system
A method and system for requesting prints of digital images displayed online is disclosed. The present invention provides a network-based photosharing system that includes a plurality of peer nodes that contain images and that are capable of communicating with other peer nodes. The method and system include allowing a user of a first one of the peer nodes to invite at least one visitor to view images hosted on the first peer node, and allowing the visitor to browse the images on the first peer node and to select one or more images to print by filling-out a print request form that identifies only the visitor and the selected images. The method and system further include notifying the user of the submission of the print request form, wherein once notified, the user accesses the print request form, prints the selected images, and delivers the prints to the visitor.
US07970846B2 Address book for integrating email and instant messaging (IM)
Systems and methods for integrating instant messaging (IM) services and email services are described. In one embodiment, the email services and IM services are integrated through an address book database. The address book database correlates email information of a contact with a reference identifier (ID). Additionally, one or more IM addresses of the contact are also correlated to the reference ID, thereby permitting further correlation of a contacts IM information with the contacts email information.
US07970843B2 E-mail messaging system and method for enhanced rich media delivery
A multi-user e-mail messaging system is described that is interfaced through the Internet and includes a first user group sharing a first server, which first server is interfaced to the Internet. In this system, after an e-mail message has been originated by an originating user of the first user group, the e-mail message is directed onto an e-mail enhancement path, and additional content is added to the e-mail message using the e-mail enhancement path to produce an enhanced e-mail message. Thereafter, the enhanced e-mail message from the e-mail enhancement path to the intended recipient. In one feature, the path taken by an incoming e-mail message is different from an outgoing path taken by an e-mail message sent from the first user group. The outgoing path defined to the intended recipient includes the enhancement path.
US07970837B2 Method to invite users to a virtual world using instant messaging
A method, system and computer-usable medium are disclosed for initiating a session in a virtual world. An instant messaging system (IMS) comprises a registry of IMS user identifiers cross-referenced to their corresponding virtual world user identifiers. A first IMS user implements a virtual world invitation module as a result of an IMS session to invite a second IMS user to participate in a virtual world session. The first IMS user selects the IMS user identifier of the second IMS user, followed by selection of a target virtual world and a virtual world identifier. Once completed, the invitation is sent the IMS user identifier of the second IMS user, who receives the invitation and signifies their acceptance or declination. If accepted, the cross-referenced virtual world user identifiers of the first and second IMS users are used to log them into the agreed-upon virtual world venue and initiate a virtual world session.
US07970830B2 Cloud computing for an industrial automation and manufacturing system
A system includes a computing cloud having at least one data storage unit and at least one processing unit. The computing cloud is configured to provide at least one service. The system also includes a client configured to communicate with the computing cloud and to selectively offload data to the computing cloud based upon one or more specified criteria. The client is also configured to offload processes to the computing cloud based upon the one or more specified criteria and to use the at least one service of the computing cloud. At least one of the specified criteria may be based upon a determination of whether the data is required for at least one real time process and/or a determination of whether each process is required for at least one real time process. The system may be used in a data storage and retention application or in an industrial automation application.
US07970825B2 Metasearching a client's request by sending a plurality of queries to a plurality of social networks for displaying different lists on the client
A process and system for metasearching on a distributed network activated by a request executed on a client device to request a metasearch engine to send a plurality of search queries to a plurality of social network server devices, each of the plurality of search queries comprising a keyword phrase, each of the keyword phrases comprising at least one keyword, at least two of the keyword phrases of the plurality of search queries being different from each other, comprising incorporating, by the metasearch engine, received search results into at least two different display lists corresponding to the at least two different keyword phrases, communicating a response comprising the at least two different display lists to the client device, optionally incorporating at least one advertisement associated with at least one of the at least two keyword phrases into the response and/or means for inputting and ordering at least one item.
US07970823B2 System for sharing data objects among applications
System and method for sharing data objects among applications. A portion of the data messages includes data objects. A client library is coupled to a requesting application. A client library requests data objects of a data-object set. Requests from the client library are received and parsed by a set of code (SOC) that performs tasks so as to retrieve any matching data objects and cause the return of such matching data objects to the client library. A registration module registers subscriptions from or on behalf of the applications and an event notification module compares a data object in an event message with the subscriptions and notifies the subscribed applications in response. The system can respond to requests in either a query or a procedure call format.
US07970809B2 Mixed radix conversion with a priori defined statistical artifacts
A method is presided for masking a process used in generating a random number sequence. The method includes generating a random number sequence. This step involves selectively generating the random number sequence utilizing a ring structure which has been punctured. The method also includes performing a mixed radix conversion to convert the random number sequence from a first number base to a second number base. The method further includes puncturing the ring structure by removing at least one element therefrom to eliminate a statistical artifact in the random number sequence expressed in the second number base. The first number base and second number base are selected so that they are respectively defined by a first Galois field characteristic and a second Galois field characteristic.
US07970806B2 Methods and apparatus for file management using partitioned file metadata
Management of files in a memory, such as a flash memory, includes storing in the memory a first node including a first type of metadata of the file, a second node including data of the file and a third node including a second type of metadata of the file including file status and memory location information for the first and second nodes. The third node may include a node including memory location information for the second node and a node including an index table that cross-references a memory location for the memory location information for the second node to a memory location of the first node. Methods and devices may be provided.
US07970805B2 Data managing method in a removable storage device
The invention provides a method for managing the data in the removable storage device. The method includes: applying or organizing or establishing or re-building the file managing system of the storage medium of said removable storage device according to the uses of said memory chips; and utilizing said file managing system to perform the corresponding processing in said memory chips according to the operation instructions of the host system, which is connected with said file managing system. By applying the method for managing the data in the removable storage device, which the invention provides, the capacity of the removable storage device can be extended, and the storage medium can be updated, thus the data security, the functions and the convenience of the system are increased.
US07970801B1 Data packaging system and method
A method for communicating data includes selecting a portion of data for communication to a remote computer with the data portion in device-dependent format and comprising at least an integer, a real number, or a binary value. A portable buffer is generated based on the selected data portion, the portable buffer comprising at least one device-independent data representation. The portable buffer is communicated to the remote computer for processing the data portion in a second device-dependent format.
US07970783B2 Database report generation
A system and method of producing a business report from data contained in a computer based business intelligence system, is provided. The method includes defining one or more macro functions, and producing a report layout containing one or more macrotized database language expressions. The macrotized database language expression having at least one of the macro functions. The method includes produce one or more valid database language expressions for a database query by modifying the one or more macrotized database language expressions in dependence upon the return value of the at least one of the macro functions, and applying the one or more valid database language expressions to one or more database to produce the business report.
US07970782B1 Systems and methods for set filtering of data
Systems and methods are provided for filtering data in a database using an execution plan. The execution plan has a first processing pass against the database that calculates a filter set using a filter criteria, and a second processing pass against the filter set that calculates a report result.
US07970779B2 Application interface including dynamic transform definitions
An application programming interface configured to transform data responsive to a transform process definition. The transform process definition is interpreted concurrently with the transformation process. This interpretation dynamically determines navigation within, and processing of, the data to be transformed. Under control of the transform process definition, a transform engine is configured to transform input data using recursive calls to a transformation process. The recursive approach is responsive to data structures within the transform process definition and simplifies operations such as parallel processing, load-balancing of transformation tasks, nesting, un-nesting, filtering, and the like.
US07970776B1 Apparatus, method and computer readable medium for identifying and quantifying database disk-sort operations
Apparatus, methods, and computer code for monitoring a database and for determining estimated aggregate disk-sort wait times for a database statement and/or database table and/or database index and/or database session are described. A description of database performance may be presented to a user in accordance with the determined aggregate disk-sort wait time(s).
US07970774B2 Method, system, and storage medium for providing web-based electronic research and presentation functions via a document creation application
An exemplary embodiment of the invention relates to a method, system, and storage medium for providing web-based electronic research and presentation functions via a document creation application. The method includes scanning an active document on a computer to identify relevant keywords, searching a database for reference materials relating to the relevant keywords, and displaying relevant reference materials on the computer. The method further includes deploying process software for providing the web-based electronic research and presentation functions via a document creation application. The deployment includes installing the process software on a server, identifying server addresses for users accessing the process software on the server, sending the process software to the server and copying the process software to a file system of the server. The deployment also includes sending the process software to a client computer and executing the process software on the client computer.
US07970773B1 Determining variation sets among product descriptions
Systems and methods for determining a set of variation-phrases from a collection of documents in a document corpus is presented. Potential variation-phrase pairs among the various documents in the document corpus are identified. The identified potential variation-phrase pairs are then added to a variation-phrase set. The potential variation-phrase pairs in the variation-phrase set are filtered to remove those potential variation-phrase pairs that do not satisfy a predetermined criteria. After filtering the variation-phrase set, the resulting variation-phrase set is stored in a data store.
US07970759B2 System and method for deriving a hierarchical event based database optimized for pharmaceutical analysis
A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program code for inferring a probability of a first inference absent from a database at which a query regarding the inference is received. Each datum of the database is conformed to the dimensions of the database. Each datum of the plurality of data has associated metadata and an associated key. The associated metadata includes data regarding cohorts associated with the corresponding datum, data regarding hierarchies associated with the corresponding datum, data regarding a corresponding source of the datum, and data regarding probabilities associated with integrity, reliability, and importance of each associated datum. The query is used as a frame of reference for the search. The database returns a probability of the correctness of the first inference based on the query and on the data.
US07970748B2 Systems and methods for reorganizing a database object
The invention is a reorganization system having a reorganization application, a database management system, and one or more database files. The reorganization application communicates with the database management system and the one or more database files to reorganize an object, such as, for example, a table or index, while providing one or more clients substantially continuous access to the object. The reorganization application employs one or more trigger locks to synchronize the data in an original table and a reorganized table. The one or more trigger locks block select data modification operations while allowing one or more read-only operations and structural modification operations.
US07970745B2 Schema version management for database management
Creating a relational database table that identifies at least one application as belonging to a logical group. All components that belong to the logical group are listed and a unique schema name is created for each component by combining a logical schema name of each component with a designated system name for the component. Each component co-exists in a single database instance.
US07970744B2 Minimizing problems in accessing referred content
According to an aspect of the present invention, information indicating the list of referrer documents referring to a referred document, is maintained. Thus, when the document identifier (name and directory location of the document) changes, the list of referrer documents that need to be changed can be easily identified. In an embodiment, the administrators of the referrer document are notified (e.g., by an automatic email) of the change of the document identifier of the referred document. According to another aspect of the present invention, a first mapping of the Uniform Resource Locator (URL) of each web accessible page/document to a virtual link is maintained in a web server. The content server maintains a second mapping of the virtual link to the document identifier. Thus, when the document identifier changes, only the second map in the content server needs to be updated for continued access of the content.
US07970737B2 Recovery administration of global transaction participants
A transaction system that allows for analysis and administration at the global transaction participant level is disclosed.
US07970735B2 Cross varying dimension support for analysis services engine
A data processing and analysis system is provided. The system includes an analysis engine that queries one or more components of data. A rules component specifies a relationship between at least one dimension of the data with respect to at least one other dimension of the data in order to facilitate an analysis of the data. In one example, the analysis engine is provided as an online analytical processing component.
US07970723B2 Defining extensible expression behavior in a rules system
Described herein is technology for, among other things, enabling use of custom expressions in a rules engine. The rules engine may be used in conjunction with a workflow. The technology involves providing a custom expression with access to validation context and execution context of the workflow. The custom expression can then participate in rules engine validation and execution. Furthermore, the technology allows for variables of the custom expression to be analyzed so that the rules engine can discover the variable dependencies of the custom expression and any side effects that drive forward chaining.
US07970721B2 Learning and reasoning from web projections
A system and method that facilitates and effectuates making an inference related to objects of interest within a context. A web projection component can generate sub graphs by projecting objects of interest onto a web graph representing a superset or partially overlapping set of objects to the objects of interest. An inference component can provide inferences relating to the quality of the objects of interest, adjustments to the context, and patterns recognized from graphical properties of the sub graphs.
US07970717B2 Method and apparatus for providing fast kernel learning on sparse data
A method and apparatus based on transposition to speed up learning computations on sparse data are disclosed. For example, the method receives an support vector comprising at least one feature represented by one non-zero entry. The method then identifies at least one column within a matrix with non-zero entries, wherein the at least one column is identified in accordance with the at least one feature of the support vector. The method then performs kernel computations using successive list merging on the at least one identified column of the matrix and the support vector to derive a result vector, wherein the result vector is used in a data learning function.
US07970716B2 Method for expressing emotion and intention in remote interaction and real emotion system thereof
Provided are a method for expressing emotion and intention in remote interaction and a real emoticon system thereof. The system includes a real emotitoy and a terminal. The real emotitoy senses an input pattern corresponding to sensing information from outside and operates according to an expressing pattern corresponding to sensing information. The terminal generates a real emoticon by corresponding at least one of input pattern information and expression pattern information from the real emotitoy to visual symbolization information, transfers expression pattern information of a real emoticon transmitted from the outside to the real emotitoy, and transfers input pattern information of a real emoticon from the real emotitoy to the outside, where the input pattern information is created by selecting and combining at least one of input patterns and the expression pattern information is created by selecting and combining at least one of expression patterns.
US07970712B2 Displaying strengths of social relationships between a user and other people
The invention provides method of displaying strengths of social relationships between users of a computerized network. The invention evaluates network information, such as network communications, between one user of the network and other users of the network to produce metrics. The invention then normalizes the metrics from the perspective of the viewing user to produce relationship values representing strengths of social relationships between the viewing user and the other users. The invention classifies the relationship values into different groups, and optionally assigns context commands to each of the groups. The invention places each of the other users in one of the groups (according to their relationship value) and then displays a listing of the other users and their associated group identifications. The invention can assign different indicators to each of the groups, wherein the display links corresponding indicators to each of the other users to graphically identify the group in which each of the other users was placed. The display can utilize numbers, characters, sizes, fonts, character sets, icons, graphic features, colors, motions, speeds, and/or directions to graphically distinguish and identify the group in which each of the other users was placed. The displaying is primarily directed to and for use by the viewing user, but other users can use the invention to study relationships of a particular individual.
US07970707B2 Shared royalty platform for content royalty management
Systems and methods for the dynamic processing of royalties are disclosed. Sales records are processed on a transaction basis rather than in batch mode. This process also allows correction of information retroactively, rather than delaying the entire processing of the information. One embodiment includes a system comprising a message broker in communication with a plurality of clients and services, a state machine, a processor and a time manager. The message broker interacts with the processor to execute a common service based on events produced by the state machine. Another embodiment includes a method comprising providing a rate matrix, receiving a sales record from a database and calculating a royalty payment using the sales record and the rate matrix.
US07970697B2 System and method for providing market updates in an electronic trading environment
A system and method are provided for modifying how market updates are provided in an electronic trading environment upon detecting one or more triggering events. One example method includes defining an event to be used to trigger modification of how market updates are provided to a client entity, receiving a market update from an electronic exchange, and, when the event is detected, modifying how the market update is provided to the client entity. As an example, the modification of how the market update is provided to the client entity may include providing less data in relation to market updates, and sending the market updates less frequently.
US07970695B2 System and method for providing latency protection for trading orders
A system for managing trading orders comprises a memory operable to store an order associated with a first price. The system further comprises a processor communicatively coupled to the memory and operable to identify a latency value. The processor is further operable to receive a counterorder and to identify a potential trade associated with the order and the counterorder, the potential trade based at least in part on the first price. If the latency value satisfies a configurable condition, the processor is further operable to initiate a configurable period of time. If the potential trade is not valid upon expiration of the configurable period, the processor is further operable to prevent the execution of the potential trade.
US07970690B2 System for implementing automated open market auctioning of leads
In an automated leads-and-bids exchange system, bid profiles are defined to describe desires of lead buyers. Received leads are matched to active ones of the bid profiles whose specifications the leads substantially match. An auctioning subsystem finds the highest one or group of bids for each given lead. A quality rating database rates the quality of leads provided by different sellers. A price discounting engine discounts the amount paid to sellers who are rated as inferior sources of leads.
US07970687B2 Exchange trading of mutual funds or other portfolio basket products
A system for determining a basket of financial instruments for hedging investment risk in actively managed exchange traded funds is described. The system uses a trusted computer system and includes a computer storage medium storing a computer program product. The product determines the basket of hedging instruments by extracting factor information from a portfolio of the actively managed exchange traded fund and determining factors that affect the price of the exchange traded fund. The program can select a portfolio of instruments with similar behavior with respect to the determined factors to produce a hedging portfolio that tracks the price of the exchange traded fund.
US07970684B1 Fund for hedging real estate ownership risk using financial portfolio theory and data feed for analyzing the financial performance of a portfolio that includes real estate
A method for creating an investment fund and selling shares in the fund to individual investors, each of whom has an investment ratio defined by a dollar amount of direct real estate investments held by the investor outside of the fund divided by a dollar amount of shares in the fund held by the individual investor. A target range of the investment ratio is selected for the fund. A target geographical region is selected where individual investors in the fund hold the direct real estate investments. A model composite portfolio is identified having an asset combination that includes: (i) direct real estate investment held by an individual investor in the target geographical region, and (ii) shares in the fund held by the individual investor. The asset combination in the model composite portfolio has an investment ratio that is within the target range. An optimal fund asset allocation is selected for the composite model portfolio in order to diversify and/or hedge risks associated with the direct real estate investment held by the model composite portfolio. Shares of the fund are sold to individual investors that hold direct real estate investments in the target geographic region and have investment ratios in the target range.
US07970683B2 System and method for multi-state tax analysis
In an embodiment one or more alternate entity structures are created in response to a base entity structure. A tax liability is determined for each alternate entity structure and the base entity structure; furthermore, a result is generated in response to comparing each of the determined tax liabilities with one another.
US07970673B2 Method, apparatus, and computer program product for repository data maximization
A financial institution may use the bank routing and account number information (ABA/DDA) of a checking account or the like, obtained from paper checks previously submitted by a customer, in an electronic payment program. When a customer who has previously paid a credit balance by check, for example, wants to enroll in the electronic payment program, an abbreviated enrollment process is provided in which the consumer only enters a portion of bank routing information, instead of having to enter the full ABA/DDA as in the standard enrollment procedure. In some cases, the customer may leave such information blank and needs only to confirm that the stored bank account information corresponds to the account being used for the electronic payment.
US07970672B2 Real-time marketing of credit-based goods or services
Systems and methods are described that determine which offers for credit-based transactions (if any) to market to a person. Each offer is associated with a set of third party demographic information criteria, a set of lender demographic information criteria, and a set of lender credit data criteria. The set of third party demographic information criteria is applied to a set of offers to determine a first subset of offers. The set of lender demographic information criteria is applied to the first subset of offers to determine a second subset of offers. The set of lender credit data criteria is applied to the second subset of offers to determine a third subset of offers.
US07970670B2 Electronic credit default futures market
Systems and methods are provided for providing a credit default futures market. A system providing the credit default futures market includes a processor, memory and an interface. The interface is configured to display credit default futures contracts that subscribe to a set of standard terms and conditions. The processor is configured to settle certain credit futures contracts in kind and other in cash, depending on, at least in part, the maturity date of the futures contract. A method is presented for electronically clearing and settling probability of default futures contracts.
US07970668B2 System and method for automated comprehensive reconciliation processing
A system and method of reconciliation processing that automates multiple steps of data validation. One of the key steps of reconciliation is the review and validation of the input and outputs. An embodiment of this invention includes the maintenance of an automated checklist of the various reconciliation steps, which enables maintaining an audit trail and the generation of metrics. A web-based system can be implemented to achieve the objectives of improving the reconciliation process and utilizing computerized controls.
US07970666B1 Aggregate collection of travel data
One embodiment of the invention includes a method and system to provide a mobile device a travel schedule in response to the mobile device remotely logging into a separate system, provide the mobile device Global Positioning Systems (GPS) data for way points of the scheduled travel; and receive a time and location data from the mobile device in response to the mobile device entering a way point of the scheduled travel. In one embodiment, the time and location data received is to be used to determine at least one of an average, minimum, or maximum time of travel between separate way points.
US07970658B1 Systems and methods for item valuation and marketplace
In various embodiments, sellers and buyers may interact with a price determination application and/or electronic marketplace to buy/sell items for tax deductions to increase the tax deduction benefit for the sellers and buyers. For example, donating an item may have a tax benefit to a seller that is less than the tax benefit to a higher income bracket buyer. The electronic marketplace may facilitate a sale of the items to the buyer who may then donate the items for the tax benefit. In some embodiments, an item distribution service may sell items from multiple sellers to buyers according to a calculated price/distribution to increase the tax benefit to the sellers/buyers. In some embodiments, the items may not be delivered to the buyer by the seller, but may instead be routed to a charitable organization for donation in the buyer's name after ownership is transferred to the buyer.
US07970648B2 Advertising campaign and business listing management for a location-based services system
The present invention discloses a method and system for creating advertising content and business listing content in a location-based services system. An advertising campaign or a business listing is created with a business remote terminal using a campaign management interface application or a business profile interface application. The advertising campaign or business listing is then transmitted to an advertiser portal. The advertiser portal then directs the advertising campaign or business listing to a create campaign application or a business profile application for processing. The advertising campaign or business listing is then stored in a business database or a business profile database using a data access component.
US07970639B2 Project management systems and methods
Embodiments of the present invention provide improved project management systems and methods. In one embodiment the present invention includes a project management system comprising a plurality of radial task regions displayed around a focal point and a plurality of time regions displayed around the focal point, wherein each time region represents a period of time. The present invention may be implemented in software or as a project management template provided on a sheet of material such as paper.
US07970636B2 Replacement part order processing apparatus, method for ordering replacement parts and computer-readable recording medium
A controlling unit of a replacement part management server specifies a maintenance target equipment and acquires order conditions from a responsible personnel terminal. The controlling unit acquires maintenance information and part information both relating to the maintenance target equipment. The controlling unit calculates prediction residual regarding target parts of an initial value setting process, and compares the prediction residual with the shortest cycle. When the prediction residual is smaller than the shortest cycle, the controlling unit sets the number of replacements in the part order data storing unit. When an initial value setting process regarding all the parts is completed, an order input screen is output. When an order request is received from the responsible personnel terminal, an order management server acquires part order data and transmits a preparation instruction of a PM kit to the purchaser.
US07970632B2 Health insurance subrogation data management
A computer-implemented method where a party other than the patient's health plan, requests patient records from a health provider, thereby triggering the health provider to submit identifying demographic data of the requesting party and additionally, if different, the name of the health provider's patient for whom the party requested records on, where the submission by the health provider is made to the patient's health plan, allowing the health plan to gain improved knowledge on the patient's involvement in an injury claim, thereby improving the health plan's subrogation operations.
US07970627B2 Method and system for providing dynamic orthodontic assessment and treatment profiles
Method and system for providing dynamically generated orthodontic profile and associated treatment information including receiving an orthodontic condition and one or more related treatment goal options, retrieving a predetermined set of parameters associated with the orthodontic condition and the one or more related treatment goal options, determining a weighted parameter associated with each of the one or more treatment goal options for the orthodontic condition, and generating treatment plan information for the orthodontic condition based on the determined weighted parameter are provided.
US07970624B2 System and user interface for presenting treatment information
A workflow system and user interface coordinates information concerning a course of treatment of a patient, as well as data from a treatment device and links appointment data from a scheduling system with actual treatment activity information in order to show a complete timeline of a course of treatment. A user interface system for presenting medication dosage and treatment information includes a display processor for providing data representing a single display image. The single display image presents information identifying treatment received by a patient and treatment scheduled to be received by the patient together with a timeline. The single display image also presents information identifying cumulative dosage of a medication received by a patient and an associated date the cumulative dosage is received by the patient. A command processor initiates presentation of the single display image in response to user command.
US07970623B2 Method of determining maintenance service in accordance with medical equipment condition
A method of managing at least one maintenance work on a medical equipment installed in a medical facility, starts by collecting condition information of the medical equipment. The method continues by determining the maintenance work on the medical equipment based on the collected condition information, and making it possible to provide a maintenance staff with information of the determined maintenance work.
US07970622B2 Controlled substance tracking system and method
A method for tracking prescriptive medications is provided whereby a complete prescriptive medication history including active and inactive prescriptive medications is stored for a plurality of patients utilizing a plurality of pharmacies wherein the pharmacies may be affiliated or unaffiliated. The information may be selectively retrieved through a secure computer connection by entities such as hospitals, doctors, pharmacies, insurance companies, government agencies and the like. The information may be utilized to benefit the patient whereby a doctor is able to obtain an accurate view of the complete prescriptive medication history of the patient including prescriptive medications by other doctors. Hospitals will be able to obtain, in accord with the invention, a prescriptive medication history prior to treatment such as emergency treatment where such information is not normally available. The stored data for each prescriptive medication transaction includes searchable data such as the patient's name, address, doctor, pharmacy, aberrant use flag, and the like.
US07970609B2 Method of estimating sound arrival direction, sound arrival direction estimating apparatus, and computer program product
Sound signals from sound sources present in multiple directions are accepted as inputs of multiple channels, and signal of each channel is transformed into a signal on a frequency axis. A phase component of the transformed signal is calculated for each identical frequency, and phase difference between the multiple channels is calculated. An amplitude component of the transformed signal is calculated, and a noise component is estimated from the calculated amplitude component. An SN ratio for each frequency is calculated on the basis of the amplitude component and the estimated noise component, and frequencies at which the SN ratios are larger than a predetermined value are extracted. Difference between arrival distances is calculated on the basis of the phase difference at selected frequency, and the arrival direction in which it is estimated that the target sound source is present is calculated.
US07970607B2 Method and system for low bit rate voice encoding and decoding applicable for any reduced bandwidth requirements including wireless
An implementation of the present invention comprises a voice encoder and decoder method and system that uses voice excitation, eliminating the voice/unvoiced pitch tracking, and the first formant up to 2400 Hertz for synchronous and up to 1600 Hertz for asynchronous, does not use pulse code modulation encoding, but uses the zero crossings only of the first formant, frequency dividing by two and sampling at the formant frequency. The resulting combination uses half or less of the bit rate for excitation and the remainder for short-term spectrum analysis. The spectrum could be updated each 20 milliseconds using 49 bits for the spectrum frame and 49 bits for excitation and one frame bit for synchronous Asynchronous operation could be update at 21.25 milliseconds using 49 bits for the spectrum information and 34 bits for excitation with one bit for frame synchronization. The decoder extracts the excitation, multiplies it by two and uses a Hanning modified sawtooth and spectral flattening to excite the spectrum generator. This waveform produces both even and odd harmonics for both periodic (voiced) and aperiodic (unvoiced) frequencies and gives naturalness to all languages and speakers.
US07970600B2 Using a first natural language parser to train a second parser
A computer-implemented method for developing a parser is provided. The method includes accessing a corpus of sentences and parsing the sentences to generate a structural description of each sentence. The parser is trained based on the structural description of each sentence.
US07970596B2 Method and system for virtual prototyping
An integrated design environment (IDE) is disclosed for forming virtual embedded systems. The IDE includes a design language for forming finite state machine models of hardware components that are coupled to simulators of processor cores, preferably instruction set accurate simulators. A software debugger interface permits a software application to be loaded and executed on the virtual embedded system. A virtual test bench may be coupled to the simulation to serve as a human-machine interface. In one embodiment, the IDE is provided as a web-based service for the evaluation, development and procurement phases of an embedded system project. IP components, such as processor cores, may be evaluated using a virtual embedded system. In one embodiment, a virtual embedded system is used as an executable specification for the procurement of a good or service related to an embedded system.
US07970589B2 Apparatus and program for analyzing electromagnetic field
In an apparatus for analyzing an electromagnetic field in an analytical space: a range setting unit sets the range of the analytical space; an object-information setting unit sets a distribution-index value indicating the amount of particles distributed in the range, the dimensions of the particles, a first material-property value of a first material of which the particles are formed, and a second material-property value of a second material existing around the particles in the range; a model production unit produces a calculation model of an arrangement in which the particles are arranged at random positions in the range so as to realize the distribution-index value, the dimensions of the particles, the first material-property value, and the second material-property value which are set by the object-information setting unit; and an analysis unit analyzes the electromagnetic field in the range in accordance with the calculation model.
US07970588B2 Method, system and medium for controlling manufacturing process using adaptive models based on empirical data
A method, system, and medium of modeling and/or for controlling a manufacturing process is disclosed. The method includes the steps of identifying one or more input parameters that cause a change in output characteristics, defining global nodes using estimated maximum and minimum values of the input parameters, and defining a mathematical equation that calculates a predicted output characteristic for each node. The method also includes the steps of receiving at least one empirical data point having one or more input parameter values and at least one empirical output value and adjusting the predicted output values at the nodes based on a difference between the at least one empirical output value and the predicted output characteristic calculated using the mathematical equation based on the one or more input parameter values.
US07970582B2 Diagnosis system for at least one technical system
The invention relates to a diagnosis system comprising a detection unit for detecting measuring data, a storage unit for storing measuring data, a diagnosis unit for classifying the operational states of the technical system and at least one server unit which is at least connected to the storage unit and machine-readable data based on the HTML-language is produced. The system enables diagnosis data of a technical system to be transmitted in a simple manner in the form of dynamic HTML pages, especially via the internet and to be evaluated.
US07970580B2 Methods of calculating differences of binding affinities between congeneric pairs of ligands by way of a displaced solvent functional
Described is a technique to exhaustively enumerate the thermodynamic properties of the water molecules solvating the active site of a protein in its apostate and calculate the relative binding affinities of congeneric compounds that bind to this protein. The subject matter includes sampling the configurations of the solvating water in the active site; extracting the thermodynamic information about the solvating water from these configurations by clustering the observed water configurations into regions of high water occupancy (e.g., “hydration sites”), computing the average system interaction energies of water molecules occupying the various hydrations sites, computing excess entropies of water molecules occupying the hydration sites; constructing a 3 dimensional hydration thermodynamics map of the protein active site; and computing relative binding affinities of congeneric ligands based on the principle that tighter binding ligands can displace more entropically structured and energetically depleted hydration sites from the active site into the bulk fluid.
US07970574B2 Scalable sensor localization for wireless sensor networks
Adaptive rule-based methods to solve localization problems for ad hoc wireless sensor networks are disclosed. A large problem may be solved as a sequence of very small subproblems, each of which is solved by semidefinite programming relaxation of a geometric optimization model. The subproblems may be generated according to a set of sensor/anchor selection rules and a priority list. The methods scale well and provide improved positioning accuracy. A dynamic version may be used for estimating moving sensors locations in a real-time environment. The method may use dynamic distance measurement updates among sensors, and utilizes subproblem solving for static sensor localization. Methods to deploy sensor localization algorithms in clustered distributed environments are also provided, permitting application to arbitrarily large networks. In addition, the methods may be used to solve sensor localizations in 2D or 3D space. A preprocessor may be used for localization of networks without absolute position information.
US07970573B2 Techniques for determining orientation of a three-axis accelerometer
A method, apparatus, and article containing computer instructions are described. Embodiments may use accelerometer data regarding forward motion by a wearer of a three-axis on-body accelerometer. Embodiments may further measure an acceleration due to gravity on each axis x, y, z of the accelerometer and use the direction of gravity to associate or align the x axis of the accelerometer with gravity. Embodiments may then use the acceleration not due to gravity to identify the forward motion and associate or align the forward direction with the y axis. The remaining direction may be identified as the sideways direction, which may be associated or aligned with the z axis. Additional activities may then be performed using the now-known orientation of the accelerometer. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US07970570B2 Methods and systems for analysis of combustion dynamics in the time domain
Methods and systems for analyzing combustion dynamics of a combustor system in the time domain are provided. The combustor system includes an inlet pipe coupled in flow communication with a combustion chamber. The method includes determining a characteristic equation of a wave traveling in the inlet pipe, determining an acoustic pressure oscillation in the combustion chamber, and determining a pressure fluctuation in the inlet pipe using the characteristic equation and the determined acoustic pressure oscillation.
US07970567B2 Self calibrating cable for a high definition digital video interface
An HDMI cable may exhibit frequency dependent signal attenuation, inter symbol interference, and inter-pair skew. A boost device integrated with the cable can compensate for such impairments of the cable. A self calibrating cable with a boost device of the embodiment of the invention is described, in which parameters that control the response of the boost device are set optimally in a self-calibrating process comprising looping the boosted cable on itself through a calibration fixture that contains a calibration control device. The boost device includes pattern generators and a sampling circuit. Each high speed channel of the cable is separately tested and calibrated with the help of one of the other channels serving as a sampling channel.
US07970563B2 Testing apparatus and method for signal strength of powerline networks
A powerline signal test apparatus has a housing, a pair of prongs protruding from the housing, a powerline module coupled to the pair of prongs within an interior region of the housing. The powerline module is configured to process a first data signal in a first format. The apparatus further has a processor coupled to the powerline module. The processor is configured to initiate transfer of first test data characterized by a first data rate from the pair of prongs through a portion of a powerline network to a target node and initiate receipt of second test data characterized by a second data rate. Moreover, the apparatus has a signal strength indication for the portion of the powerline network associated with the second test data characterized by the second data rate. Furthermore, the apparatus has an output device coupled to the housing and configured to output the signal strength indication.
US07970562B2 System, method, and apparatus for monitoring power
A system, method and apparatus for monitoring a processing system is disclosed. The method includes obtaining N parameter-value pairs that include a first parameter value and a second parameter value; obtaining, for each parameter-value pair, the product of the first parameter value and the complex conjugate of the second parameter value to obtain N products defined by a real part and an imaginary part; obtaining, for each parameter-value pair, a product of the second parameter value and the complex conjugate of the second parameter value to obtain N real numbers; calculating an average reflection coefficient by dividing an imaginary number by an average of the N real numbers, the real component of the imaginary number being equal to the average of the real parts of the N products and the imaginary part of the imaginary number being equal to an average of the imaginary parts of the N products.
US07970561B2 Method to calculate energy efficiency of information technology equipment
The present invention provides a METHOD TO CALCULATE AN ENERGY EFFICIENCY RATING for information technology equipment. This method specifically pertains to information technology equipment that doubles its capabilities in a predetermined timeframe according to Moore's Law.This method uses a formula to calculate an energy efficiency rating based on power consumption and transactions per second. It further calculates a normalized rating where the absolute rating is adjusted based on Moore's Law prediction of improvements. As a result the method invented is the first and only method to compare information technology from various generations of hardware, processor and component architecture with each other in terms of their energy efficiency.
US07970547B2 Programmable and autonomous computing machine made of biomolecules
A device, system and method for molecular computing which not only includes a suitable, renewable power source, but actually is able to receive power through the performance of the computations themselves. The molecular computing machine of the present invention actually employs the free-energy difference between its input and output to accomplish a computation, preferably by using its input DNA molecule as a partial source of energy, or alternatively by using the input DNA molecule as the sole source of energy. This molecular finite automaton preferably transforms an input DNA molecule into an output DNA molecule by digesting the input as it computes.
US07970545B2 Attaching drilling information to three-dimensional visualizations of earth models
A system and method for perceiving drilling learning through visualization is provided. In one embodiment using three-dimensional visualization of the earth model as a foundation, a new IT development strategy focuses on perceiving “Drilling Learning” by an intuitive method. Symbols, known as “Knowledge Attachments” are attached to each wellbore trajectory displayed in the three-dimensional environment, with each symbol indicating a specific event—such as one related to drilling operations or problems. A Knowledge Attachment system proves particularly useful to represent disparate data at once, in such a manner that the interdependencies between the earth model and drilling operational data are evident and correlated. Operational issues and lessons learned from prior wells are easily accessed and perceived in the context of the earth model. By understanding this information at the beginning of the well planning process, operational efficiencies may be improved.
US07970539B2 Method of direction-guidance using 3D sound and navigation system using the method
Provided are a method of voice-guidance and a navigation system that guide a travel route of a mobile vehicle using a 3D sound having directivity. The method includes detecting at least one of a proceeding direction and a destination direction of a mobile vehicle base on navigation data, calculating a proceeding angle of the mobile vehicle and an angle of a destination direction based on at least one of the detected proceeding direction and the destination direction of the mobile vehicle, and generating a 3D direction-guidance sound of corresponding angle by providing the calculated angles to 3D sound technology.
US07970538B2 Accurate global positioning system for deliveries
An accurate global positioning system having a receiver, a display screen, an input device, having capabilities for visual calibration of the system is disclosed. Further methods of operating that system are disclosed.
US07970530B2 Relieving urban traffic congestion
A system for reducing congestion on a roadway is provided. Selected lengths of selected normal lanes of a roadway are divided into two commuter lanes, distinctive lane markings identify the commuter lanes, and selected lengths of selected lanes are dynamically designated as either normal lanes or pairs of commuter lanes. In order to dynamically change lane configurations, a set of indicators can be provided as lane markers together with a control system to alter particular lane configurations between normal lanes and commuting lanes both cyclically according to a preprogrammed schedule and dynamically in response to sensed vehicle traffic volume, unusual events such as accidents, weather, and so on.A commuter vehicle is required for use on commuter lanes. A typical commuter vehicle weighs less than 650 lbs., has at least three wheels, an enclosed seating compartment, and a low center of gravity with at least one occupant. Occupants sit in a near-kneeling or recumbent position to provide a low center of gravity. Occupants can be positioned in-line, one behind the other.
US07970522B2 Gear shifting control system for work machine
A work machine gear shifting control system provides gear shifting conditions for an automatic gear shifting mode in accordance with work site conditions. An area 62 of a display device 49 displays a permissible velocity setting range and setup operation guidance, and another area 64 shows guidance to indicate whether the setting is acceptable or unacceptable. When the traveling velocity falls within the permissible velocity setting range, the displayed guidance changes to indicate that the setting is acceptable. When, in this instance, an operator presses a setup switch 23 with desired timing, a transmission gear shifting control section 45 acquires the prevailing vehicle velocity and velocity ratio (or vehicle velocity), and stores adjustment values in an adjustment value storage section 43 so that the vehicle velocity and velocity ratio become the gear shifting control threshold values for normal gear shifting control (steps S535 to S545).
US07970519B2 Control for an earth moving system while performing turns
An earthmoving system, includes in one embodiment a laser transmitter for transmitting a reference beam of laser light, and a laser receiver mounted on a mast on the bulldozer blade. The bulldozer has a frame and a cutting blade supported by a blade support extending from said frame. The blade support includes hydraulic cylinders for raising and lowering the blade in relation to said frame, and for tilting the blade along its length. The mast extends upward from, and is movable with, the blade. An inclinometer is mounted for movement with the blade to provide an indication of the inclination of the blade. A sensor detects turning of the bulldozer. A control is responsive to the laser receiver, to the inclinometer, and to the sensor, for controlling the operation of said cylinders and adjusting the position of said blade. When rapid turning of said bulldozer is detected the control operates to reduce the errors that would otherwise result from an erroneous inclinometer output.
US07970517B2 Passive control of vehicle interior features based upon occupant classification
The present invention includes a method of monitoring and controlling interior functions of a vehicle, for example, a memory seat position, a vehicle pedal position, a steering column position, a vehicle interior temperature, and/or whether the vehicle is occupied or unoccupied at certain times and under certain conditions. The interior functions are controlled by passively monitoring a characteristic of an occupant, determining an identity of the occupant based on the monitored characteristic, and regulating the interior function based upon the identity of the occupant. The monitored characteristic, for example, may be representative of a weight classification or biomass associated with the occupant, or a signal or input generated based upon a user identification device, for example, a key fob or other personal electronic device carried by the occupant.
US07970506B2 System for maintaining communication between teams of vehicles
A system maintains communication between a plurality of unmanned vehicles within an environment. The system includes a sensor component and an evaluator. The sensor component senses objects within the environment. The sensor component is located on a first unmanned vehicle. The evaluator evaluates data from the sensor component. The evaluator is located on the first unmanned vehicle. The evaluator compares data for the first unmanned vehicle and a second unmanned vehicle and determines whether a trajectory of one of the first and second unmanned vehicles may be modified to maintain communication between the first unmanned vehicle and the second unmanned vehicle.
US07970503B2 Method and apparatus for detecting anomalies in landing systems utilizing a global navigation satellite system
A method, apparatus, and computer program product for detecting anomalies in a landing system. In one embodiment, a magnitude difference between a blended inertial deviation magnitude and a raw deviation magnitude is identified to form a magnitude difference. The magnitude difference is compared to a magnitude threshold. If the magnitude difference exceeds the magnitude threshold, an anomaly in the data is detected.
US07970501B2 Methods and systems utilizing true airspeed to improve vertical velocity accuracy
An inertial navigation system which includes a first control system and a second control system is described. The first control system is configured to estimate a vertical velocity based in part on received vertical acceleration data. The second control system is configured to receive the estimated vertical velocity from the first control system and determine a compensated vertical velocity utilizing the estimated vertical velocity and airspeed.
US07970496B2 System and method for provisioning a vehicle interface module
The present invention provides systems and methods for provisioning a vehicle interface module comprising receiving a VIM from a VIM manufacturer and entering appropriate VIM data into a dealer inventory, activating a SIM card for the VIM and installing the VIM in a predetermined vehicle, selecting a wireless activated VIM from the dealer inventory and connecting the VIM to an OBD-II port of the vehicle, connecting a configuration PC to the VIM and downloading a modem configuration, selecting and downloading a vehicle-specific configuration file, accessing a telematics services provider's web portal, entering appropriate vehicle data, and associating the vehicle with the VIM, installing the VIM in the predetermined vehicle, and conducting an installation verification test.
US07970491B2 Robot localization system
A robot localization system is provided. The robot localization includes a robot, which moves within a predetermined space and performs predetermined tasks, and a docking station corresponding to a home position of the robot. The docking station includes a first transmitting unit, which transmits a sound wave to detect a position of the robot; and a second transmitting unit, which transmits a synchronizing signal right when the sound wave is transmitted. The robot includes a first receiving unit, which comprises at least two sound sensors receiving the sound wave incident onto the robot; a second receiving unit, which receives the synchronizing signal incident onto the robot; a distance calculation unit, which calculates a distance between the first transmitting unit and the first receiving unit using a difference between an instant of time when the synchronizing signal is received and an instant of time when the sound wave is received; and an incident angle calculation unit, which calculates an incident angle of the sound wave onto the robot using a difference between receiving times of the sound wave in the at least two sound sensors comprised in the first receiving unit.
US07970488B2 Machine tool workpiece inspection system
A workpiece inspection system is disclosed for determining measurements of a workpiece on a machine tool. The system utilizes a measurement device which outputs data relating to the workpiece (e.g. in place of a conventional cutter). The problem of obtaining real time data relating to the position of the machine tool is overcome by recording a machine tool position data set and a measurement device data set at selected instants which are defined by a synchronization signal. The data sets are combined later in the correct relative position because the synchronization signal was used. The synchronization signal can issue from the machine tool controller, an interface, measurement device or another part of the system.
US07970482B2 Method and system for process control
A method and system for process control using a model predictive controller. The control system can have one or more control devices operably coupled to a processing system for controlling a process of the processing system; a modeling tool to provide a non-linear model based at least in part on the process and to provide a plurality of linearized models based at least in part on the non-linear model, where the plurality of linearized models are linearized at different linearization rates; and a controller operably coupled to the modeling tool. The controller can select one of the plurality of linearized models based on a comparison of the plurality of linearized models with a reference model. The controller can send one or more control signals to at least one of the one or more control devices. The one or more control signals can be determined using the selected one of the plurality of linearized models.
US07970467B2 Method for exclusion of ectopic events from heart rate variability metrics
Heart rate variability metrics are derived from the intervals between successive heart beats, referred to as BB intervals. A method implementable by an implantable cardiac device for excluding BB intervals due to ectopic beats based on a function of preceding BB intervals is presented. It is desirable to remove such BB intervals from a BB interval time series used to calculate a heart rate variability metric.
US07970466B2 Method and apparatus for optimization and assessment of response to extra-systolic stimulation (ESS) therapy
A method and apparatus for optimizing and assessing the response to extra-systolic stimulation (ESS) are provided. An optimization/monitoring parameter is calculated as a function of potentiation ratio, PR, and recirculation fraction, RF, derived from measurements of myocardial contractile function during and after ESS. PR may be computed as the ratio of the contractile function on post-extra-systolic beats during ESS to baseline contractile function. RF may be computed as the slope of a linear regression performed on a plot of the contractile function for a post-extra-systolic beat versus the contractile function for the previous post-extra-systolic beat after ESS is ceased. The ESI resulting in a maximum optimization/monitoring parameter, preferably computed as the product of PR and RF, is determined as the optimal ESI. The operating ESI may be automatically adjusted, and/or PR and RF data may be stored for monitoring purposes.
US07970448B2 Device and method for determining analyte levels
Devices and methods for determining analyte levels are described. The devices and methods allow for the implantation of analyte-monitoring devices, such as glucose monitoring devices, that result in the delivery of a dependable flow of blood to deliver sample to the implanted device. The devices comprise a unique microarchitectural arrangement in the sensor region that allows accurate data to be obtained over long periods of time.
US07970440B2 Mobile phone holder for mechanical vehicles
A mobile phone holder comprising a base (6), a cover (1) connected to the base and provided with a cavity (2) for inserting a mobile phone, side protrusions (3) with guides to guide the mobile phone, and a locating base (4), the locating base having a slot (25) and plugs (9), and a push-out mechanism (5) for pushing out the mobile phone from the holder, the push-out mechanism located between the base (6) and the cover (1).
US07970439B2 Systems and methods for visual alerting mechanisms on a mobile communication device
A mobile communication device includes an alerting mechanism comprising a light source, wherein the light source is configured to alert the user via a visual alert that an event has, or is, occurring. The event can be an incoming communication, a voice message, an alarm etc. The visual alert can be synchronized with an audible alert also included in the mobile communication device.
US07970438B2 Mobile terminal and keypad control method
A mobile terminal including a display unit configured to display a keypad in a second display region and data input from at least the keypad in a first display region, and a controller configured to determine if the keypad displayed in its current form is to be displayed in a new different form, to determine if all of the keypad in the new different form can be displayed to fit within the second display region, and to selectively control the display unit to display a scrolling function for scrolling the keypad displayed in the new different form when all of the keypad can not be displayed to fit within the second display region.
US07970434B2 Dual-mode phone and calling method
A dual-mode phone includes a mobile phone antenna, a mobile phone module, a WLAN antenna, a WLAN module, a processing module, a memory, and a user interface. The processing module sets a communication mode of the dual-mode phone. The memory stores the communication mode and a phone book, wherein the phone book includes a plurality of mobile phone numbers, a plurality of WLAN phone addresses, mapping relationships between the plurality of mobile phone numbers and the plurality of WLAN phone addresses, and statuses of dual-mode phones corresponding to the plurality of WLAN phone addresses. The user interface receives an input phone number. The processing module further determines if the input phone number is a mobile phone number, determines if the mobile phone number has a mapping WLAN phone address, and calls the mapping WLAN phone address via the WLAN module.
US07970433B2 SD switch box in a cellular handset
A cellular handset, including a cellular base band modem, including a UART interface, and an SD host interface, a NAND flash memory, a NAND controller coupled with the NAND flash memory, a host device including a host controller, wherein the electronic host device supports an SD connection, and a convergence controller coupled with the cellular base band modem, the host device and the NAND controller, including a UART port for transferring data to and from the cellular base band modem via the UART interface, an SD port for transferring data to and from the cellular base band modem via the SD host interface, an SD port for transferring data to and from the NAND flash memory via the NAND controller, an SD port for transferring data to and from the host device via the host controller, a first mailbox into which the base band modem writes messages and from which the host device reads messages, and a second mailbox into which the host device writes messages and from which the cellular base band modem reads messages. A method is also described and claimed.
US07970429B2 Methods and apparatus for selecting a base station transceiver system based on service communication type
Methods and apparatus for selecting a base station transceiver system for communication with a Third Generation (3G) (or better) mobile station are described. In one illustrative example, one or more base station transceiver systems are identified for communication with the mobile station through a scanning process. A first base station transceiver system is identified as providing a Third Generation (3G) communication service or better, whereas a second base station transceiver system is identified as failing to provide the 3G or better communication service (e.g. it may provide a Second Generation (2G) communication service). The first system is selected for communication over the second system based at least in part on identifying that the second system fails to provide the 3G or better communication service. For example, the first system may be chosen over the second system if the first system has a signal quality that is better than a minimum threshold, even if its signal quality is worse than that of the second system. Advantageously, even if an available 2G system has a better signal quality, preference for an adequate 3G or better system is given to ensure that a preferred data service is made available to the mobile station.
US07970424B2 Method and apparatus for floor control in multi-media push-to-talk network
A method and apparatus for floor control in a multi-media dispatch network is disclosed. The method includes receiving a floor request message related to a first media type at a dispatch network controller from a first user and receiving a floor grant request message related to a second media type at the dispatch network controller from the first user. The apparatus includes a dispatch network controller where the dispatch network controller receives a floor request message related to a first media type from a first user and receives a floor grant request message related to a second media type from the first user.
US07970423B2 Context linking scheme
The present invention relates to a method and system for linking a service context to a terminal connection in a network controlling device of a data network, wherein a service indication is forwarded via the terminal connection to the data network, and an association is established between the service context and the terminal connection based on a network response to the service indication. The desired link between the terminal connection and the service context can thus be established at the network controlling device based on the forwarded service indication, e.g. cause value for establishing the terminal connection. Thereby, network resources can be optimized by releasing non-valid terminal connections.
US07970418B2 Method and system of providing event content sharing by mobile communication devices
An approach is disclosed for providing sharing of content relating to an event. Detection of a plurality of mobile communication devices within a predetermined location is performed. An event is identified corresponding to the predetermined location and a current time. The mobile communication devices are notified to enable exchange of content about the event. The content is received from one or more of the mobile communication devices, wherein the content is accessible by the mobile communication devices.
US07970417B2 On demand multicast messaging system
An on-demand message system includes a profile proxy server and a plurality of message servers coupled to a wireless network for sending messages to mobile users under conditions specified by the users and sellers. Users provide profile information specifying categories and conditions for which they will receive messages. Sellers also provide profile information specifying conditions under which they want messages to be sent. A multicast message is sent and processed by target users in response to a predetermined event, e.g., location update, conveying information related to a seller for which target users have expressed an interest in receiving.
US07970414B1 System and method for providing assisted GPS location service to dual mode mobile station
A system for determining position of a mobile station is provided. The mobile station is equipped with a GPS receiver for receiving satellite signals from satellites. The system comprises a wireless wide area network (WWAN) configured to provide an acquisition assistance data for use in acquiring the satellite signals by the GPS receiver to the mobile station that is operable in the WWAN. A position determination entity (PDE) is provided to determine position of the mobile station based on the satellite signals received sent from the mobile station and the acquisition assistance data from the WWAN. A wireless local area network (WLAN) provides RF signals to the mobile station when the mobile station enters into a WLAN area. The mobile station determines the position of the mobile station using the WWAN transceiver and the GPS receiver at the time when the mobile station enters into the WLAN area. The MS then uses this position when it is operating in the WLAN and it is requested to provide location by a LBS application or by the emergency 911 calling service.
US07970411B2 Aided location communication system
An Aided Location Communication System (“ALCS”) is described that may include a geolocation server and a wireless communication device having a GPS section where the GPS receiver section is capable of being selectively switched between a standalone mode and at least one other mode for determining a geolocation of the wireless communications device. An Aided Location Communication Device (“ALCD”) is also described. The ALCD includes a position-determination section having a GPS receiver and a communication section where the position-determination section is selectively switchable between a GPS-standalone mode and at least one other mode for determining a geolocation of the ALCD.
US07970397B2 Network-initiated area event triggered positioning method for roaming terminal in mobile communication system
A network-initiated area event triggered positioning method for a terminal in a session-based position information system is discussed. Network-initiation of area-based positioning of a roaming terminal is discriminated according to a proxy mode and a non-proxy mode, and area-based positioning for the roaming terminal is performed in various manners according to whether an SLP for performing the positioning procedure with respect to the discriminated modes is a V-SLP or an H-SLP.
US07970384B1 Active phone book enhancements
The present invention is a phonebook system including a mobile, wireless communications device having a microprocessor and user interface giving the user the capability of inputting, accessing, and modifying communication recipient identities, state data required to establish and/or enhance a communication session between the communications device and one or more recipients, and expanded information data.
US07970382B2 Method and apparatus for storing activation data in a cellular telephone
A method and apparatus for programming a cellular telephone with activation parameters. A cellular telephone to be programmed is connected to a computer via a communications interface. A user input device is provided to allow a user to provide programming information, including a cellular telephone type, to the computer. A visual representation of the cellular telephone type is displayed on a display monitor to allow the user to interactively verify the inputted programming information. Upon such user verification, the computer determines activation parameters and transmits the activation parameters to the cellular telephone. In accordance with another aspect of the invention, certain activation parameters are dynamically computed based on the user provided programming information. In one embodiment, the user enters a cellular telephone number to be assigned to the cellular telephone. The computer looks up a system identification associated with the cellular telephone number in a memory unit. Certain activation parameters are dynamically computed based on the cellular telephone number and system identification.
US07970379B2 Providing broadcast content
A method for providing broadcast content is disclosed. The method maintains a system to deliver regionally broadcasted content to an electronic device located outside a region of the regionally broadcasted content, provides an application for the electronic device that allows the electronic device to request a streaming media signal representing the regionally broadcasted content even if the electronic device is located outside of the region, and communicates the streaming media signal to the electronic device responsive to a user request.
US07970370B2 Signal conversion apparatus and signal conversion method
A signal conversion apparatus includes a local oscillator for locally generating a signal having a frequency, a phase shifter for shifting the phase of the locally generated signal output from the local oscillator by an amount determined based on a relationship between the amount of phase shift and the amount of frequency pulling, and a converter for converting an input signal by using the phase-shifted locally generated signal output from the phase shifter. The phase shifter varies impedance between the local oscillator and the converter so that the oscillating frequency of the locally generated signal output from the local oscillator remains unchanged.
US07970366B2 Diversity receiver
A diversity receiver is provided with antennas (1a) and (1b) in a first branch and antennas (1c) and (1d) in a second branch each of which antenna gains is controlled so that the offset between the directions of directional radiation patterns for the first and second branches becomes approximately π/2. Thereby, the diversity receiver can obtain a sufficient diversity gain even when it is incorporated into an indoor television with the antennas being built thereinto in close vicinity to one another.
US07970356B2 Method of estimating location of terminal in switched-beamforming based wireless communication system
A terminal location estimation method in a wireless communication system in which an access point (AP) provides an access service to a plurality of terminals includes defining a plurality of beam spaces around the AP through space multiplexing; scheduling the beam spaces according to a predetermined pattern; simultaneously forming a beam in at least one beam space; and detecting the existence and location of a terminal according to whether a response message in response to the formed beam is received. Accordingly, an AP forms beams in a predetermined scheduling pattern, and each of the terminals detecting the beams registers its location by informing the AP that each of the terminals exists in a relevant beam area, and thus, a location of each of the terminals can be estimated without using a complex DOA algorithm.
US07970352B2 Wireless communication device
According to one embodiment, a wireless communication device includes a housing provided with a first face, a radio-frequency coupler installed in the housing so as to face the first face, a close proximity wireless transfer device configured to execute close proximity wireless transfer with the external device existing within a prescribed wirelessly communicable distance from the radio-frequency coupler, a pressure sensitive sensor configured to measure the pressure applied to the first face near the radio-frequency coupler, a reception data processor configured to process data received by the radio-frequency coupler and the close proximity wireless transfer device, and a controller configured to report to the reception data processor that close proximity wireless transfer is available when the close proximity wireless transfer is available and also a measured value of the pressure sensitive sensor is not smaller than a threshold value.
US07970345B2 Systems and methods of waveform and/or information splitting for wireless transmission of information to one or more radioterminals over a plurality of transmission paths and/or system elements
Methods of transmitting an information signal in a satellite communications system include splitting the information signal into a first signal component and a second signal component, transmitting the first signal component to a first system element of the satellite communications system, transmitting the second signal component to a second system element of the satellite communications system, combining the first signal component and the second signal component to form a combined signal, and recovering the information signal from the combined signal. Related systems and components are also disclosed.
US07970344B2 Wireless communication apparatus, wireless communication method and wireless communication system
The objective of the present invention is to suppress an increase in the power consumption for the relaying of signals. A relay station unit 150 is a relay station unit that has as a function the relaying of a signal, and includes: a wireless receiving unit 15; a relay determination unit 23, for determining that a signal received by the wireless receiving unit 15 does not satisfy a predetermined quality, and for permitting reception of a signal from a different relay station unit; a synthesizing unit 18, for generating a transmission signal based on a signal received from a base station unit and a signal received from the different relay station unit; and a wireless transmitting unit 13, for transmitting the signal that is generated.
US07970341B2 Satellite LNB power supply adaptive load
A method of processing an LNB power supply output signal comprising providing an LNB selection signal to select a first of the plurality of LNB signals as the input signal, superimposing a tone onto the LNB selection signal to select a second of the plurality of LNB signals as the input signal, providing a first transponder selection voltage to select a first set of transponders within the input signal, providing a second transponder selection voltage to select a second set of transponders within the input signal, and activating an adaptive load to preserve the tone if the second of the plurality of LNB signals is selected.
US07970338B2 Bookbinding device, bookbinding method, and printing device
A CPU of a bookbinding system sets one of a right-opening bookbinding mode for feeding a cover sheet on which a cover is laid out at the left of a spine portion thereof to create a right-opening book, and a left-opening bookbinding mode for feeding a cover sheet on which a cover is laid out at the right of the spine portion to create a left-opening book. Also, the bookbinding system controls a printer unit to invert a print sequence depending on whether the system is set in the right-opening bookbinding mode or is set in the left-opening bookbinding mode. The print sequence or inverted print sequence is set so that, of image data of multiple pages, print image data that should be the top page is arranged appropriately for creating a right-opening book or a left-opening book.
US07970313B2 Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes a housing having a first opening and a second opening which are directed in a same direction; a plurality of developing units which are disposed in parallel with each other in the housing along an oblique direction inclined with respect to a horizontal plane, the developing units which are configured to be attached to and detached from the housing along the oblique direction through the first opening; and a plurality of developer cartridges which correspond to the plurality of developing units, each of the developer cartridges being disposed in parallel with each other in the housing to be opposite to an end of a respective one of the developing units along a substantially horizontal direction in a longitudinal direction of the developing units, the developer cartridges which are configured to be attached to and detached from the housing through the second opening.
US07970312B2 Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes a main body, an openable/closable cover panel, a unitary assembly, a holder, and a fastener. The openable/closable cover panel covers an opening in the main body. The unitary assembly is detachably attached to an inner side of the cover panel. The fastener fastens the assembly in place on the cover panel. The holder includes a positioning surface and first and second guide surfaces to hold the assembly on the cover panel. The positioning surface receives a positioning pin projecting from the assembly. The first and second guide surfaces are disposed on opposite sides of the positioning surface, and each guide surface slidably guides the positioning pin onto the positioning surface. The second guide surface is elastically displaceable to cause the positioning pin to slide off onto the positioning surface as the positioning pin presses against the second guide surface.
US07970306B2 Image forming apparatus including device for outputting developer remainder amount information
An image forming apparatus includes a developing device for developing a latent image formed on an image bearing member on the basis of image information, into a developed image with a developer, the developing device including a developer accommodating portion for accommodating the developer and a stirring member for stirring the developer in the developer accommodating portion; an optical remaining amount detecting device for detecting a remaining amount of the developer in the developer accommodating portion, by passing light through an inside of the developer accommodating portion; a consumption amount calculation device for calculating information relating to a consumption amount of the developer on the basis of the image information; and an outputting device for outputting an information signal indicative of a developer remainder which is either one of a developer remainder based on a detection result of the optical remaining amount detecting device and a developer remainder based on the information relating to the consumption amount provided by the consumption amount calculation device, selected in accordance with information relating to continuous drive time of the stirring member after start of drive thereof during image forming operation.
US07970303B2 Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes: an image bearing body on which surface a solid lubricant is supplied, forming and bearing an image on the surface; a charging member to which a voltage is applied, being in contact with the image bearing body to impart a charge; a voltage applying section that applies the voltage to the charging member, capable of switching the voltage between superimposed voltage on which DC voltage and AC voltage are superimposed and non-superimposed voltage including only DC voltage; an image forming section that forms a toner image; a transfer device that transfers the formed toner image to a transferring body; a cleaning member that contacts the image bearing body to scrape unnecessary substance from the surface; and a voltage switching section that switches the voltage applied to the charging member between the superimposed voltage and the non-superimposed voltage according to an amount of the solid lubricant.
US07970301B2 Methods, apparatus and systems to compensate for distortions caused by fusing
Disclosed are printing methods, apparatus and systems to compensate for distortion caused by fusing toner to a media substrate. According to one exemplary embodiment, the method includes processing image data according to media characterization data for a measured fuser temperature. The media characterization data provides a basis to compensate for media substrate shrinkage due to fusing the printed image on the media substrate.
US07970293B2 Methods and systems relating to image forming apparatuses
The invention describes an image forming apparatus having a cartridge configured to be removably attached to a main body. The cartridge has a rotational body positioned within the cartridge and an extension portion protruding outward from the rotational body in an axial direction. The device body has a main body, which has a driving member that rotates the rotational body and the extension portion, a detecting unit for detecting a movement of the extension portion, and a determining unit for determining a type of the developer cartridge using either a time elapsed between a time in which the driving member begins driving the rotational body and a time in which the detecting unit detects the movement of the extension portion, or a drive amount of the drive device occurring during an elapsed time.
US07970292B2 Consumable unit and image forming apparatus including memory storing consumable item information
A consumable unit and an image forming apparatus for controlling a consumable includes a first memory that stores consumable item information regarding the consumable and provides the consumable item information through password authentication, and a second memory that rewrites recycling prevention information, which indicates that recycling is impossible, a limited number of times. Therefore, if the consumable is replaced, it is possible to prevent the first memory and second memory from being recycled.
US07970287B2 Multi-level optical data communication circuit
A driver circuit is coupled to an optical waveguide transmitter. The driver circuit has a current generator that is in series with the transmitter, and a current robbing circuit is coupled to the transmitter. The current robbing circuit is to divert first and second amounts of current from the transmitter, in accordance with predetermined values of first and second bit streams, respectively, in which data is received to be transmitted. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
US07970283B2 High speed SFP transceiver
This disclosure concerns optoelectronic transceivers. In one example, a transceiver is implemented as an uncompensated architecture that is substantially compliant with the SFP MSA and is capable of effective operation at a data rate of about 8.5 Gb/s. The transceiver includes a TOSA, ROSA, a printed circuit board, an LDPA disposed on the printed circuit board and configured for communication with the TOSA and the ROSA. Finally, the transceiver includes SFP compliant optical and electrical connections.
US07970281B2 System and method for managing different transmission architectures in a passive optical network
In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, a system and method for managing different transmission architectures in a passive optical network (PON) is provided. In a particular embodiment, a method for managing different transmission architectures in a PON includes transmitting traffic in an upstream or downstream direction in a first time-slot in a PON at each channel of a first set of one or more channels. The method also includes transmitting traffic in the same upstream or downstream direction in a second time-slot in the PON at each channel of a second set of one or more channels that provide greater bandwidth than the first set of one or more channels, wherein at least one channel of the first set at least partially overlaps at least one channel of the second set but is not identical to the at least one channel of the second set.
US07970275B2 Digital camera system for simultaneous printing and magnetic recording
A digital camera system includes a print medium having a printing area and a magnetically-sensitive area, and a digital camera. The digital camera includes a photo-width printhead for printing digital images on the printing area of the print medium, and a magnetic recorder for recording information associated with the digital images on the magnetically-sensitive area of the print medium at the same time as the printhead prints the associated digital images onto the printing area.
US07970245B2 Optical biosensor using SPR phenomenon
An optical biosensor using a surface plasmon resonance phenomenon includes an input optical waveguide including a first optical mode converting unit for converting a core mode to a cladding mode; and an optical sensing unit for allowing a specific wavelength among wavelengths constituting the converted cladding mode to be lost according to density of bio-material. The optical biosensor can accurately measure density of bio-material by using an optical signal.
US07970243B2 Optical device, optical coupler and integrated circuit
The present invention provides an MMI optical device that can prevent a possible decrease in transmission rate in spite of miniaturization and integration. The optical device includes a rectangular multimode waveguide and an electromagnetic wave absorber of a light source wavelength. The electromagnetic wave absorber is located on at least one side surface of the rectangular multimode waveguide and is located at a predetermined gap from a core of the rectangular multimode waveguide.
US07970236B2 Image transform apparatus and image transform program
An image transform apparatus includes: a resolution device performing wavelet resolution based on an image representing distribution of psycho-physical color to generate sub band images at one resolution level or more; a transform device transforming values of pixels of the sub band images from values of the psycho-physical color to values of perceived color based on a predetermined relation between the psycho-physical color and the perceived color; and a synthesis device performing wavelet synthesis based on the sub band images at one resolution level or more resulting from the transform by the transform device, to generate an image representing distribution of the perceived color, thereby correlating a color system of psycho-physical color (for example, the XYZ color system) and a color system of perceived color (for example, the L*a*b* color system) to each other without setting standard light.
US07970220B2 Image processing apparatus and method for performing decoding process on coded data of motion picture based on a plurality of attributes thereof
An image processing apparatus includes a decoding unit for performing a decoding process on coded data of a moving picture on a frame-by-frame basis, and a controller for controlling the decoding unit. The controller designates a first decoding condition using multiple attributes, such as resolution level, precinct, component, or layer, for each frame, and causes the decoding unit to perform the decoding process on those code streams that satisfy the first decoding condition among the coded data. If a decoding time required to perform the decoding process under the first condition is equal to or longer than a prescribed time period, the controller allows the decoding unit to finish the decoding process for a current frame. If the coding time is shorter than the prescribed time period, the controller designates a second condition as to the attributes for the current frame to cause the decoding unit to perform the decoding process on those codes streams that satisfy the second condition.
US07970211B2 Compact interactive tabletop with projection-vision
The subject application relates to a system(s) and/or methodology that facilitate vision-based projection of any image (still or moving) onto any surface. In particular, a front-projected computer vision-based interactive surface system is provided which uses a new commercially available projection technology to obtain a compact, self-contained form factor. The subject configuration addresses installation, calibration, and portability issues that are primary concerns in most vision-based table systems. The subject application also relates to determining whether an object is touching or hovering over an interactive surface based on an analysis of a shadow image.
US07970207B2 Apparatus and program for evaluating images
An image evaluating apparatus capable of evaluating photographic images with expressions that approach human perception is provided. Boundaries among subjects are extracted from a digital photographic image in which a plurality of subjects are pictured. Image regions, which are divided by the boundaries, are extracted from the image. The position of each region is judged by determining which of a plurality of sections each image region is included in. The features of subjects pictured within each image region are judged. Then, the digital photographic image is evaluated based on the extracted boundaries, the sections in which each image region is included, and the features of the subjects pictured within each image region.
US07970206B2 Method and system for dynamic, luminance-based color contrasting in a region of interest in a graphic image
Foreground images, such as cursors, may be displayed over an image by selecting individual pixel colors to contrast with surrounding background pixels. The background pixels in, around and behind the foreground image may be converted from a red-green-blue (RGB) color space to a luminance isolating color space, such as YUV, HSL or the like. The converted pixel information may be copied, stored, or drawn into a separate compositing window. After converting to the luminance isolating color space, the luminance values of the pixels may be adjusted to increase the contrast between the foreground image and the background image. Portions of the foreground image may also be blurred, such as by applying a Gaussian or box blur, such as to soften the edges. The pixel information may then be converted back into the RGB color space and blended with the background information using alpha information for the foreground and background images.
US07970200B2 Pattern inspection method and apparatus
A color image of an inspection object is taken by an imaging means capable of taking a color image to obtain color information of an RGB color space. A gray-scale image of a color component of the RGB color space or another color space is generated, and the inspection object is detected by a pattern recognition technique. Alternatively, a binary image is generated from the generated gray-scale image, and the inspection object is detected by performing pattern recognition on the binary image. Color data of a pixel occupied by the detected inspection object is compared with color data of a non-defective inspection object which is previously prepared to judge whether or not the inspection object is defective. In addition, this judgment result is reflected in another manufacturing step through a network and product quality is improved.
US07970195B2 Method and device for the iterative reconstruction of tomographic images
The invention relates to a device and a method for the iterative reconstruction of the attenuation coefficients μj in a tomographic image of an object (1) from projection measurements mi. In the update equation for μjn during the n-th iteration the backprojected error (mi−mi−(μjn)) is weighted by a voxel dependent factor Formula (I). Such a voxel dependent update may particularly be included in the algorithms of ART or ML.
US07970193B2 Image processing system for displaying information relating to parameters of a 3-D tubular object
An image processing system, for processing a 3-D image of a 3-D substantially tubular structure (AAA), formed of a lumen (LUM) limited by a wall (5,6), comprising processing means (102) for segmenting the 3-D external or internal surface of the structure; estimating a local parameter such as the local wall thickness (T) or diameters; and display means (105) for displaying the 3-D surface of segmentation with zones colorized according to a color code, so that to indicate the local parameter values in said zones. The system may comprise processing means to generate (107) a 3-D virtual cylinder and projecting (108) the color-coded 3-D segmentation surface onto the 3-D virtual cylinder surface colorized according to the same color-code; and projecting the 3-D virtual cylinder surface onto a 2-D color-coded map; and display means for displaying the 2-D color-coded map with colorized zones indicating the local parameter values (T) in said zones (109).
US07970188B2 Systems and methods for automatic routing and prioritization of exams based on image classification
Certain embodiments of the present invention provide a method for automatic prioritization and routing of exams for patients in a medical center based on image classification. The method includes capturing an image and digitizing it, automatically classifying the image based on its content, prioritizing the image based on its classification, and routing the image based on its prioritization and classification to the appropriate medical practitioner.
US07970185B2 Apparatus and methods for capturing a fingerprint
An apparatus and methods for capturing a fingerprint are provided. In a first example method, first fingerprint image may be obtained in a guard region within a captured image, the guard region including less than all of the captured image. A fingerprint region may be extracted from the captured image based on a predicted color distribution, the predicted color distribution based on color information associated with the first fingerprint image, the extracted fingerprint region including the first fingerprint image within the guard region and at least a portion of the fingerprint region extending beyond the guard region within the captured image. In a second example method, guard region may be defined within a picture boundary area, the defined guard region including less than all of the picture boundary area. At least one image may be captured, the captured image spanning the picture boundary area. Information associated with the captured image may be extracted from within the guard region. Portions of the captured image associated with a user's fingerprint may then be extracted based on the extracted information, the identified portions including a first portion within the guard region of the captured image and a second portion within the picture boundary area of the captured image outside of the guard region. In another example, an apparatus may be configured to perform either of the above-described first and second example methods.
US07970182B2 Two stage detection for photographic eye artifacts
The detection of red-eye defects is enhanced in digital images for embedded image acquisition and processing systems. A two-stage redeye filtering system includes a speed optimized filter that performs initial segmentation of candidate redeye regions and optionally applies a speed-optimized set of falsing/verification filters to determine a first set of confirmed redeye regions for correction. Some of the candidate regions which are rejected during the first stage are recorded and re-analyzed during a second stage by an alternative set of analysis-optimized filters to determine a second set of confirmed redeye regions.
US07970181B1 Methods and systems for example-based image correction
Certain embodiments of the present invention provide methods and systems for correcting new images using example image sets, automatically or with user interaction, to produce corrected images in a manner that can be adapted to individual preferences, different image object orientations, image illumination conditions, and/or human and non-human features. In one embodiment, example image sets are provided that include information. The information can include a corrected example image, an original example image, and an example image mask. The example image mask includes information regarding the pixels corrected in the corrected example image. A new image is received that includes a defective area that needs to be corrected. The new image can be corrected using the information associated with the example image set.
US07970180B2 Method, apparatus, and program for processing red eyes
During red eye processing, whether a facial image detected from within an entire image is that of a specific person registered in a database is judged. In the case that it is judged that the facial image is of the specific person registered in the database, red eye detection is performed within the facial image, employing red eye detecting parameters, which are also registered in the database.
US07970178B2 Visibility range estimation method and system
The present disclosure provides methods and systems for estimating a visibility range in a visibility-degraded environment, e.g., fog. The methods and systems involve digital image processing.
US07970165B2 System and method for watermarking data
System and method for digitally watermarking data. A preferred embodiment comprises a quantizer to limit a data value provided by a signal input to a set of values, a rounder unit coupled to the quantizer, a control unit coupled to the rounder unit and to a watermark input, and a multiplexer having a first input coupled to the rounder unit and a control input coupled to the control unit. The rounder unit rounds a quantized data value to a nearest integer, the control unit provides a control signal based on the rounded, quantized data value and a parity of a watermark provided by the watermark input, and the multiplexer selects between an output of the rounder unit, an incremented output of the counter unit, and a decremented output of the counter unit, based on the control signal provided by the control unit.
US07970164B2 Digital watermark padding method, digital watermark padding device, digital watermark detecting method, digital watermark detecting device, and program
A digital watermark embedding method of the present invention includes: a step of sequentially obtaining each frame image of the moving image data and frame display time; a step of generating a watermark pattern using watermark information, the frame display time and watermark pattern switching information; a step of superimposing the watermark pattern onto the frame image, and combining watermark embedded frame images obtained by sequentially repeating the processes to generate watermark embedded moving image data. A digital watermark detection method includes a step of sequentially obtaining a frame image; a step of generating a difference image between the currently obtained frame image and a previously obtained frame image; and a step of performing digital watermark detection from the difference image to output digital watermark detection status, and when digital watermark detection process is continued, obtaining a new frame again to repeat the above processes.
US07970156B2 Adhesive film for the protection of hearing device microphone ports and corresponding hearing device
The protection of the ports of a hearing device, in particular microphone ports, is to be more easily operable in terms of installation and replacement. Provision is made for this purpose for protection to be provided by an adhesive film with a plastic membrane, which is essentially acoustically permeable, and an adhesive layer, which is attached to the plastic membrane. The adhesive is cut out in a predetermined shape at least one specified location on the plastic membrane. It is thus possible to affix an easily operable common microphone protection system to the hearing device shell, for example for a directional microphone with several microphone ports.
US07970140B2 Method and system for encrypted communications using multi-valued modulation
A transmitting node produces synchronization data to be inserted into plain text and encrypts the thus generated data into multi-valued data so as to transmit the data. The synchronization data indicates the position of a running key used for encryption. A receiving node decrypts a signal including the synchronization data using the running key and detects the synchronization data from the signal to confirm synchronization of the running key between transmitting and receiving nodes. Then, the receiving node transmits a synchronization confirmation signal to the transmitting node. If the transmitting node does not receive the synchronization confirmation signal, it determines that synchronization of the running key is shifted, and re-synchronization is performed. To perform re-synchronization, a running key ahead of the position of the running key associated with synchronization data that has been stored is generated.
US07970139B2 Decrypting overlapping selected and encrypted image areas
The present invention aims to provide the technique of appropriately enabling the encryption and decryption to the partial area with respect to the image data to which the partial encryption and the multiple encryptions have been applied. More specifically, the predetermined image area in the image data is acquired by a reproduction area designation unit, the overlap area of the acquired image area and the encrypted encryption area is calculated by an overlap judgment unit, the key information corresponding to the calculated overlap area is acquired by a decryption key acquisition unit, and the image data corresponding to the overlap area is subjected to the encryption and decryption by an image decryption unit by using the acquired key information.
US07970118B2 User-defined priority call router
A priority routing process is provided for routing calls received via a call routing system to a live call center agent. Routing is determined through collection of Automated Call Distribution (“ACD”) real-time performance based data and subjective non-ACD data, normalization and weighting of the ACD and non-ACD data through application of certain algorithms resulting in a derived priority score for each call center, and selection of a call center based upon the highest priority score.
US07970107B2 Method and system for automated and selective determination of call completion services
A method and system for providing a call completion service for a call between a caller and a destination over a network. Outgoing and Incoming call profiles, identifying enabled call completion services, are associated with callers and destinations, and are retrieved from a database based on the particular caller and destination. The caller and destination profiles are compared to select the appropriate call completion service for the call. In the absence of retrieving an outgoing call profile and an incoming call profile, a default profile can be generated and associated with the respective party to enable determination of the call completion service. The determination is made, at least in part, on the basis of a common call completion service identified as being enabled in both the OCP and the ICP. Additionally, a hierarchy of call completion services can be further considered in the determination of the call completion service.
US07970101B2 X-ray analyzer and X-ray analysis method
An X-ray tube which irradiates a primary X-ray to an irradiation point on a sample, an X-ray detector which detects a characteristic X-ray and a scattered X-ray emitted from the sample and outputs a signal including energy information on the characteristic X-ray and scattered X-ray, an analyzer which analyzes the signal, a sample stage on which the sample is placed, a moving mechanism which moves the sample on the sample stage, the X-ray tube, and the X-ray detector relative to each other, a height measuring mechanism which measures a maximum height of the sample, and a control unit which adjusts the distance between the sample and the X-ray tube and the distance between the sample and the X-ray detector by controlling the moving mechanism on the basis of the measured maximum height of the sample, are included.
US07970097B2 Method for producing tomographic images, control device, tomography unit and computer program product
A method is disclosed for producing tomographic images relating to different movement phases of a periodically moving object with the use of a tomography unit that includes a recording system that is arranged rotatably about a z-axis of the tomography unit, the recording system including an X-ray tube to which a tube current can be applied and a detector (17, 18) for acquiring projections. In at least one embodiment, the recording system is initially positioned relative to the object at a first z-position, and projections are acquired from a multiplicity of different projection dimensions at this z-position, in a fashion triggered by a movement signal representing the movement of the object, projections relating to a first movement phase of the object being acquired in a prospectively defined first time window and projections relating to at least a second movement phase of the object being acquired in a prospectively defined second time window. In at least one embodiment, a modulation of the tube current is performed in such a way that different tube current values are set in the first and the second time window to attain a prescribable different signal-to-noise ratio in the produced images. The recording system is then positioned sequentially at further z-positions, and respectively corresponding projections are acquired there for the two movement phases until a prescribed examination area is scanned at the desired z-positions. Tomographic images are reconstructed in real time or subsequently on the basis of the obtained projections.
US07970093B2 Method for operating a nuclear reactor
The invention refers to a method for operating a nuclear light water reactor during an operation cycle including a cardinal cycle and a number of successive control rod cycles. The reactor includes a plurality of elongated fuel units containing a nuclear fuel in the form a fissible material, a burnable absorber, and a plurality of control rods introduceable in a respective control rod position. Substantially all control rods are introduced in the core before the reactor is started and an operation cycle is initiated. The reactor is operated during the cardinal cycle with a first control rod configuration with a first group of control rods at least partly introduced and the remaining control rods extracted. The reactor is operated during the subsequent control rod cycles with a respective control rod configuration which each includes a different group of control rods at least partly introduced, wherein the cardinal cycle is substantially longer than each of the subsequent control rod cycles.
US07970088B2 Systems and methods for sample rate conversion
Systems and methods are provided for converting input data streams having variable input sample rates to an output sample rate, which systems and methods are used in processing the data streams. In one embodiment, a system includes a clock source, a counter configured to count cycles for a corresponding data stream, and a data processor. The data processor is configured to read the number of cycles counted by the counter between received frame sync signals and to convert the first data stream to the predetermined output sample rate based on the corresponding number of cycles counted.
US07970085B2 OFDM transmission and reception for non-OFDMA signals
Methods and apparatuses for Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing (OFDM) communication of non-OFDM radio signals are disclosed. The non-OFDM radio signals are force-modulated into OFDM signals. In one example, a non-OFDM signal is received and is processed into an OFDM signal to produce a created OFDM signal. An actual OFDM signal is also received and is processed together with the created OFDM signal.
US07970084B2 Communications adaptive automatic gain controller
An adaptive scaling processor operates in combination with a conventional automatic gain control controller providing an amplification gain A to m-ary symbol-modulated communication signals, the scaling processor scaling by a scaling factor Z the m-ary communication signal for providing an over all gain of an (A)(Z) product minimizing the BER that is optimum for the communications channel for improved BER performance in communication systems.
US07970082B2 Frequency offset correction when decoding a packet encoded in a frequency modulated signal
Embodiments include frequency offset correction when decoding a packet encoded in a frequency modulated signal. Different symbols encoded in the packet may be corrected by different frequency offsets. In an embodiment, the frequency modulated signal is received on one of the signals of a multi-carrier signal (e.g., based on Orthogonal Frequency Domain Multiplexing, OFDM) and each packet is encoded according to 802.11(a) having the same long sequence repeating multiple times in a header portion. The repetitive sequence is used to compute the different offsets for different symbols.
US07970079B1 Phase shift keying wireless communication apparatus and method
A network device includes a first demodulation path to recover a header portion of a data packet. A second demodulation path recovers a payload portion of the data packet. The second demodulation path includes a down sampler to down sample a payload portion of the data packet. An equalizer equalizes an output of the down sampler. A correlator receives an output of the equalizer. A demodulation controller selects the output of the equalizer or an output of the correlator based on the header portion.
US07970077B2 Estimation of symbols of transmitted signals using hypotheses
A method of estimating a symbol that has been transmitted into a channel connecting a modulator for producing modulation symbols and an equaliser, wherein a channel estimate describes said channel and the method comprises: calculating a metric for each of a number of hypotheses of a sequence commencing with the symbol under estimation followed by a number of subsequently transmitted symbols, each symbol in the sequence occupying a respective node of the sequence; and deeming the symbol at the beginning of the hypothesis that has the best metric to be the symbol under estimation; wherein calculating a metric for a given hypothesis comprises: calculating a discrepancy metric at each node of the given hypothesis; and combining the discrepancy metrics of nodes in the given hypothesis to produce the metric; and wherein a discrepancy metric for a given node of a given hypothesis is an assessment of the difference between: a sample received from said channel at a time point corresponding to said given node; and a sample that would be received at that time point if said channel estimate were acting on a model signal comprising the symbols of the given hypothesis up to the given node preceded by any estimates of symbols transmitted into the channel immediately prior to said time point as may be required to fill the estimated channel. The invention also relates to corresponding apparatus.
US07970072B2 Method and apparatus for processing a signal
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for processing a signal. An object of the present invention devised to solve the problem lies on a method and apparatus for processing a signal, which allows a signal having optimized signal transmission efficiency to be transmitted/received. According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of processing a signal including receiving a broadcasting signal including audio data coded using a pilot reference value and a pilot difference value, demodulating the broadcasting signal in consideration of a scattered pilot which varies over time and a continual pilot which is fixed over time in a frame of the received broadcasting signal and decoding the demodulated signal to obtain a broadcasting transmission stream, demultiplexing the broadcasting transmission stream to obtain coded audio data in an Internet protocol (IP) packet and an identifier for identifying a method of decoding the audio data, obtaining the pilot reference value corresponding to a plurality of data and the pilot difference value corresponding to the pilot reference value from the coded audio data and obtaining the audio data using the pilot reference value and the pilot difference value.
US07970071B2 Method and device for synchronizing the carrier frequency of an offset quadrature phase-modulated signal
A method and a device for synchronizing the carrier frequency of a carrier signal comprising a frequency offset and/or a phase offset. According to the invention, the method estimates the frequency offset and/or phase offset of the carrier signal by means of a maximum likelihood estimation from a received signal, which comprises temporally discrete, complex rotary indices, for which only the temporally discrete phases are dependent on the frequency offset and/or phase offset. An offset quadrature-modulated received signal is thus converted into a modified received signal comprising temporally discrete, complex rotary indices, for which only the temporally discrete phases are dependent on the frequency offset and/or the phase offset.