Document	Document Title
US07998611B2	Battery module and production method thereof A first row of batteries and a second row of batteries both consisting of the same number of cylindrical batteries (2) arranged in parallel are held at both axial ends using holder frames (3). The holder frame (3) is formed as a rectangular parallelepiped by detachably coupling together an inner frame (4) and two outer frames (7, 8). On both lateral sides of the inner frame (4) and on the sides of the two outer frames (7, 8) opposite the inner frame (4) are provided the same number of holding parts (4a, 7b, 8b) as the rows of batteries, the holding parts being semi-circular cut-outs in which halves of the cylindrical batteries (2) can fit. Each two adjacent cylindrical batteries (2) are electrically interconnected via inter-battery connection plates (9).
US07998603B2	Transparent conductive film, sintered body target for transparent conductive film fabrication, and transparent conductive base material and display device using the same A transparent conductive film which is amorphous, has a high transmittance of light in the visible region of short wavelengths, and is hard to beak with respect to bending is provided. The transparent conductive film is an amorphous oxide film composed of Ga, In, and O, in which a Ga content ranges from 35 at. % to 45 at. % with respect to all metallic atoms, a resistivity ranges 1.2×10−3Ω·cm to 8.0×10−3Ω·cm, a film thickness is 500 nm or less, and a transmittance of light at a wavelength of 380 nm is 45% or more.
US07998602B2	Appliance with coated transparency An appliance transparency includes a first substrate defining a No. 1 and a No. 2 surface and a second substrate spaced from the first substrate and defining a No. 3 and a No. 4 surface. A first coating is deposited over at least a portion of the No. 2 surface and is free of metallic layers. A second coating is deposited over at least a portion of the No. 4 surface and has at least one metallic layer. A protective coating is deposited over at least a portion of the second coating.
US07998591B2	Monoaxially-oriented and annealed films with high cross machine toughness and related process A tape yarn, woven fabric or carpet backing produced from a polymeric film material formed from an impact copolymer and having increased toughness relative to films that are monoaxially-oriented at conventional temperatures.
US07998588B2	Process for producing room temperature vulcanizable organopolysiloxane composition and base material coated with composition obtained by the production process A process for producing a room temperature vulcanizable organopolysiloxane composition comprising: (A) 100 parts by weight of a diorganopolysiloxane having in one molecule at least two hydroxyl groups and/or hydrolyzable groups connecting to silicon atoms; (B) 0.2 to 10 parts by weight of an alkylene oxide compound having silicon atoms in a molecule; (C) 0.5 to 100 parts by weight of a silica; and (D) 0.5 to 30 parts by weight of a silane and/or condensate of partial hydrolyzate thereof, wherein said process comprises steps of hot-mixing component (A), component (B), and component (C) together, and subsequently mixing component (D) thereto.
US07998584B2	High-purity carbon fiber-reinforced carbon composite and method for producing the same A high-purity carbon fiber-reinforced carbon composite includes a matrix, a carbon fiber, and sulfur. The matrix includes a crystalline carbon-based powder and glassy carbon. A content of sulfur in the high-purity carbon fiber-reinforced carbon composite is 5 ppm by mass or less.
US07998583B2	Nanoparticulate silicone organo copolymers and use thereof in coating compositions Nanoparticulate silicone organo copolymers exhibit controlled hydrophobicity in composite thermal insulation systems.
US07998580B2	Wood particle mixture for a wood-plastic composite material and method for producing the wood particle mixture A wood particle mixture is described especially made from raw wood for an extruded or injection-molded wood-plastic composite material, especially manufactured from wood-plastic compound, which significantly improve the strength properties in a wood plastic composite material. Each wood particle has certain dimensions and certain shaping.
US07998575B2	Low shrinkage, dyeable MPD-I yarn The invention relates to a continuous dry spinning process for preparing a fiber from a polymer solution having concentrations of polymer, salt, solvent and water. After the fiber is extruded and quenched, the fiber is placed in contact with a conditioning solution comprising concentrations of solvent, salt, and water. The conditioning solution acts upon the fiber to plasticize the fiber prior to being drawn. The conditioning solution has concentrations of solvent, salt, and water so that the fiber is plasticized to the extent necessary for drawing but does not plasticize the fiber to such an extent as to re-dissolve the fiber into a polymeric solution. A heat-treated fiber manufactured from this process has improved shrinkage and can be colored to darker shades.
US07998573B2	Superabrasive compact including diamond-silicon carbide composite, methods of fabrication thereof, and applications therefor Embodiments of the present invention relate to diamond-silicon carbide composites, superabrasive compacts including such diamond-silicon carbide composites, and methods of fabricating such diamond-silicon carbide composites and superabrasive compacts. In one embodiment, a superabrasive compact includes a substrate and a superabrasive table bonded to the substrate. The superabrasive table comprises diamond-silicon carbide composite including a matrix comprising nanometer-sized silicon carbide grains and micrometer-sized diamond grains dispersed through the matrix. In another embodiment, a method of fabricating a superabrasive compact is disclosed. An assembly comprising a mixture including diamond particles and silicon is formed. The silicon comprises amorphous silicon, crystalline silicon crystallized from amorphous silicon formed by a milling process, or combinations thereof. A substrate is positioned in proximity to the mixture. The assembly is subjected to heat and pressure to form a superabrasive compact comprising a superabrasive table bonded to the substrate. The superabrasive table comprises diamond-silicon carbide composite including diamond grains dispersed through a matrix of silicon carbide grains.
US07998570B2	Method for manufacturing a fire retardant composite and composite thus obtained The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a fire retardant composite, a composite of a foamed polymer having a coating with fire retardant properties, and also the use of such composites. The method according to the present invention comprises the following steps: i) providing beads of foamed polymer, ii) applying a coating on the beads of step i) and iii) shaping the thus coated beads into said composite.
US07998563B2	Protective film for polarizing plate A protective film for polarizing plate comprising k layers (k is an integer of 2 or more) of thermoplastic resin layer laminated, wherein a refractive index ni(380) at a wavelength of 380 nm and a refractive index ni(780) at a wavelength of 780 nm in the i th thermoplastic resin layer as well as a refractive index ni+1(380) at a wavelength of 380 nm and a refractive index ni+1(780) at a wavelength of 780 nm in the i+1 th thermoplastic resin layer have a relationship in ∥ni(380)−ni+1(380)\|−\|ni(780)−ni+1(780)∥≦0.02 (where, i is an integer of 1 to k−1). A polarizing plate is obtained by bonding the protective film for the polarizing plate and a polarizer. And a liquid crystal display comprising the polarizing plate and a liquid crystal panel.
US07998552B2	Dicing/die bonding film A dicing die-bonding film in which the adhesive properties during the dicing step and the peeling properties during the pickup step are controlled so that both become good, and a production method thereof, are provided. The dicing die-bonding film in the present invention is a dicing die-bonding film having a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer on a base material and a die bond layer on the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer, in which the arithmetic mean roughness X (μm) on the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer side in the die bond layer is 0.015 μm to 1 μm, the arithmetic mean roughness Y (μm) on the die bond layer side in the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer is 0.03 μm to 1 μm, and the absolute value of the difference of the X and Y is 0.015 or more.
US07998550B2	Stitchless on-site binding application method On-site binding for carpets and the like wherein a covered welting material is provided with a strip with adhesive on both sides. One side is covered with peel-off wax paper which is removed to adhere the welting material flush against the edge of the carpet's pile. The adhesive underside of the paper has an extension of the welting material adhered thereto. A thermal plastic glue is applied between the carpet pile and welting material whereby the welting material binding is secured the carpet by the underlying strip (with adhesive on both sides) and the thermal plastic bead.
US07998543B2	Dioxetane compound, cationically polymerizable composition, optical film, and liquid crystal display device A novel dioxetane compound is provided having a cationically polymerizable oxetane group, which compound is excellent in compatibility with a liquid crystalline compound and a non-liquid crystalline compound. An optical film is also provided with excellent liquid crystal orientation retention properties and mechanical strength, produced by aligning a composition of the dioxetane compound and a cationically polymerizable compound in a liquid crystal orientation and fixing the liquid crystal orientation by polymerization. Further, a liquid crystal display device is provided with the optical film.
US07998541B2	Benzochromene derivatives for use in liquid crystal media and as therapeutic active substances The present invention relates to benzochromene derivatives of the formula I where the various parameters have the meaning indicated in the text, and to liquid-crystal media which comprise these compounds, and to the use of the media in electro-optical displays, in particular in TN, OCB, LCOS and/or IPS-LCDs, and to the use of the compounds and physiologically acceptable derivatives thereof as therapeutic active ingredients.
US07998539B2	Method of forming thin-film structure by oblique-angle deposition A method of forming thin-film structure by oblique-angle deposition is provided. The method includes the steps of: evaporating target source in a chamber by an electron beam evaporation system, and introducing process gas into the chamber and adjusting tilt angle of the evaporation substrate and controlling temperature in the chamber during evaporation to form thin-film on a evaporation substrate by oblique-angle deposition, and then annealing the evaporation substrate to form a thin-film having porous nanorod microstructure.
US07998533B2	Highly corrosion-resistant hot-dip galvanized steel product excellent in surface smoothness and formability and process for producing same The present invention provides a highly corrosion-resistant plated steel sheet that can achieve excellent surface smoothness and formability and, according to the process of the present invention, a hot-dip galvanized steel product excellent in surface smoothness and formability having on the steel product surface a zinc alloy plating layer composed of 4 to 22% by mass of Al, 1 to 5% by mass of Mg, 0.000001 to 0.1% by mass of Ti, 0.000001 to 0.5% by mass of Si and the balance of Zn and unavoidable impurities, the plating layer of the plated steel product having a metal structure in which an [Mg2Si phase], an [Al phase], a [Zn2Mg phase] and a [Zn phase] are present in a mixture in the matrix of an [Al/Zn/Zn2Mg ternary eutectic structure], and the plating layer containing a Ti—Al base intermetallic compound in the [Al phase] and/or the [Zn2Mg phase] and/or the [Zn phase], is produced.
US07998515B2	Method and apparatus for preventing the discharge of powdery caffeine during coffee roasting Coffee beans are roasted with heated air in a roasting chamber, and contaminant-laden exhaust air including caffeine entrained therein is discharged from the chamber. While roasting is in progress, the exhaust air from the chamber is heated, directed through a catalytic converter and cooled to a temperature between about 250° F. to 325° F. Thereafter the cooled exhaust air flows through a cooler or condenser where the temperature of the cooled exhaust air is further lowered to between about 100° F. and 155° F., and it is then directed through a HEPA filter to remove caffeine particles that are present in the cooled air. Substantially caffeine-free clean exhaust air can then be discharged from the HEPA filter directly to the surroundings of the roasting machine such as a closed room, e.g. a retail establishment, frequented by persons.
US07998510B2	Low dose colonic cleansing system A method of colonic cleansing that includes administering orally a first dose and a second dose of a liquid osmotic colonic evacuant composition. The second dose includes an amount of the liquid osmotic colonic evacuant composition that is 55% to 95% of the amount of the first dose.
US07998505B2	Dry granulation binders, products, and use thereof A method for the preparation of microcrystalline cellulose containing tablets by roller compaction followed by tabletting is disclosed. A tablet formulation is converted to a dry granulate by roller compaction, and the dry granulate is lubricated and compacted to a tablet. The tablet formulation comprises at least one active, an microcrystalline cellulose containing material, and, optionally other pharmaceutically acceptable excipients. The microcrystalline cellulose containing material has a maximum primary compaction tensile strength of at least 9 MPa or at least 9.5 MPa and a secondary compaction tensile strength of at least 5 MPa, at least 5.5 MPa, or at least 6 MPa. A method for evaluating binders is also disclosed.
US07998504B2	Deposition products, composite materials and processes for the production thereof A composite material comprising a substrate and a deposition product and the use of a deposition product for providing an antimicrobial effect. The substrate of the composite material is a medical device. Further, in each of the composite material and the use, the deposition product consists essentially of at least one oxidized silver species and wherein the deposition product is comprised of a compound having the formula Ag7O8X, where X is an anion.
US07998503B2	Form of administration for controlling primary headaches The invention relates to a nasally applied, film-shaped, bioadhesive pharmaceutical form of administration containing at least one agent-containing layer that is based on crosslinked hydrophilic polymers comprising up to 60 percent by weight of Lidocaine, the percentage being in relation to the total quantity of crosslinked hydrophilic polymers. Also disclosed is the use thereof for controlling primary headaches, preferably migraine.
US07998498B2	Antimicrobial material and method for making the same This invention provides a modified catheter biomaterial that provides both immediate, and long-term microbiocidal effects on otherwise antibiotic-resistant strains of microorganisms. The material, which exhibits good mechanical performance characteristics for medical devices, is composed of a hydrophobic polyurethane (PU), a hydrophilic polyethylene vinyl acetate (PEVA), a soluble silver salt and a sparsely-soluble silver salt. The hydrophobic polyurethane provides the good physical properties, the PEVA the hydrophilicity necessary to allow some water ingress into the catheter, the soluble silver salt for an immediate burst effect, and the sparsely-soluble silver salt for sustained-release over many months postimplantation.
US07998494B2	Perfuming or flavoring microcapsules comprising a fireproofing agent Perfuming or flavoring microcapsules that include a fireproofing agent in addition to a perfuming or flavoring ingredient and a carrier material, so that the microcapsules can reduce the occurrence or an explosion of reduced violence when suspended in hot air during their preparation. Also, methods of making these microcapsules and their use in perfumed, food, beverage or pharmaceutical products.
US07998493B2	Cosmetic or dermopharmaceutical compositions which are used to reduce bags and circles under the eyes The invention relates to novel cosmetic or dermopharmaceutical compositions for topical use which are used to prevent the symptoms of cutaneous slackening and, more specifically, to treat the visible signs of ageing and fatigue, such as bags and circles under the eyes. The inventive compositions comprise, in a cosmetically-acceptable medium, a combination of at least two, and preferably three, components selected from: a) hesperidin or the derivatives thereof; b) A.C.E. enzyme inhibitor dipeptides; and c) oligopeptides R2-(AA)n-Pro-Arg, wherein (AA)n is a peptide chain, (AA) is any amino acid or any derivative of any amino acid, n is included between 1 and 3, and R2═H or an alkoyl chain having a carbon length of between C2 and C22.
US07998483B2	Lage-1 tumor associated nucleic acids The invention describes the LAGE-1 tumor associated gene, including fragments, allelic variants and splice variants thereof. Also included are polypeptides and fragments thereof encoded by such genes, and antibodies relating thereto. Methods and products also are provided for diagnosing and treating conditions characterized by expression of a LAGE-1 gene product.
US07998472B2	CD34 stem cell-related methods and compositions This invention provides novel stem cell-based methods for treating a number of conditions. These methods employ CD34− stem cells, and have a tremendous advantage in that they do not require myeloablation in the subject being treated. The CD34− stem cells used in the instant methods can be genetically modified or not, depending on the disorder treated.
US07998466B2	Biocompatible tissue sealants and adhesives The disclosure relates to compositions for medical/surgical synthetic adhesives and sealants. Adhesive compositions include a functionalized triol and functionalized diol, while sealant compositions further include a multifunctionalized polyol and at least one amine cross linker.
US07998444B2	Method of reducing nitrogen oxides in a gas stream with vaporized ammonia The present invention is a method for selective reduction of nitrogen oxides in a gas stream with ammonia wherein the ammonia is vaporized prior to contacting it with the carrying fluid. The present invention also comprises a reducing agent dispersion system for use in substantially uniformly mixing a reducing agent with nitrogen oxides in a flue gas stream comprising a header and a plurality of lances. Further, the present invention comprises a novel reactor design for use in selective reduction of nitrogen oxides in a gas stream.
US07998442B2	Sound insulating board The invention relates to a sound-insulating board, in particular a footfall insulating board for laminate floors or similar applications. The sound-insulating board is distinguished by a continuous transition of its density from the one large-area side to the other large-area side of the board and comprises a mixture of unglued wood fibers, a binder and/or supporting fibers and a mixed plastic, such as arises from the dual system during the recovery of plastic parts.
US07998441B2	Method for selective removal of cadmium A method for selective removal of cadmium from a feed solution also containing other metals such as nickel (Ni) and/or cobalt (Co), utilizing a thiourea based ion exchange resin, and a method for eluting cadmium adsorbed on the thiourea based resin.
US07998440B2	Reclaiming of lead in form of high purity lead compound from recovered electrode paste slime of dismissed lead batteries and/or of lead minerals An outstandingly low environmental impact wet process recovers the lead content of an electrode slime and/or of lead minerals in the valuable form of high purity lead oxide or compound convertible to highly pure lead oxide by heat treatment in oven at relatively low temperature, perfectly suited for making active electrode pastes of new batteries or other uses. The process basically comprises the following treatments: a) suspending the impure lead containing material in an aqueous bath containing at least a lead oxide dissolving acid; b) reducing any insoluble lead dioxide to lead oxide by introducing in the suspension either hydrogen peroxide, a sulphite or sulphurous anhydride; c) converting all dissolved lead oxide to lead sulphate in the aqueous bath; d) obtaining a solution of lead sulphate obtained in an aqueous solution containing an acetate salt; e) precipitating and separating a purified lead compound in the form of either carbonate/oxycarbonate or of oxide/or hydroxide by adding to said acetate salt solution a carbonate salt or a hydroxide of the same cation of said acetate salt, respectively. Exemplary flow sheets according to several alternative embodiments and related processing plant diagrams are disclosed.
US07998439B2	Method for separating and recycling uranium and fluorine form solution A separation and recycling method for recycling uranium and fluoride from a waste liquid sequentially and separately is disclosed. The method comprises a uranium-recycling process and a fluoride-recycling process. In the uranium-recycling process, an alkali metal compound or monovalent cation and a coagulant aid are added into the waste liquid to promote the precipitation of uranium. In the fluoride-recycling process, an alkaline earth metal compound, a strong acid and a coagulant aid are added into the uranium-removed waste liquid to precipitate fluoride. By means of the method of the present invention, the uranium and fluoride contents of the uranium-removed and fluoride-removed waste liquid are compliant with the effluent standards of the environmental laws.
US07998432B2	Multidisciplinary automatic analyzer for in vitro diagnosis The device comprises reaction unit cuvettes (22) for different types of tests, a vertical axis rotor (7) which is associated with a rotation drive means and provided with a horizontal gear-teeth crown (8) delimiting radially outwardly open cavities for receiving the reaction unit cuvettes (22), a device (20) for supplying the gear-teeth crown with the reaction unit cuvettes (22), a device (6) for supplying cuvettes with analyzable biological liquid samples, stations (13, 19) arranged around the crown for carrying out measurements and/or analysis and an automation for managing the sequences of a desired process for each cuvette.
US07998430B2	Production of synthetic rutile by continuous leaching A reactor 20 has a plurality of tubular downcomers 32, 34, 36, 38, 40 and risers 42, 44, 46, 48, 50, joined by sections 86, 88 in a continuous serpentine path the tubes dimensioned to provide substantially plug flow conditions for solid and liquid reagents fed into a first downcomer 24 with the products extracted from final riser 52. The reactor 20 is designed for a desired residence time by the number, height and diameter of the tubes. The downcomers 24, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40 may include a bend to improve residence time and to thereby reduce the number of tubes required for a desired overall residence time. The reactor 20 can be used in a leaching operation for producing synthetic rutile, where a pre-treated feedstock including ilmenite, leucoxene or titania slag is leached with hot HCl.
US07998427B2	Method for carrying out chemical reactions in pseudo-isothermal conditions A method for carrying out chemical reactions in so-called pseudo-isothermal conditions and in a predetermined reaction environment, for example a catalytic bed, comprises the step of arranging in the reaction environment at least one heat exchanger crossed by an operating fluid along a main direction.
US07998426B2	Plasma-based gas treatment system integrated in a vacuum pump A pumping system comprising at least one pump unit (2) with a vacuum pump casing in which there are multiple pumping stages that includes at least one pumped gas treatment system is provided. The pumped gas treatment system compromises at least one plasma source located inside the vacuum pump casing of the pump unit, to generate a plasma that at least partially decomposes certain gases passing through the pump unit. This reduces the size of the pumped gas treatment system and improves its efficiency so that a gas pumping and treatment system can be created that is sufficiently small as to allow it to be placed in close proximity to the process chambers.
US07998424B2	Exhaust system comprising zoned oxidation catalyst An exhaust system for a lean-burn internal combustion engine comprises a catalyst for oxidising carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons comprising a flow-through substrate monolith comprising a first platinum group metal (PGM) zone containing at least one PGM supported on a surface area-increasing washcoat component, a second PGM zone containing at least one PGM supported on a surface area-increasing washcoat component, a third PGM zone containing at least one PGM supported on a surface area-increasing washcoat component wherein both the PGM loading in the first PGM zone and the PGM loading in the third PGM zone is greater than the PGM loading in the second PGM zone and wherein the first PGM zone comprises a washcoat loading that is less than a washcoat loading of the third PGM zone.
US07998418B1	Evaporator and concentrator in reactor and loading system An evaporator and concentrator in a reactor and loading system concentrates ions such as fluoride ions in some embodiments, and evaporates micro- to milliliter volumes of liquid solutions including intermediate and final product in other embodiments. It efficiently re-dissolves the evaporated solution generating a product, which is transferred to an external system as desired. The external system may be a micro-fluidic reactor system and/or loading system. The evaporator/concentrator has an input port for introducing liquids and solids. A capillary tube introduces gas, such as nitrogen gas, into a volume of solution contained within a v-vial, which produces an evaporating micro bubbler. A concentric tube, surrounding the capillary tube in some embodiments, introduces gas into the empty volume above the solution inside the v-vial, which is referred to as a vapor sweep. The vapor sweep assists in removing the evaporated solution from the v-vial through a vacuum tube.
US07998393B2	Methods for making components having improved erosion resistance Methods for making components having improved erosion resistance including providing a component having a surface, applying at least one layer of an erosion system to at least a portion of the surface of the component, each layer of the erosion system containing a support, and a toughened resin applied to the support, and co-molding the component having the applied erosion system to produce a coated component having from about a 50% increase to about a 400% increase in erosion resistance per layer of the erosion system.
US07998392B2	Method for manufacturing and attachment of wing fairings A method and apparatus for manufacturing and installing a fairing on an aircraft. In one advantageous embodiment, a composite fairing is installed on the aircraft. A composite sheet having a form of the composite fairing is formed. A plurality of cured composite tiles is created from the composite sheet, wherein spaces are present between the plurality of composite tiles. The plurality of composite tiles is cured to form the composite fairing. The composite fairing is attached to a surface of the aircraft. The spaces between the plurality of composite tiles are filled with a flexible filler.
US07998389B2	Method for septumizing injection molded thermoplastic core A method of fabricating and using a honeycomb core structure for aircrafts. The honeycomb core structure may comprise a septum positioned within and integral to a honeycomb core. The method may comprise sandwiching the septum between two sections of a die. Each section of the die may comprise a plurality of spaced apart columns, each having a hexagonal cross-section. The method may further comprise injecting melted thermoplastic throughout both sections of the die between the columns and cooling the thermoplastic, thereby hardening and integrating the thermoplastic and the septum together to form the honeycomb core structure. The method may also comprise affixing the honeycomb core structure within an aircraft structure to provide a structural load path for a primary component of the aircraft.
US07998388B2	Rotary process for forming uniform material A thin, uniform membrane comprising polymeric fibrils or a combination of fibrils and particles, wherein the fibrils have randomly convoluted cross-sections, and a process for making the membrane are disclosed. The membrane may be on the surface of a substrate as part of a composite sheet, or as a stand-alone structure.
US07998385B2	Method for producing multilayer stretch-molded article A transparent multilayer stretched product is produced through a process including: providing a resin laminate including at least on layer of polyglycolic acid resin, heat-forming and cooling the resin laminate, reheating the resin laminate until the polyglycolic acid resin is crystallized to be opaque and then stretching the reheated resin laminate. The thus-obtained multilayer stretched product is excellent in gas-barrier property in addition to the transparency and is suitable as a packaging material or container.
US07998379B2	Process for the production of porous moulded articles containing alginate The invention relates to a process for the production of alginate-containing porous or sponge-like moulded articles, and to the moulded articles obtainable thereby and their use.
US07998374B2	Fabrication method of self-written optical waveguide A taper angle of a self-written optical waveguide to be formed is increased or decreased at a desired position. A range of light (aperture number) condensed by a focusing lens 31 is adjusted by an iris diaphragm 22′ in which the hole diameter can be changed from 1 mm to 12 mm. An image of the self-written optical waveguide 51 being fabricated is taken with a CCD camera 70, and image processing of the image is executed in real time by an image processing device 71. The taper angle of the self-written optical waveguide 51 is measured, and the taper angle of the self-written optical waveguide 51 can be desirably increased or decreased by changing the diameter of iris diaphragm 22′.
US07998371B2	Conductive compositions and processes for use in the manufacture of semiconductor devices: Mg-containing additive Described herein are a silicon semiconductor device and a conductive silver paste for use in the front side of a solar cell device.
US07998369B2	Polyvinylidene fluoride composites and methods for preparing same An electrically conductive composite comprising a polyvinylidene fluoride polymer or copolymer and carbon nanotubes is provided. Preferably, carbon nanotubes may be present in the range of about 0.5-20% by weight of the composite.The composites are prepared by dissolving the polymer in a first solvent to form a polymer solution and then adding the carbon nanotubes into the solution. The solution is mixed using an energy source such as a sonicator or a Waring blender. A precipitating component is added to precipitate out a composite comprising the polymer and the nanotubes. The composite is isolated by filtering the solution and drying the composite.
US07998365B2	Thiogallate phosphor and white light emitting device employing the same The present invention relates to a thiogallate phosphor which is excited by ultraviolet or blue light to emit light with a relatively longer wavelength than that of the ultraviolet or blue light. The phosphor is expressed as a general formula of (A1-x-yEuxMIIIy)(B2-yMIIy)S4, wherein 0.005
US07998362B2	Piezoelectric substance, piezoelectric element, liquid discharge head using piezoelectric element, liquid discharge apparatus, and production method of piezoelectric element A main component of a piezoelectric substance is PZT which has a perovskite type structure expressed as Pb(ZrxTi1-x)O3, in which x expresses an element ratio Zr/(Zr+Ti) of Zr and Ti in the formula, an element ratio Pb/(Zr+Ti) of Pb, Zr and Ti of the piezoelectric substance is 1.05 or more, an element ratio Zr/(Zr+Ti) of Zr and Ti is 0.2 to 0.8 inclusive, and a Curie temperature Tc of the piezoelectric substance and a Curie temperature Tc0 in bulk at an element ratio of Zr and Ti of the piezoelectric substance satisfy a relation of Tc>Tc0+50° C.
US07998361B2	Soft magnetic material and powder magnetic core A soft magnetic material includes: a plurality of composite magnetic particles formed from a metal magnetic particle and an insulative coating surrounding a surface of the metal magnetic particle and containing metallic salt phosphate and/or oxide; and a lubricant formed as fine particles added at a proportion of at least 0.001 percent by mass and no more than 0.1 percent by mass relative to the plurality of composite magnetic particles. With this structure, superior lubrication is provided during compacting and desired magnetic characteristics can be obtained after compacting.
US07998360B2	Electrolysis solution for electrolytic capacitor, and electrolytic capacitor Provided is an electrolyte containing tetrafluoroaluminate ions, which is advantageous in that the electrolyte can be prevented from leaking from both the cathode and the anode in an electrolytic capacitor.An electrolyte for electrolytic capacitor, which comprises: (A) a tetrafluoroaluminate ion, and (B) at least one compound selected from the group consisting of: (1) at least one compound selected from the group consisting of a phthalimide, a quinoline, a dioxime, a nitrophenol and an amino group-containing aromatic carboxylic acid; (2) at least one compound selected from the group consisting of an aluminum complex, a boric acid ester and a silicic acid ester; (3) at least one compound selected from the group consisting of a monocyclic quinone compound and a bicyclic quinone compound; (4) a tricyclic or higher polycyclic quinone compound; and (5) at least one compound selected from a heteropoly acid and a salt thereof, an electrolyte for electrolytic capacitor containing a tetrafluoroaluminate ion, which has a self-potential of −0.95 V or more with respect to aluminum in the electrolyte, relative to an I3−/I− reference electrode, and an electrolytic capacitor using the same.
US07998353B2	Filter candle comprising an elongated mesh pack A filter candle 100 as subject of the present invention comprises: an elongated mesh pack 200 for filtering a fluid, comprising an end fitting 206 securely fixed to a filter medium 205. Further, a hollow core tube 300 is provided having a fluid permeable wall 310, the core tube being positioned within the axial opening of the mesh pack. The core tube 300 has an end flange 340 fixed to the outer end surface 312, which end flange is suitable for engaging the end fitting 206 on the mesh pack. A ring-shaped seal 500 is provided between and making contact with the outer end surface of the core tube, the end fitting and the end flange. The seal is a porous ring-shaped structure comprising a multitude of pores, which pores have an average pore size being equal or less than the filter rating of the filter medium.
US07998352B2	Method and device for cleanup and deposit removal from internal hot water system surfaces Disclosed is a method of inhibiting and/or removing deposits from internal surfaces in a hot water system. The method includes controlling a real-time oxidation-reduction potential in a hot water system to alter the dynamic between deposit constituents and the bulk water of the system to inhibit deposition or initiate deposit removal. The method is equally effective for a system undergoing a wet layup sequence or in an online operational system. The invention further includes a multi-component deposit inhibition and/or removal device, including a receiver, a processor, and a transmitter that work in unison to alter the system dynamics to inhibit or remove deposits.
US07998349B2	Integrity testable multilayered filter device The present invention relates to a device having two or more separate filtration layers that can be independently tested for integrity yet which allow for serial filtration through the two or more layers to obtain the desired characteristics such as retention. The device is made of two or more filtration areas, each containing one filter layer. Each area has one filtration layer and a first endcap bonded to a first end of the filter and a second endcap bonded to a second end of the filter. The areas are arranged concentrically around each other such that the first area is inward of the second area which is inward of a third area and the like. Each area is formed separately and integrity tested separately before final assembly. The first area is slid into the inside of the second area and then the two endcaps are either bonded to each, bonded to a third overall endcap or overmolded by a third endcap.
US07998339B2	Process for producing a hydrocarbon component The invention relates to a process for producing a new type of high-quality hydrocarbon base oil of biological origin. The process of the invention comprises ketonisation, hydrodeoxygenation, and isomerization steps. Fatty acids and/or fatty acid esters based on a biological raw material are preferably used as the feedstock.
US07998336B2	Biosensor A biosensor comprises a space part for sucking and housing a sample formed of two upper and lower plates, the two plates being stuck together by an adhesive layer, the space part for sucking and housing the sample being constituted so as to be partially opened in the peripheral part and partially closed by the adhesive layer, and has a working electrode having at least glucose oxidase immobilized thereon and a counter electrode on the same plane of the plate.
US07998333B1	Method of manufacturing a magnetic recoding medium The present invention provides a method of manufacturing a magnetic recording medium having high recording density. The magnetic recording medium manufacturing method of the present invention is directed to a manufacturing method including: disposing at least a silicon layer on a substrate; disposing an uneven structure including regularly arranged projections on the silicon layer; disposing magnetic material on the upper surfaces of the projections and within recessed parts of the uneven structure; and allowing the magnetic material disposed within each recessed part to be changed into silicon compound by heat treatment.
US07998329B2	Porous nickel foil for negative electrode of alkaline battery, production method therefor and production device therefor A porous nickel foil for a negative electrode of an alkaline battery formed by an electrolytic deposition method, wherein the porous nickel foil is flexible and has a thickness of 10-35 μm and a Vickers hardness of 70-130. An electrodeposition drum for producing porous metal foil by an electrolytic deposition method including a drum having a surface onto which metal foil is deposited, a plurality of holes formed in the surface and an insulating resin filled in the holes, wherein the ratio of depth L and diameter D (L/D) of the hole is at least 1 and no clearance, into which deposited metal otherwise cuts in a wedge shape, exists at the boundary between the insulating resin filled in the hole and an opening edge of the hole.
US07998324B2	Sputtering target and process for producing si oxide film therewith A Si sputtering target that in the measurement of crystal face orientation of sputtering surface according to X-ray diffractometry, exhibits a ratio of peak intensity of (111) face (I(111)) to peak intensity of (220) face (I(220)) of Si, (I(111)/I(220)), falling within the range of 1.8±0.3. The Si sputtering target comprises, for example, an Si sintered material of 70 to 95% relative density. With respect to sputtering films such as Si oxide film, the film thickness characteristics, film formation cost, etc. can be improved by the use of this Si sputtering target.
US07998322B2	Ultrasonic treatment chamber having electrode properties A liquid treatment chamber having an elongate housing through which liquid flows longitudinally from an inlet port to an outlet port thereof is disclosed. An elongate ultrasonic waveguide assembly extends within the housing and is operable at a predetermined ultrasonic frequency and a predetermined electrode potential to ultrasonically energize and electrolyze liquid within the housing. An elongate ultrasonic horn of the waveguide assembly is disposed at least in part intermediate the inlet and outlet ports, and has a plurality of discrete agitating members in contact with and extending transversely outward from the horn intermediate the inlet and outlet ports in longitudinally spaced relationship with each other. The horn and agitating members are constructed and arranged for dynamic motion of the agitating members relative to the horn at the predetermined frequency and to operate in an ultrasonic cavitation mode of the agitating members corresponding to the predetermined frequency and the liquid being treated in the chamber.
US07998317B2	Glycerol (medical grade) preparation method using a by-product of a bio-diesel process A glycerol preparation method for preparation of medical grade glycerol from a by-product of a bio-diesel process includes a first stage phosphoric acid chemical reaction process and a posterior by-product centrifugal separation process to have the phosphoric acid chemical reaction by-product be separated into free fatty acid, potassium phosphoric acid, and a crude glycerol and methanol mixture. The crude glycerol and methanol mixture is further processed through a first step of thin film evaporation process where methanol is reclaimed, a second step of thin film evaporation process where the mixture is dehydrated, a third step of molecular distillation process where an industrial grade glycerol of purity over 95% is extracted, and a fourth step of molecular distillation process where a medical grade glycerol of purity in exceed of 99.75% that meets USP/BP standards is extracted.
US07998304B2	Methods of configuring a proximity head that provides uniform fluid flow relative to a wafer Methods configure a proximity head for conditioning fluid flow relative to a proximity head in processing of a surface of a wafer by a meniscus. The methods configure the head in one piece while maintaining head rigidity even as the head is lengthened for cleaning of large diameter wafers. The one-piece head configuring separates main fluid flows from separate flows of fluid relative to the wafer surface, with the separation being by a high resistance fluid flow configuration, resulting in substantially uniform fluid flows across increased lengths of the head in a unit for either fluid supply or return.
US07998303B2	Method for assembling jointed wind turbine blade A method of assembling a wind turbine blade comprises providing a first blade segment comprising at least two first spar cap segments; providing a second blade segment comprising at least two second spar cap segments; inserting the second blade segment into the first blade segment wherein a spar cap cavity is formed between each set of corresponding first and second spar cap segments; injecting an adhesive into the spar cap cavities to bond the blade segments together, wherein a scarf joint is formed between each set of corresponding first and second spar cap segments.
US07998299B2	Method for making composite truss panel having a fluted core A composite truss structure employs a sandwich-in-sandwich construction in which a composite fluted core is sandwiched between two facesheets, and at least one structural foam stiffener is sandwiched within the core or between the facesheets and/or the core.
US07998294B2	Label manufacturing method and label manufacturing system In a label manufacturing method, at least a part of a heat sensitive adhesive sheet is heated to develop adhesive properties by using a thermal head having heating elements and by using a transporting unit that transport the heat sheet to pass through a position contacting with the heating elements. Image data is generated on an image area of the sheet and an image editing process is performed so as to divide the image area into at least two types of parts that are set as heated and non-heated parts, respectively. An edited image obtained as a result of the image editing process is input as a heating pattern. The thermal head and the transporting unit are driven based on the input heating pattern and the heating elements are selectively operated in timed synchronization with the transportation of the sheet. In the image data generating step, the image area is displayed on a display as a binary image including a colored part and a non-colored part. The image editing process arbitrarily adjusts shapes, sizes, and positions of the colored part and the non-colored part, and sets one of the colored and non-colored parts as the heated part and the other of the colored and non-colored parts as the non-heated part.
US07998291B2	Thermite torch formulation including molybdenum trioxide A thermite torch formulation that includes a metal fuel in the form of a magnalium alloy and an oxidizer in the form of MoO3. When the thermite formulation is reacted, a torch may direct at least one reaction product onto a certain region of an object to deliver a large amount of energy to that region of the object.
US07998288B2	High strength aluminum alloy fin material and method of production of same A heat exchanger use high strength aluminum alloy fin material having a high strength and excellent in thermal conductivity, erosion resistance, sag resistance, sacrificial anodization effect, and self corrosion resistance, characterized by containing Si: 0.8 to 1.4 wt %, Fe: 0.15 to 0.7 wt %, Mn: 1.5 to 3.0 wt %, and Zn: 0.5 to 2.5 wt %, limiting the Mg as an impurity to 0.05 wt % or less, and having a balance of ordinary impurities and Al in chemical composition, having a metal structure before brazing of a fibrous crystal grain structure, a tensile strength before brazing of not more than 240 MPa, a tensile strength after brazing of not less than 150 MPa, and a recrystallized grain size after brazing of 500 μm or more.
US07998283B2	Rare earth anisotropic hard magnetic material and processes for producing magnetic powder and magnet using the same The disclosure provides a rare earth anisotropic hard magnetic material, which has, on atomic percent basis, a composition of (Sm1-αRα)xFe100-x-y-zMyIz, wherein, R is Pr alone or a combination of Pr with at least one rare earth element selected from the group consisting of La, Ce, Nd, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu and Y; M is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Si, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Nb, Mo, Al, and Zr; I is N alone or a combination of N and C; 0.01≦α≦0.30; 7≦x≦12, 0.01≦y≦8.0, 6≦z≦14.4, and which anisotropic rare earth hard magnetic material is crystallized in a Th2Zn17-type structure, of which crystalline grains are in a flake shape with a gain size ranging from 1 to 5 μm, and c-axis of the crystalline grains, an easy magnetization direction, being oriented along the minor axis of the flake crystalline grains. The disclosure also provides a process for producing the powdery rare earth anisotropic hard magnetic material and a process for producing anisotropic calender flexible magnet.
US07998275B2	Method for cleaning a circumferential surface of a cylinder of a printing press A method for cleaning a circumferential surface of a cylinder of a printing press provides for improved cleaning to be achieved during a short time. In order to clean the circumferential surface, a cleaning fluid is first applied to the circumferential surface. In order then to remove contaminants, the contaminants a broken up mechanically after the cleaning fluid is applied and before a cleaning apparatus acting on the circumferential surface is set into operation.
US07998272B2	Method of fabricating multi-freestanding GaN wafer A method of fabricating a plurality of freestanding GaN wafers includes mounting a GaN substrate in a reactor, forming a GaN crystal growth layer on the GaN substrate through crystal growth, performing surface processing of the GaN crystal growth layer to form a GaN porous layer having a predetermined thickness on the GaN crystal growth layer, repeating the forming of the GaN crystal growth layer and the forming of the GaN porous layer a plurality of times to form a stack of alternating GaN crystal growth layers and GaN porous layers on the GaN substrate, and cooling the stack such that the GaN layers self-separate to form the freestanding GaN wafers. The entire process of forming a GaN porous layer and a thick GaN layer is performed in-situ in a single reactor. The method is very simplified compared to the prior art. In this way, the entire process is performed in one chamber, and in particular, GaN surface processing and growth proceed using an HVPE process gas such that costs are greatly reduced. In particular, since GaN is self-separated from the substrate through cooling, a GaN wafer of good quality without the occurrence of cracks can be produced on a large scale with a high yield.
US07998268B2	Method to produce durable non-vitrified fly ash bricks and blocks A method of making durable, non-vitrified masonry units comprising fly ash, the method comprising mixing fly ash comprising a minimum of 15% CaO by weight and no more than about 10% loss on ignition, water, and an air entrainment agent to form a fly ash mixture; compacting the fly ash mixture in a shaping device by applying pressure of at least 1000 psi to the fly ash mixture; and curing the compacted fly ash mixture to cause the mixture to harden and gain strength.
US07998255B2	Electrostatic phase change generating apparatus An electrostatic phase change generating apparatus is described. The apparatus causes a change of state to occur in an input gas, for example, ambient air. The electrostatic phase change generating apparatus removes moisture from air, and may be used to generate water from air, dehumidify air, cool air, and the like. The ability to generate water from air has global importance as the need for clean water increases each year. The electrostatic phase change generating apparatus uses high voltage but low current allowing for very energy efficient operations. The electrostatic phase change generating apparatus uses a phase change vessel containing a liquid, a bubbler immersed in the liquid for conveying a gas, and a high voltage source to bias the liquid with respect to an upper electrode.
US07998252B2	Method and apparatus for in-situ testing of filtration systems Embodiments of the invention generally provide an apparatus and method for certifying a filter in a containment system without decontaminating the containment system prior to certification. The apparatus generally comprises a valve assembly selectable between at least three operational states. A first state prevents flow from prevents flow through a port of a housing. A second state fluidly couples the port to test equipment necessary to test a filter disposed within the housing. A third state seals the port but fluidly couples the test equipment to a decontamination system.
US07998248B2	Process for the dehydration of gases Process for the dehydration of gases, comprising: absorbing water vapor by means of a hygroscopic liquid consisting essentially of one or more C2-C8 glycols and an additive capable of forming a minimum type azeotrope with water; distilling the glycol/water/additive mixture to obtain a top product consisting mainly of the water/additive azeotropic mixture and a bottom product consisting mainly of glycol and additive (hygroscopic liquid); recycling the regenerated hygroscopic liquid to the absorption stage.
US07998229B2	Polishing composition and polishing method The polishing composition contains polyoxyethylene sorbitan mono-fatty acid ester, silicon dioxide, water soluble cellulose, an alkaline compound, and water. The content of polyoxyethylene sorbitan mono-fatty acid ester in the polishing composition is less than 0.0025% by mass. The polishing composition is appropriate for final polishing of silicon wafers.
US07998226B2	Appliance for converting household waste into energy An appliance is provided having a waste receptor module and an energy generation module for converting household waste into energy. The receptor module has a rotary drum with an opening for receiving the household waste and a steam reforming means for converting the waste into synthesis gas. A swing arm is attached adjacent to the opening in the rotary drum and a sealing door is mounted on the swing arm for sealing the opening when the waste receptor module is in operation. An outer door is used to cover the sealing door. The steam reforming means includes a tube mounted within the rotary drum for receiving the volatilized organic waste and an internal heater for heating the organic waste to temperatures to convert the waste into the synthesis gas. The energy generation module has an inlet in fluid communication with the waste receptor module for receiving the synthesis gas and a fuel cell for converting the synthesis gas into electrical energy.
US07998224B2	Removal of a sheet from a production apparatus A melt of a material is cooled and a sheet of the material is formed in the melt. This sheet is transported, cut into at least one segment, and cooled in a cooling chamber. The material may be Si, Si and Ge, Ga, or GaN. The cooling is configured to prevent stress or strain to the segment. In one instance, the cooling chamber has gas cooling.
US07998222B2	Cosmetic compositions comprising a polymer and a colorant A cosmetic composition suitable for use on mammalian skin, hair, and nails. These compositions contain a polymer and a colorant. The polymer of the composition mitigates staining caused by the colorant, and the polymer and colorant are opposite in charge. The present invention is also directed to methods of mitigating skin staining through using the cosmetic compositions.
US07998211B2	Intervertebral disk prosthesis provided with anchor means An intervertebral disk prosthesis is provided. The prosthesis comprises: a first plate for engaging a first vertebral body, said first plate comprising a first slot formed through the first plate; a second plate for engaging a second vertebral body, said second plate comprising a second slot formed through the second plate; a first anchor member, said first anchor member positioned and slidable through the first slot and having a sharp edge for penetrating into the first vertebral body; and a second anchor member, said second anchor member positioned and slidable through the second slot and having a sharp edge for penetrating into the second vertebral body. The first plate and the second plate engage with one another by way of complimentary concave and convex spherical cap portions to provide relative movement between the first plate and the second plate.
US07998209B2	Interbody fusion grafts and instrumentation This invention relates to implants formed from donor bone for use in lumbar interbody fusion procedures and instruments for performing such procedures. The implants are formed to include a concave surface formed from a portion of the medullary canal of a long bone. The concave surface defines a recess in the implant that serves as a depot for osteogenic material. Specific instruments for inserting the implants prepared according to this invention and for preparing the intervertebral space to receive the implants are also provided.
US07998205B2	Artificial meniscus part and knee-joint prosthesis The invention relates to an artificial meniscus part for a knee-joint prosthesis that has on an upper side at least one femoral joint surface for the movable mounting of an artificial, natural or machined condyle of a femur, wherein the at least one femoral joint surface is configured in the form of a depression facing away from the meniscus part wherein the depression has an anterior and a posterior end region and a width of the depression has a minimum between the anterior and the posterior end region.An improved meniscus part set, an improved knee-joint prosthesis and an improved knee-joint prosthesis set are further proposed.
US07998194B2	Mechanism for securing to a corporeal lumen and method of manufacturing An improved hood provides for the attaching of endoluminal prosthesis within corporeal lumens. The hook is integrally formed with framing structure and is preset into an outward bend, but is resiliently flexible so as to form a substantially straight profile when compressed. The hook is capable of impinging upon the corporeal lumen and thereby securing the prosthesis. The hook may be configured for intraluminal delivery and deployment. A novel method of manufacturing said hook is also provided.
US07998190B2	Intravascular miniature stent pump An intravascular miniature stent pump comprising an intravascular stent for implantation at an implant site within a blood vessel and a miniature pump mounted on the stent, wherein the pump allows an adequate blood flow to prevent clotting within a lumen of the stent, and wherein the blood flow is equal to or greater than a blood flow at the implant site before implantation.
US07998183B2	Heat generating body A heat generating body wherein three or more plural sectional exothermic parts are provided at intervals via a sectioned part which is a heat seal part. The sectional exothermic parts have a heat generating composition capable of causing heat generation upon contact with oxygen in air and are at least constituted of three kinds of a low temperature sectional exothermic part, a middle temperature sectional exothermic part and a high temperature sectional exothermic part. A maximum temperature of the high temperature sectional exothermic part is higher than a maximum temperature of the low temperature sectional exothermic part. A maximum temperature of the middle temperature sectional exothermic part is between a maximum temperature of the high temperature sectional exothermic part and a maximum temperature of the low temperature sectional exothermic part. The middle temperature sectional exothermic part is constituted of plural sectional exothermic parts having a different maximum temperature.
US07998177B2	Linked bilateral spinal facet implants and methods of use Superior and/or inferior facets of one or more facet joints may be replaced by superior and/or inferior facet joint prostheses. In one embodiment, a kit of superior or inferior prostheses is provided, in which the prostheses have at least two dimensions that vary among members of the kit independently of each other. Each prosthesis may have a bone engaging surface having a surface that is polyaxially rotatable against a corresponding resection of a vertebra. Each prosthesis may also have an articulating surface shaped such that, after attachment to the spine, the replaced or partially replaced facet joints provide a larger medial-lateral range of motion when the spine is flexed than when the spine is extended. Crosslinks may be used to connect left and right prosthesis together in such a manner that they are stabilized in a position in which they are seated directly against the vertebra.
US07998176B2	Method and apparatus for spinal stabilization A method and apparatus of limiting at least one degree of movement between a superior vertebral body, an inferior vertebral body, and an intermediate vertebral body that is disposed between the superior and inferior vertebral bodies of a patient. The method can comprise: advancing a distal end of a stabilization device into a pedicle of the intermediate vertebral body; positioning a proximal portion of the stabilization device such that the proximal portion limits at least one degree of movement between the superior vertebral body and the intermediate vertebral body by contacting a surface of the superior vertebral body; and advancing a distal end of a fixation device into a facet of the intermediate vertebral body and into a facet or pedicle of the inferior vertebral body for stabilizing the intermediate vertebral body and the inferior vertebral body.
US07998174B2	Percutaneous spinal implants and methods An apparatus includes an elongate member having a portion configured to be deformed from a first configuration to a second configuration. In one variation, the apparatus includes an outer body, defining an interior region, and an inner body. A portion of the outer body is configured to be disposed between adjacent spinous processes. The inner body is disposed within the interior region of the outer body. A distal end portion of the inner body is coupled to a distal end portion of the outer body. A proximal end portion of the inner body configured to removably receive a tool to move the outer body between a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration.
US07998172B2	Vertebral facet joint prosthesis and method of fixation Devices and methods for altering the spacing and motion at the facet joints of the vertebral column are provided. One embodiment of the invention comprises a prosthesis with surfaces configured to articulate with the facets of the facet joint. A retaining member for anchoring the prosthesis within the facet joint is optionally included. Methods for surgically and less invasively implanting the prosthesis and securing the prosthesis to the articular processes or surrounding soft tissue are also provided.
US07998164B2	Intravascular filter with centering member Devices and methods for centering an intravascular filter within a blood vessel are disclosed. A filter system in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may include an intravascular filter, a filter sheath adapted to contain the intravascular filter, and a centering member adapted to assume a preset shape when deployed within a blood vessel. The centering member may comprise an elongated wire having a hoop section adapted to radially expand against the inner wall of the blood vessel when deployed. In some embodiments, multiple centering members can be employed to facilitate centering of both the intravascular filter and the filter sheath within the blood vessel, if desired.
US07998157B2	Surgical tool system with a powred handpiece and a console, the console able to provide energization signals to the handpiece in either a motor drive mode or a direct drive mode A surgical tool system including a handpiece with a power generating unit and a control console for supplying energization signals to the power generating unit. Based on the data in a memory associated with the handpiece, the control console supplies energization signals to the handpiece power generating unit in either a motor drive mode or a direct drive mode. In the motor drive mode the signals are supplied to windings integral with the power generating unit based on the position of a rotor also part of the power generating unit. In the direct drive mode, energizaiton signals are supplied to the power generating unit independent of rotor position.
US07998145B2	Selectively locking device A locking element comprising a frame defining a central lumen through which a portion of the elongate member fits; one or more levers extending in the second direction from the frame able to be moved between a locking position and a releasing position; and one or more tabs extending in the first direction from the frame able to be moved by the one or more levers between a locked position and a released position; wherein when the locking element is disposed on an enabling elongate member in a second direction from a second cross section, the one or more tabs prevent the locking element from moving in a first direction beyond a first cross section when disposed in the locked position and do not prevent the locking element from moving in the first direction when disposed in the released position.
US07998136B2	Medical radiation device with a tapered fused waveguide A radiation emitting apparatus is disclosed that emits a substantially homogenous beam of radiation from an irregularly shaped output end. As described herein, a radiation emitting apparatus includes a bundled fiber guide coupled to an energy distribution tuner. The bundled fiber guide is coupled to the energy distribution tuner to receive a substantially uniform distribution of high power energy. The bundled fiber guide is configured to distribute the energy to emit a substantially uniform distribution of lower power energy toward a target surface, such as a body surface. The bundled fiber guide may include a plurality of fused optic fibers, a plurality of beam splitting mirror elements, or tapered waveguides.
US07998128B2	Active delivery and flow redirection: novel devices and method of delivery of materials to patients A medical device for delivering material through tissue into a defined area of a patient may comprise: a material delivery element through which the material may flow out of a delivery end; the delivery end having an opening that can be inserted through a surface of the tissue; and a sealing system proximal to the delivery end that can extend away from the material delivery element along the surface of the tissue and apply pressure to the tissue after the material delivery element has been inserted through the surface of the tissue. A physical barrier may be provided on the material delivery device to reduce back flow loss of delivered material.
US07998120B2	Prefilled syringe and production method for a barrel thereof A prefilled syringe composed of a barrel having a luer tip at one end and an open proximal end, the barrel having at least a three layer structure of an innermost layer, an outermost layer, both made of a polyolefin resin, and an intermediate layer made of a resin with a barrier property and sandwiched by the innermost layer and the outermost layer. The barrel is produced through the sequential steps of: (a) injecting a specific amount of a polyolefin resin inside a cavity; (b) injecting a specific amount of a resin excelling in barrier property; (c) injecting a specific amount of the polyolefin resin again; and (d) separating the luer tip surface and an injection unit by pushing off a valve pin provided inside a valve gate or an inner nozzle of the injection unit, which injects the resin excelling in barrier property, toward the direction of the luer tip surface as desired.
US07998115B2	Dialysis system having optical flowrate detection A medical fluid machine includes an enclosure; a disposable unit accepted by the enclosure, the disposable unit including a conduit through which a medical fluid can flow, the conduit including a viewing portion; a light source configured and arranged to emit light onto the viewing portion of the conduit; a camera focused on the viewing portion of the conduit; and a processor configured to determine a speed of a particle entrained in the medical fluid based on at least two images of the particle in the viewing area taken by the camera.
US07998103B2	Device for implantation of retrograde ventriculo-sinus shunt A shunt system for implantation of retrograde ventriculo-sinus shunts to establish a water tight connection that drains excess cerebrospinal fluid from hydrocephalic brain ventricles and delivers it, against the direction of blood flow, in a dural sinus comprising a valveless shunting catheter and a styforator. Retrograde ventriculo-sinus shunts mimic natural drainage of cerebrospinal fluid; they utilize natural forces to regulate the intraventricular pressure and to maintain it more than the sinus pressure, to prevent regurgitation of blood in the shunting catheter as a result of changes in posture or intra-thoracic pressure, to maintain a steady flow of cerebrospinal fluid to the venous circulation at a rate equal to and dependent upon the rate of it's formation, to discourage stagnation and clotting of blood at the venous end of the connection and to prevent siphonage in the erect posture.
US07998101B2	Devices and methods for body fluid flow control in extracorporeal fluid treatment Disclosed are devices and methods for the control of body fluid flow in the extracorporeal treatment of body fluid. Body fluid flow through on of a body fluid flow circuit 10, 50, 60 100, or 250 is controlled by alternatingly applying vacuum pressure and positive pressure to the circuit through a pumping chamber 30, 51, 66, 102, or 200 coordinated with flow control valves 40, 42, 44, 62, 114, 116, 118, and 120 to effect a net downstream flow of body fluid through the circuit.
US07998092B2	Force sensor system for use in monitoring weight bearing A force sensor system for use in monitoring weight bearing on a location. The force sensor system comprises at least one a foot force sensor, a palm force sensor, and a knee force sensor. The foot force sensor comprises a flexible insole containing a plurality of inflatable pockets that are inflated with air or liquid. The palm force sensor and knee force sensor each comprise a wrap to be worn around the palm and knee, respectively. Each wrap comprises a pocket. Each pocket is connected to a tube that, in turn, connects with a pressure sensor and a connector coupling that is remote from the pocket. Each coupling contains a valve. The valve opens to allow inflation and deflation of each inflatable pocket. The pressure sensors measure the air or liquid pressure within each of the inflatable pockets, and convert the corresponding pressure signal into a suitable output signal medium, usually electrical signals. The output signal from the sensors provides accurate real time input data to a weight bearing biofeedback system or to control a stimulator for activation of an electronic orthosis to normalize dynamic gait patterns.
US07998068B2	Instrument access device An instrument access device (500) comprises a distal O-ring (11) for insertion into a wound interior, a proximal member for location externally of a wound opening and a sleeve (12) extending in two layers between the distal O-ring (11) and the proximal member. The proximal member comprises an inner proximal ring member (25) and an outer proximal ring member (24) between which the sleeve (12) is led. A seal housing (300) is mounted to the inner proximal ring member (25). A gelatinous elastomeric seal (302) with a pinhole opening (303) therethrough is received in the housing (300). An instrument may be extended through the seal (302) to access the wound interior through the retracted wound opening in a sealed manner.
US07998065B2	In vivo sensing device with a circuit board having rigid sections and flexible sections A device including at least one image sensor and a circuit board having a plurality of rigid sections and a plurality of flexible sections. The image sensor is disposed an a rigid section of the circuit board. The circuit board may be folded into a housing configured for in vivo sensing. An illumination source is electrically connected to a ring shaped rigid section and at least one battery is positioned between two of the rigid sections.
US07998060B2	Lumen-traveling delivery device Lumen-traveling devices capable of controlled material release and associated methods and systems are described. Lumen-traveling devices capable of traveling within a body lumen may include a propelling mechanism to produce movement of the lumen-traveling device within the lumen, as well as additional components such as a sensor, a material release portion, and/or control circuitry. In some embodiments, a sensor may be used to detect a local condition, and a material may be released from the device in response.
US07998053B2	Transcranial magnetic stimulation induction coil device and method of manufacture A transcranial magnetic stimulation induction coil device (“TMS coil device”) is manufactured to contain coil windings of a predetermined size and shape and fixedly positioned at a predetermined location within and orientation in relation to a casing of the TMS coil device. In one embodiment, the coil windings are encased in a casting at a predetermined location within and orientation in relation to the casting, and the casting is fixedly positioned at a predetermined location within and orientation in relation to the casing. The size and shape of the coil windings and the casing within, and the location and orientation of the coil windings in relation to each other and the casing of, the TMS coil device are known with a high level of precision, such that navigated brain stimulation can be performed with the TMS coil device with a high degree of accuracy. In another embodiment, the TMS coil device defines a space interposed between the coil windings and the casing and containing a gas which absorbs heat energy generated at the coil windings, thereby reducing the rate of transfer of heat energy from the coil windings to the casing during operation of the TMS coil device.
US07998052B2	Rotor defining a fluid separation chamber of varying volume A rotor having variable volumes adapted for collecting and centrifuging biological fluids including an impermeable flexible body having a cylindrical shape with stretchable vertical walls and semi pliant base and a rigid circular member seamlessly joined to the top of the flexible body.
US07998051B2	Centrifugal separator with sealing device In a centrifugal separator comprising a first and second separator part having a centrifuge rotor and rotates during operation relative to the first separator part. A space connecting the first and second separator parts houses a rotating liquid body during operation. A mechanical sealing device is provided at the space and includes a first sealing element on the first separator part having a first contact surface, and a second sealing element on the second separator part having a second contact surface. The liquid body on the first sealing element or the second sealing element and displaces the same axially so that the first and second contact surfaces are pressed against each other. A pre-tensioning element exerts force on the sealing element which acts to displace the first contact away from the second contact surfaces so that a gap is formed, forming a throttling.
US07998049B1	Cartoner for cartons having concave sides The cartoner has been designed to form cartons from blanks, whereby the formed cartons have tapered concave sides. A unique series of elements, including capture lugs which hold and “bow” the carton blank, together with plow rods and oscillators which have curved metal plates are used to “pre-break” the score lines of the blank. Travelling pressure blocks having convex outer surfaces are used to press the concave sides of the carton while hot glue dries, whereby the unique, tapered cartons are properly formed.
US07998044B2	Combined push pad and fixed handle accessory for use with elliptical cross training exercise machine An accessory device for use with an elliptical cross training machine comprises two like-configured attachments, each of with generally comprises a handle attachment bracket, a substantially horizontal stabilizer bar, a combined palm push pad/handle attachment bracket, a fixed handle, and a push palm pad. The fixed handle and the palm pad are fully and rotatably movable around and about the stabilizer bar. Each is also longitudinally movable along the stabilizer bar to provide inward and outward movement of the fixed handle and the push palm pad relative to the original handle positions of the elliptical cross trainer to which they are attached. The accessory device allows the user to have a combined platform to push from, in a form that is similar to doing a push up from the floor, as well as a fixed point handle that presents to the user at a more natural shoulder angle.
US07998039B1	Abdominal exercise device An abdominal exercise device comprising a seat back pivotally attached to a base that includes a foot plate, wherein a spring or other resistive element is attached between the seat back and the base, which is capable of simultaneously exercising a plurality of muscle groups while standing, in a hands-free manner. While the user is standing on the foot plate, abdominal and other muscles are exercised when the user presses in a backward direction against the seat back, and then releases the pressure on the seat back such that the seat back returns to an upright or near upright position. The exercise device includes the capability of tension adjustment on the seat back, such that more or less force can be applied to cause the seat back to move in a backward direction.
US07998037B2	Adjustable resistance training apparatus An adjustable resistance training apparatus that is provided with one or more elongated elastomeric members that are supported by a carrier. The adjustable resistance training apparatus also includes a slide that is configured to be moved along a guided path in response to a force exerted by a user's body. The slide includes an engagement member that is configured to permit selective engagement to the second end of one or more of the elastomeric members, once positioned by the carrier, to cause the selected elastomeric member or members to be stretched along a second plane in response to movement of the slide along the guided path. The adjustable resistance training apparatus can be coupled to isotonic weights in the form of a selectable weight stack that moves along a second guided path in response to a force exerted by a user's body or used with plate loaded devices. The combination of resistance tubes and weights results in progressive resistance regardless of the speed of movement of the weight stack.
US07998035B2	Kung fu training device A kung fu training device of the present invention mainly includes a base portion, a body portion and two arms. The body portion is disposed on the base portion. The body portion includes a vertical rod, a lateral rod and a wrapping element. The lateral rod is firmly disposed on the vertical rod. The wrapping element covers the rods. The arms are disposed on the body portion. The arms are height-adjustable and relative-distance-adjustable. As such, the kung fu training device is suitable for trainees with different body sizes, and almost whole training device can be attack by trainees without injury.
US07998034B1	Runner arm training apparatus The runner arm training apparatus provides feedback to a user and help for a user in establishing a correct upper arm to lower arm, or elbow, angle. Typically, this angle is about 90 degrees. However, the apparatus may also be used to aid in preventing a 90-degree elbow bend, for perhaps a different athletic or rehabilitating pursuit.
US07998031B2	Exercise device for aquatic use A device and method of use for the same adapted for aquatic exercise. The device includes an inner member and an outer foam member, each having a length much greater than its respective average outside diameters and both the inner member and an outer foam member having approximately the same length. The inner member adapted to be water-tight and being located substantially within the outer foam member. Where the inner member is more rigid than said outer foam member.
US07998009B2	Mechanical and hydraulic composite transmission device The present invention relates to a mechanical and hydraulic composite transmission device which includes an engine, a transmission, a planetary gear case, a variable displacement hydraulic pump, a hydraulic motor and a transmission gearbox. The planetary gear case distributes the power driven by the engine to drive the variable displacement hydraulic pump and the center gear respectively. The variable displacement hydraulic pump is connected with and drives a hydraulic motor and a half shaft orderly. The half shaft converges a mechanical power flow driven by the center gear and a hydraulic power flow driven by the hydraulic motor, and extends out of the planetary gear case so as to export power. The special vehicle can run at stepless variable speed under the mechanical and hydraulic composite transmission means while the working device on the vehicle is driven under the mechanical transmission means to work.
US07997993B1	Golf resistance/stretching aid system A central junction in a generally Y-shaped configuration has a primary leg and first and second secondary legs with a recess formed in each leg. First and second elastic cords have interior and exterior ends. An essentially rigid shaft has an elastomeric grip on its interior end. First and second clips each have a base with a recess and a resilient finger with a free end. Two connectors are located between the interior ends of the cords and the recesses of the secondary legs. Two connectors are located between the exterior ends of the cords and the recesses of the clips. One connector is located between the exterior end of the shaft and recess of the primary leg.
US07997990B2	Direct torque flow constant velocity joint having collet connection A direct torque flow constant velocity joint collet connector includes an outer joint part having outer ball tracks, an inner joint part having inner ball tracks, a cage and a plurality of balls. The inner joint part is articulately secured in a rotationally fast way to the outer joint part with the plurality of balls held in the cage. The inner joint part includes a front portion, an inner bore, a collet extension and at least one slot. The collet extension extends from the inner ball tracks to the front portion of the inner joint part. The slot extends into the collet extension from the front portion between an outer surface and the inner bore of the inner joint part, wherein the collet extension of the inner joint part is compressible for selective attachment to a journal shaft of a supplied drive unit.
US07997986B2	Steering wheel-shaped joystick for arcade game machine A steering wheel-shaped joystick of an arcade game machine is provided. The steering wheel-shaped joystick is rotated to generate a direction signal and send it to the arcade game machine. The steering wheel-shaped joystick includes a plurality of rods which are radiantly distributed, and includes at least one button at the end of the rods. The button is used to generate a function signal and send it to the arcade game machine so as to control ship-related electronic games of the arcade game machine.
US07997980B2	Voucher gaming system A gaming system and method of playing a gaming device by a user. The method includes inserting a voucher having a voucher value into the gaming device and accessing a database having voucher data associated with the voucher. The voucher value is verified. The user is queried for a credit value of a base wagering denomination. Calculations of full game credits and partial game credits are performed based upon the voucher value and the credit value. The full game credits, the partial game credits, and the voucher value are displayed on a game display. The method allows partial or all credits to be played at any time. The method provides for recording of game events to a database. The method also allows for the user to change the base wagering denomination during game play.
US07997972B2	Method and system for gaming and brand association A gaming system includes: (i) a base wagering game requiring a wager to made by a player; (ii) at least one winning outcome for the base wagering game; (iii) a paytable for the at least one winning outcome; a secondary award provided randomly to the player, the secondary party award provided by a secondary award provider and kept separate and apart from the paytable; and (iv) advertising for secondary award provider, the advertising provided in exchange for the provision of the secondary award.
US07997971B2	Video poker game with a bet doubling option A method, apparatus, and computer readable storage medium for implementing a video poker game allowing a player to double (or increase) his or her initial bet. After the initial deal, the player can decide to double the initial bet before drawing new cards. Both the initial bet and optional doubled bet are paid to the player.
US07997965B2	Air conditioning system An air distribution system for an air conditioning system includes an air supply and a plurality of air distribution units. The air distribution units are arranged in a side-by-side configuration. The air supply is operably connected to at least one of the air distribution units. Each air distribution unit includes a delivery feature for delivering air from the air supply through the air distribution unit and into an adjacent air distribution unit.
US07997963B2	Powder coating systems A powder spray booth (2) with a powder recovery system having an overspray intake (18) communicating with the interior of the booth. A vertically extending duct (20) leads from the overspray intake to a powder recovery system such as, for example, a cyclone. The vertically extending duct may have doors (32) opening to the interior of the booth to provide access to the vertical duct for cleaning. The doors may have holes (120) to aspirate air from the booth interior to optimize air flow patterns within the booth. A diverter plate (26) within the booth (2) defines with the booth floor (10) a floor duct leading to the overspray intake (18). The diverter plate has apertures for allowing oversprayed powder to be collected through the plate. The diverter plate may be provided as two or more diverter plates held at different elevation levels within the booth to define a floor duct which is larger in parts of the floor duct which are closer to the overspray intake than parts of the floor duct which are farther from the overspray intake. The coating system may include an air assist which provides jets of air across a portion of the interior surface of the booth. The surface may be one or more sloped portions (22) of the floor and/or one or more portions of the diverter plate. The air supply may be pulsed to produce periodic bursts of air across the interior surface.
US07997962B2	Belt sander A belt sander is disclosed that may include a sanding assembly having a first roller and a second roller, the sanding assembly being configured to receive a sanding belt around the first roller and the second roller to define a sanding surface therebetweeen. The belt sander may include a motor operationally coupled to the sanding assembly and opposite the sanding surface, the motor being configured to rotate at least the first roller and thereby rotate the sanding belt around the first roller and the second roller, as well as a handgrip formed around at least a portion of the motor and substantially encasing the motor.
US07997960B2	Floor resurfacing disk An abrasive disk assembly is provided for a floor resurfacing machine wherein the floor machine has at least one shaft configured to rotate about an axis substantially orthogonal to a work surface, the abrasive disk assembly including a head assembly of predetermined dimension configured to be coupled to one end of the shaft of the floor machine proximate the work surface, the head assembly including a central portion to be coupled to the shaft and a carrier portion for receiving at least one abrasive pad thereon, the carrier portion including at least one coupler in the form of a hook, a tab, a finger, a flange, and a tab extending from a peripheral edge of the carrier portion. At least one abrasive pad assembly is detachably coupled to one of the central portion and the carrier portion, and includes a first end received over the coupler and an opposite end to be attached to one of the central portion and the carrier portion.
US07997953B2	Precision machining method A precision machining method enabling grinding with high accuracy is provided. The method includes a first step of producing an intermediate ground workpiece by roughly grinding a workpiece (a) with a diamond grinding wheel (b), and a second step of producing a final ground workpiece by grinding the intermediate ground workpiece with a grinding wheel for CMG. In the first step, feed of the rotator (6b) and the base (3) is controlled in multiple stages with different feed speeds according to control based on the amount of movement, and in the second step, movement of the rotator (6b) and the base (3) is controlled with a constant pressure or in multiple stages having different constant pressures.
US07997948B2	Hybrid water sport apparatus An apparatus includes an upper portion, a sole and a fin. The upper portion is configured to at least partially cover a foot. The sole is coupled to the upper portion and defines a cavity. The fin has a first portion and a second portion. The fin is movable between a first configuration and a second configuration. When in the first configuration, the fin is substantially within the cavity defined by the sole, and the first portion of the fin at least partially overlaps the second portion of the fin. When in the second configuration, the fin extends substantially outside the cavity defined by the sole.
US07997947B2	Deep water hydrocarbon transfer system System of a hydrocarbon transfer buoy and a vessel, the buoy having a length of at least 50 m and a length-to-width ratio of at least 10:1, and including a submerged buoyancy member having a length of at least 30 m and being situated at a depth of at least 10 m below water level, another support frame protecting above water level being connected to the top of the buoyancy member and carrying a support deck and a mooring buoy connector for attaching to a mooring arm connector of the vessel, which mooring arm connector is situated on an arm projecting outboard from the vessel's hull, the buoy being anchored to the sea bed via anchor lines which extend at an angle to a vertical direction, at least one hydrocarbon riser being attached to the buoy. The buoyancy member being connected to the sea bed via at least one substantially vertical taut tendon. The riser has a length of at least 500 m, and includes a steel riser part attached to the buoy, the riser extending up to the mooring buoy connector and being closable by a valve, the riser at its end including a connecting member for releasably attaching to a duct on the mooring arm connector.
US07997931B2	Waterproof electrical connector and system In one possible embodiment, a waterproof connector is provided having a unitary compressible housing comprised of a waterproof material encasing a finger board. The finger board is constructed to receive interconnect wires and corresponding electrical contact pins, which are secured to the finger board. The housing has a well portion within the housing, the electrical contact pins extend through the waterproof material from the finger board into the well. Partition portions within the well extend between the electrical contact pins. A sealing lip portion is around the well on a mating side. The housing also has a compressible backing portion behind the finger board. The unitary compressible housing may be constructed to be seated in a structural housing, which may be a recess or the like in a structural member or component of an apparatus.
US07997926B2	Methods and systems for positioning connectors to minimize alien crosstalk The present invention relates to methods and systems for minimizing alien crosstalk between connectors. Specifically, the methods and systems relate to isolation and compensation techniques for minimizing alien crosstalk between connectors for use with high-speed data cabling. A frame can be configured to receive a number of connectors. Shield structures may be positioned to isolate at least a subset of the connectors from one another. The connectors can be positioned to move at least a subset of the connectors away from alignment with a common plane. A signal compensator may be configured to adjust a data signal to compensate for alien crosstalk. The connectors are configured to efficiently and accurately propagate high-speed data signals by, among other functions, minimizing alien crosstalk.
US07997915B2	Pin or socket contact with resilient clip An electrical pin or socket terminal includes a vertical tubular body portion, and a spring clip portion connected with the upper end of the body portion. The spring clip portion includes two opposed electrical contacts at least one of which is resiliently biased toward the other. A separating arrangement is operable between a separated condition retaining the contacts in separated spaced relation for longitudinally receiving therebetween a conductor bare end, and a released condition in which the contacts are released for resilient electrical engagement with diametrically opposed surfaces of the conductor bare end. In one embodiment, the spring clip portion includes a pair of parallel spaced struts the upper ends of which are reversely bent toward each other. In another embodiment, a leaf spring electrical contact biases the bare conductor end against a stationary electrical contact.
US07997914B2	Push-to-insert, push-to-eject and pull-to-extract card connector An assembly for a receptacle for an electrical connector plug, including a chassis for inserting an electrical connector plug therein, two slideable grooved latches mounted on two opposite side surfaces of the chassis, that slide along the two opposite sides under applied force, two springs fastened to respective ones of the two slideable latches, mounted on the two opposite side surfaces of the chassis, a bar mounted between the two slideable latches, and a receptacle for the connector plug, mounted on the bar and including a plurality of contact pins for electrical contact with the connector plug, wherein (i) when the connector plug is pushed into the receptacle, the two slideable latches are pushed away from respective ones of the two springs, causing the two springs to stretch and to exert tensions thereon, and (ii) when the connector plug is pushed a second time, the two slideable latches are released, causing the connector plug to be partially ejected from the receptacle.
US07997912B2	Three-dimensional connector for a coordinate input device A three-dimensional connector, which is used by a coordinate input device of a touch pad, has a flat conductor cable with an end being connected to the touch pad and another end forming a soldered conductive contact head perpendicular to the flat conductor cable to pass through a support to shorten a length of said conductor cable and enhance electro-conductibility of the connector.
US07997903B2	Medical training apparatus A medical training apparatus comprises a frame defining a work space simulating a body cavity and having an access opening to allow introduction of a medical instrument to the working space from externally of the working space. A sensor platform is rotationally mounted in the working space for rotating the platform to select angular positions for performing a series of simulated medical procedures. A plurality of modules are mounted around a perimeter of the platform. Each module comprises a different model upon which an associated medical procedure can be performed with a medical instrument. A plurality of sensors are each operatively associated with one of the modules for sensing progress of the associated medical procedure. A control unit is coupled to the sensors for monitoring progress of the medical procedures and providing an indication of status of the medical procedures.
US07997899B2	Dental, dental-medical or dental-technical handpiece with electric motor In a dental, dental-medical or dental-technical handpiece, having an elongate grip sleeve there are provided at the rearward end of the grip sleeve coupling elements for the connection of the handpiece to a supply hose to be connected with a dental supply arrangement, and there are provided at the forward end of the grip sleeve a head section with a tool receiver for mounting a tool to be put into rotation. The handpiece further has an electric motor for driving a tool held by the tool receiver, which motor is completely integrated into the grip sleeve such that grip sleeve and motor form a unit.
US07997889B2	Method for making hard mold A hard mold and method of preparing the mold is disclosed. The hard mold is designed for manufacturing articles having various shapes and patterns. The shaping mold includes a layer of hardened material provided over the entire surface of the selected master. The inventor has found that a polyurea coating or other polyurethane hybrid is preferred. Once the layer of hardened material has dried, the surface of the hardened material is sanded with a 20-40 grit sandpaper and a layer of polyester resin is then applied to the layer of hardened material. Once the polyester resin is applied, multiple layers of vinyl ester are applied to the polyester resin to prevent the polyester resin from shrinking. In the preferred embodiment, the application includes at least three (3) layers of vinyl ester.
US07997888B2	Die for forming honeycomb structure and manufacturing method of die for forming honeycomb structure A die for forming a honeycomb structure is provided with back pores through which a forming material is introduced and slits through which the forming material is extruded into a lattice-like shape, and the die comprises a first plate-like member made of a super hard alloy containing tungsten carbide and a bonding agent and provided with the back pores extending in a thickness direction; and a second plate-like member bonded to the first plate-like member, made of the super hard alloy containing tungsten carbide and the bonding agent, and provided with the slits connected to the back pores, wherein the bonding agent is dispersed in a lesser amount in a bonded part between the first plate-like member and the second plate-like member than in the other part.
US07997884B2	Rotary device and oil pump having α-alumina and zirconia coating An oil pump has: a base part having a working chamber; and a rotor provided rotatably in the working chamber. The base part is configured by a plurality of split bodies. At least one of the plurality of split bodies is made of aluminum alloy, and on which an opposed sliding surface made of a ceramic film is formed. The ceramic film of the opposed sliding surface has a hardness of approximately Hv 500 to 1100 and a surface roughness of approximately 2 to 8 micrometers, and contains α-alumina and zirconia.
US07997881B2	Combined prime valve and electrical pressure control for paint spray pumps A combined prime valve and electrical pressure control apparatus including a prime valve actuator, an electrical pressure control actuator, and a control housing containing the actuators, with each coupled to a single shaft having a cam assembly for selectively actuating the control apparatus to one of a prime mode and a spray mode and the electrical pressure control is operable within a range of pressure settings by movement of the shaft while the control apparatus remains in the spray mode. The actuators are oriented diametrically opposite and offset along an axis of the single shaft with respect to each other, and contact the cam assembly and respectively contact a lever for a prime valve and a pressure switch carrier. A setscrew in the carrier provides adjustment of the pressure at which the switch is actuated.
US07997877B2	Scroll compressor having standardized power strip A scroll compressor for compressing fluid has a common terminal block for electrical hook-ups. The compressor includes a compressor section; a drive unit operative to drive the compressor section for compressing fluid; a protection module; and a power connector for connecting electrical power to the drive unit to facilitate operation of the scroll compressor bodies. The common terminal block provides for connection to the protection module and the power connector for the compressor.
US07997860B2	Welded nozzle assembly for a steam turbine and related assembly fixtures A nozzle blade comprising radially inner and outer walls with an airfoil portion extending therebetween; the inner and outer walls formed with alignment features on respective oppositely-facing surfaces aligned with a longitudinal center axis through the nozzle blade.
US07997855B2	Lubrication heating system and wind turbine incorporating same A wind turbine is provided having a gearbox containing a lubrication medium, a pump for circulating the lubrication medium, and a gearbox lubrication suction pipe for transporting the lubrication medium from the gearbox to the pump. A heater is in thermal connection to, at least a portion of, the gearbox lubrication suction pipe. This heater is used to heat the lubrication medium contained within the gearbox lubrication suction pipe to a temperature where damage to the pump is avoided.
US07997851B2	Apparatus and method for a multi-level load lock chamber, transfer chamber, and robot suitable for interfacing with same A new apparatus for processing substrates is disclosed. A multi-level load lock chamber having four environmentally isolated chambers interfaces with a transfer chamber that has a robotic assembly. The robotic assembly has two arms that each can move horizontally as the robotic assembly rotates about its axis. The arms can reach into the isolated chambers of the load lock to receive substrates from the bottom isolated chambers, transport the substrates to process chambers, and then place the substrates in the upper chambers. The isolated chambers in the load lock chamber may have a pivotably attached lid that may be opened to access the inside of the isolated chambers.
US07997850B2	Small vehicle loading and transport deck for pickup trucks A small vehicle loading and transport deck for pickup trucks which includes a box-like frame which is positioned within the bed of the truck and which has a deck movably mounted thereon which is movable from an inclined and rearwardly extending loading/unloading position to a transport position wherein the deck is positioned on the top of the frame. The box-like frame provides a storage area beneath the deck so that articles or objects may be stored therein. A winch is provided for moving the deck between its loading/unloading position and its transport position and vice versa. The winch may also be used to load a disabled vehicle onto the platform.
US07997845B2	Glass handling systems A sheet handling device for handling large sheets of glass or other sheet material, the device comprising a wheeled trolley having an upright support shaft (2), a carriage movable along the shaft (2) into a selected position, and at least two vacuum grips mounted to the carriage to engage the sheet at positions displaced in the height direction of the sheet. In another embodiment the carriage is movable by operation of a winch. The trolley is normally used in conjunction with a second like trolley so that the vacuum grips of the two trolleys engage the sheet at spaced positions along the length of the sheet. The two trolleys are preferably interconnected by releasable bracing which can be stored on the trolleys for ease of transportation. In a further embodiment there is also disclosed a glass installation guide to facilitate guidance of a large glass sheet into a frame during installation.
US07997840B2	Self locking tensioner The present invention is directed to a self locking tensioner that can be used to place a piston or stud in tension. The present invention is directed to a tensioner comprising slip wedges positioned between a piston and a body which houses the piston and the slip wedges.
US07997835B2	Multiple chuck hand tool A tool (10) including a drive shaft (36) having an axis of rotation, and a plurality of bit holders (28,30) interchangeable with one another at a position of use. The bit holders (28,30) being mounted on a turret (26) which is rotatable around an axis (k) set at an angle to the axis of rotation of the drive shaft (36). The drive shaft (36) being in drive connection with a respective bit holder (28,30) at the position of use, wherein the tool (10) includes means (20x) for engaging a clutch (46) which activates a drive train (44) to establish a drive connection between the drive shaft (36) and the turret (26) so that subsequent operation of the drive shaft (36) rotates the turret (26) to interchange the positions of the bit holders (28,30) at the position of use, and wherein after the turret (26) has been rotated the clutch (46) is disengaged to deactivate the drive train (44) to prevent any further rotation of the turret (26).
US07997828B2	Retaining wall Retaining wall device, comprising at least one first retaining wall member (5) and a support (3, 4) for it, wherein the first retaining wall member and the support have first and second longitudinal edges, respectively, extending in longitudinal direction of the retaining wall, which longitudinal edges have been formed for connection to each other by a tilting or rotary motion about one or several axes that are parallel to the longitudinal edges, wherein the longitudinal edge that is opposite the first longitudinal edge (8) of the first retaining wall member is designed corresponding to the second longitudinal edge, wherein the first and second longitudinal edges can be provided with stop surfaces for limiting the tilting motion to mutual abutment of the first and second longitudinal edges in a retaining position of the first retaining wall member.
US07997827B2	Watercraft support and tote device A watercraft support and tote device having a frame sub-assembly having a first frame member and a second frame member and at least one support member; a power output member; a hydraulic sub-assembly having a hydraulic vessel, a control system, and a conduit; at least one ground engaging wheel; a drive member; a winch; and a plurality of watercraft support members.
US07997825B2	Apparatus and method for disabling a ground engaging traction device of a land vehicle An apparatus and a method for disabling a ground engaging traction device of a land vehicle includes at least one penetrator configured to breach the traction device, an articulated strap configured to move between a retracted arrangement and an extended arrangement, an inflatable bladder configured to deploy the articulated strip to the extended arrangement, and a retractor configured to retract the articulated strip to the retracted arrangement. The articulated strip includes a plurality of plates coupled to the penetrators and a plurality of joints, wherein individual joint couples individual adjacent plates.
US07997820B2	Multi-applicator package with single handle An immersion-type multi-applicator system, comprising a single container and a single handle. The container has two or more adjacent openings and each opening is capable of receiving its own applicator. Also provided is a selection mechanism that articulates the handle with exactly one applicator. The selection mechanism may be a rotary cam system, a rotary magnetic selector system, a sliding cam system, etc.
US07997817B2	Portable terminal with keypad lifting mechanism A keypad lifting mechanism includes a first board, a second board and a third board. The second board is positioned between the first board and the third board. The first board has a plurality of wedges. The third board has a plurality of protrusions. The second board has a plurality of resisting members. When the second board is pushed away the first board and the third board, the second board is raised relative to the first board by engagement of the wedges and the resisting member, and the third board is raised relative to the second board by engagement of the resisting members and the protrusions.
US07997815B2	Printer A printer includes a feeding device that feeds a tape-like print medium along a length direction of the print medium and a printing device that prints a character on the print medium. The printer further includes a storage device that stores original data including unit data, line feed data, and line height data. The printer also includes a tape width detecting device that detects a tape width. Further, the printer includes a maximum number of lines calculating device that calculates a maximum number of lines that can be accommodated within the tape width when the height of the line is unchanged, and a print data generating device that generates print data corresponding to the maximum number of lines from the original data, and a printing control device that controls the printing device based on the print data.
US07997808B1	Device for reduction of angular distortion in photograpy A camera mount, comprising a camera mounting portion, wherein a camera can be removably coupled to the camera mounting portion, such that a photographic plane of the camera is parallel to a photographic plane of the camera mounting portion; a rail portion, wherein the rail portion extends from the camera mounting portion substantially perpendicular to the photographic plane of the camera mounting portion; and a frame, wherein the frame is adapted to receive one or more reference scales such that a photographic plane of the one or more reference scales is parallel to a photographic plane of the camera mounting portion, and wherein the frame is coupled to the rail portion such that a photographic plane of the frame is parallel to a photographic plane of the camera mounting portion elements.
US07997801B2	Linear rolling bearing Linear roller bearing, for carriage (1) which is longitudinally displaceable along rail (2). Carriage (1) has an endless channel (8) for endless circulation of rolling bodies (9). Channel (8) has load section (10), return section (11) and two deflection sections (12) which connect load section (10) to return section (11). Rolling bodies (9) roll in load section (10) on raceways (10a, 10b), and returned, without load, in return section (11). Bodies (9) are deflected in deflection sections (12) between load section (10) and return section (11). Deflection sections (12) have one inner deflection means (14) with inner deflection race (16) and outer deflection means (13) with outer deflection race (15). Inner deflection means (14) and outer deflection means (13) are connected, integrally to one another.
US07997800B2	Linear motion guide unit with mounting plate A mounting plate is used to install any optional accoutrements or attachment on a linear motion guide unit. The mounting plate is made of a molded product which is inexpensive in production cost and easier in its accurate conjunction with a slider to get the attachment bringing out the best in function. The mounting plate is made to have surfaces opposite to each other, one of which is a first mounting surface inward coming into mating with the one end surface of the slider and another is a second mounting surface outward coming into mating with the attachment. The mounting plate is made of a molded product. The mounting plate is made of an injected mold product of synthetic resin which is composed of a major part of synthetic resin and a metal core centrally embedded in the major part.
US07997796B2	Arrangement for intra-oral X-ray imaging This invention relates to x-ray imaging, especially to an imaging arrangement used in intra-oral x-ray imaging, to a wireless imaging sensor and to a base station for the sensor as well as methods for using the sensor and transmitting the information to the sensor and from the sensor wirelessly, in which invention such a wireless power transmission link is used, which is arranged to be used for supplying at least part of the energy needed by the sensor in connection with the imaging process.
US07997794B2	Temperature sensor circuit A temperature sensor circuit whose output voltage has high precision is provided. The temperature sensor circuit includes a Darlington circuit having bipolar transistors, a constant current circuit, and a current control circuit. Emitter currents of the bipolar transistors are made equal to one another by the constant current circuit. Base currents corresponding to the emitter currents of the respective bipolar transistors are sunk by the current control circuit.
US07997785B2	Linear tube night light with changeable light patterns A linear tube night light with changeable light patterns includes a light source selected from the group consisting of at leas one LED, strobe light, neon light, gradation light, black light, LED inside tube, high voltage discharge light, arc light, fluorescent light, EL wire, EL twisted light, EL panel light, and/or EL strips, with changeable light patterns being effected by automatic or manual control means to obtain light patterns such as chasing, random, fade in and fade out, pair flashing, scan, flashing, steady on, gradation neon effects, lighted length changing, color changing, sequential flashing, and any other combinations of conventional market available functions. The linear tube night light with changeable patterns further may incorporate a light sensor, sound sensor, or timer to get the predetermined light effects and duration.
US07997782B2	Lamp having plurality of optical extraction structures A lamp for emitting light, comprising a transparent sheet-like lightguide, with at least one light receiving side, a light emission front surface and a back surface opposite the front surface. The lamp further comprises a plurality of light sources, positioned in an array and optically coupled to at least one light receiving side. The back surface of said lamp comprises a plurality of optical extraction structures, for example provided in parallel curved lines. Furthermore, the lamp is substantially free from light scattering structures in a light path of the light to be emitted.
US07997779B2	Vehicle lamp unit In a vehicle lamp unit that is configured to be mounted on a vehicle, a semiconductor light source can be substantially covered with a first reflector and, therefore, the semiconductor light source is not visually observable (or, is difficult to see) from outside the lamp unit even when a projection lens is disposed in front of the opening of the first reflector and spaced from the first reflector so as not to contact the first reflector. Thus, a vehicle lamp unit having a novel design can be provided in which the projection lens appears as if it is floating in air and in which the semiconductor light source is not visually seen or is difficult to be seen from the outside.
US07997778B2	Vehicle light A vehicle light can include a reflector and a light source. The reflector has a reflection surface formed by at least part of a parabolic cylindrical surface obtained by moving a parabola by parallel displacement, where the parabola has a coefficient of 0.5, a focal length, and a focal point. The light source includes at least one set of at least two light emitting devices that have respective light emission surfaces facing toward the reflection surface. The at least two light emitting devices include a front light emitting device and a rear light emitting device spaced apart by a predetermined distance along an illumination direction of the vehicle light, with the focal point interposed between the front and rear light emitting devices.
US07997766B2	Light-emitting display panel The invention relates to a light-emitting display including a front plate, N heat-conducting/dissipating apparatuses, and N light-emitting apparatuses, wherein N is a natural number. The front plate has N formed-through apertures thereon. Each of the N heat-conducting/dissipating apparatuses, corresponding to one of the N formed-through apertures and one of the N light-emitting apparatuses, is inserted into the corresponding aperture via a neck portion thereof. Each of the N light-emitting apparatuses is mounted on the flat portion of the corresponding heat-conducting/dissipating apparatus. Thereby, the heat generated during the operation of each of the N light-emitting apparatuses is conducted by the corresponding heat-conducting/dissipating apparatus to the back side of the front plate, and then it is dissipated by the corresponding heat-conducting/dissipating apparatus.
US07997755B2	Flashlight assembly A flashlight assembly includes an outer housing, an inner housing received in the outer housing, a cover partially received in the outer housing, and a base disposed in a top of the outer housing. The base has a protrusion extended into the inner housing via the outer housing. The base has two side grooves respectively defined in a lateral of the protrusion. The inner housing has two male projections. The cover has two female recesses. Each male projection engages with one of the two female recesses. The cover has two side protrusions. Each side protrusion engages with one of the two side grooves. The outer housing, the inner housing, the cover, and the base are firmly assembled.
US07997752B2	Lighting device and power supply system for the lighting device A lighting device includes a light collecting unit, a solar cell panel, a storage battery, a lighting element and a control unit. The light collecting unit includes a lens exposed to outside light, and an optical leveling element. The optical leveling element includes a light guide plate having a dot pattern arranged thereon and facing toward the lens module. A refractive index of the dot pattern gradually increases from a center to a periphery. The solar cell panel is aligned with the optical leveling element, and is configured for receiving light transmitted through the optical leveling element and converting the light into electrical energy. The control unit is connected to the solar cell panel and the storage battery, and is configured for controlling the solar cell panel to power the storage battery and controlling the storage battery to power the lighting element.
US07997751B2	Pressure-actuated light device with holding portion A pressure-actuated light device (1) with a holding portion (2) that allows a user to hold the pressure-actuated light device in a user's hand. The pressure-actuated light device comprises a housing (3) which houses a light emitting diode (“LED”) (6) having a cathode (11) and an anode (10) extending from it. The cathode has one end permanently connected to the LED and a second end in constant contact with a negative terminal (8) of a battery (7). The anode has one end permanently connected to the LED and a second end separated from a positive terminal (9) of the battery by a spacer (12) which prevents the anode from making contact with the positive terminal while the device is not in use. When pressure is applied to a button (4) on the housing, the button presses the anode against the positive terminal thereby creating an electrical circuit which activates the LED. The holding portion may take alternative forms, including a fin (13), clip (14), ring (15) or elastomeric loop (16).
US07997747B2	Discharge tube, ferrule, lighting device, display device and television receiver In a discharge tube, a conductive ferrule is provided on an end portion of a glass tube. The ferrule includes a body that is to be mounted to the outer circumference of the glass tube and has a contact portion to be electrically conductively fixed to a relay connector (or a bearing device). Further included is a conductive portion that extends from the body so as to have elastic contact with an outer lead. The outer lead will not be under load due to the weight of the discharge tube, but the conductive portion solely has elastic contact therewith. Thus, stress concentration on the outer lead can be prevented.
US07997737B2	Projection display device, and speckle reduction element A projection display device enhances reliability and reduces speckle noise. A blue laser, a red laser, and a green laser emit blue laser light, red laser light, and green laser light, respectively. A spatial light modulation element modulates the blue laser light emitted from the blue laser, the red laser light emitted from the red laser, and the green laser light emitted from the green laser. A projection lens projects the laser light modulated by the spatial light modulation element onto a screen. First and second light diffusing elements are arranged on an optical axis between the blue laser, the red laser, and the green laser, and the spatial light modulation element to change the degree of diffusion of the blue laser light, the red laser light, and the green laser light temporally and electrically.
US07997736B2	Projection type video display apparatus A projector comprises: a cooling fan for sucking ambient air through a filter; switching means for switching the operational mode of the cooling fan between a lowland mode and a highland mode; and control means adapted to obtain current fan voltage to determine the normal rpm value for that current fan voltage in reference to a highland voltage-rpm characteristic when the switching means is in the highland mode, obtain current fan rpm, and enables alarming means to issue a filter clogging alarm in the event that the current fan rpm is larger than the normal rpm value plus a predetermined value. Thus, filter clogging can be detected with precision in highlands.
US07997726B2	Method for determining a set of progressive multifocal ophthalmic lenses A method for determining by optimization a set of progressive ophthalmic lenses for a given user for whom a near vision power addition (Addn) has been prescribed includes the following steps: measuring the user's near vision individual physiological parameters; determining an ergorama associating, on each lens, a target point in each look direction in worn conditions; determining a target power defect and a resulting target astigmatism for each direction of look under worn conditions, the target power defect and the resulting target astigmatism being determined from the user's measured physiological parameters; computing the power required for each lens for said ergorama by successive iterations to reach the target power defect and the target astigmatism for each look direction.
US07997725B2	Contact lens and method for prevention of myopia progression A method of slowing the progression of myopia in a person, comprises applying to the eye of the person contact lens or lenses each including a vision correction area for correcting in use the myopic vision of a wearer, and a myopic defocus area having a less negative focal power, to simultaneously present a controlled myopic defocus to the retina both when viewing in the distance and also when viewing at near. Contact lenses and their use are also claimed.
US07997724B1	Illuminated eyeglass This invention relates to an illuminated eyeglass, in which temple arms are respectively hinged on both sides of frame, and lighting apparatuses are provided in the interiors of the temple arms. The light emitting bodies of the lighting apparatuses are disposed in front ends of the temple arms such that the direction of light beam emitted from the light emitting bodies is in conformity with user's view direction. Additionally, the switch members for the lighting apparatuses are projected out to the flanks of the temple arms so that users are easy to operate the switch members to turn on the light emitting bodies. In this manner, the eyeglass can fully display the benefit of helping the people to see clearly all things around.
US07997718B2	Substrate having dye with dendrimer axial ligands disposed thereon A substrate having an IR-absorbing metal-cyanine dye disposed thereon. The dye is a metal-cyanine complex of formula (I): with axial ligands of formula (III): wherein: C1 represents a core unit having two or more branching positions; each P1 is independently selected from H or a hydrophilic moiety; g1 is an integer from 2 to 8; q1 is 0 or an integer from 1 to 6; and each p1 is independently selected from 0 or an integer from 1 to 6.
US07997714B2	Matting liquid for ink-jet printing A system and associated methods for printing matte and glossy images on a glossy media substrate including an ink set that includes at least one pigmented ink-jet ink including an anionic surface charged pigment dispersed in a first liquid vehicle and a substantially colorless matting liquid with at least one matting agent dispersed or solvated in a second liquid vehicle. Additionally, when the pigmented ink-jet ink is printed on the glossy media substrate alone, the pigmented ink-jet ink has a glossy appearance, and wherein when the colorless matting liquid is overprinted or underprinted with respect to the pigmented ink-jet ink on the glossy media substrate, the pigmented ink-jet ink combined with the matting liquid exhibits a visually perceptible matte appearance compared to the glossy appearance of the ink-jet ink printed alone.
US07997706B2	Printer for a web substrate A printer for a web substrate, having a casing, a plurality of printhead tiles arranged adjacent each other, each of the printhead tiles having a printhead integrated circuit formed to dispense fluid, a printed circuit board to facilitate communication with a processor controlling the printing, and fluid inlet ports to receive fluid and, a plurality of fluid channel members within the casing adjacent the printhead tiles, each of the fluid channel members having a plurality of ducts such that each of the ducts are in fluid communication with one of the fluid inlet ports respectively. The fluid channel member is provided with a female end portion and a male end portion complementary to the female portion for fluid communication between the fluid channel members.
US07997705B2	Ink cartridges and ink supply systems An ink cartridge includes a case having an ink chamber and a wall, an air communication portion having a first opening, and an ink supply portion having a second opening. The air communication portion includes a first lid member that moves between a first position not covering the first opening, and a second position covering the first opening, and a first biasing member that applies a first biasing force to the first lid member. The ink supply portion includes a second lid member that moves between a third position not covering the second opening and a fourth position covering the second opening, and a second biasing member that applies a second biasing force to the second lid member. When the first lid member is in the second position and the second lid member is in the fourth position, the first biasing force is less than the second biasing force.
US07997704B2	Print media and fluid cartridge of photofinishing system A print media and printing fluid cartridge is provided removably mounted to a support structure of a digital photofinishing system in juxtaposition with a printer mounted to the support structure together with a digital processor and print media drive mechanism. The cartridge has a roll of print media, a print media delivery arrangement arranged to couple with the drive mechanism so as to feed the print media from the roll to the printer, and at least one removable printing fluid first cartridge for feeding printing fluid to the printer. The digital processor is arranged to receive digitised data that is representative of a photographic image and to process the data in a manner to generate a drive signal that is representative of the photographic image for the printer. The printer processes the drive signal and page-width prints the photographic image on the fed print media using the fed printing fluid.
US07997700B2	Ink cartridge with intersections having different curvatures An ink cartridge includes a bottom wall, a first surface having a first intersection with the bottom wall, a second surface having a second intersection with at least one of the bottom wall and the first surface, an ink chamber bounded, at least in part, by the bottom wall, the first surface and the second surface, and an ink supply opening for supplying ink in the ink chamber to a location outside of the ink chamber, the ink supply opening being provided in the bottom wall. The first intersection has a first curvature and the second intersection has a second curvature and the first curvature is greater than the second curvature, and at least a portion of the first intersection is closer to the ink supply opening than at least a portion of the second intersection.
US07997698B2	Ink delivery system and methods for improved printing An ink delivery system having at least one off-axis ink supply container and an on-axis printhead assembly. The on-axis printhead assembly includes at least one reservoir and a corresponding standpipe separated by a particle filter. At least one tube connects the off-axis ink supply container to the on-axis printhead assembly. A first valve is configured to selectively open a flow path between the tube and the reservoir. A second valve is configured to selectively open a flow path between the standpipe and the tube.
US07997687B2	Printhead nozzle arrangement having interleaved heater elements A printhead nozzle arrangement is provided having a wafer defining a chamber for holding ejection fluid, an ejection port supported by a plurality of bridge members which extend from the ejection port to sides of the chamber, and a plurality of heater elements interleaved between the bridge members for causing ejection of fluid held in the chamber through the ejection port.
US07997686B2	Inkjet nozzle arrangement incorporating thermal differential actuator A nozzle arrangement for an inkjet printhead includes a wafer substrate defining an inlet channel; a nozzle chamber wall and a roof wall positioned on the wafer substrate to define a nozzle chamber in fluid communication with the inlet channel, the roof wall defining an ink ejection port in fluid communication with the nozzle chamber; a paddle positioned in the nozzle chamber and reciprocally displaceable to eject ink from the ejection port; and an actuating arm extending through the nozzle chamber wall and connected to the paddle, the actuating arm comprising an actuating portion having a pair of actuating members, one of the actuating members including a heating circuit. On receipt of an electrical signal to the exclusion of the other actuating member, the actuating arm is displaced in a first direction. The actuating arm is comprised of a resiliently flexible material, whereby on cessation of the electrical signal, the actuating arm is displaced in a second direction opposite to the first direction.
US07997684B2	Flexible printhead circuit A flexible circuit for use within a printhead assembly and to connect a printhead body to an external circuit includes a substantially planar portion having one or more layers of conductive material and having a top surface substantially parallel to a top surface of the printhead body. One or more integrated circuits can be mounted onto the planar portion. Multiple leads extend from each integrated circuit, the leads electrically connected to the printhead body. One or more arms are attached to, and substantially perpendicular to, the planar portion, each arm including one or more external connectors configured to connect to the external circuit.
US07997679B2	Image forming apparatus and controlling method therefor An image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording medium is disclosed. The image forming apparatus includes a print head (4) having an ink emitting surface (6) in which there are formed a plural number of ink emitting openings (13). An ink is emitted from the ink emitting openings (13) for forming an image on a recording medium. The image forming apparatus also includes an emission controller (41) for controlling the ink emission from the ink emitting openings (13) formed in the ink emitting surface (6). The emission controller (41) is responsive to an input image signal to control the quantity of preliminary ink emission from one or more of the ink emitting openings (13) or to select one or more of the ink emitting openings (13). In this manner, the quantity of the preliminary ink emission from the ink emitting openings (13) is controlled, or one or more of the ink emitting openings (13) is selected, responsive to the image signal, to diminish the wasteful ink emission and to clean the ink emitting openings (13) or the vicinity without damaging the ink emitting surface (6).
US07997678B2	Inkjet recording apparatus and method for recording an image A method and recording apparatus including discharging ink to record an image, storing a parameter relating to a cumulative recording amount of the recording apparatus, setting a detection interval based on the parameter relating to the cumulative recording amount, and detecting a discharge state of the ink discharged from the recording head based on the set interval.
US07997665B2	Brake control apparatus A brake control apparatus includes a brake unit. The brake unit includes: a first port set hydraulically connected to a master cylinder via a first fluid line set; a second port set hydraulically connected to a wheel cylinder set via a second fluid line set; a first fluid passage hydraulically connecting the first port set to the second port set; a first switching valve arranged to vary a state of fluid communication through the first fluid passage; a fluid pressure source arranged to produce a fluid pressure supplied to the second port set; a fluid accommodating section adapted to accommodate a variable amount of brake fluid; a branch fluid passage hydraulically connecting the first port set to the fluid accommodating section; and a second switching valve arranged to vary a state of fluid communication through the branch fluid passage.
US07997661B2	Tapered bore in a pick In one aspect of the present invention, a high impact resistant excavation pick having a super hard material is bonded to a cemented metal carbide substrate at a non-planar interface. The cemented metal carbide substrate is bonded to a front end of a cemented metal carbide frustum. A tapered bore is formed in the base end of the carbide frustum opposite the front end and a steel shank with a tapered interface is fitted into the tapered bore.
US07997656B2	Holding structures of vehicular seats for holding an electric wire member A holding structure of a vehicular seat for holding an electric wire member has a shield. The shield is made of a resin and has a main body that can be integrally formed with a bending portion and a cover portion arranged on an inner side of the main body. The holding structure further includes a locking portion capable of locking the cover portion on the inner side of the main body. The holding structure is capable of accommodating a wire member between the cover portion and the main body.
US07997646B2	Self-fastening headrest cover A removable headrest cover for a seat is described having improved features for securing and attaching the cover to a headrest. The improved features include integrated elastic elements that serve to secure the cover to a headrest, eliminating the need for engaging receptacles on the seat. The positioning and placement of attachment points for the elastic provide versatility to the headrest cover that allows it to be used with many different seat configurations. Methods for efficiently manufacturing and packaging the cover are also described.
US07997638B2	Door structure of vehicle, in which door joint and garnish gap are offset in door arrangement direction A door structure of a vehicle, in which between the outer surfaces of a first garnish at a first door and a second garnish at a second door, a garnish gap, which joins a door gap between the door, is provided; the first door has a first garnish attachment part, and at an end of this part, the end facing the second door, an expanded part is provided, which protrudes toward the second door; the second door has a second garnish attachment part, and at an end of this part, the end facing the first door, a recessed part is provided, which is recessed in a direction away from the first door; and with respect to the garnish gap, a door joint between the first garnish attachment part and the second garnish attachment part is offset toward the second door in a direction in which the doors are arranged.
US07997635B2	Bistable opening/closing device, and storage compartment comprising same An opening/closing device includes a bistable device having a fixed member (24) delimiting one side of an opening providing access to a compartment, and a flexible mobile member (18), articulated on the fixed member proximate the ends of the access opening. The fixed and mobile members (24, 18) delimit jointly the entire access opening, and the mobile member (18) has two stable positions, one wherein it is adjacent to the fixed member (24), the other wherein only its ends are adjacent to the fixed member (24). The mobile member (18) is elongated and has naturally two stable positions with opposite convexities. The invention is applicable to vehicle passenger compartments.
US07997633B2	Lifter tool Elevating a handle of the lifter tool creates a clamping force between a bottom support plate and a top clamping plate operatively attached to the handle, allowing a worker to transfer, simultaneously, a number of stacked pavers, or similar block-like objects, quickly, efficiently and safely. A push-off plate facilitates unloading of the pavers from the tool.
US07997630B2	Dual lock locking system for containers A locking system is mounted to a door with three rods extending therefrom. The rods have a locked position extending beyond the periphery of the door and an unlocked position not extending beyond the periphery of the door. Three rod receivers are adapted to receive the three rods in the locked position. A handle rotatably engages cam plates which are operatively engaged with the rods whereby rotation of the handle rotates the cam which moves the rod ends from one position to the other. A locking tab extends forwardly from the lower cam plate into a recess and is engaged by a circular lock while the recess prevents movement of the engaged circular lock. A second locking tab extends forwardly from the rod-locking link and a stationary locking tab is aligned thereto. Both locking tabs are engaged by a padlock preventing movement of the rod-locking link.
US07997629B2	Knot tying apparatus A knot tying apparatus for tying a pair of fishing lines to one another is provided. The apparatus includes a tubular body having a through passage extending between opposite first and second ends with a slot extending from the first end toward the second end. Further, the apparatus has an actuator coupled to the tubular body for sliding movement between the first and second ends. The actuator is moveable between the first and second ends via application of an external force to removed loops of the one of the lines from the tubular body onto the other of the lines.
US07997628B1	Mechanically restrained push-on pipe connection An apparatus, system, and method for the secure attachment and restraint of a pipe end within a fitting is disclosed. The invention includes a mechanical restraint apparatus that is integral and monolithic with the flange of a bell of a spigot-and-bell joint architecture, along with one or more internally disposed grooves within the bell that receive a circumferential gasket, in order to maintain a seal about the pipe end when it is inserted into the bell. The inventive apparatus combines features of mechanical connections and push-on connections.
US07997627B2	Threaded joint for steel pipes A threaded joint for steel pipes comprises a pin (1) and a box (2). The pin has male thread (11), a sealing surface (13), and a shoulder surface (14) located on the end face of the pin. Correspondingly, the box has female thread (21), a sealing surface (23), and a shoulder surface (24) which can mate or contact with the corresponding portions of the pin. The shoulder surface (14) of the pin (1) is provided at an end face of the pin. The sealing surface (13) of the pin (1) is located on a pipe end side near the male thread (11). A a nose portion (15) is provided on the pin (1) between the sealing surface (13) and the shoulder surface (14), the nose portion (15) being not in contact with a corresponding portion of the box (2).
US07997623B2	Frac tank storage system A frac tank, configured for containerized handling, stacking and shipping in container cargo stacks, includes rear over-the-road axle and wheel support, a rear adapter for selectively exposing the rear wheels to enable mobile transport with a fifth-wheel equipped vehicle, and a front adapter for selectively exposing elements at the front of the tank during on-site use of the tank.
US07997614B2	Airbag device Intended is to always provide effective impact reduction by releasing gas at a timing of pushing into airbag.An airbag (10) has a vent hole (18) in one side end portion. One end of a third base fabric (20) is sewn to the airbag (10) through a first sewn portion (23) that closes the vent hole (18), and the other end of the third base fabric 20 is sewn to the other side end portion of the airbag (10) through a second sewn portion (24). The first sewn portion (23) has weaker binding force by sewing than the second sewn portion (24) so that the first sewn portion (23) is separated to open the vent hole (18) when tension force is applied from the third base fabric (20) to the first and second sewn portions (23) and (24).
US07997601B2	Roll-up bicycle fender A roll-up bicycle fender is mounted on a frame pipe of a bicycle. A fender main body of the roll-up bicycle fender can be pulled out into an operative position to act as a fender to protect rider from dust, mud and road debris when in use, and can also be rolled up into a cylinder member when not in use.
US07997599B2	Suspension system for a vehicle A suspension system of the present invention pivotally supports a wheel of a motor vehicle. An upper control arm and a lower control arm are cooperable with a spindle, which supports the wheel. A vibration damper is cooperable with the upper control arm. A link interconnects the lower control arm and one of the terminal ends of the vibration damper thereby defining a common axis bisecting the link. The vibration damper moves along the common axis to absorb vibration transferred from a road surface and through the wheel.
US07997596B2	Actuator for vehicle Left and right actuators (14) for a vehicle are provided that include a first housing (31) and a second housing (32) connected in a direction of an axis (L), a coupling flange (31a) of the first housing (31) and a coupling flange (32a) of the second housing (32) being connected by a plurality of bolts (35) disposed at equal intervals on a circumference having the axis (L) as the center, and since a component mounting part via which a stroke sensor (102) is mounted on the second housing (32) is provided at an intermediate position between two bolts (35) of the plurality of bolts (35) or at a position of any one bolt (35), the stroke sensors (102) of the left and right actuators (14) can be disposed at positions that are mirror-symmetric relative to a central plane (P) of a vehicle body while reducing the number of components by using in common for each of the left and right actuators (14) the second housing (32) on which the stroke sensor (102) is mounted.
US07997595B1	Disc golf caddy A wheeled and collapsible disc golf caddy system to facilitate the pleasure of playing a game of disc golf. The system comprises an elongated frame member mounting a handle at one end thereof for towing the system behind the user thereof. Intermediate the frame member is a pair of collapsible wheels for easy transportation. The remote end of the frame member mounts a pivotal rim for removably receiving a drink containing chest that can be removably secured to the frame member by means such as VELCRO fastening members. Additionally, the system includes a housing, preferably U-shaped, mounted to the frame member and containing plural shelves for storing a variety of discs.
US07997594B1	Sports equipment caddy A transportable caddy for sports equipment provides multiple storage containers and structures for storing sports equipment in a secured frame, providing a ball rack with a release means allowing for the balls to be intentionally released into the playing arena, storage containers for clean and dirty sports gear, sports markers and hardware, refreshment containers, and other items associated with a particular sport, primarily soccer, basketball, baseball or other sport which requires the transport of bulk equipment to and from the practice or playing venues.
US07997586B2	Oscillatory drive The invention relates to an oscillatory drive having an output shaft that can be driven to perform a rotationally oscillating movement about its longitudinal axis and that comprises a free end, a holding fixture at the free end of the output shaft comprising a contact surface for attachment of a tool, a mounting section on the holding fixture, raised relative to the contact surface, that projects to the outside in the direction of the longitudinal axis and that is designed for form-locking connection with a mounting opening of a tool placed in contact with the contact surface, and having a securement for fixing the tool with its mounting opening on the holding fixture, the securement permitting the tool to yield in axial direction under the action of a torque, against a pre-stress, and the mounting section permitting the tool to rotate by a certain angle of rotation when the tool gives way axially.
US07997582B2	Multi-player audio game playable on internet An audio game system and method playable with a website server having an online connection on a network such as the Internet to a plurality of computers for respective participants employs a website enabled to receive from each participant's computer a music file entry selected in response to a game question or challenge issued by the website and determining an ordering by time of response of a first-in-time music file entry and sending it for audio playback on the participants' computers as a winning entry to the game question or challenge. Preferably, a participant's time-of-response is measured by a client applet on each participant's computer, and sent with the music file entry to the website server to enable the server to determine at least a first-in-time response accurately despite differences in bandwidth and connection speeds of the participants' computers.
US07997580B2	Variably bound secondary game method The present invention provides new player excitement during the play of a game of chance by providing a controlled random event during the execution of a secondary or bonus round. When bonus game play is invoked during play of the primary game, an amount to be issued during secondary game play is generated. This amount is not awarded directly; instead a plurality of possible winnings is available, each equal to or less than the amount to be issued. A random event separate from the primary game is used to pick one of the plurality of possible winnings which is awarded to a player. The separate random event may be a mechanical event or an electronic event. The difference between the amount given to a player and the original amount to be issued may be used to generate further bonus game play, or may be used to fund a progressive.
US07997579B2	Medium conveying device and image forming apparatus A medium conveying device includes a conveyance path that is used for conveying medium; a medium guide that is furnished on the conveyance path and has at least one swing supporting portion; and a supporting section that supports the swing supporting portion to swing along a separation direction separating from the conveyance path so as to make the swing supporting portion support the medium guide to swing.
US07997577B2	Pivoting sheet discharging tray and image forming apparatus including the tray An image forming apparatus including a sheet loader, the sheet loader including: a discharger configured to discharge a first sheet and a second sheet after the first sheet; a tray configured to support the second sheet on the first sheet; a support configured to support the first sheet on the tray; a controller configured to control the support to lower a first angle than a second angle, the first angle being an angle of the first sheet against a direction to which the discharger discharges the second sheet at a position where the second sheet hits on the first sheet, the second angle being an angle of the tray against the direction at a position where the first sheet hits on the tray.
US07997574B2	Image forming apparatus and control method thereof An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body which includes an attachment portion, a standby tray which is provided adjacent to the attachment portion of the apparatus body and stacks a paper thereon, a paper feeding tray stacks the paper thereon, a movement mechanism which moves the paper from the paper feeding tray located at the mounted position onto the standby tray along the paper conveying path, a holder member which moves to a first position so as to hold the paper at a predetermined position on the paper feeding tray and moves to a second position so as to recede from the paper conveying path, and a lock mechanism which engages with the holder member so as to hold the holder member at the first position when the paper feeding tray is located at the withdrawn position.
US07997571B2	Sheet finisher, image forming apparatus using the same, and sheet finishing method A sheet finisher of the invention includes a saddle stitch unit configured to stitch a center of a sheet bundle in which printed sheets are bundled, a fold unit configured to fold the center stitched by the saddle stitch unit and to form a fold line, a fold reinforcing unit that includes a reinforce roller, moves the reinforce roller along a direction of the fold line while applying pressure by the reinforce roller to the fold line of the sheet bundle transported from the fold unit, and reinforces the fold line, and a control unit configured to transport the sheet bundle from the fold unit to the fold reinforcing unit and to control to stop the fold line of the sheet bundle at a position of the reinforce roller, and the control unit changes, according to a thickness of the sheet bundle, a transport distance from a specified position in the fold reinforcing unit to the position where the sheet bundle is stopped.
US07997570B2	Method and appartus for separation of stacks of interfolded sheets The sheets are supplied interfolded by two folding rollers, on a table on which they are piled up forming a stack. When the stack achieves a predetermined height a first plurality of separators and a second plurality of separators, arranged for all the length of the stack and from opposite sides are inserted into the stack to provide the disengagement of the stack already formed from a stack being formed, leaving between them of a wing of sheet hanging. The stack formed is then withdrawn quickly from the stack being formed by means of a table, which translates vertically, and is subject to a blow of air for stretching a possible last sheet. Then, the stack formed is left on a longitudinal conveyor belt located underneath. At the same time, a sheet stretching board moves under the stack of interfolded sheets, for all its length, for provisional support thereof and for stretching completely the wing hanging from the stack being formed with a portion of wing that exceeds sheet stretching board. Then the separators and withdraw laterally and an element moving from a direction opposite to the sheet stretching board, for example a blow of air, stretches the portion of the exceeding wing of sheet just before that the table comes back.
US07997566B2	Liquid seal type fluid-filled mount The liquid seal type fluid-filled mount comprises a cup-shaped housing (1) having a flange (1A) provided with a mounting hole; a stud (3) disposed along a central axis of the cup-shaped housing so as to be positioned in a central opening of a fixed damping unit; a flexible seal cap (7) sealing fluid-tight between the upper end of the stud and the cup-shaped housing; a high viscosity liquid (2) for being filled in a chamber formed by the cup-shaped housing (1) and the flexible seal cap (7); a movable damping plate (4) mounted to a lower end of the stud (3); a fixed damping unit (10) being fixed between the flexible seal cap (7) and the movable damping plate (4) and placed in the high viscosity fluid; and a spring (13) disposed between a bottom of the cup-shaped housing (1) and the movable damping plate (4).
US07997564B2	Combined waterwheel oxygen-increasing machine The combined waterwheel oxygen-increasing machine pertains to the area of life-saving and facilitation equipment in aquaculture development. The existing waterwheel oxygen-increasing machine is a floating body with brackets integrally connected, inconvenient for assembly and disassembly and for general use. The present invention comprises of floating bodies, a power device, a reduction gearbox and impellers, wherein the power device is connected to a reduction gearbox, which then drives said impellers via an output shaft. The floating bodies are hollow, closed, bodies including longitudinal floating bodies and transversal floating body connected vertically with each other, wherein one end of the longitudinal floating bodies are connected to transversal floating body. The floating bodies bear an output shaft. The impellers are located in the midst of the area surrounded by the longitudinal floating bodies and the transversal floating body. Moreover, said impellers are overlapping impellers connected in a series by a plurality of single impeller bodies.
US07997563B2	Micro-bubble generator, vortex breakdown nozzle for micro-bubble generator, vane swirler for micro-bubble generator, micro-bubble generating method, and micro-bubble applying device There is provided a micro-bubble generator including a swirling-flow generating vane nozzle and vortex breakdown nozzle connected coaxially to each other. The swirling flow generating vane nozzle produces a swirling flow of a liquid having a gas introduced to the center thereof from a gas feeding unit. The swirling flow is supplied to a flow constricting section included in the vortex breakdown nozzle to provide micro bubbles from a vortex breakdown section also included in the vortex breakdown nozzle.
US07997558B1	Method and apparatus for lifting go-karts A lifting apparatus which removably attaches to the front tubular bumper of a go-kart, allowing a person lifting the front of the go-kart to lift more easily and without excessive bending of the back. The lifting apparatus has a handle member, and a bumper engagement structure which depends from the handle member. The bumper engagement structure is configured to removably attach to the parallel-oriented upper tube and lower tube which make up the front bumper of the go-kart.
US07997556B2	Fine adjustable firing valve A finely adjustable firing valve for rapidly discharging compressed air or compressed gas, for the purpose of generating a pressure wave in silos or containers of granular materials, comprising a pneumatic main valve (1), a pneumatic secondary valve (9), arranged to control the main valve (1), and a pilot valve (16), arranged to control the secondary valve (9), said main valve (1) comprising a main valving element (7) of membrane type.
US07997555B2	Planar rotation mechanism of a supporting device A planar rotation mechanism of supporting device including a base seat; a supporting rack; a retaining member having a first, a second and a third guiding slots with different curvatures and lengths; and a rotating member respectively provided with a column hole with respect to initial positions of the first, the second and the third guiding slots for allowing a first, a second and a third guiding columns respectively pass through corresponding column holes and corresponding guiding slots. The guiding columns can respectively slide within the corresponding guiding slots. When the rotating member is operated with a planar rotation with an object to be supported provided in front of the rotating member, the plural guiding columns slide within the corresponding guiding slots. The object to be supported is selectively switchable between a horizontal status and a vertical status.
US07997553B2	Automatic retractable floor system for a rotating gantry A movable floor system for use with a rotating gantry in a radiation treatment facility is provided that comprises a carriage assembly slidably supported within the gantry to maintain a substantially constant orientation while the gantry is rotating. An extendable/retractable panel assembly is supported on the carriage assembly that includes a plurality of non-movable floor panels and a like plurality of movable floor panels slidably mounted over corresponding ones of the non-movable panels. The movable panels are sized to span a distance between the carriage assembly and a fixed floor of the treatment room. Each of the movable panels has a platform surface for supporting a person for access to and from the patient table situated within the gantry. A control system coordinates the extension and retraction of the movable floor panels to prevent collisions with the radiation nozzle as it rotates during the patient treatment.
US07997550B2	Mount for carrying at least one display device The invention relates to a mount (A) for holding at least one display device, comprising a first mounting arm (1) which has an essentially vertical mounting arm segment (1a) and at least one second mounting arm (2) which extends essentially in a horizontal direction across from the mounting arm segment (1a) of the first mounting arm and is provided with at least one connecting element connecting said second mounting arm to the device (B). In order to improve the mount (A) so as to better position the at least one mounting location for the at least one display device (B), at least one side wall of the second mounting arm (2) is shaped in a converging manner.
US07997549B2	Mounting bracket for an electrical junction box A mounting bracket for installing an electrical junction box to an R-panel, the mounting bracket comprising a mounting plate having a first surface for interfacing with a portion of the housing of the electrical junction box, one or more sidewalls extending from the mounting plate; and one or more attachment tabs extending laterally from each of the sidewalls, wherein the mounting bracket is positioned between R-panel and the electrical junction box to space the electrical junction box at a distance away from the R-panel such that the electrical conduit may interface with the electrical junction box without having to bend the electrical conduit.
US07997545B2	Pivoting support structure This invention is to an apparatus and method using a pivoting support structure to support mail boxes, newspaper tubes, information signage or decorative materials near a road while being less susceptible to damage from passing vehicles. The invention may be attached to a post, pipe or other vertical structure. Even after the apparatus is installed, the invention has an inherent flexibility to change the original starting position of the mail box relative to the road. Furthermore, the invention acts as a self-centering hinge allowing the support structure to swing in excess of 90-degrees to 180-degrees depending upon installation even while supporting single or multiple mailboxes and/or decorative or aesthetic items. The invention then automatically returns the mail box to its original starting position through the cooperative effort of a spring, gravity and inherent hinge design. This invention allows the structure to be temporarily cantilevered away from the vertical structure to assist in item placement or removal and allows the items such as mail to be removed without standing in traffic.
US07997544B2	Movable hand/wrist support for use with a computer mouse A movable hand/wrist support for use with a computer mouse is comprised of a flat and constant thickness sheet of material with an aperture there through. Aperture can be configured to be used with a mouse of any size or shape. Aperture may be configured to entirely surround a mouse so that it rests loosely within the aperture or it may be sized merely to allow the optical communication device of a mouse affixed to a top surface of movable support to communicate with an underlying surface. An secondary layer on which a mouse can rest loosely or be affixed can be affixed to a bottom surface of the sheet of material. Movable support may also include a forearm protector. Various layers may be affixed onto the sheet of material to provide additional comfort and support to the user. The hand/wrist support may be provided as a kit.
US07997533B2	Fire barrier for an aircraft fuselage When a fire breaks out, air flows that promote the spread of fire may occur in the region between the load bay and the skin of the aircraft. According to one embodiment of the present invention, a fire barrier is disclosed that allows rapid decompression of the passenger cabin in the normal operating mode of the aircraft and prevents flashovers in case of a fire. In this case, the fire barrier may be arranged at different positions in the intermediate wall space of the aircraft.
US07997523B1	Turntable (with attachments) for the dispensing of electrical wire, cable or other linear goods that are supplied on reels or in coils, depending on the attachment used A dispenser for spools, reels or coils of electrical wire or cable, or other linear products, such as rope, twine, string, fishing line, etc. It comprises a turntable, a central inner spindle, and various attachments. The attachments can be placed on the floor, and then selected attachments can be fitted to the inner spindle. Attachments are selected based on the size of the spool, reel or coil of wire or cable. The attachments include a small pipe spindle for use with smaller spools, a large pipe spindle for use with larger spools or reels, and a coil clamp assembly use with for coils. The wire or cable can pay out in all horizontal directions from the invention. If more wire or cable is pulled out than is needed, the excess can be rewound and will return to the dispenser with the aid of a sloped outer edge of the turntable.
US07997519B2	Recording tape cartridge A recording tape cartridge is provided with a case rotatably accommodating a reel around which a tape is wound and including an opening from which the tape may be drawn out, a leader portion including guard portions disposed at both ends thereof in a width direction of a tape, recessed housing portions formed in the case as a vertical pair that face the opening and that allow the guard portions to be inserted, and a pair of leader holding members that form part of respective pin receiving portions together with the recessed housing portions. Each leader holding member includes, integrally, a fixed portion fixed to the inside of the case, a retaining spring that engages with one of the guard portions in one of the recessed housing portions from the opening side thereof, and an overhanging portion that covers the guard portion in one of the recessed housing portions.
US07997508B2	Spill-proof aerator for low volatile compound solutions A spill-proof aerator is disclosed that is adapted to flamelessly diffuse a liquid solution into the atmosphere. The device comprises a liquid solution having less than 20% volatile organic compounds housed in a vessel with at least one wall, wherein an opening is disposed in the wall. The device further includes a wick assembly including at least a wick of porous material capable of being disposed in the opening of the vessel for at least partial submergence in the liquid solution. The wick is further disposed for drawing up the liquid solution thorough capillary action. The wick assembly is reusable and adapted to removably seal the opening in the vessel.
US07997507B2	Supporting device for supporting a flat panel display device and flat panel display device assembly A supporting device for supporting a flat panel display device includes a base, a sliding member, a supporting member, and a holding member. The base defines a pair of guiding grooves extending along a lengthwise direction of the base. The sliding member includes a first pedestal and a second pedestal. The first pedestal and the second pedestal are slidably received in the guiding grooves. The supporting member is hinged to the sliding member, and configured for supporting the flat panel display device. The holding member is slidably engaged with the base, and defines a holding cavity for receiving the supporting member.
US07997505B2	Bypass valve for a cooler connected downstream of a hydraulic unit A bypass valve for a cooler connected downstream from a hydraulic aggregate. The bypass valve includes a housing with ports for connection to the hydraulic aggregate and the cooler. A closure element is located in the housing for closing and opening a bypass. A spring pushes the closure element into a closing position, and thermo-sensitive means causes the closure element to open if the temperature of the hydraulic fluid is below a threshold temperature. The thermo-sensitive means are formed by the valve spring, which is made of a memory-metal alloy with a transition point close to the threshold temperature such that below the threshold temperature it no longer exerts a force and allows the closure element to open.
US07997503B2	Visual code transaction verification The invention is an improved transaction verification method comprising a document, card or electronic apparatus with a transparent optical pattern visible to the user on a transparent window display. The verification process is performed by a user aligning the transparent pattern over a synchronized pattern image. The optical combination of these patterns induces a visual code, to be apparent to the user, which is then manually entered into a remote terminal or directly to the electronic apparatus to verify the transaction.
US07997497B2	Game card without semiconductor chip Trading cards (1, 2) each include part (17, 18) of a circuit. When the trading cards are inserted into a game card (3), a circuit is completed. Depending on the circuit, one of four light emitting diodes (291, 292, 293, 294) on the game card is lit. No semiconductor chip is required in the card.
US07997493B2	Dual-aperature barcode scanner with tether-free tower housing A dual-aperture barcode scanner with tether-free housing. The scanner includes vertical portion including switches and a housing adjacent to but separated from the switches.
US07997492B2	Image forming apparatus, image forming system, image forming method, computer-readable medium and computer data signal An image forming apparatus includes a receiving unit, an image forming unit, a determining unit, an analyzing unit and a control unit. The receiving unit receives image data. The image forming unit performs a predetermined image forming process based on the image data received by the receiving unit. The determining unit determines as to whether or not the image data contains a barcode pattern. When the determining unit determines that the image data contains the barcode pattern, the analyzing unit analyzes as to whether a drawing direction of the barcode pattern is a vertical direction or a horizontal direction. The control unit that controls, based on an analyzing result of the analyzing unit, the predetermined image forming process being performed for the barcode pattern by the image forming unit.
US07997483B2	System for presenting and processing a plurality of financial transaction cards A method of providing and processing a plurality of stored-value cards includes providing a stored-value card assembly including the plurality of stored-value cards in a housing. The plurality of stored-value cards includes a first stored-value card and a last stored-value card. Each of the plurality of stored-value cards is associated with a different account identifier linking each one of the plurality of stored-value cards to a different financial record or account. The different account identifiers collectively define a series of account identifiers. The method further includes scanning the different account identifier associated with the first stored-value card using a point-of-sale terminal, and scanning the different account identifier associated with the last stored-value card using the point-of-sale terminal. The housing indicates which of the different account identifier associated with the first stored-value card and the last stored-value card should be scanned first. Other card assemblies and associated methods are also disclosed.
US07997474B2	System and method for configuring a medical device In one embodiment a medical device comprising an interface, a portable component and a controller is provided. The interface is configured for receiving identification data of a user, the portable component is configured for storing configuration data and the controller is configured for retrieving the configuration data based on the identification data and for configuring the medical device based on the configuration data.
US07997473B2	Method of friction welding A method of friction welding comprising providing a first workpiece (24) having a first weld surface (38) and a second workpiece (26) having a second weld surface (40). In a first region (42) adjacent the first weld surface (38) the first workpiece (24) is arranged at an angle (α) of substantially 90° to the first weld surface (38) and in a second region (44) adjacent to the first region (42) the first workpiece (24) tapers away from the first weld surface (38). The first workpiece (24) is arranged such that in the second region (44) the first workpiece (24) is arranged at an angle (β) greater than 90° and less than 180° to the first weld surface (38). The first and second workpieces (24, 26) are arranged such that first weld surface (38) of the first workpiece (24) abuts the second weld surface (40) of the second workpiece (26). The first and second workpieces (24, 26) are moved relative to each other such that the temperature increases at the weld surfaces (38, 40) to create a weld interface (46) and then the movement is stopped to cool to weld the first and second workpieces (24, 26) together.
US07997469B2	Staple drive assembly A staple drive assembly includes an actuation sled and at least one staple pusher. The staple drive assembly is adapted to fit within a staple cartridge having a plurality of staples and a corresponding number of retention slots. The at least one staple pusher includes at least one pusher plate for releasably engaging a backspan of a staple. The staple pusher may include a plurality of pusher plates that may be laterally and longitudinally spaced apart. An actuation member has at least one angled camming surface for engaging a complimentary angled surface of the at least one staple pusher. Camming engagement between the actuation member and the at least one staple pusher causes vertical movement of the at least one staple pusher. Lateral and longitudinal offset of the actuation member camming surfaces and the corresponding staple pusher following surfaces improves stability and control of the staple pusher during firing.
US07997467B2	Electric driving tool A driving tool that has a driver support base. The driver support base includes a transmitting portion having a V-shape in cross section. The driver support base can be pressed by a press member to cause the transmitting portion to wedge between a pair of left and right drive wheels, so that a friction force is produced to move the driver support base.
US07997458B2	Metering valves for dispensers A metering valve (1) is provided for a pressurised container (14) containing a pharmaceutical formulation. The valve has a stem (2) with a central flange (11) and a hollow open end (19) with a side port (20). The stem slides in a body (3) having larger and smaller diameter portions, and being closed off by a seal (4) against which the flange (11) rests in an inoperative position. A second seal is located around the stem on the opposite side of the flange and trapped by a spring (6) which urges the stem into its inoperative position. When the stem is depressed, the inner seal (5) forms a sliding seal with the smaller diameter portion of the body to define a metering chamber (13) filled with the pharmaceutical. Continued depression opens the side hole (20) to allow the contents of the metering chamber to be dispensed.
US07997456B2	Grease gun An apparatus converts rotary motion of a motor drive shaft into oscillatory motion of a work piece, for example, in a power tool. The apparatus comprises a planetary gear assembly connected to the motor for rotating an output gear. The output gear meshes with a drive gear including a drive pin. The drive pin fits in a yoke slot for reciprocation of the yoke upon rotation of the drive gear. The yoke is operatively connected to the work piece. An air flow system cools the power tool housing. The housing has an inlet aperture in the handle portion and an outlet aperture for placing the interior of the housing in communication with the atmosphere. A wall integral with the handle portion engages the body of the motor housing between a first end and openings in the body. The wall provides a barrier to minimize air flow between an intake air portion of the interior of the housing and an exhaust air portion. A fan on the motor drive shaft induces air flow from the intake air portion and exhaust air portion of the interior chamber into the motor housing through openings in the end walls. Air is discharged from the openings in the body.
US07997454B2	Metering dispensing system with improved valving to prevent accidental dispensing of liquid therefrom A liquid dispensing device includes a storage container and dome pump mechanism attached thereto for metered dispensing. A one-way valve is employed to pull liquid from the storage container into the dome for metering. An exit passageway serves as an output valve. Each time the dome pump housing is depressed, a substantially equal volume of fluid is dispensed from the container. To prevent accidental dispensing, the one-way valve in the dome pump remains normally open and unsealed to allow backflow of liquid back into the storage container pouch when pressure is placed on the dome. The user squeezes the dome and base plate together to seal the one-way valve to urge liquid out through the exit port for actual dispensing. Also, interior pouch force creates backflow through the exit port back into the containment chamber to further prevent leakage.
US07997452B2	Refrigerator related technology A refrigerator includes a dispenser including a moving chute configured to move from a stored position in which an outlet of the moving chute is positioned in a space defined in a refrigerator door to an operable position in which the outlet of the moving chute is positioned outside of the refrigerator door.
US07997438B2	Buffet server with insertable-removable dividers An elongated container tapered inward and rounded on both ends. The recessed interior is segmented by five recessed slots, spaced at three inch intervals. The anti-shifting bar and lock notches creates' the locking system when the buffet server is place in support stand, there by stopping the buffet server from shifting front to back or sliding side to side while cradle in the support stand. The insertable-removable dividers, containers and sectional lids provides for a variety of set up weather mixing or matching keeping your liquid and solids separated if need be. The tabs and sockets, along with push button mechanism allows the buffet server to be taken apart and easily put together again for usage, storage or ease of shipping and handling.
US07997436B2	Reclosable pouring element for liquid foodstuffs contained in composite cardboard/plastic packaging A re-closable pouring element for liquid foods packaged in cardboard/plastic composite packages, comprising a base encircled by a flange and having both an inner thread and an outer thread, an opening element having at least one cutting edge as well as perforations and a screw cap formed as a threaded lid. The opening element has an outer thread and is arranged inside the base. The opening element is formed so that when the screw cap is operated for the first time it cuts an opening in the package material located under the pouring element. At least one window opening is provided as an aperture, each window opening is arranged so that it points to one side after opening for the first time and after re-closing and repeated opening for emptying residues of the composite package points to the opposite side.
US07997429B2	Pot and pan storage unit An article for storing and supporting pots and pans wherein said article is formed of more than two identical vertical members, each vertical member having a plurality of respective horizontal support members incorporated thereon for supporting a plurality of respective horizontal shelves.
US07997420B2	Filter apparatus capable of releasing air A filter apparatus capable of releasing air from a filter body, comprising a filter body held by a holder. The filter body includes a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet. The filter body is disposed in the holder so as to rotate around an axis of rotation that passes through the fluid inlet. The holder includes a front panel. The front panel comprises engaging portions, for temporarily engaging the fluid outlet at either an air releasing position or at a filtering position, and a fixing means for fixing the filter body at each position. The filter apparatus further includes means for rotating the filter body.
US07997407B2	Side-opening hinge-lid container with audible indication of closure and/or opening A side-opening hinge-lid container includes a body portion and a lid portion, each having a front wall, a rear wall, a top wall and a bottom wall. The lid portion is connected to the body portion along a hinge line for pivotal movement between a closed position and an open position. A body liner is mounted in the body portion and projects sideways into a space covered by the lid portion in the closed position. An outwardly extending ear is mounted on the liner. An inwardly extending flap is mounted to the lid portion for pivotal movement relative thereto. During pivotal movement of the lid portion between the open and closed positions, the flap engages the ear to produce a sound.
US07997395B2	Strut suspension A strut suspension includes a shock absorber, and a bearing portion that connects the shock absorber to a vehicle body such that the shock absorber can rotate. The bearing portion includes an inner race and an outer race. The thickness of the inner race increases toward the outside of the vehicle body in a vehicle-width direction. The thickness of the outer race decreases toward the outside of the vehicle body in the vehicle-width direction. As a result, a rotational axis of the bearing portion tilts outward in the vehicle-width direction, with respect to an absorber-axis of the shock absorber. Also, the rotational axis tilts inward in the vehicle-width direction with respect to a kingpin axis.
US07997394B2	Damping force adjustable fluid pressure shock absorber A piston coupled to a piston rod is fitted in a sealed cylinder in which oil is contained. During an extension stroke of the piston rod, a damping force is generated by an extension-side valve body, and at the same time, a valve-opening pressure of an extension-side main valve is adjusted by an inner pressure in an extension-side backpressure chamber. During a compression stroke of the piston rod, a damping force is generated by a compression-side valve body, and at the same time, a valve-opening pressure of a compression-side main valve is adjusted by an inner pressure in a compression-side backpressure chamber. A simple structure is realized by using a common guide bore for guiding the extension-side valve body and the compression-side valve body. Check valves are provided at both ends of the guide bore and communication passage are provided through the extension-side valve body and the compression-side valve body so that an amount of excess oil due to a movement of the extension-side valve body and the compression-side valve body can be expelled, thereby improving responsiveness of the shock absorber.
US07997393B2	Magnetorheological (MR) rod guide assembly and MR damper having same A magnetorheological (MR) rod guide assembly includes a nonporous MR-rod-guide-assembly housing, annular first and second seals, and a non-annular, porous filter plug. The housing has a through bore. The first and second seals are positioned in the through bore, are adapted to sealingly contact an MR piston rod, and are longitudinally spaced apart defining an inter-seal portion of the through bore. The filter plug is positioned in the housing, has a longitudinal first end in fluid communication with the through bore longitudinally outside the inter-seal bore portion, and has a longitudinal second end in fluid communication with the through bore longitudinally within the inter-seal bore portion.
US07997385B2	Machine tool The present invention is to provide a machine tool in which appropriate warm-up operation can be performed. Unnecessary warm-up operation before machining is not carried out and damage of bearings caused by the warm-up operation is prevented. A controlling unit stores data of a supply amount of lubricant to bearings and a rotation speed of a main spindle in a memory unit as time-series data. When rotation of the main spindle is started, the time-series data stored in the memory unit is used to calculate an amount of remaining lubricant in the bearings and determination of necessity of warm-up operation is made based upon the stored data. A rotation speed at a start-up time of the main spindle is controlled according to the determination result.
US07997384B2	Multilayer board for reducing solid-borne sound A multilayer board for reducing solid-borne sound radiation with improved mechanical stability when subjected to a load, comprising a first cover layer, a second cover layer, and at least one core layer, wherein the at least one core layer is arranged between the first and the second cover layer, and wherein the at least one core layer comprises at least one first sloped slot.
US07997378B2	Hydraulic steering The invention concerns a hydraulic steering with a steering initiator, a steering unit with feedback properties, which can be activated by the steering initiator, the steering unit having a supply connection arrangement with a pressure connection (P) and a tank connection (T) and a working connection arrangement with two working connections (L, R), an auxiliary-force operated steering valve, which is located in parallel with the steering unit between the supply connection arrangement (P, T) and the working connection arrangement (L, R), and a feedback suppressing device, which is active, when the steering valve is active. It is endeavoured to find a simple manner of ensuring the priority of the steering initiator over the steering valve. For this purpose, the steering initiator interacts with an activation sensor, which deactivates the feedback suppressing device on an activation of the steering initiator.
US07997377B2	Case structure of integrated package module for hybrid vehicle A case structure of an integrated package module for a hybrid vehicle is provided. A front case of the integrated package module is formed of a first front case having a receiving groove on a upper portion thereof and a second front case. The case structure can stably mount and support the integrated package module on a vehicle body in a safer and cost-effective manner.
US07997365B2	Power output apparatus, control method of power output apparatus, and vehicle equipped with power output apparatus The power output apparatus of the invention increases a tentative engine power demand Petmp required for an engine, during a catalyst degradation detection time when degradation detection of an emission control catalyst is performed according to a variation in output of an oxygen sensor provided downstream of the emission control catalyst. The smaller between an increased power demand Peu by increasing the tentative engine power demand Petmp and an upper limit of a chargeable range of a battery is set to an engine power demand Pe* of the engine. Upon satisfaction of an auto engine stop condition that the engine power demand Pe* decreases below a preset reference power Pref, the engine is controlled to be driven at idle.
US07997364B2	Hybrid vehicle and control method of hybrid vehicle On condition that a motor temperature is lower than a preset reference temperature and that a vehicle speed is lower than a preset reference speed, a booster circuit is controlled to adjust the voltage level of a high voltage system to be not higher than a certain low voltage. On condition that the motor temperature is lower than the preset reference temperature and that the vehicle speed is not lower than the preset reference speed, the booster circuit is controlled to adjust the voltage level of the high voltage system to be not higher than a maximum input voltage. On condition that the motor temperature is not lower than the preset reference temperature, the booster circuit is controlled to adjust the voltage level of the high voltage system to be not higher than the maximum input voltage, irrespective of the vehicle speed. This arrangement effectively improves the overall energy efficiency in a vehicle where the adjustment of the voltage level of the high voltage system to be not higher than the certain low voltage has the higher energy efficiency than the adjustment of the voltage level of the high voltage system to be not higher than the maximum input voltage.
US07997363B2	Vehicle control system and method A vehicle control system calculates driver-required wheel torque, correction wheel torque to stabilize vehicle motion, required output shaft torque, alternator base torque, target engine torque and alternator torque to realize the output shaft torque. The required output shaft torque is required to realize vehicle motion, and the alternator base torque is required to maintain amounts of electric power in batteries. In order to realize the torque including wide band frequency torque, a torque division unit divides the sum of the torque into each torque actuator response frequency torque. Therefore, the target alternator torque is calculated by the alternator base torque to maintain electric power in batteries and high frequency band torque required by vehicle motion control.
US07997359B2	Abrasive wear-resistant hardfacing materials, drill bits and drilling tools including abrasive wear-resistant hardfacing materials An abrasive wear-resistant material includes a matrix material and a plurality of −40/+80 ASTM mesh dense sintered carbide pellets. A rotary drill bit having an exterior surface and an abrasive wear-resistant material disposed on at least a portion of the exterior surface of the bit body is provided. Methods for applying an abrasive wear-resistant material to a surface of a drill bit are also disclosed.
US07997354B2	Expandable reamers for earth-boring applications and methods of using the same Expandable reamer tools include an outer body, a fluid passageway extending through the outer body, and at least one blade configured to slide relative to the outer body between a retracted position and an expanded position in a direction oriented at an acute angle of less than ninety degrees (90°) to a longitudinal axis of the outer body. In some embodiments, the tools may include a moveable inner sleeve member configured to selectively allow hydraulic fluid pressure within the fluid passageway to act directly on the at least one blade. Methods for enlarging a borehole using such expandable reamer tools and methods for removing such expandable reamer tools from a borehole are also disclosed.
US07997349B2	Beach cleaner To make it easier to collect litter which is captured and deposited in a mesh member of a beach cleaner which scrapes up the litter along with sand and captures and deposits the churned up litter and sand in the mesh member. In a second beach cleaner which captures and deposits in a mesh member litter scattered around in the sand by churning up the litter along with sand while traveling by being towed by a towing vehicle, the mesh member has an encircling member open on at least one side and is attached to the frame such that the mesh member is pivotable with respect to the frame.
US07997347B2	Mobile coiled tubing straightening tool A handheld tool for straightening coiled tubing in a continuous manner. The tool is configured to straighten coiled tubing that has undergone plastifying deformation, for example, during winding about a coiled tubing reel. The tool is of enhanced mobility and may be employed to provide a straightened portion of coiled tubing without resorting to intermittent reverse kinking or corrugating of the coiled tubing. Rather, the substantially continuous character of the straightened portion of coiled tubing is well suited for stably and reliably accommodating a downhole tool for use within a well during hydrocarbon recovery applications.
US07997341B2	Downhole fluid filter An apparatus for testing a subterranean formation penetrated by a wellbore, comprising a tool having a sample flow line an inlet disposed with the tool and configured to establish fluid communication between the formation and the sample flow line to draw a fluid sample into the sample flow line, and an active filter positioned in the sample flow line and providing a filter flow route and a bypass flow route in the sample flow line.
US07997325B2	Production method of thermoelectric semiconductor alloy, thermoelectric conversion module and thermoelectric power generating device A first method for producing a half Heuslar alloy includes quench-solidifying a molten alloy at a cooling rate of 1×102 to 1×103° C./sec to produce a half Heuslar alloy having a ratio of strongest peak of the half Heuslar phase of 90% or more in an as-cast state, the alloy having the formula: ABC (wherein A and B each is at least one member selected from Fe, Co, Ni, Ti, V, Cr, Zr, Hf, Nb, Mo, Ta and W, and C is at least one member selected from Al, Ga, In, Si, Ge and Sn). A second method is one in which the half Hueslar alloy has the formula: Ti1-xAxNi1-yBySn1-zCz (wherein each of A and B is at least one member selected from Co, Ni, Ti, V, Cr, Zr, Hf, Nb, Mo, Ta and W, C is at least one selected from Al, Ga, In, Si, Ge and Sn).
US07997318B2	Heavy-load tire with wind bead structure A heavy-load tire has a wind bead structure in which a turned-up portion of a carcass ply is wound around a bead core, in which a bead portion is equipped with a bead reinforcing layer having a U-shaped cross section and a bead apex rubber having a triangular-shaped cross section. The turned-up portion has an auxiliary turned-up portion passing through the vicinity of a radially outer side of the bead core. The bead apex rubber includes a high complex elasticity modulus inner apex portion disposed at a radially inner side and a low complex elasticity modulus outer apex portion disposed at a radially outer side.
US07997315B2	Wear-adaptable running tread A rubber tread of a tire includes cavities spaced radially inwardly from a running surface of the tread when new. Each cavity includes an incision, and a groove communicating with a radially inner end of the incision when the tread is new. The incision has a radially outer generatrix following an undulating profile having an amplitude of at least 20% of a maximum height of the cavity. A width of the incision is not greater than 2.5 mm, and the groove width is greater than 2.5 mm.
US07997313B2	Adjustable guide bar for woodworking table slot A guide bar assembly (10) for use in a T-slot (20) of a woodworking table (22). The assembly includes a top member (12) slidably disposed on a bottom member (14). The top and bottom members include cooperating pairs of wedge shapes (24) that cause a change in width (W) of the assembly in response to relative longitudinal (L) movement between the top and bottom members. Contacting angled side surfaces (30, 32) of the male and female wedge members (26, 28) provide area contact between the top and bottom members that functions to maintain the top and bottom members parallel during tightening of the fasteners (34) used to lock the assembly at a desired width.
US07997311B2	Self-propelled climbing apparatus for stripping, trimming and coating palm trees A self-propelled climbing apparatus for performing a maintenance operation on a palm tree comprises a climbing section that moves up and down the tree and a maintenance section that performs the desired operation. The climbing section has a main support frame with climbing mechanisms attached thereto. The climbing mechanism has upper and lower wheels that engage the trunk and are operated by a drive mechanism that rotates the wheels. Springs pull the upper and lower wheels toward each other to maintain their engagement with the trunk. The maintenance section rotatably and detachably mounts to a head support rail supported above the climbing section. In one embodiment, the maintenance section is a cutting head having a cutting mechanism at the upper end of a pivoting cutting arm to cut wrapping and/or fronds from the trunk. A tent assembly directs debris directly downward to prevent injury or damage and ease cleanup.
US07997309B2	System and method for measuring trees during processing A system for measuring the length of a tree being processed through a delimber including a log feed roller mechanism for moving the tree, a delimbing head for delimbing the tree that is movable in a forward and reverse direction relative to the log feed roller mechanism, a measuring wheel resiliently mounted on the delimbing head, and a trimsaw movably mounted on the delimbing head. The length of the processed tree extending beyond the delimbing head may be calculated from signals encoded by the log feed roller mechanism and the measuring wheel. Logs may be cut from the tree by the trimsaw. Two photosensors located at known positions may be used to calculate the total length of the tree.
US07997307B2	Fill nozzle positioning apparatus An apparatus for positioning a fill nozzle includes an elongated fill pipe assembly. An annular seal is operatively connected within the fill pipe assembly and defines a center aperture. The annular seal is sized to seal around the fill nozzle. First and second annular restrictions are provided within the fill pipe assembly. The first and second annular restrictions define first and second apertures that are sized to sufficiently restrict lateral movement of the fill nozzle within the fill pipe assembly to maintain sealing contact of the annular seal around the fill nozzle.
US07997305B2	Drink layering potion machine A drink layering potion machine reliably creates undisturbed air bubble free multiple drink layers. The potion machine includes a flat bottom hollow cylinder, a top with an integral conical pouring cup having a central aperture at its bottom tip. A thin rod passes through the aperture with a small clearance. A second aperture displaced from the first aperture supports thin rod providing wobble free movement. The bottom end of the thin rod carries a float. The drink layering potion machine is placed with a hollow cylinder encircling a glass and stabilizing it from tilting. The float rests on the liquor in the interior of the glass as liquor is poured into the conical pouring cup. The liquor runs down at a slow volumetric rate through the small clearance, down the thin rod, over the float external surface into the glass forming layered undisturbed drink free from air bubble entrapment.
US07997299B2	Structure of bubble prevention buffer tank of fuel cell vehicle A structure of a bubble prevention buffer tank of a fuel cell vehicle is provided that comprises at least one mesh and at least one lattice inside the buffer tank so as to remove air bubbles inside the buffer tank by breaking the air bubbles.
US07997298B2	Device for regulation of a concentration for a product in a liquid Device for the regulation of the concentration of a product in a liquid and, most specifically, of an alcohol used in the composition of a varnish contained in a varnishing vat for optical glasses or other substrates. The vat comprises an overflow tray and a sealed alcohol reservoir. The reservoir is installed higher than the overflow tray so that when level of the varnish in the overflow tray drops sufficiently low, an air bubble is created that rises to the alcohol reservoir, thus creating additional pressure in the alcohol reservoir and forcing a drop of alcohol into the overflow tray until the level of the varnish in the overflow tray recovers its normal level above the junction point between the second pipe and the overflow tray.
US07997292B2	Portable structure with linking pole A portable structure includes first and second support poles, each having one lower end for resting on a ground surface. First and second connectors attach at upper ends of the first and second support poles, respectively and two or more linking poles connect the first support pole with the second support pole via the first and second connectors. The linking poles form obtuse angles with the first and second support poles at the first and second connectors. The linking poles form an eye shape between the first and second support poles when joined with the connectors.
US07997291B2	Portable hunting chair and blind A hunting chair with a hunting blind attachment that encircles the chair is disclosed, as well as an attachable camouflage roof covering, all of which may be folded and disassembled in such a way that it fits into a self-contained pack that may be carried on a hunter's back. The chair includes an adjustable, pivoting backrest, a pivoting gun rest with telescoping legs for height adjustment, folding legs, a pouch to contain the disassembled elements, and shoulder straps for carrying the apparatus. In its disassembled state, the roof poles, roof fabric, and blind fabric are packed into a pouch on the back side of the backrest, and the chair is folded into a carrying position. Detachable shoulder straps may be attached to the underside of the seat section, so that the entire chair and blind combination may be carried on a hunter's back into the field.
US07997282B2	Cigarette filter with beaded carbon A smoking article such as a cigarette comprises a tobacco rod and a filter component having a cavity filled with spherical beaded carbon. As mainstream tobacco smoke is drawn through the filter component, targeted gas phase smoke constituents are removed as the smoke passes through the carbon. During the filter manufacturing process the spherical beaded carbon flows like a liquid and substantially completely fills the cavity. Point-to-point contact between the spherical beads together with substantially complete filling of the cavity produces minimal channeling of ambulatory gas phase as well as maximum contact between the gas phase and the carbon surface of the spherical beads during smoking.
US07997278B2	Precision ablating method Methods of ablating tissue in an alimentary tract are provided. The methods include advancing an ablation structure into an alimentary tract while supporting the ablation structure with an endoscope. The methods further include a step of moving at least part of the ablation structure with respect to the endoscope and toward a tissue surface, before activating the ablation structure to ablate a tissue surface.
US07997275B2	Cough catcher with protection against germ transmission by hand contact In order to prevent tainting of a cougher's hand with germs, the product from a cough is carried in contact with a germicide inside a hollow article, and is vented out of the hollow article, in directions away from the user's face and hand holding the article. More specifically, the cough catcher has a hollow region for accepting the product from a cough therein. This hollow region has a filter element containing a germicide mounted therein, and a series of channels formed between the filter element and a bottom surface of the hollow region. The channels communicate with vent ports around a rim portion of the cough catcher. The vent ports are oriented away from both the mouth opening and the outside surface of the cough catcher for conveying the product from a cough away from both the face and the hand of a user.
US07997274B2	Laryngeal mask A device for maintaining an airway in a patient. This device includes a mask having a resilient conformable peripheral portion that is shaped such that the mask forms a seal with the larynx when the mask is positioned in the laryngo pharynx to thereby prevent ingress of extraneous fluids into the larynx. The peripheral portion of the mask define at least one cavity for providing fluid communication to the esophagus when the mask is inserted into the laryngo pharynx. An airway tube is connected to or formed with the mask for passing gas to the larynx when the mask is properly inserted into the laryngo pharynx. The airway tube preferably is curved as it leaves the mask.
US07997268B1	Veterinary anesthesia monitor system A veterinary anesthesia monitor system useful in establishing, maintaining, and reporting upon the anesthesia gas mixture delivered to or exhaled by a patient.
US07997264B2	Inflatable heliostatic solar power collector Increased utilization of solar power is highly desirable as solar power is a readily available renewable resource with power potential far exceeding total global needs; and as solar power does not contribute to pollutants associated with fossil fuel power, such as unburned hydrocarbons, NOx and carbon dioxide. The present invention provides low-cost inflatable heliostatic solar power collectors, which can be stand-alone units suitable for flexible utilization in small, medium, or utility scale applications. The inflatable heliostatic power collectors use a reflective surface or membrane “sandwiched” between two inflated chambers, and attached solar power receivers which may be of photovoltaic and/or solar thermal types. Modest concentration ratios enable benefits in both reduced cost and increased conversion efficiency, relative to simple prior-art flat plate solar collectors.
US07997257B2	Method and a device for operating a internal combustion engine For operating a internal combustion engine a first characteristic value is determined depending on a distance integral of at least a portion of a control signal of an oxygen sensor control based on control reference signal characteristics across a given time period. Depending on the first characteristic value (KW—1) a quality value (GW—1) is determined. Depending on the quality value (GW1) either the existence or the non existence of an error of the exhaust sensor is detected.
US07997252B2	Engine and exhaust heating for hybrid vehicle A method for controlling a vehicle engine having a plurality of cylinders and an electric motor configured to rotate the engine is provided. The method includes, during engine idling, advancing spark timing of at least one cylinder to substantially before a peak torque timing. The method further includes adjusting motor torque output of the electric motor to maintain engine idle speed.
US07997248B2	Corrosion resistant valve guide The present invention generally relates to a new valve guide for use in an exhaust valve system. Specifically, the invention is related to a valve guide that prevents acidic corrosion between the valve and the valve guide. The valve guide includes a number of contact portions, which engage the channel that is formed in the cylinder head near the exhaust port. The valve guide also includes a recess portion, situated in relation to a water jacket and between the contact portions. The recess portion and contact portions are sized and shaped to maintain the surface temperature of the valve guide to prevent condensation of acidic gases between the valve stem and the valve guide.
US07997244B2	Internal combustion engine An internal combustion engine includes a control shaft, an actuator, and an oil accumulation portion. The control shaft is configured to vary a lift amount of an engine valve in accordance with a rotational position of the control shaft. The actuator is configured to drive the control shaft to make the lift amount of the engine valve to be a start lift amount before the engine is started. The actuator includes a worm wheel and a worm. The worm wheel is provided at the control shaft and is disposed in an engine body. The worm is disposed below the control shaft and engages with the worm wheel. The oil accumulation portion is provided at at least one of the control shaft and the worm wheel and is configured to drop oil onto the worm in accordance with the rotation of the control shaft when the engine is started.
US07997240B1	System including an electromagnetically energized piston motor designed to convert chemical and electrical energy to mechanical energy An energy conversion and free hydrogen producing system including a electromagnetically energized reciprocating piston motor, a plurality of lead acid flow through batteries, each consisting of a plurality of individual flow through lead acid cells, and a hydrogen burning internal combustion engine. With concentrated sulfuric acid as the primary fluid, the electromagnetically energized reciprocation piston motor, and the hydrogen burning internal combustion engine provide a rotational torque output.
US07997236B2	Water heater and a method of operating same A water heater (10) including a tank (12) adapted for mounting with its longitudinal axis substantially vertical and a duct (32) adapted for mounting with its longitudinal axis substantially vertical. The duct (32) is positioned within the tank (12) and extends through at least most of the height of the tank (12). The duct (32) defines a first volume (34) within the duct interior and a second volume (36) between the duct exterior and the tank interior. The first volume (34) being smaller than the second volume (36). The duct (32) has at least one upper opening (38) at or near the top of the duct (32) and at least one lower opening (40) at or near the bottom of the duct (32). The heater (10) also has a heating element (44) within, or forming all or part of, the duct (32). The element (44) extends at least substantially through the upper half of the duct (32). The heater (10) also has an inlet (24) at or near the bottom of the tank (12) and an outlet (22) at or near the top of the tank (12). In use, energising the heater element (44) causes water to flow from the first volume (34) to the second volume (36) through the upper opening(s) (38) and water to flow the second volume (36) to the first volume (34) through the lower opening(s) (40).
US07997234B1	Combined climate-controlled kennel supporting enclosure and carrying kennel and associated method A combined climate-controlled kennel supporting enclosure and carrying kennel for providing a safe and comfortable environment for an animal during transport procedures may include a carrying kennel to safeguard an animal therein and a supporting enclosure. The enclosure may include a body and cavity centrally formed therein. The body further may include a base member to maintain the carrying kennel elevated above a ground surface. A plurality of storage compartments may be housed within an uppermost region of the cavity. Each storage compartment may be independently toggled between open and closed positions while the carrying kennel remains statically nested within the cavity. Further, a mechanism may be included for automatically regulating a real-time internal air temperature level within the cavity. The mechanism may operate such that the real-time internal air temperature level may be constantly maintained within a predetermined and safe temperature range during transport procedures.
US07997233B2	System for demarcating an area A system for demarcating an area comprises a movable demarcating element, and a control system for determining the magnitude and/or the moment of a next move of the movable demarcating element. The system furthermore comprises one or more observation devices for observing an entity near the movable demarcating element, such as a position of a dairy animal or an amount of grass in the area. The observation devices are operatively connected to the control system for transmitting a signal from the observation means to the control system. The control system is designed to receive and process the signal from the observation means to determine the magnitude and/or the moment of the next move of the movable demarcating element.
US07997229B2	Water sprinkler for dogs A water sprinkler specifically designed for exercising and entertaining dogs that is composed of a highly-durable, non-toxic, flexible, plastic, or like material having perforations for water to spray. Dogs entertain themselves in water sprinklers, however, water sprinklers are often not durable and do not withstand dogs biting them. Dogs can also harm themselves by biting sharp material used to manufacture most standard water sprinklers. This invention is a durable rubber or similar material bone water sprinkler that connects to a standard garden water hose. Dogs can pick it up in their mouths to move it around, nip at the spraying water, and chew on the water sprinkler safely. The body of the sprinkler is shaped in a manner that encourages play even without water spraying from the perforations. The water sprinkler for dogs addresses the chewing and biting issue characteristic of dogs when playing with water sprinklers.
US07997221B2	Apparatus for reducing drag on a nautical vessel The invention is an apparatus and method for reducing the drag that a vessel hull experiences when moving through the water by interposing air bubbles between the skin of the hull and the stream of water that the vessel is moving through. The invention delivers compressed air to the bottom of the vessel without the need for a high energy air compressor.
US07997218B2	Soil strip assembly for seed drill row unit An agricultural implement includes a seed drill row unit with an arm and an opener disc assembly rotatably mounted on the row unit arm. A soil strip assembly includes a mounting bracket with a mounting bracket base and first and second bracket arms. Each of the bracket arms has a front end attached to the bracket base and a trailing back end. The base is attached to the row unit arm in front of the opener disc assembly. Each of the mounting bracket arms extends rearwardly from the base along a respective side of the disc assembly. First and second flexible soil strips are attached to the first and second mounting bracket arms respectively and extend downwardly and rearwardly therefrom along either side of the disc assembly.
US07997210B2	Rail car door closer system with wing closers An improved rail car door closer system is provided wherein the movement of a number of appropriately positioned closer wing plates into contact with a number of open rail car hopper doors, is accomplished with hydraulic cylinders and motors. The system incorporates components that direct both the rotation of the wing closers (around a cylindrical frame so as to position the wing closers in and out of position for door closure), and the translation of the wing closers (along the longitudinal cylindrical frame so as to effect the actual closing of the hopper doors). The system is arranged to close more than one door at a time and in the preferred embodiment includes three simultaneously operated door closer wing structures. The heavy duty cylindrical frame incorporates a number of cylindrical outer segments sized to fit around and on the inner cylindrical frame. The segments are directed to rotate and translate on the inner cylindrical frame. Heavy duty coil springs are used to link the movable outer segments, one to the other, and to serve as force dampening structures during operation of the system. A double acting hydraulic cylinder is arranged to direct the translational movement of the closer wings while a low speed hydraulic motor is used to direct their rotational movement. The system may operate manually through the use of a number of hydraulic valves or may be operated semi-automatically through a programmed sequence of closer wing movements.
US07997209B2	Propulsion mechanism There is provided a differential propulsion mechanism including two or more concentric and mutually counter-rotating first wheels (4, 6, 8, 10), mutually reacting and balancing the torque of a motor drive (20) interacting with the wheels. The motor drive has a stator attached to one of the first wheels to power a first wheel over a first track (12, 14, 16, 18), a rotor coupled to a mechanical link, at least indirectly connecting the rotor with a second of the two or more first wheels to power the second wheel over a second track, and a concentric connecting device affixed for coupling a payload thereto or for coupling the mechanism itself to another device.
US07997194B2	Method of printing and decorating packaging materials with electron beam curable inks A method for printing and decorating packaging materials, such as paper, paper board and various flexible polymer films by electron beam exposure of plural layers of curable inks and coatings which do not substantially change viscosity during the printing process. The inks and coating are essentially free of volatile components such as organic solvents, inorganic solvents, water and low molecular weight fractions before, during and after exposure to electron beam irradiation. The method involves applying multiple layers of ink and an optional coating onto a substrate. The ink is an admixture of a colorant, and an unsaturated component such that the inks have a maximum of 10% volatile components. Thereafter these layers are simultaneously exposed with electron beam radiation to cause the ethylenically unsaturated components to polymerize or crosslink such that they become dried.
US07997184B2	Self starting vibrator Briefly, the invention comprises a vibrator with an on-demand start-up system, that inhibits fouling the atmosphere, with one embodiment of the invention including an integral non-fouling start-up system wherein at least one of the bearing surfaces contains a surface adhered lubricant so as to provide an on-demand static start-up system and in another embodiment the on-demand start-up system is a dynamic system that can unbalance the differential forces on the piston therein to ensure that the vibrator will begin vibrating “on-demand”. Thus, two types of start-up systems are available one an on-demand static start-up system and the other an on-demand dynamic start-up system with either of the systems can be used alone or if desired in combination to provide redundant start-up systems.
US07997181B1	Hard component layer for ballistic armor panels A multi-layer ballistic or armor panel system includes a hard component strike layer that is a continuous planar assembly of tile elements, the planar assembly having a strike surface and a rear surface. Seams between the tile elements are substantially non-perpendicular to the strike surface, thereby tending to deflect incoming projectiles. Grooves may be formed in one or more of the strike surface and the rear surface of the tile elements to provide a preferential weakness. The armor panel system may also include a reinforcing layer on at least one of the strike surface and the rear surface. A backing layer may be provided after the rear surface.
US07997178B2	Method for producing propellant charges from a granulated propellant, preferably granulated powder, and propellant charges produced in accordance with the aforementioned method The present invention proposes a novel method for producing powder charges with a high charge density consisting of a granulated powder lying loosely in the charge. In accordance with the invention, the powder is vacuum-packed in airtight pouches made of a combustible and preferably flexible packaging material.
US07997176B2	Table saw throat plates and table saws including the same Throat plates for table saws and table saws including the same are disclosed. In some embodiments, the throat plates and/or saws include at least one securement mechanism adapted to secure and prevent inadvertent removal of the throat plate from the throat of the saw. In some embodiments, at least one of the securement mechanisms also provides a height adjustment mechanism and/or prevents vertical removal of the throat plate. In some embodiments, the throat plate includes an accessory mounting port that provides a portal for accessories, including safety accessories, to extend through the plate from beneath the table of the saw. In some embodiments, the port extends from the plate's outer perimeter to divide the plate's rear end portion into a pair of spaced-apart members. In some embodiments, these members are independently secured to the table saw and retained apart from each other by one or more of the securement mechanisms.
US07997174B2	Osteochondral plug graft trimming device and method A device for trimming an osteochondral plug graft to an implantable configuration includes a blade assembly terminating in a configured leading cutting blade and a plug graft housing comprising a substantially longitudinal holding sleeve having a bore and oriented complementarily to the longitudinal structure of the blade assembly to receive the longitudinal structure within the sleeve bore with the assembly cutting blade in close tolerance along an inner bore surface of the longitudinal housing structure.
US07997159B2	Gear selection assembly with nested differentially rotatable tube The present invention broadly comprises a gear selector assembly including a tube with at least one engagement feature, arranged to be disposed within a drive shaft for a transmission, the transmission including at least one gear and the drive shaft including at least one gear actuation assembly; and a differential rotation element coupled with the tube and arranged to be coupled with the drive shaft so that the tube is differentially rotatable with respect to the drive shaft. The tube is arranged to differentially rotate such that the engagement feature engages the actuation assembly and the transmission engages a respective gear from the at least one gear. The assembly includes a means for displacing a portion of the differential rotation element such that the tube axially and rotationally displaces with respect to the drive shaft. The portion axially and rotationally engages with an interface element to controllably position the tube.
US07997156B1	F.O.G. sample port A F.O.G. water sampling apparatus includes a housing having an inlet, an outlet, a floor that slopes downward from the inlet to the outlet and an open top. A first insert placed in the housing for normal operation includes a pipe having end flanges making a friction fit within the housing and connecting the inlet and outlet and spanning above the housing floor. A second, substitute insert to receive a F.O.G. sampling jar has a floor that slopes downward from the inlet to the outlet and at the floor of the housing.
US07997155B2	Load sensor A load sensor includes a base substrate having two holes as two fixing portions to a frame member as a detection object, a pair of strain detecting elements provided on a surface of the base substrate, and input-output terminals provided on the surface of the base substrate. The strain detecting elements are arranged in a region that is between the holes and is opposite the input-output terminals with respect to at least one of the holes.
US07997139B2	Guided wave pipeline inspection system and method with enhanced natural focusing techniques A method for the nondestructive inspecting of coated or uncoated pipeline, using ultrasonic guided waves excited on the outer or inner pipe surface, wherein at least one or more transducers are individually or simultaneously excited to generate ultrasound, wherein multiple received signals with different focal spot positions are processed and combined to produce a reduced number of final waveforms that show defect axial positions in the pipe, wherein a data calibration scheme is utilized to adjust velocity variability for all the guided wave modes at different frequencies, and wherein the hardware arrangement has at least one pulser channel and one receiver channel for the collection and storage of signals.
US07997132B2	Capacitive sensor assembly for determining relative position A capacitive sensor assembly for detecting relative movement or position between objects, such as liquid level in a tank or reservoir, movement of one machine component with respect to another, and so on, includes one or more antenna probes connected to an integrated chip normally associated with touch-screen displays. Each antenna probe operates independently and may be formed as insulated conductive wires or conductive traces between layers of a stiff or flexible substrate, such as a PCB, with the substrate material serving as the insulating layers. Each antenna probe has a different length representing different measurement positions or locations between the objects being measured to provide dynamic calibration of the measurement under changing environmental conditions.
US07997130B1	System and method for measuring deformation of an object in a fluid tunnel A monitoring system for monitoring a test article includes a scanning system and a computer system. The test article may be positioned within a fluid tunnel. The scanning system may be configured to scan the test article and record positional data of at least one point on an article surface of the test article. The computer system is in communication with the scanning system for receiving the positional data and being operative to determine at least one of the following: a position of the test article, an attitude of the test article, and deformation of the article surface.
US07997129B2	Device and method for generating reference geometric data for tire inspection A split mold for vulcanizing a tire is held at a mold holding section, which is held on a rotatable base, and then a measuring section measures distances to an inner surface of the split mold in the inside diameter direction and in the axial direction. An operating section acquires two-dimensional geometric data of the inner surface of the split mold from the distances measured above, and further acquires geometric data over the entire circumference by rotating the rotatable base, and the data are combined to acquire three-dimensional geometric data of the inner surface of the split mold and make reference geometric data for tire inspection.
US07997123B2	Nanotipped device and method A dispensing device has a cantilever comprising a plurality of thin films arranged relative to one another to define a microchannel in the cantilever and to define at least portions of a dispensing microtip proximate an end of the cantilever and communicated to the microchannel to receive material therefrom. The microchannel is communicated to a reservoir that supplies material to the microchannel. One or more reservoir-fed cantilevers may be formed on a semiconductor chip substrate. A sealing layer preferably is disposed on one of the first and second thin films and overlies outermost edges of the first and second thin films to seal the outermost edges against material leakage. Each cantilever includes an actuator, such as for example a piezoelectric actuator, to impart bending motion thereto. The microtip includes a pointed pyramidal or conical shaped microtip body and an annular shell spaced about the pointed microtip body to define a material-dispensing annulus thereabout. The working microtip may be used to dispense material onto a substrate, to probe a surface in scanning probe microscopy, to apply an electrical stimulus or record an electrical response on a surface in the presence of a local environment created around the tip by the material dispensed from the tip or to achieve other functions.
US07997118B2	Scrub testing devices and methods The invention provides, in one embodiment, a device for performing scrub testing on a plurality of samples simultaneously, including a plurality of scrubbing devices. A stage is provided which positions the plurality of samples in contact with the plurality of scrubbing devices. The scrubbing devices can individually be provided with different weights to produce different forces on the samples. A motion producing device produces one or both of linear and rotational motion between the brushes and the samples. The scrubbing devices are held in the stage so as move freely vertically.
US07997113B2	System and method for hemming components A hemming system and method is taught. The system and method employs tool platen assemblies comprising an anvil and one or more beam assemblies which are configured on the tool platen assembly and which tool platen assembly can be removed and replaced in the hemming system without the need for reconfiguration of the tool platen components. This allows for relatively rapid change over for the hemming system to hem different components. Further, the lift table of the hemming system includes a lift plate which moves the anvil through a predefined constant vertical stroke, but the start and end positions of that constant stroke length can be changed by inserting and removing a set of spacers from the anvil lift path. When the spacers are in the lift path, the lowered position and the raised position of the anvil are both higher than the corresponding lowered position and raised position when the spacers are removed from the lift path. The beam assemblies on the tool platen assembly include mounting surfaces to which both the preliminary hemming beam and the final hemming beams are mounted, one above the other, and the beam assemblies operate to move the hemming beams between a retracted position and a hemming position. The lift table design, and the beam assemblies, combine to provide relatively fast cycle times for complete hemming operations.
US07997105B2	Push-position indicator for appliance door A push-push appliance door, e.g., for a front-load automatic laundry washer, includes a peripheral frame having a first cut-out configured to receive a push-position indicator member that designates a push-position for opening the door. The frame may include a second cut-out located on an opposite side of the frame from the first cut-out. The door may further include a cut-out filler piece. The first and second cut-outs may be configured to interchangeably and interlockingly receive the indicator member and the cut-out filler piece, to thereby allow the indicator member to be properly positioned in relation to a selection of a hinge/latch location.
US07997104B2	Laundry drum A laundry drum comprises a drum having a cylindrical band (2), at least two rows of receptacles (4) defined on the cylindrical band (2), said receptacles (4) arranged in a staggered sequence along a central line (6) therebetween; and at least one paddle (3) fastened to the cylindrical band (2) on an inside of said drum by means of two corresponding rows of elastic clips (5) extended from the paddle (5) and being held in said receptacles (4). Such arrangement of the receptacles (4) provide a possible larger area a long the peripheral direction of the receptacles to distribute the stresses formed when the drum spins at a high speed in operation of washing, rinsing or the like.
US07997099B2	Method and system for use with a consumable beverage A system for use with a consumable beverage.
US07997098B2	Adsorption heat exchanger with varying adsorbent An adsorption heat exchanger (20) is constituted by a fin-and-tube heat exchanger. In the adsorption heat exchanger (20), a first tube column (41), a second tube column (42) and a third tube column (43) are formed in order from upstream to downstream in air flow. The adsorption heat exchanger (20) is formed of a first column part (21) including the first tube column (41), a second column part (22) including the second tube column (42) and a third column part (23) including the third tube column (43). In the adsorption heat exchanger (20), a first adsorption layer (36) is formed on the fins (30) in the first column part (21), a second adsorption layer (37) is formed on the fins (30) in the second column part (22) and a third adsorption layer (38) is formed on the fins (30) in the third column part (23). The amount of adsorbent contained in each adsorption layer increases in order of the first adsorption layer (36), the second adsorption layer (37) and the third adsorption layer (38).
US07997097B2	Air conditioner An air conditioner according to an embodiment of the invention includes a refrigerator cycle unit having a variable speed compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger, a decompression device, an indoor heat exchanger, and an accumulator sequentially connected to one another, a bypass pipe that connects the discharge side of the compressor and an outlet of the accumulator and has a two-way valve in the middle thereof, a discharge temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the compressor, and a controller that opens or closes the two-way valve, and limits the number of rotations of the compressor to a predetermined value or less, on the basis of the temperature detected by the discharge temperature sensor when the compressor starts.
US07997089B2	Method and apparatus for regeneration water Ice condensed in a portion in a case in which a cryogenic refrigerator is installed, which is cooled by the cryogenic refrigerator, is melted by increasing a temperature of the ice to a melting point of the ice or higher. Then, while the temperature of the melted ice and a pressure thereof are kept to be equal to or higher than a freezing point of water, the pressure is reduced by rough evacuation so as to vaporize water. At a time at which the water is discharged, the pressure is further reduced so as to discharge water vapor. In this manner, regeneration of water is performed in accordance with a state of the water (i.e., a solid state, a liquid state, and a gas state), thereby shortening a regeneration time.
US07997088B2	Hybrid spool valve for multi-port pulse tube The problems of reducing the torque required to turn the valve, eliminating wear dust, and extending the life of the valves in Gifford McMahon (G-M) type multi-port pulse tube refrigerators are solved by using a rotary spool valve having radial clearance to control flow to and from the regenerator, and using face seal ports on the end of the spool to control flow to and from the pulse tubes.
US07997082B2	Turbine engine arrangement A turbine engine arrangement includes an electrical machine that acts as a generator or motor. During initial start-up, the electrical machine acts as the motor to drive shaft rotation. The arrangement includes a compressor fan that generates an airflow utilized by an air turbine to drive the electrical machine as a generator. A duct directs airflow exhausted from the air turbine to a heat exchanger to exchange heat with a bypass flow from the compressor fan. In such circumstances, the generator can operate substantially independently of a rotational speed of the engine shafts within the core, whilst bled air through the valve acts to cool the electrical machine during initial start-up. A gearbox is provided for matching air turbine rotation with generator requirements whilst also allowing for connection to the primary drive shaft of the core to allow engine start-up or driving of the generator.
US07997075B2	Master cylinder, especially for a controlled brake system A master cylinder 1, especially for a controlled brake system, includes at least one piston 3, 4; 53, 54 displaceable in a housing 2, which is sealed in relation to a pressure chamber 7, 8 by means of a sealing element 5, 6 arranged in an annular groove 23, 24 of the housing 2, said pressure chamber being connectable to an unpressurized supply chamber 11, 12 by means of transverse bores 9, 10; 50, 51 provided in the piston 3, 4; 53, 54. Several recesses 15, 16, 17 are arranged on an inside surface 13, 14; 59, 60 of the piston 3, 4; 53, 54 into which the transverse bores 9, 10; 50, 51 open.
US07997066B2	Method for monitoring the functionality of the heating of a catalytic converter situated in an exhaust system of an internal combustion engine The diagnosis of the heating of a catalytic converter situated in an exhaust system of an internal combustion engine is described. The system includes monitoring the actual ignition angle intervention. A current ignition angle is acquired over a specified time and converted into a torque model used for catalytic converter heating. Using the torque model, a degree of fulfillment of executed catalytic converter heating measures is obtained and an error signal is generated by comparing the obtained degree of fulfillment to a limiting value.
US07997065B2	Device for estimating the load state of a NOx storage catalytic converter A device for estimating the loading state of a NOx storage catalytic converter. The device includes a module for determining the oxygen concentration difference between an oxygen concentration present in the exhaust gas upstream of the NOX storage catalytic converter and an oxygen concentration present in the exhaust gas downstream of the NOX storage catalytic converter, and a controller for estimating the loading state of the NOX storage catalytic converter on the basis of said oxygen concentration difference.
US07997062B2	Dual channel regulated fuel-oil heat exchanger A gas turbine engine includes a fuel-oil heat exchange system in which the fuel is continuously heated by a primary hot oil flow in a primary fuel-oil heat exchanger and the fuel is selectively heated in a secondary fuel-oil heat exchanger by a secondary hot oil flow selectively passing through or bypassing a secondary fuel-oil heat exchanger, controlled by a thermal valve.
US07997054B2	Fiber strand and implantable supporting body having a fiber strand The invention relates to a fiber strand (10) for an implantable supporting body (100) comprising at least two individual fibers (12). The at least two individual fibers (12) are each shorter in their longitudinal extent than the longitudinal extent (14) of the fiber strand, and in their transverse extent they are each thinner than the transverse extent (16) of the fiber strand.
US07997052B2	Stationary compacting, bagging machine Stationary compacting, bagging machine comprising a structure intended to compact sorted or unsorted waste inside bags manufactured in laminated polypropylene adequate for this purpose, in which said equipment can perform high compaction of waste, extracting the liquid arising from compaction and eliminating empty spaces between the different kinds of materials, in such a manner that these bags can be deposited in proper landfills with no leaks into the atmosphere nor contamination of the groundwater.
US07997051B2	Method of folding a sheet of packing material about a group of cigarettes A method of folding a sheet (2) of packing material about a group (3) of cigarettes; the method includes the steps of: bringing a first end wall (8a) of the group (3) of cigarettes into contact with the flat sheet (2) of packing material, so that the major transverse edges (10) of the group (3) of cigarettes are parallel to the long sides of the sheet (2) of packing material; folding the sheet (2) of packing material into a U about the major transverse edges (10) of the first end wall (8a), so that the sheet (2) of packing material partly covers both the major lateral walls (6) of the group (3) of cigarettes; folding the sheet (2) of packing material about the minor transverse edges (10) of the first end wall (8a), so that the sheet (2) of packing material completely covers both the major lateral walls (6) and the minor lateral walls (7), and forms a tubular package having one open end at a second end wall (8b); and folding the sheet (2) of packing material onto the second end wall (8b) to complete the folding of the sheet (2) of packing material about the group (3) of cigarettes.
US07997048B2	Container filling plant, such as a beverage bottling plant, for filling containers with a liquid beverage and for closing filled containers Container filling plant, such as a beverage bottling plant, for filling containers with a liquid beverage and for closing filled containers. The abstract of the disclosure is submitted herewith as required by 37 C.F.R. §1.72(b). As stated in 37 C.F.R. §1.72(b): “A brief abstract of the technical disclosure in the specification must commence on a separate sheet, preferably following the claims, under the heading “Abstract of the Disclosure.” The purpose of the abstract is to enable the Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and gist of the technical disclosure. The abstract shall not be used for interpreting the scope of the claims.” Therefore, any statements made relating to the abstract are not intended to limit the claims in any manner and should not be interpreted as limiting the claims in any manner.
US07997040B2	Door with glass insert and method for assembling the same A door comprising first and second door skins secured to each other to form a cavity therebetween filled with expended foam. Each of the door skins has an opening therethrough for receiving a glass insert and a flange portion. Distal ends of the flange portions of the first and second door skins engage each other in an overlapping relationship by the expansion pressure of the expanded foam. The door further comprises a glazing rim member having a leg portion snap-locked between the flange portions of the first and second door skins. The method for assembling the door comprises the steps of filling the cavity between the door skins with foam material, then inserting the glass insert through the openings in the door skins and mounting the glazing rim member to the first door skin by snap-locking between the flange portions of the first and second door skins.
US07997039B2	Veneer panel A cast veneer wall panel includes a facing panel having at least one design element. The facing panel is made from a cast material. In addition the wall panel includes a backing panel including a series of spaced apertures. The series of spaced apertures receive a portion of the cast material in order to key the facing panel and the backing panel together.
US07997037B2	Integrated window sash with groove for desiccant material An integrated window sash includes a sash frame having a base between first and second sheet supporting surfaces and first and second sheets each having a first surface and an opposite second surface. The marginal edge portions of the first surface of the first sheet are secured to the first supporting surface, and marginal edge portions of the first surface of the second sheet are secured to the second supporting surface. The first surface of the second sheet faces and is spaced from the second surface of the first sheet to provide a compartment therebetween. A desiccating medium carried in a groove, or on the base communicates with the compartment, and the base and the desiccating medium define an interior opening in the sash frame, wherein the first sheet is sized to pass through the interior opening to the first sheet supporting surface without contacting the desiccating medium.
US07997025B1	Algae production and harvesting apparatus A photo-bioreactor module adapted for stacking a plurality of such modules for producing algal bioproducts includes at least an upper and a lower light-transmitting member each having a plurality of openings. The upper and lower light-transmitting members are spaced apart from one another and at least one of the upper and lower light-transmitting members includes at least one light connection terminal for coupling in light from a light source and transmitting the light laterally. A plurality of photobioreactor conduits each extending from respective openings in the upper and lower light-transmitting member define algae containment interior spaces, wherein the plurality of photobioreactor conduits contact the upper and a lower light-transmitting members along areas of contact. The light transmitted laterally by the upper and lower light-transmitting members couples into the plurality of photobioreactor conduits along the areas of contact.
US07997020B2	Gun barrel assembly A firearm having a receiver housing an action-cycling mechanism, a barrel having a muzzle opening on a distal end, a shroud coaxially surrounding at least a portion of the barrel, the shroud having a distal portion extending beyond the muzzle opening defining a shroud front region having a distal end portion, a proximal portion extending proximally from the muzzle opening defining an annular region between the barrel and shroud, a front wall disposed at the distal end portion of the shroud, the front wall having an opening to allow passage of a projectile fired from the gun barrel, a firewall disposed in the annular region of the proximal portion of the shroud, the firewall moveable relative to the gun barrel between a forward, at-rest position, and a rearward, compressed position, the firewall mechanically engaged with the action cycling mechanism, and heat-dissipating fins in the annular region extending longitudinally along, and radially outward from, the gun barrel to the shroud, the fins defining channels, the firewall disposed in at least one of the channels. Gases generated during a fire compress the firewall rearward to operate the cycling mechanism.
US07997012B2	Article of footwear with a perforated midsole An article of footwear is disclosed that includes an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper. The sole structure includes a midsole element, an upper sheet, and a lower sheet. The midsole element has an upper surface and an opposite lower surface. In addition, the midsole element defines a plurality of bores extending from the upper surface to the lower surface. The upper sheet is secured to the upper surface and extends over at least a portion of the bores. The lower sheet is secured to the lower surface, and the lower sheet is positioned to correspond in location with the upper sheet and extend under the portion of the bores.
US07997007B2	Stimulus training system and apparatus to effectuate therapeutic treatment The invention provides a compactly contained multiple-component sensing device for detecting toe-walking and other physical conditions and providing repetitive positive reinforcement stimuli to correct the same. A comprehensive software system enables therapeutic management of the sensing and stimulus device and easy changes in therapy, stimulus content, stimulus frequency and other factors. A variety of circuit and housing arrangements allow adaptability to manufacture, user, and treatment professional demands.
US07997005B2	Antenna and blower system to remove precipitation from the antenna A blower system to remove precipitation from an antenna may include a blower air plenum extending substantially completely along one side of the antenna. A vent is in communication with the blower air plenum and extends substantially completely along the one side of the antenna to direct an airstream across a surface of the antenna to remove precipitation from the antenna. The vent may include a contour to conform to a contour of the one side of the antenna. The blower system may also include an air compressor to force air into the blower air plenum and out the vent to form the airstream flowing across the surface of the antenna.
US07996992B2	Methods for mounting one or more ropes on a rope pulley A method for mounting one or more ropes on a rope pulley includes fitting a first end of the one or more ropes into one or more corresponding rope grooves of the rope pulley, attaching a rope holder to the rope pulley to press the first end of the one or more ropes into the one or more corresponding rope grooves of the rope pulley, and winding the one or more ropes at least partially around the rope pulley by rotating the rope pulley.
US07996991B2	Method for manufacturing liquid jet head A method for manufacturing a liquid jet head is provided, which includes: a preparation step of preparing a substrate array which is provided with a first substrate having formed therein a first flow path, a second substrate bonded to one side of the first substrate and having formed therein a second flow path, and a separation layer partitioning the first flow path and the second flow path; a sealing step of sealing the first flow path by adhering a sealing film onto a side of the first substrate opposite to the second substrate using an adhesive layer; and a removal step of removing the separation layer after the sealing step is performed, wherein in the removal step, the separation layer is removed in a state in which an internal pressure of the first flow path is lower than an external pressure.
US07996985B2	Method of making a relay A method of making a relay includes: preparing a relay core member; coupling first, second and third terminals to the relay core member by moving the same horizontally relative to the relay core member such that terminal portions of the first, second and third terminals enter notches formed in the relay core member in a horizontal direction; and enclosing the relay core member, the first terminal, the second terminal, and the third terminal within a housing, and sealing the housing with resin.
US07996982B2	Method of making feedthroughs for electrical connectors A method (10) of forming an electrically conducting feedthrough. The method (10) comprises a first step (11) of forming an electrically conductive structure (21) comprising a sacrificial component and a non-sacrificial component. At least a portion of the non-sacrificial component can then be coated with a relatively electrically insulating material (35) prior to removal of at least a portion of the sacrificial component from the electrically conductive structure. The structure of the feedthrough provides electrical connection through the wall of a housing of an implantable component while preventing unwanted transfer of materials between the interior of the component and the surrounding environment.
US07996978B2	Retrogression heat treatment A method for producing a product includes the steps of taking heated and cooled extrusion, preferably aluminum, and reheating a selected area of the extrusion. There is the step of requenching the extrusion. There is the step of forming the reheated area into a desired shape. A method for producing a ladder.
US07996976B2	Retaining stent A medical device for use within a body of a patient includes at least two retention members located at a first end of an elongated section of the medical device. The retention members are adapted to limit longitudinal movement of the elongated section when the medical device is placed within the body of a patient. The elongated section can define a passage and at least one opening in communication with the passage to facilitate passing fluid.
US07996969B2	Method for adjusting capacitance value of built-in capacitor in multilayer ceramic substrate, and method for manufacturing a multilayer ceramic substrate In a multilayer ceramic substrate having a built-in capacitor provided in a ceramic laminate including a plurality of ceramic layers laminated to each other, the built-in capacitor being formed of a first capacitor electrode, a second capacitor electrode, and one of the dielectric glass ceramic layers, the capacitance value of the built-in capacitor is adjusted by performing laser trimming of the first capacitor electrode. The one dielectric glass ceramic layer is made of a TiO2-based dielectric glass ceramic layer in which the amount of dielectric grains including TiO2 is about 10 percent to about 35 percent by volume.
US07996967B2	System for variable-angle cutting of a suture to create tissue retainers of a desired shape and size A system for manufacturing a self-retaining suture is disclosed. The system includes a cutting bed which supports the suture during cutting. A cutting device makes cuts in the suture thread having a preselected geometry. A cutting arm is articulated to allow change of the angle of the cutting device during cutting. The change in the angle of the cutting device is used to control the depth of cut and/or elevate a tissue-retainer away from the suture to better engage tissue.
US07996965B2	Sheet or film clipping stretcher A clip 20 is provided on a clip support member 30, and one end of a main link member 53 and one end of a sub-link member 54 are pivotally connected to a first shaft member 51 at the clip 20 side of the clip support member 30 to constitute a reference linkage at the clip 20 side.
US07996964B2	Buckle device A buckle device for a motor vehicle is provided. The buckle device comprising a locking tongue for inserting into a buckle and a deflecting body connected to the locking tongue, which is configured to subdivide a safety belt into a shoulder portion and a lap portion and to deflect said safety belt such that the two portions extend away from the deflecting body in different directions. The deflecting body is connected to the locking tongue via at least one elongate element, which is at least partially wound around the deflecting body.
US07996960B2	Hinge for doors or windows A hinge for doors or windows, comprising a hinge-pin (26) defining an axis of rotation (28), a first hinge element (22) and a second hinge element (24), which are articulated to one another about said axis (28) via said pin (26), the hinge including a reinforcement kit comprising an extension element (32) that can be applied by shape fit to an end of the pin (26), and a third hinge element (30) connectable to the first hinge element (22) in a pre-set position and having a hole (82) that can be engaged by said extension element (32) of the pin (26).
US07996939B2	Electro-hydraulically powered lift ambulance cot A collapsible hydraulically operated ambulance cot having a support frame, a wheeled base, a support mechanism disposed therebetween, and a lift system for hydraulically moving the upper frame relative to the lower frame is disclosed. The lift system permits a single attendant to raise the cot from a lowered position to a raised position, and an infinite number of positions therebetween, and to raise the wheeled base relative to the support frame to situate the cot onto an elevated surface such as the transport deck of an ambulance. A manual override is also provided to conserve battery power and as a back-up in no-power situations. It is to be appreciated that the above described manual override mode may be used when raising or lowering the cot without power assist, dropping the undercarriage when unloading from a vehicle, and lifting the undercarriage when loading into a vehicle.
US07996938B1	Bed cover lift The lift is attachable to a foot end of a bed beneath a mattress. Elongate arms extend up from a base portion of the lift. Sheets or other bed covers are supported above an upper end of the elongate arms to define a clearance space beneath the upper ends of the elongate arms. The elongate arms are preferably provided as a pair of first arms and a pair of second arms which can be moved from a lowered position to a raised position by action of a driver. When the arms are raised the clearance space keeps the bed covers off of feet of a user resting on the bed.
US07996936B2	Operational schemes for climate controlled beds A climate controlled seat, bed or other assembly configured to receive a person includes a blower and two or more thermoelectric devices or other conditioning fluid modules. According to one embodiment of an operational scheme, a control system for the seat or bed is configured to continuously discharge air from the blower through the thermoelectric devices. In one arrangement, the thermoelectric devices are sequenced between an activated and a deactivated position. Consequently, the desired cooling and/or cooling effect can be maintained while reducing energy consumption of the climate control system.
US07996932B2	Spa wall mounted water jet neck and shoulder massager A spa wall mounted head rest directs a curved sheet of water against a user's neck and shoulders. The head rest is fed by two laterally spaced apart water flows and includes an internal manifold to uniformly direct the flows across a curved outlet. The resulting curved flow is uniformly directed against the user's neck and shoulders. The head rest has a curved back to allow mounting in a corner of the spa wall and includes an easily removable and replaceable head rest cover allowing easy maintenance.
US07996927B2	Discharge valve for a flushing cistern The discharge valve has a valve housing (14) which has an outlet opening with a valve seat (16) and also a closure body (12). A two-quantity actuator (4) has a connecting rod (10) which is connected to the closure body (12) and by means of which the closure body (12) can optionally be raised by different displacement distances. A top activatable partial-quantity float (13) is provided for partial flushing and a bottom, full-quantity float (20), which is mounted in a pivotable manner on the valve housing (14), is provided for full flushing. The full-quantity float (20) has a blocking element (22) which, once partial flushing has been triggered, engages with the closure body (12) and blocks the latter against further displacement. This prevents the situation where, once partial flushing has been triggered, the closure body (12) is raised further and full flushing takes place.
US07996926B2	Apparatus for male child urination A foldable, hanging urinal includes a back surface, hooks and a receptacle. The foldable hanging urinal is made from cardboards stock and folds flat for transportation, inventory and disposal. Hooks on the back of the foldable hanging urinal fold out for hanging the foldable hanging urinal on a toilet fixture. The receptacle folds out to form a cup to accept urine.
US08001614B2	System and method for making encrypted content available to derivable related parties A new system and method have been invented to allow a sender/author/user who wishes to send e-mail or a calendar meeting document to someone and make it available to her or his assistant or manager without the need of the sender/author/user finding out who the assistant or manager is. That is, the system and method of the present invention allows the sender/author/user to choose a select number of recipients or even the role who are able to decrypt the email/attached document. Further, the new system and method provides a sender/author/user to choose which level of authority each user or user role.
US08001611B2	System and method for ensuring security with multiple authentication schemes System for authenticating a user for logon to a content manager running on top of a database manager. A connect procedure connects the user to a database manager; and then a logon procedure logs on the user to the content manager selectively responsive to the user connecting to the database manager; the user being authenticated by a third party by way of a user exit or a trusted logon environment and privilege; or the user being authenticated by the content manager.
US08001606B1	Malware detection using a white list A reputation server is coupled to multiple clients via a network. A security module at a client identifies an application and determines whether it is on a white list. If the application is not on the white list, the security module monitors the application using a strict set of signatures. If the application is on the white list, the security module monitors the application using a relaxed set of signatures. The relaxed set of signatures can exclude legitimate characteristics possessed by the application as specified by the white list. The security module evaluates whether the application is malicious based at least in part on whether it possesses suspicious characteristics described by the signatures. The reputation server receives reports from clients identifying applications and describing characteristics possessed by the applications and uses the reports to generate the white list.
US08001605B2	Method and system for detecting a communication problem in a computer network A computer in a network runs a verification procedure in which it sends data packets to another computer in the network. Some or all of the data packets contain, either individually or collectively, a secret piece of information, such as a secret code. The computer then makes a determination regarding the network links between it and the other computer. If, for example, the other computer is able to respond by providing the secret piece of information back, then the computer sending the data packets concludes that the devices along the network links en route to the other computer are properly forwarding data packets.
US08001604B2	Method and apparatus for masking child user authorizations from adverse use against a parent user The present invention provides a computer implemented method, data processing system, and computer program product to protect a first user from authorization limitation by a second user. The computer may receive an authorization command from the second user, wherein the authorization command targets the first user, and the second user is at least partially authorized to operate the authorization command. The computer determines that the first user is an ancestor user of the second user. In addition, the computer, responsive to a determination that the first user is an ancestor user of the second user, prevents operation of code of the authorization command to change an authorization of the first user.
US08001603B1	Variable scan of files based on file context The file context of a target file to be scanned is determined and the scan level for the file context is determined. Generally, the security risk for each file context is assessed, and the scan level appropriate for the security risk is associated with the file context. The target file is scanned at the scan level. Accordingly, a target file having a file context indicating that the file is a high security risk is scanned at a high scan level, i.e., is subject to a maximum-security scan. In this manner, high-level security is maintained. Conversely, a target file having a file context indicating that the file is a low security risk is scanned at a low scan level, i.e., is subject to a minimum-security scan or no scan at all. In this manner, high security is maintained while at the same time maximum performance is achieved.
US08001602B2	Data scan mechanism Methods and devices for scanning an incoming datastream for a plurality of target patterns. The scanning system receives an incoming data stream and stores the stream as sequential symbols in a register array. Previously received symbols are shifted in the array as incoming symbols are shifted in. A trigger stage computes a hash value based on the k most recently received symbols. The trigger stage then uses the hash value to determine whether a more detailed symbol by symbol comparison is required between a group of sequential symbols stored in the array and a target pattern stored in external storage. This is done by comparing the hash value with the indices of the target patterns in the external storage. If the more detailed comparison is indicated, a full comparison stage retrieves the relevant target pattern and compares the target pattern with the sequentially stored symbols in the array. To improve the determination of whether the detailed comparison is required, a confidence stage may be placed between the trigger stage and the full comparison stage. The confidence stage computes a hashing function value based on c sequential symbols in the array with c≧k. The hashing function value is then used to determine whether the more time consuming symbol by symbol comparison is needed.
US08001601B2	Method and apparatus for large-scale automated distributed denial of service attack detection A multi-staged framework for detecting and diagnosing Denial of Service attacks is disclosed in which a low-cost anomaly detection mechanism is first used to collect coarse data, such as may be obtained from Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) data flows. Such data is analyzed to detect volume anomalies that could possibly be indicative of a DDoS attack. If such an anomaly is suspected, incident reports are then generated and used to trigger the collection and analysis of fine grained data, such as that available in Netflow data flows. Both types of collection and analysis are illustratively conducted at edge routers within the service provider network that interface customers and customer networks to the service provider. Once records of the more detailed information have been retrieved, they are examined to determine whether the anomaly represents a distributed denial of service attack, at which point an alarm is generated.
US08001600B2	Centralized data transformation A method of facilitating transformation of survey data from being in at least one foreign format used by a survey-tool to being in a desired format may include: receiving instances of foreign data from survey-tools, the foreign data being in foreign format used by the survey-tools, respectively; and appending, to the instances of foreign data, service-keys to identify the service tools which gathered the foreign data, respectively, to produce a data block that includes key-and-foreign-data pairs. Another such method may include: receiving such a data block; culling from the block key-and-foreign-data pairs; and operating upon the pairs to transform respective chunks of foreign data from being in respective foreign formats into being in corresponding desired formats according to corresponding service-keys, respectively.
US08001598B1	Use of geo-location data for spam detection Computer implemented methods, apparatus, and computer-readable media for detecting suspected spam in e-mail (24) originating from a sending computer (21). A method embodiment comprises the steps of determining (11) the actual IP address (23) of the sending computer (21); converting (12) the actual IP address (23) into geo-location data; and, using the geo-location data, ascertaining (13) whether the e-mail (24) contains suspected spam.
US08001594B2	Monitoring computer network security enforcement Methods and systems are disclosed for monitoring activity of a user on a network component, such as an end user computer, in a virtual private network for adherence to a security enforcement provision or policy utilized in the virtual private network. A method of determining whether a security provision in a computer network has been violated is described. It is determined whether the network component has violated, modified or circumvented a security enforcement provision of the computer network. If the detection is affirmative, the network component, such as an end user system, is modified in a manner in which the computer network operates at a level appropriate to the degree of the violation, modification, or circumvention of the security enforcement provision. If instructed to do so, a third party operating the virtual private network is notified of the violation and access to the network by the network component is restricted or terminated. A security enforcement distributed system consists of an agent module on the end user computer and a collector module for receiving data from the agent on a security server computer coupled to a data repository. Also on the security serer are a policy inspector for checking compliance with a security provision and a notifier and access control module for informing the network operator of a violation and restricting access by the end user system to the security server.
US08001588B2	Secure single sign-on authentication between WSRP consumers and producers One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates secure single sign-on (SSO) authentication for web-services communications. During operation, the system receives a Web Services for Remote Portlet (WSRP) request from a WSRP consumer and also receives a digital signature associated with the WSRP request. The system then validates the digital signature and authenticates a user based on the validation, thereby allowing the user to sign on without providing a password.
US08001587B2	Methods and systems for imaging device credential management Embodiments of the present invention comprise systems, methods and devices for eliminating multiple submission of user credential data in a system with multiple distinct restricted sub-systems wherein a unique credential is required for each sub-system.
US08001582B2	Cross-network reputation for online services A reputation server associates feedback from previous network transactions with an account of a user in a network. A reputation score for the user is calculated based on the feedback to indicate the probability the user will abuse the network. When an online service receives a request to perform a transaction from the user, the online service performs the transaction based on the user's reputation score. Additionally, a server generates a reputation packet including the reputation score for a user for use by an online service when the user requests the online service to perform a transaction. The online service may authenticate the reputation packet with the server and, if the reputation packet is authenticated, the online service performs the transaction based on the user's reputation score.
US08001576B2	Information providing system, information processing apparatus and information processing method for transmitting sound and image data Disclosed is an information providing system which comprises: an information providing apparatus with elements for receiving a TV program, generating image data and sound data representing a received TV program, and transmitting the image data and sound data; and an information processing apparatus with connecting information set to specify whether or not to establish connection with the information providing apparatus, and a storing element for storing the name of the information providing apparatus. If the connecting information is judged set to establish connection, then the information processing apparatus establishes connection with the information providing apparatus based on the stored name of the latter, so that the image data and sound data are received by the information processing apparatus from the information providing apparatus.
US08001569B2	Identifying ancillary information associated with an audio/video program A system communicates video information including television content associated with a plurality of channels and ancillary information. Information may be transmitted with the ancillary information that is indicative of the type of content included in the ancillary information. This provides the user, in one embodiment of the present invention, with a visual indication of the type of information that accompanies television content. This helps the user to decide whether the user wishes to view the ancillary information and provides the opportunity to select that enhancement for viewing.
US08001568B2	Methods and systems for displaying recommended content alternatives In a content distribution system, in which broadcast content is distributed and provided to a television viewer, a method and apparatus for providing a compact guide display of a plurality of television show or program recommendations, optionally with descriptions, which are available and selectable for viewing by a viewer without interrupting the presently-viewed content.
US08001561B2	System and method for automatically rating video content System and method for automatically rating the content of video media based on video operations performed on a media device and in reference to a plurality of rating rules are provided. Usage of the media device is continuously monitored and user actions with respect to operating the video media on the media device are automatically logged. Each rating rule includes a device usage pattern with respect to operating videos on the media device and a rating action indicating adjustments to content ratings of the videos based upon characteristics described by the device usage pattern that are inferred from the recorded user inputted video control operations. When the device usage pattern of a rating rule is inferred from one or more user actions operating a piece of video media directly on the media device, the content rating of the piece of video media is adjusted based on the rating rule.
US08001560B2	Method for providing subscripton-on-demand services A method for providing subscription-on-demand services for video-on-demand programs within an interactive information distribution system. The method includes associating a plurality of video-on-demand programming packages as a programming bundle and identifying a number of video-on-demand programming packages within the programming bundle that a subscriber has subscribed. When the number of video-on-demand programming packages exceeds a pre-specified number of programming packages, the subscriber is automatically subscribed to all the video-on-demand programming packages in the programming bundle.
US08001558B2	Clamping apparatus for a disc player The present invention relates to a clamping apparatus for a disc player which is able to accurately release a clamper from a turntable while improving miniaturization and thinning. The clamping apparatus for the disc player where the turntable and the clamper clamp a disc by magnetic force comprises a clamper releasing means having a pair of linking mechanisms arranged in symmetrical positions across the axial line of the clamper, and each linking mechanism has a front linking member and a rear linking member with the ability to freely rotate with the frame by centering two rotational axes placed on a single flat surface that is orthogonal to the axial line, and a clamper releasing member which is axially supported at each rotating end of the front linking member and the rear linking member; the mutually opposing ends of both clamper releasing members are moved with a circular trajectory by synchronously rotating the front linking member and the rear linking member, and the ends of both clamper releasing members are engaged to the outer periphery of the clamper, releasing the clamper from the turntable.
US08001551B2	Providing localized resources for client-side script execution The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for providing localized resources for client-side script execution. Embodiments of the invention facilitate providing culturally localized resources for executing client-side scripts at Web browser. In some embodiments, client-side script reference tags refer to a script handler at the Web server (instead of an actual script). The script handler can a return localized resource sets for use with client-side scripts (that include calls to external resources). Accordingly, execution of client-side scripts can be localized in accordance with resources contain in the localized resource set. In other embodiments, a script manager using a generic script reference to identifying an appropriate localized instance of a script. Client-side script reference tags refer to the appropriate localized instance of the script. Accordingly, execution of a Web page can be localized in accordance with the localizations contained in the localized instance of the script.
US08001550B2	Object identifier readers that are configured to automatically send and/or store data read from an object identifier Object identifier readers that are configured to automatically send and/or store data read from an object identifier are disclosed. An exemplary object identifier reader includes a communication port for communicating with a host computing device. The object identifier reader also includes a storage medium. The object identifier reader also includes a processor and memory in electronic communication with the processor. Instructions are stored in the memory. The instructions are executable to implement a method that involves reading an object identifier to obtain data. The data may be stored in the storage medium. Alternatively, or in addition, an attempt may be made to send the data to the host computing device. The method also involves attempting to send stored data in the storage medium to the computing device if the object identifier reader is connected to the host computing device.
US08001549B2	Multithreaded computer system and multithread execution control method A multithreaded computer system of the present invention includes a plurality of processor elements (PEs) and a parallel processor controller which switches threads in each PE. The parallel processor controller includes a plurality of execution order registers which hold, for each processor element, an execution order of threads to be executed; a plurality of counters which count an execution time for a thread that is being executed by each processor element and generate a timeout signal when the counted time reaches a limit assigned to the thread; and a thread execution scheduler which switches the thread that is being executed to the thread to be executed by each processor element based on an execution order held in the execution order register and the timeout signal.
US08001544B2	Method and storage medium for virtualization of device self-description information using in-transit modification A method for changing self-description data of a functional device in a computing system. The method may include virtualizing the functional device to create a virtual functional device, and adding, changing, or removing information in the self-description information sent from a functional device as a part of virtualization of the device by a hypervisor. Changing the self-description data of the functional device occurs after the self-description data has left the functional device.
US08001542B2	Self-installing software components for network service execution A system and method for providing self-installing software components for network service execution is presented. A basic communication framework is established with a service host system executing a network service software component to provide a network service. Availability of the network service software component is determined and prerequisites against a runtime environment are verified through the service host system. A code bundle providing the network service software component through the service host system logically grouped with installation instructions for the network service software component is executed.
US08001538B2	Software accessible cache metadata Various technologies and techniques are disclosed for providing software accessible metadata on a cache of a central processing unit. The metadata can include at least some bits for each virtual address, at least some bits for each cache line, and at least some bits for the cache overall. An instruction set architecture on the central processing unit is provided that includes additional instructions for interacting with the metadata. New side effects that are introduced into an operation of the central processing unit by a presence of the metadata and the additional instructions. The metadata can be accessed by at least one software program to facilitate an operation of the software program.
US08001536B2	Generic framework for runtime interception and execution control of interpreted languages A system and method for controlling execution of an interpreted language. Statements of the interpreted language to be executed by a script engine are intercepted by a protection module and control is passed to a script helper module that is associated with the script engine. The script helper module establishes a secure communications channel with an authorization component and passes the statements and an authorization request to the authorization component. The authorization component sends a reply to the script helper module which either permits the script engine to execute the statement or cancels the attempted execution. When the script engine is loaded, a list is updated identifying the script engine. If a script helper module is not present for the loaded script engine, a boot-strap loader is called to load the script helper module. A special information block contains data as to the location of the interception points.
US08001519B2	Model driven development including aspect integration tool The present invention discloses a software development tool that includes a model development interface, an aspect design tool, and a model transformation engine. The model development interface can permit a developer to graphically design at least one software model. The aspect design tool for the model development interface can be configured to permit a user to specify at least one aspect to be applied to a model of the model development interface. The model transformation engine can transform a model of the model development interface having at least one aspect defined via the aspect design tool into automatically generated aspect code integrated with base language code.
US08001517B2	Layout design method of semiconductor integrated circuit cell to adjust distances inside cell between diffusion layers and borders of cell A semiconductor integrated circuit includes multiple cells each containing transistors. The transistors include a gate and diffusion layers. The multiple cells are adjacently formed in a first direction perpendicular to the gate. The distance between the cell border and the adjacent and corresponding diffusion layer, the first direction, is the same.
US08001515B2	Simultaneous optimization of analog design parameters using a cost function of responses An analog system consists of a multitude of interconnected components. Design of such a system involves optimization of the component parameters to achieve a target behavior, collectively called specification. The present invention provides a generic cost function for analog design optimization. It also provides cost surface modeling to speed up the optimization. The cost function compares the behavior of a design to a quantitative specification, which can be a ‘golden’ reference behavior (specification), and measures the error cost, an index of the behavioral discrepancy. That is, the target behavior is explicitly embedded in the cost function. By using the cost function, one can readily qualify a design and thereby identify good/optimum designs. The cost surface modeling with a Latin Hypercube Sampling design-of-experiment provides a statistical mathematical approximation of the actual design's error cost surface, speeding up the optimization by replacing the costly simulation of the actual design with mere evaluation of the mathematical cost surface model expression.
US08001498B2	Method and apparatus for memory abstraction and verification using same A computer implemented representation of a circuit design including memory is abstracted to a smaller netlist, which can be analyzed by standard verification tools and by other tools that operate on netlists. The correctness of such systems can require reasoning about a much smaller number of memory entries than exist in the circuit design, and by abstracting such memories to a smaller number of entries, the computational complexity of the verification problem is substantially reduced.
US08001480B2	Apparatus and method for defining and controlling graphical faceplates in a process control system A method includes receiving information identifying one or more elements to be presented in a first faceplate. The first faceplate is associated with control of a process system. The method also includes receiving information identifying an auto-selection behavior associated with the first faceplate. The method further includes displaying the first faceplate to an operator and automatically selecting one of the elements in the first faceplate based on the received information. A centralized component (like a faceplate controller) automatically selects elements in multiple faceplates, including the first faceplate. The centralized component could automatically select the element to receive focus in the first faceplate. The centralized component could also identify a specified element associated with a command to be executed, even when the specified element does not have focus in the first faceplate.
US08001479B2	System and methods to access computer files and position and control application window(s) on a graphical user interface The invention enables a computer user to issue voice commands to open computer readable files and control and/or position their associated graphical application windows on a graphical user interface. Further, the operator can issue voice commands to precisely position and control application window(s) on a graphical user interface displayed on either one or a plurality of display monitors, so that the information contained in the application windows is visible, organized, and available on the computer desktop to the user when and where he/she needs it.
US08001477B2	Method for exchanging portlet configuration data The invention relates to method for exchanging portlet configuration data. The method includes: providing a graphical user interface (GUI) component as part of a portlet view provided by a portal page for triggering a portlet configuration exchange process between a first user using a first portlet instance and a second user using a second portlet instance within the same portal, the first and second portlet instances being of the same portlet type, providing an export functionality allowing access to stored portlet configuration data of the first portal instance and transforming the stored portlet configuration data into a data structure for exchange purposes, allowing for exchange of the data structure via a defined communication channel between the first user and the second user, and providing an import functionality allowing for parsing of the data structure to provide new portlet configuration data of the second portlet instance and storing the new portlet configuration data of the second portlet instance.
US08001464B1	Segmentation of markup language documents A communication system includes a number of devices interconnected by a communication network and each operable to communicate with each other using a text-based communication protocol that provides for the exchange of markup language documents. Each of the devices is further capable of segmenting large communications into multiple document segments for communication to other devices. The devices are further capable of reassembling received document segments into original documents.
US08001463B2	Web page communications using parameters and events A method and apparatus for communicating between components associated with a web page and for communicating between a web page and a service is provided. According to one approach, page designers configure components associated with a particular page to use particular values by mapping parameters associated with the page to parameters associated with components of that page. According to one approach, an event is generated when a user manipulates a component associated with a page. A mapping is inspected to determine that the event is mapped to an action and the action is performed.
US08001453B2	CAN system Provided is a CAN system that can generate an error signal without requiring hardware for generating an error signal to be connected to a bus. A protocol processing part within a CAN controller incorporates error data into receive data or send data, based on error data information stored in a register.
US08001446B2	Pipelined cyclic redundancy check (CRC) Methods and apparatus to provide a pipelined cyclic redundancy check (CRC) are described. In one embodiment, a plurality of stages determines a plurality of CRC values corresponding to portions of a data packet. The plurality of CRC values are accumulated to determine a CRC value for the data packet. Other embodiments are also described.
US08001444B2	ECC functional block placement in a multi-channel mass storage device A multiple channel storage device may include a host controller to receive input data from a host device and a buffer memory to store the input data and associated error correcting data prior to downstream storage. Multiple storage channels downstream from the buffer memory may store the input data and associated error correcting data in at least one of the storage channels on a non-volatile storage media. An error correcting engine between the host controller and the buffer memory may perform error correction encoding on the input data from the host device to generate the associated error correcting data for storage in the buffer memory. Such error correcting engine may protect against data errors in the buffer memory and in the storage channels.
US08001443B2	Data storage apparatus, data storage controller, and related automated testing method A data storage controller for controlling each data access of a data storage element is disclosed. The data storage controller includes a processing unit and a storage unit. The processing unit is utilized for executing an automated testing program on the data storage element for automated testing. The storage unit is coupled to the processing unit and utilized for storing the automated testing program.
US08001441B2	Nonvolatile memory with modulated error correction coding Data is stored in a nonvolatile memory so that different pages of data stored in the same memory cells are encoded according to different encoding schemes. A first page is decoded according to its encoding scheme and an output is provided based on the decoding of the first page that is subsequently used in decoding a second page.
US08001439B2	Integrated circuit testing module including signal shaping interface Systems and methods of testing integrated circuits are disclosed. The systems include a test module configured to operate between automated testing equipment and an integrated circuit to be tested. The testing interface is configured to test the integrated circuit at a higher slew rate than the slew rate at which signals are received from the automated testing equipment. In order to do so, the testing interface includes components configured for generating addresses, commands, and test data to be conveyed to the integrated circuit. A variety of test data patterns can be produced and the test data can be address dependent. The systems are optionally configured to include a test plan memory component configured to store one or more test plans. A test plan may include a sequence of test patterns and/or conditional branches whereby the tests to be performed next are dependent on the results of the preceding tests. The test plan memory is, optionally, be detachable from the test module.
US08001436B2	Changing scan paths shifting by changing mode select input state Plural scan test paths (401) are provided to reduce power consumed during testing such as combinational logic (101). A state machine (408) operates according to plural shift states (500) to control each scan path in capturing data from response outputs of the combinational logic and then shifting one bit at a time to reduce the capacitive and constant state power consumed by shifting the scan paths.
US08001421B2	Compiler technique for efficient register checkpointing to support transaction roll-back A method and apparatus for efficient register checkpointing is herein described. A transaction is detected in program code. A recovery block is inserted in the program code to perform recovery operations in response to an abort of the first transaction. A roll-back edge is potentially inserted from an abort point to the recovery block. A control flow edge is inserted from the recovery block to a entry point of the transaction. Checkpoint code is inserted before the entry point to backup live-in registers in backup storage elements and recovery code is inserted in the recovery block to restore the live-in registers from the backup storage elements in response to an abort of the transaction.
US08001418B2	Fault detection and correction for single and multiple media players connected to electronic displays, and related devices, methods and systems Systems, devices, software, hardware and networks adapted and arranged for monitoring and correcting faults in networked media player systems that include electronic displays are provided. After detection or notification of a fault in at least one networked media player in a network of at least two, or N, media players operationally connected to electronic displays, the invention provides an alternate source of signal to the affected display. In some preferred embodiments, the invention utilizes at least one additional, or N+1, media player as a backup to substitute for the failed media player. Reconfiguration of the faulted media player by means of the N+1 backup networked media player advantageously increases the reliability and efficiency of ongoing maintenance of digital visual systems operating in commercial and other environments.
US08001414B2	Data transfer and recovery system A backup image generator can create a primary image and periodic delta images of all or part of a primary server. The images can be sent to a network attached storage device and a remote storage server. In the event of a failure of the primary server, the failure can be diagnosed to develop a recovery strategy. Based on the diagnosis, at least one delta image may be applied to a copy of the primary image to generate an updated primary image at either the network attached storage or the remote storage server. The updated primary image may be converted to a virtual server in a physical to virtual conversion at either the network attached storage device or remote storage server and users may be redirected to the virtual server. The updated primary image may also be restored to the primary server in a virtual to physical conversion. As a result, the primary data storage may be timely backed-up, recovered and restored with the possibility of providing server and business continuity in the event of a failure.
US08001412B2	Combined alignment scrambler function for elastic interface An interface alignment pattern for de-skewing data bits received on an elastic interface is disclosed. The interface alignment pattern is “busy” in that it has a high number of logic state transitions. The busy interface alignment pattern can be used for scrambling and unscrambling operational data. The interface alignment pattern has a unique timing sequence for determining the location of a data bit's first data beat.
US08001410B2	Efficient clocking scheme for ultra high-speed systems There is provided a system for comparing the phase characteristics of three generated clock signals, each having a unique phase relationship with an original clock signal, with the original clock signal and to select a signal based on the proximity of the phase characteristic of the three signals to the original signal. The selection of a clock signal that most closely approximates the original significantly reduces lock time when attempting to synchronize an internal clock with an external clock. Additionally, there is provided a method for comparing three clock signals with an original clock signal and selecting from the three clock signals one that is approximately in phase with the original clock signal.
US08001409B2	Synchronization device and methods thereof A device includes different clock domains. Each clock domain is synchronized to a different clock signal, and the data transfer between clock domains occurs through a FIFO memory. It is determined which clock domain has a slower clock frequency, and the clock domain associated with the slower clock is selected to generate pointers used to access the FIFO memory in both clock domains. Therefore, the pointers are used to read and write data at the FIFO memory resulting in a transfer of the data between the clock domains. Because the pointers used for data transfer are generated and provided by the clock domain associated with the slower clock, the latency resulting from transferring the pointer between the clock domains is reduced.
US08001404B2	Remote wakeup web service for imaging device A remote wakeup capability for an imaging device, such as a multifunction printer (MFP) device. When the imaging device enters a power saving mode, a remote wakeup web service remains awake and initiates wakeup of the imaging device in response to a valid wakeup request received from a remote wakeup web service client module. Wakeup of the imaging device is thus achieved without a need for action on the imaging device front panel or a local client device connected to the imaging device via a serial or parallel port, and without wasting resources processing a superfluous imaging job.
US08001398B2	Power source control method of image forming apparatus, power source control system of image forming apparatus, power source control apparatus, image forming apparatus and computer program product A control unit 51 obtains a user ID of a user who enters a room from card reading information read by card readers so as to judge existence or nonexistence of an available image forming apparatus which has been judged in advance in accordance with the obtained user ID. The control unit selects the image forming apparatus with the highest frequency in use and turns on the power source thereof when the power source of any image forming apparatus is not made into an on state even when there are some image forming apparatuses which is available for the user who enters the room. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce power consumption by the image forming apparatus while improving convenience for a user in accordance with entrance and exit of the user.
US08001393B2	Storage control device The storage control device of the present invention reduces the power consumption amount by stopping the transmission of power to enclosures that are not accessed. A plurality of additional enclosures are switch-connected via backend switches to a base enclosure. Drives that have not been accessed for a predetermined time or more undergo spin-down. When all of the drives in the enclosure enter a spin-down state, the supply of power from the power supply in the enclosure to the respective drives is stopped. The base enclosure that manages the system constitution of the storage control device turns OFF the switch connected to the enclosure when all of the drives in a certain enclosure have spun down. The transmission of power to this enclosure is accordingly stopped.
US08001390B2	Methods and apparatus for secure programming and storage of data using a multiprocessor in a trusted mode Methods and apparatus provide for: entering a secure mode in which a given processor may initiate a transfer of information into or out of said processor, but no external device may initiate a transfer of information into or out of said processor; and programming at least one trusted data storage location using a direct memory access (DMA) command to be one of read-only, write-only, readable and writeable, limited access, and reset, where said at least one trusted data storage location is located external to said processor.
US08001388B2	Software self-checking systems and methods Software self-checking mechanisms are described for improving software tamper resistance and/or reliability. Redundant tests are performed to detect modifications to a program while it is running. Modifications are recorded or reported. Embodiments of the software self-checking mechanisms can be implemented such that they are relatively stealthy and robust, and so that it they are compatible with copy-specific static watermarking and other tamper-resistance techniques.
US08001387B2	Removable storage medium with biometric access In one embodiment, a storage device with biometric access includes: a biometric scanner adapted to scan a biological feature of a user to provide a corresponding extracted biometric template; and a storage engine adapted to retrieve an encrypted biometric template from a storage medium and to retrieve a corresponding encrypted content key from the storage medium. The storage engine generates a first key and combines the first key with a media identifier from the storage medium to provide a content key. Using the content key, the storage engine decrypts the retrieved encrypted biometric template. If the extracted biometric template matches the retrieved biometric template, the storage engine grants a user access to content on the storage medium.
US08001380B2	System and method for providing unique encryption key A system and method for providing a unique encryption key including a receiver, at a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) adapter, configured to receive a configuration file, a processor, at the VoIP adapter, configured to decrypt the configuration file using a default key stored in the VoIP adapter, update one or more profile parameters of the configuration file, and install an encryption key at the VoIP adapter using the configuration file, and a transmitter, at the VoIP adapter, configured to register, with a network element, for network service using the updated configuration file such that the receiver is configured to receive network service from the network element when the updated configuration file is authenticated by the network element.
US08001377B2	Methods and apparatus for secure data processing and transmission Methods and apparatus provide for placing an apparatus into at least one of a plurality of operational modes, wherein: the apparatus includes a local memory, a bus operable to carry information to and from the local memory, one or more arithmetic processing units operable to process data and operatively coupled to the local memory, and a security circuit operable to place the apparatus into the operational modes; and the plurality of operational modes includes: (i) a first mode whereby the apparatus and an external device are operable to initiate a transfer of information into or out of the memory over the bus, (ii) a second mode whereby neither the apparatus nor the external device are operable to initiate a transfer of information into or out of the memory over the bus, and (iii) a third mode whereby the apparatus is operable to initiate a transfer of information into or out of the local memory over the bus, but the external device is not operable to initiate a transfer of information into or out of the local memory over the bus.
US08001372B2	Methods for secure enrollment and backup of personal identity credentials into electronic devices A method and system for securely enrolling personal identity credentials into personal identification devices. The system of the invention comprises the manufacturer of the device and an enrollment authority. The manufacturer is responsible for recording serial numbers or another unique identifier for each device that it produces, along with a self-generated public key for each device. The enrollment authority is recognized by the manufacturer or another suitable institution as capable of validating an individual before enrolling him into the device. The enrollment authority maintains and operates the appropriate equipment for enrollment, and provides its approval of the enrollment. The methods described herein discuss post-manufacturing, enrollment, backup, and recovery processes for the device.
US08001370B2	Encrypted communication for selectively delivering a message to multiple decrypting devices Reduces message length of encrypted message to be transmitted selectively to plurality of decrypting devices. An encrypting device includes a generating unit for generating node associating information configured to associate respective terminal nodes in a tree structure with each decrypting device in relation to a group of decrypting devices enabled for decryption, an extracting unit for extracting a decryption enabled node containing decrypting devices in descendant terminal nodes and not containing a decrypting device with decryption disabled in any of the descendant terminal nodes, and a unit for encrypting the message by use of a node encryption key for the decryption enabled node. Decrypting devices include specifying unit for specifying terminal node associated with decrypting device based on node associating information, and a decrypting unit for decrypting encrypted message using a node decryption key for any decryption enabled nodes ranging from terminal node to root node thereof.
US08001361B2	Structure for a single shared instruction predecoder for supporting multiple processors A design structure embodied in a machine readable storage medium for designing, manufacturing, and/or testing a design for improved techniques for executing instructions in a pipelined manner is provided. Such techniques may reduce stalls that occur when executing dependent instructions. Stalls may be reduced by utilizing a cascaded arrangement of pipelines with execution units that are delayed with respect to each other. This cascaded delayed arrangement allows dependent instructions to be issued within a common issue group by scheduling them for execution in different pipelines to execute at different times.
US08001356B2	Methods and apparatus for reallocating addressable spaces within memory devices Integrated circuit systems include a non-volatile memory device (e.g, flash EEPROM device) and a memory processing circuit. The memory processing circuit is electrically coupled to the non-volatile memory device. The memory processing circuit is configured to reallocate addressable space within the non-volatile memory device. This reallocation is performed by increasing a number of physical addresses within the non-volatile memory device that are reserved as redundant memory addresses, in response to a capacity adjust command received by the memory processing circuit.
US08001355B2	Storage system, volume allocation method and management apparatus This storage system includes a virtual storage selection unit for selecting a virtual storage unit to be allocated to a virtual server unit according to a virtual storage search policy table for searching the virtual storage unit based on a parameter input by a user when a command is issued for allocating the volume to the virtual server unit, a volume selection unit for selecting the type of volume to be allocated to the virtual storage unit allocated to the virtual server unit with the virtual storage allocation unit according to a volume type search policy table for searching the type of volume based on the parameter, and a volume allocation unit for creating the volume selected with the volume selection unit based on the parameter and allocating the created volume to the virtual storage unit allocated to the virtual server unit with the virtual storage allocation unit.
US08001342B2	Method for storing and restoring persistent memory content and virtual machine state information A method that can simplify a recovery of a system. The method includes storing multiple types of information, and includes: a first stage of storing information representative of a content of a persistent memory entity at a certain point in time; and a second stage of storing information representative of a state of a virtual machine at the certain point in time; and recovering a system that associates between the first stage of storing information and the second stage of storing information.
US08001340B2	Method for determining allocation of tape drive resources for a secure data erase process A method and computer program product are provided to ensure a timely secure data erase by determining whether allocating an additional tape drive would improve secure data erase performance by evaluating a quantity of physical volumes to be secure data erased, a maximum queued threshold, an average time to an erasure deadline and a minimum expiration threshold. An additional tape drive is allocated for the secure data erase process when it is determined that allocating an additional tape drive would improve secure data erase performance.
US08001334B2	Bank sharing and refresh in a shared multi-port memory device A method and system for sharing banks of memory in a multi-port memory device between components is provided. The multi-port memory device includes multiple ports to which components of a system are attached, and multiple banks of memory within the multi-port memory device that are shared by each of the ports. A bank availability pin is added to each port for each bank of memory. The bank availability pin is signaled when the bank is available to a particular port and unsignaled when the bank is unavailable. Thus, the multi-port memory device can be shared by several components simultaneously with only a small amount of additional hardware to support the sharing. Also provided are methods for refreshing the banks of memory.
US08001330B2	L2 cache controller with slice directory and unified cache structure A cache memory logically partitions a cache array having a single access/command port into at least two slices, and uses a first directory to access the first array slice while using a second directory to access the second array slice, but accesses from the cache directories are managed using a single cache arbiter which controls the single access/command port. In one embodiment, each cache directory has its own directory arbiter to handle conflicting internal requests, and the directory arbiters communicate with the cache arbiter. The cache array is arranged with rows and columns of cache sectors wherein a cache line is spread across sectors in different rows and columns, with a portion of the given cache line being located in a first column having a first latency and another portion of the given cache line being located in a second column having a second latency greater than the first latency.
US08001328B2	Method and process for expediting the return of line exclusivity to a given processor through enhanced inter-node communications A method and apparatus in which the observability of cross-invalidates requests within remote nodes is controlled at the time of a partial response generation, when a remote request initially checks/snoops the directory state of the remote node, but before such the time that the cross-invalidate request is actually sent to the processors on a given node. If all of the remote nodes in the system indicate that the cross-invalidates could be sent during an initial directory snoop, the requesting node is able to return full exclusivity to a given cache line to a requesting processor at the time when it receives all of the partial responses, instead of having to wait for the final responses from each of the remote nodes within the system.
US08001323B2	Network storage system, management method therefor, and control program product therefor A storage system, a storage management method, and a control program product are provided. The storage system is improved in comfortability, convenience, and economy by reducing the amount of copies in a storage device in a network storage system, by heightening storage efficiency and increasing an access speed. In a network storage system in which a plurality of client terminals are directly connected to a storage device via a network, the storage device includes an MV logical disk that stores read-only shared data and a BV logical disk from/onto which data specific to each client terminal is read/written. A control unit that controls read/write operations includes, with an access management table, an LDK management table which has a reference logical disk number column used to issue a command to refer to the MV logical disk when data other than the write data is read.
US08001312B2	Circuit board system A circuit board system for connecting with at least an expansion card that includes a Programmable Logic Device (PLD) electrically coupled to the expansion slot. The PLD is configured to detect whether the expansion card is compatible with the circuit board system. If the PLD detects that the expansion card is not compatible with the circuit board system, the logic controller cuts off the connection between the main power supply and the expansion slot.
US08001307B1	Apparatus and a method to eliminate deadlock in a bi-directionally mirrored data storage system An apparatus and a method to eliminate deadlock in a bi-directionally mirrored data storage system are presented. In some embodiments, a first and a second storage servers have established a mirroring relationship. To prevent deadlock between the storage servers and to reduce write latency, the second storage server may hold data received from the first storage server in a replication queue and send an early confirmation to the first storage server before writing the data to a destination volume if the first storage server is held up due to a lack of confirmation. In another embodiment, when the first storage server writes metadata of a persistent point-in-time image (PPI) to the second storage server, the second storage server may send a confirmation to the first storage server after copying the metadata, but before exporting the PPI at the second storage server.
US08001297B2	Dynamic adjusting send rate of buffered data Systems and methods for intermediate buffering of data for the purpose of controlling its delivery to the consumer. The systems and methods for buffering data can arbitrate between the incoming data flow from the generating component and the outgoing data flow to the consumer. In doing so, the systems and methods for buffering of data seek to honor the delivery demands and/or constraints of the consumer, while avoiding the loss of the data generated by the producer. The delivery demands of the consumer may include requirements pertaining to maximum acceptable incoming data rate, the desired incoming data rate, incoming data aggregation, the desired freshness of the data, and tolerance for event loss. The generation component constraints may include the space limitations on buffering data within the data buffer.
US08001292B2	Data transfer controlling device and IC card A data transfer controlling device is mounted in an IC card having: a communication device for data communication with an external device; a memory device for storing data received from and transmitted to the external device; and an operation processing device for controlling the memory device and the communication device, and controls a data transfer process. The controlling device comprises: a status information acquiring section for acquiring status information including at least error detection information from the communication device; a determination section for determining whether or not the data transfer process can be executed based on the status information acquired by the status information acquiring section when the data transfer process is being executed; and a data transfer process executing section for executing the data transfer process in accordance with a result of determination as to whether or not the data transfer process can be executed by the determination section.
US08001270B2	Method and apparatus for discovering a network address A method and apparatus for discovering a network address. An exemplary method provides for communicating between a client device and a peripheral device over a network that includes a server device adapted to control the peripheral device. The network address of the peripheral device is determined to permit direct communication with the peripheral device, thereby bypassing the server device. The method includes reading a first data file of the server device. The first data file includes at least one of (a) the network address of the peripheral device, and (b) a network address of a second data file associated with and including the network address of the peripheral device. The method further includes comparing portions of at least one of the first and second data files with a predetermined data formatting pattern indicative of a network address.
US08001263B2	Method for suspending and resuming content transmission/reception Disclosed is a method for a method for suspending content transmission/reception, including: transmitting, if content reception within a certain channel needs to be suspended, an error notification message to a server, wherein the error notification message includes a first element indicating that the content reception is suspended, and a second element indicating a name, an attribute, or a value of a message found to be an error; transmitting a channel suspend request message to the server, wherein the channel suspend request message includes a third element for specifying an ID for the certain channel; and receiving a channel suspend response message from the server, wherein the channel suspend response message includes a fourth element containing IDs and status values for the channels requested for the transmission suspension.
US08001261B2	Telecommunication and multimedia management method and apparatus An apparatus for improving the ability of a recipient to review time-sensitive media upon receipt when network conditions are poor. The apparatus includes a media ascertaining element configured to ascertain if media to be sent from a sending node to a receiving node is time-sensitive. A bandwidth-ascertaining element ascertains if there is sufficient bandwidth for transmitting a full bit rate representation of the media at a first bit rate and at a first packetization interval. If the bandwidth is sufficient, a transmitter transmits the full bit rate representation of the media. If the bandwidth is insufficient, then the transmitter generates and transmits a reduced bit rate representation of the media. The reduced bit rate representation is generated by performing one or more of the following (i) using fewer bits per unit time of media when packetizing the media relative to the full bit rate representation; (ii) increasing the packetization interval for the packets used to transmit the reduced bit rate representation; and (iii) adjusting the rate of transmission of the packets used to packetized the reduced bit rate representation of the media.
US08001260B2	Flow-rate adaptation for a connection of time-varying capacity A system and methods for adapting streaming data for transmission over a connection of time-varying capacity are disclosed. A streaming server individually adapts transmission rates of signals directed to subtending clients according to measurements characterizing connections from the streaming server to the clients. The measurements may relate to characteristics such as transfer delay, data-loss fraction, and occupancy level of a buffer at a client's receiver. A flow controller associated with the streaming server derives metrics from measurements taken over selected time windows to determine a permissible transmission rate from the server to each active client. Metrics related to a specific characteristic may include a mean value over a moving window as well as short and long term tendencies of respective measurements. An adaptable encoder at the streaming server encodes signals to meet permissible transmission rates.
US08001257B2	Supplying electronic content to networked appliances A system and method communicates data from a web content provider to a wireless computing device (e.g., a PDA, a cellular phone) via a proxy server. The proxy server transforms web content “on-the-fly” into a streamlined format, optimizes it for display, and delivers it to the device, where it is progressively rendered by a browser installed on the device.
US08001253B2	Network access using network identification A network system that identifies a home network of a user by a network identification in an access request. When the access request is received in a network, the accessed network extracts a network identification from the access request and determines whether the access request is received from a subscriber or non-subscriber. If a non-subscriber, then a foreign network is identified and a network identification database is consulted to retrieve contact information for the foreign network. If the contact information is successfully retrieved, then the user may be routed to the foreign network (home network of the user). Otherwise (if the contact information is not in the network identification database), the user may be denied any access, and a purchase agreement for connect services may be offered.
US08001241B2	Arrangement and a method relating to performance management by distributed processing The present invention relates to an arrangement for performance management in a communication network comprising a managing system and a number of managed systems. The arrangement comprises collecting means for collecting traffic measurement data and primary processing means for primary processing of measurement data. Said primary processing means are adapted to be distributed and comprise first primary processing means provided in the managing system and a number of second primary processing means provided in a number of managed systems. The arrangement also comprises processing control means for controlling at least allocation of primary processing of measurement data to a first or to a second primary processing means.
US08001238B2	Method for real-time monitoring a remote control process by a third party and system thereof The invention relates to a remote monitor technique. In particular, the present invention relates to a method for real-time monitoring a remote control process by a third party and a system thereof, which are able to third-party monitor a control terminal and a controlled terminal in the remote control process. The method comprises steps of establishing a connection between a control terminal and a third party monitoring terminal; arranging the control terminal, the controlled terminal and the third party monitoring terminal in one and the same session based on the connection; the controlled terminal sending its desktop video to the third party monitoring terminal via a virtual display driver; and the third party monitoring terminal sending a predetermined control strategy to the controlled terminal.
US08001234B2	Method and server for coordination of telecommunication services The invention is intended to co-ordinate telecommunication services (2) provided to users by means of terminals (3, 4, 5) which are connected to different telecommunication networks (1). For said purpose, the invention comprises the following steps: a service mediation server (10) co-ordinates different telecommunication services activated by users; the terminals (3, 4, 5) connect to the server and transmit users profiles thereto, said profiles specifying availability modes, activate the profiles and availability modes and access the connected services; and the service mediation server determines a reachability state for each user, which is dependent on at least one user terminal being connected to the server and the active availability mode and profile of the user, and transmits said state to the connected user terminals specified in a list of contacts in the active profile of the user.
US08001225B2	Server time protocol messages and methods Server time protocol (STP) messages and methods of exchange thereof are provided for facilitating synchronization of processing units of a timing network. The STP messages include exchange time parameters (XTP) commands and responses, and STP control (STC) commands and responses. XTP message exchange processing includes: generating an XTP message command at a first processing unit including a command transmit timestamp field set by the first processing unit and a command receive timestamp field which is unset by the first processing unit; transmitting the XTP message command to a second processing unit; setting the command receive timestamp field in the XTP command with the time the XTP command is received at the second processing unit; and generating an XTP message response at the second processing unit, the message response including the command transmit timestamp set by the first processing unit and the command receive timestamp set by the second processing unit.
US08001222B2	Clustered filesystem with membership version support A cluster of computer system nodes share direct read/write access to storage devices via a storage area network using a cluster filesystem. Version information about subsystems is acquired by a leader node when forming a cluster membership and distributed to all nodes in the cluster to enable proper messaging during operation.
US08001207B2	Common location-based service adapter interface for location based services The present invention is a common location-based service adapter interface. The common location-based service adapter interface can include a uniform input interface through which location-based services can be requested using a uniform format which is independent of any specific formatting required by a particular service adapter configured to process the location-based services. The common location-based service adapter interface also can include a uniform output interface through which specifically formatted result sets can be formatted using the uniform format.
US08001203B2	Schedulable e-mail filters An e-mail filter may be associated with a schedule defining a recurrent active time period. As such, some e-mail filters may be active at specific times of day and on specific days of the week and inactive the rest of the time. Before applying any filters, the current time is determined and it is determined which filters are active. The determination of which filters are active is based on the current time being within the active time period.
US08001202B2	System and method for providing configuration data such as for configuring electronic mail access A system, method and computer-readable medium provides configuration data, such as for electronic mail access. A configuration module retrieves the configuration data from a source of configuration data, such as a user system. The configuration in one aspect could be for accessing different electronic mailboxes of a user. Data object are generated. Each data object is submitted as a distributed object module to a web service. The web service in one aspect of the invention could be for a pass-through access for configuring electronic mailboxes.
US08001165B2	Storage system format for transaction safe file system A transaction safe file system uses two sets of file allocation tables and bitmap images to perform file modifications on one of the sets while the other set remains a last known good set. After a modification is complete, a pointer is changed to the newly modified set, and the newly modified set becomes the last known good set. The sets are then synchronized. The file allocation table is used to define cluster chains while the bitmap image is used to determine if a cluster is free or not. In some operations, only the bitmap image may need to be manipulated. The file system may be used in a transaction safe mode as well as a non-transaction safe mode.
US08001161B2	Cloning objects in a virtual universe In one embodiment, the process obtains avatar tracking data that identifies a location of an avatar in relation to a range of an object. The range includes a viewable field. In response to the location of the avatar being within the range of the object, the process queries a data structure storing cloning data for a record of a clone of the object. Thereafter, the process instantiates the clone of the object in response to the presence of the record of the clone of the object in the data structure. The process then invokes a set of object methods associated with the record of the clone in the data structure.
US08001159B2	Using viewtypes for accessing instance data structured by a base model Disclosed is a technique for manipulating instance data of a base model. A ViewType, a root object representing an object of the base model, and an operation are received. Whether the ViewType and the root object are compatible is determined. When the ViewType and the root object are compatible, the operation is applied to the instance data of the base model while using the ViewType to traverse the instance data.
US08001150B2	Device management method using nodes having additional attribute and device management client thereof According to an embodiment of the invention, a mobile terminal and a device management method performed by the mobile terminal are discussed. The method includes: receiving, by the mobile terminal and from a server, schedule information including a command for generating a specific node for a corresponding resource of the mobile terminal; and generating, by the mobile terminal, a specific node including a common attribute and an additional attribute, according to the schedule. The common attribute includes fields which are common to other nodes of the mobile terminal. The fields which are common include an ACCESS CONTROL LIST field indicating a list of external devices that are capable of accessing the corresponding resource. The additional attribute includes fields that are specified to the specific node.
US08001148B2	Caching permissions information A method for determining group membership in a computer system, the method comprising: obtaining an identifier that describes a member of a group, the member of a group having a member hash table that contains group membership information describing to what groups a member belongs; performing a primary search of a plurality of groups to determine if each group contains the member's identifier, each group in the plurality having a group hash table that describes to what other groups the group belongs, caching the results of the primary search in the member hash table, for each group to which the member belongs, performing a secondary search of a plurality of groups to determine what groups contain the group to which the member belongs, and caching the results of the secondary search into the group hash table and merging the results into the member hash table, and reading the member hash table to determine group membership.
US08001136B1	Longest-common-subsequence detection for common synonyms One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for identifying synonym candidates. During operation, the system receives a first term and a second term. The system then determines a length of the longer one of the first and second terms, and determines a longest common subsequence of the two terms. The system further produces a result to indicate whether the two terms are synonym candidates based on the length of the longer term and a length of the longest common subsequence of the two terms.
US08001134B2	Method for performing an external (disk-based) sort of a large data file which takes advantage of “presorted” data already present in the input A method of externally sorting large files in a computer system is presented. The contents of the input file to be sorted are investigated in order to identify presorted portions thereof. The presorted portions of the input file as thus identified are incorporated as sorted strings into an external sortwork file, by rearranging directory information rather than physically transferring data. If merging is necessary, the data may then be merged by a procedure wherein blocks of sorted data to be merged are incorporated into an output (sortout) file, by rearranging directory information rather than physically transferring sorted blocks to the sortout file. As a result of the process, portions of sorted data incorporated into the sortout file may physically remain in external storage space allocated to the input file, and/or in external space allocated to sortwork, thereby eliminating or reducing reading and writing from disk during sort-merge processing.
US08001133B2	Method and apparatus for managing a contact list A method of managing a contact list in a communication system includes: a) in response to user manipulation, generating a contact identification (ID) representing a contact person in the communication system, and presenting the contact ID on the contact list; b) keeping track of a contact frequency between the user and the contact person; c) selecting an attribute in accordance with the contact frequency; and d) presenting the attribute on the contact list, such that the attribute is associated with the contact ID. An apparatus for managing a contact list in a communication system is also disclosed.
US08001131B2	Method and system for ranking of keywords for profitability A physical computing device receives information regarding a total number of people who are searching on the search term. Information is received regarding an amount advertisers pay for the search term. Information is received regarding a click through rate of the search term. A traffic estimate of the search term is determined. Longevity of the search term is determined.
US08001127B2	Efficient extraction of XML content stored in a LOB A method and system are provided for extracting a valid, self-contained fragment for a node in a XML document stored in a database management system. An XML index is used to identify a location in which XML fragment data corresponding to the node is located. Ancestors of the node are identified and examined for any information needed for the proper interpretation of the fragment. If an ancestor node contains such needed information, this information is patched into the XML fragment to ensure that the fragment is a valid, self-contained XML fragment.
US08001123B2	Open source publishing system and method It is a first aspect of the present invention to provide a method of publishing content including the steps of: (a) providing a printed publication having printed content, a storage device storing a content database having digital content, an output device for outputting the digital content, and an interactive user device for generating one or more signals associated with retrieval of the digital content from the storage device; (b) accessing digital content; (c) associating the digital content with the printed content; (d) storing in a mapping database the association and a location of the digital content; (e) actuating the interactive user device to generate the one or more signals; (f) querying the mapping database to determine the association and the location of the digital content; (g) upon determining the location, retrieving the digital content; and (h) outputting the digital content to the output device.
US08001118B2	Methods and apparatus for employing usage statistics in document retrieval Methods and apparatus consistent with the invention provide improved organization of documents responsive to a search query. In one embodiment, a search query is received and a list of responsive documents is identified. The responsive documents are organized based in whole or in part on usage statistics.
US08001114B2	Methods and apparatuses for dynamically searching for electronic mail messages In one embodiment, the methods and apparatuses detect an original search input; detect an excluded term within the original search input; form a modified search input wherein the modified search input includes the original search input without the excluded term; match a plurality of stored terms against the modified search input and forming a modified matched result; and selectively display the modified matched result based on a number of terms within the modified matched result.
US08001113B2	Query string matching method and apparatus In one implementation, a method is provided for increasing relevance of database search results. The method includes receiving a subject query string and determining a trained edit distance between the subject query string and a candidate string using trained cost factors derived from a training set of labeled query transformations. A trained cost factor includes a conditional probability for mutations in labeled non-relevant query transformations and a conditional probability for mutations in labeled relevant query transformations. The candidate string is evaluated the for selection based on the trained edit distance. In some implementations, the cost factors may take into account the context of a mutation. As such, in some implementations multi-dimensional matrices are utilized which include the trained cost factors.
US08001109B2	System and method for automating data partitioning in a parallel database A system for automating data partitioning in a parallel database includes plural nodes connected in parallel. Each node includes a database server and two databases connected thereto. Each database server includes a query optimizer. Moreover, a partitioning advisor communicates with the database server and the query optimizer. The query optimizer and the partitioning advisor include a program for recommending and evaluating data table partitions that are useful for processing a workload of query statements. The data table partitions are recommended and evaluated without requiring the data tables to be physically repartitioned.
US08001106B2	Systems and methods for tokenizing and interpreting uniform resource locators Aspects include methods, computer readable storing instructions for such methods, and systems for processing text strings such as URLs that comprise patterns of parameters and values for such parameters, delimited in a site-specific manner. Such aspects provide for accepting a number of text strings that are expected to have a common delimiting strategy, then deeply tokenizing those text strings to arrive at a set of tokens from which are selected anchor tokens used to form patterns having the anchor tokens separated by wildcard portions for recursive processing. The patterns formed can be mapped to a tree of nodes. Information concerning relationships between nodes and between tokens within a given node, as well as other heuristics concerning which tokens are parameters and which are values can be used as observed events for producing probabilities that certain tokens are parameters or values, using a dynamic programming algorithm, such as a Viterbi algorithm.
US08001103B2	Displaying paid search listings in proportion to advertiser spending In a pay for placement database search system, in which advertisers pay to include their search listings in a database to be provided with search results in response to queries from searchers, each advertiser decides how much money he wants to spend on a search term. The search provider displays the advertisers' listings in proportion to the amount of money the respective advertisers spend. This permits the advertisers to subscribe to the database search system, deciding how much to pay for a subscription for a predetermined time period. The search provider can recommend an optimal spend amount for the advertisers.
US08001100B2	Leveraging multilevel hierarchical associations to find cross-boundary issues A mechanism for locating information about a target entity in disparate multilevel hierarchical knowledge repositories. Upon occurrence of an event associated with a target entity comprising an information technology solution, disparate multilevel hierarchical knowledge repositories are searched for metadata about the target entity. A determination is made from the metadata about the target entity whether the repositories comprise entities related to the target entity. If so, links in the metadata are used to search the repositories to locate the related entities. Upon locating a resolution to the event in the repositories, a link to the resolution is stored in the metadata. The repositories are also searched to determine owners of the target entity and related entities, and these owners are then notified of the event and the resolution to the event.
US08001099B2	Maintaining and utilizing copy histories In some embodiments a method comprises detecting a request to copy and determining information related to the copied data from the document. The method can also comprise augmenting a copy history to include the data and the information related to the data, and storing this copy history. The method can also include detecting a request to access the copy history associated with the document, presenting the copy history including the data and the information related to the copied data, and copying the data from the copy history for further use. The method can also comprise blocking copying of data if the document's copy rules are violated.
US08001091B2	Apparatus, system, and method for hierarchical rollback of business operations An apparatus, system, computer program product and method are disclosed for the hierarchical rollback of business objects on a datastore. The hierarchical rollback method utilizes a non-linear process designed to restore data to a previous point in the case of a data modification failure in order to prevent incorrect linking and data corruption. The hierarchical rollback methods are generated by retrieving existing data and creating commands in an order that will prevent orphan data in a datastore.
US08001087B1	Method and apparatus for performing selective backup operations based on file history data A method involves generating a business rule; the business rule indicates whether a file should be included in a backup operation. Data is accumulated in a file history database, and the data represents one or more associations of the file. A result is determined, indicating whether the business rule indicates the file should be included in the backup operation. The result is based, at least in part, on the data in the file history database. The result is reported.
US08001083B1	Repository including version management Systems and methods of executing and/or provisioning an application in an application specific runtime environment are disclosed. The application specific runtime environment is defined by an application environment specification to include a minimal or reduced set of software resources required for execution of the application. These software resources are optionally stored in a resource repository that includes resources associated with a plurality of operating systems and/or executable applications. Various embodiments of the invention include the development of hierarchical resource metadata configured to characterize the various files, packages and file families included in the resource repository. In some embodiments this metadata is used to select between files and different versions of files when provisioning an application specific runtime environment.
US08001077B2	Distributed method for synchronizing and updating bookmarks on multiple computer devices Multiple computer devices are networked, and each computer device stores a bookmark database. A user can add delete or change bookmarks on any of the computer devices. Alterations made to a bookmark database are stored locally. Every alteration is time stamped. If a bookmark is deleted, it is marked as deleted, but not erased from the local bookmark database. Bookmark databases stored on other computer devices are unaffected by changes made to the bookmark database stored on the local device. In order to update and synchronize all the bookmark databases, the local device receives the data from all the other bookmark databases. Then, the time stamps for each bookmark are compared, and the bookmarks with the most recent time stamps are assembled in a new master bookmark database. The new master bookmark database is then sent to all participating devices in the network.
US08001076B2	Ranging scalable time stamp data synchronization Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to time stamp based data synchronization and provide a method, system and computer program product for scalable, ranging time stamp based data synchronization. In an embodiment of the invention, a ranging time stamp synchronization method can include computing a time range for a specified time, and producing time stamp synchronization anchors using the time range for each of the anchors. Optionally, a drift value can be computed for the time range and the computing and producing steps can be repeated when the drift value exceeds a threshold. Finally, the anchors can be used to determine whether to update data items in a remote data source in the remote host computing platform with data items from a primary data source in the primary host computing platform.
US08001074B2	Fuzzy-learning-based extraction of time-series behavior Systems and methods for extracting or analyzing time-series behavior are described. Some embodiments of computer-implemented methods include generating fuzzy rules from time series data. Certain embodiments also include resolving conflicts between fuzzy rules according to how the data is clustered. Some embodiments further include extracting a model of the time-series behavior via defuzzification and making that model accessible. Advantageously, to resolve conflicts between fuzzy rules, some embodiments define Gaussian functions for each conflicting data point, sum the Gaussian functions according to how the conflicting data points are clustered, and resolve the conflict based on the results of summing the Gaussian functions. Some embodiments use both crisp and non-trivially fuzzy regions and/or both crisp and non-trivially fuzzy membership functions.
US08001066B2	Systems and methods for improving recognition results via user-augmentation of a database A system improves recognition results. The system receives multimedia data and recognizes the multimedia data based on training data to generate documents. The system receives user augmentation relating to one of the documents or new documents from a user. The system supplements the training data with the user augmentation or new documents and retrains based on the supplemented training data.
US08001064B1	Learning based on feedback for contextual personalized information retrieval Information retrieval systems face challenging problems with delivering highly relevant and highly inclusive search results in response to a user's query. Contextual personalized information retrieval uses a set of integrated methodologies that can combine automatic concept extraction/matching from text, a powerful fuzzy search engine, and a collaborative user preference learning engine to provide accurate and personalized search results. The system can include constructing a search query to execute a search of a database, parsing an input query from a user into sub-strings, and matching the sub-strings to concepts in a semantic concept network of a knowledge base. The system can further map the matched concepts to criteria and criteria values that specify a set of constraints on and scoring parameters for the matched concepts. Furthermore, the system can learn user preferences to construct one or more profiles, including combined internal and profile weights, for producing personalized search results.
US08001056B2	Progressive capture of prospect information for user profiles Embodiments are directed towards inferring an online matching profile based on progressively receiving a prospect's inputs. Access to other matching profiles is provided to the prospect, and while viewing such profiles of other participants, the prospect may progressively provide inputs, such that the prospect's profile may be inferred. As the prospect continues viewing and progressively providing additional inputs, a number of compatibility metrics presented to the prospect may be increased, as does a degree of compatibility of matches that may be suggested to the prospect. At any time during the viewing and progressive input process, the prospect may be presented with their inferred profile. The prospect may then accept and/or modify various elements within the inferred profile.
US08001053B2	System and method for rights offering and granting using shared state variables A method, system and device for sharing rights adapted to be associated with items, the method and system including generating at least one of usage rights and meta-rights for the items; defining, via the usage rights, a manner of use for the items; and defining, via the meta-rights, a manner of rights transfer for the items. The device including receiving at least one of usage rights and meta-rights for the items; interpreting, via the usage rights, a manner of use for the items; and interpreting, via the meta-rights, a manner of rights transfer for the items. The usage rights or the meta-rights include at least one state variable that is shared by one or more rights.
US08001052B2	System and method for unique digital asset identification and transaction management The present invention provides a method for tracking of digital assets within a system through the use of digital serial numbers. Systems equipped with the present invention can uniquely identify copies of assets within it. Assets that originate within the system can be uniquely identified even outside the system. Their transaction history within the system can be traced by looking up the transaction history associated with an assets' serial number. The serial number applied to an asset is unique to each transaction and applied at the time a copy is made. Database entries are created that link each unique serial number to aspects of the transaction. Each serial number references details about a particular transaction such as parties involved, date and time of copy, ownership, terms of use, and payment terms. Using the present invention any copy of an asset within the system can be copied to another part of the system as if it were the original and with the accompanying terms and conditions in effect for that original at the time of transfer. The serial number does not noticeably interfere with the intended usage of the asset. Serial numbers can be applied to any asset media type or format.
US08001051B1	Systems and methods to modify a negotiable instrument When the deposit of a negotiable instrument, such as a check, is done electronically by using a digital image of the negotiable instrument rather than the negotiable instrument itself, during the process, at least two negotiable instruments may exist: the physical negotiable instrument and the digital image of the negotiable instrument. To change the physical negotiable instrument to a non-negotiable instrument, a bank or other financial institution may send a transmission to modify the appearance of the negotiable instrument, thus effectively “voiding” the physical negotiable instrument. The negotiable instrument may have various inks or mechanisms that facilitate the modification of the appearance through the application of a stimulus, such as heat or light. The financial institution may cause the application of the stimulus to modify the appearance of the negotiable instrument.
US08001047B2	Method and apparatus for effecting payment One aspect of the invention relates to a technique for effecting payment, and involves: presenting a portable device; and causing the portable device to output a pseudo payment code.
US08001036B2	System for matching orders for futures contracts which facilitate electronic trading of over the counter futures contracts An electronic trading system and method is disclosed for matching orders for various asset classes including futures contracts and the subsequent settlement and clearance of such contracts. The electronic trading system is configured to be connected to one or more electronic exchanges and is also configured to interface with the existing infrastructure of the front office software of a trading firm, broker or dealer to provide the best fill for traders by enabling electronic trades to be executed both on the exchange and over the counter. In one embodiment of the invention, a local order book is established thereby establishing an independent pool of liquidity of the asset class of interest.
US08001034B2	Credit portfolio benchmarking system and method A portfolio benchmarking system comprises a repository of trade data, a repository of consumer data, a build computer, and a benchmarking query application. The repository of trade data comprises a plurality of data items regarding trade lines. The repository of consumer data comprises a plurality of data items regarding consumers, wherein at least some information in the consumer data is not in the trade data and at least some information in the trade data is not in the consumer data. The build computer periodically generates at least one data file comprising a plurality of data items, each data item combining information from the trade data and the consumer data, such that searches can be performed on the combined data without joining trade data and consumer data at query run time. The benchmarking query application executes queries on the data file generated by the build computer.
US08001033B2	System and method for generating real-time indicators in a trading list or portfolio A trading platform computer system for detecting an abnormal trading condition of a security uses real-time and estimated values of one or more variables associated with the condition of the security to generate one or more analytic metrics that are compared to empirical distributions based on one or more peer groups for the security. An indicator can then be displayed to a trader as an indication of the abnormal condition.
US08001032B2	System and method to solve dynamic multi-factor models in finance Methods and systems for estimating time-varying factor exposures of either an individual financial instrument or a portfolio of such instruments, through the solution of a constrained multi-criteria dynamic optimization problem, providing an estimation error function and one or more transition error functions to be minimized over a period of time. The factor exposures relay the influence of the factors on the return of the instrument or portfolio. The estimation error function provides the estimation error at each time interval between the return of the asset collection and a sum of products of each factor exposure and its respective factor. Each transition error function provides a transition error of each factor exposure between time intervals. In one embodiment, the constraints can include a budget constraint and non-negativity bounds applying to some or all of the factor exposures. In other embodiments, the method and system can be applied to estimating any time-varying weight that is used in a model, to relay the influence of one or more independent variables on a dependent financial or economic variable, through the solution of a constrained multi-criteria dynamic problem, minimizing estimation error and transition error terms. In other embodiments, the solution of a multi-criteria dynamic problem can be used as part of a method and system to determine structural breakpoints for each factor, and also as part of a method and system for determining optimal parameters to weight the transition error functions and selecting the factors included in the model.
US08001029B2	Method and computer program for tax sensitive investment portfolio management Methods and corresponding systems are provided for managing investment portfolios that includes the steps of identifying at least one security of the investment portfolio to be sold during rebalancing of the investment portfolio, and rebalancing or deferring rebalancing of the investment portfolio based at least in part on a rebalancing threshold for short-term capital gains or losses, investor specified or otherwise. If an implied total short-term capital gain or loss, e.g., a loss or gain that would occur if the at least one security were sold, falls within the rebalancing threshold rebalancing occurs, otherwise rebalancing is deferred for a later time.
US08001023B2	Event participation Methods, devices and systems are provided for event participation. One method embodiment includes a method for generating income for an owner of an entrant to an event. The method includes defining the event by the owner. The method further includes offering remuneration based upon a fulfillment of the defined event. The remuneration can be memorialized by a remuneration right. The remuneration can be granted from the owner to a participant. And, the remuneration right is granted in exchange for the participant accepting to give consideration to the owner for receiving the remuneration.
US08001011B2	Method and apparatus for deferred purchasing of marked digital media items Techniques for interacting with an online media store using a first device to identify a digital media item of interest to a user of the first device, using the first device to store an interest indicator for the digital media item of interest at the online media store, and subsequently interacting with the online media store using a second device to purchase or preview the digital media item of interest as identified by the interest indicator. Additionally, ring tones and graphics associated with the digital media item of interest can also be purchased.
US08001009B2	Method of auctioning license plates to generate tax revenue The method of auctioning license plates provides for the public auctioning of state-issued, motor vehicle license plates. The method includes the step of first establishing a market value data set for a plurality of license plates. Next, the market value data set is stored in a market value database, which is recorded in computer readable memory associated with an auction server. An online auction is then established for at least one license plate to be sold. Once up for auction, bidders bid on the at least one license plate. Once bidding has closed, the at least one license plate is sold to the highest bidder, and funds are transferred from buyer to seller. Following the sale, transfer of ownership of the at least one license plate is recorded in a motor vehicle administration database, and both sales and property taxes associated with the sale of the license plate are assessed.
US08001003B1	Methods and systems for searching for and identifying data repository deficits A computing system for searching for and identifying data repository deficits includes an interactive database of items, a data repository that stores a first type of information related to items, a search engine configured to identify items that do not have an amount of the first type of information that meets a first threshold, a candidate selection interface that provides functionality for the user to select an item from recommended candidate items needing the first type of information, a user interface via which the user can provide the first type of information for an item selected by the user, a game system configured to calculate for a game scores and rankings based at least in part on data stored in the data repository.
US08000998B2	System and method for inverted promotions A method of extending promotional discounts and special prices on items for sale to identified consumers. After the identification of a consumer by a unique identifier; a selected item is promoted with a discount or special price to the identified consumer. The discount or special price is granted upon a purchase of the item by the identified consumer prior to the withdrawal or termination of the promotion to the identified consumer. The withdrawal or termination of the promotion is held in abeyance upon an acknowledgment of the promotion by the identified consumer. In other words, the identified consumer must take specific action to prevent a promotional discount from being withdrawn. This inverted promotion provides for greater incentives for the consumer to provide information about his or her purchasing habits.
US08000988B1	Selecting shipping methods dependent on a dynamic model of shipping activity A method and system for selecting a shipping method dependent upon a dynamic model of shipping activity. In one embodiment, a method may include detecting a given shipment event for which one of a plurality of shipping methods is to be selected, determining a current output state of a discrete event model representative of shipping method selections for one or more previous shipment events, and in response to detecting the given shipping event, producing a selection of a particular one of the plurality of shipping methods that mathematically optimizes an objective function, wherein the objective function is dependent on a cost of shipping associated with the given shipment event and on a weighted deviation between the current output state of the discrete event model and a target output state of the discrete event model.
US08000983B2	Method and apparatus for accounting and contracting for clinical trial studies A clinical trial study is modeled for automatically generating business intelligence information regarding the clinical trial study. The clinical trial study has a total budget amount and a total amount of deliverables. A software application program is provided that has equations and business rules that together define a process, a timeline, and deliverables associated with the clinical trial study. The program is populated with items including entities that have been contracted to provide the deliverables to the clinical trial study, budget items and amounts related to the deliverables for the respective entities that have been contracted to provide the deliverables, and for at least some of the budget items, a time frame in which the budget item is expected to be incurred or paid. Business intelligence information is then automatically generated using the equations and business rules in the program, and the items entered into the program. The business intelligence information includes appropriate invoice payments for the deliverables for the respective entities that have been contracted to provide the deliverables at a specific time frame, an accounting for the clinical trial study, and cash flow needs for the clinical trial study.
US08000972B2	Remote controller with speech recognition A receiver remote controller has a storage device storing electronic program guide (EPG) data that relates content to television channels containing said content. The remote controller is contained in a remote controller housing with the housing containing: a data interface that receives the EPG data provided by an EPG data source for storage in the storage device; a speech interface that receives speech input from a user and produces speech signals therefrom; a natural language speech processor engine that receives the speech signals and translating the speech signals to a query of the EPG database; and a processor that receives results of the query from the natural language speech processor, and either conveys the results of the query to a user utilizing a user interface or sends navigation commands to the receiver. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.
US08000968B1	Method and apparatus for switching speech or audio signals A method and an apparatus for switching speech or audio signals, wherein the method for switching speech or audio signals includes when switching of a speech or audio, weighting a first high frequency band signal of a current frame of speech or audio signal and a second high frequency band signal of the previous M frame of speech or audio signals to obtain a processed first high frequency band signal, where M is greater than or equal to 1, and synthesizing the processed first high frequency band signal and a first low frequency band signal of the current frame of speech or audio signal into a wide frequency band signal. In this way, speech or audio signals with different bandwidths can be smoothly switched, thus improving the quality of audio signals received by a user.
US08000953B2	Augmenting of automated clustering-based trace sampling methods by user-directed phase detection Computer implemented method, system, and computer usable program code for simulating processor operation in a data processing system. An instruction trace is generated, wherein the instruction trace includes markers specified by a user for identifying interval boundaries for at least one interval of the instruction trace. The instruction trace is divided into a plurality of intervals in consideration of the markers, and the plurality of intervals are formed into a plurality of interval clusters, wherein each interval cluster represents one phase of execution of the instruction trace. At least one interval from each of the plurality of interval clusters is selected as a trace sample to provide a plurality of trace samples, wherein each selected interval is of at least a minimum size, a simulation is performed using the plurality of trace samples, and a result of the simulation is provided to the user.
US08000952B2	Method and system for generating multiple path application simulations A system and method to generate simulations of a target application or software. The method comprises recognizing a start point associated with a multiple path simulation of a target application and automatically generating simulation branches of the multiple path simulation from the recognized start point. The method and system of the invention allows a simulation developer to create “multi-path” simulations more quickly and efficiently by, for example, (i) recognizing which junctions in the simulation are starting points for multiple paths, (ii) where the multiple paths converge, and (iii) the content of the multiple paths.
US08000951B2	Timing analysis method and apparatus for enhancing accuracy of timing analysis and improving work efficiency thereof A timing analysis apparatus has a block simulation information storing section, a SPICE deck generating section, and a feedback-based static timing analyzing section. The block simulation information storing section stores simulation information for each block when performing circuit analysis by partitioning a circuit into blocks, the SPICE deck generating section generates a SPICE deck by interconnecting the blocks, for a path that needs analysis, by using a result of static timing analysis and using simulation conditions for the each block. The feedback-based static timing analyzing section causes a result of the simulation performed using the generated SPICE deck to be reflected in the static timing analysis.
US08000946B2	Discrete event simulation with constraint based scheduling analysis A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program code for simulating a process. Data is received describing a process to form received data. A current discrete event simulation model is formed from the received data in a discrete event simulation engine, wherein the current discrete event simulation model includes a current schedule having a plurality of ordered tasks. A simulation of the current discrete event simulation model is performed in the discrete event simulation engine, wherein results are generated from running the current discrete event simulation model. Finally, a new schedule is generated from the current schedule and the results using schedule analysis tool.
US08000943B2	Method and system for the efficient calculation of unsteady processes on arbitrary space-time domains The Space-Time Mapping Analysis (STMA) method and system provides an engineering method and/or system for modeling and/or analyzing and/or designing and/or building and/or operating complex physical processes, components, devices, and phenomena. STMA can be used in a way for modifying and/or improving the design of many different products, components, processes, and devices, for example. Any physical system, whether existing or proposed, which exhibits, for example, unsteady flow phenomena, might be modeled by the STMA. Thus, STMA can be implemented as a part of an engineering system for design improvements and/or modifications and/or evaluations. The STMA system and/or method uses a space-time mapping technique wherein the space and time directions are treated in an equivalent way, such that, rather than solving a three-dimensional unsteady problem by sweeping in the time direction from an initial point in time to a final point in time, the problem is solved as a four-dimensional problem in space-time.
US08000942B2	Broach tool design methodology and systems This disclosure relates to a design methodology used in manufacturing a broaching tool for cutting slots in aerospace disk applications. The method includes modeling geometry of the slot and the broach tool, which is based upon an initial minimum tooth rise that is determined empirically for the particular disk material. The number of broach inserts and teeth per insert is calculated, and the broach inserts are modeled. The stresses and deformation of the lug are calculated in a finite elements environment based upon simulated incremental broach tool movements. If the lug is not within specifications based upon design constraints, then the broach tool is revised and the simulations are repeated until the slot is within the desired specifications.
US08000941B2	System and method for surface reconstruction from an unstructured point set A method of modeling a surface from a plurality of geometry points representing an object generally includes binning the plurality of geometry points into an n-dimensional array of cells and associating a binary value with each cell; applying a dilation algorithm to the binned plurality of geometry points to output a dilated binary representation of the plurality of geometry points; applying an erosion algorithm to the dilated binary representation of the plurality of geometry points to output a segmented volume; and applying a surface construction algorithm to the segmented volume to form a surface model of the object.
US08000937B2	Method and apparatus for waveform analysis of physiological parameters A method and an apparatus are provided for performing waveform analysis on physiological parameters. In one embodiment, a method includes reading measurement values of a first physiological parameter relating to time, and displaying them as a trend display graph in a trend display area that includes first coordinates representing time and second coordinates representing the measurement values. The method also includes acquiring a time selected in the trend display graph, and displaying, in a waveform display area, waveform data of a second physiological parameter associated with formation of the first physiological parameter during periods before and after the selected time. The waveform display area includes time coordinates. The disclosed embodiments allow medical staff to view the curve of a patient's physiological parameters throughout a monitoring/therapy period. Medical staff may make a detailed analysis of the waveform data in real time, which may provide a basis for making decisions in the following therapy processes.
US08000935B2	Diagnostic method for root-cause analysis of FET performance variation A diagnostic method of and computer system for root-cause analysis of performance variations of FETs in integrated circuits and a method and computer system for monitoring a field effect transistor manufacturing process. The diagnostic method includes measuring source currents in the linear and saturated regions of two FETs, calculating ratios of the source currents in the linear and saturated regions for the and two FETs and comparing the ratios of the two FETs to determine a probable root cause for a performance variation between the two FETs. One of the FETs has a known good performance.
US08000932B2	System and method for statistical performance monitoring A method using statistical parameters (e.g. mean, standard deviation, exceptional values) of performance monitoring metrics to substantially reduce the quantity of performance monitoring data collected and reported, make system performance monitoring scalable and enhance the readability of the system performance display. The number of metrics monitored may be reduced by monitoring only one of any two metrics that are closely correlated.
US08000931B2	Deterministic component model judging apparatus, judging method, program, recording medium, test system and electronic device Provided is a deterministic component model determining apparatus that determines a type of a deterministic component included in a probability density function supplied thereto, comprising a standard deviation calculating section that calculates a standard deviation of the probability density function; a spectrum calculating section that calculates a spectrum of the probability density function; a null frequency detecting section that detects a null frequency of the spectrum; a theoretical value calculating section that calculates a theoretical value of a spectrum for each of a plurality of predetermined types of deterministic components, based on the null frequency; a measured value calculating section that calculates a measured value of the spectrum for the deterministic component included in the probability density function, based on the standard deviation and the spectrum; and a model determining section that determines the type of the deterministic component included in the probability density function to be the type of deterministic component corresponding to a theoretical value closest to the measured value, from among the theoretical values for the plurality of types of deterministic components.
US08000929B2	Sequential fixed-point quantile estimation Disclosed are method and apparatus for calculating a quantile estimate of a data stream. A quantile estimate is calculated iteratively by calculating a first quantile estimate and then calculating a second quantile estimate by adding a first update increment to the first estimate. A first observation sample is acquired. A first quantile estimate and a first standard deviation estimate are set to the sample quantile and the sample standard deviation of the first observation sample. A second observation sample is then acquired. A second standard deviation estimate is calculated based at least in part on the first standard deviation estimate and the sample standard deviation of the second observation sample. A first update increment is calculated based at least in part on the second observation sample and based at least in part on the product of the second standard deviation estimate times a log odds ratio function.
US08000926B2	Method and system for positional measurement using ultrasonic sensing A method for determining position and alignment is provided. The method includes monitoring a first and second sequence of ultrasonic signals transmitted from the first device to a second device, estimating a location of the first device from Time of Flight measurements of the ultrasonic signals at respective microphones on the second device, calculating a set of phase differences, weighting a difference of an expected location and estimated location of the first device with the set of phase differences to produce a relative displacement, and reporting a position of the first device based on the relative displacement.
US08000923B2	Semiconductor integrated circuit A semiconductor integrated circuit according to the examples of the present invention is applied to a system using a first power source voltage and a second power source voltage independent of the first power source voltage and includes a first area to which the first power source voltage is supplied, a thermal sensor placed in the first area, and a first input path placed in the first area, for transferring trimming data that determine the control contents of the thermal sensor to the thermal sensor.
US08000914B2	Systems and methods for electromechanical oscillation monitoring Systems and methods for electromechanical oscillation monitoring are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a method for monitoring electromechanical oscillation in a power system includes forming a power density spectrum in frequency domain based on phasor measurements collected from a plurality of locations in the power system and identifying an oscillation in the power density spectrum. The oscillation has a power density larger than other oscillations. The method also includes analyzing the identified oscillation in time domain to determine a damping characteristic of the identified oscillation and indicating that an insufficiently damped oscillation exists in the power system if the determined damping characteristic of the oscillation meets a predetermined condition.
US08000907B2	Fluid flow rate sensor and method of operation A probe for a thermo-anemometer-type fluid flow rate sensor is disclosed. The probe comprises a tubular body member having a thermally conductive housing disposed within a fluid passageway and a detection module in the housing. The detection module includes a detection circuit and a heating circuit and is adapted to provide an output that varies in response to a change in temperature. The detection module is made from a ceramic substrate upon which the detection circuit and the heating circuit are deposited.
US08000905B1	Computer-implemented methods, carrier media, and systems for determining sizes of defects detected on a wafer Computer-implemented methods, carrier media, and systems for determining sizes of defects detected on a wafer are provided. One computer-implemented method includes separating the defects into groups based on output acquired for the defects by multiple channels of an inspection system used to detect the defects on the wafer. The method also includes separating the defects in one or more of the groups into subgroups based on the output acquired for the defects by one or more of the multiple channels. In addition, the method includes determining the sizes of one or more of the defects in one or more of the subgroups separately based on the output acquired for the defects by only one of the multiple channels and a calibration parameter. The calibration parameter is different for each of the subgroups and is acquired by using another system to measure actual sizes of defects detected on other wafers.
US08000899B2	Borehole invariant porosity measurement method The invention concerns a method for determining the porosity of an earth formation penetrated by a borehole. The method comprises conveying a tool along said borehole, wherein the tool comprises a source of neutron radiation and at least two detectors axially spaced from said source at at least two different spacings. At least one near detector and at least one far detector are selected and a correction computed. The porosity of the earth formation is determined by correcting the far detector porosity with the computed correction.
US08000896B2	Scale factor calibration and compensation for angular position resolver In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a resolver system has at least one resolver and at least one amplifier in electrical communication with each resolver. A reference circuit is in electrical communication with the amplifiers. The reference circuit provides reference signals to the amplifiers. A non-linearity calibration and compensation circuit in communication with each amplifier uses the amplified reference signals to provide scale factors, so as to enhance a precision of the resolver system.
US08000895B2	Navigation and inspection system A method of detecting a changed condition within a geographical space from a moving vehicle. Images of that geographic space are memorialized in conjunction with GPS coordinates together with its GPS coordinates. The same geographic space is traversed from the moving vehicle while accessing the route's GPS coordinates. The memorialized images are played back by coordinating the GPS data on a memorialized images with that of the traversed geographic space such that the memorialized images are viewed simultaneously with the geographic space being traversed. An observer traveling within the moving vehicle can compare the memorialized images with those being traversed in order to identify changed conditions.
US08000894B2	Vehicular wireless communication system A vehicular wireless communication system includes a control in a vehicle operable to communicate with an external service provider via a wireless communication link between the equipped vehicle and the external service provider. The control may receive a user input and responsive thereto, may establish the wireless communication link between the equipped vehicle and the external service provider. Data from the external service provider is downloaded to the control via the wireless communication link. The control controls at least one accessory of the vehicle, and the control may control the accessory responsive to at least one of (a) a geographic location of the vehicle as determined by a global positioning system of the equipped vehicle and (b) a biometric characteristic of an occupant of the equipped vehicle.

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