Document	Document Title
US07972622B1	Method and apparatus for manufacturing dissolvable tablets Consumable or dissolvable tablets are manufactured by supplying a liquid containing a biodissolvable carrier to an outlet; establishing an electric field between the outlet and a support surface to cause liquid issuing from the outlet to form at least one fiber or fibrils of the biodissolvable carrier which fiber or fibrils deposit(s) onto the surface to form a fiber web or mat; separating the web or mat into a plurality of individual tablets; and incorporating at least one active ingredient on or in the tablets.
US07972612B2	Remedy for glaucoma comprising Rho kinase inhibitor and β-blocker A subject of the present invention is to find utility of a combination of a Rho kinase inhibitor having a novel action and a β-blocker as a therapeutic agent for glaucoma. Actions of reducing intraocular pressure are complemented and/or enhanced each other by combining the Rho kinase inhibitor with the β-blocker. For the administration mode, each drug can be administered in combination or in mixture.
US07972611B2	Fungus-induced inflammation and eosinophil degranulation This document relates to methods and materials involved in fungus-induced inflammation and eosinophil degranulation. For example, isolated nucleic acids encoding fungal polypeptides, fungal polypeptides, methods for assessing fungus-induced inflammation, methods for assessing eosinophil degranulation, and methods for identifying inhibitors of fungus-induced inflammation and/or eosinophil degranulation are provided.
US07972598B2	VEGF-binding fusion proteins and therapeutic uses thereof Fusion proteins which bind and inhibit vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). The VEGF-binding fusion proteins are therapeutically useful for treating VEGF-associated conditions and diseases, and are specifically designed for local administration to specific organs, tissues, and/or cells.
US07972595B2	Methods and compositions for protecting and treating at least one muscarinic receptor from dysfunction not resulting from oxidative stress, toxic actions of metals or infectious agents by administering a pyrophosphate analog Methods and compositions for protecting and treating a muscarinic receptor in a subject in need thereof from dysfunction not resulting from oxidative stress, toxic actions of metals or metal ions, or infectious agents by administering a pyrophosphate analog.
US07972592B2	Prevention of type 1 diabetes and other non-polio enterovirus diseases Live virus vaccines comprise attenuated viruses, while other vaccines comprise killed viruses or parts thereof. It has now been found that the immune response induced by oral poliovirus vaccine (OPV), which is a live vaccine, is cross-reactive with non-polio enteroviruses. OPV is therefore useful in the prevention of non-polio enterovirus diseases, especially Type 1 diabetes mellitus (IDDM). OPV is also useful in combination with killed/subunit non-polio enterovirus vaccines, whereby it prevents harmful side-effects of the killed/subunit vaccine by shifting the immune response from a harmful Th2-type response to a Th1 type response.
US07972583B2	Iron silicide sputtering target and method for production thereof An iron silicide sputtering target in which the oxygen as a gas component in the target is 1000 ppm or less and a method of manufacturing such an iron silicide sputtering target are provided. The method includes the steps of melting/casting high purity iron and silicon under high vacuum to prepare an alloy ingot, subjecting the ingot to gas atomization with inert gas to prepare fine powder, and thereafter sintering the fine powder. The amount of impurities in the target will be reduced, the thickness of a βFeSi2 film during deposition can be made thick, the generation of particles will be reduced, a uniform and homogenous film composition can be yielded, and the sputtering characteristics will be favorable. The foregoing manufacturing method is able to stably produce the target.
US07972582B2	Method and apparatus for treating exhaust gas An apparatus for treating an exhaust gas that includes a pre-treatment section that removes a powdery component, a water-soluble component or a hydrolytic component from the exhaust gas. The exhaust gas contains a fluorine compound and CO. A heating oxidative decomposing section performs heating oxidative decomposition of at least one of the fluorine compound and CO to detoxify the exhaust gas. The apparatus also has a post-treatment section for post-treating an acid gas such as HF which has been produced by the heating oxidative decomposition.
US07972581B1	Method of treating nitrogen oxide-containing gas First, the emission amount of nitrogen oxides can be decreased close to zero as much as possible, and the emission amount of carbon monoxide is decreased to a permissible range. Second, energy saving by combustion at a low air ratio close to 1.0 is realized. Third, air ratio control is performed stably in a combustion region at a low air ratio.The present invention includes: a combustion step of burning hydrocarbon-containing fuel in the burner, thereby generating gas free of hydrocarbons but containing oxygen, nitrogen oxides, and carbon monoxide; a hazardous-substance decreasing step of bringing the gas into contact with an oxidation catalyst, thereby oxidizing carbon monoxide contained in the gas by oxygen and reducing nitrogen oxides by carbon monoxide; and a concentration ratio adjusting step of adjusting a concentration ratio of oxygen, nitrogen oxides, and carbon monoxide in gas on a primary side of the oxidation catalyst to a predetermined concentration ratio in which a concentration of nitrogen oxides on a secondary side of the oxidation catalyst is decreased to substantially zero or a value equal to or lower than a predetermined value and a concentration of carbon monoxide on the secondary side of the oxidation catalyst is also decreased to substantially zero or a value equal to or lower than a predetermined value.
US07972576B2	Coiled capillary for compensating mechanical stress A fluidic device comprising a capillary for conducting a fluid and a pivot arm configured for being pivoted, wherein the pivot arm supports at least a portion of the capillary, and a part of the capillary is coiled to at least partially compensate stress resulting from pivoting of the pivot arm.
US07972570B2	Distributor nozzle for a two-phase charge in fixed-bed reactors A distributor nozzle for a two-phase charge, to be used in fixed-bed reactors in order to increase the area over which the mixture is dispersed and to make its flow rate the same over the whole area of the bed in the reactor. The device includes a number of fixing bars and a deflector cone frustum. The deflector cones or cone frusta may have more than one angle in order to improve the distribution, and they have a number of apertures or slits and a number of vertical directing elements or a directing cage or frame to direct the stream of the two-phase charge in order to increase the area over which the mixture is dispersed and to make its flow rate the same over the entire area of the bed in the reactor.
US07972569B2	Catalyst and systems incorporating the catalyst A catalyst includes a carrier body and a catalytic portion carried by the carrier body. The catalytic portion includes a plurality of distinct layers of catalytic material, which layers may be deposited through atomic layer deposition techniques. The catalyst may have a selectivity for the conversion of alkanes to alkenes of over 50%. The catalyst may be incorporated in a reactor such as a fluidized bed reactor or a single pass reactor.
US07972565B2	Stripping apparatus with multi-sloped baffles An apparatus for stripping gases from catalyst material comprises baffles having a second face that extends toward a downcomer channel between baffles to spread catalyst out on adjacent baffles for better contact with stripping gas.
US07972549B2	Direct forming of non-textile fabric elements from plastic pellets A process, and related structure, uses conventional pelletized compositions to form the elements of a non-textile fabric by coining a single pellet or briquette of a polymer into an individual element in a single forming step. The steps of the process generally include: a) positioning a pellet in or adjacent to a mold cavity, and b) forcing the pellet into contact with the mold surfaces of the mold cavity to plastically deform the pellet to the shape of the mold cavity. The forcing step preferably uses an energy and speed where the pellet superplastically deforms to substantially fill the mold cavity. This process is repeated with the elements being formed in the appropriate order to form a non-textile fabric. The elements thus formed can have a variety of shapes, and can form base units for the formation of the non-textile fabric of two, three or more elements.
US07972548B2	Method for molding composite structures Method for making, modifying and using machinable composite molds for use in molding composite structures. The mold includes a mold body having a tool surface that is shaped to provide the molded surface of the composite structure. The mold body is made up of at least one mold layer composed of a quasi-isotropic material composed of a plurality of randomly oriented fiber bundles or chips impregnated with a resin. The use of randomly oriented fiber chips allows post-cure machining of the mold body.
US07972543B2	Process for producing microsphere with use of metal substrate having through-hole An object of the present invention is to provide a process for producing microspheres that are solid microparticles or liquid microparticles for use as an emulsion employed in the food industry, production of medicine and cosmetic etc. or an emulsion for DDS (drug delivery system). The object is attained by a process for producing a microsphere including: separating a disperse phase from a continuous phase by a substrate 1 having a through-hole 7; and extruding the disperse phase into the continuous phase through the through-hole 7, in which the substrate having the through-hole 7 with a width of 0.5 to 500 μm, a depth of 10 μm to 6000 μm and a ratio of the width to the depth of the through-hole 7 of 1 to 1/30 is a metal substrate.
US07972540B2	Electronic device fabrication process A process to fabricate an electronic device comprising: (a) liquid depositing a composition comprising a liquid, silver-containing nanoparticles, a replacement stabilizer comprising a carboxylic acid on the surface of the silver-containing nanoparticles, and a residual amount of an initial stabilizer on the surface of the silver-containing nanoparticles, resulting in a deposited composition; and (b) heating the deposited composition to form an electrically conductive layer comprising silver.
US07972538B2	Conductive pattern formation ink, conductive pattern and wiring substrate A conductive pattern formation ink capable of producing a conductive pattern with reduced likelihood of generation of cracks, a conductive pattern which is small in the number of cracks generated, low in specific resistance and superior in high-frequency characteristics, and a wiring substrate provided with the conductive pattern which is small in the number of cracks generated, low in specific resistance and superior in high-frequency characteristics are provided. The conductive pattern formation ink is used for forming a conductive pattern on a base member by patterning and comprised of a dispersion solution. The dispersion solution includes a solvent, metal particles dispersed in the solvent, and an anti-cracking agent contained in the solvent, wherein the anti-cracking agent is contained for preventing generation of cracks in the conductive pattern during desolvation of the solvent.
US07972529B2	Lubricant oil for a refrigeration machine, lubricant composition and refrigeration machine and system A lubricant oil for a refrigeration machine, and refrigeration machine, said refrigeration machine being of the type that operates with a refrigerant consisting of at least one component of the HC (hydrocarbon) group, the lubricant oil consisting of an alkylbenzene oil containing at least 80% by weight of alkylbenzene having a molecular weight of 120-288 and having a viscosity between about 3.0 and 7.0 cSt at a temperature of 40° C. and the lubricant composition consisting of said alkylbenzene oil and until about 8% by weight of one or more additives selected from a group consisting of improvers of oxidation resistance and thermal stability, corrosion inhibitors, metal inactivators, lubricity additives, viscosity index improvers, reducers of fluidity and flocculation point, detergents, dispersants, antifoaming agents, antiwear agents and extreme pressure resistant additives.
US07972519B2	Purification device, insert and method of purifying a liquid The present invention relates to a purification device for the purification of a liquid such as water, preferably drinking water, which purification device comprises at least one casing (1) having at least one insert (10), said casing (1) having at least one inlet (8) and at least one outlet (9) for the liquid and said insert (10) comprising at least one filter (15) located in a flow path of the liquid. The purification device comprises at least one galvanic couple (12, 14) located in said flow path. The present invention also relates to an insert and a method of purifying a liquid.
US07972516B2	Device and method for separating, mixing and concentrating magnetic particles with a fluid and use thereof in purification methods A process for manipulating magnetic particles suspended in a fluid that are able to bind to an entity of interest, the fluid being contained in a reaction vessel having a large funnel shaped upper compartment, an elongate lower compartment of substantially constant cross-section and a closed base. The process consists of: a) subjecting the magnetic particles to two simultaneously applied magnetic fields to separate all said magnetic particles present in at least the upper compartment of the vessel from the fluid, b) transferring the separated magnetic particles from the upper compartment to the lower compartment, c) removing the fluid from the vessel, d) adding a washing liquid to the lower compartment, e) subjecting the magnetic particles to at least two magnetic fields applied successively with changing directions to wash all the magnetic particles present in the lower compartment, and concentrating said magnetic particles in said lower compartment.
US07972511B2	Anaerobic treatment method and anaerobic treatment apparatus A method and apparatus of anaerobic treatment which makes it possible to prevent disintegration of granular sludge and perform high-load high-velocity anaerobic treatment stably even in the case where treatment is performed under conditions where the granular sludge is easily disintegrated. In a reaction tank 20 which retains the granular sludge, nitric acid or nitrous acid is adjusted so that they have a certain concentration range. For example, nitric acid is added to the liquid to be treated by connecting the nitric acid addition path 12 to a midway point of the path of the liquid to be treated 31 which introduces the liquid to be treated to the reaction tank 20, and nitric acid is mixed with the liquid to be treated. By introducing nitric acids within the reaction tank 20, denitrifying bacteria etc. can multiply, and disintegration of the granules is prevented.
US07972501B2	Fluid clarification system and apparatus A fluid clarification system and method is described in which fluid is passed through one or more settling compartments, each having a solids outlet at the base of the compartment. The base of each compartment includes inclined surfaces for guiding settled solids to the outlet. Also described is a polymer reaction trough including baffles to promote gentle mixing of inflow fluid with flocculant. The system is designed to reduce costs of transportation, flocculent, and solids handling. The system is preferably arranged to facilitate transport on a skid or trailer, while maximizing fluid handling capabilities and minimizing costs.
US07972500B2	Waste water purification apparatus A wastewater purifying apparatus has plural treatment chambers for stepwise purifying wastewater discharged from a lavatory, a storage chamber for storing purified wastewater derived from the downstream-most treatment chamber, and a purified wastewater storage tank. A suction port is formed in the upstream-most treatment chamber for sucking the wastewater. Refluxing equipment refluxes wastewater from the treatment chambers downstream of the upstream-most treatment chamber into the upstream most treatment chamber. A purified wastewater supplier supplies the purified wastewater in the purified wastewater storage tank into the upstream-most treatment chamber. The above arrangement performs expedient and sophisticated purification treatment of the wastewater containing sludge components, such as sewage discharged from the lavatory, or miscellaneous effluents generated by pulverizing garbage by a disposer. The arrangement also simplifies washing of the apparatus.
US07972497B2	Process to prepare a heat transfer oil A process to prepare a heat transfer oil, comprising: a. dewaxing a substantially paraffinic wax feed by hydroisomerization dewaxing using a shape selective intermediate pore size molecular sieve under hydroisomerization conditions including a defined hydrogen to feed ratio, whereby a lubricating base oil is produced, b. selecting one or more fractions of the lubricating base oil having: i. a low pour point, ii. greater than 10 weight percent and less than 70 weight percent total molecules with cycloparaffinic functionality, wherein the one or more fractions have at least 31.2 wt % 1-unsaturations by FIMS, and iii. a ratio of weight percent molecules with monocycloparaffinic functionality to weight percent molecules with multicycloparaffinic functionality greater than 15; and c. blending the one or more fractions of the lubricating base oil with less than 0.2 wt % antifoam agent to prepare the heat transfer oil of a defined ISO viscosity grade.
US07972490B2	Magnetic transfer master disk and method for manufacturing the same A magnetic transfer master disk including a magnetic layer and exhibiting excellent shape stability of a protrusion/recess pattern is provided. An initial layer formed of a conductive film is formed on a surface of a master on which a pattern of minute protrusions/recesses is formed, and then a magnetic layer (principal layer) is formed on the initial layer, and then, a metal layer is formed by electroforming. A duplicate in which the initial layer, the magnetic layer and the metal layer have been integrated is peeled off from the master, thereby obtaining a magnetic transfer master disk, which is a duplicate in which the magnetic layer and the initial layer are deposited on the protruded/recessed surface of the metal layer.
US07972489B2	Sensor element A sensor element is used to detect a physical property of a measuring gas, preferably to determine the oxygen content or the temperature of an exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine. The sensor element contains a first solid electrolyte layer and a second solid electrolyte layer. A first printed conductor and a second printed conductor are provided on opposite sides of the first solid electrolyte layer, the first printed conductor including a first electrode and a feed line to the first electrode, and the second printed conductor including a second electrode and a feed line to the second electrode. A third printed conductor, which includes a third electrode and a feed line to the third electrode, is provided on the second solid electrolyte layer. The second printed conductor is positioned between the third electrode and the first printed conductor.
US07972477B2	Surface treatment of substrate or paper/paperboard products using optical brightening agent The present invention relates to a process for applying optical brightening agent (OBA) to a sheet of paper or paperboard substrate. The process comprises the step of spraying an aqueous composition comprising an optical brightening agent onto at least one surface of a sized paperboard substrate to form a treated paperboard substrate. The treated paperboard substrate includes a layer of OBA on at least one surface of the paper or paperboard substrate in which the brightness of the treated paper or paperboard substrate is greater than the sized paper or paperboard substrate before treating thereof.
US07972464B2	Mat member, method of fabricating mat member, exhaust gas treating apparatus, and silencing device A mat member includes inorganic fibers, a first main surface, a second main surface opposite to the first main surface, an edge surface surrounding the first main surface and the second main surface, and an inorganic fiber scattering reduction unit. The inorganic fiber scattering reduction unit is provided on at least a part of the edge surface of the mat member and configured to reduce scattering of the inorganic fibers.
US07972463B2	Continuous composite rod and methods A continuous composite fiberglass sucker rod for connection between a pump and a pump drive has a rectangular cross section. End fittings having a rod receiving cavity are connected to the rod ends using a curable adhesive. The rod fitting is maintained in a vertical position with the cavity facing upwardly. The rod end portion is positioned in the cavity with the end at the bottom of the cavity. Curable adhesive is introduced into the cavity. A centralizer bushing is used to maintain alignment of the rod relative to the cavity. A portable heating device receives the fitting and rod end portion and enhances the curing process.
US07972456B2	Method of producing tire There is provided a method of producing a tire comprising the steps of: applying a chafer rubber 21 by spirally winding a rubber ribbon onto a base 15; applying a sidewall rubber 22 of a first color by spirally winding a rubber ribbon at a position on the base 15 spaced from the position where the chafer rubber is stuck; applying a sidewall rubber 23 of the second color by spirally winding a rubber ribbon between the chafer rubber sticking position and the first color sidewall rubber sticking position; and applying a cover rubber 24 of the first color over the entire surface of the sidewall rubber of the second color, wherein on the occasion when said chafer rubbers 21 or sidewall rubbers 23 of the second color are stuck, they are applied so that they are adjacent to each other, thereby sticking a rubber member of a colored tire onto the sidewall of the tire without involving defects such as trapped air and a bare as well as severe decrease of the productivity.
US07972452B2	Method and device for the continuous creation of a bainite structure in a carbon steel, particularly in a strip steel A method continuously creates a bainite structure in a carbon steel, especially a strip steel by austenitizing the carbon steel; introducing the austenitized carbon steel into a bath containing a quenching agent; adjusting the carbon steel to the transformation temperature for bainite and maintaining the transformation temperature for a certain period of time; and then cooling the carbon steel. The carbon steel stays in the bath until a defined percentage of the bainite structure relative to the total structure of the carbon steel has formed. Residues of the quenching agent are removed from the surface of the carbon steel by blowing the same off when the carbon steel is discharged from the bath, and the remaining structure components of the carbon steel are then transformed into bainite in an isothermal tempering station without deflecting the carbon steel at all.
US07972426B2	Printed security mark Embodiments of a printed security mark and a process are disclosed.
US07972425B2	Postal blue ink with improved durability A water-based ink for inkjet recording exhibits a blue color defined as L*<45, 25
US07972423B2	Rectification apparatus using a heat pump An apparatus for stripping and strengthening and subsequent condensing and final strengthening of an easily vaporizable component of a preferably aqueous mixture permits the heat necessary for stripping and strengthening to be transferred through a common heat transmission body (3), where the heat is derived from condensing the vapor generated by stripping and strengthening, which vapor via compression using a heat pump (26) has obtained the increase in boiling point necessary for condensation. The apparatus is comprised of two sections, namely a stripping and strengthening section or first section (1) and a condensing and final strengthening section or second section (2), said sections being joined around a common heat transmission body (3) forming a dividing wall, each section being further defined by a horizontal partially cylindrical housing (13) and an end wall at each end. Each of the sections is provided with an atomizing rotor (4) adapted to throw liquid from each side from the bottom of the horizontal partially cylindrical housing (13) inward against the common heat transmission body, an axial liquid channel (5) providing a continuous passage of liquid through the apparatus extending along the bottom.
US07972420B2	Hydrogen-processing assemblies and hydrogen-producing systems and fuel cell systems including the same Hydrogen-processing assemblies, components of hydrogen-processing assemblies, and fuel-processing and fuel cell systems that include hydrogen-processing assemblies. The hydrogen-processing assemblies include a hydrogen-separation assembly positioned within the internal volume of an enclosure in a spaced relation to at least a portion of the internal perimeter of the body of the enclosure.
US07972413B2	Precious metal recovery from solution A method for recovering precious metals such as gold and silver from aqueous solution as solid is described The method includes mixing an aqueous solution (e.g, thiosulfate or thiocyanate lixiviant) containing precious metals with ferrous ions in the presence of an effective amount of hydroxide ions. The precious metal ions are reduced and co-precipitate with iron hydroxides and/or hydrated iron oxides The co-precipitate is collected and purified. De-oxygenation of the reaction solution is optional. The recover/method is fast, complete and clean.
US07972408B2	Process and apparatus for further processing of sewage sludge and other materials to reduce pathogens and toxins An apparatus and a method for treating a composition containing toxic materials or biosolids, wherein the apparatus has a hydraulically sealable top that can be opened to allow loading of the composition or closed to seal the apparatus. The apparatus also includes a reagent injection system for injecting a reagent into the apparatus, a mixing device for mixing the composition with the reagent, a heater system for heating the composition, or the mixture of the composition and the reagent, an internal vapor recovery system for recovering gases, vapors, and odors from the toxic materials or biosolids, or from the reagents, a reagent recovery system for recovering the reagent after it has been mixed with the composition, a discharge mechanism for discharging the treated composition, and a control panel comprising temperature and pressure measurements.
US07972406B2	Diesel particulate filter and method of making A filter assembly for a diesel particulate filter, the filter assembly having: a first end disk; a second end disk; a center tube secured to the first end disk by a sealing glass; a filter media secured to the first end disk and the second end disk by a sealing glass.
US07972400B2	Honeycomb filter system A honeycomb filter system comprising a first honeycomb filter disposed upstream: first filter having partition wall matrix of a mean pore diameter of 25 μm or more and below 70 μm and a porosity of 40% or more and below 70%, and carrying an oxidation catalyst containing at least one material selected from the group consisting of platinum (Pt), palladium, ceria, and alumina in at least a part of inner surfaces of pores of the matrix; and a second honeycomb filter disposed downstream; having a surface layer of a peak pore diameter of 0.3 μm or more and below 20 μm which is equivalent to or smaller than that of its matrix, and a porosity of 60% or more and below 95% which is higher than that of the matrix; and having the other specified relations.
US07972398B2	Polishing composition for glass substrate The present invention provides a polishing composition for a glass substrate having a pH of from 1 to 5 and containing silica particles having an average particle size of from 5 to 100 nm, wherein, in a projected image of the silica particles obtainable by an image analysis of electron photomicrographs, an average of an area ratio R of a projected area of the silica particles (A1) to an area of a maximum inscribed circle of the silica particles (A), i.e. (A1/A), is in the range of from 1.2 to 3.0, and the silica particles have an average of 2.0 to 10 projection portions having a curvature radius of from ⅕ to ½ of a radius of the maximum inscribed circle of the silica particles (r) on the outline of the silica particles in the projected image, and a method for manufacturing a glass substrate, including the step of polishing a substrate to be polished with a polishing load of from 3 to 12 kPa and at a pH of from 1 to 5 while allowing the polishing composition to be present between a polishing pad and the substrate to be polished. The polishing composition for a glass substrate of the present invention can be suitably used, for example, in the manufacture of glass hard disks, aluminosilicate glass for reinforced glass substrates, glass ceramic substrates (crystallized glass substrates), and the like.
US07972393B2	Compositions comprising boric acid A multiphase distillate fuel composition includes an emulsion comprising a first phase comprising a diesel fuel; a second phase comprising glycerol and boric acid; and a surfactant. A lubricant composition includes a grease and a mixture of boric acid with different particle sizes.
US07972385B2	Patch for replacement of a portion of bladder wall following partial cystectomy A patch for replacement of a portion of bladder wall following partial cystectomy includes a multi-layered membrane of soft silicone with a thickness of about 600 microns so as to be sufficiently elastic to be able to withstand the dilatations due to expansion and deflation of the bladder, a surface layer of texturized silicone that is arranged to face an outside of a bladder to reduce a risk of adhesion of fibrotic capsule, and an inner coating of pyrolytic turbostatic carbon that is arranged to face an inside of the bladder.
US07972384B2	Amputation stabilization device The present invention extends to a stemmed amputation implant. In some embodiments, a dual stemmed implant includes a base plate and two intramedullary rods extending from the proximal side of the base plate. The two intramedullary rods are configured for insertion into corresponding intramedullary bone canals reamed into remaining portions of amputated bones, such as, for example, a tibia and fibula or an ulna and radius. The position of the intramedullary rods relative to one another is configured to maintain appropriate separation between amputated bones when the first intramedullary rod and the second intramedullary rod are inserted into the amputated bones. In some embodiments, a hollow tube replaces one or more of the intramedullary rods. A hollow tube can be configured to cover the exterior of a bone, such as, for example, the fibula, when the bone is not stable enough for intramedullary fixation.
US07972381B2	Spinal implant surface configuration with a projection having a back cut The present invention is a specialized implant having opposed surfaces for engaging each of the vertebral bodies adjacent a disc space into which the implant is implanted. The surface comprises arrayed projections having at least one forward facing facet directed at least in part toward the leading end of the implant and at least one rearward portion directed at least in part toward the opposite trailing end of the implant. Each of the forward facet and rearward portion has a length and a slope. The length of the forward facet is longer than the length of the rearward facet. The slope of the rearward facet is steeper than the slope of the forward facet. The surface projections also have opposed side facets directed generally toward the sides of the implant. The side facets are located between the forward facet and rearward facet and converge toward each other in a direction away from the base of the surface projections. The surface may also include projections having left and right forward side facets and a rearward facet. The surface further may include projections having left and right rearward side facets and a forward facet.
US07972379B2	Aiding apparatus for nasal cartilage strut in nasal tip surgery An aiding apparatus for nasal tip plasty is useable in augmentation rhinoplasty. The aiding apparatus for nasal tip plasty includes a strut part and a holding part provided on a lower portion of the strut part and coupled to septal cartilage. Thus, a cartilage scaffold complex useable in nasal tip plasty may be easily prepared at the exterior of an operation space. This aiding apparatus allows substitution for the paired batten graft or paired spreader graft and easier execution of caudal septal extension graft. Further, a decreased amount of cartilage is used to execute the nasal tip plasty in a simple way, therefore easily making a pretty nose, in addition to shortening the operation time.
US07972378B2	Stents for prosthetic heart valves A stented valve including a stent structure including a generally tubular body portion that has a first end and a second end, wherein an area adjacent the first end has a first stiffness, an area adjacent the second end has a second stiffness, and a central region between the areas at the first and second ends has a third stiffness that is less than the stiffness adjacent the first and second ends, wherein the stent structure can be reconfigured in its central area to match a curved patient anatomical region. The stented valve further includes a valve structure attached within the generally tubular portion.
US07972374B2	Securing rods and modular graft systems Modular graft systems with conjoinable grafts comprising graft material with the system comprising a first and second graft prosthesis with mating ends, securing rods attached to one of the mating ends comprising at least one spike that juts from the securing rod. The other of the mating ends is double layered with graft material for receiving at least one spike in the first layer of graft material when the mating ends are conjoined.
US07972373B2	Balloon expandable bioabsorbable stent with a single stress concentration region interconnecting adjacent struts An expandable, implantable medical device, such as an intraluminal stent fabricated from polymeric materials, includes a plurality of elongated struts in consecutive series and alternating stress concentration junctions interconnecting ends of adjacent struts. When the stent is in an expanded condition, the adjacent struts form expanded substantial V-shapes and stresses are concentrated within the junctions. The junctions define pivot points for the respective attached, adjacent struts. Each of the pivot points is located substantially on a line bisecting the V-shapes formed by the struts, when the stent is expanded.
US07972370B2	Stent graft system and method of use A stent graft system and method of use includes a stent graft for fixation at an attachment site with graft material defining at least one opening having an opening perimeter; a support attached to the graft material; a guide rail attached around the opening perimeter; and a helical anchor having a plurality of coils with a point at one end. The plurality of coils are rotatable around the guide rail to cause the pointed end of the coils to penetrate the graft material and the adjacent tissue in contact with the stent graft to sew the stent graft to the attachment site.
US07972361B2	Occlusion device with flexible spring connector An occlusion device includes a center assembly having a flexible section formed by a spring connector and a safety tether. The flexible spring connector gives the center assembly improved torque and flexure characteristics, which allows the occlusion device to better conform to the contours of the heart. The safety tether serves to further ensure the structural integrity of the center assembly.
US07972354B2	Method and apparatus for impeding migration of an implanted occlusive structure A method of treating a hollow anatomical structure of a patient comprises implanting a bioabsorbable fibrous body in a hollow anatomical structure. The body is secured in the hollow anatomical structure to limit migration of the body within the hollow anatomical structure.
US07972353B2	Removable vena cava filter with anchoring feature for reduced trauma The present invention involves a removable filter for capturing thrombi in a blood vessel. The filter comprises a plurality of struts having first ends attached together along a longitudinal axis of the filter. Each strut has a body member extending from the first end along the longitudinal axis to an anchoring hook defining a strut axis. Each strut is configured to move along a strut path relative to the longitudinal axis between an expanded state for engaging with the blood vessel and a collapsed state for filter delivery or retrieval. Each anchoring hook has an angle of up to about 90 degrees relative to the strut axis.
US07972352B2	Embolic protection system An embolic protection system having a guidewire for advancing through a vasculature; an embolic protection filter having a filter body with a distal end and a proximal end, the filter body providing for a collapsed configuration and an expanded deployed configuration. The embolic protection filter body has a guidewire path for slidably receiving the guidewire to permit movement of the filter relative to the guidewire when the filter 1 is in the collapsed configuration and the expanded deployed configuration. A delivery catheter is advanceable over the guidewire for delivery of the embolic protection filter. A retrieval catheter is also advanceable over the guidewire for retrieval of the filter , and engagement elements are used for engaging the embolic protection filter with the guidewire for retrieval of the filter into the retrieval catheter in the collapsed configuration.
US07972348B1	Single use scleral marker A single-use scleral marker, including a one-piece molded-plastic marker having an elongate body; a pair of opposite forked ends, and a pair of removable guards, each of the guards encircling one of the ends and having connection ends which connect the guard to the body, wherein the connection ends may be broken by exerting a bending force thereon to enable the guard to be removed.
US07972345B2	Surgical instrument A surgical instrument of the present invention comprises an insertion unit; an operating unit provided on one end of the insertion unit; a treatment unit provided so as to protrude from the other end of the insertion unit; a first shaft member for transmitting turning force to the treatment unit in conjunction with the turning operation of a turning operation member provided on the operating unit; and a second shaft member for transmitting opening/closing force to the treatment unit in conjunction with the opening/closing operation of an opening/closing member provided on the operating unit.
US07972337B2	Devices and methods for bone anchoring Embodiments of the invention relate generally to tissue anchors and methods of delivering same to the intervertebral disc or other sites within the body. In some embodiments, the anchors provide pull-out resistance, stability and/or maximize contact with tissue involving a minimum amount of penetration. In some embodiments, delivery methods are minimally invasive and include linear, lateral, and off-angle implantation or driving of anchors along, against or within tissue surfaces.
US07972331B2	Electrosurgical instrument with opposing jaws, central knife, and barbs for maintaining clamping tension on tissue even after opening jaws The invention concerns an electrosurgical instrument comprising two articulated limbs, which can be actuated in the manner of a cutting or a clamping tool. The instrument further comprises opposing electrode parts with coagulating surfaces at the distal ends of the limbs for grasping a vessel or tissue and for conducting a coagulating current through the vessel or tissue in order to cause it to coagulate, as well as current-supplying devices for supplying the coagulating current to the electrode parts from a HF generator. In addition, the electrode parts each have at least one clamping region, such that clamped tissue is pretensioned between the electrode parts in order that a cutting procedure can be carried out on the pretensioned tissue by means of a cutting instrument.
US07972322B2	Intravascular line and port cleaning methods, methods of administering an agent intravascularly, methods of obtaining/testing blood, and devices for performing such methods An intravascular port access device includes a first component having a chamber configured to attach reversibly to an intravenous line port. A second component reversibly attaches to the first component and contains a disinfecting agent and an applicator material. The second component is configured to be reversibly received over external surfaces of the intravenous line port. A method of cleansing an intravenous line port includes providing a port cleaning device having a first component with a chamber containing a first cleaning agent. A second component includes a second cleaning agent. A third component has a microbiocidal agent and is reversibly attached to the first component. The second component is removed from the device, the external surfaces of the port are contacted with the second cleaning agent, the first cleaning agent is ejected from the chamber into the port, and the third component is used to cap the port.
US07972320B2	Absorbent article with segmented belt A disposable diaper includes a chassis having a front waist region, a back waist region, and a crotch region between the waist regions. The chassis includes laterally opposing closed side edges defining its width, longitudinally opposing front and back waist end edges defining its length, an interior surface and an exterior surface, and including a water-impermneable backsheet. An absorbent assembly is attached to the chassis. A belt structure is disposed in the waist region of the chassis. The belt structure includes a first belt segment, a second belt segment and a third belt segment. The belt segments are disposed longitudinally with respect to each other and the coefficient of friction of at least a portion of one of the first belt segment and third belt segment is greater than the coefficient of friction of at least a portion of the second belt segment.
US07972318B2	Individually-packaged hygiene article and absorbent article provided therewith A package containing a hygiene article which opens in a way preventing the hygiene article from falling out unintentionally. Further, combined absorbent articles are disclosed, wherein a package comprising a hygiene article is joined to an individually-packaged absorbent article.
US07972317B2	Absorbent article The absorbent article provides a signal viewable from the top surface of the absorbent article which gives a perception of depth within the absorbent article. This creation of depth perception is accomplished by the use of at least two tones within a color and/or by the use of multiple tones and multiple colors operating together to create a perception of depth within the absorbent article.
US07972293B2	Nasal fluid relief plug A nasal plug for preventing excessive fluid discharge from a nasal passage includes a plug element fabricated from an absorbent material. The plug element has a size and configuration adapted and constructed to fit into a human nasal passage. A shaft portion extends from the plug element. The shaft portion is formed as an extension of the plug element and is fabricated from the same material as the plug element. A flexible sheathing is provided on the shaft portion.
US07972292B2	Methods and apparatus for deploying ureteral stents A ureteral decompression device comprises a guide member and an anchoring structure. The guide member may be introduced through the urethra and bladder into the ureter so that the anchor structure passes a lodged kidney stone. Once past the stone, the anchor structure can be compacted to anchor the guide member in place. The anchor structure will permit leakage and the guide member will provide a leakage path directly past the stone, thus decompressing the kidney.
US07972288B2	Medical bandage substrate, medical bandage, and medical bandaging product with low abrasion side edges, and method A medical bandaging product, including a sleeve formed of moisture-impervious material and sealable to prevent entry of moisture, and a medical material positioned in the sleeve and sealed therein against entry of moisture until use. The medical material is a substrate having two marginal areas of relatively lower modulus yarns and/or a more open knitted structure to provide reduced abrasion against the skin. A reactive system on the substrate remains stable when maintained in substantially moisture-free conditions and hardens upon exposure to sufficient moisture to form a rigid, self supporting structure. A soft, flexible protective material covers at least one of the major faces of the substrate along its length to provide a cushioning barrier between the substrate and the skin of a patient when the material is in use.
US07972282B2	Torque device for a medical guidewire A torque device for selectively gripping a medical guidewire. The device includes a housing, an actuator slidably mounted on the housing, and a resilient member biasing the actuator. A lumen dimensioned to receive the guidewire extends through the housing and actuator. The resilient member biases the actuator from a first position in which the lumen portions are aligned, toward a second position in which the lumen portions are misaligned. The actuator may include a catch that interferes with a stop of the housing to retain the actuator within the housing. The actuator may be oblong or otherwise shaped to maintain the lumen portions in substantial alignment in a longitudinal direction. Preferably, at least a portion of the lumen is teardrop-shaped in cross-section. The housing may include circumferentially or longitudinally extending ribs defining an outer grasping surface. Frusto-conical cavities may be defined at entry and exit ends of the lumen.
US07972280B2	Method and system for managing patient data The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for managing patient data. In one aspect, the invention relates to a system for managing patient data having many instruments. The instruments have a sampling member for sampling a body fluid from a patient and are in direct communication with at least one other instrument.
US07972275B2	Method and apparatus for monitoring of diastolic hemodynamics A cardiac rhythm management system provides for ambulatory monitoring of hemodynamic performance based on quantitative measurements of heart sound related parameters for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. Monitoring of such heart sound related parameters allows the cardiac rhythm management system to determine a need for delivering a therapy and/or therapy parameter adjustments based on conditions of a heart. This monitoring also allows a physician to observe or assess the hemodynamic performance for diagnosing and making therapeutic decisions. Because the conditions of the heart may fluctuate and may deteriorate significantly between physician visits, the ambulatory monitoring, performed on a continuous or periodic basis, ensures a prompt response by the cardiac rhythm management system that may save a life, prevent hospitalization, or prevent further deterioration of the heart.
US07972264B2	Plug body for endoscope An endoscope plug body comprises a plug frame, a lid member and a plug member and shuts off an inside of a treatment instrument insertion channel from an outside. The plug frame is provided with annular projection portions, a plug body destruction portion and a plug-frame destruction operation portion. A flange portion is arranged between the annular plug portions and fitted to a base of the endoscope. The plug body destruction portion and the plug-frame destruction operation portion releases the lock state by destruction. The plug frame is cylindrical and communicates with a pipe line disposed inside the endoscope. The lid member is separate from the plug frame and has a lid portion disposed at an opening at the other end of the plug frame. The plug member is separate from the plug frame, formed of an elastic member and has a plug-member treatment instrument insertion portion.
US07972262B2	Sling assembly with secure and convenient attachment A surgical assembly for treating fecal incontinence can include an elongate needle, a sling and a coupler to conveniently and securely connect the coupler to an insertion end of the needle by moving the coupler and insertion end of the needle together.
US07972261B2	Devices to resist migration and rotation of implants used in brachytherapy and other radiation therapy An anchor mechanism includes a sleeve to fit around a structure such as a radioactive source, a thermal ablation implant, a spacer, a strand or a radiopaque marker. The sleeve has a bore that extends an entire longitudinal length of the sleeve, and through which the structure fits, such that the structure can extend out from both longitudinal ends of the sleeve. One or more protrusion extends from an outer surface of the sleeve to engage surrounding patient tissue after implantation of the structure into a patient, to thereby reduce a tendency for the structure to migrate and rotate after implantation.
US07972259B2	Method and apparatus for real time dosimetry A method of determining the dose rate of a radiation source includes locating three or more detectors in the vicinity of the source. Each detector provides an output indicative of the amount of radiation received from the source and determining the location of the source from at least three of the detector outputs, wherein as many of the detector outputs is required to provide an acceptably accurate result are used in determining the location. Thus, the dose of radiation from the source can be determined from the determined location of the source and either a known activity of the source or a measure of the activity of the source determined by means of the detectors.
US07972254B2	Apparatus for inserting objects into a filter component of a smoking article, and associated method An apparatus for manufacturing a rod member for a cigarette filter element, is provided. Each rod member defines a longitudinal axis and includes a generally longitudinally-extending filter material and a plurality of objects disposed therein along the longitudinal axis. Such an apparatus comprises a rod-forming unit configured to form a continuous supply of a filter material into a continuous cylindrical rod member. An object insertion unit is configured to introduce a plurality of objects into engagement with the rod member. A rod-dividing unit is configured to divide the rod member into a plurality of rod portions such that each rod portion includes a plurality of the objects. Associated method are also provided.
US07972253B2	Pressure compensating device for a roller A pressure compensating device or arrangement for a roller arrangement which includes a central, non-rotating shaft provided with spaced apart bearings positioned adjacent opposite axial ends of the shaft and rotatably supporting at least one tubular roller segment, and where sealing arrangements are provided outside the bearings for sealing off the space inside the bearings and between the shaft and the roller segment towards the environment. The pressure compensating device includes a longitudinal bore extending from one end of the shaft and through at least a part thereof, with the bore communicating with the space between the sealing arrangements via channels. The bore is provided with a flexible member preventing direct communication between the exterior and the space between the sealing arrangements.
US07972241B2	Drive control device of an automatic gearbox for a motor vehicle and method therefor A drive control device of an automatic transmission of a vehicle. The transmission having a main oil pump driven by an internal combustion engine, an electrically driven auxiliary oil pump and a hydraulic control device; a device for determining the required volumetric flow rate needed to determine the oil/hydraulic target volumetric flow rate during current operating conditions, based on the transmission oil temperature; a device for determining the volumetric flow rate to determine the actual volumetric flow rate that can be delivered during the current operating conditions by the main and/or auxiliary oil pump, and a device for controlling the target volumetric flow rate to reduce the target volumetric flow rate to at least the currently deliverable actual volumetric flow rate, if the currently deliverable actual volumetric flow rate is below the current target volumetric flow rate.
US07972239B2	Dual pump design for hybrid electric automatic transmission A dual pump strategy for a hybrid electric automatic transmission necessitating one internal mechanically driven pump linked to the engine output shaft and an external fixed displacement pump powered by a brushless permanent magnet motor consisting of a controller with closed loop feedback control for operating such is disclosed. In neutral and electric drive mode, with the engine off, the flow demand for the transmission is sustained largely by the external pump.
US07972233B2	Bearing roller chain A bearing roller chain which is sealed by a seal mechanism which prevents entry of foreign substances from the outside and leakage of lubricating oil leakage from the inside to the outside, resulting in an improvement in wear resistance of the bearing roller and avoidance both of rotation failure of the roller and of increased traveling resistance of the chain. A seal mechanism is provided between an inner link plate of a bearing roller chain and a bearing roller assembly carried by the link plate. The bearing roller assembly is formed by a plurality of anti-friction rollers between a hollow roller and a bush. The seal mechanism comprises an inner annular oil seal member, a spacer and a disk-shaped seal member having a flange extended toward an outer side surface of the hollow roller loosely into an outer circumferential concave groove on an end surface of the hollow roller. The disk-shaped seal member slidably comes into close contact with the inner link plate and the spacer, respectively. The flange and concave groove form a labyrinth structure protecting the inner annular seal member from entry of foreign substances from the outside. The annular seal has a plurality of lips supplementing the labyrinth seal structure.
US07972232B2	Chain drive tensioner system with translating pivot point A chain drive tensioner system with translating pivot point is disclosed. The chain drive tensioner system with translating pivot point includes a chain drive tensioner assembly and a tensioner arm in operable communication with a chain. The chain drive tensioner assembly is in operable communication with the tensioner arm, and the tensioner assembly is moveable between a first tensioner position and a second tensioner position. The tensioner arm includes an internal gear and an external gear rotatably mounted within the internal gear, such that movement of the tensioner assembly from the first tensioner position to the second tensioner position along with concurrent rotation of the external gear within the internal gear is operable to move the tensioner arm laterally from a first position to a second position.
US07972231B2	Pulley assembly A pulley assembly having first and second members. The first member is capable of cooperating with a power transmission belt to drive/be driven by the belt. The first member is movable guidingly relative to the second member around a first axis. A coil spring has a length and a circumference and a first portion attached to the first member and a second portion attached to the second member so that a force tending to move the first/second member around the first axis is transmitted through the coil spring to the second/first member. At least one of the first and second members has a groove bounded by a surface into which the respective portion of the coil spring is fit. The respective portion of the coil spring is clamp fit within the groove.
US07972228B1	Lacrosse head pocket shaper and protection device A device for shaping and forming a lacrosse head pocket may comprise a bottom surface, a plurality of side surfaces that form a top surface, and a plurality of openings. The top surface may have a curved surface. The plurality of openings may be at opposite side surfaces of the plurality of side surfaces and the plurality of openings may extend through the opposite side surfaces.
US07972224B2	Athletic training sled apparatus A weight sled apparatus useful for strength training and simulating the resistance of an opponent during a blocking event has a tubular construction forming a U-shaped member having a pair of parallel legs which serve as runners. A weight bearing member affixed to and extending between the pair of runners allows mounting of removable mount weights on a horn projecting therefrom. A crossbar extending between the runner ends presents a rearward facing surface at least 8 inches above the plane of the runners against which force may be applied. An optional handlebar attachment presents a rearward facing surface against which force may applied in a range from 8 inches to 40 inches above the plane of the runners and normal thereto. The weight sled affords a trainee multiple force application surfaces near the center of gravity of the sled and at differing vertical heights, enabling a more realistic simulation of the resistance presented during a blocking event.
US07972222B2	Iron golf club heads and golf club sets with variable weight distribution Described herein are iron golf club heads and sets of iron golf clubs that have variable weight distribution. Each iron golf club head has a cavity and a groove with a raised portion disposed therein. The groove and the raised portion can deepen the center of mass depth and lengthen the effective face length of the iron golf club. The width of the groove may vary between each golf club in a set of iron golf clubs, such that the width of the groove of the long irons is greater that the width of the groove of the middle irons, and the width of the groove of the middle irons is greater than the width of the optional groove of the short irons. Other aspects, embodiments, and features are also claimed and discussed.
US07972206B2	Gaming machine and display device therefor A gaming machine capable of maintaining the interest of a player even when the gaming machine does not work normally. For, example, a slot machine (10) comprises a display device (30) for displaying an image, and an image state control unit for controlling the display device (30) to display an image relating to a game. The slot machine (10) may be characterized in that the image state control unit controls the display device into a predetermined state upon determination that an image signal relating to the image provided to the display device fails to satisfy a predetermined condition.
US07972201B2	Ruckers capable of rucking fixed diameter coverings and associated devices, methods, systems and computer program products Methods, apparatus and associated devices for rucking sleeves of covering material onto a chute body include a translating member disposed in a housing having an axis of movement configured to reciprocally translate a chute body about the axis of movement; and at least one gripping member disposed in the housing in cooperating alignment with the translating member. Each at least one gripping member has a gripping edge portion that defines a gripping surface. The at least one gripping member configured to reciprocally translate substantially orthogonal to the axis of movement. In operation, the at least one gripping member has an automated stroke cycle whereby the at least one gripping member is configured to travel inwardly a distance sufficient to snugly abut an outer surface of the chute body while the chute body travels in a first direction about the axis of movement and to travel outwardly a sufficient distance to prevent contact with the chute body while the chute body travels in a second opposing direction about the axis of movement.
US07972188B2	Trolling motor mount An apparatus for mounting a trolling motor to a watercraft includes a bracket, a coupling hinge, a lift arm, a cam mechanism, a collet, a resistance knob, a first bias spring and a second bias spring. The bracket is adapted to mount on a transom or a gunnel of the watercraft. The coupling hinge receives a shaft of the trolling motor therethrough and retains the trolling motor via the collet and resistance knob mounted thereon. The collet and knob can be selectively tightened or loosened about the shaft of the trolling motor. The bracket defines detents and an arcuate track in which a track follower portion of the coupling hinge can move. The movement of the coupling hinge along the bracket tilts the trolling motor between a stowed position and a deployed position. The lift arm is pivotally coupled to the coupling hinge and carries a locking pin. The lift arm is biased by the first bias spring such that the locking pin engages the detents. The cam mechanism is pivotally coupled to the bracket and is biased by the second bias spring to disengage the locking pin from a lower portion of the detents.
US07972179B2	Contact terminal and connector A contact terminal for coming into electric contact with a mating terminal of a mating component, the contact terminal includes a rotating member including protrusions on the surface, the rotating member rotates with an advance of the mating terminal, and a spring member that rotatably supports the rotating member and asserts the rotating member against the advancing mating terminal.
US07972171B2	Card edge connector A card edge connector comprises a pair of mount members attached to the bottom of the insulating housing thereof. Each mount member comprises a body portion, at least one fitting nail connected to the body portion and configured to be disposed transversely for being soldered on a printed circuit board, and a tab portion connecting to the body portion and configured to be freely insertable into an aperture formed on the printed circuit board.
US07972169B1	Passive electrical component with a body with I/O structure including ground at two opposite corners of the body The present invention is directed to a corner interconnect component which is a passive filter component. The corner interconnect component includes a body portion having an input structure located at a first corner of the component for receiving an input. At a second corner of the component, diagonally opposite the first corner, the component further includes an output structure for providing an output. The corner interconnect component further includes a conducting portion which is connected to the first and second corners of the body structure. The corner interconnect component is configured such that a plurality of the corner interconnect components may be implemented in a corner-to-corner configuration in a filter structure.
US07972167B2	Electrical connector with a flexible blade-shaped housing with a handle with an opening The flexible electrical connector is designed to facilitate electrical connections between a power receiving device, such as an at least partially electric vehicle, and a power supplying device, such as an electric vehicle charging station. The flexible electrical connector has a blade shaped housing attached to a power cord that extends to the power supplying device. The blade shaped housing has a substantially rigid end portion with an electrical interface configured to detachably mate with a corresponding electrical interface on the power receiving device. The blade shaped housing also has a handle portion made of a substantially flexible material such which is configured to flex about the rigid end portion along an arc in a single plane. As such, the flexible handle can absorb impacts it receives rather than transferring them to the rigid and breakable electrical interface components.
US07972164B2	Connector assembly with a latch A connector assembly includes a receptacle connector including a receptacle connector housing having an interior cavity. The receptacle connector includes a latch element extending within the interior cavity of the receptacle housing. The receptacle housing holds a receptacle connector contact. The connector assembly also includes a plug connector having a plug connector housing engaged with the receptacle connector housing. The plug connector housing holds a plug connector contact. The plug connector contact is engaged with the receptacle connector contact. The plug connector includes a latch arm extending outwardly from the plug connector housing. The latch arm includes a latch member received within the interior cavity of the receptacle connector housing. The latch member is engaged with the latch element of the receptacle connector entirely within the interior cavity of the receptacle connector housing.
US07972163B2	Electrical connector having latching mechanism An electrical connector includes a plurality of pins, an isolation body and a latching mechanism. The isolation body includes a receiving part. The receiving part is arranged at a front edge of the isolation body and has a first engaging element. The latching mechanism has a second engaging element engaged with the first engaging element, so that the latching mechanism is fixed onto the isolation body.
US07972161B2	Connector with free spinning nut to engage with plug housing and angled housing A connector includes a plug housing configured to engage with a socket. A free spinning nut of the connector is disposed between the plug housing and an angled housing. The free spinning nut includes a first end portion configured to engage with the angled housing and a second end portion configured to engage with the plug housing.
US07972154B2	Rotatable feed Implementations of the invention relate generally to an electrical feed, in particular a CEE feed, for the external supply of electrical power to the power supply system of a mobile load, in particular a mobile home or a recreational vehicle or a boat. This feed can include a) a flange for attaching the feed to and/or in a wall of the mobile load, and b) at least one feed connector for making electrical contact with a coupling, in particular a CEE coupling. Implementations of the invention can make provision for the feed connector to be arranged in the flange in a rotatable manner.
US07972152B1	Power socket device having rotation-operated switch function A power socket device having a rotation-operated switch function is disclosed, and has a housing, a first conductive frame, a second conductive frame and a plurality of socket units. The housing has recesses, each of which is installed with a socket plate having terminal slots. The first and second conductive frames are mounted in the housing. The socket unit is rotatably installed in the recess and corresponding to the socket plate. The socket unit has a socket housing, an insulating body and terminals. Each of the terminals has one end passing through one of the terminal slots to be in contact with or separated from the first and second conductive frame. Thus, the socket units can be rotated to switch on or off without unplugging the power socket device, so that the operation of the power socket device is relatively simple and labor-saving.
US07972147B2	Connector apparatus A connector apparatus is provided having a first connector including a first contact part with first and second contact terminals connected by a first connection part and a space therebetween, the second contact terminal being bent such that the space between the first and second contact terminals becomes narrower, a second connector engageable to the first connector and including a second contact part with third and fourth contact terminals connected by a second connection part and a space therebetween, the fourth contact terminal being bent such that the space between the third and fourth contact terminals becomes wider. When the first and second connectors are engaged, the first and second contact parts are connected having the third and fourth connection terminals sandwiched between the first and second connection terminals, having the first contact terminal contact the fourth contact terminal, and having the second contact terminal contact the third contact terminal.
US07972137B2	Anti-microbial dental formulations for the prevention and treatment of oral mucosal disease Compositions and methods are directed to antimicrobial compositions and articles that release ●NO from the composition and/or article in an amount effective to prevent gingival and other oral mucosal diseases.
US07972136B2	Oral irrigation and/or brushing devices and/or methods An oral hygiene device having, in one embodiment, a unique, peristaltic pump water streaming or jet action; and in another embodiment, a multi-headed toothbrush may also be disposed on the end of a handle on which the jet nozzle or nozzles are disposed.
US07972131B2	Plastification and injection unit with back-flow barrier A plastification and injection unit in injection-molding machines for processing of polymer materials, for example rubber, has a plastification screw that is disposed so as to rotate in a screw cylinder, which simultaneously represents the injection piston. The screw cylinder is disposed in an injection cylinder, in an axially displaceable manner. The injection cylinder can be connected with the sprue channel of an injection-molding die by way of a nozzle, and the injection piston has a back-flow barrier. The screw is axially displaceable in the screw cylinder by means of a separate drive. The screw tip projects out of the screw cylinder and has a closure body having a sealing surface for contact with the face surface of the screw cylinder.
US07972129B2	Compound tooling system for molding applications A compound mold or tooling system is designed to provide an alternative to conventional, expensive, metal molds for various plastics molding applications. The compound mold comprises a replaceable thin-walled liner, or skin-mold, defining the mold surface, temporarily bonded by vacuum means or mechanical means to a conforming backing-mold mold body supported by a rigid backing-plate. Both skin- and backing-molds are composed of suitable polymers with or without additives, fillers, reinforcements or other inclusions depending on mold requirements. The backing-plate contains standard features and fixtures common to all molds used in the particular process or of a particular geometry.
US07972124B2	Piezoelectric micro-blower A blower body is provided with a first wall and a second wall, and openings are provided in the walls at positions facing the approximate center of a diaphragm. An inflow passage that allows the openings to communicate with the outside is arranged between the two walls. When the diaphragm is vibrated in response to a voltage applied to a piezoelectric element, the first wall vibrates near the opening and sucks in air from the inflow passage so that the air can be ejected from the opening. A plurality of branch passages which provide sound absorption are connected to an intermediate section of the inflow passage so as to prevent noise generated near the opening from leaking from an inlet.
US07972117B1	Pump control system for submersible pumps A pump control system for a submersible pump is provided. The system includes a pump controller adapted to activate the pump when water has reached a high threshold level and to deactivate the pump when water has dropped to a low threshold level. The pump controller also incorporates one or more sensing devices that are capable of detecting the presence of a non-conductive fluid in water so that the pump can be deactivated if oil is detected in water. The system further includes an auxiliary control device which is adapted to automatically override the pump controller and de-energizes the pump if the pump remains activated when water drops to a level below the low threshold level.
US07972114B2	Composite blade root structure A spar of a rotor blade having moderate depth transitions to a relatively much deeper shank over a relatively short distance. This rapid transition enables a low-weight blade root that is structurally efficient, offers a high moment capability, and enables high Mach number axial flow. A transition could advantageously reduce section depth by at least 15%, 20%, 30%, or even 40% over at most 5%, 6%, 10%, or 12% of a total length of the rotor blade. Such a transition could advantageously be accomplished using a cuff, which has interfaces with each of the spar and the shank. The rotor blade shank has a generally circular cross-section which allows for a rotary attachment to a hub, where the attachment may advantageously comprise a mechanical or elastomeric bearing. Preferred embodiments have a spar with a generally rectangular cross-section.
US07972112B2	Systems and methods for determining the angular position of a wind turbine rotor Certain embodiments of the invention may include systems and methods for determining an angular position of a wind turbine rotor. According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the method for determining an angular position of a wind turbine may include measuring tangential acceleration and radial acceleration of the rotor, measuring speed of the rotor, determining rotational tangential acceleration of the rotor based at least in part on the change of rotor speed over time, determining rotational radial acceleration based at least in part on the rotor speed, adjusting the measured tangential acceleration based at least in part on the determined rotational tangential acceleration, adjusting the measured radial acceleration based at least in part on the determined rotational radial acceleration, and determining an angular position of the rotor based at least on the adjusted tangential acceleration and the adjusted radial acceleration.
US07972109B2	Methods and apparatus for fabricating a fan assembly for use with turbine engines A method for fabricating a fan assembly is provided, wherein the method includes providing a rotor having a plurality of rotor blades. At least one rotor blade is fabricated from a frangible material. The method also includes coupling a casing substantially circumferentially about the rotor, and positioning the casing a distance from the plurality of rotor blades. The distance is selected to facilitate increasing an amount of initial resistance created between the casing and the plurality of rotor blades after a bladeout.
US07972106B2	Protection device for a turbine stator Protection device (10) for a stator of a gas turbine of the type comprising a series of sectors (12) constrained to each other by connection means, each sector (12) has at least one cavity (14) having a bottom (15), in correspondence with at least one cavity (14), a corresponding sheet (20) equipped with a series of pass-through holes (21) and suitable for covering at least one cavity (14) is fixed on an outer surface of the relative sector (12), each sector (12) is cooled by means of a stream of air coming from the pass-through holes (21) of the corresponding sheet (20) which is passed on the bottom (15) and discharged from at least one outlet hole, the bottom (15) of each sector (12) comprises a series of protuberances (30) to increase the thermal exchange surface and increase the cooling efficiency of the protection device (10).
US07972105B2	Turbine anti-rotating stall schedule A method of starting up a turbine with a compressor have an inlet guide vane, a number of bleed valves, and a number of blades so as to limit the duration in a rotating stall window. The method may include starting rotation of the blades, increasing the speed of the rotation of the blades, closing one or more bleed valves so as to shift the rotating stall window to a higher rotational speed, partially opening the inlet guide vane to a position outside the rotating stall window, and opening the bleed valves while partially closing the inlet guide vane such that the number of blades pass through the rotating stall window.
US07972103B2	Apparatus for transferring settled or suspended solids from an open vessel into a closed vessel Apparatus for transferring settled or suspended solids from an open vessel into a closed vessel, the apparatus comprising a suction line which extends from the closed vessel to the open vessel via drive means, such as a pump or compressor, and a solids feed line which extends from a solids outlet in the open vessel to a solids inlet in the closed vessel, a fluidising apparatus being provided to fluidise the solids in the open vessel.
US07972100B2	Three piece garage hook In one aspect, a holder mountable to a friable substrate may include a self-drilling drywall fastener, a wall engaging base plate having an opening for receiving a fastener, and at least one leg extending from the base plate for holding an object. In another aspect, a holder may include a self-drilling drywall fastener having a drilling portion longer than a drywall thickness followed by a high-threaded portion, a wall engaging base plate, and at least one leg for holding an object. In still another aspect, a holder may include a self-drilling drywall fastener having a screw-like drilling portion longer than a drywall thickness followed by a high-threaded portion, a drywall engaging base plate having a recess for receiving a rotary driver and a pair of openings each capable of receiving a threaded drywall fastener and engaging threads thereof.
US07972097B2	Rigid tapping feedback assembly for a milling machine This invention is related to a rigid tapping feedback assembly that is adapted to being retrofit on a milling machine having a spindle with a spindle end extending beyond a bearing cap and an automated drive. In embodiments, the assembly comprising a housing, spindle-pulley adapter that is drivably engaged with the spindle end, pulley assembly, shaft assembly, housing cover plate, and rotary encoder. The housing mounts to the bearing cap and holds the shaft assembly in substantially parallel-spaced alignment with the spindle-pulley adapter. The pulley assembly mechanically links the spindle-pulley adapter and the shaft assembly, typically utilizing pulleys and a timing belt. The housing cover plate mounts to the housing enclosing the assembly components above and supporting the rotary encoder in substantial axial alignment with the shaft assembly. In operation, the rotary encoder senses spindle rotational speed spindle and provides feedback to the automated drive to control downward movement of the spindle.
US07972083B2	Pile driving A system for aligning a pile during pile driving, comprising: a pile (16) having a laterally protruding coupling (20) for a tether; and a pile guide (10) for supporting the pile as it is driven into a substrate, comprising a base frame (12) and a pile guide member (14) mounted on the base frame (12), the pile guide member (14) having in its periphery a slot (24) which is configured to allow the laterally protruding coupling (20) to pass therealong as the pile (16) passes through the pile guide; wherein the pile and pile guide member comprise two pairs of slidably interfitting profiles (52, 86) which are configured to resist gaping in the slot (24) of the pile guide member (14) as the pile (16) is driven therethrough into the substrate.
US07972073B2	Cosmetic product distributor applicator The mascara distributor applicator (1) includes: a) a container (3) including a neck (7) threaded externally and a chamber (5) extending in an axial direction with a side wall (6), b) an applicator (8) including a head (9) threaded internally so as to cooperate with the neck by screwing to ensure a sealed closing of the container, a stem (10) attached by its upper extremity to the head and by its lower extremity to a means of application (11). The applicator also includes: c) a hollow outer envelope (21) with at least one opening (28) and at the inside of which the container is fixed in a removable way and d) a hollowed-out cover with at least one opening (25) and inside which the applicator of the cosmetic product is fixed in a removable way.
US07972067B2	Fiber optic connector assembly A fiber optic connector assembly includes a coupling interface component, a connector housing, and an optical fiber connector. The coupling interface component extends along a center axis from a back end to a coupling end and includes an interior chamber. The connector housing is disposed within the interior chamber of the coupling interface component. The optical fiber connector is joined to an optical fiber and is interconnected with the connector housing. The optical fiber connector is configured to optically couple the optical fiber with a mating connector. The coupling interface component engages the connector housing and the mating connector and prevents movement of the connector housing relative to the coupling interface component and the mating connector.
US07972065B2	Hydrodynamic bearing device, spindle motor, and recording and reproducing apparatus equipped with same A hydrodynamic bearing device includes a sleeve having a bearing hole, a shaft, and a flange cover. The shaft is disposed in the bearing hole of the sleeve in a state of being capable of relative rotation, and has a large diameter flange portion. The flange cover is disposed opposite the bottom surface of the flange portion. A bubble suppression portion, which is formed as a recess on the bottom surface of the shaft, communicates with the upper surface of the flange portion through a communicating hole in the flange portion. This provides a hydrodynamic bearing device with which negative pressure is prevented from being generated in the bearing even when it is subjected to impact or vibration, and durability and reliability can be enhanced, as well as a spindle motor and a recording and reproducing apparatus equipped with this hydrodynamic bearing device.
US07972062B2	Optical positioner design in X-ray analyzer for coaxial micro-viewing and analysis An X-ray analyzer includes a sample stage for holding and positioning a sample and an optical positioner assembly configured above the sample stage. The optical positioner assembly includes a body member having an opening; an optical positioner located within the opening; and at least one X-ray optic and an optical viewing lens coupled to a first camera. The at least one X-ray optic and the optical viewing lens are secured to the optical positioner. The optical positioner is configured to align one of the at least one X-ray optic and the optic viewing lens normal to the sample on the sample stage such that the sample is irradiated with X-rays through the X-ray optic along a path which is normal to the sample and coaxial with the optic viewing lens receiving light reflected from the sample when the optic viewing lens is positioned normal to the sample.
US07972052B2	Backlight unit A backlight unit including a light guide panel which has opposite upper and lower faces, and guides light, introduced into an inside thereof, between the upper and lower faces through internal reflection, and a prism sheet which collects and transmits the light, introduced from the light guide panel, and has, on its surface, a plurality of prism patterns, each having a first main inclined face, to which light introduced from the light guide panel is incident, a second main inclined face having a curvature or a plane which reflects light incident from the first main inclined face, and two auxiliary inclined faces which are opposite to each other between the first and second main inclined faces, and define a side face of the prism pattern.
US07972050B2	Display apparatus having right-hand and left-hand illumination units The invention relates to a display apparatus with a display unit, having means for background lighting at the back of the display apparatus. According to the invention, the means for background lighting comprise two illumination units being provided at the right-hand and left-hand of the display apparatus, said illumination units being formed as substantially vertically positioned, longitudinal light guides comprising means for coupling out light, each of the light guides being provided on at least one of its ends with a light source. The light sources preferably comprise coloured LEDs.
US07972041B2	Light emitting diode package and light guide pipe and backlight module and liquid crystal display device using the same A light emitting diode (LED) package includes a base, a body and several LED chips. The body having an end surface is disposed on the base. A peripheral recess is formed in the end surface. The LED chips are disposed on a bottom of the peripheral recess for providing sidelight of the LED package. The LED package is connectable to a light guide pipe including a column having an external circumferential surface and an internal reflection surface, and a plurality of prism structures disposed between or on at least one of the external circumferential surface and the internal reflection surface for scattering light received by the light guide pipe from the LED package.
US07972037B2	High intensity replaceable light emitting diode module and array A light fixture, comprising a matrix, a plurality of electrical sockets fixedly secured to the matrix and forming a rigid matrix of electrical sockets electrically interconnected in two dimensions. One or more light emitting diode modules are individually removable and replaceable within any individual electrical socket within the matrix. Each individual light emitting diode module includes a base and a light emitting diode, wherein the base is configured and arranged for fitted electrical engagement within the electrical socket.
US07972033B2	Indicator light An indicator light (10) is provided. The indicator light (10) includes a body section (11), a cover section (12) detachably mounted on the body section (11), a printed circuit board (14) received in the body section (11) and a lamp (13) electrically connected to the printed circuit board (14). The lamp (13) faces the cover section (12) guiding lights from the lamp (13) to the body section (11).
US07972028B2	System, method and tool for optimizing generation of high CRI white light, and an optimized combination of light emitting diodes The present invention relates to a system, method and tool for optimizing combination of Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs), and to an optimized combination of LEDs. The system and method provide a plurality of LEDs and corresponding specifications. Then, a color temperature and a color rendering index are selected. Calculations are performed for subgroups of LEDs. At least one optimized combination of LEDs having an optimized corresponding luminous flux is identified according to selected color temperature, color rendering index and LEDs' specifications. In another aspect, the present invention relates to a tool for optimizing white light generated by a combination of LEDs. The tool comprises a repository for storing specifications for the combination of LEDs, a selection module for selecting at least one of the following parameters: a color temperature, a color rendering index and a maximum shift variance from a black body locus, and a processing module for calculating for subgroups of LEDs resulting color temperature, color rendering index, luminous flux, and for identifying an optimized selection of LEDs. The present invention also relates to an optimized combination of LEDs for producing white light with high color rendering index, the combination of LEDs excluding blue LEDs.
US07972027B1	Illuminated door The invention is a light kit that attaches to the interior portion of garage door panels in order to illuminate the garage when either the garage door is open or closed. The kit includes a plurality of lights with corresponding mounting brackets, a watt reducer, lighting box, and a spring-loaded electrical wiring system.
US07972017B2	Optical element having a diffractive layer and a relief pattern with concave and convex portions An optical element, includes: a diffractive functional layer which diffracts at least part of incident light; and a grid formed on a first surface of the diffractive functional layer, the grid including a plurality of fine wires and having a polarization separation function; wherein the optical element reflects a part of the incident light while transmitting another part of the incident light, the first surface of the diffractive functional layer including: a plurality of first regions; a plurality of second regions, a height thereof relative to a second surface of the diffractive functional layer being different from that of the first regions, the second surface being an opposite surface to the first surface; and a step provided at a border between the first regions and the second regions.
US07972014B2	Scanning projection apparatus with phase detection and compensation A scanning projection apparatus for displaying image comprises a light source for generating a light beam, a beam scanner which deflects the light beam to project a two dimensional image field, a modulation means for modulating the intensity of the light beam, and a sensor to detect the scanned light beam. The light source may consist of a plurality of semiconductor lasers and/or solid state lasers to generate light beams with wavelengths of red, green and blue colors aligned into a single light path. The image field is divided into an active image field for displaying image and a dark field in the perimeter of the image field wherein the light beam is switched off to reduce inherent image defects. The sensor is positioned outside the active image field to detect a scan line once per image frame to eliminate image distortion due to phase difference between the actual and the predicted positions of the scanned beam, and to detect both the horizontal and the vertical scanning operations of the beam scanner for safety precaution.
US07972013B2	Light source having a holding unit with air supply port for cooling air and projector A light source includes an arc tube which emits light, a reflector which reflects the light emitted from the arc tube, and a holding unit which holds the reflector. The holding unit has an air supply port through which cooling air is introduced into the light source on the light emitting side of the arc tube, and a first rectifying portion which guides cooling air having been supplied from the air supply port and passed through the light emitting side of the arc tube toward an area above the arc tube.
US07972010B2	Projector for projecting an image from a plurality of projectors A projector that includes: a projector body including an image optical system for image creation and projection, and an image circuit that operates the image optical system; an auxiliary input unit that forms an auxiliary signal for exercising control over an operating state of the projector body; and a distribution unit that transfers the auxiliary signal formed by the auxiliary input unit to the image circuit and an external display unit.
US07971993B2	Lens fixing method for rimless eyeglasses, and rimless eyeglasses using the same Rimless eyeglasses are provided that allow a lens to be fixed to a connector only by fitting the lens into the connector, and that also enable strong engagement between the lens and the connector. Rimless eyeglasses include a rimless lens, a bridge, and a connector that is provided at the tip of a temple. The rimless lens has an inwardly extending notch near upper left and right ends thereof. The bridge and the connector have a groove having a C-shaped longitudinal cross section and extending between top and bottom surfaces thereof. The notches of the rimless lens engage with the grooves of the bridge and the connector.
US07971990B2	Transported medium transporting apparatus and recording apparatus A transported medium transporting apparatus includes a transported medium transporting device and at least one pressing driven roller. The transported medium transporting device transports a transported medium in a predetermined transportation direction. The pressing driven roller is driven so that the pressing driven roller contacts one surface of the transported medium, which is transported by the transported medium transporting device. The pressing driven roller includes a rotary body and a shaft portion, both of which are made of elastic synthetic resin and formed integrally with each other. A plurality of protrusions are formed on the rotary body at regular intervals in a circumferential direction of the rotary body. The shaft portion rotatably supports the rotary body so that the rotary body can be driven. The pressing driven roller has a shape such that the rotary body contacts the transported medium with a predetermined pressing force owing to an elastic force of the shaft portion.
US07971988B2	Image forming apparatus In a state that a termination edge of a recording medium aligns with a termination edge of a region opposing a recording head (nozzle surface), a sticking force acting on the recording medium is set to be at least equal to or greater than the weight of a part (a portion having a length) of the recording medium protruding from a separation start position toward the downstream side in a conveying direction.
US07971979B2	High-speed phase change ink image producing machine including a static eliminating solid ink container An image producing machine including (a) an imaging member having a surface; (b) a printhead for forming an image onto the imaging surface; (c) a substrate supply system for feeding substrates to receive the formed image; and (d) a static eliminating container that includes a closed end; an open end; at least one cylindrical member having an interior surface defining a chamber for containing a quantity of solid phase-change ink pastilles. The static eliminating apparatus includes (i) a conductive interior portion for contacting the quantity of solid phase change ink pastilles being contained and moved therein; (ii) a groundable conductive exterior portion; and (iii) a conductive connector for connecting the conductive interior portion to the groundable conductive exterior portion, thereby enabling dissipation of static build up from frictionally moving the quantity of solid phase-change ink pastilles within the interior chamber.
US07971973B2	Electrical connection structure, liquid ejection head, method of manufacturing same, and image forming apparatus The electrical connection structure includes: a first substrate which has a first electrode part; a second substrate which has a second electrode part opposing the first electrode part, and a wiring pattern connected to the second electrode part; an insulating cavity substrate which is disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate and has a through hole in a position corresponding to the first electrode part, the through hole being deeper that a sum of a height of the first electrode part and a height of the second electrode part and having an opening surface area not smaller that an area of the first electrode part; and conductive material which is filled in the through hole.
US07971970B2	Ink ejection device with circular chamber and concentric heater element An ink drop ejection device with a bubble forming chamber for holding an ejectable liquid, a nozzle in fluid communication with the bubble forming chamber, and at least one heater element in the bubble forming chamber for thermal contact with the bubble forming liquid. Heating the heater element to a temperature above the boiling point of the bubble forming liquid forms a gas bubble to eject a drop of the ejectable liquid through the nozzle. The bubble forming chamber has a circular cross section and the heater element has arcuate sections that are concentric with the circular cross section.
US07971968B2	Printhead nozzle arrangement having variable volume nozzle chamber A printhead has a plurality of nozzle arrangements. Each arrangement includes a substrate defining an ink inlet aperture with a wall portion bounding the ink inlet aperture and a crown portion defining a nozzle opening; a skirt portion depending from the crown portion to form part of a peripheral wall of the nozzle assembly, the crown and skirt portions being displaceable with respect to the wall portion towards the substrate to alter a volume of a nozzle chamber defined by the wall, crown and skirt portions; and a thermal actuator interconnecting the crown and skirt portions with the substrate, the actuator for displacing the crown and skirt portions. The wall portion and skirt portions are configured to define a fluidic seal to inhibit the egress of ink during such displacement. The substrate further includes a layer of micro-electromechanical drive circuitry for actuating the actuator. The actuator has a first active beam arranged above a second passive beam, the beams fabricated from a conductive ceramic material with an electrical connection between the active beam and the drive circuitry established via conductive pads.
US07971966B2	Ink jet recording head An ink jet recording head includes a recording element substrate having an energy generating member for generating energy in accordance with an electric signal, and an electrode portion for receiving the electric signal to be supplied to the energy generating member; an electric line member including an opening in which the recording element substrate is contained, an electric line extending toward an inside of the opening and connected to the electrode portion, an inclined electric wiring extending in a direction crossing with the electric line and contacted to the recording element substrate. The electric line member is disposed above a surface, having the electrode, of the recording element substrate, wherein the inclined member extends in a direction of an arrangement of a plurality of such electric lines, and constitutes an inclined surface descending from the electric wiring toward the surface of the recording element substrate.
US07971963B2	Liquid discharge method and liquid discharge head A liquid discharge method of a liquid discharge head having a discharge port which discharges a liquid, a channel which communicates with the discharge port and an energy generation unit which is disposed opposite to the discharge port and which generates energy for use in discharging the liquid. The method includes driving the energy generation unit, and then connecting a tip portion of the liquid discharged from the discharge port to the liquid at the discharge port via at least two liquid columns, and cutting the at least two liquid columns to separate the tip portion of the liquid from the liquid at the discharge port.
US07971958B2	Inkjet printer with maintenance assembly having non-absorbent roller An inkjet printer having a printhead maintenance assembly for maintaining a printhead in an operable condition. The maintenance assembly comprises a maintenance roller having an elastically-deformable non-absorbent contact surface for sealing engagement with an ink ejection face of the printhead. An engagement mechanism moves the roller between a first position in which the contact surface is sealingly engaged with the face and a second position in which the contact surface is disengaged from the face.
US07971949B2	Printer controller for correction of rotationally displaced printhead A printer controller is provided for supplying ejection data to a printhead mounted to a carrier and having a plurality of ejection nozzles. The printer controller is configured to determine a rotational displacement of the printhead relative to the carrier, determine a correction factor at least partially based on a thickness of media being printed on so as to at least partially compensate for the determined rotational displacement, and alter the supply of the ejection data based on the correction factor.
US07971948B2	Liquid jet apparatus and printing apparatus A liquid jet apparatus of the invention includes a drive waveform generator that generates a drive waveform signal, a modulator that pulse-modulates the drive waveform signal so as to produce a modulated signal, a digital power amplification circuit that amplifies the power of the modulated signal so as to produce an amplified digital signal, and a low pass filter that smoothes the amplified digital signal so as to produce a drive signal. The digital power amplification circuit includes multiple stages of digital power amplifiers each including a pair of switching elements that are push-pull-connected. The amplified digital signal is a multi-value signal that reaches a larger number of steps of electric potentials than the number of digital power amplifiers.
US07971947B2	Systems and methods for remanufacturing imaging components An ink jet remanufacturing chip verifier for new ink jet chips attached to remanufactured ink jet cartridges includes a controller for verifying during the process of remanufacturing the ink jet cartridges: if the new ink jet chips attached to the remanufactured ink jet cartridges are new ink jet chips, if the new ink jet chips attached to the remanufactured ink jet cartridges were manufactured by a predetermined manufacturer of new ink jet chips, if the new ink jet chips attached to the remanufactured ink jet cartridges are functional, and if the new ink jet chips attached to the remanufacture ink jet cartridges are a predetermined type of new ink jet chip; the controller for rejecting during the process of remanufacturing the ink jet cartridges: ink jet chips attached to remanufactured ink jet cartridges which have been previously used, ink jet chips attached to remanufactured ink jet cartridges which produced by manufacturers other than the predetermined manufacturer of inkjet chips, inkjet chips attached to remanufactured inkjet cartridges which are not functional, inkjet chips attached to remanufactured inkjet cartridges which are not a predetermined type of new inkjet chips; and a user interface for communicating the verification or rejection of the new ink jet chips from the controller during the process of remanufacturing.
US07971944B2	Mounting for an extension piece of a tall cabinet A mounting for an extension piece of a tall cabinet comprising a front furniture piece (5) which is attached to a vertical, central, strong frame (1). The height of the frame (1) is adjusted on the lower telescopic rail (2) by means of two height-adjustable screws (4) and is locked by means of a locking bolt (11) which is elastically guided in a horizontal manner in the lower frame segment (10).
US07971942B2	Trailer brake system A trailer brake system constructed and arranged to effect the relay of a brake signal from the tractor and an automatically generated brake signal of an electronic control device of the trailer to one or more additional trailers in an expanded vehicle train. In one embodiment, the brake signal is relayed to an additional coupled trailer in the form of an electrical signal via an electrical interface. In another embodiment, the brake signal is relayed to an additional trailer by means of a valve device. In yet another embodiment, the brake signal is relayed to an additional trailer by means of a combination of electrical signal transmission and valve device.
US07971925B2	Air deflector An air deflector adapted to be attached to the upper windshield crossbeam of a convertible vehicle. The air deflector includes a top surface, a front portion, an outer side portion, an inner side portion and a rear wing portion. The rear wing portion extends upwards from the top surface. The air deflector may further include a locking device adapted to lock the air deflector in the locking arrangement for the retractable top.
US07971918B2	Extendable sleeper and method of operation Embodiments described herein relate to extendable sleepers for a tractor and methods of operating such a sleeper. In one embodiment, the tractor is connectable with a trailer. The trailer has a front surface. The extendable sleeper comprises a fixed portion disposed on the tractor, an extendable portion attached to the fixed portion, the extendable portion being movable between a retracted position and an extended position, and a mover operatively connected with the extendable portion for moving the extendable portion between a retracted position and an extended position. A control system is operatively connected with the mover for controlling operation of the mover. The control system operates in an extension mode where position of the extendable member is adjustable, a teach mode where a significant location of the extendable member is programmed into the control system, and an automatic mode where position of the extendable member is maintained.
US07971917B2	Apparatus for an automatic casing stabbing arm The apparatus for an automated drill pipe casing stabbing arm includes a telescopic tube assembly, a movable roller bracket assembly, a movable arm assembly, a mounting assembly, an apparatus actuator, and a PLC portable remote control device. An actuator mechanism positions the gripping arm assembly and the roller bracket assemble relative to one another in order to capture and grip the casing therebetween to support and grip the casing on the circumference thereof from opposing diametric sides. The automated stabbing arm is installed on a rig's mast or derrick. In a working position, the apparatus is oriented horizontally to provide radial support and guidance to the casing. A rig worker on the rig floor controls the apparatus by the portable remote control device.
US07971916B2	Reconfigurable robotic end-effectors for material handling A tool module associated with an end-effector for a robot arm that includes both linear and rotational locking mechanisms providing movement in five degrees of freedom. The tool module includes an integrated locking assembly that includes a linear locking mechanism and a rotary locking mechanism that are simultaneously locked and unlocked. The linear locking mechanism locks to a rod and the rotary locking mechanism locks and unlocks a shaft that is rigidly coupled to a swing arm. An opposite end of the swing arm includes another linear locking mechanism that locks and unlocks a shaft supporting a vacuum cup at an opposite end. The vacuum cup is mounted to a ball joint on the shaft that allows the vacuum cup to pivot. By locking and unlocking the locking mechanisms of the tool module, the end-effector can be readily configured to grasp and hold various parts of different dimensions and shapes.
US07971913B2	Door handle device for vehicle A base member is fixed to a rear surface of a door panel for a vehicle. A grip member is supported on the base member in a tiltable manner. The grip member is arranged on the base member from a front surface of the door panel. A pivot shaft is arranged on the grip member. A shaft supporting member supports the pivot shaft with respect to the base member so that the pivot shaft can pivot relative to the base member. As a result, the grip member is ensurely prevented from becoming loose with respect to the base member in a longitudinal direction of the grip member.
US07971906B2	Device facilitating control of the weighting of an agricultural tractor and for improving its productivity Device for facilitating the control of the weighting of an agricultural tractor and for improving its productivity, includes a support member (A) designed to run transversely to the direction of travel of the tractor, this support member having a central part with a member (B) for coupling to a front or rear three-point lift of the tractor and, on each side of this central part, a lateral extension (Aa, Ab) equipped with a unit of attachment (Ea, Eb) of a weight, a load or a tool.
US07971904B2	Rollover protection system A rollover protection system for an off road vehicle includes a pair of lower legs, each lower leg having an arced portion and a horizontal portion connected to the vehicle frame. The upper section of the rollover protection system is pivotably connected to the lower legs, so that it may pivot to a lowered position in which the upper section fits around the rear mounted engine and is within the rear dimensions of the vehicle.
US07971888B2	Suspension system for vehicle A suspension system for a vehicle may include a torsion beam disposed along width direction of the vehicle and including an attaching portion formed to an end portion thereof, a trailing arm disposed to the attaching portion of the torsion beam and aligned along length direction of the vehicle, wherein one end portion of the trailing arm is coupled to a wheel and the other end portion of the trailing arm is connected to a vehicle body, and a stiffener connecting the attaching portion of the torsion beam and the trailing arm disposed between the stiffener and the attaching portion of the torsion beam.
US07971886B2	Steering for towed implements An implement includes a caster wheel pivotally attached to the implement to support the implement for movement. A steering link is engaged with the caster wheel, and an actuator is operative to move the steering link from a neutral position to a controlling position. When the steering link is in the neutral position, the caster wheel can pivot about the caster axis through a 360 degree pivot range. When the steering link is moved to the controlling position, the caster wheel is oriented to roll toward a first side of the implement.
US07971885B2	Infant stroller rocking device A method of rocking a wheeled infant carrier (30) comprises using a rocking device (10) having a pair of discrete units (12,14). Each unit has a ground-engaging base (18a,b) and a platform (16a,b) supported thereon through bearings for movement relative to the base in a first direction. A drive one (12) of the units has a motor in a housing (20) arranged to drive the platform (16a) of the drive unit relative to its base back and forth in said first direction. A first wheel (34) of the carrier (30) is placed on the drive unit and a second wheel (32) on the second, slave unit (14), with the axes of rotation of the wheels being arranged parallel said first direction. The motor is operated to rock that end of the carrier that is supported by those wheels from side to side.
US07971884B2	Standing board for children This invention is a Standing board for prams, which is fastened to a pram with fastening beams that protrude from the Standing board and that have means for fastening to the pram on their outer ends. The fastening beams (4, 5) point forward in the Standing board's normal direction of movement and are basically parallel with it. They are also adjustable in a right angle to the movement direction, mounted on the forward edge of the Standing board with their fastenings (8, 9), which have means for retaining the fastenings in their adjusted position on the Standing board (1). The fastening beams are mounted in a manner that allows them to be twisted in the fastenings for adjustment of their angle relative to the supporting area.
US07971878B2	Sheet conveying device and image forming apparatus A sheet conveying device includes a torque estimation unit that, based upon a first load torque generated at a time that a sheet-like member passes through a first nip between a first driving roller and a first driven roller of an upstream sheet conveying unit, estimates a second load torque generated at a time that the sheet-like member passes through a second nip between a second driving roller and a second driven roller of a downstream sheet conveying unit; and a control unit that controls the driving torque such that the second load torque is counterbalanced by applying a counterbalancing torque in synchronization with a timing of entry of the sheet-like member into the second nip.
US07971877B2	Transfer out device A device to transfer printed products out of the transport channel of a gathering and collating machine in which the printed products are transported in a clocked flow comprises an arrangement for transferring the printed products in a downward direction out of the transport channel. The printed products are preferably removed through an opening in a bottom part of the transport channel, wherein the opening is provided with a flap that can be pivoted downward and away from a product guide wall of the transport channel for the transfer out of a printed product.
US07971872B2	Drive joint mechanism and image forming apparatus using the same A drive joint mechanism includes a drive shaft (30) and a driven shaft (24) coupled coaxially to the drive shaft (30). A coupling (31) on the drive shaft (30) or the driven shaft (24) has pin-engaging grooves (31a, 31b) and at least one pyramid-shaped pin-guide (32) between adjacent pin-engaging grooves (31a, 31b). An engagement pin (25) is provided on the other of the drive shaft (30) and the driven shaft (24) and engages the pin-engaging groove (31a, 31b). The engagement pin (25) contacts the pin-guide (32) while coupling the drive shaft (30) and the driven shaft (24). Thus, at least one of the drive shaft (30) and the driven shaft (24) is rotated by a pressing force exerted in the axial direction by the driven shaft (24) so that the pin-guide (32) guides the engagement pin (25) into the pin-engaging groove (31a, 31b).
US07971865B2	Inserting apparatus for discrete objects into envelopes and related methods An apparatus for inserting a paper or film object or a stack of such objects into an envelope. A feeding apparatus moves the object toward an insertion station and a vacuum drum has a surface adapted to engage and move the envelope toward the insertion station. A ramp element is coupled to the vacuum drum and is adapted to support a leading portion of the envelope as the envelope moves with the vacuum drum.
US07971864B2	Positioning method and device for columnar structure The method and the device for positioning a columnar structure which can promote properties of the resulting columnar structure, such as thermal shock resistance, isostatic strength, thermal stress, mechanical stress, and the like, and can exhibit improved productivity due to excellent drying performance of the coated areas by approximation of the central axis of the columnar structure and the central axis of the seat, thereby flattening the coating thickness when a coating is applied to the outer circumferential surface of the columnar structure, are provided. After causing the positioning fixture to abut on the seat mounting the columnar structure thereon, the columnar structure is moved from the seat using a positioning adjustment fixture placed opposing the positioning fixture, while keeping the columnar structure to abut on the positioning adjustment fixture at one or two points, thereby causing the columnar structure to abut on the positioning fixture.
US07971861B2	Safe liquid source containers Containers for providing vapor phase reactant from liquid sources include bubbler designs and designs in which carrier gas flows over the liquid surface. Among the bubbler arrangements, a bypass conductance is provided to release excess pressure from the gas volume inside the container, or an enlarged bubbler tube is provided with a volume sufficient to accommodate all possible liquid backflow without having the liquid exit the container. Among the overflow designs, flow dividers provide a tortuous path for the gas to increase the time exposure of carrier gas packets to the evaporating liquid surface. The flow dividers can be microporous to encourage capillary action, thereby increasing the evaporating surface. The tortuous gas flow path can be separated from the liquid phase by a breathable semi-porous membrane that permits vapor phase reactant to pass through but prohibits liquid from passing in the other direction.
US07971859B1	Misting array assembly having upwardly and downwardly disposed nozzles Various methods and apparatus are disclosed that relate to one or more aspects of an abatement system that removes heat and/or one or more byproducts of combustion from a gas flow. In various aspects a misting array assembly is provided that includes at least one nozzle tubing having at least one nozzle coupled thereto.
US07971856B2	Drive rope and drive pulley The present invention discloses a drive system for theatrical rigging, comprising a drive rope and a drive pulley. The drive rope has a fiber or cable core, surrounded by a plastic jacket. Formed on or in the surface of the drive rope are traction features that engage corresponding grooves in the drive pulley.
US07971854B2	Replaceable valve shaft sealing system A replaceable valve shaft sealing system is disclosed that enables the operator to greatly reduce the maintenance needs of valves where rotational movement of a shaft, that is connected to the actual metering apparatus of the valve, actuates the opening or closing of the valve thereby regulating fluid flow. The design of the shaft enables the user to replace the valve stem and associated sealing rings or to re-lubricate the shaft, while the valve is connected to the line, by simply removing the packing nut. There are no-preloaded sealing devices that require re-construction. Prior art designs use O-rings to prevent the seepage of fluid into the valve body and though the rotating shaft, but the disclosed shaft prevents contamination of the lubrication into the fluid flow and eliminates any of the axial loads that can cause O-rings to fail using the prior art designs.
US07971847B1	Roof rack and roof rack system for a portable shelter According to the present invention, a rook rack and a system of multiple roof racks of the present invention may be used to securely support equipment, such as, but not limited to, a satellite, to the roof of a portable shelter. The roof rack of the present invention generally comprises a crossbar and a pair of side supports coupled to each end thereof. A roof rack system of the present invention comprises at least two of these roof racks. The present invention further relates to a method of securing equipment to the roof of a portable shelter. This method comprises first providing a roof rack, and assembling and securing the same to the roof. After the roof rack system is secured to the roof of the portable shelter, the equipment, or an equipment platform, is placed on the crossbars and secured in its position by securing means, such as one or more clamps.
US07971845B2	Security mount for displaying handheld device A security mount for displaying an article such as a handheld device is provided that includes a device mount that can be secured to a handheld device and a base mount that can be secured to a display structure. The device mount is releasably connected to a tether such that the device mount can be detached from the tether without detaching the device mount from the handheld device.
US07971840B2	Adjustable support arm for audio visual device An adjustable arm supports a device housing with respect to a base and allows the position of the device housing to be adjusted as desired. The adjustable arm has segments joined by pivot joints, with passages therethrough to allow wires to be strung through the arm segments and joints so as to be shielded by the arm. The joints can be either dual-pivot joints or single pivot joints, and for both types of joints, the frictional resistance of the joints can be adjusted. In some embodiments, the elements of the arm can be strung onto the wiring prior to assembly.
US07971838B2	Flange-engaging clamp A clamp for engaging a structure flange includes a clamp body having a slot between a pair of body sections, a spring clip on the clamp body that extends into the slot, and a pair of screws threadedly engaged with the clamp body. The spring clip holds a structure flange in place when the clamp is placed on a structure flange, with the flange in the slot. This allows the installer to tighten the screws to engage the flange, without having to simultaneously hold the clamp in place. The screws may bite into the flange, providing a more secure coupling between the clamp and the structure flange. The clamp may be used to mount a variety of objects, such as sway braces for seismic bracing.
US07971829B2	Center-routed kite safety device A control device for use with an aerodynamic wing including a bar having a safety system that restrains one of the flying lines by routing an attachment through an aperture on the bar. Preferably, the system includes a stopper housing that engages an increased diameter element of the flying line. During normal operation, the increased diameter element is secured by the stopper housing, preventing the flying line from being pulled beyond the stopper housing. When the safety system is deployed, the increased diameter element is pulled from the stopper housing and slack is developed along the remaining flying lines to depower the kite.
US07971825B2	Aircraft jet engine pylon suspension attachment The invention relates to a turbojet suspension pylon for an aircraft, the pylon being provided with a rigid structure (10) comprising a longitudinal central box (22). According to the invention, the rigid structure also comprises two lateral boxes (24a, 24b) fixed to a forward part of said central box (22), the pylon also comprising a first (6a) and a second (6b) engine forward suspension designed to resist forces applied along the longitudinal direction (X) of the pylon, these first and second suspensions being arranged on the two lateral boxes respectively.
US07971817B1	Compact mobile crushing and screening apparatus A compact mobile crushing and screening apparatus for disintegrating solid feedstock and further processing the disintegrated feedstock comprises a hopper, a feedstock feeder system, a pre-screen (aka dirt screen), a crushing mechanism with a feed inlet opening, at least one side conveyor, a discharge conveyor having a front elevating section, a magnet and a screening/separator all on one track mounted framework that is radio remote controlled. The track mounted framework of the compact mobile crushing and screening apparatus provides the skeleton of the entire apparatus. The compact mobile crushing and screening apparatus comprises a crusher frame that carries the crushing mechanism and is integrated into the framework, which is configured and disposed to support and strengthen the crusher frame and thus reduces the mass and overall weight of the crusher frame. The feed inlet opening is at least about 3.5 square feet, the weight of the overall apparatus is no more than about twenty tons and the ratio of the area of the feed inlet opening in square feet to the overall weight of the apparatus in tons is at least about 0.25.
US07971814B2	Non-symmetrical airlock for blowing wool machine A machine for distributing blowing wool from a bag of compressed blowing wool is provided. The machine includes a shredding chamber having an outlet end. The shredding chamber includes a plurality of shredders configured to shred and pick apart the blowing wool. A discharge mechanism is mounted at the outlet end of the shredding chamber and is configured for distributing the blowing wool into an airstream. The discharge mechanism includes a housing and a plurality of sealing vane assemblies mounted for rotation. The housing has a wrap angle of approximately 240°. The sealing vane assemblies are configured to seal against the housing as the sealing vane assemblies rotate. The housing includes an eccentric segment extending from the housing. A blower is configured to provide the airstream flowing through the discharge mechanism. The sealing vane assemblies become spaced apart from the housing as the sealing vane assemblies rotate through the eccentric segment.
US07971790B2	Laser pointer with controllable pattern and size of projected image A laser pointer includes a human-machine interface disposed above the housing for users to control components inside the housing to decide patterns and size of the projecting image. The components consist of a frequency/phase control module, a driving energy control module, a laser beam generating module and a light scanning device. The frequency/phase control module controls the driving energy control module while the driving energy control module controls driving energy of the light scanning device. The size of the image is controlled by change of the amplitude of the light scanning device while the amplitude is changed along with the driving energy. The amplitude may also change along with the driving frequency. When the driving energy is fixed and the driving frequency is close to the resonant frequency, the amplitude increases. On the contrary, the amplitude decreases.
US07971788B2	Electronic payment terminal, smart card adapted to such a terminal and method for loading a secret key in such a terminal The invention relates to a card reader payment terminal including an electrode circuit including at least one printed circuit board, to which are connected electronic components, particularly a microcontroller designed to control different peripherals characterized in that the microcontroller is connected to an associated microprocessor, the microcontroller using the associated microprocessor for performing programs such as arithmetic calculations, the microprocessor being mounted on a support having the format of a smart card and including a connector compatible with the standardized connector of the smart cards for connection with the microcontroller.
US07971787B2	Commodity-vending system and weight-scale apparatus When a customer picks up a commodity at a store aisles and operates a tag device, a PLU code of the commodity is transmitted from the tag device to a weight-scale apparatus. The terminal device is provided corresponding to each commodity. The weight-scale apparatus upon receiving the PLU code increments a counter value (prepared per commodity) in only one step, and displays a commodity icon corresponding to the PLU code on a liquid-crystal touch panel. The counter value increments every time the PLU code is received. The weight-scale apparatus subsequent to weighing issues a label and decrement only a step of the counter value. The icon corresponding to the counter value continues to be displayed unless the counter value does not indicate “0 (zero)”. The icon is erased when the counter value indicates “0 (zero)”. This results in providing superior operations in weighing and selecting various types of commodities, displayed at the store aisles, that are objects to be weighed.
US07971785B2	Method for authenticating micro-processor cards, corresponding micro-processor card, card reader terminal and programs A method is provided for authenticating micro-processor cards to determine whether a card is a genuine card or a fake card. Authentication is performed by a checking program of at least one card reader terminal. The program sends to each card commands belonging to a standard and public set of commands. The method includes: modifying the checking program in the terminal or terminals, in such a way that the program additionally sends, to each card to be authenticated, at least one additional command, called a secret command, from a set of at least one additional command, pre-inserted into each genuine card, and different from the standard and public set of commands; and a step of detecting authenticity of the card, if the secret command is recognised and/or processed correctly, or the presence of a clone, if the secret command is not recognised and/or is processed wrongly.
US07971784B2	Sensing device with mode changes via nib switch A sensing device for enabling a user to interact with a computer system. The sensing device is operable in a cursor control mode and a substrate-interaction mode. The sensing device includes: a nib; a nib switch configured to effect a mode change between the cursor control mode and the substrate-interaction mode; an optical sensor for sensing coded data printed on a substrate; a processor for generating cursor control data or interaction data; and a transceiver for communicating the cursor control data or the interaction data to a computer system. The cursor control data initiates a cursor control response in the computer system, while the interaction data initiates a substrate interaction response in the computer system.
US07971782B1	Multi-point transaction system Computer implemented systems and methods for conducting transactions are disclosed. In one exemplary embodiment, a method includes receiving transaction information corresponding to a transaction initiated with one of a plurality of handheld computing devices. The handheld computing device is associated with one of a plurality of payment terminals. The transaction is completed and the association between the handheld computing device and the payment terminal is terminated.
US07971780B2	Method of operation of card reading apparatus in automated banking machine to reduce risk of fraud A method of operating an automated banking machine in response to data included on a user card includes operating a cash dispensing automated banking machine that includes a card reader, a keypad, a cash outlet, a deposit accepting opening and other transaction locations that may be susceptible to the installation of fraud devices. The machine operates to sense the probable installation of unauthorized devices. Such unauthorized devices may include fraudulent card reading devices, fraudulent keypad input intercepting devices, cash outlet trap devices, deposit input diversion devices or other fraud devices. Control circuitry in operative connection with radiation output and radiation sensing devices, operates to identify conditions corresponding to the probable installation of a fraud device on the machine and to take actions in response thereto.
US07971773B2	Carton with spout A carton for containing a dispensable material. The carton has a plurality of panels that extends at least partially around an interior of the carton. The plurality of panels comprises at least a first panel and a second panel foldably connected to the first panel at a fold line. A spout is at least partially formed in the first panel and the second panel. The spout is moveable between a closed position substantially preventing the removal of the dispensable material from the carton and an open position allowing removal of the dispensable material from the carton. The spout comprises a first spout panel formed from a portion of the first panel and a second spout panel formed from a portion of the second panel. The second spout panel is foldably connected to the first spout panel at at least a portion of the fold line.
US07971757B2	Liquid dispenser device A liquid dispenser device for being associated with a liquid reservoir (R), said device comprising: a chamber (10) provided with an inlet valve (5, 15), an outlet valve (32, 232), and a piston (3) that is suitable for varying the volume of the chamber; a liquid dispenser orifice (25); and a pusher (2) that is axially displaceable down and up between a rest position and a depressed position; the dispenser device being characterized in that the pusher (2) includes an elastically-deformable wall (212) that is thus displaceable relative to the remainder of the pusher, the piston (3) being in contact, at least momentarily, with the deformable wall (212), so as to be urged in displacement relative to the remainder of the pusher while the wall is being deformed, in such a manner as to open the outlet valve.
US07971753B2	Container with a filter A filter-equipped container which, particularly in a small-sized eyedrop bottle or the like, is capable of accurate dropping while preventing bubbles from being involved when a contents liquid is to be delivered through a delivery port. To solve such problem, a plug body 12 disposed in the mouth of a bottle 10 is provided with a delivery passage for delivering contents liquid received in the bottle 10, the delivery passage being provided with a filter 25. The filter 25 is composed of a filter film 25a for filtering bacteria to prevent the latter from permeating from upstream to downstream as seen in the direction of delivery, and a contents liquid holding member 25b of porous material that has microscopic pores, disposed upstream of the filter film 25a, the contents liquid holding member 25b being in planar contact with the filter film 25a.
US07971746B2	Thermally insulated housing A back surface of an outer case is formed by mutually overlapping left and right back panels. The overlapping edges on the front side and backside of the panels may be bent toward the opposite side at a blunt angle. A joint between the back panels is established in which the overlapping edge of one back panel is pressed against the overlapping edge of the other back panel. Spacers are mounted between the outer and inner case such that the overlapping edges are put in close contact with each other. The bends are deformed in order to prevent leakage from the joint after the injection of foam liquid. Due to the pressure of the foam, both of the overlapping edges are placed in closer contact while deforming the bends to be substantially flat. Consequently, the sealing properties of the joint after the completion of the thermally insulated housing are secured.
US07971737B2	Adhesively mountable angled wall shelf A wall mountable shelf for storing items in a shower or bath enclosure includes a frame, a base member connected with the frame, a back plate connected with the frame and arranged to support the frame on the wall, and adhesive arranged between the back plate and the wall for securing the shelf to the wall surface. The frame includes a top rail portion, a front rail portion, and a pair of side rail portions connecting the top rail portion and the front rail portion. Each side rail portion includes a back portion extending downwardly from the top rail portion and a bottom portion extending from the back portion to the front rail portion arranged at an angle of less than 90°.
US07971736B1	Magnetic knife holders Magnetic holders for knives or similar objects, formed from boards that are sawed in half lengthwise, to form a front half and a rear half. A shallow wide hole is drilled in the center of the exterior surface of the front half, in which a disk having company logo or other design is inserted. On both sides of the center, evenly-spaced wide holes are drilled from the interior surface of the front half about half-way through, then narrow holes are drilled the rest of the way through from the centers of the wide holes. Coin-shaped magnets are placed in the wide holes, and dowels are placed in the narrow holes to mark the position of the magnets. Knives may be retained on the holder by the magnets at the positions marked by the dowels. The front and rear halves are then glued together, for a seamless look.
US07971734B2	Wafer boat Wafer boat for holding semiconductor wafers in a spaced vertical arrangement during processing, said wafer boat comprising a plurality of vertically spaced holding positions for receiving and supporting said wafers in a substantially horizontal orientation, wherein the holding positions can be accessed from a front side of the wafer boat to allow for insertion and removal of a wafer, wherein at least one holding position comprises a back support for engaging a back side portion of a wafer and two lateral supports for engaging opposite lateral side portions of the wafer, and wherein the back support is disposed at a lower position than said two lateral supports such that sagging of a front side portion of an inserted wafer near the front side of the wafer boat due to gravity is at least partially compensated for.
US07971725B2	Apparatus for particle sorting by fluidic vectoring Disclosed are embodiments of apparatus for sorting particles in a fluid stream by size. In one embodiment of an apparatus for sorting such particles, a housing is provided, which defines a channel for a fluid stream containing particles. A suction channel is also provided, which terminates at a suction port. The suction port is positioned adjacent to the fluid stream. The suction channel may be configured to create a low pressure region and thereby redirect particles in the first fluid stream such that they may be sorted by size.
US07971720B2	Vertically stacking litter bag with handle Bags for granular material with a closure on top of the bag and a vertical handle on the lower end of the bag and having suitable dimensions, static coefficient of friction, creep resistance and containing granular materials of limited flow properties can be vertically stacked without support, for example on a pallet. One such suitable granular material is cat litter.
US07971710B1	Workout schedule fitness band A workout aid including a beverage container, and a band secured about the beverage container, the band comprising a first surface and a second surface, wherein at least a portion of the first surface is matingly engaged against the beverage container, a first end and a second end, a means for detachably securing the first end of the band to the second end of the band, and wherein the second surface of the band is opposite from the first surface and has a schedule printed thereon or viewable therethrough, wherein the schedule includes a plurality of cells arranged in at least one column and at least one row.
US07971707B2	Snap-in wear guide A wear guide assembly for use with a plastic modular conveying belt. The wear guide snap fits into position onto a support channel. The wear guide has a back wall, a first wall extending from the back wall, and a second wall extending from the back wall. The assembly also includes a support channel with a back wall, a first side wall, and a second side wall. The first and second side walls have distal portions bordering an opening. The first and second side walls have opposed projections extending from the distal portions that form first and second shoulders.
US07971686B1	Double latched scaffold connector An improved scaffold connection is provided, attachable to a vertical scaffold member having a plurality of ring members. The scaffold joint has an upper side and a lower side, and an upper hook section and a lower hook section engagable with the ring members on the vertical scaffold members. The invention includes two latches to lock the joint to two ring members, where the two latches are mechanically connected.
US07971682B2	Exhaust device for engine An exhaust device for an engine cam include a flow rectifying device for rectifying a flow of an exhaust gas. The flow rectifying device is disposed in an upstream end of an inner pipe, and comprises protrusions projecting inwardly. The exhaust gas engaging the flow rectifying device has passed through a curved portion of the inner pipe. The inner pipe also includes a muffler having a plurality of vent holes disposed in an inner portion thereof, and an outer pipe surrounding the inner pipe, defining an angular chamber therebetween.
US07971675B2	Hydraulic transaxle and vehicle comprising it A hydraulic transaxle comprises a transaxle casing for supporting left and right axles, a pair of hydraulic motors disposed in the transaxle casing so as to drive the respective left and right axles, hydraulic ports provided in the transaxle casing so as to fluidly connect the pair of hydraulic motors in parallel to a common hydraulic pump, and a system for restricting or canceling differential rotation of the pair of hydraulic motors.
US07971671B2	Drive unit, hydraulic working machine, and electric vehicle A drive unit (1) for driving a hydraulic pump has an electric motor (2) for driving the hydraulic pump (100) of a construction working machine and also has a generator (3) for supplying electricity to the electric motor (2). A generation module (14) of the generator (3) has a structure where a large number of electrode assemblies (42) are serially connected between fastening plates (41) in a condition that partition plates (44) are sandwiched between the respective electrode assemblies (42). Liquid fuel for generating hydrogen and air are supplied to the electrode assemblies (42) to generate electric power. Unlike the case where the hydraulic pump (100) is driven by a diesel engine etc., the hydraulic pump drive unit has a low noise level and emits no exhaust gas, so that the device is extremely advantageous to reduce noise and exhaust gas of a construction working machine.
US07971653B2	Aerator with hole spacing control system An aerator with a hole spacing control system is disclosed. The aerator has a traction drive with at least a pair of driven wheels and a single steered wheel. A vehicle control unit provides commands to the traction drive to move the aerator at a specified ground speed. An operator-adjustable hole spacing actuator may be moved to a plurality of hole spacing settings. The hole spacing actuator is electrically connected to the vehicle control unit. The vehicle control unit includes logic to vary the commands to the traction drive based on the hole spacing settings from the actuator. An engine speed sensor and/or coring head speed sensor also may be electrically connected to the vehicle control unit, and the vehicle control unit commands being also based on inputs from those speed sensors.
US07971649B2	Flow control system having an isolation device for preventing gas interference during downhole liquid removal operations A flow control system includes a pump positioned in a wellbore to remove liquid from the wellbore. An isolation device is positioned in communication with the wellbore to substantially prevent gas flow at the pump during removal of the liquid.
US07971647B2	Apparatus and method for raising a fluid in a well An apparatus, and a method which uses the apparatus, for raising a fluid from a lower region to a higher region of an at least partially cased well. The apparatus includes: a tubing string; a contacting structure at the upper end of the tubing string for engaging a stop structure in the well casing such that the tubing string is held in suspension; an exterior sealing element for sealing against the casing wall; and an internal check valve.
US07971646B2	Multi-position valve for fracturing and sand control and associated completion methods A completion tubular is placed in position adjacent the zone or zones to be fractured and produced. It features preferably sliding sleeve valves that can assume at least two configurations: wide open and open with a screen material juxtaposed in the flow passage. In a preferred embodiment the valve assembly has three positions, adding a fully closed position to the other two mentioned. After run in, the valves can be put in the wide open position in any order desired to fracture. After fracturing, the valves can be closed or selectively be put in filtration position for production from the fractured zones in any desired order. Various ways are described to actuate the valves. The tubular can have telescoping pistons through which the fracturing can take place if the application calls for a cemented tubular. Alternatively, the tubular can be in open hole and simply have openings for passage of fracture fluid and external isolators to allow fracturing in any desired order.
US07971636B2	Heat exchanger with drain grooves A heat exchanger for use as an evaporator includes a heat exchange core having a plurality of heat exchange tubes arranged in a left-right direction at a spacing, and a refrigerant turn tank as a lower tank disposed toward a lower end of the heat exchange core. The heat exchange tubes are inserted through respective tube insertion holes formed in the turn tank and joined to the tank. The turn tank has drain grooves each extending from a forwardly or rearwardly outer end of each of the tube insertion holes for discharging condensation water to below the turn tank therethrough. Each of the drain grooves has a bottom extending gradually downward as the bottom extends away from the tube insertion hole. the exchanger is used as the evaporator, the top surface of the turn tank can be drained of water with an improved efficiency.
US07971633B2	Loop type micro heat transport device Provided is a loop type micro heat transport device including: a lower plate having a reservoir for storing operating fluid at its upper surface, an evaporating part spaced apart from the reservoir to evaporate the operating fluid, and a condensing part for condensing vapor evaporated from the evaporating part; and an upper plate engaged with an upper surface of the lower plate and formed at a position corresponding to the evaporating part and the condensing part, and including a vapor space having a vapor line through which the vapor evaporated from the evaporating part is transported to the condensing part, wherein the operating fluid is circulated through the reservoir, the evaporating part, and the condensing part. Therefore, it is possible to remarkably improve productivity since its simple structure helps to make the manufacture simple, as well as to improve cooling performance and enabling long distance heat transport.
US07971627B2	Device for producing metal sample and process for producing metal sample A process and a device for easily and rapidly producing a metal sample for analysis for determining the content of impurities in a molten metal with high accuracy. More particularly, according to the metal sample production process, a metal sample for high accuracy analysis is produced by solidifying a collected molten metal without segregating impurities contained in a molten metal, by rapidly cooling a collected molten metal using a metal sample production device having a thin-walled mold having a thin sample collection space for collecting a molten metal, and an opening/closing operation part with which the mold can be freely opened/closed.
US07971623B2	Adjustable garage door window frame and method of installation A window frame assembly for installation within a garage door having front and rear exposed surfaces and one or more window openings. The assembly includes front and rear window frame members of injection molded plastic which are installed within the door opening on the front and rear exposed surfaces. The window frame members have alignment elements to assist in assemble and have engagement elements located about their peripheries which snap together in mating fashion to mount the frame members within the window opening. The engagement elements are adjustable to accommodate garage door panels of varying thicknesses and window panes of varying thicknesses. The engagement elements are also disengageable with a hand tool to separate the frame members and remove the members from the window opening.
US07971619B2	Stamping cylinder A cylinder for stamping planar substrates, such as sheets of paper comprises at least a pit with clamping means for holding a stamping medium on said cylinder, said medium comprising at least a row of stamps distributed along the medium. The medium is formed by a stamping plate or by stamping strips and said cylinder further comprises at least a supporting piece forming a bridge over said pit.
US07971606B2	Fuel tank and cap device thereof A fuel tank and a cap device for the fuel tank. The fuel tank is connected to a fuel cell and includes a tank body having a fuel opening and a pin hole for maintaining an inside pressure, a floater positioned on a surface of the fuel stored in the tank body, and an air pipe connected to the pin hole and an upper part of the floater. The cap device includes a cap body having an inside transfer path for connecting an inlet opening for introducing the fuel and an outside transfer pipe, a fixed outer cap including a connector for fixing a discharge opening into which the transfer pipe is inserted, and an elastic opening/closing section in which the cap body is elastically compressible by the connector, and wherein the inside transfer path opens during the compression.
US07971600B2	Compressor throttling valve assembly A throttling valve assembly has an outer housing that is sealed. An actuator is connected to a pressure balanced shaft that extends into the housing to operate a plurality of linkages that can rotate blades in tandem. With the surrounding housing sealed, the shaft penetrations of the blade support shafts no longer need seals or a purge system to supply process gas during times of reduced pressure in situations with the blades nearly closed. A pressure equalization system has balance passages internal to the housing to allow flow from higher pressure zones to lower pressure zone of the process gas so as to avoid creation of a condition that can draw air into any zones of reduced pressure in the housing.
US07971599B2	Air-operated valve To provide a low-cost air-operated valve, an air-operated valve comprises a piston, a cylinder in which the piston is allowed to slide by operation air, and a valve section to be driven by sliding movement of the piston. The cylinder includes an outer member having a hollow portion and an inner member loaded in the hollow portion of the outer member to define a piston chamber in which the piston is allowed to slide.
US07971593B2	Hair rollers The invention relates to a hair roller (1) having a central roller mandrel (3) and a partially slotted hair roller housing (2) that surrounds the roller mandrel at a distance. Said hair roller fixes the hair in the vicinity of the scalp by means of catch hooks and is positioned approximately at a right angle to the scalp in the final wound position.
US07971590B2	Cushion for a respiratory mask assembly A respiratory mask assembly for delivering breathable gas to a patient includes a frame and a cushion. The cushion has a non-face contacting portion structured to be connected to the frame, a face-contacting portion structured to engage the patient's face, and a central portion that interconnects the non-face contacting portion and the face contacting portion. The frame may be structured to allow a forehead support to assume multiple positions, to compensate for replacement cushions that may have a different profile, shape or size. The cushion is structured to compensate for variations in strap tension, treatment pressure and/or movement of the patient. Headgear may be provided with a strap assembly in which one or more straps is provided with selectively adjustable elasticity or extensibility that may be automatically changed in dependence of treatment pressure and/or treatment type.
US07971571B2	Operation control method on the basis of ion current in internal combustion engine The present invention is an operation control method on the basis of an ion current in an internal combustion engine, the method comprising a step of detecting the ion current generated within a combustion chamber 30 so as to control an operating state of the internal combustion engine 100 on the basis of a state of the detected ion current, wherein a control at an engine start point in time on the basis of the state of the ion current is stopped for predetermined cycles just after the engine start.
US07971563B2	Engine valve operating system In an engine valve operating system, a timing transmission chamber (48) is formed on one side of an engine main body; the timing transmission chamber (48) houses a timing transmission system (37) that provides a connection between a crankshaft (12) and a camshaft (36) disposed above intake and exhaust valves (29i, 29e); opposite end parts of the camshaft (36) are supported by one side wall (5a) of a cylinder head (5) and a dividing wall (5b) that is adjacent to the timing transmission chamber (48); and a valve operating chamber (49) housing the camshaft (36) is defined between said one side wall (5a) and the dividing wall (5b). An oil slinger (72) is disposed in a lower part of the timing transmission chamber (48). An oil passage hole (75) is provided in the dividing wall (5b), the oil passage hole (75) guiding scattered oil that has been shaken off in an upper part of the timing transmission system (37) to the valve operating chamber (49). An oil return passage (77) is provided for transmitting pressure pulsations generated in the crank chamber (9) to the valve operating chamber (49), and making oil that has collected in the valve operating chamber (49) flow downward to the crank chamber (9) within the crankcase (2). Thus, the interiors of the timing transmission chamber and the valve operating chamber which are separated from each other can be lubricated without using an oil pump, while maintaining an arrangement in which the camshaft is disposed above the intake and exhaust valves.
US07971560B2	Condensation draining system for condensing water heaters A system and method for configuring a water heater to drain condensate from combustion products is provided. The water heater comprises a water tank, a burner for producing combustion products, a flue extending through an interior of the water tank to receive the combustion products, and an exhaust passageway positioned downstream of the flue and extending outside of the water tank to exhaust the combustion products. The exhaust passageway includes a first portion and a second portion positioned at an elevation above the first portion. A bypass conduit is coupled to the exhaust passageway and positioned to direct condensate in the exhaust passageway from the second portion toward the first portion. A drain port is positioned at or an elevation below the first portion of the exhaust passageway to drain condensate from the exhaust passageway.
US07971553B2	Method and apparatus for creating a pathway in an animal A method and apparatus for safer and more effective deep trans-cervical intra-uterine artificial insemination (AI) is provided. Such a deep AI catheter causes minimal discomfort and risk of trauma, and does not require the services of a highly trained AI professional. First, a catheter is inserted into the cervical tract of the animal. A membrane, initially positioned inside a tube section of the catheter, is then extended from an opening in the tube and into the tract under pressure. The membrane extends into the tract without friction thereby reducing the discomfort and the risk of trauma or injury to the animal. When the membrane is fully extended into the tract, pressure causes the tip of the membrane to open thereby releasing the AI fluid and depositing the genetic material suspended in the fluid into the reproductive tract. In addition to AI and embryo transplant, other applications for the pathway include other therapeutic, diagnostic or procedures, such as introducing fluoroscopic cameras, instruments, and drug delivery.
US07971550B2	Rigid tube buoyancy assembly for boats A stabilized watercraft having a pointed bow, a transom and curved sides, and a rigid buoyancy tube which extends from the bow to a point past the transom. The tube has a cross-section which is approximately rectangular, but is generally somewhat wider in a lower portion than in an upper portion thereof over at least an aft portion of the boat. The tube has a dead rise in the range of 0° to +15° with the upper surface of the tube being flared outwardly in the range of 30°-80° at the bow portion of the watercraft and an angle of 60°-80° at the stern portion.
US07971548B2	Shallow water anchor system for fishing boats A shallow water anchor system provides a single arm arrangement with a fixed end of the arm mounted to the transom of a boat and the distal end of the arm retaining a rod adapted to be buried into the bottom of a lake, estuary, or other shallow body of water. The fixed end of the arm includes a first sheave and the distal end of the arm includes a second sheave, with a cable under tension between the first and second sheaves. A hydraulic operating mechanism drives a sliding block clamped to the cable. A hydraulic pressure is applied to one side of the other of a hydraulic piston with a cylinder to drive the operating mechanism, the sliding block moves back and forth thereby moving the arm up and down in a rotary motion about a shaft on the fixed end of the arm. In the down position, the rod is embedded into the bottom. In the stowed position, the arm is oriented straight up in a vertical position.
US07971542B2	System and method for processing material panels A system for processing a material panel is provided including a table supported by a plurality of legs, the table having at least one linear edge. A sewing machine is provided functionally connected to the table at the at least one linear edge. An elongate track is provided mounted along the at least one linear edge. At least one sensor movable along said track is provided for measuring at least a length of the material panel.
US07971537B2	Amusement ride The carnival ride has a travel path for cars with seats and at least one screen arranged adjacent to the travel path. In order to design the carnival ride in such a way that the passengers in the car have an optimal gaming experience, the screen follows the car at least along a section of its travel distance. In this way, the passengers in the car have a very long-lasting visual contact with the screen or with the movie shown on the screen.
US07971528B2	Used-master security system for a printing apparatus There is provided a used-master security system for a printing apparatus that can prohibit the removal of used masters for any type of master and to safely secure used masters by prohibiting the removal of used masters; a used-master security method for a printing apparatus in which the used-master security system of the printing apparatus is used; and a printing apparatus capable of prohibiting the removal of used masters with the used-master security system for a printing apparatus, and having a used-master storage device for storing used-masters provided to the printing apparatus main body and a used-master security device that is capable of prohibiting the removal of used masters inside the used-master storage device.
US07971525B2	Device for rotary processing of rolled materials For a device (100 for rotary processing of rolled material capable of being conveyed along a transportation path between a rotatably mounted processing sleeve (110) and a rotatably mounted anvil sleeve (120), single-ended suspension of a processing axle (111) and an anvil axle (121) is achieved in that the anvil sleeve (120) rotatably mounted on the anvil axle (121) suspended at one end only is coupled to the anvil axle (121) by means of a bearing (122) mounted in a central region mid-way between the opposing edges (125, 126) of said anvil sleeve (120).
US07971514B2	Apparatus and a production process for producing rolls of disposable pieces of hygienic paper An apparatus and a production process for producing rolls of disposable pieces of hygienic paper, including the stages of: cutting perforated lateral lines on said hygienic paper, wherein each of the lateral spaces of the perforated lateral lines is shorter than each of the lateral perforations of the perforated lateral lines, wherein each of said lateral spaces is facing one of the lateral perforations of a neighboring perforated lateral line, rolling the hygienic paper around inner tube, and cutting longitudinal cuts along the hygienic paper and the inner tube, the apparatus including spiral and segmented blades for cutting the perforated lateral lines, and knives for longitudinal cutting.
US07971510B2	Method for setting a cutting gap The invention relates to a method for setting the cutting gap on a cutting device for cutting food products. According to said method, the actual distance between the blade and the cutting edge is first determined and a desired distance between the blade and the cutting edge is subsequently set by an electric repositioning device, taking into consideration said actual distance.
US07971484B2	Method for evaluating reliability of steel and high-reliability steel obtained by the same A method for evaluating the reliability of steel in terms of inclusions is characterized in that the inclusions of approximately 100 μm or less in maximum inclusion size are evaluated by microscopy combined with the extreme-value statistical analysis; the inclusions of approximately 100 μm or greater in maximum inclusion size are evaluated by the ultrasonic flaw detection testing performed at a frequency of 5 to 25 MHz; and the reliability of the steel is evaluated based on the results of the extreme-value statistical analysis applied to the results of the microscopy and the results of the ultrasonic flaw detection testing combined.
US07971482B2	Humidity sensor A capacitive humidity sensor includes: a humidity sensing element with a humidity sensitive film and electrodes; and a processing circuit. The film has a dielectric constant variable in accordance with moisture. The electrodes detect capacitance of the film and outputs a signal corresponding to the capacitance. The processing circuit processes the signal. The film is made of inorganic material having fine pores for adsorbing the moisture. A diameter of the fine pores is set to be a predetermined diameter so that capillary tube aggregation phenomenon occurs at a predetermined relative humidity. The capacitance of the film has a change rate with respect to the relative humidity. The change rate in case of the relative humidity higher than the predetermined relative humidity is larger than that in case of the relative humidity lower than the predetermined relative humidity.
US07971478B2	Wind sensor A wind sensor includes first and second elements in an orthogonal axis arrangement and a calibration data array comprising first calibration data associated with the first element and second calibration array data associated with second element. An anemometric processor determines a wind speed (S) and direction (W) for an airflow received by the first and second elements using a first electrical parameter associated with the first element and the first calibration array data and a second electrical parameter associated with the second element and the second calibration array data. A wind sensing probe can have a pair of wind sensing elements, wherein each element has a core formed of a low specific heat, low density, high temperature plastic polymer, with two metal leads extending from the ends of core. A wind sensing element can include a fine Nickel alloy coil wound around an aforementioned core.
US07971471B2	Quartz window gas sensor with heated membrane The gas sensor has a selectively permeable membrane which is composed of silicon material and is provided with a heating device on the outside. The membrane closes an evacuated housing which contains a pressure sensor. When evacuating the area surrounding the housing, the heat dissipation is changed as a result of the quick change in the total pressure of the surrounding air, with the result that signal drift arises despite temperature regulation of the membrane. The disclosure provides at least one second heating device whose temperature is regulated independently of the first heating device. As a result, the membrane temperature is highly constant even in the case of severely changing total pressure in the housing.
US07971465B2	Planar beam dump In one embodiment, a device for capturing radiation includes: a panel defining a plurality of double wedge chambers, wherein each double wedge chamber includes a first wedge-shaped chamber that tapers into an opening for a second wedge-shaped chamber, and wherein a longitudinal axis of the first wedge-shaped chamber is not collinear with a longitudinal axis of the second wedge-shaped chamber.
US07971462B2	Cable hanger production system and production method A system and method for producing a cable hanger formed by alternately and continuously forming the Z-winding spiral and the S-winding spiral using the hanger wire. The system and method involve the use of at least five spiral forming dice accommodated in a cylindrical space of the housing such that the spiral forming dice are adjacent to each other and can rotate independently from one another.
US07971453B2	Knitting machine needle with loss-proof coupling component In order to simplify handling of the knitting machine needles and of associate coupling members—in particular when loading the rib dials—a knitting machine needle with a coupling member that is pivotally supported on said knitting machine needle is being provided. The transverse bearing surfaces (21a) and (b), as well as (22a) and (b), said surfaces being at least temporarily in abutment with each other, are disposed to laterally secure the coupling member (3) on the needle body.
US07971446B2	Computing environments A system can include an enclosure having an exterior surface and an interior region that is characterized by a width and a length that is longer than the width; a plurality of trays mounted in racks that line a majority of each side of the length of the interior region and that define an aisle therebetween which is suitable for passage by one or more human occupants; cooling coils configured to capture heat generated by the plurality of trays and exhaust the heat outside the interior region; a plurality of connections on the exterior surface for supplying electrical power to the plurality of trays, supplying cooling fluid to the cooling coils, and for receiving cooling fluid discharged from the cooling coils; and doors at either end of the aisle configured and positioned to facilitate emergency egress from the enclosure by a human occupant.
US07971442B2	Method for controlling air conditioner of vehicles The present invention relates to a method for controlling a vehicle air-conditioner, which can prevent undershoot of an evaporator by performing a maximum capacity control or controlling an discharge capacity of a compressor through the outputting of an discharge capacity control value of the compressor directly before the stop of the air conditioner, and can improve the pleasant feelings of the passengers by preventing delay of response, which converges into the target temperature of the evaporator due to the delay of the decrease of the temperature of the evaporator.
US07971439B2	Annular turbomachine combustion chamber An annular turbomachine combustion chamber comprising an inner wall, an outer wall, and a chamber end wall disposed between said inner and outer walls in the upstream region of said chamber, the chamber end wall presenting a central portion and an outer assembly flange, and the outer wall presenting an upstream assembly flange, the chamber end wall and the outer wall being assembled together by their assembly flanges, in which the free edge of said outer assembly flange is curved inwards. In addition, the outer face of the outer assembly flange presents a shoulder.
US07971438B2	Gas turbine engine having a heat exchanger arrangement for exhaust gas flows Environmental concerns have resulted in consideration of the effects of condensation trails from gas turbine engines. By provision of a condensation stage in a heat exchanger arrangement for a gas turbine engine the level of condensation within a final exhaust gas flow G from an engine is reduced. Furthermore, by cooling of the exhaust gas flows for mixing with by-pass air flows a water partial pressure at an exhaust gas exit temperature can be provided which is below the eutectic liquid to vapor phase transition and therefore avoid condensation (contrail) formation.
US07971432B2	Flow diffuser for exhaust pipe A flow diffuser for vehicles of the type having an engine and an exhaust pipe generally includes a substantially tubular body having an outer surface and a first end configured for attachment to an exhaust pipe. The flow diffuser further includes a diffusion portion including at least one channel having a root end located near the outer surface, an exit port, and a channel axis extending between the root end and the exit port, the channel increasing in flow area along the channel axis to reduce exhaust gas velocity.
US07971430B2	Diesel turbine SCR catalyst A system for treating exhaust gases from an engine is described. The system includes, the exhaust gases routed from the engine to atmosphere through an exhaust passage, the system comprising: an injector directing a spray of reductant into the exhaust gases routed from the engine to atmosphere; an exhaust separation passage that separates an exhaust gas flow received from the engine into a plurality of separate exhaust gas flows; a plurality of oxidation catalysts, each of which receives one of the plurality of separate exhaust gas flows; a flow combining passage that receives the plurality of separate exhaust gas flows and combines them into a re-combined exhaust gas flow; a turbocharger that receives the re-combined exhaust gas flow from the flow combining passage; and a selective catalytic reduction catalyst positioned downstream of the turbocharger.
US07971429B2	Procedure for the regeneration of a particle filter and for the desulphurization of an NOx storage catalytic converter The disclosure concerns a procedure for the regeneration of a particle filter and the desulfurization of a NOx storage catalytic converter in an exhaust gas aftertreatment system of an internal combustion engine. The disclosed procedure allows for the necessary heating energy and fuel consumption required to completely or partially regenerating the particle filter to be significantly reduced. Furthermore, an increase in efficiency of the NOx storage catalytic converter results, because the process reduces the average sulfur absorption on account of a greater frequency of desulfurization phases. In so doing, the NOx emissions after the NOx storage catalytic converter can further be reduced.
US07971408B2	Stairtower and method for erecting the same A transportable and erectable stairtower having a removable/slidable wheel carriage and a removable installation section arranged for transporting and erecting the stairtower. The stairtower has vertical column members and lateral members defining levels of the stairtower. Removable staircases extend between alternate levels of lateral members. A platform landing is formed at the intersection of first and second stair segments of the staircase. Removable ramps may be connected to the stairtower above, below, and at a position corresponding to the platform landings. A safety device in the form of catch pans, gutters, and leaders may be provided to protect workers by collecting debris and rainwater. A transporting vehicle may be connected to the installation section to transport the stairtower to a desired location. A lifting vehicle may be used to lift the stairtower from a horizontal to a vertical orientation.
US07971405B2	Drywall repair patch A drywall repair patch is disclosed. It includes a coated sheet attached to an adhesively coated porous substrate, which includes a porous sheet and a layer of dry, water-hardenable cement product carried on at least one side of said porous sheet. The repair patch is free of any rigid supporting plate.
US07971398B2	Photovoltaic solar panel mounting system A system and method for mounting photovoltaic solar panels onto a roof. The system includes first and second strut rails spaced from the roof employing a series of standoffs, the strut rails having a length, cross section, a base and side walls, side walls terminating with first and second turned in edges. First and second mounting fixtures are attached to the photovoltaic solar panels which are of a type and geometry enabling the solar panels to be removably appended to the strut rails. The first and second mounting fixtures can be applied to the photovoltaic solar panels before being elevated to a roof.
US07971394B1	Adjustable lock height door A replacement door having an adjustable locking mechanism that can be used to replace any number of doors employing locking mechanisms positioned at different heights. The locking mechanism, including a handle and plunger mechanism is engaged in the edge of the door and moveable up and down along a vertical path so as to adjust the height at which the plunger engages a preexisting opening in the door frame. When the mechanism is positioned at the desired height a wrap plate secures the mechanism in place. The replacement door may include a continuous hinge that can align with any hinge apparatus on the door frame.
US07971380B1	Break-open over-and-under rifle equipped with selective controlled hull extraction device A break-open over-and-under rifle (21) comprising an upper barrel (23s) and a lower barrel (23i) assembled close to a breech (24) thereof in a sleeve (A) to which an action body (B) is hinged through a hinge pin (P), two symmetrical side seats (30) being made on the sides of the sleeve (A) at the sides of the upper barrel (23s) close to the lower barrel (23i) and close to the breech (24) of the barrels, each side seat (30) being intended to receive an extractor (60a, 60b) in sliding engagement actuated by a spring (6), for each of the extractors (60a, 60b) selector means (70) being foreseen fixedly connected to the sleeve (A) each able to be positioned in an engagement position of the corresponding extractor (60a, 60b) intended to limit its sliding or in a disengagement position of the corresponding extractor (60a, 60b) intended to allow it to slide freely.
US07971377B2	Lenticular image display A lenticular image display is provided for showing two or more changing images and/or three-dimensional (3D) motion effects, including a lenticular panel having an array of linear lenses, at least one image carrier bearing interlaced images disposed behind the lenticular panel in close contact with it, means for angularly aligning the lenses of the lenticular panel and the interlaced images of the image carrier, drive means for producing movement of the image carrier relative to the lenticular panel, a support disposed behind the image carrier, and partially compressed rings or other arcuate elastic elements disposed between the image carrier and the support, urging the image carrier in close contact with the lenticular panel, the arcuate elastic elements also being able to roll against the image carrier so as to facilitate the movement of the image carrier.
US07971370B2	Vapor collection method and apparatus An apparatus and method for treating a moving substrate of indefinite length. The apparatus has a control surface positioned in close proximity to a surface of the substrate to define a control gap between the substrate and the control surface. A first chamber is positioned near the control surface, with the first chamber having a gas introduction device. A second chamber is positioned near the control surface, the second chamber having a gas withdrawal device. The control surface and the chambers together define a region wherein the adjacent gas phases possess an amount of mass. Upon inducement of at least a portion of the mass within the region, the mass flow is controlled to significantly reduce dilution of the gas phase component in the adjacent gas phase. This is accomplished through the introduction of a controlled gas stream thereby reducing the flow of an uncontrolled ambient gas stream due to pressure gradients in the system.
US07971368B2	Hand drying apparatus In a hand drying apparatus, an infrared light absorber absorbs infrared light, when a hand is not present, emitted from an infrared light emitter provided on an inner surface of a drying space.
US07971362B2	Motor-driven saber saw with guide device A motor-driven saber saw includes a guide device releasably connectable with the saw housing (11) in a region of the neck (13) and including a guide element (21) for guiding the saber saw (10) over a workpiece, a connection device (22) for connecting the guide element (21) to the housing (11) and having at least one connection part extending along an axis (A) and connectable with the neck (13), with the guide element (21) being supported on the at least one connection part (24) for displacement along the axis (A), and with the guide device (20) further including at least one spring element (27) located between the at least one connection part (24) and the guide element (21).
US07971361B2	Portable circular saw A portable circular saw has a housing and a baseplate. The housing carries a motor which is connected to a blade through a transmission mechanism. The baseplate includes a main baseplate and a secondary baseplate each of which has a bottom surface and the bottom surfaces are coplanar. At least a part of the blade passes though a slot formed in the main baseplate. The main baseplate includes a first edge and a second edge disposed on opposing sides of the blade. The secondary baseplate has at least two exchangeable positions. In a first position, the secondary baseplate is jointed or adjacent to the first edge of the main baseplate and, in a second position, the secondary baseplate is joined or adjacent to the second edge of the main baseplate.
US07971352B2	Method of manufacturing printed circuit board A method of manufacturing a printed circuit board having solder balls. The method may include: stacking a second carrier, in which at least one hole is formed, over one side of a first carrier; forming at least one solder bump by filling the hole with a conductive material; forming a circuit pattern layer, which is electrically connected with the solder bump, on the second carrier; and exposing the solder bump by removing the first carrier and the second carrier. Using this method, uniform hemispherical solder balls with fine pitch can be formed as a part of the manufacturing process, without having to attach the solder balls separately. Carriers may be used to serve as supports during the manufacturing process, whereby deformations can be prevented in the board.
US07971347B2	Method of interconnecting workpieces Embodiments of an apparatus and methods of forming a package on package interconnect and its application to the packaging of microelectronic devices are described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
US07971346B2	Applicator for electrical or electronic components Stock having printed circuits thereon is conveyed in a transport plane by a conveying device, and electronic components carried by a transfer belt are transferred to the stock under pressure exerted by the belt. The electronic components are transferred to the belt by a feed device individually in such a way that the electronic components are accurately positioned on the stock by the transfer device.
US07971342B2	Method of manufacturing a conductor assembly A conductor assembly and method of manufacture. The assembly includes a magnetic coil positioned about a curvilinear axis with one or more coil rows comprising conductive material having an arcuate shape. A generated field is characterized by a dipole component having a first magnitude, a quadrupole component having a second magnitude, a sextupole component having a third magnitude and a decupole component having a fourth magnitude. The third and fourth magnitudes are each 10−3 the first magnitude or less.
US07971339B2	Method and apparatus for making a radio frequency inlay A method and apparatus are provided for making radio frequency (RF) inlays. The RF inlays include an integrated circuit and an antenna affixed to a substrate material carrying the integrated circuit. During processing, portions of the wire forming the antenna are located adjacent to, but not directly over the integrated circuit. In the subsequent processing step, the wire ends are placed in contact with and secured to the integrated circuit terminal areas.
US07971338B2	Fabricating method for earphone A fabricating method for an earphone includes the steps of: providing a front case and a speaker, the front case having a plurality of securing holes and a accommodating space, the speaker being disposed in the accommodating space; electrically connecting an earphone wire to the speaker; providing a rear case and securing the rear case onto the front case by making use of a plurality of fasteners penetrating through the rear case and fitted into the securing holes of the front case, and thereby the speaker is fixed in the accommodating space by the stop effect of the rear case; and buckling a protecting cover on the rear case to cover the fasteners. The fabricating method can make the produced earphone to be more reliable and thus can effectively avoid from being disassembled caused by an external force or unexpected falling, and therefore the internal components thereof can be effectively protected from damage.
US07971337B2	Method for producing a microphone module for a hearing aid device The production of a hearing aid device can be simplified by the use of a microphone module with a plurality of microphones. To attach and electrically contact the microphones, the invention provides a microphone carrier with three-dimensionally directed conductor traces in MID technology. In a complicated microphone arrangement with a plurality of microphones, a single microphone module can thereby be used on which all microphones of the hearing aid device are attached and electrically connected.
US07971336B2	Method for manufacturing products comprising transponders The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing products comprising transponders. The method comprises introducing a web comprising on its surface sequential structural modules comprising an impedance matching element and an integrated circuit electrically connected to the impedance matching element, the structural modules having a first distance between each other; cutting the web in such a manner that the sequential structural modules are separated from each other; attaching the structural modules to a product substrate, the sequential structural modules having a second distance between each other, the second distance being longer than the first distance; and attaching the impedance matching elements to antennas, the impedance matching elements and the antennas forming an electrical connection.
US07971335B2	Fastening apparatus and method with compensation for load-induced deformation of supporting frame Fastening apparatus comprises a frame having a pair of spaced arms supporting respective cooperable fastening members, loading of the frame during a fastening operation tends to spread the arms and cause variation of a desired predetermined relationship between the fastening members. One of the members is mounted on one arm of the frame by a holder constructed to deform elastically and thereby to provide at least partial compensation for the variation.
US07971325B2	Touch fastener products A touch fastener including an elongated base having multiple segments connected by articulable joints. Each segment has an upper surface, a lower surface, and a plurality of touch fastener elements extending from the lower surface of the base. A flexible barrier extends across at least one articulable joint between adjacent base segments. The fastener may include a magnetically attractable material disposed along a center region of the upper surface of the base. The fastener base may define a pair of first and second notches in opposite longitudinal edges of the base at the articulable joint to allow bending of the base. The base may also define a slit extending through the base from a longitudinal edge thereof at the articulable joint.
US07971316B2	Door closer assembly A door closer assembly is provided, including a valve regulating an amount of hydraulic fluid that flows through the valve. The amount of hydraulic fluid flowing through the valve controls a force generated by the door closer assembly on a door. A first sensor measures an angular position of the door, and a second sensor measures an angular position of the valve. The angular position of the valve determines the amount of hydraulic fluid flowing through the valve. A controller controls the adjustment of the valve based on the angular position of the door and the angular position of the valve.
US07971314B2	Oval filter cage and vacuum cleaner The present disclosure provides a filter cage having an improved flow path suitable even for restricted flow regions of a float container in the cage. The filter cage departs from generally accepted structural considerations and provides flow paths to one or more sides of the cage outside the restricted flow regions of the float container, but within the cross-sectional area of the cage structure. In one exemplary embodiment, the cage is oval-shaped with a cross-sectional area defined by a major and minor axis. A restricted flow region, such as the float container, encompasses a cross-sectional area corresponding in size to a cross-sectional area defined by the minor axis of the oval-shaped cage. The remaining portion of the cage cross-sectional areas provides one or more flow paths outward from the float container in the direction of the major axis of the cage.
US07971312B2	Connecting element for wiper The invention relates to a connecting element (22) for hingedly connecting a wiper blade (10) to a wiper arm, said wiper blade (10) having a wiper strip (12) and at least one sprung blade (20) inserted into the wiper strip (12). Said sprung blade projects beyond the wiper strip (12) in the area of the connecting element (22) and is enclosed by guide rails (30) that are interlinked by at least one spring clip (34) and secured in the longitudinal direction of the wiper blade (10) by at least one locking element (38) which laterally engages with a recess (28) of the sprung blade (20).
US07971307B2	Device for cleaning tubes The present invention provides a device for cleaning tubes, in particular the internal surfaces of tubes in heat exchange systems. The device comprises a mass (2) with an optionally provided central through-hole (10) disposed thereon, and optionally provided a plurality of protrusions (20, 21) mounted and/or moulded on the mass (2). The through-hole (10) is preferably of a conical shape-like configuration. A plurality of first protrusions (20) is disposed in a fin-like arrangement on the mass (2). A plurality of second protrusions (21) is disposed in a spiral arrangement on the mass (2), and the lengths of the second protrusions (21) are relatively longer than the length of the first protrusions (20). The mass may consist of an asymmetrically positioned weighted core (15) of different weights and sizes to provide a variety of relative density to the device and to serve as a geometrical manipulation to impart rotational momentum and random dynamic motion to the device.
US07971303B2	Scraper tool for removing material from a surface of a metal work piece A scraper tool for removing material such as surface treatments, metal coatings, and other material layers from an edge region of a metal work piece where they could potentially contaminate a nearby weld. According to one embodiment, the scraper tool includes a body having a base portion and a tab portion, and several scraping elements attached to the base portion. During operation, the scraping elements scrape one or more surfaces of the edge region so that the depth to which the scraping element engage the metal work piece is generally affected by the amount of rotation of the scraper tool about a pivot axis.
US07971302B2	Integrated continuous batch tunnel washer A method of washing fabric articles in a tunnel washer includes moving the fabric articles from the intake of the washer to the discharge of the washer through first and second sectors that are a pre-wash zone. In the pre-wash zone, liquid is counter flowed in the wash interior along a flow path that is generally opposite the direction of travel of the fabric articles. The fabric articles are transferred to a main wash zone, and a washing chemical is added to the main wash zone. At about the same time, counter flow is reduced or stopped. The main wash zone can be heated as an option. After a period of time (for example, between about 20 and 120 seconds) counter flow is increased. The increased counter flow after chemical treatment amounts to either an intermediate rinse or a pre-rinse depending upon which module or zone the goods occupy. The pre-rinse ensures that the fabric articles are substantially free of soil or the majority of any soil when they are transferred to an extractor for final removal of excess water.
US07971301B2	Washing machine and the control method of the same A washing machine and a control method thereof are provided. The method includes calculating a quantity of a detergent in a washing operation, setting a washing pattern based on the calculated quantity of the detergent, and performing a rinsing operation according to the set washing pattern, thereby improving rinsing capacity of the washing machine.
US07971290B2	Bunk bed with reversible staircase and drawer unit A bunk bed having a staircase and chest unit that can be mounted to either end of the bunk bed frame. The staircase opens to the front side of the bunk bed whereas drawers pull outwardly in a direction from the end of the bunk bed. The drawers may be mounted to either end of the bed frame with the drawers being reversible.
US07971267B2	Air supplying device for welding mask Disclosed is an air supplying device for a welding mask, capable of supplying clean air into a face shield of the welding mask. According to an embodiment of the present invention, more specifically, the air supplying device comprises a housing connected to the face shield, a connection member connected to a supply port of the housing, a first opening/closing member connected to a first outlet part of the housing, and a second opening/closing member connected to a second outlet of the housing. Therefore, the air supplying device is capable of conveniently adjusting direction of a bellows hose connected to supply the air and also adjusting quantity and direction of the air being supplied.
US07975307B2	Securing proprietary functions from scan access An electronic device as described herein implements a scheme to secure a data mapping function from scan access. The protection scheme can be used as a security measure for proprietary lookup tables, secret constants, digitally implemented algorithms, and the like. The electronic device employs a reconfigurable data mapping arrangement that can be reconfigured for a normal operating mode and a scan testing mode. While in the normal operating mode, a normal data mapping arrangement generates valid output data in accordance with the data mapping function. While in the scanning mode, however, a scanning data mapping arrangement generates invalid but testable output data in accordance with a data masking function that conceals, hides, masks, or obfuscates the data mapping function. Using the data masking function in this manner protects the data mapping function against reverse engineering attacks that attempt to derive the data mapping function from scan testing results.
US07975303B1	Efficient file scanning using input-output hints A scanning optimization manager scans files for malicious code. The scanning optimization manager creates listings of the portions of scanned files accessed during the scanning. The scanning optimization manager proceeds to utilize these listings of accessed portions of files as I/O hints to optimize subsequent scans of the files for malicious code.
US07975298B1	System, method and computer program product for remote rootkit detection A security system may detect a rootkit by detecting a filesystem configuration of the first system and comparing the filesystem configuration to a known valid filesystem configuration of a second system. The known valid filesystem configuration may be the filesystem configuration of a protected second system, or may be stored in a protected area of the second system. The first and second system may be part of a single device. The filesystem configuration of the first system and the known valid filesystem configuration are compared and differences are analyzed to determine if they are indicative of a rootkit. If a rootkit is detected, some embodiments may provide tools to clean, delete, or quarantine the rootkit. The second system may be provided by a security provider.
US07975289B2	Program, client authentication requesting method, server authentication request processing method, client and server The client requests authentication by transmitting the authentication information entered by the user, the MAC address of the network adapter, and the address change information as to whether or not the MAC address has been changed. When the authentication information and the MAC address are in agreement with the details of registration, and if a change in the MAC address is recognized from the address change information, the server regards the authentication as being a failure and issues an access refusal, thus completing the processing. If a change in the MAC address is recognized, the fact may be notified to the manager to issue an access permit or an access refusal in accordance with the manager's instruction.
US07975280B2	Method and apparatus for performing impulse authorizations within a video on demand environment A conditional access control apparatus for inserting descrambling messages and impulse authorizations to enable requesting subscribers to utilize requested scrambled content. The apparatus includes a content and asset storage module for storing content and assets, and a pre-encryption module for encrypting content to be stored in said content device. A transport processor inserts stored content into a forward application transport channel (FATC), and a controller interacts with a requesting subscriber and inserts into the FATC descrambling messages and impulse authorizations enabling the requesting subscriber to utilize requested scrambled content.
US07975278B2	Digital broadcast receiving apparatus There is provided a digital broadcast receiving apparatus capable of notifying a user that an item in itself exists even if a blank exists in the name portion of an item in the variable RRT to prevent the user from omitting setting. The microcomputer 18 acquires a rating region table (RRT) from a transport steam (TS) signal and attaches a flag capable of restricting viewing to each level in the RTT based on inputs entered by a user while displaying the RTT on a screen. If rating information including the TS signal expresses the level on which the flag capable of restricting viewing is attached, viewing of a program including the rating information is restricted, a blank in the level, item and table names included in the RRT is detected and the detected blank is substituted with a predetermined character string.
US07975274B2	Optical disc loading apparatus of optical disc player capable of loading discs of different sizes A disc loading apparatus of an optical disc player includes components of a loading mechanism interacting with each other and steadily performing multiple functions such that reliability of loading/unloading of an optical disc enhanced and the number of components is reduced. The disc loading apparatus includes a main frame having a loading motor loading optical discs of different sizes to a chucking position, a base plate, a guide lever guiding the optical discs to the chucking position, a locking lever selectively locking/releasing the guide lever according to the disc loading position, a slider reciprocating in the loading/unloading directions of the optical disc and selectively receiving a driving force of the loading motor according to the traveling positions, and a connector rotating and translating to move in association with the guide lever, the slider, and the locking lever. The connector transfers the movement of the guide lever to the slider.
US07975270B2	Facilitating allocation of resources in a heterogeneous computing environment Allocation of resources in a heterogeneous computing environment is facilitated. A resource manager of the heterogeneous computing environment obtains information that describes which nodes of the heterogeneous computing environment are capable of supporting additional operating systems and platforms over and above their native operating systems and platforms. This information is then used by the resource manager in allocating resources to satisfy a particular job.
US07975267B2	Virtual interrupt processing in a layered virtualization architecture Embodiments of apparatuses, methods, and systems for processing virtual interrupts in a layered virtualization architecture are disclosed. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes virtual machine entry logic, recognition logic, and evaluation logic. The virtual machine entry logic is to transfer control of the apparatus from a host to a guest. The recognition logic is to recognize a virtual interrupt request. The evaluation logic is to determine whether to transfer control from the guest to an intervening monitor in response to the virtual interrupt request.
US07975266B2	Remote installation of computer resources Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for installing resources in a computer system operate to identify a need to install resources on a target device and perform an installation of the resources on the target device using installer components located remotely from the target device. The remotely located installer components control the installation of the resources.
US07975258B2	Testing environment for database server side logic A system for providing a test environment for database server-side objects persistently stores a profile for a plurality of test runs for database server-side objects, where the profile comprises persistently stored test parameter values, pre-execution scripts, and/or post-execution scripts. Once the profile is created, it can be selected for subsequent test runs for one or more objects. A plurality of profiles for the objects may also be created. The system eliminates the need for a manual set up or destruction of the test environment for each test run, improving efficiency in the development of database server-side objects significantly.
US07975252B2	Reliability simulation method and system The present invention relates to a method for finding design weakness and potential field failure of a PCB assembly which includes components, comprising the steps of: (a) creating a model of the PCB assembly by which natural frequencies and mode shapes of the PCB assembly can be determined; (b) performing a natural frequencies simulation for determining natural frequencies and mode shapes of the PCB assembly; and (c) analyzing said determined natural frequencies and mode shapes and identifying local dominant oscillations of components, components identified as having a local dominant oscillation in at least one of said determined mode shapes are identified as components having a relatively high potential of field failure.
US07975251B2	Method, recording medium, and design support system for designing an electronics device A design method includes creating power supply planes in each layer of a circuit board, from CAD data of the circuit boards whereby the power supply planes form one power supply conductor interconnect and supply power or connect to ground, expanding the shape of the power supply planes by a predetermined width, creating power supply pairs which are formed by opposing portions wherein two power supply planes existing in different layers are separated by an insulator and correcting the parameter by use of the mesh area.
US07975246B2	MEEF reduction by elongation of square shapes A method that purposely relaxes OPC algorithm constraints to allow post OPC mask shapes to elongate along one direction (particularly lowering the 1-dimensional MEEF in this direction with the result of an effectively overall lowered MEEF) to produce a pattern on wafer that is circular to within an acceptable tolerance.
US07975237B2	Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and storage medium containing information processing program with rotary operation There is provided a novel menu selection method in a mobile phone. Also provided is a cursor displaying method with which a user can intuitively recognize a moving direction and moving speed. In addition, a novel scrollbar with which the user can recognize, in a case of displaying menus beyond a display screen, a range currently displayed on a display screen among all the menus and a current cursor position within the menus displayed on the current display screen.
US07975236B1	Seamless integration of non-native application into host operating system A method, system and computer program product recorded on a computer-readable medium for execution on at least one processor, for seamless integration of a non-host application into a host OS, including launching a first Virtual Execution Environment (VEE) on a computing system that has a host operating system and a host desktop displayed to a user; displaying a window corresponding to the VEE on the host desktop; upon a user invoking a user application that is non-native to both the host OS and the first VEE, (a) installing a second VEE that is compatible with the user application, (b) installing the user application into the second VEE, (c) launching the application inside the second VEE, and (d) displaying the non-host application window within a window of the second VEE. The VEE can be a Virtual Private Server or a Virtual Machine.
US07975233B2	Automatic conversion of a textual language into a graphical program representation Automatic conversion of textual program code to graphical program code is performed. The method automatically translates the given functionality of a textual program code into executable graphical program code, corresponding to the same functionality. The method includes a parsing routine that generates a syntax tree and code generation routines, which create graphical program code from the syntax tree.
US07975224B2	WYSIWYG multifunction device finishing options A method, document processing apparatus, and computer readable recording medium for performing document preparation of documents to be printed by a multi-function output device capable of applying finishing functions to the printed document. A document preparation program further includes a WYSIWYG display function for displaying the document or portions of the document in a WYSIWYG format. The document preparation program is configured to display a current document in a document window, display document finishing options to a user, accept user selections of one or more of the document finishing options, and display a representation of the user-selected document finishing options in the document window with displayed pages of the current document.
US07975218B2	Apparatus and method for forming document group structure data and storage medium The apparatus for forming a document group structure data contains a base document specifying section that specifies plural documents to be positionally fixed on the tree structure as base documents based on an input from a user, an upper tree structure forming section that forms an upper tree structure data showing a hierarchical relation among the base documents based on positional information of the base documents in the directory structure, a lower tree structure forming section that forms lower tree structure data showing tree structures of document groups having the base documents as root nodes, respectively, by following links of the hypertext structure starting from the respective base documents, and a tree structure combining section that forms a tree structure data showing the hypertext structure by combining the upper tree structure data and the respective lower tree structure data.
US07975215B2	Sharing editable ink annotated images with annotation-unaware applications Data associated with pixels obscured by annotations in an annotated image is stored using an annotation mask enabling annotation-aware applications to reconstruct the original image, while annotation-unaware applications can display the annotated image with optimized increase in extra data to be stored. The annotation mask, same size as the image, is initialized to a monochrome default and the color depth information for obscured pixels saved within the annotation mask. Because a majority area of the annotation mask is monochrome, it compresses well and the obscured image content can be saved in a side channel, metadata header, or a separate file. During reconstruction, changes to annotated image such as rotation, size change, and the like, may be detected and accounted for when obscured image content is carried over to the annotated image for reconstruction.
US07975198B2	Test system and back annotation method A test system for performing a test of a device is provided that comprises a source file of a test plan that describes a program for performing a test, and one or more of elements that are formed in a unit that divides the source file into one or more blocks. The test system further comprises an annotatable object that, when debugging of objects of the source file is performed, manages modification details of the debugging with reference to an element corresponding to a portion where the debugging is performed, and a controller that, after the debugging, rewrites the source file with details after the debugging is performed on an element basis based on the element and the annotatable object.
US07975197B2	On-chip scan clock generator for ASIC testing A scan clock generator includes a clock signal input for receiving a clock signal, a scan shift mode signal input for receiving a scan shift mode signal, and a sequence controller coupled to the clock signal input for gating a selected number of clock signal pulses at a time to generate a sequence of nonconcurrent scan clock signals at separate outputs respectively in response to a first state of the scan shift mode signal.
US07975192B2	Reading memory cells using multiple thresholds A method for operating a memory (28) includes storing data, which is encoded with an Error Correction Code (ECC), in analog memory cells (32) of the memory by writing respective analog input values selected from a set of nominal values to the analog memory cells. The stored data is read by performing multiple read operations that compare analog output values of the analog memory cells to different, respective read thresholds so as to produce multiple comparison results for each of the analog memory cells. At least two of the read thresholds are positioned between a pair of the nominal values that are adjacent to one another in the set of the nominal values. Soft metrics are computed responsively to the multiple comparison results. The ECC is decoded using the soft metrics, so as to extract the data stored in the analog memory cells.
US07975190B2	System and method for network device configuration A stream of traffic data is generated, where the traffic data has a known characteristic. The stream of traffic data is applied to the network device, where the network device has a specific type. The network device generates an output based on the traffic data. A performance of the network device is monitored while the traffic data is processed by the network device to generate monitoring data for the traffic data applied to the network device having the specific type. The output from the network device is analyzed to identify how the traffic data was handled by the network device to generate performance metrics. The monitoring data and the performance metrics are saved to a knowledge database. The knowledge database can be accessed to enable configuration of other network devices based in part on the monitoring data and performance metrics.
US07975187B2	Method and apparatus for measuring customer impacting failure rate in communication networks A method and system for measuring a customer impacting failure rate in a communication network are disclosed. For example, the method collects a plurality of customer impacting network failure events, where the plurality of customer impacting network failure events comprises both hardware failure events and software failure events associated with a particular type of router or switch, or a particular type of component of the router or the switch. The method computes a Mean Time Between Outage (MTBO) metric from the plurality of customer impacting network failure events and compares the MTBO metric with a MTBO goal metric, wherein the MTBO goal metric is calculated in accordance with a predicted Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) metric.
US07975185B2	Method and management system for configuring an information system According to the method for configuring an information system (1), components (2) are provided for the information system (1) and component-specific error susceptibility data (3) on the individual components (2). For a given system configuration (5), error susceptibility information (7) is determined for the information system (1) in this given system configuration (5) as a function of the component-specific error susceptibility data (3). The error susceptibility information (7) is evaluated with reference to given evaluation criteria (8). In a subsequent step, the information system (1) is configured in the given system configuration (5) if the error susceptibility information (7) satisfies the given evaluation criteria (8). By means of the method, it is achieved that only system configurations are accepted that satisfy requirements specified by the evaluation criteria (8) with respect to the reliability of the information system (1).
US07975163B1	Apparatus and method for masking a clock signal A system and method are disclosed for masking a clock input from a clock line when the clock line is not being driven by a clock source. The clock mask is triggered by a clock cycle from the clock source. In one version, a memory controller configures a masking circuit to either allow a clock signal to the clock input or to mask the clock input from a bidirectional clock bus. The masking circuit may comprise a storage element and a gate, as an example.
US07975157B2	Host device with power-saving function A card reader with power-saving function is used for being inserted with a memory card so that a computer can access the memory card through the card reader. When the memory card is inserted in the card reader, the card reader is enabled to operate. On the other hand, when the memory card is not inserted in the card reader, the card reader enters to a power-down mode for saving power.
US07975153B2	Transmission impedance for four-pair midspan powering in a power over ethernet application A midspan power sourcing equipment (PSE) for operation with power over Ethernet (PoE). The midspan PSE provides powering over wire pairs that are also used for data communication. To ensure compatibility with legacy Ethernet devices, the ports used for transmission of data are designed with a low effective impedance at a frequency of operation.
US07975151B2	Decryption key table access control on ASIC or ASSP An ASIC or ASSP has processor circuitry (110), a predetermined initialization program (100) for execution by the processor circuitry at power up, and a non-volatile key table (120) readable by the initialization program, and not accessible otherwise by the processor circuitry. The initialization program reads a key index associated with encrypted data, from external memory, and uses the key index to read a corresponding key from the table, to decrypt the encrypted data for use by the processor circuitry. Optionally another key is first decrypted and used for the decryption of the encrypted data. By keeping the key on board the chip and restricting access in this way, the key and therefore the encrypted data can be protected from software based reverse engineering. This means the encrypted data can cheaper memory chips or other storage. Thus the processor circuitry can be formed on a smaller integrated circuit.
US07975147B1	Electronic device network supporting enciphering and deciphering and update generation in electronic devices Disclosed herein is an electronic device network having a plurality of associated electronic devices. The electronic devices may include an update agent adapted to decipher code and/or data segments. The update agent may also be adapted to modify and/or upgrade firmware and/or software components resident in the electronic devices by employing the deciphered code and/or data segments along with contents of an update. An update generator, resident in the electronic devices may employ deciphering techniques to the code and/or date segments to extract enciphered code and/or data segments. The update generator may also process the code and/or data segments to generate an update including difference information. The update generator may also be adapted to encipher difference information in the generated update.
US07975141B2	Method of sharing bus key and apparatus therefor A method and apparatus of sharing a bus key is provided, the method including receiving at a first device a device key, encrypted using an encryption key, from a storage device; decrypting the encrypted device key using a decryption key corresponding to the encryption key; creating a random number, and generating a bus key using the created random number and the decrypted device key, by which data to be transmitted through a bus can be encrypted using the bus key; and transmitting the generated bus key to a predetermined device connected to the first device via the bus.
US07975138B2	Systems and methods for mutually authenticated transaction coordination messages over insecure connections Systems and methods are provided that enable authentication of transaction coordination messages sent via insecure connections. Also provided are systems and methods for controlling transaction coordination and recovery. In many embodiments, there is an exchange between a coordinator and a sub-coordinator, such that the coordinator provides the sub-coordinator with a coordinator token, and the sub-coordinator provides the coordinator with a sub-coordinator token. The coordinator and sub-coordinator tokens are used to authenticate transaction coordination messages sent over one or more insecure connections between the coordinator and the sub-coordinator.
US07975135B2	Apparatus, method and product for selecting an iSCSI target for automated initiator booting An apparatus, method and product for selecting an iSCSI target for us in automatically booting a remote initiator is disclosed. A policy engine is created for use in a discovery domain of an iSCSI device. A boot attribute setting within the policy engine is set for selecting an iSCSI target to allow the remote initiator to automatically log onto the selected target for booting.
US07975127B2	Computer system for processing instructions each containing a group of operations to be executed out of order A computer system comprising a data file having entries each of which is designed to hold data, an advanced and a completed mapping file each having entries each of which is designed to hold a data-file-entry address, an operation window that is a buffer to hold substances of operations waiting execution, and a state-modification queue that is designed to be able to hold a substance of a modification on the advanced mapping file for each clock cycle; wherein making a modification on the advanced mapping file, entering the substance of this modification into the state-modification queue, and entering substances of operations into the operation window are each to be done in one clock cycle, and operations held in the operation window are to be executed out of order. The system can attain high performance easily and utilize programs described in any machine language for traditional register-based/stack-based processors.
US07975120B2	Dynamic allocation of message buffers A method for allocating memory that is associated with a CAN (controller area network) controller, comprises receiving a data frame comprising an identifier (ID) and data; dynamically allocating a message buffer (MB) within the memory for queuing the data frame; and generating a pointer that points to the MB, where the pointer is accessed via a static location in the memory. A corresponding host interface for the CAN controller can be implemented in IC circuitry, is configured to be coupled to a host CPU and a CAN bus interface, and includes a memory allocation unit for dynamic memory allocation and a memory access controller, coupled to the memory allocation unit and the memory, that is configured to control access to the memory to facilitate transmitting and receiving a multiplicity of data frames over a CAN bus.
US07975117B2	Enforcing isolation among plural operating systems Plural guest operating systems run on a computer, where a security kernel enforces a policy of isolation among the guest operating systems. An exclusion vector defines a set of pages that cannot be accessed by direct memory access (DMA) devices. The security kernel enforces an isolation policy by causing certain pages to be excluded from direct access. Thus, device drivers in guest operating systems are permitted to control DMA devices directly without virtualization of those devices, while each guest is prevented from using DMA devices to access pages that the guest is not permitted to access under the policy.
US07975115B2	Method and apparatus for separating snapshot preserved and write data A method and device for managing snapshot data is provided. Snapshots may be created having a preserved data area and a write data area. The preserved data area is used to maintain snapshot data corresponding to the point-in-time when the snapshot was created while the write data area is used to facilitate host read/write access to the snapshot. By maintaining two separate areas, the snapshot can be written to without altering the point-in-time representation of the snapshot.
US07975101B2	Storage medium storing drive configuration setting program A storage medium stores a set of program instructions including: acquiring a number of at least one virtual unit with which at least one of a plurality of storage units is associated, the number of at least one virtual unit being set smaller than a total number of the plurality of storage units; receiving, from an operating system, a first command that specifies one of the at least one virtual unit; registering, as an accessible storage unit, a single storage unit from among the at least one of the plurality of storage units that is associated with the one of the at least one virtual unit specified by the first command, the single storage unit being in condition for communicating data with a data processing device; and outputting, to a peripheral device, a second command that specifies the accessible storage unit based on the first command.
US07975100B2	Segmentation of logical volumes and movement of selected segments when a cache storage is unable to store all segments of a logical volume Provided are a method, system, and article of manufacture, wherein a storage manager application implemented in a first computational device maintains a virtual logical volume that represents a plurality of segments of a linear storage medium of a secondary storage, wherein the virtual logical volume and the plurality of segments are created by the storage manager application. A request for data is received at the first computational device, from a second computational device. The storage manager application moves selected segments of the plurality of segments from the linear storage medium of the secondary storage to a cache storage, in anticipation that the requested data is included in the selected segments that are moved from the linear storage medium of the secondary storage to the cache storage.
US07975086B1	Apparatus for real-time arbitration between masters and requestors and method for operating the same A circuit is provided for handling multiple requestors desiring access to a resource. The circuit includes a plurality of arbitrators and a plurality of masters. Each master is assigned to a different one of the plurality of arbitrators. Each arbitrator is defined to select a different one of the multiple requestors to be serviced by the master to which the arbitrator is assigned. Also, the plurality of arbitrators is defined to make their requestor selections in the same clock cycle. Additionally, the plurality of arbitrators is defined to make their requestor selections such that selection of a particular requestor is not duplicated among the plurality of arbitrators.
US07975080B2	Methods and apparatus for providing bit-reversal and multicast functions utilizing DMA controller Techniques for providing improved data distribution to and collection from multiple memories are described. Such memories are often associated with and local to processing elements (PEs) within an array processor. Improved data transfer control within a data processing system provides support for radix 2, 4 and 8 fast Fourier transform (FFT) algorithms through data reordering or bit-reversed addressing across multiple PEs, carried out concurrently with FFT computation on a digital signal processor (DSP) array by a DMA unit. Parallel data distribution and collection through forms of multicast and packet-gather operations are also supported.
US07975074B2	Data transmitting method with multiple token mechanism in wireless token ring protocol A data transmission method with multiple token mechanism in wireless token ring protocol is provided. First, (a) a logical ring with M nodes is provided; (b) a k-th node is selected from the logical ring, and a token in the k-th node is generated; (c) a first message is sent to a (k+1)-th node from the k-th node with the token, and whether the (k+1)-th node responds a second message is judged, if yes, the data to be transmitted is transmitted from the k-th node, otherwise, the token of the k-th node is eliminated; (d) the token is sent to the (k+1)-th node from the k-th node after completing the transmission of the transmitted data of the k-th node, a generation token sequence is generated in a i-th node, and sent to a (i−1)-th node; and (e) the token is generated for the (i−1)-th node with the generation token sequence.
US07975060B2	Adaptive video delivery A video server for transmitting video across a network to a plurality of users includes a coder (112) which operates in response to call requests or instructions received across the network (102) from individual clients (104, 106). The server maintains in memory a series of user status records (116), one for each of the users. Each record includes, or refers to, a copy of a previous frame sent to the respective user. When the coder (112) receives a call request, it uses the previously-sent frame for that user to optimise coding the current frame that is to be sent, received from a frame grabber (110). The invention avoids the difficulties of video broadcasting while still requiring only a single instance of a video coder.
US07975039B2	Method and apparatus to support application and network awareness of collaborative applications using multi-attribute clustering A method of clustering communication nodes based on network attributes such as network delays and forwarding capacity; on communication interest attributes; and on application attributes such as quality of service preferences/constraints in providing communications between users and application servers. A multi-attribute communication feature vector is formed. That vector is comprised of network attributes, communication interests attributes, and quality of service requirements and is used to form efficient group communication mechanisms for distributed collaborative applications. Then the multi-attribute communication feature vectors are clustered. The clustering methods for multi-type attribute feature vectors are: iterative clustering using a generalized distance space with normalized attribute subspace metrics; fusion clustering, and nested clustering.
US07975035B2	Method and apparatus to support application and network awareness of collaborative applications using multi-attribute clustering A method of clustering communication nodes based on network attributes such as network delays and forwarding capacity; on communication interest attributes; and on application attributes such as quality of service preferences/constraints in providing communications between users and application servers. A multi-attribute communication feature vector is formed. That vector is comprised of network attributes, communication interests attributes, and quality of service requirements and is used to form efficient group communication mechanisms for distributed collaborative applications. Then the multi-attribute communication feature vectors are clustered. The clustering methods for multi-type attribute feature vectors are: iterative clustering using a generalized distance space with normalized attribute subspace metrics; fusion clustering, and nested clustering.
US07975030B2	Remote configuration of devices using a secure connection Methods and systems for configuring a remote device are described. In one embodiment, a method of configuring a remote device while negotiating a secure connection between the remote device and a central server is described. The method involves transmitting a configuration request from the remote device to the central server, including a request for a location to retrieve the latest configuration file from. The method also entails receiving a configuration response from the central server, with a pointer to such a location. The configuration file is retrieved from the indicated location, and applied to the remote device. The remote device sends general information about its configuration and status to the central server, using the secure connection.
US07975029B2	Terminal equipment A Terminal equipment 10 has a message information accepter 12 for accepting message information from terminal program 26, an ID generator 14 for generating a thread ID for identifying the message information, a transmitter 16 for generating a message containing the message information and the thread ID and for transmitting the message to IC card 24, and a receiver 18 for receiving a message from the IC card 24. When the message received from the IC card 24 contains the thread ID inserted in the transmitted message, the message information accepter 12 returns the received message as a return value for the message information to the terminal program 26 and terminates a process attributed to the message information.
US07975026B2	Method and system for providing game service by using the internet The present invention relates to a card game adopting new “mission function.”According to the present invention, there is provided a method for providing a card game on the Internet comprising the steps of: (a) providing a display of a game panel to a plurality of players connected to the Internet; (b) inviting the players to the card game upon request of the players; (c) distributing game items to invited players; (d) conducting a random retrieval of at least one mission from a database; (e) checking whether the mission is achieved when the game items are transacted; and (f) settling results of the card game when the card game is over.
US07975024B2	Virtual personal computer access over multiple network sites A computer system in a wide area network, including a workstation computer and a first virtualization server which maintains virtualization information in real time for the workstation computer on a first storage device, wherein the first virtualization server is located at a first site. A second virtualization server is located at a second site in the wide area network. At the first site, a first gateway computer is operatively connected to a first synchronization computer and at the second site, a second gateway computer is operatively connected to a second synchronization computer. A copy of the virtualization information of the workstation computer is maintained in real time on a second storage device at the second site, by intercommunicating between the first synchronization computer and the second synchronization computer.
US07975017B1	Method and system for remote device access in virtual environment A method, system and computer program product for accessing remote devices is provided. The proposed method allows users to remotely access devices or tools controlled by a VM implemented on a remote server. A user of a client machine can access a remote device controlled by a server or by local client of the server. The server can have a number of Virtual Machines (VMs) implemented on it. Each of the VMs can run a Guest OS that has guest device drivers installed on it. The VM receives the user request and passes on user commands to a device controlled by the guest device driver installed on the Guest OS of the VM.
US07975009B2	Instant message contact router A method and apparatus are provided for processing an instant message within a system having a plurality agents for handling the instant message. The method includes the step of a buffer sever detecting an arrival of the instant message. The method also includes the steps of sending the instant message to one of a plurality of messages queues associated with the buffer server pending availability of one of the plurality of agents to handle the instant message and automatically generating and sending a status message to a source of the instant message while the message is in the message queue based upon the status of the instant message in the message queue.
US07975000B2	A/B testing of a webpage Performing A/B testing of content of a webpage includes selecting one of at least two different versions of the webpage to be displayed to a user through an interactive user interface (e.g., a web browser) based on an identification code, such as an Internet Protocol address or tracker identifier supplied by a cookie, associated with the user.
US07974996B1	Math coprocessor A math coprocessor 1300 includes a multiply-accumulate unit 1600. Multiplier-accumulate unit 1600 includes a multiplier array 1603 for selectively multiplying first and second operands, the first and second operands having a data type selected from the group including floating point and integer data types. An adder 1604 selectively performs addition and subtraction operations on third and fourth operands, the third and fourth operands selected by multiplexer circuitry from the contents of a set of associated source registers, data output from multiplier array 1603 and data output from adder 1604.
US07974988B2	System and method for cross-carrier mobile device capability discovery A system and method for cross-carrier mobile device capability discovery. According to an embodiment, a content delivery platform receives an identifier associated with a mobile computing device of a user, identifies a wireless carrier associated with the mobile computing device based on the received identifier, and detects one or more media capabilities supported by the user's mobile computing device for delivering content to the user's mobile computing device based at least in part on media capabilities supported by the identified carrier.
US07974986B1	System, method and computer program products for resume blasting Systems, methods and computer program products include capturing a job seeker's résumé, capturing a list of career websites on which the job seeker desires to post his or her résumé and for each career website specified, logging onto that career website and posting the job seeker's résumé to that career website. If the job seeker doesn't have an account on a specific career website, one is created for him/her.
US07974985B1	System and method for duplication of virtual server files A method and system for managing files in a server environment includes launching a plurality of virtual servers in a computing system; copying a content of a file of a virtual server to a shared space; providing access to the file copy in the shared space when the virtual server attempts to access the file; detecting files with the same content in other virtual servers; and providing access to the file copy in the shared space from the other virtual servers when they attempt to access their files with the identical content.
US07974984B2	Method and system for managing single and multiple taxonomies A system and method may include retrieving a first taxonomy comprising at least one first category and one or more second taxonomies, at least one second category being associated with at least one of the one or more second taxonomies. The system and method may further include creating a new taxonomy by merging the first taxonomy with the second taxonomy based on a comparison of a first category profile of the at least one first category with a second category profile of the at least one second category.
US07974975B2	Method and apparatus for distributing information to users A method and apparatus for providing information to a plurality of users based on the relevancy of the information to the users are disclosed. An incoming message is received. Similarity scores are generated indicating similarities of the incoming message to features of a plurality of messages. Relevancy scores are generated for the plurality of users, the relevancy scores indicating relevancies of the incoming message to the plurality of users based on the similarity scores and a plurality of user profiles including information descriptive of the plurality of users' preferences for the features of the plurality of users. Message information derived from the incoming message, the relevancy scores, and the plurality of user profiles is delivered to at least some of the plurality of users.
US07974973B1	Application object tuning Apparatus, methods, and computer readable medium for monitoring a database and for determining aggregate I/O wait times (i.e. for a ‘target’ index or table) associated at least one I/O category selected from a plurality of I/O categories are disclosed herein.
US07974969B1	Apparatus, method and computer-code for quantifying index overhead Apparatus, methods, and computer readable medium for monitoring a database and for determining an estimated index-overhead for a given index is provided. A description of database performance may be presented to a user in accordance with the determined index overhead. Furthermore, in some embodiments, apparatus, methods and computer-code for (i) determining fractional aggregate index-wait time in accordance with database statement execution plans and (ii) presenting a description of database performance in accordance with the fractional aggregated index-wait time are also disclosed.
US07974963B2	Method and system for retrieving confirming sentences A method, computer readable medium and system are provided which retrieve confirming sentences from a sentence database in response to a query. A search engine retrieves confirming sentences from the sentence database in response to the query. IN retrieving the confirming sentences, the search engine defines indexing units based upon the query, with the indexing units including both lemma from the query and extended indexing units associated with the query. The search engine then retrieves a plurality of sentences from the sentence database using the defined indexing units as search parameters. A similarity between each of the plurality of retrieved sentences and the query is determined by the search engine, wherein each similarity is determined as a function of a linguistic weight of a term in the query. The search engine then ranks the plurality of retrieved sentences based upon the determined similarities.
US07974961B2	Method and apparatus to facilitate the creating and altering of index objects on tables A method for facilitating creation and managing of partitioned table indices of a table object of a first partitioning type includes steps of: automatically looking up a table and its partitioning type definition; retrieving the table index and all indices defined for that table object, and their definitions; presenting to a user at least a portion of the table index in a single set of index alter screens; receiving from the user an alter request in the form of a screen option; performing validity checking on the screen option, based on the index type. If the screen option is not compatible with the index type, the method automatically overrides the screen option with one that is compatible, and issues a diagnostic message. If the screen option is valid for the index type, the user is notified about the changes that will be made and the effect of those changes. Data definition language statements are then generated consistent with the screen options.
US07974958B2	Method, apparatus and system for configuration-dependent control of furnishing information A method and apparatus for updating technical data sets that perform maintenance processes in technical systems is provided. The technical systems include a plurality of components that can each be configured dynamically. After a change in configuration of a component is detected, a report is sent by a configuration database to a central management system. The current management system provides the current version of the technical data sets to a document server.
US07974954B2	Recording method, recording apparatus, and record medium The present invention is a recording method for recording, data to a disc shaped record medium 10 corresponding to a hierarchical file system, the method comprising the steps of recording management information for managing a hierarchical structure of the file system to a particular area 16 of the disc shaped record medium, treating an unused area of the particular area 16 as a particular file, and recording information with respect to an initial location and an initial length of the particular file and information with respect to a current location and a current length of the particular file to the particular area 16.
US07974940B2	Real time expert dialog service Methods and systems provide for establishment of online dialogs between a person and a user of an online community where those people are not necessarily familiar with each others areas of expertise or interests. The methods and systems can categorize a dialog topic received from the person, and determine, from categorization of users, a selection of users of a system to receive the dialog topic. That selection can be further narrowed according to user availability and/or ranking determinations, as well as an initial subject matter test posed to the selection of users. Judging the acceptability of the users' responses can help determine subject matter expertise in an area relevant to the proposed topic.
US07974932B2	Service utility pricing model In one embodiment a method comprises a method of determining a price level for a computer-based service utility comprises determining a base price for the service utility, determining a loss premium for the service utility, and adding the loss premium to the base price level.
US07974931B2	Methods for producing, transmitting and preventing transmission of content based on determination of compliance or non-compliance A method is provided for producing content, the content to be produced depicting at least one person and being subject to a federal record-keeping requirement. The method includes the steps of providing to a computer system information pertaining to a person to be depicted in at least a portion of the content in accordance with a federal record-keeping requirement; associating by the computer system the information with the content to be produced by storing the information together with an identification of the content to be produced in a storage medium independent of a medium to be used to store the content; determining by the computer system that the stored associated information complies with the federal record-keeping requirement; and producing the content based on the determination of compliance.Methods for transmitting such content, and for preventing the transmission of such content, are also provided.
US07974928B2	System and method for securing database records from tampering and managing and recovering from component failure in devices such as postage value dispensing systems A method of managing and recovering from the failure of cryptographic devices in a secure transaction processing system including a database, a plurality first cryptographic devices and a standby cryptographic device. Each of the first cryptographic devices periodically generates and sends to the database a total freshness counter record and generates and sends to another of the first cryptographic devices a digital signature and time stamp record. Upon failure of a first cryptographic device, the standby cryptographic device requests and receives the current total freshness counter record and digital signature and time stamp record for the failed first cryptographic device, and uses the digital signature and time stamp record to verify that the total freshness center record is most current. If so verified, the standby cryptographic device assumes the operation of the failed first cryptographic device.
US07974923B2	Extensible rights expression processing system Extensible grammar-based rights expression system for processing rights expressions including an interpreter with plug-in subcomponents, a validator, and a framework. In another embodiment, system includes a framework having an extensible architecture with extensibility points for adding extensions to the grammar, and an interpreter, the extensions defining semantics and syntax of new rights expressions. A method for processing rights expressions is also provided having the steps of registering plug-in components, making a programmatic call, finding and invoking appropriate plug-in components, evaluating the request against the grant, and returning an authorization result. In another embodiment, method includes the steps of providing an extensible grammar-based rights expression system having an extensible architecture with an interpreter, evaluating the request against the grant using the interpreter, and returning an authorization result. The method may include the step of adding new extensions to the rights expression system to allow processing of new rights expressions.
US07974920B2	Benefit planning Methods, computer readable media, and systems including program instructions are provided for use with benefit planning. A method embodiment includes providing terms for a number of benefit plans available to a potential participant. The embodiment also includes receiving an estimate of benefits to be used by the potential participant. The embodiment further includes displaying together an estimate of expenses to be incurred by the potential participant under each of the benefit plans based on the terms and the estimate of benefits to be used.
US07974917B2	Systems and methods related to lifetime mortgages The present invention relates to a mortgage having a forward portion and a reverse portion. In the forward portion, the borrower receives a loan from a lender in order to purchase or refinance a property, such as a home. In the reverse portion, the property has accumulated sufficient equity to enable the lender to disburse funds back to the borrower. The present disclosure describes various computer systems and computer-implemented methods that assist in planning for this type of mortgage. Various factors may be considered, such as, the home value, ages of one or more borrowers, and an expected mortgage interest rate that may be used to calculate a reverse portion loan-to-value ratio. Then, considering the existing forward portion loan balance, different scenarios for conversion from the forward portion to the reverse portion of the mortgage may be calculated and presented. For example, one or more forward mortgage payment schedules may be calculated and future reverse mortgage timing and capacity may be presented. In some embodiments, the reverse mortgage capacity is used to pay some or all of the forward mortgage portion.
US07974913B1	Methods, computer systems, and software for estimating trading volume The disclosed technology involves estimating daily trading volume for a securities market for a next day, estimating daily trading volume for a particular security for a next day, and estimating intraday trading volume for a particular security for a next time bin in the current day.
US07974907B2	Configurable security processor identifier table A system in an electronic securities market includes a configurable look-up table having assignment entries that assign each of a plurality of securities to one or more securities processors in the system. A configuration process allows administration of the assignment entries included in this configurable look-up table.
US07974900B2	Computer implemented methods to manage the profitability of an insurance network Computer implemented methods are provided for managing and optimizing the profitability of an insurance network with a plurality of physicians in a healthcare practice participating therein. Exemplary computer implemented methods can include, for example, comparing data received via a communications network for each of the plurality of physicians in the healthcare practice with one or more preferred ancillary medical procedures of the insurance network to thereby identify at least one of the plurality of physicians in the healthcare practice who engages in ancillary medical procedures that are not preferred by the insurance network. Such exemplary computer implemented methods can also include, for example, determining whether the risk of the at least one of the plurality of physicians of not receiving a predetermined reimbursement amount for the ancillary medical costs from the insurance company has been reduced responsive to recommending alternative ancillary medical procedures to the at least one of the plurality of physicians.
US07974898B2	System, method, and computer program product for providing stabilized annuity payments and control of investments in a variable annuity A system for providing stabilized annuity payments, the system comprising a processor, a memory, and a computer program stored in the memory. The computer program allocates the risks associated with an investment to the potential beneficiaries of the annuitant by controlling the allocation of assets between two investment pools. The annuitant pool is the pool on which annuity payments are based and the beneficiary pool contains assets that are provided to the beneficiaries upon the death of the annuitant. The beneficiary pool is used as a cushion to isolate the contents of the annuitant pool from fluctuations in value. If the underlying investments perform poorly, assets from the beneficiary pool are reallocated to the annuity pool in order to maintain the existing annuity payment. If the underlying investments perform favorably, increasing in value, excess amounts above a set trigger level amount will be periodically transferred to the annuitant pool.
US07974896B2	Methods, systems, and computer program products for financial analysis and data gathering Systems, methods and computer readable media are provided for controlling operations of an enterprise. In one exemplary embodiment, a method is provided that includes creating an alert model that may be parameterized by a user to monitor the behavior of one or more operational drivers. The method may also include monitoring the behavior of the one or more operational drivers based on the alert model and sending an alert message when the behavior of the one or more operational driver causes a deviation from a preset standard. The method may further include analyzing the alert message to determine one or more behaviors contributing to the alert and communicating the alert message to others in order to collaborate on correcting the deviation from the preset standard. Moreover, the method may include generating a report summary regarding the alert.
US07974891B2	Method and apparatus for processing receptacles of items in a materials handling facility Methods and apparatuses for the processing of receptacles containing heterogeneous inventory items in materials handling facilities are generally described. Dirty picking may be described as a mechanism for the “batch” processing of a receptacle which includes multiple heterogeneous inventory items with different identification codes in a materials handling facility as if all of the items in the receptacle have been ordered, even though one or more of the items may have not been ordered. Through the implementation of a dirty pick mechanism, instead of processing individual items in a receptacle, the entire receptacle may be “dirty picked” and all of the items within the receptacle may be processed “downstream” at a processing station, during which needed items for processing may be selected, and “overage” items may be put aside to be disposed, e.g. by being restocked.
US07974886B2	Method and system for delivery of targeted commercial messages A method for delivery of targeted commercial messages. The method comprises assembling a plurality of potential purchaser profiles in an electronic file for presentation to at least one potential advertiser of goods or services applicable to a substantial portion of the plurality of potential purchasers, developing commercial message selection criteria for selecting from the potential purchasers those suited to receive a specified commercial message contained in a set of commercial messages, applying the commercial message selection criteria to the purchaser profiles to identify the potential purchasers suited to receive specified commercial messages, and presenting over a data network to a potential purchaser identified as suited, the specified commercial messages.
US07974882B1	Method and system for creating a comprehensive undeliverable-as-addressed database for the improvement of the accuracy of marketing mailing lists The present invention is directed to a method and system for generating a comprehensive undeliverable-as-addressed database and receiving mailing lists which may be analyzed to determine confirmed undeliverable-as-addressed records within a mailing list. Items of mail found to be undeliverable subsequent to mailing may be received at one or more processing locations, and consolidated into a single clearinghouse. The names and address of the intended recipient may be retrieved through scanning of the address via an optical character recognition software system or manually entered and may be stored in a consolidated database of confirmed undeliverable as addressed mail. Prior to mailing marketing materials, a mailing list may be compared with the consolidated database of confirmed undeliverable-as-addressed mail to determine confirmed undeliverable-as-addressed records. The undeliverable-as-addressed records may be flagged or alternatively removed from the mailing list.
US07974879B2	Information distribution system A system and method that enhances the “focus” of information exchanged between sellers and buyers. Buyers identify potential sources for goods and services that are desirable to the buyer. Buyers can focus their access to listings of seller information by identifying desirable attributes, including but not limited to: geography attributes relating to the location(s) of the seller; and category attributes relating to the various categories of offerings that interest to the buyer. The use of geographical and categorical attributes is not limited to their inclusion as part of the search terms. Instead, seller listings can be organized into hierarchies of geography-based and category-based attributes in a highly normalized fashion to enhance the ability of a buyer focus on the most desirable listings. The system can be configured to limit, order, or otherwise prioritize the information viewed by the buyer on the basis of the desired attributes identified by the buyer.
US07974874B2	Method of enhancing email text with hyperlinked word pointing to targeted ad A computer method and device for intercepting contracting client's sent electronic messages, scanning the message body content for key words, sending the key words to a remote central computer server which analyses the key words and enhances the message by attaching a relevant, contextual advertising tag line or image/banner/words/HTML/Flash, etc. to the electronic message, and transmitting the enhanced message to a receiver.
US07974861B1	Digital asset insurance Digital assets may be insured against loss. The digital assets may comprise commercial products and/or user-generated data. An insurance product may provide either for monetary reimbursement or replacement (e.g., repurchase) of the digital assets and/or for backup services to backup insured digital assets so that the insured digital assets may be retrieved if the original user copies are lost.
US07974859B1	Systems and methods for modeling insurance coverage A method, system and computer-usable medium are disclosed for the modeling of insurance coverage. Coverage parameters of a policy are displayed as graphical elements within a user interface (UI) of a computing device along with a plurality of claim scenario parameters for selection by a user. Once selected, the claim scenario parameters are applied to relevant claim data and a claim scenario is generated. The claim scenario is then applied to the policy coverage parameters of the policy to determine and graphically display coverage parameter disparities, which are then graphically modified to offset any coverage parameter disparities. As coverage parameters are modified, corresponding adjustments to the premium of the current policy are made and displayed within the UI. A resulting policy is generated, using the modified coverage parameters of the current policy and adjusted premiums, and then fulfilled, electronically or physically.
US07974857B1	Unemployment insurance management A system and method for handling unemployment insurance includes a unified database containing unemployment insurance benefit data and unemployment insurance tax data. The unemployment insurance benefit data and the unemployment insurance tax data are unified into unified data. In another aspect, the system and method include a unified desktop configured to allow a worker to manage the unemployment insurance benefit data and the unemployment insurance tax data. The unified desktop enables a worker to manage both claims for unemployment insurance benefits and unemployment insurance tax payments.
US07974848B2	Method and apparatus for encoding audio data Provided are an audio data encoding method and apparatus including determining an initial scale factor value for each frequency band of the audio data according to a quantization error and a maximum permissible distortion level for each frequency band; comparing the initial scale factor value for each frequency band and a predetermined common scale factor value and determining a final scale factor value for each frequency band based on a comparison result; quantizing the audio data using the final scale factor value for each frequency band; and encoding the quantized audio data.
US07974847B2	Advanced methods for interpolation and parameter signalling A parameter calculator calculates lower resolution parametric information and interpolation information. On a decoder-side, an upmixer is used for generating the output channels. The upmixer uses high resolution parametric information generated by a parameter interpolator using the low resolution parametric information and decoder-side derived interpolation information or encoder-generated interpolation information for selecting one of a plurality of different interpolation characteristics.
US07974843B2	Operating method for an automated language recognizer intended for the speaker-independent language recognition of words in different languages and automated language recognizer The invention relates to an operating method for an automated language recognizer intended for the speaker-independent language recognition of words from different languages, particularly for recognizing names from different languages. The method is based on a language defined as the mother tongue and has an input phase for establishing a language recognizer vocabulary. Phonetic transcripts are determined for words in various languages in order to obtain phoneme sequences for pronunciation variants. The phonemes of each relevant phoneme set of the mother tongue are then specifically mapped to determine phoneme sequences that correspond to pronunciation variants.
US07974842B2	Algorithm for n-best ASR result processing to improve accuracy A method of improving speech recognition includes receiving a plurality of recognized sentences from an automatic speech recognition (ASR) engine, each of the plurality of the recognized sentences including a plurality of information items. A confirmation is also receive that a value of an information item of the plurality of information items has been misrecognized or recognized. If the value has been misrecognized, each of the plurality of sentences are deleted that include the value of the information item that was misrecognized. If the value has been recognized, each of the plurality of sentences that do not include the value of the information item is deleted. The remaining sentences are transmitted to a dialog manager module.
US07974839B2	Method, medium, and apparatus encoding scalable wideband audio signal Provided is a method and apparatus for encoding a scalable wideband audio signal, the method including: filtering a voiced signal by performing linear prediction on the voiced signal and modulating the filtered signal; encoding the modulated signal in the time domain, and outputting a core layer encoding result of the voiced signal; subtracting a signal obtained by decoding the core layer encoding result from the modulated signal and outputting an error signal; and encoding the error signal and outputting an enhancement layer encoding result of the voiced signal.
US07974825B2	Generation of code from a graphical model A method and system are provided for generating code from a graphical model in a graphical modeling environment. The graphical model includes at least one signal having a data size, a data dimensionality, or both that can vary from a first time instance to a second time instance as the model executes. The size and dimensionality of the signal can vary without the use of a graphically rendered connection to convey the size and dimension information to a block associated with the signal. The generated code includes the attributes of the signal.
US07974820B1	System and method for synchronizing and using a three dimensional view with a block diagram model A method of synchronizing a block diagram view of a system being modeled with a three-dimensional view of the system being modeled and with the underlying block diagram model data is disclosed. Changes in the block diagram model data are reflected in both views to the degree that the views contain a point of correspondence. User selected changes to the block diagram view of the system being modeled cause changes in the underlying model data. A view generator examines the model data to determine if a point of correspondence equivalent to the changed portion of the block diagram view exists in the three dimensional view. If a point of correspondence exists in the three-dimensional view the view is updated to reflect the changes in the block diagram view. Similarly, user selected changes in the three-dimensional view cause changes in the underlying block diagram model data. The view generator examines the model data to determine if a point of correspondence equivalent to the changed portion of the three dimensional view exists in the block diagram view. In the event that a point of correspondence is found, the block diagram view is updated.
US07974811B2	System for optimal alignment of a bearing seal on a shaft of a gas turbine A method for substantially aligning a bearing seal on a shaft of a turbine engine. The method including measuring characteristics of the subject shaft, measuring characteristics of a plurality of bearing seal components and determining and outputting alignment information of the plurality of bearing seal components with the shaft based on the measured characteristics. The alignment information can be outputted for either substantially perpendicular alignment for an axial seal or substantially parallel alignment for a radial seal.
US07974805B2	Image sensor and method Described herein are methods that may improve yield of an image sensor. In one embodiment, a method that may improve yield of an image sensor includes generating output values of control logic associated with an array of light sensitive elements. The method further may include determining if the control logic has one or more faulty output values. The method further may include automatically correcting the one or more faulty output values.
US07974792B2	Meter electronics and methods for determining a liquid flow fraction in a gas flow material Meter electronics (20) for determining a liquid flow fraction in a gas flow material flowing through a flow meter (5) is provided according to an embodiment of the invention. The meter electronics (20) includes an interface (201) for receiving a first sensor signal and a second sensor signal from the flow meter (5) and a processing system (203) in communication with the interface (201). The processing system (203) is configured to receive the first and second sensor signals from the interface (201), determine a substantially instantaneous flow stream density of the gas flow material using the first sensor signal and the second sensor signal, compare the substantially instantaneous flow stream density to at least one of a predetermined gas density that is representative of a gas flow fraction of the gas flow material and a predetermined liquid density that is representative of a liquid flow fraction, and determine the liquid flow fraction from the comparison.
US07974790B2	Particulate determination method A particulate determination method determines by onetime scanning, the size of a particulate included in a plurality of particulates of various sizes which are arranged on a disc. False recognition of the number of particulates is avoided even when a plurality of particulates are adjacent to each other. A photodetector detection signal is judged using plural threshold values according to the sizes of particulates to be detected. Results of determinations corresponding to the respective threshold values are stored on mutually independent memory maps. When counting particulates, a particulate size and a particulate count value are determined from a combination of stored data appearing in a scanning window at the same position on the respective memory maps.
US07974782B2	Navigation system Disclosed are a navigation system and/or a point information display method and a program. The navigation system consists mainly of: a stream receiver that receives broadcast streams; a data decoder that samples a data signal from the received streams and decodes the data signal into character string information; a matching block that performs matching to compare a predetermined keyword, which is associated with position information specified in map information data, with stored keywords and searches a keyword consistent with the keyword contained in the character string information; a position information searching block that searches position information associated with the keyword contained in the character string information and detected to be consistent with a stored keyword by the matching block; and a display unit that displays the detected position information while superimposing it on a display image.
US07974777B2	Navigation device and method for using a traffic message channel A method and a navigation device are disclosed for sharing at least one location message with at least one other device. The navigation device includes a receiver to receive multiple traffic message channels, an input device to receive a user input indicating a frequency, and a processor to select a traffic message channel based on a signal strength, starting with the indicated frequency. The method includes receiving multiple traffic message channels, receiving a user input indicating a frequency, and a selecting a traffic message channel based on a planned route, starting with the indicated frequency.
US07974775B1	Electronic kit bag A method of providing electronic flight bag for an aviation professional for use on an aircraft by providing a transportable laptop computer and programming the transportable laptop computer with linear and non-linear algorithms and operating programs. Flight plan information is received by the transportable laptop computer, and additional aircraft and flight related data is inputted as well. Additional information is acquired by the transportable laptop computer on an up to the minute basis during flight, and calculations are made en route to adjust the original flight plan. The updated flight plan is outputted to the aviation professional en route.
US07974768B2	Device for controlling an internal combustion engine (EN) The invention concerns a device for controlling an internal combustion engine (601), comprising means (600) for generating a signal for controlling the internal combustion engine (601), a sensor (602) for supplying a pressure measurement signal of a combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine (601), and a filtering device (603) for generating a filtered pressure signal, said filtering device (603) being made from analog electronic components. The invention is characterized in that the filtering device (603) has a closed loop configuration with a direct portion (201, 202, 203, 204) and a return portion (205), the return portion comprising a module for re-injecting (205) said filtered pressure signal (P) and the direct portion including: a first subtracting module (201) generating the difference between said pressure measurement signal (Pr) and the output of said re-injection module (205), a static non-linear module (202) in output of said subtracting module, an integrating module (204) generating said filtered pressure signal (P) by integration from the output of said non-linear module.
US07974766B2	Valvetrain control systems with lift mode transitioning based engine synchronization timing and sensor based lift mode control A valve control system for an internal combustion engine includes a valve actuation system. The valve actuation system includes lift control valves that actuate at least one of an intake valve and an exhaust valve between N open lift modes, where N is an integer greater than one. A control module enables transitioning of at least one of the intake valve and the exhaust valve between the open lift modes. The control module synchronizes transitions between the N open lift modes with crankshaft and valvetrain timing. The control module generates an engine position synchronization signal based on the transitioning.
US07974762B2	Self tuning cylinder pressure based heat release computation A method for automatic, heat release computation in a piston engine, comprises the steps of: measuring a cylinder pressure as a function of crank angle (see FIGURE), based on said measurement; calculating a first polytropic exponent for a compression stroke (in M), based on said measurement, calculating a second polytropic exponent for an expansion stroke (in M′); for a crank angle interval between the compression stroke and the expansion stroke, performing an interpolation of the first and second polytropic exponents and performing a net heat release computation based on said interpolated polytropic exponent.
US07974761B2	Braking-driving force control device of vehicle According to the present invention, when a target braking/driving force and a vehicle target yaw moment required to a vehicle cannot be achieved through a control of a braking/driving forces of wheels, in a rectangular coordinate of the braking/driving force and the yaw moment, a polygon indicating the maximum range of the braking/driving force and the yaw moment attainable by the braking/driving forces of the wheels, and an ellipse that crosses each side of the polygon and has a major axis and a minor axis aligning with the coordinate axis of the rectangular coordinate are set, for example. The target braking/driving force and the target yaw moment are modified to the values at the coordinate of the point, which is closer to the origin, of a point of intersection of a segment linking a point indicating the target braking/driving force and the target yaw moment and the origin, and the polygon, and a point of intersection of a segment linking a point indicating the target braking/driving force and the target yaw moment and the origin, and the ellipse.
US07974760B2	Advanced power-shift transmission control system A method for controlling a power-shift transmission comprising controlling a vehicle travel speed by simultaneously slipping two or more clutch packs associated with opposing directions of vehicle travel and adjusting an engine speed, according to a programmed response associated with a change in one or more of the engine speed, a torque converter slip, a selected direction of vehicle travel, and an accelerator position.
US07974754B2	Vehicle steering control system A vehicle steering control system includes a variable transmission ratio device that rotates an output shaft relative to an input shaft so as to change the transmission ratio, and a locking device that is switched between a lock-on state in which the transmission ratio between the input shaft and the output shaft is inhibited from being changed and a lock-off state in which the transmission ratio between the input shaft and the output shaft is allowed to be changed. The variable transmission ratio device includes an electric motor and a speed reduction mechanism. The locking device inhibits the input shaft and a rotor of the electric motor from rotating relative to each other when placed in the lock-on state, and allows the input shaft and the rotor to rotate relative to each other when placed in the lock-off state.
US07974751B2	Sensitivity identifying device and steering assist system A sensitivity identifying device has an operating object device configured to operate when an operation member is moved according to a force applied by a user, an assist force applying device for applying an assist force to movement of the operation member, an operation force parameter detecting device for detecting a value of an operation force parameter, an operation response parameter detecting device for detecting a value of an operation response parameter, a sensitivity identifying information storage section for storing sensitivity identifying information associating a sensitivity index, with a combination of the value of the operation force parameter and the operation response parameter, and a sensitivity determining unit for specifying the sensitivity index based on the combination of the value of the operation force parameter and the operation response parameter, and the sensitivity identifying information, and outputting the sensitivity index.
US07974746B2	Singularity escape and avoidance using a virtual array rotation Techniques for providing singularity escape and avoidance are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method for providing control moment gyroscope (CMG) attitude control singularity escape includes calculating a Jacobian A of a set of control equations, calculating a measure of closeness to a singularity, and comparing the calculated closeness to a threshold value, when the calculated closeness is less than or equal to the threshold value, recalculating the Jacobian A. Recalculating may include determining a new direction of virtual misalignment of β and γ, recalculating the Jacobian inputting the new direction of the virtual misalignment, recalculating the measure of closeness to a singularity, and comparing the measure of closeness to the threshold value. Further, the method may include calculating a gimbal rate command if the of closeness is greater than the threshold value and generating a torque from the gimbal rate command to control the attitude of a satellite.
US07974741B2	Managing information related to industrial equipment An electronics module for an industrial device is associated with an individual industrial device. Audit data for the industrial device is stored in a memory of the electronics module. The audit data includes information related to one or more steps that have been performed while making the individual industrial device. Operating instructions for the industrial device are stored in the memory of the electronics module. The operating instructions are operable to enable the electronics module to control and/or monitor one or more aspects of the flow control device operation.
US07974736B2	Robot deployed weapon system and safing method This subject invention features a robot deployed weapon system. A remotely controlled mobile robot has a weapon mounted to the robot. There is a firing circuit for the weapon and a weapon interrupt module on board the robot. An operator control unit is for remotely operating the robot and the weapon. The operating control unit preferably includes a stop switch. Also, a separate operator module is in communication with the weapon interrupt module. Preferably, the operator module includes a kill switch. There are two communication links. The first communication link is between the operator control unit and the robot. This communication link is configured to safe the weapon if the stop switch is activated and/or the first communication link degrades. The second communication link is between the operator module and the weapon interrupt module. The communication link is configured to safe the weapon if the kill switch is activated and/or the second communication link degrades.
US07974735B2	Laser tool robot system with coordinated drive shaft control A robot system includes s a robot (1) which moves a tool (3) attached to an end of the robot (1) by driving a robot drive shaft. The tool (3) applies a laser beam inputted from a laser oscillator (5) by drive of the tool drive shaft to an object. A robot control device (2) controls the robot drive shaft and the tool drive shaft in synchronization.
US07974733B2	Automatic estimation of weldgun size using section geometry A method for estimating a plurality of geometrical parameters defining the size of a weld gun that has particular application for automatically selecting a weld gun for a welding operation. The method includes iteratively estimating a plurality of geometric parameters based on part section curves corresponding to a direction of approach of the weld gun to weld point of the plurality of weld points. Thereafter, a set of valid weld gun sizes are calculated based on the estimated plurality of geometric parameters. Similarly all the valid weld gun sizes are calculated corresponding to each of the weld gun approach direction. Further, each set of the valid gun sizes are estimated for each of the weld point for the welding operation. Finally, a weld gun for performing the welding operation is selected based on the set of weld gun sizes corresponding to the welding operation.
US07974717B2	Customizing soundtracks A system and method for replacing all or part of the original audio of a digital program with other audio enables a user to customize a digital program soundtrack. The method includes receiving the audio portion of the digital program as an audio data stream including multiplexed associated audio and data packets, selecting at least one of the audio packets to be replaced by a replacement audio packet, and replacing the at least one of the audio packets with a replacement audio packet thereby customizing the audio portion of the digital program during program playback. The method also enables customizing an audio portion of a transmitted analog program. The method includes receiving first and second audio signals, receiving information transmitted in a vertical blanking interval of the transmitted analog program, interpreting the information and removing a replaceable audio signal, and replacing the replaceable audio signal with a user-selected audio signal.
US07974716B2	Preprogrammed hearing assistance device with program selection based on patient usage A programmable apparatus improves perception of sound by a person. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a processor, digital-to-analog converter, audio output section and means for generating first and second control signals. The processor executes one or more available programs for processing digital audio signals based on control signals. The digital-to-analog converter generates output analog audio signals based on the digital audio signals. The audio output section receives and amplifies the output analog audio signals, generates audible sound based thereon and provides the audible sound to the person. The memory stores programs for processing the digital audio signals. Based on an action by the person, a first control signal is generated which causes the processor to switch from one available program to another available program so that the person may cycle through and evaluate each of the available programs. Also based on an action by the person, a second control signal is generated which causes the processor to designate at least one of the available programs as a chosen program for continued use.
US07974711B2	Double stylet insertion tool for a cochlear implant electrode array A cochlear implant electrode assembly device (10) comprising an elongate electrode carrier member (11), a first stiffening element (15a), and a second stiffening element (15b). The carrier member (11) is made of a resiliently flexible first material and has a plurality of electrodes (12) mounted thereon. The carrier member (11) has a first configuration selected to allow it to be inserted into an implantee's cochlea (30), a second configuration wherein it is curved in shape to match a surface of the cochlea (30), and at least one intermediate configuration between the first and second configurations. Both the first and second stiffening elements (15a,15b) are made of a material relatively stiffer than said the material and in combination bias the elongate member into the first configuration. If either the first stiffening element (15a) or the second stiffening element (15b) are removed, the elongate member (11) adopts the at least one intermediate configuration.
US07974709B2	Guide wire stylet A cardiac lead system includes a cardiac lead having a lumen, and a guide member displaceable within the lumen. The guide member includes a guide wire extension that extends distal to the elongated body of the guide member. The guide wire extension is dimensioned to pass through an external distal opening of the cardiac lead lumen. Engagement of stop features or a stop mechanism of the cardiac lead system provides a push point for advancing the cardiac lead system through the patient's anatomy.
US07974705B2	Multiplexed multi-electrode neurostimulation devices Implantable stimulation devices are provided. Aspects of the devices include a multiplexed multi-electrode component configured for neural stimulation. The multiplexed multi-electrode component includes two or more individually addressable satellite electrode structures electrically coupled to a common conductor. The satellite structures include a hermetically sealed integrated circuit controller operatively coupled to one or more electrodes. Also provided are systems that include the devices of the invention, as well as methods of using the systems and devices in a variety of different applications.
US07974702B1	Communication device, communication system and communication method for an implantable medical device A communication device for an implantable medical device may include: an input/output interface configured to communicate with a wireless communication device; a communication interface configured to communicate with a remote system; and a processor configured to perform an analysis of data received from the wireless communication device via the input/output interface and associated with the implantable medical device. The communication device may include a user interface configured to receive data input by a user. A communication system may include a wireless communication device and the aforementioned communication device. A communication method for an implantable medical device may include: providing a communication device that is configured to communicate with a wireless communication device, to communicate with a remote system and to perform an analysis of data; communicating data associated with an implantable medical device from a wireless device to the communication device; and analyzing the received data at the communication device.
US07974698B2	Method and apparatus for desynchronization of neural brain activity The invention relates to an apparatus for desynchronization of neural illness-synchronous brain activity in which the activities in at least two subareas of a brain area or at least two functionally associated brain areas are stimulated by means of at least two electrodes. In the case of a person with an illness, desynchronization therapy suppresses symptoms in the relevant neuron population. The feedback stimulation signal, that is to say the measured, time-delayed and process neural activity, is used as an individual stimulus. This results in self-regulated, demand control of the amplitude of the stimulation signal, thus minimizing the intensity of the stimulation stimuli automatically after successful desynchronization. The apparatus has at least two stimulation electrodes and at least one sensor, which are driven by a controller such that they result in desynchronization in their local environment.
US07974696B1	Closed-loop autonomic neuromodulation for optimal control of neurological and metabolic disease A neurological control system for modulating activity of any component or structure of some or all of the nervous system, or any structure interfaced thereto, generally referred to herein as a “nervous system component.” This system generates neural modulation signals delivered to a nervous system component through one or more neuromodulators to control neurological state or autonomic state and prevent neurological or metabolic signs and symptoms. Such treatment parameters may be derived from a neural response to previously delivered neural modulation signals, with sensors configured to sense a particular characteristic indicative of a neurological, psychiatric, or metabolic condition.
US07974689B2	Wearable medical treatment device with motion/position detection A wearable defibrillator consists of a vest (or belt) which is worn by the patient. The device monitors the patient's ECG with sensing electrodes and can monitor other patient conditions and in appropriate cases can treat certain conditions. An accelerometer(s) in the wearable defibrillator can allow for the device to determine the position, movements, forces applied to the patient, and/or the device. The device can use a least one patient motion detector generating a signal indicative of patient activity. Analysis of the signal can be indicative of patient activity appropriate for treatment or indication of device condition.
US07974682B2	System and method to adaptively control contrast-enhanced diagnostic imaging procedure A system and method are provided for determining individualized scan and injection protocols for contrast-enhanced diagnostic imaging. Taking into account parameters specific to the scan subject, injection-related parameters, and scan parameters, the system and method can determine an optimal timing for a scan sequence to begin, to ensure that the scan sequence coincides with a desired contrast enhancement. Some embodiments further provide for real-time triggering of the scan commencement based on bolus tracking, and can adapt the scan and injection protocols in real-time based on monitored dynamic scan subject parameters and/or actual enhancement values determined from image data.
US07974679B2	Method and apparatus to reduce image intensity variation during MR data acquisition The present invention provides a system and method of reducing image intensity variations during imaging acquisitions that utilize large encoding gradient pulses that are played out immediately before a center of k-space is sampled. The present invention includes an acquisition and sampling that implements a predetermined delay in sampling prior to sampling the center of k-space. The delay in sampling the center of k-space following sampling of a peripheral region of k-space maintains the steady state of the MR signal and reduces the image intensity variation caused by eddy current and gradient hysteresis. As such, the intensity variations throughout k-space may be reduced substantially and brought closer to the intrinsic noise level of the data acquisition.
US07974672B2	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.
US07974671B2	Living body information signal processing system combining living body optical measurement apparatus and brain wave measurement apparatus and probe device used for the same A living body information signal processing system (100) combining organically a living body optical measurement apparatus and a brain wave measurement apparatus, the living body optical measurement apparatus (300) in which inspection light of from visible to near infrared is irradiated on a head portion of a subject (140) and the penetration light is received and which measures an optical characteristic variation induced by a brain activity inside the head portion as a living body optical signal and the brain wave measurement apparatus (400) which measures an electrical characteristic variation induced by a brain activity inside the head portion of the subject as a brain wave signal, is provided with a probe device (50) used for both apparatus; and a living body information signal processing and displaying device (200) which displays the living body optical signal corresponding to respective measurement positions from the living body optical measurement apparatus and the brain wave signal corresponding to respective measurement positions from the brain wave measurement apparatus on a common display device while correlating the respective measurement positions each other, thereby, with the system comprehensive observation of both data can be achieved.
US07974668B2	Electronic apparatus Guiding pieces on a bracket cover is engaged with attachment claws on a bracket body. This engagement serves to hold the bracket cover on the bracket body when the bracket cover is set at a first position. When the bracket cover is set at a second position, the engagement between an engagement piece and a hook piece serves to cooperate with the engagement between the guiding pieces and the attachment claws so as to hold the bracket cover on the bracket body. The bracket cover is firmly held on the bracket body when the bracket cover is set at the second position. The bracket cover is thus reliably prevented from detachment from the bracket body.
US07974667B2	Mobile terminal device An information terminal device that includes a first housing electrically and movably connected to a second housing via a cable, the first housing includes a first substrate, a cable guide member having a portion of the cable therein so that the cable guide member guides an end portion of the cable to the first substrate, and a cable cover member which integrally includes a cable surrounding unit which covers the portion of the cable in the cable guide member and a sensor holding unit which holds a detection sensor for detecting the position of the second housing in relation to the first housing.
US07974654B2	Communication apparatus performing key feature extraction for cognitive radio system A communication apparatus, includes unit extracting a reception key feature of a temporal change in received power in each frequency band contained in a received signal, unit storing, in correspondence with one another, a system name of a system which uses the frequency band, event information indicating that a communication apparatus belonging to the system starts or stops transmission, and a transmission key feature of a temporal waveform change shape of a transmission signal from a communication apparatus belonging to the system, a transmission key feature corresponding to the event information, unit determining whether there is any transmission key feature matching the reception key feature, by comparing the reception key feature with the transmission key feature, and unit selecting, when the determination unit determines that there is a matched transmission key feature, the event information and the system name which correspond to the transmission key feature from the storage unit.
US07974643B2	Reducing mobile-terminated call set up by identifying and mitigating overlap between paging and system information broadcast In a Universal Mobile Telecommunications (UMTS) system, a mobile device reads scheduling information for uplink interference (SIB7) from a Master Information Block, broadcasted on the Broadcast Channel (BCCH). The UE wakes up from the sleep during its periodic paging occasions and reads the paging indicator channel (PICH). If the UE needs to read the PCH, then the UE computes the timing of the next broadcast of SIB7 using the scheduling information broadcast in the MIB on BCCH. Knowing the timing of the next SIB7, the UE can determine if there is an overlap. If overlap is detected, the mobile device demodulates both the paging channel carried by the Secondary Common Control Physical Channel (S-CCPCH) and the broadcast channel carried by the Primary CCPCH, avoiding a mobile-terminated (MT) call setup delay by waiting for the next SIB7 broadcast, which depending upon a SIB7 repetition ranges from 360 msec to 2.56 seconds.
US07974641B2	Communication terminal apparatus and computer program A communication terminal apparatus includes: a communication unit performing communication; a storage unit collecting and storing history information on communication; a registration unit registering at least communication address information on communicating parties and image information that represents the communicating parties; a display unit displaying images, which represent the registered communicating parties, on a display screen; and an arrangement position determining unit determining arrangement positions of the images, which represent the communicating parties, based on the history information on communication with the communicating parties.
US07974635B2	Method and system for automated collection of call routing performance data in a wireless network A method and system for collecting location-sensitive call routing data in a wireless telecommunications network under test, the wireless network routing a test call to an appropriate destination based on a geographic area from which the test call was placed. The method and system include receiving the test call placed from a test call device to one or more destination devices, via said network under test; generating originator call records by the test call device; generating destination call records by the devices; electronically collecting originator call records from the test call device, destination call records from the one or more destination devices and network call records from said network under test; and storing said collected originator, destination call records, and network call records in a data collecting device; and organizing said call records such that the originator call records, the destination call records, and the network call records pertaining to the placed test call are associated together.
US07974629B2	System for mobile broadband networking using dynamic quality of service provisioning A wireless networking system uses mobile and fixed transceivers to achieve a network with changing topology. A routing process includes quality-of-service considerations in the network to allow for features such as file or other data transfer, streaming audio and video, digital telephone communications, etc. The routing process adapts to transceiver units entering, leaving, or moving within, the network. Auxiliary networks such as the Internet, campus or corporate intranets, home networks, etc., can be accessed through the wireless network. Features, designs and user interfaces for the units are described. Security and access control of media content and other data is presented.
US07974622B1	Provisioning system for fixed vs. nomadic wireless services A method, system, and computer-readable media are provided for authorizing a device to authenticate onto a network from a base station. The method includes receiving a first identifier of a device and receiving a second identifier of a base station. Furthermore, the method includes determining if the device is authorized to authenticate onto the network from the base station based on an evaluation of the first and second identifiers. Additionally, the method includes authorizing the device to authenticate onto the network when it is determined that the device is authorized to receive service at the base station.
US07974619B2	Systems and methods for mobility management in overlaid mobile communications systems Communications of a mobile station with a satellite mobile communications system and a terrestrial mobile communications system are coordinated. The mobile station is registered with the terrestrial mobile communications system and, responsive to the registration of the mobile station with the terrestrial mobile communications system, the mobile station is concurrently registered with the satellite mobile communications system. The concurrent registration may include implicitly registering the mobile station with the satellite mobile communications system, e.g., by storing information identifying the mobile station may be stored in a location register of the satellite mobile communications system responsive to the registration of the mobile station with the terrestrial mobile communications system, and maintaining synchronization between the two registrations. Authentication tokens may be pre-generated for quick re-registration with a satellite mobile communications system.
US07974616B1	Communication device usage event profiling The issues introduced above are addressed by, in accordance with at least some embodiments of the invention, a communication device that includes various hardware and software components. The communication device also comprises instrumentation logic that detects the occurrences of various user usage events and logs such events. The usage events impart information about how a user is actually using the communication device. The logged usage event information can be transmitted to a server (e.g., a data center) for subsequent storage and/or analysis. User behavior profiles can thus be analyzed to determine, for example, services that users seem to prefer.
US07974615B2	Method and system for communicating between a communications source and a mobile platform A mobile platform is equipped with a broadcast signal receiver to receive a broadcast signal and with a two-way wireless communications device. Messages within the broadcast signal are received. Other messages between the communications source and the mobile platform are wirelessly communicated via the two-way wireless communications device.
US07974613B1	Device capability determination for a mobile device A device management (DM) technique wherein management objects (MOs) with device capability information are created and used for each feature domain or application. Each application installed in a mobile electronic device such as, for example, a cellular phone, a personal digital assistant, or a pager may provide device capability information that is stored as a management object or sub-node of a standard device management object, such as sub-nodes of the “DevDetail” management object in a DM tree in a mobile device compatible with the Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) Device Management (DM) specification, for example. The device capability information may be retrieved, for example, by a DM server or a customer care server in the form of extensible markup language (XML) data or an OMA UAProf-based device profile, to name only two possible forms.
US07974610B2	Persistence of interrupted calls A system for recovering an unintentionally interrupted call in a telephony network includes an interrupted call data capturer and a re-connector. The interrupted call data capturer is deployable in the telephony network and configured to capture data pertaining to an interruption of the call from the telephony network. The re-connector is associated with the interrupted call data capturer and configured to use the captured data to automatically reconnect at least one unintentionally disconnected participant of the call, thereby recovering the unintentionally interrupted call.
US07974596B2	Power control scheme for a power amplifier In one embodiment, a method includes detecting a power level of a power amplifier coupled to a transceiver during a current burst of a radio communication and providing the detected power level from the power amplifier to the transceiver and controlling a power level of the power amplifier during a next burst based on the detected power level of the current burst.
US07974593B2	Apparatus and method for calibration of gain and/or phase imbalance and/or DC offset in a communication system An example of a radio frequency (RF) transmitter system for communication may include a transmit pre-distortion module configured to provide a second transmit calibration signal during a transmit calibration mode based on a first transmit calibration signal and one or more transmit calibration adjustment signals. The one or more transmit calibration adjustment signals may include an offset parameter associated with DC offset and an imbalance parameter associated with at least one of gain and phase imbalances. The system may include a transmit channel frequency converter coupled to the transmit pre-distortion module. The transmit channel frequency converter may be configured to provide a fourth transmit calibration signal during the transmit calibration mode based on a third transmit calibration signal and a transmit reference signal.
US07974581B2	Transmitter A transmitter suppresses a peak level of a multi-carrier signal produced by synthesizing a plurality of carrier signals. Specifically, a peak level suppression signal for a multi-carrier signal is generated. The generated peak level suppression signal is adjusted in accordance with the levels of respective carriers constituting the multi-carrier signal. And, the adjusted peak level suppression signal for each carrier is subtracted from an input signal, thereby generating a multi-carrier signal whose peak level is suppressed.
US07974578B2	Baseband controller in a micronetwork A baseband controller includes a microsequencer with special hardware resources circuitry and a configuration that supports real-time micronetwork functionality for an upper limit of slave devices. The microsequencer includes a correlator that may also be used as an accumulator, wherein the topology provides that the correlator can communicate with an arithmetic logic unit that correspondingly enables the correlator to act as an accumulator. The microsequencer also includes a plurality of clocks and timers for facilitating micronetwork timing functionality, and at registers for temporarily storing computational data, where each of the storage registers have different sizes for accommodating different-sized packets of computational data.
US07974573B2	Repeater open loop gain measurement A repeater is configured so as to detect feedback oscillation conditions by detecting a gain parameter, and responding to the detected gain parameter by reducing the gain when the loop gain approaches unity. When used in a framed shared channel wireless communication systems, feedback oscillation conditions the loop gain of the repeater may be adjusted so as to permit operation of the repeater outside of the oscillation range. The invention is particularly useful when the repeater is used in a framed shared channel wireless communication system.
US07974571B2	Multi-antenna satellite system with wireless interface to vehicle A wireless satellite communication device is provided according to one embodiment of the invention. The wireless satellite communication device may include one or more satellite antennas, one or more local antennas and circuitry. A satellite antenna may be configured to communicate with one or more satellites. The local antenna may be configured to communicate with one or more wireless user devices within the vicinity of the wireless satellite communication device. The local antennas may include a local antenna. The circuitry may be coupled with the satellite antenna and the local antenna and may be configured to receive data from the satellite antenna and transmit the data with the local antenna. The wireless satellite communication device may also include a solar panel configured to provide electrical power to at least the satellite antenna, the local antenna, and the circuitry.
US07974559B2	Direct marking apparatus for selectively providing powdered toner patches A marking apparatus including a traveling wave grid toner transport circuit structure for transporting powdered toner along a transport surface, and electric field concentrating elements for selectively enabling toner patches to be projected to an output medium by a projecting electric field.
US07974554B2	Method for imprinting a recording medium In a method or system for printing of a recording medium, potential images are generated on a potential image carrier. A developer liquid is used that comprises a transparent photo-polymerizable carrier liquid and charged colorant particles. The developer is transported via an applicator roller to the potential image carrier to form a developer film in a developing zone. The developer film adjacent to the potential image carrier comprises the photo-polymerizable carrier liquid enriched with the colorant particles in regions in which potential images are present on the potential image carrier and said photo-polymerizable liquid substantially depleted of said colorant particles in regions in which no potential images are present. The developer film splits at an end of the developing zone into an image film adhering to the potential image carrier comprising the developed potential image and a film adhering to the applicator roller comprising the photo-polymerizable liquid with residual colorant particles. The image film with the developed potential images is transferred from the potential image carrier onto the recording medium such that the colorant particles and a portion of the photo-polymerizable liquid in which the colorant particles are arranged migrates from the image film. The image film is fixed on the recording medium with a radiation such that the colorant particles of the developed potential images are embedded in a solid, transparent polymer mass via photo-polymerization, and otherwise the photo-polymerizable liquid is solidified into a transparent film.
US07974552B2	Device and method for forming a nip in an image forming apparatus An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier which moves while carrying an image and a transfer roller including a roller base material which faces the image carrier and rotates. A concave portion is positioned on a peripheral surface of the roller base material. A grip unit on the concave portion grips a recording medium. An elastic layer is disposed on a peripheral surface of the roller base material. The transfer roller grips a recording medium by the grip unit when the concave portion faces the image carrier and passes the recording medium through a nip between the image carrier and the elastic layer when facing each other so that the image carried on the image carrier is transferred on the recording medium. A roller driving unit rotates the roller base material. A control unit controls the roller driving unit to adjust a timing for forming the nip.
US07974540B2	Communication system and communication method using the same A communication system capable of employing polarization-dependent phase modulators with a reversing configuration that preserves security against disturbance of a polarization state at a transmission path but without using Faraday mirrors and a communication method using the same are provided.A quantum cryptography system of the present invention includes a first station 1, a transmission path 2, and a second station 3. The first station 1 has means for emitting time-divided optical pulses into the transmission path 2 and measuring a phase difference between the optical pulses returning from the transmission path 2. The transmission path 2 is a medium of light. The second station 3 has means for reversing traveling directions of the optical pulses, means for producing a phase difference, corresponding to a random number bit value to be transmitted, between the time-divided optical pulses, means for splitting the entering optical pulse into orthogonally polarized components and producing a 180-degree phase difference therebetween, means for rotating each polarization direction by 90 degrees, means for eliminating a component resulting from a deviation from the polarization rotation angle of 90 degrees, and means for attenuating optical pulse intensity to include no more than 1 photon per bit.
US07974539B2	Bi-directional optical module Provided is a bi-directional optical module including: a transmission optical element including an SOA (semiconductor optical amplifier) aligned on an optical axis of an LD (laser diode) formed on a substrate; and a reception optical element comprising a PD (photodiode) including a light receiving surface perpendicular to the optical axis of the LD of the transmission optical element.
US07974536B2	System and method for pre-configuring and authenticating data communication links An electronic device includes a data processor and data communication mechanism for: (a) transmitting, via an optical link, configuration and authentication requests/information for a second data communication link to an external device; and (b) transmitting other content data via the separate, second data communication link that is configured using the configuration data transmitted on the optical link. Data communication on the optical link is provided via modulated optical pulses from an illumination light source of the electronic device. The light source is selectively utilized for illuminating a component in the electronic device and for transmitting configuration/authentication data via optical pulses. An optical receiver also receives optically transmitted configuration/acknowledgement data from the external device.
US07974529B2	Digital camera A digital camera is provided with a special successive shooting mode wherein an imaging device makes a series of successive shots upon each shutter release operation, including at least a non-flash shot and at least a flash shot. When a shutter button is pressed halfway in the successive shooting mode, an exposure condition deciding device decides an exposure condition common to the non-flash and flash shots, or individual exposure conditions for the non-flash shot and the flash shot. When the shutter button is fully pressed, the imaging device starts the successive shots of one series. Images captured by the non-flash shot and the flash shot are displayed on an LCD panel. Before the imaging device starts the successive shots, necessary warning marks are displayed together with the exposure conditions decided by the exposure condition deciding device.
US07974524B2	Heat treatment apparatus and heat treatment method An object is to provide a method of activating impurity elements added to a semiconductor film, and a method of gettering, in a process of manufacturing a semiconductor device using a substrate having a low resistance to heat, such as glass, without changing the shape of the substrate, by using a short time heat treatment process. Another object is to provide a heat treatment apparatus that makes this type of heat treatment process possible. A unit for supplying a gas from the upstream side of a reaction chamber, a unit for heating the gas in the upstream side of the reaction chamber, a unit for holding a substrate to be processed in the downstream side of the reaction chamber, and a unit for circulating the gas from the downstream side of the reaction chamber to the upstream side are prepared. The amount of electric power used in heating the gas can be economized by circulating the gas used to heat the substrate to be processed. A portion of the circulating gas may be expelled, and can be utilized as a heat source in order to preheat a newly introduced gas.
US07974521B2	Moving image coding method, moving image coding device, moving image recording method, recording medium, moving image playback method, moving image playback device, and moving image playback system A moving image coding method that can prevent playback discontinuity without an increase in processing load during playback is provided.The moving image coding method codes a video stream that includes a first moving image and a second moving image to be overlaid on the first moving image. The moving image coding method includes: a step of determining a continuous playback section that is a group of partial sections and is subject to continuous playback, in the video stream (S5301 to S5303); a step of coding the first and second moving images in the partial sections constituting the continuous playback section, under a constraint that prevents a threshold from being changed in the continuous playback section, the threshold being used for a transparency process by a luminance key in the overlaying (S5304); and a step of generating management information including flag information which indicates that the threshold is fixed in the continuous playback section (S5305).
US07974519B2	Optical disc recording/reproducing apparatus When information is recorded on an optical disc of DVD+R type, a latest RSAT is recorded upon completion of recording of one title. When recording of the latest RSAT fails, previous RSAT address information that indicates an address in which a previous RSAT is recorded is stored in a lead-in area of the optical disc. When an optical disc is loaded for reproduction, it is checked if the previous RSAT address information is present in the lead-in area. If it is present, the previous RSAT address information is obtained. If the latest RSAT is not found in a predetermined location but the previous RSAT address information is present, reproduction from the optical disc of DVD+R type is started by using the previous RSAT.
US07974518B2	Record reproducing device, simultaneous record reproduction control method and simultaneous record reproduction control program A record/play device includes a recording unit that records, on a recording medium, a series content data sequentially input to the record/play device, a playback unit that plays back, while recording the data by the recording unit, the content data recorded on the recording medium, and a control unit that controls simultaneous record and play. The control unit includes a data size changing unit that changes a data size at which the content data is to be recorded on the recording medium to a data size different from a data size at which content data that has been recorded on the recording medium is recorded.
US07974517B2	Determination of decoding information Systems, methods, and computer program products are described to determine and present proper decoding information to ensure correct decoding in digital video recording applications, and in other applications. For example, decoding and display of certain video units in a compressed bitstream may require the correct header information corresponding to the video unit to be also presented to a decoder along with the video unit. Since, however, the location of the corresponding header information in the compressed bitstream may not be adjacent to the video unit, the described header locating systems, methods, and computer program products may be used not only to index the header information in a bitstream, but also to determine when and what header information needs to be presented to the decoder.
US07974511B2	Image recording apparatus capable of recording information associated with location upon image sensing together with sensed image data, and control method thereof There is disclosed an image recording apparatus which automatically records location information that the user can easily understand in an image recording apparatus which records a sensed image and location information associated with the image sensing location of that image in association with each other. An image recording apparatus of this invention includes an area information reception unit for acquiring area information broadcasted by an external apparatus such as a wireless base station or the like, and automatically acquires information associated with an area where the image recording apparatus is located. The apparatus records a sensed image signal and area information in association with each other.
US07974510B2	Optical waveguide having a core with a polarization-independent, spatially reconfigurable refractive index A waveguide having a spatially-variable refractive index is disclosed. The waveguide having a spatially-variable refractive index comprises a light-propagating medium and a non-uniform distribution of liquid crystal material in a matrix of dielectric material located in a portion of the light-propagating medium.
US07974509B2	Telecommunication rack unit tray An interface panel that mounts to a telecommunications rack. The interface panel including a splicing arrangement and a splitter module. The interface panel further including a fixed tray to which each of the splicing arrangement and the splitter module mounts. The splicing arrangement and the splitter module each having a sliding mounting arrangement that provides access to the functional splicing and splitting components.
US07974504B2	Reflection suppression in a photonic integrated circuit Embodiments of the present invention provide systems, devices and methods in which optical reflections are reduced in a photonic integrated circuit. These embodiments include reflection suppression elements which operate to dissipate optical energy that would otherwise provide a source for optical reflections which may impact the operation of one or more devices within the photonic integrated circuit. In particular, within photonic integrated circuits incorporating semiconductor optical amplifiers, embodiments of the present invention include reflection suppression elements which operate to dissipate optical energy preventing the semiconductor optical amplifiers from operating in a gain-clamped mode.
US07974502B2	Optical module and optical switch An optical module controls its output characteristics electrically and an optical switch constitutes the optical module. An optical waveguide circuit (PLC) and an electronic circuit (IC) for driving the PLC are mounted on the same substrate. The IC is composed of a bare chip to be molded afterward. Wiring of the IC is grouped and integrated on the PLC substrate to achieve higher density and miniaturization of the optical module.
US07974501B2	Optical modulators An optical modulator 24 has a supporting substrate 5, a modulating substrate 11 made of an electro-optical material, an optical waveguide 12 provided on the side of a first main surface 30 of the modulating substrate 11, and an adhesion layer 6 adhering a second main surface 31 of the modulating substrate 11 onto the supporting substrate 5. The modulating substrate 11 has a high-frequency interaction portion 11c applying a voltage on the optical waveguide 12 to modulate propagating light, an incident portion 11a inputting light to the optical waveguide, and an outgoing portion 11b outputting light from the optical waveguide. The high-frequency interaction portion 11c is recessed on the first main surface 30 of the modulating substrate 11 with respect to the incident and outgoing portions 11a and 11b. The high-frequency interaction portion 11c has a thickness smaller than the those of the incident and outgoing portions 11a and 11b.
US07974498B2	Super-resolution in periodic and aperiodic pixel imaging A super-resolution algorithm that explicitly and exactly models the detector pixel shape, size, location, and gaps for periodic and aperiodic tilings. The algorithm projects the low-resolution input image into high-resolution space to model the actual shapes and/or gaps of the detector pixels. By using an aperiodic pixel layout such as a Penrose tiling significant improvements in super-resolution results can be obtained. An error back-projection super-resolution algorithm makes use of the exact detector model in its back projection operator for better accuracy. Theoretically, the aperiodic detector can be based on CCD (charge-coupled device) technology, and/or more practically, CMOS (complimentary metal oxide semiconductor) technology, for example.
US07974496B2	Digital image drop zones and transformation interaction A portion of a digital image is displayed where the portion that is displayed depends upon a mask. After the portion of the digital image is displayed, a change to the mask is received. It is determined, based at least in part on the received change to the mask, a transformation to be applied to the digital image. A new portion of the digital image is displayed based at least in part on the changed mask and the determined transformation, where the new portion that is displayed has the same center point as the previously displayed portion.
US07974480B2	Universal fixed-pixel-size ISP scheme An Image Signal Processing unit (ISP) has at least one fixed-size line buffer which is smaller than the width of the image buffer. To handle the image data, the image buffer is divided into regions which are sequentially loaded into the at least one fixed-size line buffer of the ISP for processing. Since functions of the ISP operate with neighboring pixels of the target pixel, margins of the regions need to be transmitted as well. After processing by the ISP, the data is encoded which includes a DCT, Quantization, and VLC. The result is then stored in segments in a buffer storage. VLC also inserts a Restart Marker which is used as a pointer to stitch together all the segments thus producing a new and seamless image.
US07974472B2	Feature design for HMM based Eastern Asian character recognition An exemplary method for online character recognition of East Asian characters includes acquiring time sequential, online ink data for a handwritten East Asian character, conditioning the ink data to produce conditioned ink data where the conditioned ink data includes information as to writing sequence of the handwritten East Asian character and extracting features from the conditioned ink data where the features include a tangent feature, a curvature feature, a local length feature, a connection point feature and an imaginary stroke feature. Such a method may determine neighborhoods for ink data and extract features for each neighborhood. An exemplary Hidden Markov Model based character recognition system may use various exemplary methods for training and character recognition.
US07974469B2	Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and image processing program for superior image output An image processing apparatus includes the following elements. An image data obtaining unit obtains image data. A sampling unit samples the image data. A statistic value determining unit determines a statistic value based on statistic information in a histogram with respect to a grayscale value of image data that is obtained by performing rough quantization and linear interpolation on the sampled image data. A correction-amount determining unit determines a correction amount to be used for image processing based on the statistic value. An image processing unit performs the image processing according to the correction amount.
US07974458B2	System and method for detecting defects in camera modules A method for detecting defects in camera modules is provided. The method includes the following: an image is acquired from the camera module; a comparison formula and a standard value of defect luminance are set; the image is divided into many test regions; the corresponding reference regions are then plotted out; a test region is selected, and a reference region is confirmed correspondingly; averages of gray scale values of the selected test region and the confirmed reference region are calculated; a defect luminance of the selected test region is calculated; the calculated defect luminance is compared with the standard value for confirming whether the camera module is of satisfactory quality. A related system is also disclosed.
US07974456B2	Spatial-temporal regulation method for robust model estimation A computerized spatial-temporal regulation method for accurate spatial-temporal model estimation receives a spatial temporal sequence containing object confidence mask. A spatial-temporal weight regulation is performed to generate weight sequence output. A weighted model estimation is performed using the spatial temporal sequence and the weight sequence to generate at least one model parameter output. An iterative weight update is performed to generate weight sequence output. A weighted model estimation is performed to generate estimation result output. A stopping criteria is checked and the next iteration iterative weight update and weighted model estimation is performed until the stopping criteria is met. A model estimation is performed to generate model parameter output. An outlier data identification is performed to generate outlier data output. A spatial-temporal data integrity check is performed and the outlier data is disqualified.
US07974455B2	Method and apparatus for tomosynthesis projection imaging for detection of radiological signs In a method and apparatus for image processing an algorithm is used to detect radiological signals in a series of 3D data. The algorithm indicates the position of a radiological signs in a digital volume by means of markers. The algorithm has the potential to distinguish automatically between malignant elements and benign elements. The algorithm comprises a fuzzy logic approach to explain the ambiguities in the image. The algorithm is applied directly to the radiography projection images.
US07974451B2	Diffusion weighted image processing apparatus and recording medium for recording image analysis program It is an object to provide a diffusion weighted image processing apparatus or the like which can correct a distortion of a diffusion weighted image requiring smaller endurance on a patient in a diffusion weighted image processing method for correcting distortion of a diffusion weighted image. The diffusion weighted image processing apparatus has a correcting device which relatively corrects, with mutual reference among two or more diffusion weighted images having different directions of gradient field pulses during imaging, distortions occurring in the directions of the gradient field pulses during the imaging of the diffusion weighted images, the distortion being caused by the gradient field pulse of the diffusion weighted image.
US07974448B2	Personal authentication system using biometrics information A personal authentication system using biometrics information, which identifies or authenticates an individual by verifying to-be-verified biometrics characteristic data against previously registered biometrics characteristic data. The system includes a biometrics information inputting section having a function to acquire the to-be-verified biometrics information; a biometrics information converting section converting said to-be-verified biometrics information, acquired through said biometrics information inputting section, into a state to be acquired on a predetermined acquisition condition, said predetermined acquisition condition being a same condition under which the registered biometric information was acquired; and a biometrics characteristic data extracting section extracting to-be-verified biometrics characteristics data from the to-be-verified biometrics information obtained by the conversion in said biometrics information converting section.
US07974439B2	Embedding hidden auxiliary information in media Methods and apparatus for steganographically embedding information in media signals (e.g., audio and video) are provided. One claim recites a method of enabling tracing of a media signal to a distribution point of the media signal, including: providing time and place information associated with the distribution point, the distribution point includes at least speakers to render the media signal to an assembled audience; utilizing a programmed electronic processor, embedding the time and place information in the media signal, such that the time and place information is imperceptibly distributed in the media signal, said embedding alters data representing audible portions of the media signal or alters data representing video picture elements of the media signal to convey the time and place information in the media signal; and at least the place information is recoverable from plural different portions of the media signal. Of course, other claims, combinations and features are also provided.
US07974434B2	Loudspeaker A loudspeaker includes a frame; a magnetic circuit supported by the frame; a voice coil disposed in a magnetic gap of the magnetic circuit so as to be able to vibrate freely in the gap; a diaphragm connected to the frame at the outer rim thereof via a first edge and connected to the voice coil at the inner rim thereof; a damper connected to the voice coil at the inner rim thereof, the damper being closer to the magnetic circuit than the diaphragm is close to the magnetic circuit; and a second edge connecting the outer rim of the damper to the frame. The second edge has a protrusion protruding either toward the diaphragm or in the opposite direction. The second edge is coupled to a third edge having a protrusion protruding at least in the opposite direction in which the protrusion of the second edge protrudes. This structure enables the loudspeaker to have little distortion and high driving efficiency.
US07974428B2	Hearing aid with acoustic feedback suppression A hearing aid having an input transducer (2), a signal processor (3), an output transducer (4) and an adaptive filter (5) for generating a feedback cancellation signal (101) further comprises a norm estimator (10) generating a first norm signal (109) indicative of a norm of the electrical input signal and a second norm signal (110) indicative of a norm of a feedback-cancelled electrical input signal, a comparator for comparing the first and second norm signals and generating a difference value Nfbc−Nx and a decision unit disabling application of the feedback cancellation signal to the signal path of the hearing aid if the difference value is above a certain threshold value cth thus avoiding the feedback cancellation mechanism actually increasing acoustic feedback of the hearing aid. The invention also provides a method for reducing acoustic feedback of a hearing aid, a computer program, and an electronic circuit for a hearing aid.
US07974425B2	Sound system and method of sound reproduction A sound reproduction system comprises a left and right speakers located in close proximity, and a sound processor which provides audio signals to the pair of speakers. The sound processor preferably derives a cancellation signal from the difference between the left and right channels. The resulting difference signal is scaled, delayed (if necessary), and spectrally modified before being added to the left channel and, in opposite polarity, to the right channel. The spectral modification to the difference channel preferably takes the form of a low-frequency boost over a specified frequency range, in order to restore the correct timbral balance after the differencing process. Additional phase-compensating all-pass networks may be inserted in the difference channel to correct for any extra phase shift contributed by the spectral modifying circuit. The technique may be used in a surround sound system.
US07974423B2	Loudspeaker system A loudspeaker system comprises a cabinet, a speaker unit, a package body, a filler gas, and an absorbent. The speaker unit is mounted in the cabinet. At least one package body is disposed in a vacant space inside of the cabinet and is structured by a bag body for sealing materials thereinto from outside thereof. A predetermined amount of the filler gas is sealed into the package body. A predetermined amount of the absorbent is sealed into the package body and physically absorbs the filler gas.
US07974415B2	System and method for updating keys used for public key cryptography A provider system is disclosed for providing a sequence of public keys to a receiver system, wherein each public key of the sequence is related to a private key and is applicable for a public key cryptography procedure. The provider system can include a computing unit and a sending unit. The computing unit can be configured to generate the sequence of public keys and related keys and compute a plurality of data sets, where a data set of the plurality of data sets includes a public key and a proof value. The proof values can result from applying a hash function to a following data set that includes a further public key following in the sequence. The sending unit can be configured to provide the plurality of data to a receiver system.
US07974413B2	Spread spectrum communications system and method utilizing chaotic sequence A method is provided for generating a coherent chaotic sequence spread spectrum communications system. The method includes phase modulating a carrier with information symbols. The method also includes generating a string of discrete time chaotic samples. The method further includes modulating the carrier in a chaotic manner using the string of discrete time chaotic samples. Each of the discrete time chaotic samples has a shorter sample time interval than the duration of the information symbols. The generating step includes selecting a plurality of polynomial equations. The generating step also includes using residue number system (RNS) arithmetic operations to respectively determine solutions for the polynomial equations. The solutions are iteratively computed and expressed as RNS residue values. The generating step further includes determining a series of digits in the weighted number system based on the RNS residue values. The method further includes synchronizing the chaos generated at the receiver with that generated at the transmitter without periodic transfer of state update information.
US07974408B2	Scrambling of a calculation performed according to an RSA-CRT algorithm A method and a circuit for scrambling an RSA-CRT algorithm calculation by an electronic circuit, in which a result is obtained from two modular exponentiation calculations, each providing a partial result, and from a recombination step, and in which a first step adds a digital quantity to at least one first partial result before said recombination step; and a second step cancels the effects of this quantity after the recombination step.
US07974406B2	Privacy enhanced comparison of data sets A computer implemented method for performing a privacy enhanced comparison of a plurality of data sets includes allocating a private encryption key to each of the data sets; performing an encryption operation for each of the data sets, the encryption operation comprising generating a commutatively encrypted data set of the respective data set, wherein the commutatively encrypted data sets are generated by successively applying a keyed commutative encryption function on the respective data set with the private encryption key of the respective data set itself and with the private encryption keys of the other data sets; and comparing the commutatively encrypted data sets.
US07974398B2	Virtual personal assistant for handling calls in a communication system Connecting a caller with a plurality of destinations using a destination list received from a caller or a designated user. Attempts are made to connect the caller with each of the destinations in the stored destination list, with each attempt including a connectability query to determine whether either the caller or the destination is connectable. Thereafter, the other party is called and offered a connection attempt to the first party. If the second party accepts, a call is made to the first party. If the first party is indeed connectable and answers the call, a connection is established between the two parties. Once the destination list is stored, attempts to connect the caller with each destination can be separately initiated or paused. Furthermore, the stored destination list can be edited even after connection attempts have been initiated.
US07974392B2	System and method for personalized text-to-voice synthesis A communication device and method are provided for audibly outputting a received text message to a user, the text message being received from a sender. A text message to present audibly is received. An output voice to present the text message is retrieved, wherein the output voice is synthesized using predefined voice characteristic information to represent the sender's voice. The output voice is used to audibly present the text message to the user.
US07974374B2	Multi-mode VCO for direct FM systems Systems for multi-mode phase modulation are disclosed. Systems provide for direct modulation of a multi-mode voltage controlled oscillator (VCO). A fractional-N counter may be used in a phase-locked loop (PLL) to synthesize a radio frequency carrier signal. The multi-mode VCO may be characterized by a first frequency gain during operation in a first mode and by a second frequency gain during operation in a second mode where signals controlling the first and second operating modes are provided by a control circuit. The control circuit may include a switch to provide control signals to the VCO.
US07974366B2	Low-latency baseline-wander compensation systems and methods Disclosed herein are systems and methods for detecting a signal to provide a detected data sequence, comprising providing a plurality of candidate data sequences, computing baseline wander estimates associated with respective ones of the candidate data sequences, comparing a signal to each of the respective ones of the candidate data sequences, wherein the comparisons are compensated by corresponding ones of the baseline wander estimates, and choosing, based on the comparisons, one of the plurality of candidate data sequences to be the detected data sequence.
US07974365B2	Method and apparatus for computing SIR of time varying signals in a wireless communication system A method and apparatus for correcting symbols of a common pilot channel (CPICH) to generate an accurate signal-to-interference ratio (SIR) estimate in a wireless communication system are disclosed. In one embodiment, a non-stationary mean of a group of the CPICH symbols is estimated, the CPICH symbols are delayed, and the CPICH symbols are corrected by dividing the delayed CPICH symbols by the estimated non-stationary mean of the group of CPICH symbols. In another embodiment, a signal power estimate is generated based on the magnitude of CPICH symbols, a noise power estimate is generated by subtracting the signal power estimate from a total power estimate based on the magnitude of the CPICH symbols, and a SIR estimate is generated for symbols that have undergone a time varying gain by dividing the signal power estimate by the noise power estimate.
US07974361B2	Incoherent type mimo UWB communication system This invention relates to a space-time coding process for a pulse type MIMO-UWB system using symbols belonging to a PPM modulation alphabet. Orthogonality of signals emitted by the different antennas is achieved by providing a mechanism for permutation of PPM symbol modulation positions and by imposing a constraint on the positions of said symbols. The space-time coding process according to the invention enables an incoherent type reception.
US07974360B2	Multi input multi output (MIMO) orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) communication system An embodiment of the present invention is a technique to process signals in a communication system. In one embodiment, a plurality of signal processing units processes signals received from a plurality of antennae. The signal processor units are controlled by operational mode control signals. A channel estimator estimates channel responses using the processed signals according to an operational mode. An equalizer and combiner generates an equalized and combined signal using the received signals and the estimated channel responses. A Carrier to Interference Noise Ratio (CINR) estimator estimates CINR from the equalized and combined signal. The estimated CINR is used to generate the operational mode control signals. In another embodiment, a sub-carrier allocation controller generates sub-carrier allocation signals using an allocation base. A channel status information (CSI) and multiple input multiple output (MIMO) controller generates sub-carrier CSI signals and operational mode control signals using the sub-carrier allocation signals, estimated channel responses provided by a channel estimator, and an estimated CINR provided by an CINR estimator. The operational mode control signals select one of a plurality of antenna paths associated with a plurality of antennae. A transmitter diversity processor generates transmitter diversity signals as a function of at least a mapped signal Mk, the sub-carrier CSI signals, and the operational mode control signals.
US07974353B2	Method and system for resource allocation for OFDM wireless networks According to an embodiment, the present invention provides a method for providing resource allocation in a wireless communication network. The method includes providing an access provider that is configured to perform orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM). The access provider is configured to allocate transmission resources. The method also includes providing a first plurality of terminals that are wirelessly connected to the access provider. The method further includes assigning the first plurality of terminals to a first scheduling group that is associated with a first plurality of resources. The first plurality of resources includes at least a first resource. The method additionally includes providing a second plurality of terminals that are wirelessly connected to the access provider. The method further includes assigning the second plurality of terminals to a second scheduling group that is associated with a second plurality of resources.
US07974352B2	Wireless transmitter, wireless receiver and wireless communication system To reduce interference mutually provided among peripheral cells, and perform data transmission while maintaining total throughput at the maximum level.Provided are an acquiring section (105) that acquires information of interfering power level that a communication apparatus receives from peripheral cells from a signal received from the communication apparatus, a determining section (106) that determines the number of subcarriers to use in data transmission corresponding to the information of interfering power level, and a modulation scheme determining section (107) that determines a modulation scheme for each of the subcarriers to use in data transmission corresponding to the information of interfering power level, and a radio signal is transmitted to the communication apparatus using the modulation scheme determined in the modulation scheme determining section (107) and the number of subcarriers determined in the determining section (106).
US07974337B2	High speed receive equalizer architecture Various example embodiments are disclosed. According to an example embodiment, an apparatus may include a continuous time filter, a decision feedback equalizer, a clock and data recovery circuit, and an adaptation circuit. The adaptation circuit may be configured to adapt equalization according to at least one dithering algorithm by adjusting a delay adjust signal based on a mean square error of equalized data signals.
US07974332B2	High-frequency HomePNA A network device includes a HomePNA modem and means for synchronizing its clock with clocks of other HomePNA modems in the network in order to communicate at a higher frequency band. In one embodiment, the synchronization is with pilot signals. In another, it is by correcting for clock differences. The upconversions may be via oversampling or via analog mixing. The downconversions may be via subsampling or via analog demixing.
US07974331B2	Rake receiver with individual finger compensator(s) Rake receivers in code division multiple access (CDMA) telecommunication comprise fingers (1,2,3) with each finger processing signal components for a particular transmission path to be able to better synchronize with a RF signal received via different paths, and a combiner (4) for combining the results originating from said fingers, and a compensator in the form of a controlled oscillator in a feedback loop. By locating a finger compensator (20-25) in a finger, said finger can handle complex situations, like Doppler shifts under high-speed conditions. Preferably, most or all fingers each comprise such a finger compensator, in which case said feedback loop can be avoided. Such a finger compensator can be hardware, software or a mixture of both when comprising a filter (21) plus an amplitude normalizer (22) between two arithmetical modules (20,25) for multiplying an input symbol signal with a conjugated previous input symbol signal and an output symbol signal with a previous output symbol signal.
US07974328B2	Surface-emission type semiconductor laser The present invention provides a surface-emission type semiconductor laser wherein an effective length of a cavity is reduced, thereby enabling to realize a higher-speed direct modulation. In the surface-emission type semiconductor laser according to the present invention, when supposing the optical path length (L) of a resonator part relative to a lasing wavelength λ0 to be given as 0.9×λ0≦L≦1.1×λ0, and denoting the refractive indexes of a high refractive index layer and a low refractive index layer of a dielectric DBR by nH1 and nL1; the average refractive index within an optical path length λ0/4 in the semiconductor in contact with the dielectric DBR by nS1; and the refractive indexes of the high refractive index layer and the low refractive index layer of a semiconductor DBR by nH2 and nL2, respective materials to be used are selected so as to satisfy the following conditions (1) and (2): nH1>f(nS1)nL12+g(nS1)nL1+h(nS1), (1) where f(nS1)=0.0266 nS12−0.2407 nS1+0.6347; g(nS1)=−0.0508 nS12+0.4335 nS1−0.0085; and h(nS1)=0.0382 nS12−0.3194 nS1+0.7398, and nH2−nL2>0.4. (2)
US07974320B2	Method for having laser light source in standby status When the laser light source is caused to standby, the temperatures of semiconductor laser 1 and semiconductor laser 9 are changed by approximately 3° C. from the temperature when the laser light source is always being used. With a temperature change of approximately 3° C., the wavelengths of the laser light generated by semiconductor lasers 1 and 9 change approximately 0.3 nm. This change hardly has any effect at all on optical fiber amplifier 2 and optical fiber amplifier 10, but the conversion efficiencies at the respective wavelength conversion elements of the wavelength conversion optical system change, and, particularly, deep ultraviolet light is hardly generated at all any longer. Therefore, even while the laser light has been made incident to the wavelength conversion optical system, there is no longer damaging of the wavelength conversion elements. Therefore, it is possible to provide a laser light source standby method that is able to shorten the start up time of the laser light source.
US07974310B2	Apparatus and method for constructing a data unit that includes a buffer status report An apparatus and method for constructing a data unit that includes a buffer status report (BSR) such that when BSR triggering is performed, the size(s) of the necessary sub-header(s) are also to be considered together in addition to the BSR size. There is a checking unit that checks whether any padding region is available in a MAC PDU that was constructed, a comparing unit that compares the number of padding bits with the size of a buffer status report (BSR) plus its sub-header, and a processing unit that cooperates with the checking unit and the comparing unit to trigger a buffer status report (BSR) procedure if the number of padding bits is larger than the size of the BSR plus its sub-header, including the BSR and its sub-header in the MAC PDU, and setting an LCID in the sub-header to indicate a BSR is included, the BSR having been triggered due to padding. Using such apparatus allows the sub-header(s) to be inserted (included) into the MAC PDU (or transport block (TB) or other data unit).
US07974304B2	Out of band signaling enhancement for high speed serial driver An integrated microelectronic serial driver is provided which is operable to transmit a differential pattern signal during a burst interval and a predetermined common mode voltage level during a second interval between adjacent burst intervals, the serial driver including at least one pre-driver and a driver coupled to an output of the pre-driver for transmitting the differential communication signal. A switching circuit is operable to switch the serial driver between a first power supply voltage level for the burst interval and the predetermined common mode voltage level, wherein the predetermined common mode voltage level is independent of variations in power supply voltage conditions and temperature conditions.
US07974296B2	Extended call handling functionality using multi-network simulcasting A method and apparatus supporting the handling of calls using simulcasting of multimedia information via a broadband access gateway are disclosed. A broadband access gateway supporting both a personal area network and a broadband network may receive multimedia information simultaneously exchanged by an associated access device via a wide area network. The broadband access gateway may store the received multimedia information locally, within the broadband access gateway, or may communicate the multimedia information to storage accessible from the broadband access gateway. The broadband access gateway may cause a user of the access device to be notified of the availability of multimedia information for a recorded call, and may communicate the multimedia information to the access device for playback. A user may be notified if storage and bandwidth for the recording of a call is not available.
US07974282B2	Network apparatus for redundant multicast For continuing multicast data transfer according to path control information after being switched from an active status to a standby status, it is necessary that the standby status hold the same path control information as the active status. However, a synchronization of the path control information thereof is not guaranteed. To solve the above-mentioned problem, this invention provides a data transfer apparatus coupled to a network, including a plurality of interfaces for transmitting and receiving data, in which the data transfer apparatus is configured to: create transfer destination information for correlating a destination of the data with the interfaces for transmitting the data to be transmitted to the destination; and transmit, upon reception of multicast data via one of the interfaces before being judged that the transfer destination information has been created, the multicast data from at least one of the interfaces irrespective of the transfer destination information.
US07974275B2	Saturated datagram aging mechanism Methods for aging datagrams in the memory portion of a datagram distribution device or other network device are provided. According to some of these methods, an attribute of each datagram entering the device may be used to assign an initial aging counter value to each datagram. Then, the attribute-specific aging counter values may be used to extend the time until expiration of certain datagrams relative to other datagrams. Also, devices for implementing these methods are provided.
US07974268B2	Internet trunking protocol A method and system for efficient voice transmission over internet protocol networks is provided. A first node detects a next node, and a channel is created between the first node and the next node. A first packet is received at the first node and the protocol of the first packet is detected. The first packet is merged with a second packet having the same protocol as the first packet, and the merged first packet and second packet are transmitted to the next node via the channel.
US07974264B2	Method and a system for determining the spatial location of nodes in a wireless network A method determines the propagation delays between nodes in a network, the network including a plurality of nodes. The method includes recording by each one of the nodes the transmission time of a beacon-signal respective of the one of the nodes and the reception times of other beacon-signals respective of other nodes. The beacon signal and the other beacon signals are transmitted according to a forward transmission sequence, a reverse transmission sequence is determined according to the forward transmission sequence. The procedure of recording for beacon signals is repeated and transmitted according to the reverse transmission sequence, and a propagation delay is determined between each pair of communicating nodes according to a forward propagation delay and a reverses propagation delay respective of the each of pair of communicating nodes. The forward propagation delay and the reverse propagation delay are determined according to the recorded times of transmissions and receptions of the beacon signals by the respective nodes. The pair of communicating nodes are defined as a pair of nodes that can receive transmissions of each other, and the time difference between transmissions of beacon signals respective of two nodes, during the forward transmission sequence, is substantially the same as the time difference between transmissions of the beacon signals respective of the two nodes, during the reverse transmission sequence.
US07974256B2	Radio communication system, radio communication apparatus and method A radio communication system for carrying out communications among a plurality of radio communication apparatus pertaining to the radio communication system through a radio network connecting the radio communication apparatus with each other wherein, each of the radio communication apparatus includes an access setting unit configured to prescribe a super frame period within a predetermined time and setting a reserved period within the super frame as a period for making an access to the radio network, and the access setting unit selects either a first reservation setting method not contending with reservation setting done by another radio communication apparatus, or a second reservation setting method possibly contending with reservation setting done by another radio communication apparatus.
US07974248B2	Wireless “whooper” system for consolidating wireless communication access points and client stations and providing differentiated wireless services A Wireless Whooper system for use in wireless networks is provided with a collection of wireless client stations arranged to transmit and receive wireless streams of information, and wireless Access Points (APs) arranged to wirelessly link with the wireless client stations, each supporting a group of wireless client stations; and a supervisory processing unit (SPU) arranged to monitor and dynamically switch between available wireless APs, forward and transmit streams of information through the wireless networks. Such a supervisory processing unit (SPU) can be installed as a separate control device or integrated within each wireless AP to handle the dynamic switching and routing of streams of information between available wireless APs within the system. This way the Wireless Whooper system can advantageously provide high quality differentiated wireless services and capabilities to dynamically change a single wireless traffic stream between any single source and destination to multiple streams via other existing wireless elements (e.g., wireless Access Points “APs” and client stations).
US07974243B2	Wireless packet communication method and wireless packet communication apparatus In retransmission processing due to a failure of transmission of data packets, a plurality of data packets are simultaneously transmitted between two STAs by utilizing multiple wireless channels and MIMO, and the number of idle channels and the number of retransmission packets are compared. Then, when both of the numbers are different or only when the number of idle channels is larger than the number of retransmission packets, the retransmission packets are reconstructed according to the number of idle channels, and the reconstructed retransmission packets are simultaneously transmitted by using the idle channels.
US07974242B2	Device, system, and method of channel quality indication Device, system, and method of channel quality indication. In some demonstrative embodiments a method may include, for example, calculating a plurality of channel-quality-indicator values corresponding to a plurality of sub-channels associated with a mobile communication device; and transmitting a channel-quality-indicator message from the mobile communication device to a base station, the channel-quality-indicator message including only first and second channel-quality-indicator values of the plurality of channel-quality-indicator values corresponding to first and second sub-channels of the plurality of sub-channels. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US07974234B2	Method of authenticating a mobile network node in establishing a peer-to-peer secure context between a pair of communicating mobile network nodes Methods for authenticating peer mobile network nodes for establishing a secure peer-to-peer communications context in an ad-hoc network are presented. The methods include accessing wireless infrastructure network entities at low bandwidth and for a short time duration to obtain cryptographic information regarding a peer mobile network node for the purpose of establishing secure peer-to-peer communications therewith ad-hoc network. Having received cryptographic information regarding a peer mobile network node, the method further includes challenging the peer network node with a challenge phrase derived from the cryptographic information received, receiving a response, and establishing a secure communications context to the peer mobile network node based on the validity of the received response. Advantages are derived from addressing security threats encountered in provisioning ad-hoc networking, by leveraging wireless infrastructure network security architecture, exemplary deployed in UMTS/GSM infrastructure networks, enabling seamless mobile network node authentication through the existing UMTS and/or GSM authentication infrastructure, while pervasively communicating with peer mobile network nodes in an ad-hoc network.
US07974233B2	Systems and methods for transmitting and receiving data streams with feedback information over a lossy network Systems, apparatus, and methods are provided to enhance transmitting and receiving video data streams with feedback information over a lossy and/or congested network. The systems, apparatus, and methods may optimize retransmission for lost packets or lost data frames. Optimizations are also provided to select reference frames in a data stream so that block errors are contained when RPS is used to encode data frames. Optimization in decoding may include reconstructing high-resolution data frames from low-resolution data frames.
US07974230B1	Mitigating interference by low-cost internet-base-station (LCIB) pilot beacons with macro-network communications Methods and systems are provided for mitigating interference by low-cost Internet-base-station (LCIB) pilot beacons with macro-network communications. In one embodiment, an LCIB transmits a pilot beacon on the forward link of a carrier at a first power level. While transmitting the pilot beacon on the forward link of the first carrier, the LCIB measures a current reverse-noise rise (RNR) on the reverse link of the carrier. The LCIB determines that the current RNR is greater than an RNR threshold, and responsively transmits the pilot beacon on the carrier at a second power level, which is lower than the first power level.
US07974229B2	Relay for extended range point-to-point wireless packetized data communication system A limited acknowledgement-based communication methodology increases the throughput efficiency of a relay-based, extended range, wireless packetized data transmissions to a data-reception site from a data-sourcing site, geographically remote with respect to the data-reception site. Rather than return an acknowledgement for each received packet, the data-reception site returns an acknowledgement only after receipt of a group of packets. When returning an acknowledgement, the data-reception site identifies which packets of the group were not successfully received. Missing packets may be retransmitted by the data-sourcing transmitter either immediately, or in response to a subsequent poll.
US07974214B2	Method and apparatus for classifying traffic at transport layer Provided is a method and apparatus for classifying applications in traffic easily and accurately by utilizing only statistical data of traffic at transport layer. A method of the present invention includes determining candidate applications by comparing at least one of smallest packet size, biggest packet size and average packet size of collected packets for a flow with corresponding reference data of potential applications; and comparing mode set of packet size for the collected packets with corresponding reference data of the candidate applications to identify the flow as an application which has identical elements in the same order, the number of the identical elements being equal to or more than a predetermined number.
US07974209B1	Packet processing with re-insertion into network interface circuitry Method and apparatus for packet processing by re-insertion into network interface circuitry. A method for handling a burst of packets sent to network interface circuitry includes checking for a connection table entry for received packets, and responsive to non-existence of the connection table entry for the received packets, sending the packets to network interface software for processing. The network interface software processing includes: building the connection table entry; processing the packets; and sending the packets as processed to the network interface circuitry. Additionally, a method for re-inserting a packet responsive to an active audit mode is described.
US07974184B2	Radio network system and control node switching method A radio network system and a control node switching method which can improve a reliability of the whole network and improve a wording efficiency. The system includes at least one alternate control node which can be substituted form the control node. The alternate control node monitors an operating state in the control node and discriminates whether or not the operating state is abnormal. When the operating state is determined to be abnormal, the alternate control node sets its own address into a control node address.
US07974178B2	Pilot method for 802.16m A novel pilot method employs a cluster having a particular arrangement of pilot sub-carriers to optimize transmissions under 802.16 m, or WiMAX-II. The optimally configured cluster features equal pilot density per OFDM symbol, two or more pilot sub-carriers per cluster, and interlaced pilot sub-carriers, which enables the base stations to successfully boost the pilot sub-carriers, for optimum performance.
US07974173B2	Optical device for holographic recording or reading and method for controlling the same An optical device for holographic recording or reading is provided and includes: a light emission unit that emits light to be irradiated on an optical recording medium, the light being recording or reading light; a first prism unit that moves in accordance with a moving speed of the optical recording medium and refracts the light to move the light irradiated on the optical recording medium over a distance in a moving direction of the optical recording medium so that the light is irradiated on substantially the same position on the optical recording medium for a period of time; and a second prism unit that moves in accordance with the moving speed of the first prism unit to compensate for an optical path length of the light.
US07974170B2	Application of wavelet transform filtering for processing data signals from optical data storage devices An optical data recovery system including an optical receiver configured to receive light reflected from an optical medium and produce modulated data, a processing unit configured to transform the modulated data into a series of transform coefficients respectively identifying frequencies of the modulated data at respective times, and the processing unit is configured to identify from the series of transform coefficients defect coefficients associated with positions in the modulated data where the modulated data is corrupted.
US07974162B2	Digital data modulator-demodulator A digital data demodulator which can reduce a loss of decodable digital data, and increase capability of reproducing digital data inputted through a transmission line even when an error occurs in the transmission line. In the digital data demodulator, a specific pattern detector (113) detects a specific pattern to be included in a modulation code, from a bit string inputted through a transmission line (104). A modulation code identifying unit (117) generates a demodulation data strobe signal (119) according to a phase of the modulation code including the specific pattern. An error corrector (121) samples demodulation data (109) in response to the demodulation data strobe signal (119) and reproduces the data to the original digital data.
US07974161B2	Method of adjusting gain balance of optical transducer A method of adjusting gain balance of an optical transducer includes the following steps. First, two external gains are predetermined. Next, the projection position of a reflection spot is adjusted toward one side of the optical transducer, and the current output values of the optical transducer each corresponding to one of the external gains are measured, respectively. Next, the projection position of the reflection spot is adjusted toward the other side of the optical transducer, and the current output values of the optical transducer each corresponding to one of the external gains are measured, respectively. Then, a gain balance value of the optical transducer is adjusted, and is set as the external gain. Next, the projection position of the reflection spot is adjusted. Finally, the projection position of the reflection spot, where the current output value of the transducer is equal to 0, is locked to complete the adjustment rapidly.
US07974160B1	Plant gain calibration for an optical storage servo system A gain calibration method for optical storage servo systems in which, plant gain calibration is used by injecting a reference sine wave r into an optical storage servo system, obtaining an effort signal m at the input of the servo plant and an error signal y at the output of the servo plant, using a DFT (Discrete Fourier Transformation) to translate the time domain signals m and y into frequency responses M and Y, calculating a Y-to-M ratio, and using the magnitude of the Y-to-M ratio as the plant gain K of the servo system. The servo system's sensor gain K1 at the outermost layer of a disk may be calibrated by, e.g., the conventional peak-to-peak measurement. Since K=K1·K2, the servo system's actuator gain K2 at the outermost layer of the disk may be obtained. Because the actuator gain K2 is the same for all layers of a disk, the variation of the sensor gain K1 at an inner layer may follow that of the plant gain K at that layer. Accordingly, the sensor gain K1 may be calibrated for each layer of a multilayer disk, and the calibration is independent from the compensator C.
US07974158B2	Optical disk and optical recording/reproducing device A small-sized, large-capacity optical disk is provided which is superior in portability. The optical disk has a diameter less than 64 mm and a thickness less than 0.8 mm. Tracks are formed with a pitch less than 0.6 μm, and the record area is divided into a plurality of zones alone the radium. The optical disk can store more than 650 MB of compressed data.
US07974157B2	Method for forming an apparatus for indicating the passage of time and the formed apparatus The present invention discloses a time passage indicating apparatus which comprises a substrate, a background layer on the substrate, and a time passage indicating layer on the background layer. The background layer and the time passage indicating layer bond to each other through a first and second polymer binder. The background layer displays a background color. The time passage indicating layer displays an initial color in an initial state that is different from the background color, and a final color in a final state that is substantially the same as the background color, so as to indicate the end of a time period where the time passage indicating layer transforms from the initial state to the final state.
US07974156B2	Movement for timepiece with retrograde display A movement for a timepiece having a retrograde display member displaying at least one time division, includes a going train, elements for driving the display member including a wheel unit driven by the going train and carrying a first cam sharing the same axis of rotation. The movement also includes a rocker supporting a probe held against the edge of the first cam by deformable elastic elements undergoing a deformation of variable amplitude. This results in the application of a corresponding force on the rocker in proportion to the distance between the probe and the axis of rotation of the first cam. The movement also includes drive members to connect the rocker to a retrograde display member. A force-regulating device is interposed between the elastic elements and the rocker.
US07974146B2	Wordline temperature compensation A nonvolatile memory includes a temperature dependent read window. One or more temperature compensated wordline voltage supply circuits provide temperature compensated wordline signal(s) to the nonvolatile memory. The temperature compensated wordline signals change as the temperature dependent read window changes.
US07974141B2	Setting memory device VREF in a memory controller and memory device interface in a communication bus A memory device is connected through an interface to a memory controller. The memory device's reference voltage is set based on a driver's impedance of the memory device and the controller driver drive strength during driver training. The voltage is applied to a reference resistor pair at the memory device and changed until the voltage level switches. The voltage is then set at the reference resistor pair of the memory device.
US07974134B2	Voltage generator to compensate sense amplifier trip point over temperature in non-volatile memory In a non-volatile memory system, a voltage generator provides a voltage to a gate of a voltage-setting transistor which is used in a sense circuit to set an initial voltage at a sense node. At the end of a sense period, a final voltage of the sense node is compared to a trip point, which is the threshold voltage of a voltage-sensing transistor. To account for temperature variations and manufacturing process variations, the voltage generator includes a transistor which is matched to the voltage-setting transistor, and a transistor which is matched to the voltage-sensing transistor. As a result, a voltage swing between the initial voltage and the trip point is constant, even as the initial voltage and trip point vary. In a particular implementation, the voltage generator uses a cascode current mirror circuit, and receives a reference current from a band gap voltage circuit.
US07974130B2	Semiconductor memory device and method for erasing the same A semiconductor memory device including a memory cell array with NAND cell units arranged therein, the NAND cell unit having a plurality of electrically rewritable and non-volatile memory cells connected in series, first and second select gate transistors disposed for coupling the both ends of the NAND cell unit to a bit line and a source line, respectively, and a dummy cell disposed adjacent to at least one of the first and second select gate transistors, wherein after erasing the memory cells in an erase unit, the memory cells excepting the dummy cell are subject to soft-program.
US07974106B2	Ripple cancellation Systems, methods and devices for power generation systems are described. In particular, embodiments of the invention relate to the architecture of power conditioning systems for use with fuel cells and methods used therein. More particularly, embodiments of the present invention relate to methods and systems usable to reduce ripple currents in fuel cells.
US07974101B2	Power converter A power converter in which the structure of a connecting portion is highly resistant against vibration and has a low inductance. The power converter includes a plurality of capacitors and a laminate made up of a first wide conductor and a second wide conductor joined in a layered form with an insulation sheet interposed between the first and second wide conductors. The laminate comprises a first flat portion including the plurality of capacitors which are supported thereon and electrically connected thereto, a second flat portion continuously extending from the first flat portion while being bent, and connecting portions formed at ends of the first flat portion and the second flat portion and electrically connected to the exterior.
US07974098B2	Mechanism to make a heat sink in contact with a pluggable transceiver, a pluggable optical transceiver and a cage assembly providing the same A heat-dissipating mechanism with a thermo-conducting sheet is arranged between a pluggable optical transceiver and a heat sink. One of the optical transceiver and the heat sink includes the thermo-conducting sheet. The heat sink is assembled with a cage to be movable vertically and against a downward force. The optical transceiver includes a projection that comes in contact with the heat sink. The heat sink includes a rail with a pocket. When the transceiver is inserted into the cage, the projection first runs along the rail to lift the heat sink upward; subsequently, the projection is set within the pocket to allow the thermo-conducting sheet to contact the transceiver.
US07974096B2	Three-dimensional thermal spreading in an air-cooled thermal device The present disclosure relates to heat transfer thermal management device utilizing varied methods of heat transfer to cool a heat generating component from a circuit assembly or any other embodiment where a heat generating component can be functionally and operatively coupled. In a proposed embodiment, at least one heat pipe is used to transfer heat from the condensation portion of a vapor chamber to cool a bottom portion of a finned heat dissipation space and transfer the heat to a colder location on the heat fins. In another proposed embodiment, the water vapor chamber is placed in a heat sink and is adapted to thermally connect to at least one heat pipe.
US07974068B2	Pseudoperiodic logic signal generator A generator of a pseudoperiodic logic signal of mean period Tmean includes: a reference clock of period Tref, a logic memory, changing state on receipt of a pulse, a first mechanism producing a normal pulse on completion of a base time interval Tsec=K×T ref, with K an integer, a second mechanism producing a shifted pulse on completion of a modified time interval T′sec=(K±1)×Tref, and a selector capable of selecting the mechanism that produces the pulse, in such a way as to regularly include a shifted pulse so as to correct the mean period, to generate a pseudoperiodic signal. Such a generator may find application, as an example, to driving a resonator for producing a plasma spark for radiofrequency ignition.
US07974063B2	Hybrid surge protector for a network interface device A hybrid surge protector for a network interface device (NID) is disclosed. The hybrid surge protector includes a fail-safe spring connected to the ground electrode of a three-electrode gas tube. Tabs on the fail-safe spring are held away from the gas-tube end electrodes by a fusible element. The hybrid surge protector also includes metal-oxide varistor elements (“MOVs”) in contact with the gas-tube end electrodes and with the ground electrode via an MOV spring. This arrangement provides for two initial paths to ground-one path from the gas-tube end electrodes to the ground electrode through the gas tube, and another from the gas-tube end electrodes to the ground electrode through the MOVs and the MOV spring. The dominant path to ground starts as the MOV ground path but switches to the gas-tube path as the gas tube becomes activated. Another path to ground via the fail-safe spring is also available should the gas tube overheat. A surge protection module that includes the hybrid surge protector is also disclosed.
US07974061B2	Common gate connected high voltage transient blocking unit When a series protective element such as a transient blocking unit (TBU) is used in combination with a shunt protective element such as a gas discharge tube (GDT), firing of the GDT can cause a transient having the potential to damage the TBU. This problem can be alleviated by placing a TBU core in series between depletion mode transistors having their gates connected. With this arrangement, the GDT transient causes a transient in the TBU circuit that has the effect of switching the transistors around the TBU hard off, thereby protecting the TBU from the GDT transient.
US07974059B2	Power supply apparatus, power supply apparatus control method A power supply apparatus comprises a current limiting unit connected in series between a power source and a power supply circuit that limits output current of the power source; a first switch connected in series with the current limiting unit; a second switch connected in parallel with the current limiting unit; a resistor connected in series between the power source and the current limiting unit; an abnormal current detection unit, connected in parallel with the resistor, that detects the current flowing through the resistor and determines whether or not the detected current is abnormal; and a control unit that turns on the first switch if the abnormal current detection unit detects a current, and, thereafter, turns the second switch on if the detected current is not abnormal, and turns the first switch off if the detected current is abnormal.
US07974047B2	Current perpendicular to plane differential magnetoresistance read head design using a current confinement structure proximal to an air bearing surface A current to perpendicular to plane (CPP) differential magnetoresistance (DMR) read head using current confinement proximal to an air bearing surface (ABS) is disclosed. The CPP DMR read head includes a first electrically conductive lead, a first MR sensor formed on the first lead, and a non-magnetic electrically conductive spacer formed on the first MR sensor proximate to the ABS. The CPP DMR read head further includes insulating material on the first MR sensor distal to the ABS. A second MR sensor is formed in contact with the conductive spacer such that the second MR sensor is in electrical contact with the first MR sensor proximate to the ABS and is electrically isolated from the first MR sensor distal to the ABS. A second electrically conductive lead is in contact with the second MR sensor. Sense current injected into the first and the second MR sensor is confined proximate to the ABS.
US07974037B2	Techniques for providing DC-free detection of DC equalization target A data storage device includes a first filter that generates a short DC equalization target in response to a read back signal generated from magnetic patterns that are recorded on a storage medium using perpendicular recording. The data storage device also includes a first detector that generates an output sequence in response to the short DC equalization target. The data storage device also includes a high pass filter that attenuates DC components of the short DC equalization target and that passes low frequency components of the short DC equalization target above a cutoff frequency to generate a filtered signal. The data storage device also includes a second detector that processes the output sequence in response to the filtered signal.
US07974034B1	Systems and methods for sync mark detection using correlation Systems and methods for detecting and designing enhanced disk sync marks using correlation detection are disclosed. The enhanced sync marks provide better noise immunity and higher detection rates over traditional Viterbi-based detection schemes even with a shorter sync mark length. The disk sync mark may provide optimal noise immunity for a particular target polynomial or a plurality of common target polynomials. The minimum Euclidean distance between a candidate sync mark and a plurality of right-shifted versions of the candidate sync mark is computed and compared with other candidate sync marks. The sync mark with the largest minimum Euclidean distance is then selected as the optimal mark. Systems and methods are also disclosed for detecting and designing a disk sync mark using correlation detection when the polarity of the disk is unknown or time-varying.
US07974033B1	Pad bit injection during read operation to improve format efficiency Injecting pad bits during a read operation to improve format efficiency is disclosed. In some embodiments, a pad sequence associated with error correction is not stored in a sector on a disk. Instead, the pad sequence is merged at a read channel with data stored in a sector that is accessed by the read channel.
US07974032B1	Non-linear transition shift identification and compensation A system for identifying and compensating for non-linear transition shift in a magnetic medium data storage device is disclosed. The non-linear transition shift compensation system includes a non-linear transition shift estimation module adapted to generate non-linear transition shift estimates for specific bit patterns. The system further includes a pre-compensation module adapted to adjust the temporal spacing of binary transitions written to the magnetic medium based on the non-linear transition shift estimates generated by the non-linear transition shift estimation module for specific bit patterns corresponding to bit patterns appearing in the data being written to the magnetic medium.
US07974029B2	Disk drive biasing refresh zone counters based on write commands A disk drive is disclosed comprising a disk comprising a plurality of tracks, and a head actuated over the disk. A plurality of refresh zones are defined, wherein each refresh zone corresponds to a plurality of the tracks. Data is written to a first refresh zone, and a first zone counter is updated for a second refresh zone at a first rate. Data is written to a third refresh zone, and the first zone counter is updated for the second refresh zone at a second rate different than the first rate.
US07974028B2	Magnetic transfer master carrier and magnetic transfer method A magnetic transfer master carrier of the present invention includes a base material having convex portions on its surface, the convex portions being provided corresponding to a pattern of information to be recorded on a perpendicular magnetic recording medium, and a magnetic layer deposited at least on top surfaces of the convex portions, wherein when a magnetic field is applied to the magnetic transfer master carrier, the magnetic layer absorbs a magnetic flux so as to form a pattern of the magnetic field, wherein the magnetic layer includes at least two perpendicular magnetic anisotropic layers, and an antiferromagnetic coupling induction layer which is provided so as to be sandwiched in between two neighboring layers of all the perpendicular magnetic anisotropic layers, and to induce antiferromagnetic coupling therebetween.
US07974026B2	Lens moving device and installation unit Disclosed is a lens moving device and a lens installation unit within which at least one lens is installed and at least one guiding protrusion is formed, a driving means that moves the lens installation unit, and a frame which includes a guiding slot into which the guiding protrusion is arranged and houses the lens installation unit.

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