Document	Document Title
US08496224B1	Tunable valve assembly A tunable valve assembly attenuates valve-generated vibration at one or more predetermined assembly resonant frequencies. The assembly comprises a valve body having a peripheral groove spaced radially apart from a central reservoir. An adjustable preload flange is centrally coupled to the valve body for changing assembly compliance and for imposing a shear preload by partially constraining a viscoelastic element in the reservoir. Assembly resonant frequencies are thus predictably altered. Further, the vibration spectrum is narrowed and its amplitude reduced through hysteresis loss of closing impulse energy at each such altered resonant frequency. At least a first predetermined assembly resonant frequency is achieved through adjustment of shear preload, and at least a second predetermined assembly resonant frequency is achieved through choice of a viscoelastic or composite element in the peripheral groove. The peripheral groove itself may be fenestrated, thereby increasing responsiveness to longitudinal compressive force on the tunable valve assembly.
US08496221B2	Aerostatically guided table system for vacuum application A table system for vacuum application has a base plate and a moving table guided by aerostatic bearing units. The bearing units (10) are connected to supply lines and suction lines for supplying and extracting the gas required for the operation of the bearing units and are provided in each instance with a sealing system having at least one stage and comprising suction channel and sealing gap for sealing relative to the vacuum. The table system is characterized in that the aerostatic bearing units (10) are constructed at least partially as swivel joints, and a push rod (4) which is actuated by a drive (5) for guiding the moving table laterally is connected to the rotating part (21) of each swivel joint, and in that the push rods (4) are hollow and constitute a component part of the suction lines for extracting the operating gas.
US08496212B2	Bipod assembly with terrain-gripping end effecters A bipod comprises first and second tubular, spring-loaded telescopically extendable legs terminating distally in substantially triangular, claw-like end effectors. Each end effecter includes a substantially planar central segment having an upper surface defining a polygon resembling a truncated triangle with the first, second and third corners projecting downwardly at an acute angle. The first second and third downwardly projecting corner segments define substantially planar, triangular claw members, and so form a cup-shaped three pointed claw ideally well suited to grasp but not sink into any terrain surface.
US08496208B1	Orbit debris removal and asset protection assembly An orbital debris removal assembly is provided. The orbital debris removal and asset protection assembly includes a plurality of spaced layers of netting. Each netting layer includes a plurality of sub-layers of meshed composite fibers that are configured and arranged to break up debris that comes in contact with the assembly.
US08496202B2	Hydraulic system for transmission of forces between an aircraft turboprop and an attachment device This invention relates to a force transmission system (50) between a turboprop and an attachment pylon, comprising: a first and a second force transmission device (52a, 52b) each comprising a first hollow cylinder (54) with an axis (56) that will be made parallel to a first force transmission direction, said first cylinder defining a first space (58) full of a fluid (60) and closed off in a sealed manner at its two opposite ends, by a first damping layer (62) that will bear in contact with a bearing element (66) of the turboprop, and by a second damping layer (64) that will bear in contact with a bearing element (68) of the attachment device, said first and second layers possibly being compressed by the pressure of said fluid; and first means (70) of fluid communication between the two spaces (58, 58).
US08496199B2	System and method for limiting cyclic control inputs A control system having a first loop configured to provide a longitudinal blowback value of a rotor blade during flight and a second loop associated with the first loop, the second loop being configured to provide a design maximum total flapping value and a lateral flapping value. A method includes calculating a flight control limit from the design maximum total flapping value and the lateral flapping value. An upper longitudinal cyclic control limit is calculated by adding the flight control limit to the longitudinal blowback value. A lower longitudinal cyclic control limit is calculated by subtracting the flight control limit from the longitudinal blowback value.
US08496196B2	Asphalt material recycling system and method An asphalt roofing material recycling system and method is used to recycle new and used (post consumer) asphalt materials, such as asphalt shingles, rolled roofing and tar paper that may include granules, fibers or other particles. The asphalt material, which may be in bundles, is broken up and separated and then provided to a cooled recycling vessel. Dry ice is added along with the asphalt material to be recycled. The dry ice removes any moisture present and super-cools the material making it brittle and easier to chip and break up. The recycle vessel includes a number of high speed shippers having tulip hear chipping teeth as well as one horizontal mixer element which stirs the material and makes sure all material is ground. The resulting course to fine powder can be separated by screening and stored as power or compressed into bricks or briquettes.
US08496194B2	Method and apparatus for retaining highly torqued fittings in molded resin or polymer housing A module for mounting on the end of a handle of a coating material dispensing device comprises at least a coating material fitting for coupling to a source of coating material. The module further includes a first fractional module component and a second fractional module component. The coating material fitting is captured between the first fractional module component and the second fractional module component when the first and second fractional module components are assembled together.
US08496188B2	Pressure washer device employing a cool bypass A pressure washer device is provided that employs an unloader bypass valve that directs a selective amount of fluid via a small diameter bypass line back to a water storage tank. The small amount of fluid allows for the pump to remain working and introduces cooler water into a bypass circuit, thereby allowing the thermal relief valve to be omitted. The diameter of the bypass line is of such a diameter to prevent siphonage of the detergent associated with the pressure washer system into the water storage tank as well.
US08496185B2	Secure ID A secure identification card is created. The secure identification card includes a first identifying item of information. A first covert marker is applied to the secure identification card. The first covert marker is associated with the first identifying item of information such that the secure identification card is recognized as authentic only if the association between the first covert marker and the first identifying item of information is recognized. The association between the first covert marker and the first identifying item of information is stored at a site that can be used to monitor the use of the secure identification card at a plurality of locations.
US08496170B2	Contactless portable object capable of providing an indication on the performance of a contactless reader The invention concerns a contactless portable object (11) featuring an electronic circuit (14) and an antenna (12) connected together enabling coupling between the electronic circuit and a reader associated with the portable contactless object. According to the main characteristic of the invention, the contactless portable object includes a set of field indicators (18) that provide the user with a measurement of the value of a physical quantity proportional to the quantity of the electromagnetic field which passes through the antenna (12).
US08496167B2	Cash tracking system A system of tracking the location of cash is disclosed.
US08496166B2	System for associating RFID tag with UPC code, and validating associative encoding of same An assemblage for preparing and validating a smart label including an RFID inlay and selected symbology includes a workstation with a symbology printer and an RFID printer, and a validation station. The validation station includes a digital control device for storing software and housing digital hardware, a symbology reader, an RFID transceiver for reading data encoded on an RFID tag, an encoding and validation chamber, and a computer. The workstation is configured to occupy a minimal area for optimizing the preparation and validation of an associated RFID tag and symbology, and the associated RFID tag and symbology can be contemporaneously printed, encoded with data specific to an item to which the RFID tag and symbology are to be affixed, and validated individually and with respect to one another.
US08496154B2	Pair of double staple pusher in triple row stapler A staple cartridge includes outer and inner rows of retention slots that are adapted and configured to retain staples. The staple cartridge further includes a staple pusher including a plurality of pusher plates. A staple pusher includes pusher plates that are laterally spaced apart to engage staples within the outer rows of at least three rows of retention slots.
US08496150B2	Flat display panel cutting apparatus An apparatus for cutting a flat display panel prevents a light emitting surface of a flat display panel from being damaged due to a pit or a scratch. The apparatus for cutting a flat display panel includes a stage supporting a rear substrate of the flat display panel, a chip blocking unit disposed to correspond to a non-scrap portion of the flat display panel, and a scrap breaker to grip a scrap portion of the flat display panel that is to be separated from the flat display panel. A scribing line is formed between the scrap portion and a non-scrap portion of the flat display panel.
US08496144B2	Removable steering wheel holder for an electronic device A removable holder for a smart phone is provided to support the smart phone in front of a driver on a steering wheel. Close proximity of the smart phone allows easy access and good visibility of its display which helps in using the GPS navigation or other features of a smart phone while the vehicle is in motion. Retention of the smart phone assures its steady position when the steering wheel is turned but at the same time allows for its deflection out of the way in case of an airbag deployment. The attachment element of the holder includes two raised bars and an elastic band to form a 3-point contact area with the steering wheel. The smart phone retainer is length-adjustable to accommodate a variety of smart phones. The holder can be easily mounted and removed from the steering wheel without using hand tools.
US08496142B2	Foam-dispensing pump container The foam-dispensing pump container according to the present invention has the valve seat portion which protrudes inwardly below the air-liquid mixing unit and which is formed of the flexible member that can come into contact with the outer peripheral face of the latch portion of the rod-shaped valve body, and immediately after the nozzle head starts rising, the flexible valve seat portion comes into contact with the rod-shaped valve body before the upper opening end of the liquid chamber comes into contact with the rod-shaped valve body, thereby significantly reducing a backflow of the foam or liquid into the air passage, and consequently improving the usability of the foam-dispensing pump container.
US08496141B2	Frozen confection machine having simultaneous dispensing of two flavors with clog inhibiting mechanism A frozen beverage freezer machine is provided with two side-by-side freezer cylinders containing different flowable frozen beverage products. Draw valves are provided to draw the beverages separately for dispensing separately from the two beverage freezer cylinders. An additional draw valve, generally centered relative to the freezer cylinders, is provided to draw beverages from the two cylinders simultaneously for dispensing a mix of the two beverages. Clog breaker blades are coupled to the center draw valve assembly to inhibit clogging of passageways from the frozen beverage cylinders to the center valve, to facilitate reliable flow and mixing of the two beverages when the center valve is opened to dispense the mix into a user's receiver cup.
US08496132B2	Can end A can end having a countersink bead, an inclined chuck wall and a strong seam, resists distortion from its circular profile when subjected to thermal processing or when packaging carbonated beverages. This high hoop strength affects the manner in which the can end ultimately fails when placed under extreme abuse conditions, even if buckle pressure performance is within industry specified standards. The can end of the invention has control features introduced which control the failure mode whilst maintaining specified buckle pressure performance. In one embodiment, the can end has a two part wall and a control feature that comprises expansion of the countersink bead to act as a trigger for local peaking, together with a groove in the chuck wall which prevents the peaking force from being concentrated at a single point which could result in leaking by the production of a pin hole.
US08496129B2	Cap and covered container Provided are a cap capable of being easily and reliably opened and unsealed not limited in design even if an inner cap with a small diameter is used for the cap, producing no refuse after the unsealing, and not unnecessarily large in size, and a container with the cap. When an over cap (3) is rotated in the opening direction, a pair of screw threads (10a, 10b) as opening means are advanced in the direction in which they are tightened together, and this cuts off a planned opening section (4) from the inner cap (2). Thus, the cap has a relatively simple structure and can be simply and reliably unsealed by small force. Also, the planned opening section (4) is integrated with the over cap (3) after unsealing the inner cap (2), so that no refuse is produced after the unsealing, eliminating the need to clear it away from a table.
US08496128B2	Rotary coupler for a railway car A railcar coupler system that includes a yoke comprising a front end, a rear end, a top strap, and a bottom strap. The top strap and the bottom strap are positioned between the front end and the rear end. The front end comprises an internal bearing surface that is obliquely angled with respect to a central axis of the yoke that extends from the front end to the rear end of the yoke. The system also includes a connector configured to rotate within the yoke such that an axis of rotation of the connector is substantially aligned with the central axis of the yoke when the connector is positioned within the yoke. The connector includes an external bearing surface that is obliquely angled with respect to the axis of rotation of the connector and configured to correspond to the internal bearing surface of the yoke.
US08496125B2	Cap-shaped items holder rack A holder rack includes a supporting open frame, a rod baffle bonded to the supporting open frame in vertical, and a flat holder sheet member attached to the supporting open frame over the rod baffle for holding cap-shaped items vertically in a line. The flat holder sheet member has an upper opening, a lower opening, and an elongated slot connected between the upper opening and the lower opening and kept in proximity to the rod baffle.
US08496116B2	Peripheral sealing system for pre-tensioned screens A method of forming a shaker screen includes forming a frame, and attaching a first sealing element to at least one side of an outer perimeter of the frame, wherein the attaching comprises aligning a first mating surface of the frame to a second mating surface of the first sealing element, and wherein the first mating surface of the frame includes an extension, and the second mating surface of the first sealing element includes a groove configured to align with the extension. A system of sealing shaker screens includes a first screen and a second screen disposed adjacent the first screen, wherein a first sealing element of a first frame and a portion of the second screen interact to provide a seal between the first screen and the second screen.
US08496115B2	Foaming agent and method for floatation of insoluble components of raw salts The invention relates to a method for separating insoluble components from sylvinite, wherein the sylvinite is suspended in a saturated salt brine, a coagulating agent is added to the suspension, and a foaming agent is then added to the composition thus obtained, said foaming agent comprising and ether and/or ester, wherein a) the ethers of formula 1 correspond to R—O—R′ (1), where R is a linear or branched alkyl or alkenyl groups having 2 to 30 carbon atoms and R′ is a linear or branched alkyl or alkenyl groups having 1 to 30 carbon atoms; b) the esters are derived from monovalent or multivalent alcohols having 1 to 30 carbon atoms (alcohol radicals); or c) the ethers and/or esters are cyclic, wherein the ring size is 6 to 30 carbon atoms.
US08496113B2	Insert for carrier board of test handler An insert for a carrier board of a test handler is disclosed. In a first aspect, the latch block applying to the insert is detachably coupled to the insert body. The latch block can be reused, and thus this reduces wastage of resources and eliminates the insert replacement fee. In a second aspect, the insert pocket having hooks is detachably coupled to the insert body. The insert body can be reused. The latch unit is installed to the insert pocket, so that the damaged latch unit can be easily replaced. The insert forms a plurality of holes in the bottom of the loading part thereof, to expose the leads of the semiconductor devices through the holes downwardly. Thus, the insert can load semiconductor devices regardless of the dimensions of the semiconductor devices.
US08496108B2	Single-use body washing system A body washing system provides an integrated single-use package co-locating a moist towelette and a dry towelette, the latter sized and design to permit drying of an individual after applying the moist towelette to his or her body in a washing process. The compact size and availability of the dry towelette substantially increases at the availability of bathing systems to individuals to whom conventional bathing or showering is inaccessible.
US08496106B1	Kits for use by airline travelers and methods of their operation A kit for use by an airline traveler having an item of carry-on luggage in an airport having a security checkpoint where the traveler is required to remove the traveler's shoes for security inspection. The kit includes a pair of socks configured for wearing on the traveler's feet in order to keep unhygienic substances in proximity of the checkpoint away from the feet when the traveler walks through the checkpoint without the shoes. The kit includes a handheld travel pouch having an inner space and a pocket. The inner space is configured for storing the pair of socks. The pocket is configured for storing a card for providing proof of identity of the traveler. The pocket is configured for allowing of quick removal of the card for display at the checkpoint. The kit includes a means for securing the pouch to the item, the means coupled to the pouch.
US08496094B2	Spring suspension for a handlebar-steered vehicle A coil spring suspension designed for a handlebar-steered vehicle. The coil spring suspension generally includes a first tube, a coil spring, a shaft and a guide. A first end of the coil spring is disposed within the first tube and fixedly supported proximate a first end of the first tube. The coil spring extends beyond a second end of the first tube. The shaft fixedly supports a second end of the coil spring. The shaft and the first tube are slidably displaced relative to each other upon suspension loading to lengthwise compress the coil spring. The guide is disposed within the first tube and connected to the coil spring between the first and second ends of the coil spring. The guide is displaced with the coil spring under suspension loading and limiting lateral displacement of the coil spring.
US08496090B2	Vehicle elevator and lift therein The invention relates to a vehicle elevator, comprising: at least one carrier with a length direction for carrying a load thereon, such as a vehicle, and a lift under the carrier, which lift comprises at least two rotating components in a single line of assembly, wherein the rotating shaft extends along the line of assembly. The invention also relates to a lift for assembly in a vehicle elevator.
US08496084B2	Throttle sensor mounting structure A throttle sensor mounting structure for suppressing the influence on the arrangement of a lighting device located on the front side of a head pipe. A throttle sensor mounting structure in a saddle seat type vehicle includes a handle, a throttle grip rotatably mounted on the handle, a throttle sensor for detecting an operational amount of the throttle grip, a controller for controlling a power unit according to a detection value from the throttle sensor, a pair of right and left main frames extending to the rear from a head pipe, and a headlight provided on the front side of the head pipe. The throttle sensor is located on the rear side of the head pipe and between the right and left main frames so as to be superimposed on the main frames as viewed in a side elevation.
US08496083B2	Rear wheel suspension device of motorcycle A rear wheel suspension device of a motorcycle has rear end portions of an upper arm member and a lower arm rotatably joined to a knuckle member, which pivotally supports a rear wheel. The rear wheel suspension device can obtain a progressive cushion property while avoiding an increase in the number of parts. At the same time, the rear wheel suspension device can make the acquisition of extra rigidity of the vehicle body frame unnecessary. One end of a rear cushion unit is joined to one of an upper arm member and a lower arm member. A rear end portion of another of the upper arm member and the lower arm member is rotatably joined to a knuckle member in front of a rear wheel support portion of the knuckle member. Another end of the rear cushion unit is joined to one of another arm member and knuckle member.
US08496080B2	Wheel driven mechanism This invention relates to a wheel driven mechanism for a vehicle such as a wheelchair, an electrical bicycle, or a motorcycle, especially to a vehicle which has a wheel driven by power but without using an independent electric motor. The wheel driven mechanism comprises a rotor, a plurality of permanent magnets, a stator, and a plurality of electromagnets. The rotor is divided into a first block and a second block, and the permanent magnets are disposed within the first block to reduce the weight and the cost of the wheel driven mechanism. Furthermore, the user can easily rotate the handwheel mechanism during power off.
US08496077B2	Robotic two-wheeled vehicle A robotic two-wheeled vehicle comprising a connection body interposed between the two wheels are described. A drum can be coaxially located in a central region of the connection body and can support a hollow arm projecting radially from the drum. A tether can be inserted in the arm and connected to a second drum. Instruments and sensors can be accommodated in a case housed inside each wheel.
US08496071B2	Implement support stand A support stand for an implement such as farming equipment is provided. During use of the implement when the implement is connected to a tractor, the support stand is in a stowed position adjacent to a surface of the implement. When the implement is disconnected from the tractor, the support stand is rotatable outwards from the surface of the implement and downwards towards the ground and rests against the ground to maintain the implement in a generally upright position.
US08496070B2	Folding hitch lift arm A lift arm assembly is provided for a hitch having a hitch frame adapted to be mounted to a vehicle. The lift arm assembly includes a first arm pivotally coupled to the frame and having a having a pivot bore therein. A second arm is adapted for coupling to an implement and has a pivot pin which is rotatably and slidably received by the pivot bore. The second arm is slidable with respect to the first arm from an inboard position to an outboard position. When the second arm is in its outboard position, the second arm is pivotal about the pivot pin from a lowered position to a raised position.
US08496066B2	Methods for increasing oil production A method of recovering petroleum from dormant oil wells or increasing the production of oil wells. An alkali or alkali earth carbonate is introduced into a water layer associated with a subterranean petroleum reservoir and/or an explosive composition is introduced into an oil layer associated with a subterranean petroleum reservoir. CO2 gas is produced by reacting the alkali or alkali earth carbonate with an acid and/or by detonating the explosive composition. An explosive composition can be introduced and detonated to achieve sufficient CO2 gas production to increase pressure within the subterranean petroleum reservoir. Petroleum recovery can be further enhanced through the use of techniques to reduce petroleum viscosity including sonication.
US08496062B2	Goat head type injection block for fracturing trees in oilfield applications The disclosure provides a goat head, as a mixing block, for multiple fluids in oilfield applications, the goat head having a reversing directional flow, mixing portion, wear reduction surfaces, and restricted outlet bore. The goat head provides an underneath approach for piping, reducing the overall height, and mixes the fluids dynamically within the goat head from angled flow paths. The goat head then reverses at least a component of the fluid flow direction that enters the wellbore below the goat head and exits the goat head into the well therebelow. The goat head to contains hardened wear surfaces, including surfaces in specific zones, to resist erosion caused by the reversing directional flow. A restricted outlet bore has a cross-sectional area that is less than the sum of cross-sectional areas of the inlets to assist in creating higher velocity and streamlined flow as the fluid exits the goat head.
US08496056B2	System and method for low damage fracturing A method of fracturing a subterranean formation comprising at least in part shale formation, comprises providing a carrier fluid; providing a particulate blend including a first amount of particulates having a first average particle size between about 100 and 2000 microns and a second amount of particulates having a second average particle size between about three and twenty times smaller than the first average particle size, such that a packed volume fraction of the particulate blend exceeds 0.75; combining the carrier fluid and the particulate blend into a fracturing slurry; fracturing the formation with the fracturing slurry to create at least a fracture; and removing the second amount of particulates from the fracture.
US08496054B2	Methods and apparatus to sample heavy oil in a subterranean formation A method for sampling fluid in a subterranean formation includes, reducing a viscosity of a fluid, pressurizing a portion of the subterranean formation and collecting a fluid sample. Specifically, a viscosity of a fluid in a portion of the subterranean formation is reduced and a portion of the subterranean formation is pressurizing by injecting a displacement fluid into the subterranean formation. A sample of the fluid pressurized by the displacement fluid is then collected.
US08496050B2	Arrangement used in oil field wells for lifting hydrocarbons Arrangement for the lifting of hydrocarbons in oil field wells, comprising a lifting assembly formed by a fluid collecting hose and a fluid suction tube within the well casing. The suction tube extends along the collecting hose, which has an open upper end, through which passes the upper section of the suction tube, which has an end attached to the pulling cable of the “collecting hose/suction tube” assembly.
US08496043B2	Blind slat A blind slat (1) has a substantially constant cross-sectional profile extending between a leading end (2) and a trailing end (3). The profile defines an upper face (4) of the slat (1). The upper face (4) has a convex portion (6) extending from adjacent the leading end (2) towards the trailing end (3). The convex portion (6) has an apex (7) at which the upper face (4) is parallel to a reference axis (R) of the profile that extends laterally between the leading end (2) and the trailing end (3). The upper face (4) also has a concave portion (8) located between the convex portion (6) and the trailing end (3). The concave portion (8) has a base (9) at which the upper face (4) is parallel to the reference axis (R). An inflection (10) joins the convex portion (6) and the concave portion (8). The upper face (4) is inclined with respect to the reference axis (R) by at least 11° at the inflection (10). The profile has a depth measured between the leading end (2) and the trailing end (3) of between 105 and 150 mm.
US08496041B2	Ladder tape for window covering and slat adjusting apparatus using the ladder tape A ladder tape includes two pairs of warp strings, and two weft strings repeatedly passing through the warp strings in a predetermined way to form two cords and a plurality of bridge sections between the cords. The weft strings respectively are wound around one section of each pair of the warp strings only to form an opening between the warp strings that the ladder tape may engage with the rotary drum of the window blind in a fast and easy way. The weft strings are wound around the warp strings in a way that the ladder tape will not get entangled with other objects unexpectedly.
US08496034B2	Methods for predicting warp at a given condition Methods are provided for predicting warp of a lumber product at a given condition, such as relative humidity, temperature, moisture content, or the like. Note that this methodology may apply to any of crook, bow, twist, cup, or combinations of these quantities. The method involves measuring an original warp of a first wood product at a known condition; changing the condition of the first wood product to a new condition; measuring a second warp of the first wood product at the new condition; developing a prediction model based on data from the original warp and condition and the second warp; measuring an original warp and condition of the given wood product; and inputting data from the original warp and condition of the given wood product to the prediction model to determine warp at a given condition.
US08496029B2	Extreme flow rate and/or high temperature fluid delivery substrates A flow substrate including a body having a first surface and a second opposing surface, a plurality of pairs of ports defined in the first surface of the body, a plurality of fluid pathways extending between each respective pair of ports and in fluid communication with each port of the respective pair of ports, and at least one cap. Each fluid pathway is formed in the second surface of the body. The at least one cap has a first surface constructed to seal at least one fluid pathway, and a second opposing surface. At least one of the body and the at least one cap includes a weld formation formed in at least one of the second surface of the body and the second surface of the at least one cap constructed to surround the at least one fluid pathway and facilitate welding of the at least one cap to the body along the weld formation.
US08496024B2	Paint circulation system with coiled back pressure regulator A paint circulation system for use in painting a workpiece. The paint circulation system operates to deliver paint to a paint applicator placed adjacent a workstation such as a paint spray booth. The paint is continuously circulated through the system and is returned to a paint reservoir through a paint return conduit. A coiled tube back pressure regulator located on the paint return conduit between the paint return manifold and paint reservoir functions to achieve a desired pressure drop in the paint circulation system while reducing paint shear and degradation typically associated with conventional pressure regulators.
US08496013B2	Nail clipper holding device A fingernail clipper holding device includes a housing having a hollow interior and having a generally ellipsoid ergonomic configuration that is easy to grip. An upper portion of the housing may include a channel having a configuration to receive the housing of a fingernail clipping device and to hold it securely. The housing defines a receiving area on which a user may position his finger adjacent the cutting head of the fingernail clipping device. A gripping member is attached to a lower portion of the housing to receive a user's fingers or hand. Stabilizing members may be attached to the bottom surface of the lower portion to hold the housing stationary on a flat surface.
US08496005B2	Breathing mask and regulator for aircraft The auxiliary breathing flow channel apparatus for an oxygen mask for pilots and crew of an airplane includes a flow control device with closed and open positions to regulate flow through an auxiliary channel. A pressure sensor such as an aneroid capsule automatically closes the auxiliary channel upon a decrease in cabin pressure. A handle also allows a user to manually move the flow regulating means to a closed position.
US08496004B2	Device for evacuating breathing gas from the interior of a breathing mask, and breathing mask arrangement comprising said device A diversion device is provided for diverting breathing gas, which is laden with CO2, from a pressurized region of an arrangement that includes a breathing mask and serves for delivering a breathing gas at a pressure level that is above the ambient pressure. The device has a tubular stub structure which defines a breathing gas conduit that extends between an inlet cross section on the hose side and an outlet cross section on the mask side, and which is provided, in a region located between the inlet cross section and the outlet cross section, with an outflow orifice portion by way of which the breathing gas to be carried reaches the environment. In a region located between the outflow orifice portion and the outlet cross section on the mask side of the breathing gas conduit, a double-walled structure that surrounds the breathing gas conduit is embodied for sampling the breathing gas to be carried away from a mask interior, while largely circumventing the breathing gas conduit.
US08496001B2	Process and device for the automatic identification of breathing tubes A process and a device/system are provided for the automatic identification of the type of a breathing tube. A memory element (5) is connected to the breathing tube (4). The memory element carries stored data identifying the breathing tube (4). The data are read by a reading unit (6), which is part of a respirator (1). The data may be read when the breathing tube (4) is brought into the vicinity of the respirator (1) or connected thereto.
US08495998B2	Inhaler A portable, handheld breath-actuated inhaler comprises a generally cylindrical body that comprises body portions 1, 3 that receive a canister 2 of pressured fluid such a nicotine to be inhaled in an aerosol by a user, a mouthpiece 7 in the first body portion 1 configured to deliver an amount of the aerosol to the mouth of the user from the canister. A trigger is cocked ready for releasing pressurized fluid from the canister by manually sliding the body portions 1, 3 towards one another. The trigger comprises a compression spring 26 and a cam 33 which engages a pressure sensitive puff lever 28 with a plate 29 that releases the cocked trigger when a user sucks on the mouthpiece and draws in air through air inlet opening 26. Release of the trigger releases spring 26 which slides the body portions apart and also opens a valve in the canister so as to deliver the aerosol to the mouthpiece.
US08495985B2	Fuel delivery pipe with damper function A fuel delivery pipe with damper function, being constructed of an elongate lower case provided at its bottom with a plurality of injection sockets for connection with fuel injection valves to be opened and closed by a controller unit; an upper case coupled with the lower case in a liquid-tight manner to form an internal space to be filled with fuel under pressure supplied from a fuel pump; a hollow partition wall member the whole periphery of which is brazed to an inner surface of the lower or upper case to form an air chamber isolated from the internal space; and a vent hole formed in the lower or upper case and sealed after communicating the air chamber with the atmosphere therethrough.
US08495982B2	Apparatus for mixing fuel and air in a combustion system A fuel shroud assembly (100) into which fuel (118) is injected for mixing with an air stream (120) in a fuel manifold. The shroud assembly (100) comprises a plurality of parallel fuel scoops (102) each receiving the injected fuel (118). The fuel stream (118) flows through each scoop (102), exiting at an open scoop end (114A). The air stream (120) flows between scoops, creating a shear region proximate each scoop end (114A) where the fuel exits. The shear causes mixing of the air (120) and the fuel (118) streams, wherein the degree of mixing is not dependent on the momentum ratio of the air (120) or fuel (118) streams.
US08495981B2	System and method for cam phaser control in an engine A control system for an engine includes a position determination module and a position control module. The position determination module determines a first cam phaser position for starting the engine prior to engine shut down, and determines a second cam phaser position for starting the engine while the engine is shut down. The position control module adjusts a cam phaser to the first cam phaser position at engine shut down. The position control module adjusts the cam phaser from the first cam phaser position to the second cam phaser at engine start up when a difference between the first cam phaser position and the second cam phaser position is greater than a predetermined difference. A method for controlling an engine is also provided.
US08495976B2	Oil control valve and hydraulic control apparatus An oil control valve includes: a housing that is connected to an oil passage via which an oil is fed to and drained from a hydraulic device; an elongated spool that changes a state of oil feeding-drainage for the hydraulic device by moving in the housing; and a drain passage which is formed in the spool such that the drain passage extends in an axial direction of the spool and an outlet of the drain passage is provided at a radial side face of an axial end portion of the spool, and via which the oil that has entered the housing from the hydraulic device is drained, wherein the spool includes an elongated spool body, and an attachment that is separate from the spool body and is fixed at an axial end portion of the spool body.
US08495960B2	Railway vehicle with exhaust gas cleaning A rail vehicle comprising a vehicle body defining a vehicle interior, an internal combustion engine and an exhaust gas system in communication with the internal combustion engine for evacuating the exhaust gases of the internal combustion engine, wherein the exhaust gas system comprises an additive supply unit designed to supply an additive for pollutant reduction to the exhaust gas stream of the internal combustion engine, and the additive supply unit comprises a reservoir for the additive and a supply section connected thereto for supplying the additive to the exhaust gas stream. The reservoir and/or the supply section is arranged in at least one body chamber of the vehicle body, wherein the at least one body chamber is provided with sound insulation and/or thermal insulation at least in the areas adjacent to the vehicle interior and/or the environment of the vehicle, which are frequented by passengers.
US08495954B2	Equipment for roasting coffee beans and edible seeds in general In one embodiment, a piece of equipment for roasting edible seeds like coffee beans and the like includes a body sized to contain the product to be roasted, an air intake fan for conveying an air flow into the containing body, and a heater for heating the air flow. The containing body is fixed and houses a rotary shaft provided with one or more substantially radial arms or blades suited to stir the product during roasting, and may include a rotary drum that is integral or that may not be integral with the arms during rotation.
US08495952B2	Skewered food removal device A food removal device for removing food from a skewer, which device includes a body portion with a slot therein for fitting over a skewer so that the food or portion thereof may be removed from the skewer. The body portion of the device is connected to a handle via an arm at an angle with the body portion so as to facilitate the removal of the food from the skewer.
US08495951B2	Disposable combined squeezer/stirrer/dispenser/brewer device A disposable packaging form is provided for brewed, hot drinks. The invention allows a user to brew the hot drink, squeeze out the brewed contents, and stir the contents of the hot drink. Each action can be performed multiple times before disposal. In some embodiments, the device of the present invention dispenses sweeteners, creamers, flavorings and condiments. The present invention frees the user of the inconvenience of having to collect, wash, or dispose of the stirrers, squeezers and bags of the hot drink individually.
US08495950B2	Method and apparatus for brewing coffee via universal coffee brewing chart generation An information handling system (IHS) includes a coffee design application. The IHS receives first input information from a user that specifies a coffee design mode. The IHS receives second input information from a user that enables the IHS to define a unitless brew formula line ratio of water weight to coffee weight. The IHS displays a brew formula line on a universal brewing control chart graph, the brew formula line being dependent on the brew formula ratio. The IHS operates in a selected one of a brew water volume mode, a desired coffee yield mode and a ground coffee weight mode. The IHS converts input values to selected units and resultant output values to selected units in real time. The IHS projects a target total dissolved solids (TDS) % value on the brew formula line and plots a universal brewing control chart.
US08495943B2	Anvil for supporting cuts in sheet and roll stock To cut a backed ply material with an ultrasonic blade, an anvil is utilized to provide support. The backed ply material travels in a first direction, the ultrasonic blade includes a tip, and the ultrasonic blade is operable to travel along a path. This path is oriented in a transverse manner relative to the first direction. The anvil includes a rigid base for securing the anvil to a cutting assembly and a surface coinciding with the path. The surface is secured to the base. The anvil further includes a groove disposed upon the surface. This groove is in cooperative alignment with the tip.
US08495940B2	Tool units for cutting devices A tool unit for a cutting device includes a rotary blade, a blade case for covering at least a part of the blade case, and a drive device mounted to the blade case for rotatably driving the rotary blade. A handle is attached to the drive device. The blade case has a front support portion. The handle has a rear support portion. When the tool unit is used for a portable cutting device, the front support portion can be vertically pivotally supported by a front portion of the base, and the rear support portion can be supported by a guide member such that a position of the rear support portion can be changed relative to the guide member for enabling adjustment of a cutting depth of the rotary blade into the workpiece. When the tool unit is used for a table cutting device, the front support portion can be vertically pivotally supported by the table.
US08495938B2	Displacement unit The present invention relates to a displacement unit, serving to create a translational displacement movement of a cutting head of a cutting machine, particularly a slicer for slicing food products, wherein the head can be attached to the displacement unit. The displacement unit has a housing assembly and an actuator disposed in the housing assembly, the actuator comprising a stationary part in the displacement direction, and a part displaceable in relation to the stationary part in the displacement direction, for carrying out the displacement movement. The displacement unit further has at least one bearing that is attached to the housing assembly and is elastically deformable in the displacement direction, the displaceable part engaging on this bearing.
US08495935B2	Multi-scale mechanism A multi-scale mechanism comprising a rotatable driving shaft; a first scale mounted along the axis of said rotatable driving shaft, said scale including first and second sets of coarse scale divisions for indicating a coarse range of magnitude in two different systems of units as a function of the position of said first scale with respect to said rotatable driving shaft; a second scale for indicating a fine scale range of magnitude in one of said systems of units; a third scale for indicating a fine scale range of magnitude in the other of said systems of units; said third scale operatively connected to said rotatable driving shaft; and a gear assembly connected between said second scale and said third scale having a predetermined gear ratio such that said second scale is caused to move at a different rate than said third scale.
US08495927B2	Hexapod platform and jack that can be used in the hexapod platform A hexapod platform and a jack that can be used in the hexapod platform are provided. The jack includes a body, a piston capable of translational movement with respect to the body and a rod connected to the piston to follow its translational movement and by means of which the jack applies load. The rod is connected to the piston by means of a ball joint. The hexapod platform comprises six jacks according to the invention.
US08495926B2	Dual clutch transmission A transmission includes an input member, an output member, first and second shafts, first and second countershafts, a plurality of co-planar gear sets, and a plurality of torque transmitting devices. The torque transmitting devices include a plurality of synchronizer assemblies and a dual clutch assembly. The transmission is operable to provide at least one reverse speed ratio and a plurality of forward speed ratios between the input member and the output member.
US08495925B2	Gearbox for a motor-vehicle double clutch transmission A gearbox includes two coaxial primary shafts carrying fixed gearwheels acting as driving gearwheels of the gear trains associated with the forward gears and with the reverse gear, a secondary shaft carrying idle gearwheels acting as driven or intermediate gearwheels of the gear trains associated with the forward gears and with the reverse gear and a lay shaft, and a lay shaft carrying a fixed gearwheel acting as parking gearwheel. The lay shaft is permanently cinematically connected to the secondary shaft via a gear train comprising a first fixed gearwheel carried by the lay shaft, a second idle gearwheel coaxial with the two primary shafts and a third fixed gearwheel carried by the secondary shaft, the first and third fixed gearwheels meshing permanently with the second idle gearwheel.
US08495923B2	Testing device for testing rivets A testing device for testing of rivets is provided. The testing device includes a first holding element and a second holding element that can be driven toward the first holding element to cooperatively define at least one hole on which at least one type of rivet can be installed. The second holding element also can be driven to separate from the first holding element to release the installed rivets for analysis.
US08495915B2	Ultrasonic testing method and manufacturing method of seamless pipe or tube A circumferential angle of incidence αi of an ultrasonic wave transmitted from an ultrasonic probe 1 upon a tubular test object P and an axial angle of incidence βi of the ultrasonic wave transmitted from the ultrasonic probe 1 upon the tubular test object P are set based on a ratio of thickness to outer diameter t/D of the tubular test object P so that an internal refraction angle θk calculated from the circumferential angle of incidence αi, the axial angle of incidence βi, and the ratio of thickness to outer diameter t/D of the tubular test object may be not less than 35° and not more than 60°.
US08495914B2	Handheld ultrasound detection apparatus having a flexible tube A handheld ultrasound detection apparatus of the present disclosure has a housing comprising a display device and a flexible tube attached at its distal end to the housing, the flexible tube housing an ultrasound receiver for receiving ultrasound energy and converting the ultrasound energy into an electronic signal. The handheld ultrasound detection apparatus further has logic configured to receive the electronic signal and convert the electronic signal to digital data, the logic further configured to display data indicative of the digital data to the display device.
US08495913B2	Level measurement system An apparatus and method for the identification of different phases (11-20) in a multi-phase medium includes at least two arrays (26A, 26B) of ultrasound transducers capable of transmitting and receiving ultrasound through the medium separating them. The method and apparatus is useful for the location of phase interfaces in vessels such as oil separators.
US08495910B2	Air-fuel ratio estimating/detecting device An air-fuel ratio estimating device can include an amount of fuel injected calculating unit which can estimate the amount of fuel injected GF for each cycle on the basis of a driving time Tout of a fuel injection valve. A proportional constant calculating section determines a proportional constant K, using the estimated charging efficiency CE and the amount of fuel injected Gf, when the output value of a sensor is in a transition region R. When the sensor output value is not in the transition region R, an air-fuel ratio A/F is estimated from the determined proportional constant K, a charging efficiency CE calculated by a calculating section, and the amount of fuel injected Gf.
US08495886B2	Model-based alarming A method includes calculating an energy consumption model for at least one component of a building system, accessing actual weather data, applying the actual weather data to the energy consumption model, and determining an expected energy consumption value for the at least one component of the building system based on the applying.
US08495885B2	Method and system for locking control systems of an appliance and an appliance incorporating the system A system for locking control systems of an appliance includes a lock control that is configured to selectively place at least one of the user-controllable systems in a locked condition while allowing another of the user-controlled systems to remain in an unlocked condition. The system generally includes an appliance operation control, at least one interface and the lock control. The appliance operation control is configured to control user-adjustable controllable systems of the appliance in response to input received by the appliance operation control. The at least one interface is on the appliance and is in communication with the appliance operation control. The at least one interface is configured to receive input via the interface to control at least two of the user-controllable systems of the appliance. When a user-controllable system is in the locked condition, the locked control system is inoperative or unable to be adjusted. A method for selectively locking control systems of an appliance is also disclosed.
US08495882B2	Syngas cleanup section with carbon capture and hydrogen-selective membrane A syngas cleanup section includes a water-gas shift reactor, a first operation unit and a second operation unit. The first operation unit includes a high permeance membrane with H2/CO2 selectivity in flow communication with the water-gas shift reactor to provide a H2-rich permeate stream and an H2-poor retentate stream. The second operation unit recovers H2 and CO from the retentate stream to produce a single, CO2-rich product stream, the entire content of which has a minimum pressure of at least about 10.0 bar. In one embodiment, the second operation unit includes a membrane with Knudsen selectivity for permeating H2, CO and CO2. In this embodiment, the permeate streams are combined to produce a H2 and CO-rich fuel stream used by a combined cycle power generation unit to produce electricity, and the retentate stream is sent to a catalytic oxidation unit to produce the CO2-rich product stream. In another embodiment, the second operation unit is the catalytic oxidation unit.
US08495877B2	Compound turbocharger system having a connectable compressor The invention relates to an internal combustion engine having a turbocompound system. The turbocompound system encompasses an exhaust-gas turbocharger, a turbo intercooler, and a power turbine. The power turbine is connectable, via a transmission with clutch, to the crankshaft of the internal combustion engine. A connectable compressor, which is couplable either to the power turbine or to the internal combustion engine, is received in a multiple-flow intake pipe.
US08495872B2	Energy storage and recovery utilizing low-pressure thermal conditioning for heat exchange with high-pressure gas In various embodiments, gas is compressed to store energy and/or expanded to recover energy to or from high pressures, and the gas is exchanges heat with a heat-exchange fluid that is thermally conditioned at low pressures.
US08495866B2	Mixing and/or evaporation device and respective manufacturing method The invention relates to a mixing and/or evaporation device for an exhaust system, an internal combustion engine, having a tubular body on whose one axial end are arranged several blades adjacent to one another in the circumferential direction, protruding radially inward and leaving free a central passage such that the blades are set at an angle to the axial direction. For inexpensive manufacturing, the tubular body may be manufactured from a single sheet metal body by shaping together with the blades.
US08495865B2	Control unit for turbocharged internal combustion engine A control unit for a turbocharged internal combustion engine is provided. The control unit includes a first exhaust valve that opens/closes a first exhaust passage that is communicated with a turbine; a second exhaust valve that opens/closes a second exhaust passage that bypasses the turbine; and a closing timing of the second exhaust valve that is controlled so that an opening period of the second exhaust valve overlaps with an opening period of an intake valve under high engine load. The opening characteristic of the second exhaust valve and a fuel injection amount are controlled so that the air-fuel ratio of gas that is filled in a cylinder approximates an output air-fuel ratio and the air-fuel ratio of gas flowing into a three-way catalyst that is arranged in a post-junction exhaust passage approximates a theoretical air-fuel ratio under high engine load.
US08495863B2	Tank ventilation device and associated operating method The present invention relates to a tank ventilation device (1) for a motor vehicle, with at least one storage device (2) for storing hydrocarbon gas, the tank connection (9) of which is connected via a ventilation line (12) to a fuel tank (5) of a vehicle, the engine connection (10) of which is connected via a regeneration line (13) to a fresh gas system (6) of an internal combustion engine (4) of the vehicle, and the environment connection (11) of which communicates via an environment line (15) with the environment (7) of the vehicle.In order to reduce hydrocarbon emissions, at least one conversion device (3) can be provided, which is used for materially converting hydrocarbon gas and is connected directly or indirectly to the fuel tank (5) via a feed line (18) on the input side.
US08495859B2	Heat recovery system and method The present invention provides an exhaust gas waste heat recovery heat exchanger including a housing having a working fluid inlet, a working fluid outlet, an exhaust inlet, and an exhaust outlet, an exhaust flow path extending through the housing between the exhaust inlet and the exhaust outlet, and a working fluid flow path extending through the housing between the working fluid inlet and the working fluid outlet and having a first portion and a second portion. A flow of working fluid along the first portion of the working fluid flow path can be substantially counter to a flow of exhaust along the exhaust flow path, and the flow of working fluid along the second portion of the working fluid flow path can be substantially parallel to the flow of exhaust along the exhaust flow path.
US08495856B2	Front mounted rotary hay rake A rotary type rake having a plurality of finger wheel rotary raking elements mounted on a frame and movable thereon from one to the other of a raking position to rake material on the ground into a windrow and a retracted raised traveling position. The frame is partly supported by a pair of caster wheel assemblies that are disposed in spaced apart relation with respect to one another and a distal end of the frame which connects securely to a front end loader mounted on a tractor. Oscillatory movement of the caster wheel assemblies is restrained by a brake acting on the shaft of the caster wheel assembly by which it is mounted on the frame.
US08495855B1	Draper header with pivoting conveyor rollers A draper header has an endless belt conveyor supported on two arms that pivot with respect to the frame of the draper header. Both ends of the conveyor belt are supported on the arms such that the ends of the conveyor belt can rotate about respective generally vertical axes to thereby reduce uneven tension across the fore and aft width of the conveyor belt and reduce wear on the conveyor belt.
US08495854B2	Crown-like twist-off closure A closure cap that is particularly suited for use with plastic containers in packaging malt based beverages such as beer and ale includes an upper portion and a generally cylindrical sidewall that depends downwardly from the upper portion. The cylindrical sidewall defines a threaded inner surface, which permits the closure cap to be threaded onto a threaded finish portion of a container. Most advantageously, the outer surface of the cylindrical sidewall is stylized to resemble a conventional crown closure. In the disclosed embodiment this is accomplished by molding a plurality of fluted ribs into the outer surface of the cylindrical sidewall. A method of packaging a beverage and a packaging assembly is also disclosed.
US08495841B2	Window assembly for vehicle A window assembly for a vehicle includes a frame configured to mount to a transit vehicle, a fixed window panel affixed to a portion of the frame, and a movable window assembly having a movable window panel circumscribed by a movable frame. The movable frame has opposite end members and a pair of opposite slide rail members. The slide rail members are slidably received in respective channels along opposite portions of the frame. Each of the slide rail members includes a co-extruded slide rail having a semi-rigid or rigid rail portion, a flexible window seal co-extruded with the rail portion for sealing against the movable window panel, and a flexible sliding seal co-extruded with the rail portion for slidably engaging the opposite portions of the frame when the movable window assembly is assembled to the frame and is moved between its opened and closed positions.
US08495835B2	Through door arm access porthole assembly A through-door arm access porthole assembly includes a first porthole member securely mounted upon an exterior side of a door. The first porthole member is a rigid plate having a front side, a back side, an opening disposed therethrough, and further having a tubular portion aligned with the opening and extending from the back side. The tubular portion extending through the door from the exterior side to an interior side thereof. A second porthole member is securely mounted upon exterior surface of the door. The second porthole member is a rigid plate having a front side, a back side, and further having an opening disposed therethrough. The first porthole member and the second porthole member are fastened together with fasteners with the opening of the first porthole member and the open of the second porthole member in alignment. A seal member is disposed across the opening of the first porthole member and across the opening of the second porthole member and includes a plurality of resilient flap members.
US08495832B2	Magazine dependent safety mechanism of a handgun The invention discloses a safety mechanism of a handgun which depends on a magazine and which prevents the triggering of a handgun when the magazine is removed. Additionally, a mechanism enables handgun disassembly without need for the triggering after the magazine has been removed from the handgun. A safety mechanism is positioned inside the handgun receiver; including a magazine, sear catcher, sear catcher spring, grip safety pin, sear, sear pin, firing pin safety lever and firing pin. When the magazine is inserted into the handgun, the sear catcher is pushed into position in which it cannot block the firing pin safety lever nor catch the sear. When the magazine is removed from the handgun, the sear catcher spring pushes the sear catcher into position in which it blocks the firing chain by blocking the firing pin safety lever. At the same time it brings the sear catcher into position where it can hold the sear below the plane of the cocking of the firing pin as soon as the sear is sufficiently rotated around the sear pin by retracting the slide.
US08495830B2	Quick exchange framing system and method of manufacture A quick exchange framing system having two frames that are assembled together via a quick-release means such as a magnetic or friction force to provide easy access to a display, such as a picture or document, for ease in exchanging the display.
US08495827B2	Pants pressing machine with laser assisted alignment The present invention relates to a pressing machine to be used for pressing the upper portion of a pair of wrinkled pants. The pressing machine has the contour shape of the upper portion of a pair of pants. The shape of the pressing machine makes it easier for an operator to drape a pair of pants over the machine for pressing. The shape of the pressing machine allows pants of all sizes to be pressed. The pressing machine is operated manually by pressing on two foot pedals.
US08495826B2	Work implement and retaining pin assembly A work implement includes a ground engaging tool with a first through-hole, an adapter with a second through-hole, a retaining pin, a metal bushing and a metal retainer. The retaining pin is inserted into the first and second through-holes disposed in a state in which the ground engaging tool is in contact with the adapter. The retaining pin is inserted in an inside of an cylindrical member of the bushing, which is disposed at an end portion of the retaining pin inside the first through-hole. The metal retainer prevents the bushing from coming loose from the retaining pin by sandwiching the bushing between the metal retainer and the adapter at the end of the retaining pin. The bushing is disposed in a state that allows movement in an axial direction of the retaining pin between the adapter and the retainer on an outer peripheral face of the retaining pin.
US08495818B1	Hand driven cutter having multiple wheels A hand held, manually driven cutting device comprises a two part substantially inverted ‘V’ shaped body. The two body parts assemble to form an ambidextrous graspable handle, and a pair of axled wheels attach to the outer surface of a rear leg and a front leg of each body part. The dividable body is dismantled to receive a detachable blade that when affixed has its cutting edge protruding beneath the assembled body midway between the two rear wheels. Also mounted beneath the assembled body is a combined safety shield and material lifting element provided with a flow passage. Four wheels to the assembled body are configured with one wheel on either side of the front lower distal, one wheel either side of the lower rear body. During the cutting process the lamina material lies above the lifting and supporting element and below the rear wheels.
US08495810B2	Process for manufacturing a metal part reinforced with ceramic fibres A process for manufacturing a metal part reinforced with ceramic fibers, in which: a housing is formed for an insert in a main metal body having an upper face; an insert formed from a bundle of fibers with a metal matrix is placed in the housing; a metal cover is placed on the main body so as to cover the insert; the cover is welded onto the metal body; a hot isostatic pressing operation is carried out; and the part obtained is machined to the desired shape. The housing has the shape of a notch of L-shaped cross section with a face perpendicular to the upper face and a face parallel to the upper face, the cover having an internal notch of L-shaped cross section, this having a shape complementary to that of the metal body with said insert, the cover being shaped on the outside so that the pressure forces are exerted perpendicular to said faces of the notch.
US08495807B2	Retractable prewinder assembly with infinite adjustability for installation of helically coiled wire inserts A prewinder apparatus attachable to a drive tool to install a helical coil insert includes a body connected to the drive tool. An adapter rotates and is releasably connected to the body at operator selected positions. A prewinder portion displaces in/out of the body. The prewinder portion translates into the body until a fastener engaged with the prewinder portion contacts a stop member defining a predetermined helical coil insert insertion depth. A mandrel axially extends from the prewinder portion when the prewinder portion moves into the body to rotatably insert the helical coil insert. A clutch engages/disengages the mandrel from a drive member. A second clutch or a stall device stalls the drive tool after coil insertion.
US08495804B2	Quick-release buckle for a shoulder strap and preventing unintentional release when tension is exerted by the shoulder strap A quick-release buckle for a shoulder strap and preventing unintentional release when tension exerted by the shoulder strap. The buckle includes a socket member, a plug member, and a locking member. The plug member has the shoulder strap connected thereto, and is replaceably engaged with the socket member. The locking member is an operative part of the socket member. The plug member replaceably engages in the locking member in such a manner so to be released therefrom, the locking member is released and the plug member has to be pulled in a direction opposite to that in which tension from the shoulder strap is exerted so as to prevent the unintentional release of the quick-release buckle when the tension is exerted by shoulder strap, while the tension exerted by the shoulder strap when the plug member is engaged in the locking member assures unintentional release of the quick-release buckle.
US08495799B2	Fleece layer The fleece layer for laying down a card web to form a fleece has a cross-lapping upper carriage, through which the card web is guided; a cross-lapping laying carriage, through which the card web coming from the upper carriage is guided and which serves to lay the card web down onto an output conveyor belt; and at least two card web conveyor belts for guiding the card web to the upper carriage and from there to the laying carriage. A cover belt is arranged to enclose the card web lying on the upper run of a first card web conveyor belt from above. The cover belt is smooth and is not moved when the card web is moved, thus serving as a stationary cover of the card web.
US08495792B2	Method and apparatus for hanging an object A method for hanging an object and apparatus for accomplishing the same. The invention describes an apparatus comprising a track, an upper flange attached to a track, and a carrier disposed in said track. The carrier is laterally moveable along the length of the track. In one embodiment the apparatus comprises a top unit and a base unit. The top unit comprises pins, a track, at least one carrier, and a lower flange. The base unit is affixed to a ceiling, and the top unit is affixed to the base unit via the pins. In one embodiment the anchors are not visible from below. Further, in one embodiment, the lower flange acts as a moisture barrier to protect the anchors.
US08495790B2	Cleaner head A cleaner head for a cleaning appliance includes a rotatable agitator and an agitator chamber housing the agitator. The agitator includes a flexible body and surface engaging members mounted on the body. The agitator chamber includes a downwardly-directed opening through which debris energized by the surface engaging members enters the cleaner head. The opening is located in a plane. The cleaner head includes a drive mechanism for rotating the agitator about a rotational axis which is inclined both relative to the plane of the opening and towards the rear of the opening so that, with rotation of the agitator, the surface engaging members protrude through the opening towards the front of the opening.
US08495789B2	Surface treating appliance A surface treating appliance includes a plurality of frusto-conical cyclones arranged in parallel. Each cyclone has a relatively wide, rigid frusto-conical portion and a relatively narrow, flexible frusto-conical portion connected to the relatively wide portion. The relatively wide portion includes at least one dirty air inlet, and the relatively narrow portion includes a dirt outlet. The relatively narrow portion vibrates during use of the appliance is dislodged dirt from the inner surface of the relatively narrow portion, the dislodged dirt being expelled from the dirt outlet.
US08495788B2	Filter locking arrangement for a vacuum cleaner A vacuum cleaner has an improved filter locking arrangement. A locking tab protrudes upwardly from a motor housing. The tab is received within an aligned slot in the filter housing and extends into a pocket formed in the filter frame. The tab prevents the filter frame from being rotated with respect to the filter housing and the motor housing while the filter housing is mounted to the main housing.
US08495783B2	Method and apparatus for cleaning of a burner The present invention relates to a method for cleaning a burner by a burner cleaner. The method comprises removing a burner nozzle, partly inserting the burner cleaner into the burner, connecting a threaded guide of the cleaner to the burner at a thread of an inlet pipe, bringing a shaft being a part of the burner cleaner and partly surrounded by the guide to rotate by a motor, thereby bringing a flare brush connected to the other end of the shaft to hit inner surface of the burner and remove deposit from it, and moving the shaft with the flare brush in the guide enabling the flare brush to clean the inner surface of the burner. The invention further provides a burner cleaner, comprising a shaft, an annular, threaded guide mounted around and co-axially with the shaft, and being shorter than the shaft, a flare brush connected at one end of the shaft, and a motor connected to other end of the shaft.
US08495773B2	Bed sheet A bed sheet to cover a mattress may include a top sheet to cooperate with the substantially the top surface of the mattress, and a connector sheet to cooperate with the top sheet to stabilize the top sheet with respect to the mattress. The connector sheet and the top sheet may define an aperture to cooperation with a bottom corner of the mattress. The aperture may be substantially a rectangle, and the connector sheet may be substantially T-shaped. The connector sheet may be an inverted T-shaped sheet, and the connector sheet may include a base portion to connect the bottom edge of the top sheet. The connector sheet may include a top portion to connect to a side edge of the top sheet.
US08495772B2	Shower door extension apparatus A shower door apparatus is disclosed being secured to the top rim of a bath tub. The shower door apparatus has a base plate extending outward from, and beyond, the top rim of the bath tub. A shower door frame assembly having at least one shower door is secured to the base plate near the edge distal to the bath tub.
US08495770B2	Nozzle device and hygienic washing device In a nozzle device a spray hole for spraying washing water and a pipe forming a first flow path that introduces the washing water to the spray hole is provided. Further, the spray hole is provided in a cover that surrounds the pipe. The cover is integrally formed of a cylindrical metal whose front end is closed. A space between an outer surface of the pipe and an inner peripheral surface of the cover member forming a second flow path that introduces the washing water to the spray hole. Further, the second flow path surrounds surface of the pipe in a circumferential direction of the cover member.
US08495766B2	Engineered textile yarn The present invention relates to an electrically conductive textile yarn for production of protective garments, comprising a first element which is made electrically conductive by means of a layer of silver, and a second element which is different from the said first element, and is provided with good resistance to fire; the first element can be in the form of filaments or fibers. The present invention also relates to a garment produced by means of a yarn of this type and to a method for production of the yarn itself.
US08495764B2	Ambidextrous glove An ambidextrous glove that includes a thumb region, an index finger region, a middle finger region, a ring finger region and little finger region all aligned along a common axis. The index finger region is rotated through ninety degrees relative to the orientations of all of the middle, ring and little finger regions to provide for easier insertion of a hand into the glove. A textured pattern is provided on the surfaces of the glove used to grip objects. The pattern is one of a raised fan shape and raised diamond shape.
US08499357B1	Signing a library file to verify a callback function Techniques are provided for providing access to a stored secret using a callback function that generates stable system values. The callback function, which is stored in a library file, is verified by securely storing a signature of the library file and later generating another signature of the library file. Access to the stored secret using the callback function is only permitted when the callback function is verified.
US08499355B1	Authorization system having a bloom filtered authentication list for fraud detection A risk engine device of an enterprise's authentication system is configured to apply a Bloom filter algorithm to a master authentication list from a database to generate the Bloom filtered authentication list. Once generated, the risk engine device stores the Bloom filtered authentication list as part of an associated cache memory. Because the Bloom filtered authentication list is smaller in size relative to the master authentication list, by utilizing the Bloom filtered authentication list, the risk engine device decouples the linear dependency between the master authentication list and cache memory consumption, thereby reducing the relatively excessive cache memory use found in conventional risk engines.
US08499353B2	Assessment and analysis of software security flaws Security assessment and vulnerability testing of software applications is performed based at least in part on application metadata in order to determine an appropriate assurance level and associated test plan that includes multiple types of analysis. Steps from each test are combined into a “custom” or “application-specific” workflow, and the results of each test may then be correlated with other results to identify potential vulnerabilities and/or faults.
US08499352B2	Obfuscated malware detection Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for detecting obfuscated malware. In one aspect, a method includes identifying call instructions in a binary executable; executing the call instruction; executing instructions subsequent to a target of the call instruction; determining that an address identified by a stack pointer is different from the return address; in response to the determination that the address is different, determining if there is a non-obfuscation signal; if there is a non-obfuscation signal, identifying the call instruction as a non-obfuscated call instruction; if there is not a non-obfuscation signal, identifying the call instruction as a possibly obfuscated call instruction; determining whether the call instructions identified as possibly obfuscated call instructions exceeds a threshold; in response to the determination that the call instructions identified as possibly obfuscated call instructions exceeds the threshold, identifying the executable as an obfuscated executable.
US08499348B1	Detection of and responses to network attacks Disclosed are various embodiments for detecting and responding to attacks on a computer network. One embodiment of such a method describes monitoring data communications transmitted to a target class of first computing nodes; in response to detecting a non-legitimate data communication to a computing node in the target class, determining whether the non-legitimate data communication is a form of attack on a network to which the computing nodes are connected; and in response to determining that the network is under attack, implementing new security measures for second computing nodes that are not part of the target class to protect the second computing nodes against the attack on the network while the attack is ongoing.
US08499337B1	Systems and methods for delegation and notification of administration of internet access Disclosed are systems, methods, and computer readable media for delegating administrative rights to a third party in an Internet access control application comprising receiving a designation of a third party wherein the designation identifies the third party as a recipient of administrative rights in an access control application, and receiving a selection of administrative rights to be associated with the third party. Further, an invitation can be sent, or caused to be sent, to the third party. Acceptance of said invitation can be received. Also, administrative rights can be granted to the third party. The systems, methods, and computer readable media can be operable within a client/server architecture. Also disclosed are systems, methods, and computer readable media for notification of an access policy violation. Also disclosed are systems, methods, and computer readable media for administration of an access control application by a third party and access policy violation notification.
US08499333B2	Secure device feature unlock mechanism third party development An apparatus and method for managing device features though a network connection for receiving a request to download a development application from an application developer via a computing device, verifying the status of said application developer before the development application is sent to the computing device, verifying the status of said computing device on which the application is to be run before the development application is sent to the computing device, and for facilitating access to retrieve said development application in order to allow the application developer access to the unlocked features stored on the computing device.
US08499324B1	Mobile platform advertising system and method The communication system can be configured to generate revenue by using advertising elements or storing web pages. The communication system can allow internet access or programs to be performed. The mobile platforms can be automobiles, aircraft, boats, ships, trains or other vehicles. Advertising elements can be stored on the mobile platform.
US08499320B2	Next generation user interface for audio video display device such as TV with multiple user input modes and hierarchy thereof A television user interface allows viewer commands to be input using a remote control, voice input, and hand movements in free space, as well as facial recognition using a camera integrated into the television. All three input modes can be active simultaneously, and so a hierarchy of modes is established to resolve conflicting commands received more or less simultaneously in different modes.
US08499318B2	Method and apparatus for programming blackout and retune A method for blackout and retune distribution including receiving a first wide area multiplexed feed, the first wide area multiplexed feed comprising a blacked out feed; and generating a requantized local service feed from a local replacement plus retune service feed, the local replacement plus retune service feed having a retune feed corresponding to a retune programming for the blacked out feed, wherein the requantized local service feed is to be combined with the first wide area multiplexed feed for transmission as a part of an aggregate local outbound traffic. A computer-readable medium, a apparatus and a means for blackout and retune distribution is also disclosed.
US08499313B2	Optical disc drive An optical disc drive includes a housing with a protrusion and a tray capable of sliding in and out of the housing. The tray includes a first surface, and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The first surface is partially recessed to form a receiving space for accommodating an optical disc. The second surface defines a channel, and forms a blocking portion at one end of the channel. The protrusion slides in the channel to guide the tray to slide in and out of the housing, and cooperates with the channel to prevent the tray from vibrating. When the tray is fully extended from the housing, the protrusion is located at the end of the channel forming the blocking portion, thus the protrusion is blocked by the blocking portion from sliding too far so that the tray is prevented from sliding off the housing.
US08499312B2	Administrator level access to backend stores An API called AdminRPC written in managed code allows background applications written in managed code to access backend data stores. Functions within this API provide administrator level access to a mailbox or a public folder on a backend server.
US08499308B2	Initiator notification method and apparatus In one embodiment of the present invention, a memory system is disclosed to include at least one initiator, a SATA device, and an improved bridge device configured to facilitate communication between the at least one initiator and the SATA device and having at least one input port and operative to receive information through the input port(s) from the initiators, the improved bridge device for processing a notification event wherein notification is sent to the at least one initiators during a notification event, and for performing an action, based on a an event, thereby facilitating ease of communication between the initiator and the SATA device.
US08499305B2	Systems and methods for performing multi-program general purpose shader kickoff Systems and methods for thread group kickoff and thread synchronization are described. One method is directed to synchronizing a plurality of threads in a general purpose shader in a graphics processor. The method comprises determining an entry point for execution of the threads in the general purpose shader, performing a fork operation at the entry point, whereby the plurality of threads are dispatched, wherein the plurality of threads comprise a main thread and one or more sub-threads. The method further comprises performing a join operation whereby the plurality of threads are synchronized upon the main thread reaching a synchronization point. Upon completion of the join operation, a second fork operation is performed to resume parallel execution of the plurality of threads.
US08499296B2	Multi-branch management for updating software A system for managing updates of an executable component in accordance with an updating tree with multiple branches is provided. In one implementation, specific updates are provided to users with specific problems while general updates are provided to all users of the executable component. A range of lower version numbers is reserved for the general updates. When a specific update with a version number higher than those in the reserved range has been installed on a computing device, an installer may prevent a new general update with a lower version number to be installed. The installer may determine a new specific update corresponding to the general update and provide an indication to the user to install this new specific update instead of the general update. This multi-branch update delivery system enables users to elect to receive only updates that are necessary.
US08499294B2	Persisting the changes for managed components in an application server A method and a system maintain a change to a component in an application server after the application server is re-started. The application server can be a Java-based application server that runs on a computer coupled to a management console. Through the management console, the application server receives an updated value of a component during runtime of the component. A profile service in the application server associates the component to a deployment descriptor that refers to an original value of the components. A representation of the component is then created and stored in a persistence data format in non-volatile data storage. The representation includes the updated value and indicates an association of the component with the deployment descriptor. When the application server is re-started, the representation is applied to the deployment descriptor to override the original value with the updated value.
US08499293B1	Symbolic renaming optimization of a trace A method and apparatus for optimizing a sequence of operations adapted for execution by a processor is disclosed to include associating with each register a symbolic expression selected from a set of possible symbolic expressions, locating an operation, if any, that is next within the sequence of operations and setting that operation to be a working operation, where the working operation has associated therewith a destination register and zero or more source registers, and processing the working operation when the working operation and any symbolic expressions of its source registers, if any, match at least one of a set of rules, where each rule specifies that the working operation must match a subset of the operation set, where each rule also specifies that the symbolic expressions, if any, of any source registers of the working operation must match a subset of the possible symbolic expressions, and where the rule also specifies a result, then posting the result as the symbolic expression of the destination register.
US08499289B2	Method, device and system for realizing kernel online patching A method, a device, and a system for realizing kernel online patching are provided. The method includes loading a pre-generated patch file in an operating system, setting a first breakpoint at an execution start position of the primitive function when a system thread executes the primitive function and a breakpoint exception occurs during the thread execution process due to the first breakpoint, modifying a returning execution address of the first breakpoint into the destination address of the patch function corresponding to the primitive function according to the first corresponding relation, and removing the first breakpoint. The kernel online patching implementation has a small impact on the normal operation of the operating system. The patch function becomes valid without restarting the operating system, thereby satisfying the high reliability requirements of carrier-class products.
US08499284B2	Visualizing relationships among components using grouping information A graph processing module is described for visualizing relationships among components, such as software components within a software system. The graph processing module generates group results based on grouping information which identifies groups of individual components. The graph processing module uses the group results to bias component-level analysis that it performs on the components. In one case, the component-level analysis can involve similarity analysis (e.g., using multidimensional scaling) to assess the similarity among components and importance analysis (e.g., using a network page ranking algorithm) to assess the relative importance of the components. The results of the component-level analysis can be presented for visualization. The biasing effects of the grouping results provide insight into the relationships among the components.
US08499278B2	System and method for software development This invention relates to a method and apparatus for developing software. In one embodiment, a method for facilitating the distributed development of software components includes providing a skill rating for software developers, communicating specifications for a software component to a subset of the developers, receiving submissions from the developers, scoring the submissions, and selecting one submission to be included in a software repository. In another embodiment, a method for compensating a software developer includes soliciting software developers for the submission of computer software components, receiving software components in response to the solicitation from the developers, evaluating the received software components, selecting one or more of the submissions for potential distribution to the public, and allotting the proceeds from the distribution to the developers.
US08499269B2	Timing exact design conversions from FPGA to ASIC A device having a design conversion from a field programmable gate array (FPGA) to an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), comprising: a user configurable element in the FPGA replaced by a mask configurable element in the ASIC, wherein the FPGA and the ASIC have identical die size and identical transistor layouts.
US08499266B2	Race logic synthesis for large-scale integrated circuit designs Techniques for performing race logic synthesis on an integrated circuit (IC) are described herein. According to one aspect of the invention, HDL (hardware description language) and/or ESL (electronic system level) design source files of an IC design are compiled into a common design database. Race logic analysis is performed on the IC design, either by a third-party tool or by the same EDA (electronic design automation) tool that also performing race logic synthesis, if the latter has built-in race logic audit functions. Based on the race logic audit results, race logic synthesis is performed on the common design database, and getting rid of all identified race logic in the IC design. This renders the EDA tool can perform concurrent analysis of the IC design, via the race-free common design database, using multi-CPU/core computers and the results will be the same as if the EDA tool had performed serial analysis of the IC design using a single-CPU/core computer. Another aspect of the invention is outputting the re-synthesized logic in the common design database to new HDL/ESL source files. User may use these revised source files to analyze the IC design using other third-party EDA design/verification tools.
US08499244B2	Automation-resistant, advertising-merged interactive services Systems and methodologies for implementing automation-resistant interactive computing services are provided herein. Function invocation mechanisms can be utilized as described herein to facilitate invocation and/or activation of one or more functions of an interactive service upon performance of an interaction falling within a predefined class of interaction with selected multimedia content. The described functionality invocation mechanisms can operate similarly to a traditional captcha image by requiring interaction that is easily understandable and performable by a human user but is prohibitively difficult for an automated program to carry out. Techniques such as masking relationships between user interaction and function invocation and varying elements of the selected multimedia content for respective accesses can be utilized to provide additional resistance to automation. Described invocation mechanisms can additionally be merged with advertising, which can optionally be targeted to a particular user(s).
US08499241B2	Virtual community for incentivized viewing of multimedia content A computer implemented method and system for creating a virtual community network for incentivized multimedia content viewing is provided. A first viewer receives the multimedia content for viewing on a client device from a server provided in a networked environment. The first viewer refers the multimedia content to one or more second viewers in the networked environment for viewing and further referrals. The server controls access to the multimedia content and confirms viewing of the multimedia content by the first viewer, the second viewers, and nth viewers from further referrals using a random challenge. The server generates response reports based on viewing of the multimedia content. The server credits the first viewer, the second viewers, the nth viewers, etc. with one or more items of value based on referring of the multimedia content, multimedia content view confirmation, and/or registration of the second viewers, the nth viewers, etc, with the server.
US08499238B2	Manipulating design models by editing generated reports A method and system are disclosed for manipulating a model, where that model represents some or all of a design. The design includes a multitude of design elements, the model includes a multitude of model elements, and each of the design elements is represented by a single model element. The method comprises the steps of generating a suite of documents from the model, each of the documents describing a view of the model; and displaying the documents to a user as a series of forms. The user provides information to the forms to change the documents, and changes to the documents result in both changes to the model and consistent changes across the suite of documents. In the preferred embodiment, the model identifies specific relationships between the elements of the model, and each of the model elements has defined properties.
US08499236B1	Systems and methods for presenting reflowable content on a display Systems and methods are provided for presenting reflow objects of content on an output medium. In some embodiments, the content to be presented may be determined by rendering one or more reflow objects of content to an image file, the image file having a horizontal dimension that approximates the horizontal dimension of the output medium and a vertical dimension that exceeds the vertical dimension of the output medium, and causing a portion of the image file to be presented on the output medium, wherein the portion of the image file presented corresponds to a view window logically superimposed upon the image file. A request for content that is not within the view window may be received, the location of the view window may be adjusted based on the request, and the adjustment may result in changing the portion of the image file presented on the display.
US08499234B2	System for communication through spatial bulletin board A spatial bulletin board system for virtually writing a memo in an actual space and displaying the memo superimposed on a picked-up image of the actual space. The system includes an input device that converts drawing movement during the creation of content in an actual space to three-dimensional coordinate information and acquires positional information which specifies a place in which the memo is written and saves the information in a spatial communication server. In the image-pickup place, the picked-up image is displayed on a spatial bulletin board display device and a browsing request is sent to the spatial communication server.
US08499232B2	Differential dynamic content delivery with a participant alterable session copy of a user profile Differential dynamic content delivery with a participant alterable session copy of a user profile. Typical embodiments include providing a session document for a presentation, where the session document includes a session grammar and a session structured document; providing a session copy of a participant's user profile including a user classification; receiving, from the participant, a user classification instruction to change a user classification in the session copy of the participant's user profile; changing the user classification in the session copy of the participant's user profile in dependence upon the participant's user classification instruction; selecting from the session structured document a classified structural element in dependence upon a user classification in the session copy of the participant's user profile in the presentation; and presenting the selected structural element to the participant.
US08499228B2	Method for decoding a succession of blocks encoded with an error correction code and correlated by a transmission channel A method is for decoding a block of N information items encoded with an error correction code and mutually correlated. The method includes carrying out a first decorrelation of the N information items of a block is carried out, and storing the block decorrelated. The method also includes a performing a processing for decoding a group of P information items of the block, and decorrelating at least part of the P decoded information items. The processing for decoding the group of P information items and the decorrelation are repeated with different successive groups of P information items of the block until the N information items of the block have been processed, until a decoding criterion is satisfied.
US08499226B2	Multi-mode layered decoding In one embodiment, a turbo equalizer is selectively operable in either first or second modes. In the first mode, layered (low-density parity-check (LDPC)) decoding is performed on soft-output values generated by a channel detector, where, for each full local decoder iteration, the updates of one or more layers of the corresponding H-matrix are skipped. If decoding fails to converge on a valid LDPC-encoded codeword and a specified condition is met, then LDPC decoding is performed in a second mode, where the updates of all of the layers of the H-matrix are performed for each full local decoder iteration, including the one or more layers that were previously skipped in the first mode. Skipping one or more layers in the first mode increases throughput of the decoder, while updating all layers in the second mode increases error correction capabilities of the decoder.
US08499225B2	Apparatus and method for determination of a position of a 1 bit error in a coded bit sequence, apparatus and method for correction of a 1-bit error in a coded bit sequence and decoder and method for decoding an incorrect, coded bit sequence An apparatus for determination of a position of a 1-bit error includes an error position determiner of the inner code, an error syndrome determiner of the outer code, a derivative determiner and an overall error position determiner. The error position determiner of the inner code determines at least one possible error position of a bit error in the coded bit sequence on the basis of the inner code. The error syndrome determiner of the outer code determines a value of a non-linear syndrome bit of the outer code on the basis of a non-linear function of bits in the coded bit sequence. Furthermore, the derivative determiner determines a value of a derivative bit for at least one determined, possible error position of the bit error on the basis of derivation of the non-linear function based on the bit at the determined, possible error position in the coded bit sequence.
US08499222B2	Supporting distributed key-based processes Supporting distributed key-based processes is described. In an embodiment, servers at a data center provide a key-based process for carrying out computationally expensive tasks and are connected using point to point connections in a geometric topology such as a torus. In an example, aggregation trees are built on top of the geometric topology of the data center, each aggregation tree being a sequence of servers in the data center that forms a tree structure. In an embodiment packets of data are sent from the leaves of the trees to the root and at each server along the tree the packets are aggregated using a combiner function of the key-based process. In an embodiment, if a server fails, the trees are dynamically recomputed and a recovery phase is triggered to resend any packets lost at the failed server. In some embodiments, packets are scheduled by inspecting the content of the packets.
US08499220B2	Systems and methods for re-designating memory regions as error code corrected memory regions Various embodiments of the present invention provide systems, methods and circuits for memories and utilization thereof. As one example, a memory system is disclosed that includes a flash memory device and a flash access circuit. The flash access circuit is operable to perform an error code encoding algorithm on a data set to yield an error code, to write the data set to the flash memory device at a first location, and to write the error code to the flash memory device at a second location.
US08499217B2	Memory device and error control codes decoding method Memory devices and/or error control codes (ECC) decoding methods may be provided. A memory device may include a memory cell array, and a decoder to perform hard decision decoding of first data read from the memory cell array by a first read scheme, and to generate output data and error information of the output data. The memory device may also include and a control unit to determine an error rate of the output data based on the error information, and to determine whether to transmit an additional read command for soft decision decoding to the memory cell array based on the error rate. An ECC decoding time may be reduced through such a memory device.
US08499213B2	Forward error correction encoding/decoding method and apparatus, digital broadcasting reception appartus, and decoding method thereof A forward error correction encoding method includes: separating a first header section from an inputted packet stream; generating a second payload section by encoding a first payload section of the packet stream, from which the first header section is separated, according to a preset code rate; generating a second header section according to the code rate; and combining the first header section, the second header section, and the second payload section.
US08499203B2	Configurable alert delivery in a distributed processing system Configurable alert delivery in a distributed processing system include for each alert generated by an incident analyzer, applying active alert filters to the alert; wherein applying the active alert filters to the alert includes: creating a list of all active alert filters and a set of all active listeners; and for each active alert filter, running the active alert filter; if the active alert filter indicates that the alert should not go to one or more of the active listeners, removing the one or more active listeners from the set of all active listeners; if the active listeners set is empty, stopping processing of the alert; and if the active listeners set is not empty, selecting, by the incident analyzer, the next active alert filter from the active alert filter list.
US08499199B2	GPU computational assist for drive media waveform generation of media emulators Disclosed is a method and apparatus for testing devices that will be connected to a computer storage media device by generating a complex test waveform that emulates operation of the computer storage media device using at least one Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) and applying the generated complex test waveform to the device(s) being tested. The complex test waveform may be generated by calculating a plurality of discrete individual portions of the complex test waveform in parallel, in real-time, and continuously using the parallel processing features of the GPU(s). The discrete individual portions of the complex test waveform may be representative of various characteristics of the emulated computer storage media device operation such as operational characteristics of the computer storage media device, environmental effects on the computer storage media device, application of filters to the computer storage media device signal, etc. Various embodiments may generate the base data signal waveform from the emulated computer storage device such that the entire complex test waveform is calculated. Other embodiments may use a pre-existing base data signal waveform provided from another source and modify/alter the pre-existing base data signal waveform to generate the complex test waveform. When available, one or more Central Processing Units (CPUs) and/or CPU cores may also perform calculations in parallel with the calculations performed by the GPU(s).
US08499195B2	Failure cause estimation device and failure cause estimation method A failure cause estimation device includes: a database that manages the causes of failure cases, questions, and replies thereto for each of the failure cases; a condition presentation unit that presents combinations of the questions and replies managed in the database on a display screen as branch conditions used to classify the cause of a failure case; a condition selection unit that selects at least one branch condition from the presented branch conditions according selection operation; a cause estimation unit that estimates a cause satisfying the at least one branch condition from the contents of the database; and a cause presentation unit that presents the estimated cause on the display screen as a cause candidate.
US08499190B2	Portable device and backup method thereof An embodiment of the invention provides a backup method for a portable device to back up a first data to a backup server. The backup method includes steps of determining whether the backup server can be accessed; when the backup server can be accessed, establishing a first data transmission path that the first data would be backed up to the backup server via a third party, a second data transmission path that the first data would be backed up to the backup server via a router, and a third data transmission path that the first data would directly backed up to the backup server; selecting one data transmission path among the first, second and third data transmission paths; and backing up the first data via the selected data transmission path.
US08499184B2	Method for resuming a system from a power failure after the main power supply has recovered and prior to fully recharging the backup power supply by enabling the reception of input/output commands by the cache memory at a rate proportational to the amount of charge on the backup power supply currently available Following a loss of power, a storage system switches to a local power supply. The system switches to the local power supply, prevents the receipt of input/output commands and copies the content of cache memory to a local storage device. On detecting resumption of external power, the system charges a local power supply, copies the content of the local storage device to the cache memory and processes the content of the cache memory with respect to at least one storage volume. When the charge stored on the local power supply exceeds the charge required to copy the content of the cache memory to the local storage device by a predetermined amount, the system allows the receipt of input/output commands using a reduced portion of the cache memory. Once the charge stored on the local power supply has reached a predetermined level, the system allows the receipt of input/output commands using all cache memory.
US08499183B2	Plug assembly adapted to an adapter and a computer device A plug assembly includes a first plug and a second plug. The first plug includes a main body whereon a first positive electrode, a first negative electrode and a first engaging portion are formed. The second plug has a chamber structure formed inside for containing the main body. A second positive electrode, a second negative electrode and a second engaging portion are formed on the chamber structure and located in positions corresponding to the first positive electrode, the first negative electrode and the first engaging structure, respectively. As the chamber structure completely contains the main body, the second positive electrode and the second negative electrode are respectively coupled to the first positive electrode and the first negative electrode, and the second engaging portion engages the first engaging portion, such that the main body is hold inside the chamber structure.
US08499165B2	System and method for biometric verification in a delivery process Described is a method and system for providing a verified delivery of a package. First, registration information is obtained from a recipient; the registration information includes a biometric identification of the recipient. A delivery service obtains the package from a sender which is addressed to the recipient and forwards the package to the recipient. At the point of delivery, the delivery service obtains a further biometric identification from the recipient using a portable device which includes a biometric reader. The delivery service releases the package to the recipient only if the biometric identification is substantially identical to the further biometric identification.
US08499164B2	Biometric authentication utilizing unique biometric signatures and portable electronic devices A method and system for the authentication of a user at a point of entry. Biometric data can be provided after preliminary identification of the user based on identification information wirelessly provided from a portable electronic device carried with the user when the user is located near a point of entry, such as, for example, a border crossing or access point to a secure facility. Such a method and system can incorporate RFID tags, cellular wireless communications data and links, and/or Bluetooth communications link, etc.
US08499163B2	Serial architecture for high assurance processing A processing system (60) includes an input interface (62), a first processor (64), a second processor (66), and an output interface (68) arranged in a serial configuration. Each of the input interface (62), first processor (64), second processor (66), and output interface (68) computes a digest (92, 100, 110, and 114) using information, e.g., a unique parameter (94, 102, 112, 118), known only by that element (62, 64, 66, 68) and using information generated by that element (62, 64, 66, 68). The digests (92, 100, 110, and 114) are used to validate the integrity of payload data (86) processed by the system (60) to form processed data (104) and the system (60) only outputs the processed data (104) upon validation of data integrity. The serial configuration of system (60) may be implemented to provide high bit rate, redundant cryptographic services.
US08499161B2	Method and apparatus for secure trusted time techniques A method and apparatus to establish a trustworthy local time based on trusted computing methods are described. The concepts are scaling because they may be graded by the frequency and accuracy with which a reliable external time source is available for correction and/or reset, and how trustworthy this external source is in a commercial scenario. The techniques also take into account that the number of different paths and number of hops between the device and the trusted external time source may vary. A local clock related value which is protected by a TPM securely bound to an external clock. A system of Accuracy Statements (AS) is added to introduce time references to the audit data provided by other maybe cheaper sources than the time source providing the initial time.
US08499157B1	Device-based password management A first device (e.g. smartphone) manages a first key (e.g. password) required for a security operation with a second device (e.g., WWW server) by calculating and storing a key seed using the first key and a second key shared with a third device (e.g., wireless headset). Later (e.g., upon losing communication with the third device), at least a portion of the first and second keys is/are erased to prevent the security operation. Subsequently (e.g., when communication with third device is reestablished), the first key is regenerated by (1) receiving a key hint from the third device, (2) regenerating the second key using the key hint and a known message used to create the key hint, and (3) regenerating the first key using the key seed and the regenerated second key.
US08499153B2	System and method of authenticating a user to a service provider A system, device, computer program product, and method provide authentication of a user to a service provider. The system includes a service provider, a terminal, and a network that allows communication between the service provider and the terminal. The terminal includes a memory, a communication interface, a processor, and an Identity Provider (IDP) application. The communication interface is configured to receive an authentication request from a service provider wherein the authentication request includes an acceptable identity provider and to send the authentication request to the acceptable identity provider if the acceptable identity provider matches a supported identity provider stored in the memory of the terminal. The processor is coupled to the communication interface and to the memory and executes the IDP application. The IDP application is configured to compare the acceptable identity provider with the supported identity provider stored in the memory.
US08499145B2	Apparatus, system, and method of setting a device A device setting apparatus performs setting operation with respect to a counterpart apparatus using secure communication even when the counterpart apparatus is not previously provided with information required for secure communication. The device setting apparatus detects an error when the error occurs during the setting operation, and executes a browser to request a user to correct the error during the setting operation.
US08499142B1	UEFI boot loader for loading non-UEFI compliant operating systems A UEFI compliant firmware is disclosed that includes a UEFI legacy boot loader. The UEFI legacy boot loader provides functionality for loading operating systems that are non-UEFI compliant in a performant manner. In particular, the UEFI legacy boot loader provided in one embodiment disclosed herein is configured to utilize UEFI disk services to load an O/S kernel and other O/S components. Once the UEFI legacy boot loader has completed loading the O/S components, the UEFI legacy boot loader enables interrupt handling by the O/S, relocates O/S real mode kernel setup code to a low memory region (below 1 MB), and switches a processor to a real mode of operation. The UEFI legacy boot loader then causes the real mode kernel setup code to be executed on the processor, to thereby complete the loading of the operating system.
US08499122B2	Asynchronous data binding The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for asynchronously binding data from a data source to a data target. A user interface thread and a separate thread are used to enable the user interface thread to continue execution rather than blocking to obtain updated data, to which elements of a user interface that the user interface thread is managing, are bound. The separate thread obtains updated data from a data source, stores the updated data in a local cache, and notifies the user interface thread of the updated data's presence in the local cache. The user interface thread, upon detecting the notification, accesses the updated data in the local cache and populates the updated data into the user interface.
US08499121B2	Methods and apparatus to access data in non-volatile memory Example methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture to access data are disclosed. A disclosed example method involves generating a key-value association table in a non-volatile memory to store physical addresses of a data cache storing data previously retrieved from a data structure. The example method also involves storing recovery metadata in the non-volatile memory. The recovery metadata includes a first address of the key-value association table in the non-volatile memory. In addition, following a re-boot process, the locations of the key-value association table and the data cache are retrieved using the recovery metadata without needing to access the data structure to re-generate the key-value association table and the data cache.
US08499119B2	Method and apparatus for delivering and caching multiple pieces of content Aspects relate to systems and methods for providing the ability to customize content delivery. A device can cache multiple presentations. The device can establish a cache depth upon initiation of the subscription service. The device can provide an interface to select a cache depth. The cache depth can be the number of presentations the device will maintain on the device at a given time.
US08499118B2	Method, apparatus and system for optimizing image rendering on an electronic device Portable electronic devices typically have reduced computing resources, including reduced screen size. The method, apparatus and system of the present specification provides, amongst other things, an intermediation server configured to access network content that is requested by a portable electronic device and to analyze the content including analyzing images in that content. The intermediation server is further configured to accommodate the computing resources of the portable electronic device as part of fulfilling content requests from the portable electronic device.
US08499117B2	Method for writing and reading data in a nonvolatile memory, by means of metadata A method for writing and reading data in memory cells, comprises the steps of: defining a virtual memory, defining write commands and read commands of data (DT) in the virtual memory, providing a first nonvolatile physical memory zone (A1), providing a second nonvolatile physical memory zone (A2), and, in response to a write command of an initial data, searching for a first erased location in the first memory zone, writing the initial data (DT1a) in the first location (PB1(DPP0)), and writing, in the metadata (DSC0) an information (DS(PB1)) allowing the first location to be found and an information (LPA, DS(PB1)) forming a link between the first location and the location of the data in the virtual memory.
US08499113B2	Circuit configurations and method for controlling a data exchange in a circuit configuration In a method for controlling a data exchange between at least one set of data sinks and at least one set of data sources in circuit configurations and circuit sequences, which circuit configurations have at least one arbitration unit, the arbitration unit selects a first data sink (data sink arbitration) and a first data source (data source arbitration) according to a predefined sequence, and outputs an address of a first data source and a request signal and an address of a first data sink and a validity signal. Data of the first data source are stored in the first data sink.
US08499110B2	Method of generating useful electromagnetic waves by controlling electromagnetic wave noise generated from bus within computer by means of software Provided is a method of generating electromagnetic waves using software. The method includes setting electromagnetic wave pattern data in consideration of a number of a bus (140, 150) connecting a central processing unit (CPU, 110) with a main memory (130) and transmission characteristics of the bus, storing the electromagnetic wave pattern data in a register of the CPU (110), setting an address in the main memory (130) at which the electromagnetic wave pattern data will be recorded, and transferring the electromagnetic wave pattern data to the set address in the main memory (130) through all the lines of the bus (140, 150). Here, electromagnetic waves corresponding to the electromagnetic wave pattern data are generated while the electromagnetic wave pattern data is transferred to the main memory through the bus.
US08499086B2	Client load distribution Systems and methods for providing an efficient partitioned resource server. In one embodiment, the partitioned resource server comprises a plurality of individual servers, and the individual servers appear to be equivalent to a client. Each of the individual servers may include a routing table that includes a reference for each resource that is maintained on the partitioned resource server. Requests from a client are processed as a function of the routing table to route the request to the individual server that maintains or has control over the resource of interest.
US08499085B2	Advanced availability detection A method is provided in which the present invention is for a method in which a telecommunications terminal determines whether its user is available to accept an incoming invitation to participate in a telecommunications session based on: (1) a characteristic of the use of a software application, (2) a characteristic of the use of a resource of a terminal, (3) a sensor input, (4) a characteristic of the incoming invitation or (5) any combination of (1), (2), (3), (4), and (5).
US08499082B2	Methods, systems, and computer readable media for providing services in a telecommunications network using interoperability specification/session initiation protocol (IOS/SIP) adapter The subject matter described herein includes methods, systems, and computer readable media for providing services in a telecommunications network using an IOS/SIP adapter. According to one aspect of the subject matter described herein, a method for providing supplementary services to IMS devices and non-IMS devices using common IMS network components is provided. The method includes providing an interoperability specification/session initiation protocol (IOS/SIP) adapter configured to communicate with a base station subsystem and an IMS network. The method further includes, at the IOS/SIP adapter, receiving, from the base station subsystem a request for providing a supplementary service to a non-IMS device in communication with the base station subsystem. In response to the request, the method includes sending a message to an IMS node in the IMS network that provides the supplementary service to the non-IMS device and to IMS devices.
US08499074B2	Method and apparatus for accessing files stored in a storage access network (SAN) or network attached storage (NAS) A method and apparatus for file access in a storage access network (SAN) wherein a portion of a first file is accessed and an access rate computed based on time and amount of data accessed. If the computed access rate is less than an expected rate, a problem is identified and analysis performed. A first analysis accesses the first file through a second link to determine if the link is the problem. If the first file is accessed at an expected rate, the first link is identified as the problem and the file is accessed through an alternate link. A second analysis accesses a second file through the first link. If the second file is accessed at an expected rate, the first file is identified as the problem and the second file is accessed through the first link.
US08499063B1	Uninstall and system performance based software application reputation Installation events associated with a software application are received from a plurality of clients. A rate at which the software application was uninstalled on the plurality of clients is determined based on the installation events. A reputation score is generated based on the rate at which the software application was uninstalled on the plurality of clients. A reputation score is generated for the software application responsive to the installation event and the performance data. The reputation score storied in association with the software application.
US08499051B2	Multiple messaging communication optimization Systems and methods for use with a communication system. A plurality of devices employing a plurality of messaging modalities may be used to send or receive message data. In any regard, message data may comprise a plurality of portions of message data in machine readable form. The plurality of portions of message data may be indexed. The indexing may include storing representations (e.g., vectors or other mathematical constructs) representing the content of the plurality of portions of message data in a message data index. The representations of the content of the plurality of portions of message data may be compared to one another to determine a relationship between the various representations. If the relationship between a first representation (e.g., a first vector) and a second representation (e.g., a second vector) exceeds a predetermined threshold, the portions of message data corresponding to the first and second vectors may be determined to be related. A notification and/or alert may be presented to a user regarding the related portions of message data. In one embodiment, the related portions of message data or messages from which the portions derive may be accessed by a user.
US08499049B2	System and method for accumulating social relation information for social network services A system for accumulating social relation information for social network services, includes a user location profile management unit for collecting at preset periods location profile information of a user; a user profile management unit for collecting and storing user profiles preset by the user; and a social activity tracking unit for collecting profiles from social activities of the user. Further, the system for accumulating the social relation information for the social network services includes a social relation information generation unit for collecting pieces of information received from the user location profile management unit, the user profile management unit, the email tracking unit, the chatting tracking unit and the Internet phone call tracking unit, and extracting new social relation information based on correlations between the pieces of collected information to generate a social relation ontology.
US08499045B2	Systems and methods for protecting header fields in a message Embodiments of the systems and methods described herein facilitate the transmitting, receiving, and processing of encoded messages wherein the header fields in the message header are protected. In one embodiment, the contents of the header fields to be protected are inserted into the message body as one or more additional lines of text, for example, prior to encoding and transmitting the message to a message recipient. Upon receipt of the message, the message recipient processes the encoded message such that the contents of the protected header fields can be extracted from the message body. Accordingly, by inserting the contents of the header fields to be protected into the message body, the header fields may be protected using existing standards and protocols for facilitating secure message communication.
US08499043B2	Reports for email processing in an email response management system One implementation provides a method for providing display information that represents a quantity of received email messages that have been held for processing by a specific entity for a predefined time period in an electronic mail (email) response management system. In this implementation, the method includes determining a first value associated with a first quantity of received email messages that have been held for processing by the specific entity for a first predefined time period, wherein each email message has been sent from one end user. Upon determination of the first value, the method further includes causing to be displayed in a graphical user interface (GUI) a first representation of the first value in spatial relation to representations of the specific entity and the first predefined time period.
US08499019B2	Electronic hardware resource management in video processing Apparatus and methods for electronic hardware resource management in video processing are provided. A hybrid filter is controllable to apply either Finite Impulse Response (FIR) filtering or Infinite Impulse Response (IIR) filtering for vertical filtering of a video image during a resizing process. A scale factor by which the video image is to be resized in the resizing process is determined, and the hybrid filter is controlled to apply FIR filtering for the vertical filtering where the determined scale factor satisfies a first condition relative to a threshold value ST or to apply IIR filtering for the vertical filtering where the determined scale factor satisfies a second condition relative to the threshold value ST. The first and second conditions are different and exclusive, such that only one type of filtering is applied. This hybrid filtering approach uses each type of filtering to avoid defects of the other.
US08499018B2	Sortable floating point numbers The invention comprises methods for manipulating floating point numbers on a microprocessor where the numbers are sortable. That is, the numbers obey lexicographical ordering. Hence, the numbers may be quickly compared using bit-wise comparison functions such as memcmp( ). Conversion may result in a sortable floating point number in the form of a sign, leading bits of the exponent, and sets of digit triples in the form of declets (sets of 10 bits). In a variable-length version, numbers may be compressed by storing the number of trailing zero declets in lieu of storing the zero declets themselves.
US08499012B1	System and method for attached storage stacking A system and method are provided for stacking storage drives in a network attached storage (NAS) system. The method provides a NAS stacking network including at least a first and second stackable building block (SBB), where each SBB includes a head, with an embedded processor and storage application, and a storage drive including client files. The method connects a first interface of the first SBB to a client computer device via a LAN switch, and connects a second interface of the first SBB to the first interface of the second SBB. A directory is built of client files stored in the first and second SBBs. The directory is maintained in both the first and second SBBs. In one aspect, the first SBB, acting as a primary SBB, provides access to NAS stacking network directory structure in response to an inquiry from a client computer connected to the LAN switch.
US08499006B2	Data migration system and data migration method In a system for migrating data between document management applications, if an inheritance setting of an access right to a folder in a source document management application is a first inheritance setting for inheriting an access right to a parent folder, the inheritance setting of the access right is changed to a second inheritance setting for setting an access right exclusively for the folder while the same access right as the access right to the parent folder is set. Then, the folder is migrated to the destination document management application. If a hierarchy including the folder to be migrated exceeds an upper limit on the number of hierarchies in the destination document management application, the folder is stored in a shallower hierarchy in the destination document management application.
US08499004B2	File system with optimistic I/O operations on shared storage A method for performing I/O operations on a file stored in a file system utilizing a shared data storage system and accessible by a plurality of host computers is disclosed. A host computer receives from a process executing on it, a request to read data stored in the file. The host computer then requests the data stored in the file without acquiring a lock from the file system. The host computer also maintains a timeout value associated with the file while reading the data. The host computer receives at least a portion of the data prior to an expiration of time, and if all the data has not been received before the expiration of time, it then assesses whether another of the host computers has acquired a lock on the file, and, if so, invalidates the received data without providing it to the requesting process.
US08499001B1	Systems and methods for index selection in collections of data Systems and methods are disclosed that utilize a genetic algorithm to search for an index configuration for a collection of data such as, e.g., a database. Genetic algorithms can include stochastic search heuristics that mimic processes of natural evolution including inheritance, mutation, crossover, and selection. A population of chromosomes representing candidate index configurations can evolve to increase or optimize the fitness of the population and to identify the best (e.g., most fit) index configuration. Fitness of a chromosome may be measured based at least in part on the cost of computer resources used for executing Structured Query Language (SQL) statements in the indexed database. In various implementations, virtual indexing may be used to simulate building an index, chromosomes may be encoded using non-bitmapped representations of index configurations, chromosomes may include genes representing a column in a table in a database, dropping an index from a table in a database, or a composite index for a database, and/or a participation pool may be used to select fitter genes for an initial population of chromosomes.
US08498995B1	Optimizing data retrieval during event data query processing Embodiments of the invention relate to a method for retrieving event data. The method includes receiving, by an event management device, an event query requesting event data corresponding to a filtering parameter, the filtering parameter being a non-indexed database parameter of an Internet Protocol database (IPDB). The method includes generating, by the event manager device, a Bloom filter value based upon the filtering parameter included in the event query. The method includes comparing, by the event manager device, the Bloom filter value with a Bloom filter index entry of an index file of the IPDB, the index file corresponding to the requested event data, the Bloom filter index entry indicating existence of the filtering parameter as part of the IPDB and reading, by the event manager device, the entry from the index file database when the Bloom filter value matches the Bloom filter index entry.
US08498987B1	Snippet search Indexing data is disclosed. A plurality of subunits of data is determined within received data. For a first subunit, a first mapping between the first subunit and a first dictionary entry is determined. For a second subunit, a second mapping between the second subunit and a second dictionary entry is determined. At least the first and second dictionary entries are aggregated into an aggregation and stored in an index. Searching data is also disclosed. A plurality of subunits of data is determined within a received query. For a first subunit, a first mapping is determined between the first subunit and a first dictionary entry. For a second subunit, a second mapping is determined between the second subunit and a second dictionary entry. The first and second dictionary entries are aggregated and used to search an index.
US08498984B1	Categorization of search results A server is configured to receive a search query from a client device; identify documents as search results relevant to the search query, where each of the search results has a respective first score; rank the search results, based on the respective first scores, to form a ranked list of search results, where each of the search results has a respective position, within the ranked list, that is based on the ranking; determine a selection rate corresponding to each of the positions in the ranked list; identify categories with which the search results are associated; generate second scores for the categories based on the selection rates; select search results for the selected categories; generate a search result document that includes information regarding the selected categories and information regarding the selected search results; and provide the search result document for display on the client device.
US08498981B2	Search capability implementation for a device In a method of searching for data objects in a computer system, a content-based search of a first database generates a first domain-specific search result stream and a metadata-based search of a second database generates a second domain-specific search result stream. The first and second domain-specific search result streams are aggregated into a primary search result stream, and search results from the primary search result stream are displayed.
US08498979B1	System and method for semantic analysis of social network user activities There is described a method implemented on a social search server for presenting names of members of a social network who shared information about a commercial item to a user performing a search from a user interface of a user device. The user is registered on the social network and has connections thereon. The method comprises: indexing data representative of activities of the members on the social network; extracting commercial items from the indexed activity data; receiving a search query along with a user identifier; identifying a commercial item within the search query; using the search query and the user identifier, performing a search on the extracted commercial items specific to the user's connections to obtain names of members who shared information about the commercial item; and returning the names of the members who shared information about the commercial item to the user device.
US08498967B1	Two-node high availability cluster storage solution using an intelligent initiator to avoid split brain syndrome Techniques for maintaining mirrored storage cluster data consistency on systems with two-node, highly available storage solutions can employ an initiator-side agent operable to prevent split-brain scenarios. Split brain syndrome can be avoided, information identifying changes of synchronization states can be maintained, and both graceful and ungraceful shutdowns (or failures) of either one of the nodes or of the intelligent initiator itself can be mitigated. Technology presented herein supports load balancing and hot failover/failback in systems that may feature redundant network connectivity. Moreover, a method is supported for communicating storage cluster status between the storage nodes and the initiator.
US08498941B2	Information record infrastructure, system and method A data security apparatus and method for controlling access to records provided within automated electronic databases, each record having an associated set of access rules, comprising: receiving, by a security processor, a request for access to records associated with at least one of an entity, attribute, and datum from a requestor; determining a set of records associated with the requested entity, attribute, or datum, contained in the automated electronic databases; authorizing access to the records within the determined set of records based on compliance with the associated set of access rules; defining an economic compensation rule, satisfaction of which is required for qualification for access to the set of records; selectively permitting access to records in dependence on satisfaction of the compensation rule; communicating the access permissions to the host automated electronic databases; and logging the request for retrieval and a respective access of each record.
US08498928B2	Method and system for using risk tolerance and life goal preferences and ranking to enhance financial projections A system and method directed to improving efforts to plan for investor life goals. The method combines unique approaches of assessing investor risk tolerance using utility theory and investor preferences using conjoint analysis, Analytic Hierarchy Process (“AHP”), or the like in combination with existing industry financial projection methods using linear projections, Monte Carlo simulation, or the like. Further, the method improves upon existing financial projection approaches with the addition of regression techniques to streamline adjustments to the plan objectives, resources, and constraints. The method includes a means of determining an optimal combination of attribute preferences that have an acceptable probability of achieving plan goals while maximizing investor satisfaction as measured by total utility.
US08498927B2	Cover-OCO for legged order A position associated with a synthetic spread order may be managed where a status of a synthetic spread order is identified as legged. The synthetic spread order may have at least one child hedge order pending at an electronic exchange and in response, a bracket order is submitted to an electronic exchange for the tradeable object associated with a filled leg of the synthetic spread. In response to execution of the bracket order, the child hedge order may be cancelled.
US08498922B2	System and method that provide incentives to qualified users of an electronic trading system Systems and methods for electronic trading that provide incentives to users of a trading system. The systems and methods may monitor a trading activity of the user and determine that the orders submitted by the user over a period of time exceed a first pre-determined threshold. Systems and methods also determine that a spread of the plurality of orders exceeds a second pre-determined threshold. Based on these determinations, the user is designated as qualifying for a special status, which entitles the user to incentives in trading. Systems and methods apply the incentives to an order submitted by the user. One such incentive provides the user with a priority in a trading queue, where orders submitted by the user are executed in advance of other orders in the trading queue.
US08498913B2	Portfolio integration module for providing financial planning and advice The present invention provides systems and methods for facilitating financial advising and planning for a user. The system includes a portfolio integration module that integrates goals, assets, savings, and risk tolerance to develop a customized strategy for financial portfolio planning. A portfolio reconciler module facilitates comparison of the customized strategy to other strategies and projected user financial decisions in order to further facilitate the financial portfolio planning. A stochastic modeling module uses data from the portfolio integration module and the portfolio reconciler module in a stochastic modeling analysis using a synchronous stationary bootstrap sampling method to construct a proposed situation portfolio. A simulator module forecasts the effects of the proposed situation portfolio on the user's portfolio, and monitoring, simulating, designing, and testing the portfolio integration module, the portfolio reconciler module, and the stochastic modeling module.
US08498910B1	Payroll change alert The invention relates to a method for payroll notification. The method steps include obtaining, by a processor, a payroll rule comprising a message and a condition requiring a payroll dollar amount, obtaining, by the processor, the payroll dollar amount from a first paystub having a first gross pay and a first net pay for an employee evaluating, by the processor, the condition of the payroll rule, where the first gross pay equals a second gross pay on a second paystub having a second net pay for the employee, and outputting, by the processor and in response to the condition being satisfied, the message of the payroll rule onto the first paystub explaining a non-zero difference between the first net pay and the second net pay.
US08498907B1	Method, medium, and system for an online textbook exchange An online textbook exchange apparatus an associated methodology for receiving seller course material information from a seller including a first set of parameters and a course material survey, and generating a probability score. The online textbook exchange apparatus generates a course material profile containing the first set of parameters and the probability score and stores the course material profile in a memory. Buyer course material information is them received from a prospective buyer where the buyer course material information includes a second set of parameters. The online textbook exchange apparatus compares the one or more of the course material profiles to the second set of parameters and generates a set of comparison results. The one or more course material profiles and the respective probability score are then output to the prospective buyer based on the set of comparison results.
US08498906B2	Collaborative product taxonomy instantiation A method forms a collaborative product taxonomy instantiation by starting with or defining a base taxonomy instantiation and collaborating between trading parties to negotiate a collaborative product taxonomy instantiation. The taxonomy instantiation comprises a set of characteristics and values of a desired product. The method assigns a set of characters to the collaborative product taxonomy instantiation. The method uses the set of alphanumeric characters in an electronic trade exchange between a buyer software application and a seller software application. The seller software application may determine whether it has a product that is equivalent to the collaborative product taxonomy instantiation.
US08498898B1	System and method for point of use reward determination A system and method that allows a group of organizations, e.g. a group of transit agencies, to provide their users with a stored value smart card payment method that rewards them for actual use. The system and method include a card interface device and a smart card for storing respective reward applications, wherein the card interface device reward application retrieves transaction and reward data from the smart card and processes the data within the card interface device in order to determine a transaction reward.
US08498897B2	Method and system for providing rewards for responses to broadcast programming A broadcast signal having reward and broadcast (programming and/or advertising) content is broadcast, and viewers provide reward responses in response to queries in the broadcast content. Viewers also provide consumer data associated with the reward response provided. Rewards may then be awarded based on the accuracy of the reward response as well as the utilization of the associated consumer data provided.
US08498890B2	Planning and orchestrating workflow instance migration A method and information processing system manage workflow instance migration. An initial workflow process model is compared with a new workflow process model. A set of differences between the initial workflow process model and the new workflow process model are determined. At least one set of activities associated with the initial workflow process model that is migrateable to the new workflow process model is identified based on the set of differences. A migration plan associated with the initial workflow process model and the new workflow process model is generated. The migration plan includes the at least one set of activities associated with the initial workflow process model. The migration plan is then used to evaluate a set of workflow instances associated with the initial workflow process model and migrate one or more of these workflow instances to the new workflow process model based thereon.
US08498881B2	Generation and data management of a medical study using instruments in an integrated media and medical system In general, a computer-implemented method is described for retrieving by one or more computers an appointment schedule associated with a physician, the appointment schedule including one or more names of patients scheduled for a medical visit with the physician, receiving a first request to view appointment information for a selected patient, retrieving by one or more computers a first list comprising instruments completed by the selected patient, and receiving a second request to send one or more instruments completed by the selected patient to the physician.
US08498879B2	Automated systems and methods for obtaining, storing, processing and utilizing immunologic information of individuals and populations for various uses A system and method for assessing the immunological status of one or more individuals in a patient population is presented. The method includes establishing a database comprising a plurality of records of information each representative of the immune status of an individual in the population, each of said records including (1) current information from one or more assays for the presence of a biochemical, and (2) individual specific information comprising one or more of said individual's medical history, said individual's doctors' observations and historical, demographic, lifestyle, and familial information relating to said individual. The method further includes processing the information in said database to find trends or patterns relating to the immune status of individuals in said patient population; and using the said trends or patterns as part of a health care related decision making process.
US08498878B2	Intelligent medical chart capture system A method of capturing and processing medical charts of a health care facility includes building a document capture template for types of documents used by the health care facility, forming a batch of medical charts including at least one medical chart that includes at least one document comprising at least one page. The pages of the medical chart are undivided from each other. The method includes scanning the pages of the batch of medical charts, recognizing characters of text marked on the pages of the medical charts, analyzing the text of the pages of the medical charts using the document capture template, dividing the scanned pages into at least two documents, assigning a document type to each of the at least two documents, and creating an index of the pages using the document types assigned to each of the at least two documents.
US08498871B2	Dynamic speech recognition and transcription among users having heterogeneous protocols A system for facilitating free form dictation, including directed dictation and constrained recognition and/or structured transcription among users having heterogeneous protocols for generating, transcribing, and exchanging recognized and transcribed speech. The system includes a system transaction manager having a “system protocol,” to receive a speech information request from an authorized user. The speech information request is generated using a user interface capable of bi-directional communication with the system transaction manager and supporting dictation applications. A speech recognition and/or transcription engine (ASR), in communication with the systems transaction manager, receives the speech information request generates a transcribed response, and transmits the response to the system transaction manager. The system transaction manager routes the response to one or more of the users. In another embodiment, the system employs a virtual sound driver for streaming free form dictation to any ASR.
US08498863B2	Method and apparatus for audio source separation The present invention relates to co-channel audio source separation. In one embodiment a first frequency-related representation of plural regions of the acoustic signal is prepared over time, and a two-dimensional transform of plural two-dimensional localized regions of the first frequency-related representation, each less than an entire frequency range of the first frequency related representation, is obtained to provide a two-dimensional compressed frequency-related representation with respect to each two dimensional localized region. For each of the plural regions, at least one pitch is identified. The pitch from the plural regions is processed to provide multiple pitch estimates over time. In another embodiment, a mixed acoustic signal is processed by localizing multiple time-frequency regions of a spectrogram of the mixed acoustic signal to obtain one or more acoustic properties. A separate pitch estimate of each of the multiple acoustic signals at a time point are provided by combining the one or more acoustic properties. At least one of the multiple acoustic signals is recovered using the separate pitch estimates.
US08498862B2	Speech signal processing apparatus A speech signal processing apparatus includes a control signal output unit configured to receive as an input signal either one of a first speech signal corresponding to a sound uttered by a user and a second speech signal corresponding to a sound output from an eardrum of the user when the user utters a sound, and output a control signal corresponding to a noise level of the input signal, and a speech signal output unit configured to output either one of the first speech signal and the second speech signal according to the control signal.
US08498859B2	Voice processing system, method for allocating acoustic and/or written character strings to words or lexical entries A language-processing system has an input for language in text or audio, as a message, an extractor operating to separate words and phrases from the input, to consult a knowledge base, and to assign a concept to individual ones of the words or phrases, and a connector operating to link the concepts to form a statement. In some cases there is a situation model updated as language is processed. The system may be used for controlling technical systems, such as robotic systems.
US08498847B2	Cut grading gemstones, evaluation and representation of symmetry and proportion A system and method for grading gemstones, based on creation and analysis of an ordered plurality of data sets, which convey information about the gemstone's cut symmetry and proportion quality and quantity. In one embodiment of the system and method, light propagation through a 3D faceted gemstone is simulated. Facets are associated with layers by rules for grouping facets. Light movement through the gemstone tagged by layer combinations along the propagation trajectory is collected, to enable rearrangement of the simulation output data in a proposed new order. An efficient analysis of the ordered plurality of data sets is provided for cut grading the symmetry and proportion of gemstones.
US08498845B2	Method for geophysical imaging Method for transforming electromagnetic survey data acquired from a subsurface region to a subsurface resistivity model indicative of hydrocarbon accumulations or lack thereof. In one embodiment, data are selected for two or more non-zero frequencies (100), and a structural model of the region is developed based on available geological or geophysical information. An initial resistivity model of the region is developed based on the structural model (101), and the selected data are inverted to update the resistivity model (106) by iterative forward modeling (103) and minimizing an objective function (105) including a term measuring mismatch between model synthesized data and measured survey data, and another term being a diffusive regularization term that smoothes the resistivity model (104). The regularization term can involve a structure or geology constraint, such as an anisotropic resistivity symmetry axis or a structure axis, determined from the a priori information (102).
US08498844B2	Optimization processing method and apparatus A first model expression having a first order and representing a relationship between evaluation indicators and the design parameters and a second model expression having a second order higher than the first order and representing a relationship between them are generated. Then, according to a quantifier elimination method, values of the design parameters, which realize an optimum solution of the first model expression, are calculated. And, a design parameter whose value is identical to an upper limit value or a lower limit value is identified, and the second model expression is transformed by substituting the upper limit value or the lower limit value, as a value of the identified design parameter, for the second model expression. Finally, according to the quantifier elimination method, values of the design parameters in the transformed second model expression, which realize an optimum solution of the transformed second model expression, is calculated.
US08498840B2	Method of determining the thickness of a mailpiece A method of measuring the maximum thickness of a mailpiece while it is moving through a mail-handling machine. The method includes: acquiring a thickness measurement; recording the measured value in a register; determining a maximum value and a minimum value of the register; determining a difference between said maximum value and minimum value, and comparing the difference with a predetermined threshold value; and if the difference is less than the threshold value, and if the maximum value is greater than a current maximum thickness value, taking the maximum value as the new current maximum thickness value for the mailpiece.
US08498831B2	Semiconductor device, semiconductor device testing method, and data processing system To include one or a plurality of internal signal lines that electrically connects an interface chip to a core chip. The interface chip includes a first circuit that outputs a current to an internal wiring and the core chip includes a second circuit that outputs a current to the first internal signal line. The interface chip includes a determination circuit that has a first input terminal connected to the internal wiring through which the current outputted by the first circuit flows and a second input terminal connected to an end of the first internal signal line in the interface chip, and outputs a voltage according to a potential difference between a voltage of the first input terminal and a voltage of the second input terminal.
US08498826B2	Method and system for machine condition monitoring A method and system for monitoring a condition of a machine are provided. The machine monitoring system includes a housing mounted to a surface of a machine, a plurality of sensors configured to generate respective output signals for a parameter indicative of a condition of the machine, and a voting module positioned within the housing and configured to generate a corrected output based on the respective output signals. The machine monitoring system also includes a memory device including a store location configured to store manual input functions relating to a construction of the machine, a life calculator communicatively coupled to the voting module and the memory device wherein the life calculator is configured to determine a life remaining in the machine using the corrected output and the manual input functions, and a display positioned within the housing and configured to display the life remaining in the machine.
US08498825B2	Methods for high throughput genotyping Methods for genotyping polymorphisms using allele specific probes are disclosed. A training set is used to generate a model for each polymorphism to be interrogated. The training set is used to obtain an estimate of the asymmetry between an intensity measurement for a first allele and an intensity measurement for a second allele of the same polymorphism. The intensity measurement obtained for a test sample is adjusted using the estimate of asymmetry prior to using the intensity measurements to make a genotyping call. In preferred embodiments the adjustment is applied to polymorphisms that have a likelihood of being heterozygous that is above a specified threshold.
US08498820B2	Genomic classification of non-small cell lung carcinoma based on patterns of gene copy number alterations The invention is directed to methods and kits that allow for classification of non-small cell lung carcinoma tumors and cell lines according to genomic profiles, and methods of diagnosing, predicting clinical outcomes, and stratifying patient populations for clinical testing and treatment using the same.
US08498815B2	System, method and apparatus for communicating position data A method on a computer unit for calculating and transmitting position data is disclosed. The method includes monitoring motion of the unit. If motion of the unit is detected, the method further includes initiating a start sequence of the unit, calculating current position data of the unit using the Global Positioning System (GPS), calculating a difference between the current position data of the unit and a previous position data of the unit and transmitting the current position data of the unit if the difference is greater than a threshold value.
US08498814B2	System and method for executing user-definable events triggered through geolocational data describing zones of influence A system and method for executing user-definable events triggered through geolocational data describing zones of influence is described. One or more zones of influence are defined. Each zone of influence is described by stored geolocational data and forms a logically enclosed physical space. One or more user-definable events are associated with each zone of influence. Each user-definable event specifies a trigger condition based on the stored geolocational data for the associated zone of influence. A location of a user device is identified based on further geolocational data and at least one user-definable event is triggered when the location of the user device substantially correlates to the stored geolocational data for the trigger condition of the at least one user-definable event.
US08498805B2	System and method for passive location storage A system and method for automatically storing a geographic position, without requiring user interaction, makes use of the ability of a location-aware mobile device to detect its state of motion using velocity or type of movement information. A transition between motion states is used to determine a parking location of a vehicle.
US08498804B2	Navigation device and method for conserving power A method and device are disclosed for navigation. In at least one embodiment, the method includes determining, in a navigation device, at least one of, when an instruction for travel along a route of travel is not due to be output for a distance exceeding a distance threshold, and when no instruction for travel along the travel route is output for a period of time exceeding a time threshold; and placing the navigation device in a power conserving mode upon the determination being made. In at least one embodiment, the navigation device includes a processor to determine at least one of, when an instruction for travel along a route of travel is not due to be output for a distance exceeding a distance threshold, and when no instruction for travel along the travel route is output for a period of time exceeding a time threshold, the processor placing the navigation device in a power conserving mode upon the determination being made.
US08498800B2	Engine control unit An engine control unit includes an anomaly judging section for judging whether or not there is any anomaly in throttle sensors based on the output of the throttle sensors, a throttle motor driving section for controlling the driving of a throttle motor, and a fuel injection control section for controlling the amount of fuel injection at the time of starting an engine by using the fuel injection map for starting. The throttle motor driving section stops the driving of the throttle motor if the throttle sensors are judged to be anomalous, and the fuel injection control section switches the fuel injection map for starting in a normal state into the fuel injection map for starting in an anomalous state at the time of restarting the engine after stopping the engine in a state wherein the throttle sensors are judged to be anomalous.
US08498796B2	Perception model for trajectory following autonomous and human augmented speed control A speed control method of a vehicle including the steps of obtaining a steering angle, a velocity error and a distance error. The velocity and the distance error being determined by mathematical combinations of a GPS position, a required path and speed set points. The steering angle, velocity errors and distance error are applied to fuzzy logic membership functions to produce an output that is applied to a velocity rule base. An output from the velocity rule base is defuzzified to produce a speed signal.
US08498792B2	Efficiency score tracker for vehicle operations Implementing efficiency score tracking for vehicle operations includes identifying an operator of a vehicle. At each time increment of a driving event, the efficiency score tracking includes determining mileage accrual and energy consumed, calculating an efficiency value as a function of the mileage accrual and the amount of energy consumed, assigning a point value to the efficiency value, adding the point value to previous point values assigned during the driving event, and displaying a sum of the point value and the previous point values to the operator. The sum reflects a cumulative number of points assigned for a corresponding time increment and any previous time increments of the driving event. The efficiency score tracking also includes presenting a total point value reflecting a sum of all of the point values assigned to the operator of the vehicle for all of the time increments associated with the driving event.
US08498788B2	Method and system for determining a planned path of a vehicle A boundary definer defines an outer boundary of a region as a series of interconnected generally linear segments joined at one or more nodes. A concave surface identifier or data processor identifies each concave surface associated with a corresponding concave node. At least one subdivision line is established to divide the region into subdivided areas, where the subdivision line interconnects at or near two nonadjacent ones of the concave nodes. The data processor or row orientation module determines a direction of orientation of rows for a planned path of the vehicle within each subdivided area. A path planning module or data processor interconnects the planned paths within or between subdivided areas to each other by planned interconnection paths between termination points of the rows or at the nodes.
US08498779B2	Headlight control apparatus for vehicles, and headlight system for vehicles In controlling a vehicle headlight that has the ADB (Adaptive Driving Beam) function, low beams and high beams are appropriately controlled even when a vehicle ahead is making a turn. A vehicle headlight control device detects a turning motion in accordance with a change in an open angle of the vehicle ahead that can be obtained by monitoring lights of the vehicle ahead, and controls the headlight such that, before switched to high beams, the headlights continue a low-beam illumination for a prescribed delay time with respect to an area where the turning motion was detected immediately before the vehicle ahead went to a non-detected state. The vehicle headlight control device may be configured to determine the delay time based on an own vehicle speed and an open angle immediately before occurrence of the non-detected state.
US08498754B2	Onboard apparatus, navigation system, and method for setting display screen To use the same onboard apparatus and navigation system in many kinds of vehicles. A table in which manufacturers and vehicle types are connected with designs and functions has been previously stored in a navigation system module 21. The navigation system module 21 itself sends the center controller 11 a query about vehicle information (the country that manufactured, manufacturer, vehicle type, using country, manufacturing number), recognizes the vehicle information supplied from the center controller 11, and automatically sets the screen design, function, etc., suitable to the vehicle on which the onboard apparatus is mounted.
US08498745B2	Robot apparatus and gripping method for use in robot apparatus A robot apparatus includes a robot arm, a multi-fingered hand disposed at an end of the robot arm and including a force sensor for use in force control, an image processor that acquires at least location information on a gripping target by detection made by a visual sensor, and a control device that moves the robot arm on the basis of the at least location information on the gripping target acquired by the image processor to cause the multi-fingered hand to approach the gripping target, detects a contact location of actual contact with the gripping target on the basis of an output of the force sensor of the multi-fingered hand, and modifies the location information on the gripping target on the basis of information indicating the detected contact location.
US08498744B2	Surgical robotic systems with manual and haptic and/or active control modes A surgical robotic system is disclosed that provides a combination of a programmed control, when a high degree of accuracy is required and manual control when a high degree of accuracy is not required.
US08498739B2	Grain distribution apparatus and method A grain distributor including a timer coupled to a distribution spout that generates a series of particular time values. The control processor is programmed with an algorithm to pivot the distribution spout and to receive and record signals from the sensor as the sensor confronts each of the code clusters and each of the proof windows. The control processor is programmed with the algorithm to associate each signal from each code cluster with a particular time value generated by the timer and to memorize the particular time value associated with each code cluster in a long term memory and the control processor being programmed with the algorithm to associate each signal from each of the proof windows in a long term memory. The grain distributor is also self programming.
US08498737B2	Compact media disc vending or rental kiosk A low cost compact kiosk for media disc vending or rental is described. Reduced height and an effective disc drop arrangement allow gravity fed dispensing of media discs simplifying design by eliminating complex robotics requiring trained personnel for maintenance. One such kiosk is approximately 76 cm (30 inches)×58 cm (23 inches)×15 cm (6 inches) and can hold at least 375 standard 1.2 mm thick by 12 cm diameter DVDs.
US08498736B2	Coin handling machine The present invention provides a coin handling machine 11 which can properly and effectively use the capacities of the coin storing units 25. Coins to be transported in the deposit transport unit 22 are recognized by a recognition unit 23, sorted by sorting by a plurality of sorting units 24 using electric driving units according to recognition results, and stored in coin storing units 25 of a plurality of stackers 26. Each stacker 26 is provided with two coin storing units 25 with different capacities. To coins with a large diameter or thickness or coins of a sort the handling amount of which is large, a coin storing unit 25 with a large capacity is assigned to prevent capacity shortage. To coins with a small diameter or thickness or coins of a sort the handling amount of which is small, a coin storing unit 25 with a small capacity is assigned to prevent the capacity from becoming excessive. The capacities of the coin storing units 25 can be properly and effectively used.
US08498723B2	Prioritization of audio streams for platform adaptive audio decoding This disclosure describes audio techniques that exploit a prioritization scheme of audio streams of a software application, such as a video game that execute on a mobile device. The priority of the audio streams are defined by a content creator of the application. In addition, priority of an additional audio stream not associated with the application (such as an audio alert) is also defined. A mobile device includes a processor that executes the application and an audio decoding unit that receives a plurality of prioritized audio streams of an application executing on a mobile device, receives an additional prioritized audio stream not associated with the application, and combines a subset of the prioritized audio streams associated with the application and the additional prioritized audio streams according to priority to form a common audio stream.
US08498721B2	Coronary vein leads having pre-formed biased portions for fixation A lead having a pre-formed biased portion is adapted for implantation with a body vessel and for connection to a signal generator. The lead is constructed and arranged so that when it is implanted, the electrodes are biased toward a vessel wall by the preformed biased portion, which operates to fixate the lead against the vessel wall.
US08498717B2	Neural electronic interface device for motor and sensory controls of human body Provided is a neural electronic interface (NEI) device that includes: a deep brain monitoring and stimulation (DBMS) module that wirelessly receives power from a power transmitter at a hat put on a patient, monitors a state of a brain of the patient by collecting various signals of the brain through a probe pin device (PPD), and transmits the collected signals to a communicator of the hat, wherein a remote controller of the hat analyzes the collected signals and controls the DBMS through the controller to stimulate the brain.
US08498715B2	Systems and methods for implantable leadless cochlear stimulation Systems and methods are disclosed to enable hearing in the deaf by stimulating sites in the cochlea. The invention uses electrical stimulation in the cochlea, where vibrational energy from a source is received by an implanted device and converted to electrical energy and the converted electrical energy is used by implanted electrodes to stimulate the cochlear nerve. The vibrational energy is generated by a controller-transmitter, which could be located either externally or implanted. The vibrational energy is received by a receiver-stimulator, which contains multiple electrodes to stimulate along selected sites in the cochlea.
US08498712B2	Obstructive sleep apnea treatment devices, systems and methods A method of treating an upper airway of a patient. The method may include displacing a tongue of the patient while observing a response of the upper airway. The method may further include treating the upper airway based on the observed response, wherein treating the upper airway includes positioning an electrode adjacent a nerve innervating an upper airway muscle and delivering an electrical stimulation to the nerve to activate the upper airway muscle.
US08498710B2	Linked area parameter adjustment for spinal cord stimulation and associated systems and methods Systems and methods for managing pain in a patient using an electrical waveform that link the modulation of a waveform parameter for different areas of a patient. One embodiment in a system for managing pain in a patient comprises an electric device configured to be implanted into the patient and including a plurality of electrodes having at least a first electrode associated with a first area of the patient and a second electrode associated with a second area of the patient. The system further includes an implantable device configured to be coupled to the electrode device and having a computer-operable medium programmed to change the waveform parameter applied to the first electrode and automatically set the waveform parameter applied to the second electrode based on a relationship between a first therapy range and a second therapy range of the waveform parameter.
US08498700B2	Disposable internal defibrillation electrodes A disposable electrode paddle assembly is provided and includes a shaft having a proximal end and a distal end; a handle assembly supported at the proximal end of the shaft; a spoon supported at the distal end of the shaft; an electrical conductor extending from the handle assembly and establishing an electrical connection at the spoon; and an electrode assembly selectively, electrically connectable to the electrical connection provided at the spoon; wherein the electrode assembly includes a layer of silver/silver-chloride (Ag/AgCl) having one of an increasing and decreasing density extending in a radially outward direction.
US08498685B2	Touch screen medical diagnostic device and methods A capacitive touch screen device forms a capacitance between a body part of a user and a sensor layer. The sensor layer of the device includes capacitive sensors that allow a current to flow to the body part from the device when contact is made. The body part contacts the device through a bodily fluid. The current drawn is measured and a value for the bodily fluid is determined. This value is compared against known values to diagnose a possible medical condition or to infer characteristics of the bodily fluid.
US08498684B2	Sine saturation transform A transform for determining a physiological measurement is disclosed. The transform determines a basis function index from a physiological signal obtained through a physiological sensor. A basis function waveform is generated based on basis function index. The basis function waveform is then used to determine an optimized basis function waveform. The optimized basis function waveform is used to calculate a physiological measurement.
US08498681B2	Cross-sectional mapping of spectral absorbance features Designs, implementations, and techniques for optically measuring a sample to obtain spectral absorbance map of the sample. Light at different wavelength bands may be used to detect different absorption features in the sample. Multiple light sources may be used including tunable lasers.
US08498680B2	Electrode unit joining structure for superconducting wire, superconducting wire, and superconducting coil An electrode unit joining structure for a superconducting wire includes: a superconducting wire comprising a first base member, a first superconducting layer provided on the first base member, and a first electroconductive layer provided on the first superconducting layer; an electrode provided on the first electroconductive layer at an end portion of the superconducting wire; and a superconducting cover tape comprising a second base member, a second superconducting layer provided on the second base member, and a second electroconductive layer provided on the second superconducting layer, the superconducting cover tape being provided so as to cover at least part of the electrode, wherein the second electroconductive layer of the superconducting cover tape is disposed on the electrode side, and the electrode, the superconducting wire, and the superconducting cover tape are electrically connected to each other.
US08498671B2	Mobile telephone device with user-selectable content displayed and updated during idle time The idle screen of a mobile telephone device is used to show updated information of a kind or from a source selected by a user (e.g. financial information, news, traffic etc.). Previously, the idle screen has been used to display the name of the network operator and alerting messages, such as ‘2 missed calls’. Placing information of interest to the user in the idle screen makes that information instantly accessible without the user having to navigate to the required function (e.g. a micro-browser) and select it.
US08498669B2	Antenna array calibration for wireless communication systems Calibration for a transmit chain of a device transmitting information to multiple devices over wireless links and receive chains of the multiple devices receiving information over one of the wireless links utilizing a plurality of forward link channel estimates received from at least some of the plurality of devices and a plurality of reverse link channel estimates from the plurality of devices.
US08498665B2	Information providing device, method therefor, program, and storage medium User group DB (70) stores a serial number of the mobile phone of the user. Action DB (69) stores an individual identification number for identifying RFID which is set up by a service provider and an action associated with the individual identification number. A web server function (61) controls reception of the serial number and the individual identification number, which are transmitted from the mobile phone; and a service providing section (67) executes, when the serial number and the individual identification number are received, an action of providing a service of the service provider to the mobile phone of the user.
US08498661B2	Reverse link traffic power control Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate reverse link power control on a traffic channel. Indications of other sector interference or other such interference levels can be broadcasted in a wireless communication. Further, power control related information can be included in assignments to mobile devices. Mobile device can utilize the information in the assignment to set a range for delta-based power control. Further, devices employ broadcasted interference indications to maintain and adjust delta values that enable power settings to be established on traffic channels. Moreover, mobile devices may provide feedback to facilitate future assignments.
US08498659B2	Communication system, apparatus and method A communication system, apparatus and method are provided according to embodiments of the present invention. The communication system includes: a base band unit (BBU), at least two antennas and at least two radio-frequency (RF) units, where the at least two RF units are connected with the BBU respectively; and each of the antennas is connected with at least two RF units respectively, so that a signal received from a same sector by an antenna is sent to the BBU via different RF units. With the embodiments of the present invention, the reliability of RF units may be improved without increasing the hardware cost of the base station.
US08498652B2	Method and arrangement relating to power consumption in a communications network The present invention relates to a method and an infrastructure arrangement for controlling power consumption of at least one User Equipment (UE) (320a-320c) in a wireless communications network (300) by initially scheduling said at least one UE and increasing power efficiency for said at least one UE (320a).
US08498651B2	Method of call admission control for home femtocells The present invention provides a call admission control method for use in a wireless communication network that includes a femtocell that is coupled to the wireless communication network via a wireline communication network. The method includes receiving, at a call admission controller in the wireless communication network, a request to initiate a call between user equipment and the femtocell. The method also includes accessing, at the call admission controller, information indicating resources available in the wireline communication network to provide a wired connection between the femtocell and the wireless communication network. The method further includes determining, at the call admission controller, whether to admit the call based on the information indicating the resources available in the wireline communication network.
US08498650B2	Systems and methods for adaptively allocating resources between a dedicated reference signal and a traffic signal Systems and methods for adaptively allocating resources between a dedicated reference signal and a traffic signal are disclosed. In an exemplary embodiment, a wireless communication system 100 includes a base station 404. The base station 404 includes a receiver 428 that receives a quality metric 432 from a remote station 106. The quality metric 432 indicates the quality of a signal transmitted from the base station 404 and received by the remote station 106. The base station 404 also includes a resource allocation component 434 that uses the quality metric 432 to allocate a resource between the traffic signal 422 and the dedicated reference signal 418. The base station 404 also includes a transmitter 426 that transmits the traffic signal 422 and the dedicated reference signal 418 to the remote station 106.
US08498643B2	Method and apparatus for cell handoff A method for handoff between cells in a communication system includes the network sends a cell individual offset preset for a cell in the active set relative to each of its neighboring cells respectively to a terminal; after measuring the cell in the active set and its neighboring cells, the terminal evaluates the measurement in accordance with the measurement result and the cell individual offset for the cell in the active set relative to its each neighboring cell; the terminal then submits a measurement report to the network in accordance with the measurement evaluation result; the network instructs the terminal to perform a handoff between cells in accordance with the measurement report.
US08498641B2	Method and apparatus for providing software to a mobile unit Mobile communication systems and methods consistent with the present invention include a central station, a mobile unit and a plurality of radio base stations. The mobile unit communicates with the central station through one of the radio base stations. The central station receives from the mobile unit registration information identifying the radio base station the mobile unit is currently communicating with. This registration information is then stored in a registration database located at the central station. Files are then transferred from the central station to the mobile unit using the radio base station identified by the registration information stored in the registration database.
US08498637B1	Estimation of direct channel and interference channel A mobile station including an input and a channel estimation module. The input is configured to receive a first signal from a first base station with which the mobile station is associated. The first signal has a first channel gain and is transmitted by the first base station using a plurality of pilot values. The input is configured to receive a second signal from a second base station with which the mobile station is not associated. The second signal has a second channel gain and is transmitted by the second base station using the plurality of pilot values. The channel estimation module is configured to generate, based on the plurality of pilot values, i) estimates of the first channel gain, and ii) estimates of the second channel gain.
US08498634B2	Automated call back request for a mobile phone Methods and apparatus for providing automated call back requests are provided. In one method a signaling link in a telecommunications system is monitored for a transaction including a connection request containing a called address followed by a disconnection request within a first predetermined time period. Responsive to the transaction, the method determines if a trigger condition exists, and if so, communicates a call back request to a called party through a separate network.
US08498623B2	System and method for optimizing network communication in response to network conditions A system and method for facilitating communications between a mobile device and a network application are provided. A mobile device transmits a request for data change information that includes a time out interval. The network application receives the request and measures a time elapsed since the receipt of the data change request. The network application will only transmit a notification to the mobile device client if new data is received or the time out interval has elapsed. As notifications are received, the mobile client device tunes the time out interval based upon network and device parameters.
US08498620B2	Apparatus for changing the behavior of an electronic device A novel apparatus and method for changing the behavior of an electronic device is provided. In an embodiment, an electronic device includes the functionality of a cellular phone, a voice mail system and a calendar application. The device is configured to use the calendar application to determine whether to direct a phone call to the user or whether to instantly direct the call to voice mail.
US08498615B2	Self provisioning of wireless terminals in wireless networks Acquiring telecommunications service is disclosed. A wireless signal is received from a wireless network. A network identification is decoded from the wireless signal. A subscriber identification is selected based at least in part on the decoded network identification, and wireless service is acquired from the wireless network.
US08498608B2	Method of network paging user equipment for error recovery in wireless communication system and related communication device A method of a network paging a user equipment for error recovery in a wireless communication system when a network failure occurs includes the network sending a paging message to the user equipment according to an IMSI or an IMEI of the user equipment registered to the network in the attach procedure before the network failure. When the user equipment does not have the IMSI, the network uses the IMEI of the user equipment for paging the user equipment for error recovery.
US08498600B2	Automatic gain control system with dual-RSSI interference detection for optimization of sensitivity and adjacent channel rejection performance of RF receivers A tuner includes a low noise amplifier (LNA), a first received signal strength indicator (RSSI), a mixer, an intermediate frequency (IF) filter, a second RSSI and an adjustment unit. The LNA amplifies a radio frequency (RF) signal. The first RSSI detects received signal strength indication of the RF signal and obtains a first signal strength voltage. The mixer is coupled to the LNA and down-converts the RF signal into a first IF signal according to a local oscillation frequency. The IF filter is coupled to the mixer and filters the first IF signal to obtain a second IF signal. The second RSSI detects received signal strength indication of the second IF signal and obtains a second signal strength voltage. The adjustment unit adjusts a gain of the LNA according to the first signal strength voltage and the second signal strength voltage.
US08498596B2	FM signal quality measurement A signal quality estimator for estimating the quality of signal reception in a signal receiver, the signal quality estimator comprising: a first filter for filtering a signal received by the receiver to isolate a frequency band therein; and a signal analyzer for forming an indication of the degree to which the amplitude of the signal in that frequency band varies over time, to serve as an estimate of the quality of signal reception in the receiver.
US08498589B2	Polar modulator with path delay compensation A modulation system comprising a signal processing unit and a modulator. The signal processing unit may generate a low frequency modulator signal, a high frequency modulator signal, and a modulator amplitude control signal. The modulator may generate a modulated signal for transmission via a wireless network based, at least in part, on the low frequency modulator signal, the high frequency modulator signal, and the modulator amplitude control signal. The signal processing unit comprises a delay compensation unit for delaying the generation of the high frequency modulator signal and the modulator amplitude control signal based, at least in part, on signal generation and modulation path delays associated with the low frequency modulator signal to substantially align the modulator signals at the output of the modulation system.
US08498586B2	On-package transmit/receive switch and antenna Methods and systems for an on-chip and/or on-package T/R switch and antenna are disclosed and may include selectively coupling one or more low noise amplifiers (LNAs) and/or one or more power amplifiers (PAs) to one or more ports of a multi-port distributed antenna utilizing configurable transmit/receive (T/R) switches integrated on a chip with the LNAs and PAs. The LNAs and PAs may be impedance matched to the antenna by coupling them to a port based on a characteristic impedance at the port. The T/R switches may be integrated on a package to which the chip may be coupled. The signals transmitted and received by the antenna may be time division duplexed. The antenna, which may include a microstrip antenna, may be integrated on the chip or the package. The LNA and the PA may be coupled to different ports on the antenna via the T/R switches.
US08498583B2	Signal receiving apparatus, signal receiving method and electronic apparatus Disclosed herein is a signal receiving apparatus including a frequency conversion section configured to carry out frequency conversion on a modulated signal transmitted to the signal receiving apparatus by adoption of a radio transmission technique, wherein the frequency conversion section carries out the frequency conversion by adoption of a frequency conversion method selected from a plurality of frequency conversion methods adoptable by the frequency conversion section in the frequency conversion to be executed on the modulated signal.
US08498582B1	Optimized multi frequency PIM tester topology In accordance with an embodiment, a system for measuring passive intermodulation (PIM), comprises a base unit, which includes frequency-independent components, and a frequency-dependent plugin, which includes frequency-dependent components and is associated with a particular frequency band. The frequency-dependent plugin can be combined with the base unit to measure PIM over the particular frequency band.
US08498581B2	Communication test device and communication test method A communication test device can assist in identifying a cause of a change in throughput of a mobile communication terminal. The communication test device accumulates (a) trace data on a specific unit of data complying with a designated communication standard, and (b) throughput data on throughput of the specific unit of data transmitted to and received from a mobile communication terminal. Trace data and throughput data are extracted from the accumulation, and trace data is displayed. A graph of the variation of throughput with time is displayed on the display unit. Trace data corresponding to a time designated by an operating unit can also be displayed.
US08498577B2	Method for managing eventual interferences during an information exchange between two wireless devices belonging for example to a multi-carriers based UWB communication system, and corresponding device A device belonging to a wireless communication system and adapted to exchange information with another device of the system within a main band of frequencies includes N different antennas having respectively different antenna characteristics, with N being greater than one. A controllable selector selects one of the antennas. A detector detects through the selected antenna the eventual presence of at least one interferer operating within the main band of frequencies. A controller, upon presence of a detected interferer, controls the selector for selecting another antenna.
US08498572B1	Home automation device pairing by NFC-enabled portable device A method and device are disclosed that may include collecting information from a radio frequency readable tag of a first electrical device using a radio frequency tag reader in a portable device. A control application may be launched on the portable device in response to the collected information. A graphical user interface may be presented on the portable device display. Control parameters may be set for the first electrical device in response to inputs to the graphical user interface.
US08498571B2	Communication device A communication device includes a communication circuit unit that processes a high frequency signal which transmits data, a high frequency signal transmission path that is connected to the communication circuit unit, a high frequency coupler that receives the high frequency signal and radiates an induction electric field signal of a longitudinal wave, and an antenna that receives the high frequency signal and radiates a radiation electromagnetic field or an electric wave signal of a transverse wave.
US08498570B2	Method and apparatus for in-building communications A system for repeating radio signals to the outside of a structure, from transmitters operating within a structure that normally prevents radio transmissions from propagating out of the structure. A system for repeating radio signals to the inside of a structure, from transmitters operating outside a structure that normally prevents radio transmissions from propagating into the structure.
US08498568B2	System and method for providing recording and playback of digital media content A system and method for time-shifting a live broadcast, and facilitating the purchase of live or time-shifted broadcast content. The device records broadcast content being listened to by user, which gives the user the option to replay content. The device and method also provides a preview service that allows the user to experience fresh media content on a regular basis, even where a live signal is not available. The broadcast source broadcasts new content on a regular basis to avoid providing users with stale content. The user identifies content using the device and data is stored that corresponds to the identified content. The broadcast source or a third-party content provider uses the corresponding data to provide the identified content to the user. In addition to audio content, the device also provides and facilitates the acquisition of video, graphics, text or any other media content.
US08498566B2	Image forming apparatus An image forming apparatus includes a belt-shaped image carrier that carries an image, an image transfer unit that transfers the image onto a recording medium, and a conveying unit that conveys the recording medium to the image transfer unit. The image carrier has a sloping surface that slopes down from an upstream of the image transfer unit in a conveying direction. The conveying unit includes a linear conveying path that is arranged an upstream of the image transfer unit in the conveying direction, below the sloping surface and above a horizontal line passing through the image transfer unit.
US08498560B2	Fixing device and image forming apparatus using this fixing device A fixing device and an image forming apparatus using this, in which even if permanent warping is produced on a roller member that forms a fixing nip portion, no collision sound is produced due to the collision of gears, the fixing device including: two roller members that form a nip portion in which a recording medium is pressed by pressure means and transported; and a drive gear that engages with a shaft portion of one of the two roller members and transmits driving force to that roller member. A key is formed in the drive gear and a key groove having a gap opened therein is formed in the shaft portion, and when a rotation velocity of the roller member increases, transmission of driving force from the drive gear to the shaft portion is suspended and the drive gear slides on the shaft portion.
US08498534B2	Epon with power-saving features One embodiment provides a system for power saving in an Ethernet Passive Optic Network (EPON). The system includes an optical line terminal (OLT), an optical network unit (ONU), a traffic-detection module configured to detect status of traffic to and from the ONU, and a power-management module configured to place the ONU in sleep mode based on the detected traffic status. The ONU includes an optical transceiver that includes an optical transmitter configured to transmit optical signals to the OLT and an optical receiver configured to receive optical signals from the OLT.
US08498530B2	Detection apparatus and method A detection apparatus determines whether an output of the light-receiving unit meets a predetermined reference level when the light emission amount of the light-emitting unit is changed, under a condition that the output of the light-receiving unit changes according to a change in a light emission amount of the light-emitting unit. The detection apparatus detects, based on the output from the light-receiving unit, that the light emitted from the light-emitting unit to the light-receiving unit is blocked, under a condition that the light-emitting unit is emitting light based on a light emission amount emitted from the light-emitting unit when it has been determined that the output of the light-receiving unit meets the predetermined reference level.
US08498528B2	Position controller for image-stabilizing insertable/removable optical element A position controller for an image stabilizing optical element in an optical system includes an advancing/retracting frame which holds part of the optical system, a main actuator, an anti shake movable frame supported by the advancing/retracting frame, an anti shake drive actuator, an insertable/removable frame which holds the image stabilizing optical element and is supported by the anti shake movable frame, a removal drive mechanism which engages with the insertable/removable frame and moves the insertable/removable frame from an insertion position to a removed position, and a controller. Upon an inputter inputting a lens accommodating drive signal to the controller, the controller switches the anti shake drive actuator to a non driving state before moving the insertable/removable frame to the removed position by moving the advancing/retracting frame toward the accommodated position.
US08498522B2	Multimedia data recording/playing device and driving method thereof A multimedia data recording and playing device and a method of driving the same are provided. The multimedia data recording and playing device includes a PVR processor for controlling to store received multimedia data in an activation mode where a time shift function can be performed, a storage for storing the received multimedia data under a control of the PVR processor, and a time shift function switcher for switching from the activation mode into a deactivation mode where the time shift function cannot be performed after determining whether the time shift function is performed or not.
US08498514B2	Information processing apparatus, information managing method and medium This invention relate to an information processing apparatus comprising first recording means for recording one moving picture in at least one recording increment; second recording means for recording a still picture corresponding to the moving picture in keeping with the recording increment of the moving picture; and third recording means for recording information about the moving picture being recorded by the first recording means.
US08498510B2	Fiber distribution enclosure An optical fiber distribution assembly is disclosed. The assembly includes an enclosure formed by a circular base and a cover joined at a waterproof seal. The base includes openings configured to accept an input cable and an output cable. The assembly also includes an inner body formed by four panel members to define four quadrants. In one example, the inner body is formed by two panel members positioned perpendicularly to one another. Disposed on the inner body are plurality of cable management structures including: radius limiters, splice trays, splitters, terminations, and connector storage holders.
US08498507B2	Anti-reflective launch optics for laser to fiber coupling in a photoplethysmograpic device An embodiment of a light launching portion of a photoplethysmographic device having a laser (20) light source and a light guide (40). The coupled end of the light guide (40) includes an anti-reflection coating (30a) to prevent or minimize the back reflection of light emitted by the laser (20). This minimizes the extent to which back reflected light can re-enter the laser and adversely alter the optical output properties of the laser (20) and additionally minimizes the associated light loss thus helping to maximize the optical coupling efficiency. Other embodiments are described and shown.
US08498506B2	Preconditioned illuminator system and method Embodiments of endo-illuminators and related methods are disclosed. One embodiment of an illuminator can comprise a cannula defining a passage, an optical element disposed at an end of the cannula, and an optical fiber running through the passage with the distal end of the optical fiber in contact with the optical element. The optical fiber includes at least a heat preconditioned distal portion that terminates in the distal end that is in contact with the optical element.
US08498499B2	Image processing apparatus and method and image display apparatus There are provided a first intermediate image generating means (1) for generating a first intermediate image (D1) by extracting a component in a vicinity of a particular frequency band in an input image (DIN), a second intermediate image generating means (2) for generating a second intermediate image (D2) from the first intermediate image (D1), and an adding means for adding the input image (DIN) and the second intermediate image (D2). The second intermediate image generating means (2) includes a non-linear processing means (2A) that varies the content of its processing according to the pixel in the intermediate image (D1). Even if the input image includes a fold-over component on the high-frequency side or does not include an adequate high-frequency component, adequate image enhancement processing can be carried out.
US08498495B2	Border region processing in images A border region is identified in an image by calculating an average of pixel values in a row or column of the image. Differences in property values are determined between each pixel in the row or column and a neighboring pixel present on a same column or row but in a neighboring row or column. An average difference is calculated based on these differences. The pixels in the row or column are classified as belonging to a border region or internal region of the image based on the average pixel value and the average pixel difference.
US08498493B1	Directional cross hair search system and method for determining a preferred motion vector A system and method for determining a preferred motion vector is provided, which may be used to estimate motion in a series of video image frames. The system may include a video encoder having a motion vector selector. The motion vector selector may include a first generator to generate a cost associated with motion vectors in a first direction, a selector to set a cross over point corresponding to a lowest cost motion vector in the first direction, a direction indicator to sample a set of motion vectors about the cross over point to select a preferred direction, and a second generator to generate a cost associated with the motion vectors in the preferred direction. The method may include determining a final motion vector having the lowest cost within a search window.
US08498492B2	Methods of analyzing a selected region of interest in medical image data In methods and an apparatus for analyzing a selected region of interest in medical image data of a subject, an initial image data set is obtained, and the initial image data set is filtered to generate a filtered data set. The filtering includes computing, for each voxel of the initial image data set, a value of intensity for a standardized volume of interest centered on that voxel. A user selection of a region of interest in the initial image data set is registered, and from the filtered image data set a value of intensity for the selected region of interest is computed.
US08498491B1	Estimating age using multiple classifiers Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for performing age estimation. In one aspect, a method includes receiving an image of a person, submitting the image to multiple binary classifiers that are each trained to classify the person in the image as belonging to one of two predefined age groups, or as belonging or not belonging to a particular age group, where each output includes a confidence value associated with classifying the person in the image, obtaining the confidence values from the multiple binary classifiers, aggregating the confidence values, and generating an age estimation for the person in the image based on the aggregated confidence values.
US08498489B2	Image inspection apparatus The present invention provides a unified template matching technique which allows an adequate matching position to be provided even in an image with a distorted pattern shape and a variation in edge intensity. A correlation value contribution rate map is created for the vicinity of each of top candidate positions obtained by applying a centroid distance filter to a normalized correlation map resulting from template matching. A corrected intensity image is created from the correlation value contribution rate maps. Luminance correction is performed based on the corrected intensity image. Local matching is performed again on the vicinity of each candidate position. The candidates are then re-sorted based on candidate positions and correlation values newly obtained. Thus, even in an image with a distorted pattern shape and a variation in edge intensity, an adequate matching position can be provided in a unified manner.
US08498481B2	Image segmentation using star-convexity constraints Image segmentation using star-convexity constraints is described. In an example, user input specifies positions of one or more star centers in a foreground to be segmented from a background of an image. In embodiments, an energy function is used to express the problem of segmenting the image and that energy function incorporates a star-convexity constraint which limits the number of possible solutions. For example, the star-convexity constraint may be that, for any point p inside the foreground, all points on a shortest path (which may be geodesic or Euclidean) between the nearest star center and p also lie inside the foreground. In some examples continuous star centers such as lines are used. In embodiments a user may iteratively edit the star centers by adding brush strokes to the image in order to progressively change the star-convexity constraints and obtain an accurate segmentation.
US08498478B2	Scenario simulation system and method for a multimedia device A scenario simulation system for a multimedia device is disclosed. An outline detection device separates a plurality of images from an image source to a plurality of foreground and background images which are stored in a foreground storage medium and a background storage medium respectively. A foreground selector selects a foreground image, and a background selector selects a background image. An image mixer mixes the foreground image with the background image as an output image. An image output module transmits the output image for replacing a real image to a remote multimedia device.
US08498475B2	Image processing apparatus, control method and computer-readable medium An image processing apparatus which applies processing to image data encoded by an encoding method that encodes image data by holding, for each block including the predetermined number of pixels, color information and color layout information included in that block, the apparatus comprises: a detection unit configured to detect a region including successive pixels having identical color information, the number of pixels of which is larger than a predetermined value, using the color information and the color layout information in the encoded image data; and a conversion unit configured to convert color information of a pixel corresponding to a predetermined position in the region, and layout information of a block including the pixel at the predetermined position, of a plurality of blocks including the region detected by the detection unit.
US08498470B2	Method and system for evaluating an object A method, system and a computer program product for evaluating a object; the method includes: (i) obtaining an image of an area of the object; wherein the area comprises multiple arrays of repetitive structural elements that are at least partially surrounded by at least one group of non-repetitive regions; wherein non-repetitive regions that belong to a single group of non-repetitive regions are ideally identical to each other; wherein the non-repetitive regions are arranged in a repetitive manner; and(ii) providing an evaluation result in response to a comparison between image information of a first sub-area to image information of a second sub-area that is proximate to the first sub-area; wherein the first sub-area comprises a first array of repetitive structural elements and a first non-repetitive region; wherein the second subarea comprises a second array of repetitive structural elements and a second non-repetitive region.
US08498464B2	Intrinsic co-registration for modular multimodality medical imaging systems A method and device are provided for matching a patient coordinate system (PCS) of a nuclear medical imaging scanner with a coordinate system of a CT scanner in a multimodality modular imaging system, based on a predefined relationship between a vertical position of a patient bed during the NM scan; an axial position of the patient bed during the NM scan; an axial distance between a gantry of the NM scanner and a gantry of the CT scanner; and a vertical distance between a center of orbit of the NM scanner and a center of rotation of the CT gantry.
US08498460B2	Reflectance imaging and analysis for evaluating tissue pigmentation Methods and apparatus are described that provide the ability to estimate the diffuse reflection component of an image of tissue such as skin captured without cross-polarization. It is thereby possible to estimate skin pigmentation information from an image of skin captured conventionally, such as, for example, a total reflection image, obtained in a conventional manner by shining white light on the skin and capturing the reflected light. The image may also be a partially diffuse reflection image, such as a low quality cross-polarized image. The diffuse reflection component of a captured image can then be further processed to obtain Red and Brown pigmentation images, useful for indicating the distribution of hemoglobin and melanin, the primary chromophores of skin. Additionally, a standard captured image of skin can be analyzed to obtain an estimate of the surface reflection component of the reflected light. The surface reflection component can then be used to generate a surface reflection image, useful for showing the distribution of light on the skin and to highlight superficial features such as wrinkles, fine lines, folds, pores, texture, and visible spots.
US08498456B2	Method and system for applying cosmetic and/or accessorial enhancements to digital images A method for a creating a virtual makeover includes inputting an initial digital Image into and initiating a virtual makeover at a local processor. Instructions are transmitted from the main server to the local processor. Positions of facial features are isolated within the digital image at the local processor. Facial regions within the digital image are defined based on the positions of the facial features at the local processor. After receiving input, cosmetic enhancements or the accessorial enhancement are applied to the digital image at the local processor. A final digital image is generated including the enhancements. The final digital image is then displayed. At least the defining, applying, and generating steps include instructions written in a non-flash format for execution in a flash-based wrapper.
US08498440B2	Eartip with tether An eartip made of a resilient body with an eartip core inside the open center of the body, and a tether attached to the eartip core at an attachment region along the length of the core. A free end of the tether extends outward from the eartip, allowing a wearer to remove the eartip from their ear by pulling on the tether.
US08498426B2	Headphone system for computer gaming A gaming unit and producing a game-audio output of a varying volume level and a chat-voice output is connected to headphones adapted to be worn by a player of the unit and connected to the gaming unit for making the chat-voice output and the game-audio output audible to the player. A circuit or software associated with the headphones can increase the chat-voice volume level generally proportionately to the game-audio volume level.
US08498420B2	Symmetric key distribution framework for the internet A method, device, and system are disclosed. In one embodiment the method includes receiving measured health information from a client on a key distribution server. Once the measured health information is received the server is capable of validating the measured health information to see if it is authentic. The server is also capable of sending a session key to the client when the measured health information is validated. When the client receives the session key, the client is capable of initiating an encrypted and authenticated connection with an application server in the domain using the session key.
US08498414B2	Secure route optimization in mobile internet protocol using trusted domain name servers A trusted domain name server is introduced to provide a secure route optimization procedure for MIPv6. A trusted authority registers network addresses of a mobile node with corresponding fully qualified domain names. The trusted domain name server can later be queried to compare the domain of a network address for a mobile node with the domain of a network address for another network node.
US08498407B2	Systems and methods for double-talk detection in acoustically harsh environments A communications device that is configured to detect double talk is described. An echo canceller is configured to cancel an echo from an input signal using an adaptive filter. A double-talk detector provides a double-talk statistic. The double-talk statistic is proportional to the ratio of the remaining echo energy in the cancellation error signal and the total cancellation error energy.
US08498405B2	Method and apparatus for enhanced call reporting A system and method for enhanced tracking of calls resulting from referrals to a website from third party servers includes the steps of identifying a tracking parameter, dynamically allocating a phone number to the tracking parameter, displaying the dynamically allocated number on a web page, and tracking calls received on the number. The dynamically allocated number may replace an existing number on the web page. The tracking parameter can be a keyword used in a search, an identifier of the referring website, or any other parameter, including combinations thereof. The tracking parameter may be included in the referring URL, the URL of the website, or in the body of a web page. In some embodiments, the call tracking capability is provided by a service provider other than an operator of the merchant website and JavaScript is used so that the process is easy to implement by the merchant website.
US08498403B1	Method and apparatus for managing training of call center agents A method and apparatus trains agents in a call center by directing a plurality of telecommunication calls to an agent by a controller wherein a percentage of the telecommunication calls are unskilled telecommunication calls that the agent is unskilled at processing; calculating by the controller average success of the agent in handling all of the unskilled telecommunication calls; calculating by the controller average stress of the agent in handling all of the unskilled telecommunication calls; increasing the percentage of unskilled telecommunication calls by the controller upon average success being greater than a predefined level of success and the average stress being less than a predefined level of stress; and stopping after the percentage equals a predefined percentage.
US08498402B2	Customer support using managed real-time communities A method and apparatus are described for routing a call received by an organization. The method includes the steps of determining a subject matter of the received call, routing the call to an agent of the organization when a agent of the organization is available to handle the subject matter of the call and routing the call to a client of the organization when an agent of the organization is not available.
US08498401B2	Mobile-to-mobile call determination Methods and systems for determining call types are described herein. An intelligent node is configured to determine whether a call is a mobile-to-mobile call between subscribers of a telecommunication service provider based on a response to a request from the intelligent node. The intelligent node may further be configured to send a state request to an interconnecting network of the telecommunication service provider. A node of the interconnecting network determines whether a serving subscriber identifier is included in a routing database of that node. If the identifier is not included, the node responds with an error message. If the identifier is included, the node communicates with a relay function and responds to the request with a state received from the relay function. The intelligent node may also be configured to send an ENUM query and receive an identifier of the telecommunication service provider associated with the serving subscriber.
US08498392B2	Method and a system for establishing a communication channel between a predetermined number of selected devices and a device and a server arranged for use in the system A method for establishing a communication channel (17) between a predetermined number of selected devices (3;5). Each of the devices has its own identity. The establishing of the communication channel is done by a pairing via a server (1). Said devices have a pairing operational mode and a communication operational mode. The method comprises the steps of: —setting each of the devices in the pairing operational mode, —agreeing on the choice of a pairing signal (19a;19b), —selecting the agreed upon pairing signal (19a) on each of the devices, which devices transmit their identity and the agreed upon pairing signal (19a) to the server (1), —if the server (1) in a predetermined time interval determines that more than the predetermined number of selected devices have transmitted the agreed upon pairing signal (19a; 19b) than repeating the above second and third steps, wherein a next pairing signal is agreed upon, until the server (1) determines that only the predetermined number of selected devices have transmitted an identical sequence of pairing signals (19a;19b), —establishing the communication channel (17) between the devices by the server (1), and —setting each of the devices in the communication operational mode. The achieved communication channel is very secure. A system comprises a server (1) and a predetermined number of selected devices (3;5), wherein during use a communication channel (17) between the first device (3) and the second device (5) is established via the server (1) according to the method of the invention.
US08498390B2	Presence based DTMF signaling enablement of voice communication controller and method A voice communication controller (e.g., private branch exchange (PBX)) is described herein which can automatically enable an outbound dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) feature for one of it's extensions that is attached to a phone which belongs to a user while that user is or is likely to be participating in a session with an external DTMF communication system (e.g., a conference/collaboration bridge, an interactive voice response (IVR) system, or a voice mail system). This is desirable because if the user presses button(s) on their phone then the voice communication controller which has enabled the outbound DTMF feature will not attempt to process the corresponding DTMF digit(s) but instead will automatically transfer the corresponding DTMF signal(s) to the external DTMF communication system.
US08498388B1	Method and system for announcement A method for delivering audio announcements, includes: receiving an announcement package, the announcement package including a package identity, a package update time, and one or more announcement items; and presenting the announcement package to an audio player. Each announcement item includes an item identity, and a summary part, where the summary part includes audio information. The audio information includes an audio data type and audio data. Updates for the announcement package can be received, where the announcement package is modified according to the update. A content of the announcement package can be replaced, deleted, or added. The announcement item can be presented to the audio player once, repeatedly, or periodically. In this manner, audio announcements are delivered in an effective and timely manner.
US08498386B2	On hold content selection A message is received that a call has been made to a destination. It is determined that the destination is not available. A menu of options is provided for receiving content while the destination is not available. A selection of one of the menu options is received. Content is provided according to the selection.
US08498379B2	Electron emitter and method of making same One example embodiment includes methods for making electron emitters. The electron emitter comprises a conductive member that defines a plurality of filament segments that are integral with each other. Each filament segment includes an intermediate portion and an interconnecting portion attached to an adjacent filament segment. The intermediate portions are substantially coplanar with each other and each intermediate portion includes a substantially planar electron emission surface.
US08498375B2	X-ray imaging apparatus An X-ray imaging apparatus includes an X-ray generation part, an X-ray detection part, and a revolution drive mechanism. The X-ray generation part has an X-ray generator including a cathode and an anode, and emits an X-ray beam from the X-ray generator. The X-ray detection part detects the X-ray beam. The revolution drive mechanism performs X-ray imaging by revolving the X-ray generation part and the X-ray detection part around the object while the X-ray generation part and the X-ray detection part are opposed to each other with said object interposed therebetween. The X-ray imaging apparatus controls a restriction part to thereby restrict an X-ray transmission in such a manner that the focal spot size of an X-ray beam used in X-ray CT imaging of a relatively narrow imaging region is smaller than the focal spot size of an X-ray beam used in X-ray CT imaging of a relatively large imaging region.
US08498371B2	Head-end process for the reprocessing of reactor core material In a head-end process for the reprocessing of reactor core material with embedded fuel particles, reactor core material is arranged in a reactor containing a fluid. The reactor comprises a voltage discharge installation in the fluid. Voltage discharges are applied through the fluid for fragmenting the fuel particles into fragmentation products and the fragmentation products are segregated.
US08498370B2	Method and apparatus for deskewing data transmissions The present invention discloses a method and apparatus for addressing the issue of clock skew in a data signal while making efficient use of space on an integrated chip (IC) by utilizing a physical delay line controlled by a state machine in conjunction with pre-requisite chip architecture. The pre-requisite chip architecture samples the incoming data signal in response to a clocking signal input from the physical delay line; the physical delay line responds to commands from the state machine to increment the delay of the physical delay line to produce samples which describe the incoming data signal and delineate its data valid window.
US08498365B2	Detection and mitigation of temporary impairments in a communications channel Systems and methods are disclosed for detecting temporary high level impairments, such as noise or interference, for example, in a communications channel, and subsequently, mitigating the deleterious effects of the dynamic impairments. In one embodiment, the method not only performs dynamic characterization of channel fidelity against impairments, but also uses this dynamic characterization of the channel fidelity to adapt the receiver processing and to affect an improvement in the performance of the receiver. For example, in this embodiment, the method increases the accuracy of the estimation of the transmitted information, or similarly, increases the probability of making the correct estimates of the transmitted information, even in the presence of temporary severe levels of impairment. The channel fidelity history may also be stored and catalogued for use in, for example, future optimization of the transmit waveform.
US08498360B1	Systems and methods for wireless communication system channel allocation using intentional delay distortion Advantage is taken of adaptive allocation techniques by intentionally creating multi-user diversity in an otherwise flat fading environment in order to improve system capacity. In one embodiment, multi-path distortion can be resolved to determine subscriber station (SS) diversity gain. Overall network capacity can be increased by allocating channel assignments to SSs within the network based on determined SS diversity gains. In one embodiment, intentional multi-path distortion is produced by transmitting a signal and a time-delayed version of the signal from a base station (BS).
US08498358B2	Multiple antenna communication system including adaptive updating and changing of codebooks Communication between a base station with multiple transmission antennas and a mobile station is provided. The base station and the mobile station may recognize or estimate, respectively, a channel between the base station and the mobile station, and update a previous codebook with a new codebook based on a variation of the channel. In this instance, the mobile station may provide feedback information to the base station using the new codebook, and the base station may generate a transmission signal for the mobile station using the new codebook and the feedback information.
US08498351B2	Transmission apparatus and reception apparatus A transmission apparatus used in a mobile communication system adopting a single carrier scheme in an uplink includes: multiplexing means configured to multiplex a pilot channel, a control channel, and a data channel; and transmission means configured to transmit a transmission symbol including at least the pilot channel and the control channel using the uplink. A first pilot channel used for a reception apparatus to measure channel state of the uplink is transmitted using a frequency band over a plurality of resource blocks. A second pilot channel for compensating for a channel transmitted by the uplink is transmitted by a resource block assigned to the transmission apparatus. Control channels of the transmission apparatus and the apparatus other than the transmission apparatus are orthogonalized with each other by a FDM scheme.
US08498349B2	Demodulation and decoding for frequency modulation (FM) receivers with radio data system (RDS) or radio broadcast data system (RBDS) Demodulation and decoding for frequency modulation (FM) receivers with radio data system (RDS) or radio broadcast data system (RBDS). An example of a method for processing a signal in a receiver includes quantizing a demodulated signal to generate bits in response to receipt of the demodulated signal. The method also includes grouping the bits into one or more blocks. The method further includes computing a syndrome for a block from the one or more blocks. Moreover, the method includes identifying error, corresponding to the syndrome, in the block based on type of demodulation. The type of demodulation includes a coherent demodulation and a differential demodulation. Furthermore, the method includes correcting the error in the block.
US08498344B2	Frequency responsive bus coding A data system 102 permits bus encoding based on frequency of the bus; an encoding scheme may be implemented to avoid undesirable frequency conditions such as a resonant condition that may lead to degradation in system performance. The device or integrated circuit will typically include an encoder; in one embodiment, the encoder is a data bus inversion (DBI) circuit that selectively inverts all lines of a data bus. A detector that may include a band-pass or stop-band filter that, for example, evaluates data for transmission on the bus to detect frequency, for example, a predetermined frequency or a frequency range. The detector provides a control signal for the encoder to selectively apply an encoding scheme as a function of frequency.
US08498343B2	System for MIMO equalization of multi-channel transceivers with precoding The present invention relates to data processing techniques in multi-channel data transmission systems. In this invention, a method to efficiently deal with FEXT is proposed and a circuit architecture to implement the proposed MIMO-THP equalizer is developed for the application of high/ultra-high speed Ethernet systems. The proposed method relies on the fact that FEXT inherently contains information about the symbols transmitted from the far end transmitters and it can be viewed as a signal rather than noise. Compared with the traditional FEXT cancellation approaches, the proposed design inherits both advantages of MIMO equalization technique and TH precoding technique, thus having better performance. Unlike the existing MIMO-THP technology, the proposed design completely removes the feedback loops in the existing MIMO-THP architecture. Therefore, pipelining techniques can be easily applied to obtain a high-speed design of a multi-channel DSP transceiver.
US08498334B1	Method and system for staggered parallelized video decoding A method and system for staggered parallelized video decoding system decodes a compressed video stream at approximately double the performance of conventional systems, and outputs the decoded stream to a video display device. Even and odd video frames from the video stream are identified and stored in a memory. A first decoder processes a first portion of a first even frame from among the stored even frames. After the first decoder completes processing the first portion of the first even frame, a second decoder begins processing a first odd frame from among the stored odd frames. The processing start times of the odd frames are staggered with respect to the even frames and vice versa, and the even and odd frames are simultaneously processed using first and second decoders.
US08498333B2	Filtering for VPU Included are embodiments for processing video data. At least one embodiment includes receive logic configured to receive the video data chosen from a plurality of formats and filter logic configured to filter the video data according to the instruction. Similarly, some embodiments include transform logic configured to transform the video data according to the instruction, where the instruction contains a mode indication in which the filter logic and the transform logic execute based on the format of the video data.
US08498328B2	Energy management for wireless devices A method for managing energy usage of a wireless device during a data transfer in a wireless communication network comprises determining a data rate associated with the data transfer, determining data processing requirements for processing data at the determined data rate, and dynamically adjusting, based on the determined requirements, one or more data processing parameters corresponding to the data transfer.
US08498322B2	Spread-spectrum pilot signals in a communications transmitter Interference-reducing circuits include a feed-forward circuit for subtracting all or part of a desired transmitter-signal component from a signal coupled from the power amplifier's output path. The error signal from this feed-forward circuit contains a replica of distortion in the power amplifier output. A cancellation loop adjusts the phase and/or amplitude of this error signal and combines this adjusted error signal with an interference-carrying signal, removing some of the undesired distortion. A spread-spectrum pilot signal is used in one or both loops, to provide a reference signal that can be monitored by an adjustment circuit, which measures the magnitude and/or phase of a spread-spectrum signal that is injected into the interference-carrying signal and, based on that measurement, adjusts the amplitude, phase, and/or delay of the cancellation signal that is added to the interference-carrying signal. This yields a reduced-interference signal in which undesired distortion is reduced.
US08498318B2	Light emitting system according to a polariton mode with electrical injection of quantum wells A light (2) emitting system (1) includes an optical cavity (10) having at least one optical mode and including at least one transmissive reflector (12), a first set (20) of quantum wells (21, 22) and elements (31, 32, 33) of electrical injection of the quantum wells of the first set. The quantum wells of the first set are arranged so that at least one of their electronic resonances is a strong coupling regime with an optical mode of the optical cavity and emits a light according to a mixed exciton-polariton mode. The optical cavity further includes a second set (40) of quantum wells (41, 42, 43, 44, 45) arranged outside of the direct range of the elements of electrical injection and arranged in relation to the quantum wells of the first set so that at least one of their electronic resonances is in a strong coupling regime with the mixed exciton-polariton mode of the optical cavity.
US08498307B2	Channel allocation in protected service areas In described embodiments, a channel allocation system, such as a white space (WS) channel allocation system, employs a method to populate a WS database with channel availability information for areas with protected or otherwise registered service user information server. Communication characteristics of incumbent service providers licensed or otherwise registered to operate within certain frequency spectrum are plotted over a geographic area. The channel allocation system then divides the area into tiles, and determines whether each tile can be characterized for channel availability and, for those tiles that are uncharacterized, further divides the tiles into tiles of finer resolution. Based on information in the WS database, availability of channels in areas is pre-computed, and then an iterative search of areas with successively finer resolution identifies white space channels that might be included in the channel list in response to a query from a unlicensed or unregistered user.
US08498293B2	Mechanism for enabling layer two host addresses to be shielded from the switches in a network Methods and systems for shielding layer two host addresses (e.g., MAC addresses) from a network are provided. A border component interposed between a network of switches and multiple local hosts receives from a first local host a first packet destined for a first destination host. The first local host has a first layer 2 (L2) address and a first layer 3 (L3) address associated therewith. The first packet includes the first L2 address as a source L2 address for the first packet, and includes the first L3 address as a source L3 address for the first packet. The border component shields the first L2 address from the network of switches by replacing the source L2 address for the first packet with a substitute L2 address associated with a communication channel of the border component before sending the first packet to the network of switches.
US08498290B2	Systems and method for interacting with a Plurality of Nodes In one embodiment of an improvement to telephony, a solution to the problem of communicating to “the many” is made by enabling telecommunications service providers to: accept digital dialog as well as conventional dialog, enable augmented phone service to be added to conventional phone services, handle non-calls in addition to calls, and turn content into content-of-interest.
US08498284B2	Method and apparatus for enhancing RLC for flexible RLC PDU size Enhancements are provided for the radio link control (RLC) protocol in wireless communication systems where variable RLC packet data unit (PDU) size is allowed. When flexible RLC PDU sizes are configured by upper layers, radio network controller (RNC)/Node B flow control, RLC flow control, status reporting and polling mechanisms are configured to use byte count based metrics in order to prevent possible buffer underflows in the Node B and buffer overflows in the RNC. The enhancements proposed herein for the RLC apply to both uplink and downlink communications.
US08498283B2	Method for transferring a sequence enabling the identification of the home base station by a mobile terminal for avoiding the use of same PSC/PCID sequence B home base stations The present invention concerns a method for transferring in a wireless cellular telecommunication network, a sequence enabling the identification, by a mobile terminal, of the home base station, the symbols transferred between the home base station and the mobile terminal being separated by a guard period. The home base station: receives from at least one neighboring home base station a sequence enabling the identification of the neighboring base station, selects one received sequence, shifts the start of the transfer of a frame of symbols in the cell of the home base station from a start of the reception of a frame of symbols that may be transferred by the neighboring home base station which may be identified with the selected received sequence by a time duration which is at least equal to the guard period, the frame of symbols comprising the selected sequence.
US08498282B2	Radio communication method and radio communication device A radio communication method is capable of easily realizing multi-access in an ad-hoc network using a directive radio wave. In the ad-hoc network using the directive radio wave of the method, two PNC functioning as master devices are arranged opposed to each other so that their directivities face to each other. A super frame is time-divided into two sub super frames so that one of the sub super frames is controlled by one of the PNC and the other sub super frame is controlled by the other PNC.
US08498280B2	Method and system for reducing header information in communication systems Systems and methods for reducing overhead in a communication system are disclosed. Different frame types are aggregated into an enhanced aggregated frame in response to a determination that the different frames are suitable for transmission within a single reservation period. In an embodiment, at least two frames of different types are identified, the suitability of an aggregated frame comprising at least a portion of each of the at least two frames for transmission during a first time duration is determined, and if suitable the aggregated frame is formatted for transmission by a transceiver. If unsuitable for transmission in the first time duration, a second time duration longer than the first time duration in which the aggregated frame is suitable for transmission is defined, and the aggregated frame is formatted for transmission by the transceiver.
US08498279B2	High-density wireless local area network A data communication system includes an access point and a plurality of stations each for exchanging wireless data communication messages with the access point. At least some of the messages are in a format that includes at least one message header and a plurality of data units. Each of the data units includes a respective data unit header and a respective data frame. Each data unit header identifies a respective one of the stations as a recipient to receive the respective data frame of the data unit.
US08498266B2	Wireless communication system and its method, and device and program used for same Wireless LAN base station devices (107 to 109) monitored by a wireless LAN base station monitoring server device (105) send wireless LAN base station information on themselves to the wireless LAN base station monitoring server device (105). A combined wireless terminal (110) which is to start communication requests the wireless LAN base station information on connectable wireless LAN base station devices. The wireless LAN base station monitoring server device (105) sends information on whether or not there is any connectable base station device and, if any, the connectable wireless LAN base station information according to information acquired from the combined wireless terminal (110) having requested the wireless LAN base station information via a 3G network (102). The combined wireless terminal (110) having received the wireless LAN base station information determines whether or not to set up a connection to a wireless LAN network (103) from the wireless LAN base station information.
US08498261B2	Apparatus and method for dynamic resource allocation in broadband wireless communication system An apparatus and method for dynamic resource allocation in a wireless communication system are provided. A method of operating a Base Station (BS) includes configuring a bitmap to indicate whether radio resources are allocated to respective Access Terminals (ATs) according to resource scheduling, generating a resource allocation message including the configured bitmap and at least one of bit allocation information of the bitmap and bit deallocation information of the bitmap, and transmitting the resource allocation message.
US08498257B2	Method for transmitting data according to dynamic resource request A method for transmitting uplink data according to a dynamic resource request is disclosed. The method includes confirming, at a mobile station, whether a service type for a bandwidth request is sensitive to delay, if the service type is not sensitive to delay, shifting a phase of a fast feedback channel and transmitting the phase-shifted fast feedback channel, if the service type is sensitive to delay or if a bandwidth request grant message corresponding to the phase-shifted fast feedback channel is received from a base station, transmitting a bandwidth request information corresponding to the service type to the base station, and upon receiving an uplink grant message for an uplink resource according to the bandwidth request information from the base station, transmitting data though the uplink resource. As a result, collision does not occur during a resource request, quality of service (QoS) of a real-time traffic sensitive to delay can be satisfied, an uplink allocation request procedure is dynamically changed according to a service type, thus reducing message overhead, and a resource can be efficiently used according to a characteristic of a service provided to the mobile station.
US08498255B2	Method for updating location information of user equipment A method for updating location information of a UE is provided. A Node B transmits location information of the UE to an MME. An MME updates location information of the UE saved in a network as the location information of the UE from the Node B. The method supports the UE in a connection mode moving between different geographical domains without a need for domain update process. It also supports signaling in circuit domain to be transmitted in newly evolved network.
US08498246B2	HARQ in spatial multiplexing MIMO system A method and apparatus for signaling scheduling information in a spatial multiplexing wireless communications system, as well as corresponding methods and apparatus for processing such signaling information, are disclosed. Signaling scheduling information includes scheduling first and second transport blocks for simultaneous transmission during a first transmission interval on first and second data substreams, respectively, and assigning a single re-transmission process identifier for the first transmission interval and transmitting first scheduling information for the first transmission interval. The first scheduling information includes the re-transmission process identifier and first disambiguation data. Additionally, at least one of the first and second transport blocks is scheduled for re-transmission during a second transmission interval. Second scheduling information for the second transmission interval is also transmitted; the second scheduling information including the re-transmission process identifier and second disambiguation data.
US08498243B2	Apparatus and method for channel error control of non-exclusive multiplexing for control channels An apparatus and method for non-exclusive multiplexing of at least one active control channel comprising preparing the at least one active control channel for transmission in a next frame using a transmitter data processor; assessing channel robustness of the at least one active control channel based on a channel robustness threshold; and if the channel robustness threshold is not met, performing constellation control or power control on the at least one active control channel which is active prior to transmitting the at least one active control channel; or if the channel robustness threshold is met, transmitting the at least one active control channel using a transmitter.
US08498240B2	Resynchronization method for recovering from sleep mode and apparatuses using the same A wireless communications device connected to a service network with a synchronized timing pattern therebetween is provided. In the wireless communications device, a wireless modem is configured to enable wireless signal transceiving from and to the service network in a non-sleep mode and disable wireless signal transceiving from and to the service network in a sleep mode. Also in the wireless communications device, a synchronization module is configured to initialize a first counter with a current time in the synchronized timing pattern in response to a first signal triggering the wireless modem to enter the sleep mode from the non-sleep mode, and enable counting of the first counter in a low-rate clock for the sleep mode. The synchronization module further provides the counted value of the first counter to the wireless modem to resynchronize with the service network in response to a second signal triggering the wireless modem to recover from the sleep mode to the non-sleep mode.
US08498238B2	Satellite communication system employing a combination of time division multiplexing and non-orthogonal pseudorandom noise codes and time slots An improved satellite communication system is provided comprising at least one satellite wherein each satellite provides multiple beams, a plurality of UTs, and at least one gateway connected to a PSTN and communicating with said at least one UT or with a constellation, wherein each of the UTs within a given frequency band is distinguished from another of the UTs employing a combination of TDM and NOPN codes and time slots.
US08498233B2	Method and apparatus for multicast tree management in multi-hop relay communication system A method is described including receiving multiple requests for a multicast service, generating parameters associated with binding paths to a multicast tree to provide the requested multicast service and binding the paths to the multicast tree. Also described is a method including receiving a request for multicast service with a multicast tree identification, binding the multicast tree identification to paths satisfying a quality of service level for the multicast tree identification and transmitting a first message to a multi-hop relay base station. A method is described including receiving requests to delete multicast service from client devices served by multiple paths, generating parameters associated with unbinding paths from a multicast tree to delete the multicast service and unbinding the paths from the multicast tree. Also described is a method for unbinding of paths from the perspective of the relay station.
US08498232B2	Method of transmitting data in wireless communication system A method of transmitting data in a wireless communication system includes preparing a frame including a unicast subframe for unicast data and an MBS (Multicast and Broadcast Service) subframe for MBS data; and transmitting the unicast data and the MBS data via the frame, wherein the MBS subframe includes an idle time during which data is not carried, and the idle time is arranged to be at the temporally latest position in the MBS subframe. An MBS frame structure for using an appropriate CP with respect to MBS signals transmitted from multi-cell is provided, so an unnecessary idle time can be reduced, and thus, the efficiency of limited radio resources can be improved.
US08498231B2	System and method for multicast and broadcast service synchronization A method for an access service network gateway (ASN-GW) to provide multicast and broadcast services (MBSs) through a plurality of base stations (BSs) in an MBS zone. The method includes: generating a plurality of synchronization maps (SYNC MAPs) including synchronization information for the BSs to generate MBS data frames; and transmitting to the BSs the generated SYNC MAPs, one in each of a plurality of schedule intervals.
US08498223B2	Systems and methods for providing emergency service trust in packet data networks A method and apparatus for providing in a packet data telecommunication network serving one or more end terminals and/or Mobile Stations (MSs), a method for establishing, managing, modifying, and terminating an End-to-End (E2E) Emergency Service (ES) Chain-of-Trust (CoT) from an Access Serving Network (ASN) and Connectivity Service Network (CSN) to a PSAP, PSAP proxy, or PSAP (i.e. PSTN) gateway that results in the creation of a trust relationship amongst the components in the established ES CoT necessary to allow or validate the granting of any unauthenticated or unprovisioned ES network access and ES operation establishment, modification, and termination requests from amongst the components in an ES CoT to assist a particular terminal/MS or ES network component attempting to establish an ES session between the ES user agent of the terminal/MS and a serving PSAP.
US08498216B2	Base station apparatus and communication control method A base station apparatus for communicating to a mobile station over a downlink shared channel includes a reception unit configured to receive downlink radio quality information from the mobile station over a control channel frequency-multiplexed with an uplink shared channel, a measurement unit configured to measure a radio quality of the control channel, and a determination unit configured to determine reliability of the downlink radio quality information based on the radio quality. Also, a communication control method at a base station apparatus for communicating to a mobile station over a downlink shared channel includes receiving downlink radio quality information from the mobile station over a control channel frequency-multiplexed with an uplink shared channel, measuring a radio quality of the control channel, and determining based on the radio quality whether the mobile station has transmitted the downlink radio quality information.
US08498213B2	Manageability tools for lossless networks Manageability tools are provided for allowing an administrator to have better control over switches in a lossless network of switches. These tools provide the ability to detect slow drain and congestion bottlenecks, detect stuck virtual channels and loss of credits, while hold times on edge ASICs to be different from hold times encore ASICs, and mitigate severe latency bottlenecks.
US08498212B2	Setting up a communication session within a wireless communications system An access network (AN) periodically broadcasts, to at least one user equipment (UE) served by the AN, a message requesting the at least one UE, whenever the at least one UE determines to perform a given type of transmission, (i) to measure a reverse-link channel upon which the transmission is to be performed, and (ii) to include results of the measurement within the transmission. A given UE receives the periodically broadcasted message from the AN and determines to perform the given type of transmission. The given UE refrains from measuring the reverse-link channel, as instructed by the AN, based on the data being associated with a communication session of a given type. The given UE transmits the data to the AN. If the data transmission omits the requested measurement results, the AN selects a transmission format for subsequent transmissions of the given UE based on the omission.
US08498211B2	Effective bandwidth path metric and path computation method for wireless mesh networks with wired links Enhanced mesh network performance is provided by computation of a path metric with respect to multi-hop paths between nodes in a mesh network and determination of a path through the mesh network that is optimal according to the path metric. Information is communicated in the mesh network according to the determined path. Nodes in the mesh network are enabled to communicate via one or more wireless links and/or one or more wired links. The path metric optionally includes an effective bandwidth path metric having elements (listed from highest to lowest conceptual priority) including an inverse of a sustainable data rate, a number of wireless links, and a number of wireless and wired links. The sustainable data rate is a measure of communication bandwidth that is deliverable by a path for a period of time. Accounting is made for interference between contiguous wireless links operating on the same channel.
US08498208B2	Turning on flows in network initiated QoS Methods and apparatus for network pre-configuration of Quality of Service (QoS) parameters in a communication channel triggered by establishment of packet data access by an access terminal with the network. The network-determined and network-initiated pre-establishment of the QoS parameters are for one or more reservation links, which each relate to a corresponding one or more applications resident on the access terminal.
US08498207B2	Dynamic load balancing A method, program, system and apparatus perform dynamic load balancing of coverage areas in a wireless communication network. The dynamic load balancing is performed by evaluating cell congestion based on location information of subscribers in the wireless communication network, collecting network parameters related to the wireless communication network and altering network parameters based on the evaluated cell congestion. After the network parameter is altered, the coverage areas are narrowed. Improvements in cell congestion and quality of server are then determined based on the narrowing of the coverage areas. Altering of the plurality of network parameters and evaluating of the cell congestion are performed continuously until a target quality of service is achieved.
US08498201B2	Apparatus and method for improving the reliability of industrial wireless networks that experience outages in backbone connectivity A method includes wirelessly receiving first data at a first backbone router and routing the first data from the first backbone router to a backbone network using a backbone connection of the first backbone router when the backbone connection is operational. The method also includes detecting a failure of the backbone connection after routing of the first data and automatically reconfiguring the first backbone router to function as a field router that does not route data using the backbone connection. The method further includes wirelessly receiving second data at the first backbone router and wirelessly routing the second data along an alternate path from the first backbone router to a second backbone router without using the backbone connection. The method could also include establishing the alternate path between the first backbone router and the second backbone router based on whether the first and second backbone routers are within wireless range.
US08498199B2	Maintaining time-division multiplexing over pseudowire connections during network outages Various exemplary embodiments relate to a provider edge node and a related method. The provider edge node may include a receiver that receives at least one packet transmitted over a TDM pseudowire using a structure-agnostic transmission mechanism. The provider edge node may also include a physical interface configured to output frames to a corresponding customer edge (CE) device and a machine-readable storage medium that stores a TDM framing type corresponding to the physical interface. Finally, the provider edge node may include a circuit emulation engine that, during periods in which a network error has occurred, transmits a plurality of frames to the CE device over the physical interface. A TDM data payload of each frame may include an idle pattern, while a group of framing bits of the plurality of frames may define a framing pattern corresponding to the TDM framing type stored for the physical interface.
US08498196B2	System and method for data scrambling to reduce the crest factor in an OFDM waveform A method is provided for reducing the peak power level in a combination of orthogonal frequency division multiplexed (OFDM) tones. The method is particularly effective when the information to be communicated is digital data consisting of long patterns of “1”s or “0”s. The digital data of the message is combined with a scrambling vector before the data is modulated. The randomization of data patterns, in turn, leads to a more random combination of OFDM tone amplitude being transmitted. The message is recovered at the receiver by removing the scrambling vector. A table of scrambling vectors is maintained at the transmitters and receivers. The table pointer to select the scrambling vector is selected in response to the position of the message in the communication structure. An OFDM communication system using the above-described method is also provided.
US08498178B2	Acoustic transducer chip An array of acoustic transducing unit cells configured with an acoustic focus or a beam steering orientation. A variety of time delays between consecutively coupled acoustic transducing unit cells provides acoustic focus. In another configuration, a resistive signal path between adjacent acoustic transducing unit cells can be used to acoustically steer an acoustic beam in a direction non-normal to the top surface in which the array is disposed. In a further embodiment, a signal pad is made available at each end of the connections through an array of capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducing unit cells.
US08498173B2	Semiconductor device and memory system comprising the same According to an embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a power supply switch and a first regulator. One end of the power supply switch is connected to an input terminal. The other end of the power supply switch is connected to an output terminal. The first regulator includes a power supply terminal connected to the one end of the power supply switch, and a voltage output terminal connected to the other end of the power supply switch. The first regulator is configured to control a voltage of the voltage output terminal to approach a target voltage based on a voltage of the power supply terminal. The target voltage is switched to a first voltage or a second voltage. The first voltage is equal to or more than the voltage of the power supply terminal. The second voltage is lower than the voltage of the power supply terminal.
US08498170B2	Semiconductor memory with sense amplifier In an exemplary aspect, the present invention provides a semiconductor memory device including sense amplifiers that drive bit lines to which memory cells are connected, and driver transistors that supply a power supply to the sense amplifiers, wherein the sense amplifiers are arranged in rows and constitutes a first sense-amplifier row in which transistors of a first conductive type are arranged and a second sense-amplifier row in which transistors of a second conductive type are arranged, and the driver transistors constitutes at least one transistor row including a first driver transistor of the first conductive type corresponding to the first sense-amplifier row and a second driver transistor of the second conductive type corresponding to the second sense-amplifier row between the first sense-amplifier row and the second sense-amplifier row.
US08498166B1	Electro-static discharge power supply clamp with disablement latch The described devices, systems and methods include an electro-static discharge clamp with a latch to prevent false triggering of an electro-static discharge protection circuit in response to fluctuations in a power supply rail.
US08498157B2	Techniques for providing a direct injection semiconductor memory device Techniques for providing a direct injection semiconductor memory device are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a direct injection semiconductor memory device including a first region connected to a bit line extending in a first orientation and a second region connected to a source line extending in a second orientation. The direct injection semiconductor memory device may also include a body region spaced apart from and capacitively coupled to a word line extending in the second orientation, wherein the body region is electrically floating and disposed between the first region and the second region. The direct injection semiconductor memory device may further include a third region connected to a carrier injection line extending in the second orientation, wherein the first region, the second region, the body region, and the third region are disposed in sequential contiguous relationship.
US08498154B1	Systems and methods for improving error distributions in multi-level cell memory systems A memory system includes a state set module that provides a first state set having a plurality of states, each being assigned to represent a particular data sequence, and a second state set having a same number of states as the first state set, wherein an assignment of one or more particular data sequences among the states of the second state set is different relative to that set forth in the first state set. The memory system further includes a write module that writes first data to a first multi-level memory cell of the memory system based on the first state set, the first multi-level cell being located on a wordline of the memory system, and that writes second data to a second multi-level memory cell of the memory system based on the second state set, the second multi-level cell being located on the wordline of the memory system.
US08498153B2	Semiconductor memory device and method of operating the same A semiconductor memory device includes memory blocks each including a plurality of groups of memory cells programmable in multiple levels and a control circuit configured to make a determination of whether a specific memory block treated a bad block, from among the memory blocks, is programmable in a single level and to control the specific memory block according to a result of the determination so that the specific memory block is usable as a single level cell block.
US08498126B2	Lightweight audio system for automotive applications and method A lightweight radio/CD player for vehicular application is virtually “fastenerless” and includes a case and frontal interface formed of polymer based material that is molded to provide details to accept audio devices such as playback mechanisms (if desired) and radio receivers, as well as the circuit boards required for electrical control and display. The case and frontal interface are of composite structure, including an insert molded electrically conductive wire mesh screen that has been pre-formed to contour with the molding operation. The wire mesh provides EMC, RFI, BCI and ESD shielding and grounding of the circuit boards via exposed wire mesh pads and adjacent ground clips. The PCB architecture is bifurcated into a first board carrying common circuit components in a surface mount configuration suitable for high volume production, and a second board carrying application specific circuit components in a wave soldered stick mount configuration. The major components and subassemblies are self-fixturing during the final assembly process, eliminating the need for dedicated tools, fixtures and assembly equipment. The major components and subassemblies self-interconnect by integral guide and connection features effecting “slide lock” and “snap lock” self-interconnection. The radio architecture includes improved push buttons employing 4-bar living hinge linkage and front loaded decorative trim buttons.
US08498124B1	Magnetic circuit board stacking component A magnetic component provides both electrical interconnectivity and mechanical support between stacked circuit boards. The magnetic component includes a bobbin structure and a magnetically permeable core. The bobbin structure includes an upper bobbin pin rail and a lower bobbin pin rail. The upper bobbin pin rail includes one or more upper bobbin pins extending from the upper bobbin pin rail. Each upper bobbin pin may be adapted for soldering onto a first circuit board. At least one lower bobbin pin extends from the lower bobbin pin rail. Each lower bobbin pin may also be adapted for soldering onto a second circuit board, forming a circuit board assembly. Each soldered connection between a bobbin pin and a circuit board may provide an electrical connection between the circuit board and the magnetic component. Each soldered connection may also provide a mechanical attachment between a printed circuit board and the magnetic component. A conductive coil is positioned on the bobbin structure and may be connected to an upper or lower bobbin pin. The core is positioned near the conductive coil for providing an electrical connection between the circuit boards through magnetic coupling.
US08498118B2	Mounting assembly for heat dissipating device A mounting assembly includes a circuit board, a securing member and a heat dissipating device. A retainer is located on the circuit board. The securing member includes a positioning portion and a claw connected to the positioning portion. The heat dissipating device includes a base attached to the circuit board and a number of fins perpendicularly located on the base. The number of fins defines a number of first air paths and a number of second air paths substantially perpendicular to the number of first air paths. The positioning portion is received in at least one of the number of first air paths and at least one of the number of second air paths, and the claw is engaged with the retainer.
US08498117B2	Variable mount voltage regulator Various integrated circuit voltage regulation apparatus and methods of assembling the same are provided. In one aspect, an apparatus is provided that has a stack that includes a heat sink and a semiconductor chip. The semiconductor chip has a conductive heat transfer pathway to the heat sink. A voltage regulator member is electrically coupled to the semiconductor chip and coupled to the heat sink, but is not positioned in the stack.
US08498116B2	Heat sink for power circuits The present invention relates generally to a heat sink comprising a plurality of fins, each fin having two or more prongs extending from a root section of the fin. In certain embodiments, the heat sink may be assembled by aligning the plurality of fins within slots between protrusions extending from a base of the heat sink. However, in other embodiments, the plurality of fins may have connector ends having female sides and opposite male sides, wherein the plurality of fins may be attached to each other via the interlocking female and male sides, thereby forming at least part of the base of the heat sink, and fortified with reinforcing members.
US08498115B2	Adjustable ventilation system An electronic device includes a case having a vent defining a plurality of holes. The electronic device further includes an adjusting plate movably mounted on the case and aligning with the vent, and the adjusting plate defines a plurality of holes. A plurality of vent regions are defined on the vent, at least one hollow region and at least one tangible region are defined on the adjusting plate. The adjusting plate is movable relative to the vent such that the plurality of the holes of the adjusting plate aligns with, or the adjusting plate partially blocks or totally blocks, the plurality of holes of the vent.
US08498109B2	Fitting mechanism and output device A fitting mechanism includes a door member that is provided on a front side of a housing area for accommodating a terminal device and opens and closes the housing area, and a supporting member that is provided on a back side of the housing area and supports the terminal device accommodated in the housing area by urging the terminal device against the door member. The supporting member is urged toward the front side and has an abutting portion that abuts against the terminal device, the abutting portion being movable in a depth direction of the housing area within a predetermined movable range.
US08498097B2	Supercapacitor compositions, devices and related methods Disclosed are supercapacitor materials comprising compositions having pores that are optimally sized to maximize capacitance. Also disclosed are related methods for fabricating such supercapacitors.
US08498088B1	Storage device with replaceable protection device The present invention relates to an external storage device, such as a hard disk drive, having a replaceable protection device. In one embodiment, the storage device comprises an overvoltage protection device coupled in parallel with a power adapter. The protection device may be configured to fail in short circuit in the event of an overvoltage condition. In order to make the protection device readily replaceable, it may be located on the storage device such that it is accessible by a user. The storage device is configured to continue operations if the protection device is removed.
US08498086B2	High speed digital-to-analog converter with low voltage device protection A digital-to-analog converter (DAC) includes a first DAC core, a second DAC core, and a butterfly switch. The first DAC core generates a first output. The second DAC core generates a second output. The butterfly switch includes at least one of switch transistors and cascode transistors. The butterfly switch selectively connects the first output and the second output to an output stage of the DAC.
US08498085B2	ESD protection circuit An ESD protection circuit with leakage current reduction function includes a silicon controlled rectifier, a first CMOS inverter, a first transistor, a current mirror, a PMOS capacitor and a resistor. The first CMOS inverter electrically connects with the silicon controlled rectifier. The first transistor comprises a first end, a second end and a third end, wherein the first end electrically connects with the silicon controlled rectifier and the first CMOS inverter, and the current mirror electrically connects with the third end of the first transistor. The PMOS capacitor electrically connects with the current mirror, and the resistor electrically connects with the first CMOS inverter, the second end of the first transistor and the PMOS capacitor.
US08498084B1	Magnetoresistive sensors having an improved free layer A magnetoresistive sensor having a novel free layer and a method of producing the same are disclosed. The magnetoresistive sensor comprises a pinned layer, a barrier layer disposed over the pinned layer, and a free layer disposed over the barrier layer. The free layer comprises a first magnetic layer disposed over the barrier layer. The first magnetic layer has a positive spin polarization, a positive magnetostriction, and a polycrystalline structure. The free layer further comprises a second magnetic layer disposed over the first magnetic layer. The second magnetic layer has a negative magnetostriction and comprises at least cobalt (Co) and boron (B).
US08498083B2	Magneto-resistive effect element having spacer layer containing gallium oxide, partially oxidized copper A magneto-resistive effect (MR) element includes first and second magnetic layers where a relative angle formed by magnetization directions changes in response to an external magnetic field and a spacer layer positioned between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer. The first magnetic layer is positioned closer to a substrate above which the MR element is formed than the second magnetic layer. The spacer layer includes a main spacer layer that is composed of gallium oxide as a primary component and a bottom layer that is positioned between the main spacer layer and the first magnetic layer and that is composed of partially oxidized copper as a primary component.
US08498082B1	DSA suspension with improved microactuator stroke length In a dual stage actuated (DSA) suspension, a PZT microactuator is electrically and mechanically bonded to the rest of the suspension by non-conductive epoxy on the front and rear bottom faces of the PZT, by conductive epoxy that bridges a gap between the top face of the PZT which defines the ground electrode and an adjacent metallic and grounded portion of the suspension, and further by additional non-conductive epoxy that bridges the gap and which at least partly overlies the conductive epoxy. The additional non-conductive epoxy increases the effective stroke length of the PZT.
US08498074B1	Disk drive choosing command from command queue based on a window defined by a probability of a seek miss A disk drive is disclosed wherein a plurality of access commands received from a host are stored in a command queue. An access cost for at least a first and second access command in the command queue is generated, wherein each access cost comprises a seek length and a rotation latency. A first access command is selected from the command queue having a first access cost, and a window is defined relative to the first access cost and a first risk based penalty (RBP) of the first access command, wherein the first RBP represents a probability of missing a first data sector of the first access command. A second access command is selected from the command queue comprising a second access cost within the window. A choice is made between the first and second access commands in response to a second RBP of the second access command.
US08498071B2	Systems and methods for inter-track alignment Various embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for data processing. As an example, a data processing circuit is discussed that includes: a servo address mark count circuit, a user sync mark count circuit, and an offset calculation circuit. The servo address mark count circuit is operable to provide: a first count corresponding to a first servo address mark within a first track of a storage medium, a second count corresponding to a second servo address mark within the first track, a third count corresponding to a third servo address mark within a second track of the storage medium, and a fourth count corresponding to a fourth servo address mark within the second track. The user sync mark count circuit is operable to provide: a fifth count corresponding to a first user sync mark within the first track, and to provide a sixth count corresponding to a second user sync mark within the second track. The offset calculation circuit is operable to calculate an offset between the first track and the second track based at least in part on the first count, the second count, the third count, the fourth count, the fifth count, and the sixth count.
US08498069B2	Voice coil motor A spring plate includes a plate body having a through hole defined at the center thereof, and a terminal perpendicularly extending from the plate body. The plate body includes an outer closed-loop frame, an inner closed-loop frame, and spring parts interconnected between the outer closed-loop frame and the inner closed-loop frame. The terminal has an end portion distal from the plate body with at least one of a through hole and a recess therein.
US08498059B2	Variable power zoom lens The present invention is a variable power zoom lens that is suitable to APS-format single-lens reflex cameras. The zoom lens has the foremost or first lens group G1 of positive refractivity, the second lens group G2 of negative refractivity, the third lens group G3 of positive refractivity, and the fourth lens group G4 of positive refractivity disposed in sequence from a position closer to the object to photograph toward the image plane. The third lens group G3 has a front lens subset G3F of positive refractivity and a back lens subset G3B, and the back lens subset G3B alone is moved orthogonal to the optical axis to correct a blur of an image on the image plane caused by a shake of photographer's hands.
US08498054B2	Image diversion systems and methods for image capture devices Disclosed herein are systems that divert images for image capture devices. An image diversion system includes a deviating optical element to provide a first view to an imager of an image capture device and to provide at least a second view to the imager. An image diversion system includes a first deviating optical element and a second deviating optical element optically coupled to the first deviating optical element. The first deviating optical element provides a first view and at least a second view to an imager of an image capture device. An image diversion system includes a first deviating optical element, a second deviating optical element, and at least one corrective lens. The image diversion system is contained within a housing that is attachable to a housing portion of an image capture device.
US08498051B2	Zoom lens system, optical apparatus, and method for forming an image Providing a zoom lens system having a high zoom ratio being compact with high optical performance. The system includes, in order from an object along an optical axis, a first lens group G1 having positive refractive power, a second lens group G2 having negative refractive power, at least one lens group having positive refractive power, and an n-th lens group GN being disposed to the most image side. The n-th lens group GN with positive refractive power includes, in order from the object, a front group GNa and a rear group GNb having positive refractive power. Focusing on an object is carried out by moving the rear group GNb along the optical axis, and a given conditional expression is satisfied.
US08498048B2	Focusing apparatus and method A focusing apparatus for use with an optical system having a high NA objective lens includes an image forming and capturing mechanism for forming an image in an intermediate image zone and for capturing an image by receiving and refocusing light from a selected focal plane within the intermediate image zone, and a focus adjusting mechanism for adjusting the position of the selected focal plane within the intermediate image zone. The image forming and capturing mechanism includes at least one high NA lens. In use, spherical aberration introduced by the high NA objective lens is reduced.
US08498047B2	Film mirror having ultraviolet ray reflection film Disclosed is a film mirror used for reflection of sunlight, which includes, in the following order from the side where sunlight is entered, an ultraviolet ray reflection film which reflects ultraviolet ray and transmits visible and infrared light, a plastic film layer, a metal reflection-layer which reflects visible and infrared light, and a protective layer.
US08498038B2	Electrochromic device According to example embodiments, an electrochromic device includes pixel containing a first sub-pixel and a second sub-pixel. The first sub-pixel includes a first electrolyte contacting a first electrochromic layer. The first electrochromic layer includes a first electrochromic material configured to display each one of transparency and at least two colors, based on a voltage applied to the first electrochromic material. The second sub-pixel includes a second electrolyte contacting a second electrochromic layer. The second electrochromic layer includes a second electrochromic material configured to display each one of transparency, black, and at least one color other than black, based on a voltage applied to the second electrochromic material.
US08498032B2	Image reading apparatus and method for processing images An image reading apparatus reads image information of an original document to produce image data having different data sizes. An image converting section converts the image information into a plurality of items of image data. A display section displays a plurality of items of information on the plurality of items of image data. A selecting section allows selecting of one of plurality of items of image data.
US08498028B2	Image scanning apparatus, computer readable medium, and image scanning method There is provided an image scanning apparatus including: a plurality of image scanning unit that reads image information pieces of different colors at positions shifted from each other in one scanning direction or the other; a color image generation unit that generates color image information on the assumption that a plurality of the image information pieces read by the image scanning unit are the image information at the same position in the scanning direction; a black-and-white image generation unit that generates black-and-white image information on the assumption that the plurality of image information pieces read by the image scanning unit are the image information pieces at the positions different from each other in the scanning direction; and a selection unit that selects the color image information generated by the color image generation unit or the black-and-white image information generated by the black-and-white image generation unit as the image information to be employed, based on the read image information.
US08498026B2	Image reader and image forming apparatus An image reader includes a cabinet and an optical system. The cabinet has four plate members fixed to each other by laser welding from a side direction of the image reader and has a bottom wall fixed to the four plate members by laser welding from a side direction or a lower direction of the image reader. The cabinet has a first opening for a document read window opening toward an upper direction of the image reader. Each of the plate members is bended in letter L shape to form an upper end part and a side wall. The optical system is housed in the cabinet for reading an image of a document through the opening.
US08498022B2	Process and device for securing documents by generating a dot distribution causing an unpredictable variation in geometric characteristic of printed dots unanticipated in printing A process for securing a document including a step of printing a distribution of dots on said document, said printing, as a result of unanticipated unknowns in printing, causing an unpredictable variation, dot by dot, of at least one geometric characteristic of the printed dots and prior to said print step, a step generating said distribution of dots so that at least half the dots of said distribution are not laterally juxtaposed to four other dots of said dot distribution, and at least one dimension of at least one part of the dots of said distribution of dots is of the same order of magnitude as the average for the absolute value of said unpredictable variation. In embodiments, during the step generating the dot distribution, more than half the dots do not touch any other dot of said distribution. In embodiments, during the step of generating the dot distribution, dots are produced of which at least one geometric characteristic is variable, the geometric amplitude of the generated variation having the order of magnitude of the average dimension of at least one part of the dots.
US08498008B2	Firmware distribution device A first communication device may be configured to receive firmware information sent from a second communication device. The firmware information may include version information of a second firmware that the second communication device has. The first communication device may be configured to send a firmware request to the second communication device in a first case where the version information of the second firmware is newer than version information of a first firmware currently stored in the storing unit. The first communication device may be configured to receive the second firmware sent from the second communication device in response to the firmware request. The first communication device may be configured to update the first firmware currently stored to the second firmware.
US08498007B2	Image forming apparatus This invention provides an image forming apparatus capable of smoothly controlling option apparatuses while suppressing power consumed by conveyance, compared to a conventional technique. To achieve this, the control unit of the image forming apparatus issues a control instruction by serial communication via a common communication line to drive not all but two or more option apparatuses at once.
US08498006B2	Data processing apparatus including external memory storage of designation information A controller of a data processing apparatus recognizes connection of a USB memory to a USB terminal. The controller reads designation information stored in the USB memory. The designation information specifies a process to be executed by the data processing apparatus. The controller outputs an instruction for executing a process specified by the designation information to each portion of the data processing apparatus, such as a scanner portion or a printer portion, based on the designation information.
US08497997B2	Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same A semiconductor device includes an alignment mark. A probe beam is scanned on the alignment mark so as to detect a position coordinate of the alignment mark, and the alignment mark comprises a plurality of bar marks which are arranged in a first predetermined interval along a first direction of scanning the detection beam. Each of the plurality of bar marks comprises a plurality of interconnection marks which are arranged along a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, and a first space between adjacent two of the plurality of interconnection marks is shorter than a wavelength of the detection beam within a range of a design constraint.
US08497989B2	Particle counting method A particle counting method that can count the number of the particles precisely. The method discriminates a wave pattern of the scattered light from a normal particle (subject of the counting) and a wave pattern of the light scattered by the agitation such as a floating particle, a radiation or changes in the intensity of the light. In one embodiment, a method for counting particles is disclosed which irradiates a light to a sample gas, detects a scattered light from a particle included in the sample gas by a photoelectric conversion device, counts the number of the particles of every particle size division by the output voltage wave pattern of the photoelectric conversion device, calculate a time difference (Ta−T1) from a point (T1) being a peak of output voltage wave pattern and a point (Ta) being a falling detection threshold (A), when the time difference (Ta−T1) is beyond counting cancellation time (B), the output voltage wave pattern is not counted as a particle.
US08497986B2	Laser-based maintenance apparatus using ultrasonic wave detection for flaw analysis and repair A laser maintenance apparatus including a laser irradiation device which includes a first optical element for irradiating detection laser light on a test object to detect an ultrasonic wave; a second optical element for irradiating generation laser light on a test object so as to excite the ultrasonic wave; and an optical system container for containing the first and second optical element. The reflection direction of the first optical element and the reflection direction of the second optical element are arranged at an angle along the circumferential direction of the test object. The light reflected by the first optical element is irradiated at a position different than light reflected by the second optical element, and the laser irradiation positions of the light reflected by the first and second optical elements are different in the axial direction and the circumferential direction of the test object.
US08497985B2	Inspection method based on captured image and inspection device A method of inspection and inspection apparatus able to use a captured image to more precisely inspect the state of film, defect parts, etc. at a surface of an object under inspection are provided.A method of inspection and inspection apparatus illuminating a surface of an object under inspection 10 by white light from an illumination unit LO while scanning the surface of the object under inspection 10 by an image capturing unit 100 to acquire a captured image and using the captured image to inspect a state of the surface of the object under inspection 10, which changes a state of polarization of light LR striking the image capturing unit 100 from an illuminated location of the object under inspection 10 and obtains a plurality of captured images based on light of different polarization states LR striking the image capturing unit 100.
US08497982B2	Optical sensor system including series connected light emitting diodes An optical sensor system having a light source comprising a plurality of series connected light emitting diodes (LEDs). The series connected LEDs may be switched at a predetermined frequency.
US08497980B2	Holding apparatus, exposure apparatus, exposure method, and device manufacturing method A holding apparatus is provided with a holding member that has a holding surface that holds a substrate on which a pattern is to be formed, a plurality of first electrode members that are provided on the holding member and that generate electrostatic force in accordance with supplied voltage in order to attract the substrate to the holding surface, and a power supply device that is able to supply voltage to the first electrode members. The first electrode members are positioned in accordance with pattern information.
US08497955B2	Substrate unit, display module, and display apparatus A substrate unit, which can be disposed opposite to a display panel, includes a substrate and a color filter layer. The substrate has a front surface and a rear surface. The rear surface is disposed adjacent to the display panel. The color filter layer is disposed on the rear surface or between the front surface and the rear surface. A display module and a display apparatus including the substrate unit are also disclosed.
US08497950B2	Thin film transistor array panel and a method for manufacturing the same A thin film transistor array panel includes a substrate; a plurality of gate lines that are formed on the substrate; a plurality of data lines that intersect the gate lines; a plurality of thin film transistors that are connected to the gate lines and the data lines; a plurality of color filters that are formed on upper parts of the gate lines, the data lines, and the thin film transistors; a common electrode that is formed on the color filters and that includes a transparent conductor; a passivation layer that is formed on an upper part of the common electrode; and a plurality of pixel electrodes that are formed on an upper part of the passivation layer and that are connected to a drain electrode of each of the thin film transistors.
US08497931B2	Image taking optical system and image pickup apparatus equipped with same An image taking optical system includes, in order from the object side, a stop, a first lens having a biconvex shape and having a positive refractive power, a second lens having a concave surface facing the image side and having a negative refractive power, a third lens having a convex surface facing the image side and having a positive refractive power, and a fourth lens having a negative refractive power. The image taking optical system satisfies the conditional expression “0.6
US08497913B2	Image pickup apparatus with an inclination guide display An image pickup apparatus is disclosed which provides an appropriate inclination guide display in accordance with an aspect ratio of a picked-up image and the like. The image pickup apparatus includes an inclination detector which detects an inclination of the image pickup apparatus, a display device capable of superimposedly showing an inclination guide display corresponding to a detection output from the inclination detector, on a picked-up image, and an aspect ratio setter which sets the aspect ratio of a picked-up image. The apparatus includes a display controller which controls whether or not to show the inclination guide display on the display device on the basis of the aspect ratio set by the aspect ratio setter.
US08497912B2	System for controlling photographs taken in a proprietary area Method for avoiding unauthorized images of a proprietor's information from being transmitted outside the proprietor's control. A photographic image captured with a camera incorporated upon the wireless handheld communication device is wirelessly transmitted to a proprietor's server. The image is stored on the server after capture and transmission, preferably while the device is still in the photography-restricted geographical area that is under the control of the proprietor of the server. Once at the server, the photographic image is analyzed to determine whether or not the image is authorized for dissemination outside the proprietor's control. Local storage of the photographic image can be prevented on the device which assures that the transmission and storage of the photographic image on the proprietor's server is exclusive.
US08497906B2	View handling in video surveillance systems A method of video processing may include analyzing input video information to determine if a current video frame is directed to a same view as a previous video frame; determining whether a new view is present; and indicating a need to use video processing information pertaining to the new view if a new view is determined to be present.
US08497902B2	System for locating a display device using a camera on a portable device and a sensor on a gaming console and method thereof Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a method, system, and computer-readable medium for locating a sensor of a gaming console relative to a position of a display device in a gaming system includes displaying an image on the display device, estimating the first position and first orientation of the display device relative to the portable device, once the sensor on the portable device has found the image on the display device, instructing the user to move the portable device to a new position, estimating the second position and second orientation of the display device relative to the portable device, once the sensor on the portable device has found the image on the display device, determining the size of the display device using information gathered during the estimating of the first position and orientation and the estimating of the second position and orientation, and determining the orientation of the display device relative to a sensor of a gaming console using the two findings sent to the gaming console.
US08497901B2	Method and device for exact measurement of objects A method and a device for the accurate measurement of objects, where, according to the invention, a camera (4) is arranged on a manually operated portable jointed arm (1) in order to take two-dimensional images of the object that is to be measured and where the measurements are carried out based on the two-dimensional images taken with the camera (4) and based on the displacements that are carried out by the jointed arm (1) during the measurements.
US08497896B2	Transmitter, receiver and transmission system According to one embodiment, according to one embodiment, a transmitter includes a first scaling module and a multiplexer. The first scaling module is configured to scale an image signal to a first resolution. The multiplexer is configured to assign a signal value of the scaled image signal, a signal value of an OSD (On Screen Display) to be superimposed on the image signal, blend information of the OSD and depth information of the OSD at predetermined positions in a transmission signal having a second resolution larger than the first resolution.
US08497886B2	Illumination apparatus and method of driving the same The illumination apparatus includes: a light emitting unit includes scanning lines, data lines crossing the corresponding scanning lines, and light emitting areas connected between the scanning lines and the data lines, where the light emitting areas include a first light emitting area including at least two first organic light emitting devices emitting a first color and a second light emitting area including at least two second light emitting devices emitting a second color different from the first color; and a driving unit non-simultaneously driving the first light emitting area and the second light emitting area to emit light during a frame. The method of driving the illumination apparatus includes individually emitting light from the first and second light emitting areas by respectively applying data signals to the first and second light emitting areas via the data lines connected thereto during a frame.
US08497885B2	Display apparatus and drive method thereof A display apparatus includes a matrix of light emitting elements, a plurality of drive circuits provided for driving the light emitting elements, a plurality of scanning lines to which a scanning signal is applied to select the drive circuits on a row basis, a plurality of control lines to which a light-emission control signal is applied to determine an emission period of the light emitting elements, and a plurality of data lines to which image signals are applied to define brightness of the light emitting elements on a column basis. The scanning signal is sequentially applied to the scanning lines in a field so that the image signals of the data lines are programmed in the drive circuits, and the light-emission control signal is sequentially applied to the control lines to make the light emitting elements emit light with brightness corresponding to the image signal programmed to the drive circuit. An impulse operation, constituted by a high level and a low level of the light-emission control signal, corresponds to on and off of the light emission element, respectively, and is repeated at least twice in different temporal patterns in a period from programming of the image signal necessary for display of one image to inputting of the next image signal.
US08497880B2	Method and system for presenting information Methods and systems are disclosed for presenting information for viewing by a driver of, e.g., a vehicle, of a train, a captain of a ship, a pilot of an airplane, or by any other person who has to gaze in a certain direction, especially for observing or monitoring the environment such as a road in case of a vehicle driver. The information is presented in such a way that such a person is less impaired with respect to his ability to detect changes in the environment when reading such information so that safety especially of driving a vehicle is considerably improved.
US08497875B2	System, method, and computer program product for determining a translation vector A method for determining a minimal translation vector (MTV) between a first object and a second object represented in a CAD system, and a CAD system and computer readable medium for performing a similar method. The method includes retrieving the first object and the second object and tessellating the first object and second object into respective facets. The method includes creating a bounding volume tree of facets corresponding to each of the first object and the second object. The method includes performing a greedy process on the bounding volume to produce an initial MTV, and performing a successive clipping process according to the bounding volume trees and the initial MTV, to produce a final MTV. The method includes storing the final MTV in a computer readable medium. The greedy process can be a 2-step process as described.
US08497868B2	Reduction of pattern glare Techniques are provided for reducing pattern glare. A font size that reduces pattern glare may be determined through a series of tests. A density that reduces pattern glare may be determined through a series of tests. A color that reduces pattern glare may be determined through a series of tests. The determined parameters may be used to create a profile that is usable in different environments.
US08497866B2	Wireless graphics card A device is provided for use in a portable computer. The device includes a wireless graphics card that includes a connector for coupling to an expansion slot of the portable computer and for receiving a plurality of signals from the portable computer, the plurality of signals including video, audio, and data signals and an ultra wideband (UWB) chipset coupled to the connector for processing the plurality of signals and for generating an OFDM modulated signal that includes at least the video signal, where the OFDM modulated signal including the video signal is wirelessly transmitted over an UWB link to a monitor for display.
US08497865B2	Parallel graphics system employing multiple graphics processing pipelines with multiple graphics processing units (GPUS) and supporting an object division mode of parallel graphics processing using programmable pixel or vertex processing resources provided with the GPUS A multiple graphics processing unit (GPU) based parallel graphics system comprising multiple graphics processing pipelines with multiple GPUs supporting a parallel graphics rendering process having an object division mode of operation. Each GPU comprises video memory, a geometry processing subsystem and a pixel processing subsystem. According to the principles of the present invention, pixel (color and z depth) data buffered in the video memory of each GPU is communicated to the video memory of a primary GPU, and the video memory and the pixel processing subsystem in the primary GPU are used to carry out the image recomposition process, without the need for dedicated or specialized apparatus.
US08497852B2	Minimal parallax coincident digital drawing and display surface A drawing table for an animator to hand create or modify a computer-generated image includes a display and a fused fiber optic plate. The display is configured to display the computer-generated image on a top surface. The fused fiber optic plate of bundled, optical fibers has an input surface and an output surface. The input surface is optically bonded to the top surface of the display. When the computer-generated image is displayed on the display, the fused fiber optic plate is configured to relay the computer-generated image from the input surface to the output surface.
US08497848B2	Resistive touch device without perception of color difference A resistive touch device with no visual color difference comprises a first transparent conductive substrate, a second transparent conductive substrate and a spacer layer. The first transparent conductive substrate with a bottom thereof has a plurality of first transparent conductive electrodes, and a first voltage difference in a first direction. The second transparent conductive substrate with a top thereof has a plurality of second transparent conductive electrodes, and a second voltage difference in a second direction. The first direction is perpendicular to the second direction. The spacer layer is formed between the first and second transparent conductive substrates, which is used for isolating the first transparent conductive electrode and the second transparent conductive electrode. The first transparent conductive electrodes are configured to comply with certain specifications included a differential value of Euclidean distance, a yellow/blue differential value in a color space, or dimensions between each adjacent electrodes.
US08497847B2	Automatic soft key adaptation with left-right hand edge sensing Input/output operation of an electronic device is adapted for left-handed and/or right-handed scenarios. As described herein, sensors (e.g., capacitive, resistive, touch-sensitive, etc.) are applied to respective outer edges of a device to determine whether a device is in a user's left hand and/or right hand. Based on this determination, respective points along the sensors can be mapped to soft keys to automatically optimize input for left-handed and/or right-handed operation. As further described herein, points of contact with an input device such as a touch-screen can be corrected based on whether a user's left hand and/or right hand is holding an associated electronic device. For example, upon identifying contact between a touch-screen and a thumb of a hand being used to hold an associated device, the point of contact can be shifted to compensate for the angle of the thumb with respect to the touch-screen.
US08497843B2	Controller driver, display device, and control method therefor A controller driver according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes: a display memory that stores image data to be displayed on a display panel; a touch panel control circuit that detects a touch panel signal from the touch panel; a cursor memory that stores cursor image data; and a composition processing circuit that combines the cursor image data stored in the cursor memory with the image data stored in the display memory based on the touch panel signal, to generate composite image data.
US08497841B1	System and method for a virtual keyboard The present disclosure is directed to a method that includes capturing images of a working area that includes indicia of a virtual keyboard having a plurality of keys and detecting a selected key of the plurality of keys. The detecting of the selected key includes detecting an object in the working area by analyzing the captured images for variations in light intensity in the captured images. The detecting of the object includes generating a first row histogram based on the light intensity in each of the rows in each of the captured images, generating a first column histogram based on the light intensity in each of the columns in each of the captured images, and determining an identification of the selected key based on the first row histogram and the first column histogram. The method also includes outputting the identification of the selected key to a host device.
US08497840B2	Computer peripheral for scanning A computer peripheral that may operate as a hand-held scanner and, in some embodiments, also as a conventional computer mouse. The components incorporated in the device to support scanning may be compact and may be positioned to allow flexibility in shaping a housing of the device. As a result, the device may be ergonomically shaped to facilitate hand-held use as either a scanner or a mouse. Controls, for mouse or scanner operation, may be readily incorporated into the device. The components may also be low cost. Such a low cost, compact design may be achieved through an appropriate selection of curved reflective surfaces in optical paths through the housing. The curved reflective surface may selectively focus or spread light traveling along an optical path, reducing or eliminating the need for lenses and may enable light emitting elements and an image array to be mounted on the same printed circuit board.
US08497837B1	Portable device and control method thereof A portable device which is capable of communicating with an external device and a control method thereof are discussed. A method for transmitting user input of a portable device includes detecting navigating input in a navigation mode for controlling an external device which is connected by a network, wherein the external device displays displayable content and the navigating input is for navigating the displayable content which includes at least one input box, transmitting a control signal corresponding to the detected navigating input to the external device, displaying an indicator which indicates capability of mode switching from the navigation mode to a user input mode, initiating the user input mode by displaying the input box which is extracted from the displayable content when user input for mode switching is detected, and transmitting user input which is received through the displayed input box.
US08497832B2	Shift register with image retention release and method for image retention release A flat panel display, a shift register with image retention release and method for releasing image retention are provided. An output end of the shift register couples to a gate line of a display panel. A first end of a first transistor couples to the output end of the shift register. A second end of the first transistor couples to a system voltage VDD or a reference voltage VSS. A first end of a capacitor couples to a control end of the first transistor. A second end of the capacitor couples to the reference voltage VSS. During a power-off period, the reference voltage VSS is pulled high for turning on the first transistor, therefore the voltage of the gate line is pulled high.
US08497830B2	Liquid crystal display device and method for driving the same A method for driving a liquid crystal display device includes the following steps. A driving circuit and a display unit are provided, the driving circuit comprising a plurality of data lines for transferring data voltages to drive the display unit, wherein each adjacent two of the data lines are supplied with voltages of opposite polarities, and all the data lines in one frame period are supplied with voltages of the same polarity. Two adjacent pixel areas are combined to form one pixel unit, wherein the two adjacent pixel areas are supplied with the same polarity, and the adjacent two pixel units are supplied with opposite polarities.
US08497829B2	Video processing circuit, liquid crystal display device, electronic apparatus, and video processing method A video processing circuit, includes: a boundary detection section adapted to detect a boundary between a first pixel having an applied voltage, which is designated by the video signal input and is lower than a first voltage, and a second pixel having an applied voltage, which is designated by the video signal input and is one of equal to and higher than a second voltage higher than the first voltage, in a present frame and in a previous frame, which is one frame earlier than the present frame, respectively; and a correction section adapted to correct the video signal adapted to designate the applied voltages to the liquid crystal elements corresponding to the first pixel and the second pixel abutting on a moving section in the boundary of the present frame moving one pixel from the boundary in the previous frame so as to reduce a lateral electrical field caused by the first pixel and the second pixel.
US08497826B2	Display panel device and control method thereof A display panel includes a luminescence element and a capacitor. A driving transistor includes a gate that is connected to a first electrode of the capacitor. A first switch is connected to the first electrode of the capacitor for setting a reference voltage to the first electrode of the capacitor. A data line supplies a data voltage to a second electrode of the capacitor. A second switch is connected between the data line and the second electrode of the capacitor. A wiring is connected to a first electrode of the luminescence element and the second electrode of the capacitor for interconnecting a first power line and the first electrode of the luminescence element with the second electrode of the capacitor, the second switch, and the data line. A third switch is connected in series with the driver between the first electrode of the luminescence element and the first power line.
US08497810B2	Multi-band antenna system for satellite communications The present invention provides an improved antenna system on moving platform that is in communication with multiple satellites for simultaneous reception and transmission of RF energy at multiple frequencies. The antenna is implemented as a multi-beam, multi-band antenna having a main reflector with multiple feed horns and a sub-reflector having a reflective surface defining an image focus for a Ka band frequency signal and a prime focus for a Ku band frequency signal.
US08497807B2	Antenna apparatus An antenna apparatus that can suppress sensitivity degradation as much as possible to receive AM broadcasts and FM broadcasts even if an antenna height is decreased to 70 mm or less. An antenna board is vertically mounted on a planar antenna base, and a top portion is disposed to stride over the antenna board. An antenna element includes the top portion and an antenna pattern formed on the antenna board. A distance between the antenna base and a lower edge of the top portion is not less than 10 mm, and the lower edge of the top portion is bent downward. The top portion is configured such that an antenna capacitance of the antenna element becomes about 3 pF or more. A received signal from the antenna element is guided to an amplifier board through a connecting wire and amplified. An antenna case is fitted in the antenna base.
US08497804B2	High dielectric substrate antenna for implantable miniaturized wireless communications and method for forming the same An antenna structure for an implantable medical device (IMD) is provided including a lower dielectric biocompatible antenna portion positioned on a body side of the structure and a high dielectric portion including at least one dielectric substrate having a high dielectric constant positioned on a device side of the structure. The biocompatible antenna portion is derived from an antenna layer, a biocompatible surface layer, and at least one layer of biocompatible dielectric material (e.g., high temperature cofire ceramic (HTCC) material) that provides a matching gradient between the antenna and the surrounding environment. The high dielectric portion may include at least one layer of low temperature cofire ceramic (LTCC) material. The high dielectric portion may be bonded to the biocompatible antenna portion or cofired with the biocompatible antenna portion to form a single bilayer monolithic antenna structure having a lower dielectric HTCC biocompatible antenna portion and a high dielectric LTCC portion.
US08497800B2	Method and a system for communicating information to a land surveying rover located in an area without cellular coverage Embodiments of the present invention pertain to methods and systems for communicating information to a roving positioning device. In one embodiment, a wireless communication device, a non-cellular wireless communication device, and a computer networking device for forwarding data packets are coupled with a bus. A request originating from a roving positioning device for a location-specific position data is received via the non-cellular wireless communication device. A controller coupled with the bus causes the request to be forwarded via the wireless communication device.
US08497791B2	Operational amplifier A temperature dependence adjustable operational amplifier circuit which suppresses a change in a gain caused by a change in an input voltage is provided. In an operational amplifier including a first input terminal and an output terminal, an operational amplifier having an inverting input terminal and a non-inverting input terminal, an input resistance circuit, and a feedback resistance circuit, each of the input and feedback resistor circuits has a resistor and a trimming resistor, which are different in temperature coefficient from each other, connected in series with each other, and a source-drain path of a MOS transistor included in the trimming resistor circuit is disposed between resistance and an inverting input terminal, and a substrate potential thereof is set to a potential of the inverting input terminal of the operational amplifier.
US08497789B2	Modified dynamic element matching for reduced latency in a pipeline analog to digital converter A pipeline ADC is provided in which a DEM function and summation of sequences occur within a flash ADC. According to various aspects of the present disclosure, embedding the processing functions needed for DAC and amplifier error correction with the circuitry of a coarse ADC and rearranging the digital calibration blocks HDC and DNC ensures accurate estimation of the errors.
US08497785B2	Handheld electronic device and method for disambiguation of text input providing suppression of low probability artificial variants A handheld electronic device includes a reduced QWERTY keyboard and is enabled with disambiguation software that is operable to disambiguate text input. In addition to identifying and outputting representations of language objects that are stored in the memory and that correspond with a text input, the device is able to generate artificial variants in certain circumstances. Each artificial variant is compared with N-gram data on the handheld electronic device and is suppressed from being output if the artificial variant is determined to have a low probability of being the input intended by a user.
US08497768B2	Anti-theft, emergency system Disclosed is an antitheft, emergency system for a vehicle. The system may include a system activation switch, at least one emergency switch, an engine shutoff element connected to the engine, and an emergency transmitter. The at least one emergency switch may trigger the engine shutoff element to render the engine inoperational and may simultaneously, covertly trigger an emergency transmitter to transmit a distress signal.
US08497764B2	Position transmitter system A measurement system for finding the position of a primary part of a linear motor with respect to a secondary part includes an absolute value measurement system for recording a first reference position of the primary part with respect to the secondary part, and an incremental measurement system for recording a fine position of the secondary part relative to the first reference position recorded by the absolute measurement system. The absolute value measurement system includes at least one RFID reader and at least one first RFID tag which is identifiable by the RFID reader, with the first RFID tag intended to identify the first reference position.
US08497761B2	System and method for remotely controlling docking station components A system and method for remotely controlling loading dock components is disclosed that includes a distribution center having at least one dock station for exchanging materials and a dock component configured to in at least two operational states. An actuator is included that is configured to change the operational state of the dock component in response to an activation signal. A mobile remote control is configured to generate the activation signal to cause the actuator to change the operational state of the dock component and at least one predefined non-activation zone is included such that changing of operational state of the dock component is inhibited when the mobile remote control is located within the at least one predefined non-activation zone.
US08497758B2	Corrosion-resistant high temperature pressure transducer employing a metal diaphragm A pressure transducer comprising a corrosion resistant metal diaphragm, having an active region, and capable of deflecting when a force is applied to the diaphragm; and a piezoresistive silicon-on-insulator sensor array disposed on a single substrate, the substrate secured to the diaphragm, the sensor array having a first outer sensor near an edge of the diaphragm at a first location and on the active region, a second outer sensor near an edge of the diaphragm at a second location and on the active region, and at least one center sensor substantially overlying a center of the diaphragm, the sensors connected in a bridge array to provide an output voltage proportional to the force applied to the diaphragm. The sensors are dielectrically isolated from the substrate.
US08497757B2	Method and apparatus for preventing catastrophic contact failure in ultra high temperature piezoresistive sensors and transducers A piezoresistive sensor device and a method for making a piezoresistive device are disclosed. The sensor device comprises a silicon wafer having piezoresistive elements and contacts in electrical communication with the elements. The sensor device further comprises a contact glass coupled to the silicon wafer and having apertures aligned with the contacts. The sensor device also comprises a non-conductive frit for mounting the contact glass to a header glass, and a conductive non-lead glass frit disposed in the apertures and in electrical communication with the contacts. The method for making a piezoresistive sensor device, comprises bonding a contact glass to a silicon wafer such that apertures in the glass line up with contacts on the wafer, and filling the apertures with a non-lead glass frit such that the frit is in electrical communication with the contacts. The use of a lead free glass frit prevents catastrophic failure of the piezoresistive sensor and associated transducer in ultra high temperature applications.
US08497756B2	Reactor core and reactor In a reactor core, a gap section between a plurality of core material portions is fixed by adhesion through a spacer, and a resin is arranged vertical to the adhering surface between the core material and the spacer, for sandwiching at least a part of the core material. The resin material preferable a molded material.
US08497753B2	Electromagnetic connector for electronic device An electrical plug and receptacle relying on magnetic force from an electromagnet to maintain contact are disclosed. The plug and receptacle can be used as part of a power adapter for connecting an electronic device, such as a laptop computer, to a power supply. The plug includes electrical contacts, which are preferably biased toward corresponding contacts on the receptacle. The plug and receptacle each have a magnetic element. The magnetic element on one of the plug or receptacle can be a magnet or ferromagnetic material. The magnetic element on the other of the plug or receptacle is an electromagnet. When the plug and receptacle are brought into proximity, the magnetic attraction between the electromagnet magnet and its complement, whether another magnet or a ferromagnetic material, maintains the contacts in an electrically conductive relationship.
US08497752B2	Movable contactor assembly for current limiting type circuit breaker A movable contactor assembly for a current limiting type circuit breaker comprises a movable contactor having a pair of curved protrusions having cam profiles, a shaft to rotatably support the movable contactor located therein, a pair of contact levers each having a contact surface contactable with the curved protrusion of the movable contactor and a pair of spring supporting recess portions and a pair of springs each having both end portions supported by the spring supporting recess portions, the pair of springs applying an elastic force as contact pressure for maintaining a contact state between the movable contactor and the stationary contactor when the movable contactor is located at the first position, and applying the elastic force in a direction to separate the movable contactor from the stationary contactor when the movable contactor is moved over a dead point while rotating toward the second position.
US08497751B2	Capacitive micro-switch comprising a charge drain based on oriented nanotubes on the bottom electrode and method of fabrication The invention relates to an electrostatic actuation micro-switch of capacitor type composed of two plates, the first of which is a flexible membrane and the second of which comprises at least one control electrode, the two plates being separated by a thickness of vacuum or gas and at least one layer of at least one electrical insulating material situated on the control electrode characterized in that it furthermore comprises a charge drain consisting of oriented conducting nanotubes on the surface of the said electrode, the said drain being overlaid with the said layer of electrical insulating material. The subject of the invention is also a method for fabricating the micro-switch according to the invention.
US08497750B2	Release mechanism for circuit interrupting device A release mechanism for a circuit interrupting device includes a ferromagnetic main frame through which can flow a current and a ferromagnetic movable core designed to be translated in an opening of the main frame between a first position where the circuit interrupting device remains closed and a second position where the circuit interrupting device is opened. The release mechanism is designed to use the flux generated inside the main frame by the current flowing through it to displace the movable core between its first and second positions. The release mechanism further includes at least two permanent magnets mounted on the main frame on each side of the opening and relatively oriented so as to generate a unidirectional unique magnet flux inside the main frame and the movable core, the magnet flux creating a first force on the movable core that tends to maintain it in its first position.
US08497748B2	Bandpass filter, wireless communication module and wireless communication device A bandpass filter for a wide frequency band such as UWB is disclosed. The bandpass filter can receive a pair of signals, namely a differential signal, and output a single signal, namely an unbalanced signal. A transmission characteristic of the bandpass filter having an attenuation pole near both sides of the passband can be achieved.
US08497747B1	Microelectromechanical filter formed from parallel-connected lattice networks of contour-mode resonators A microelectromechanical (MEM) filter is disclosed which has a plurality of lattice networks formed on a substrate and electrically connected together in parallel. Each lattice network has a series resonant frequency and a shunt resonant frequency provided by one or more contour-mode resonators in the lattice network. Different types of contour-mode resonators including single input, single output resonators, differential resonators, balun resonators, and ring resonators can be used in MEM filter. The MEM filter can have a center frequency in the range of 10 MHz-10 GHz, with a filter bandwidth of up to about 1% when all of the lattice networks have the same series resonant frequency and the same shunt resonant frequency. The filter bandwidth can be increased up to about 5% by using unique series and shunt resonant frequencies for the lattice networks.
US08497746B2	Switched-capacitor band-pass filter of a discrete-time type, in particular for cancelling offset and low-frequency noise of switched-capacitor stages A band-pass filter made up by an operational amplifier and by an input circuit. The input circuit is formed by a capacitive filtering element, connected to the input of the operational amplifier; a coupling switch, coupled between an input node and the capacitive filtering element; a capacitive sampling element, coupled between the input of the filter and the input node; and a sampling switch, coupled between the input node and a reference-potential line. The coupling switch and the input sampling switch close in phase opposition according to a succession of undesired components sampling and sensing steps, so that the capacitive sampling element forms a sampler for sampling the undesired component in the undesired components sampling step, in the absence of the component of interest, and forms a subtractor of the undesired components from the input signal in the sensing step.
US08497744B1	Lattice network for power amplifier output matching Embodiments of circuits, apparatuses, and systems for a lattice matching network are disclosed. Embodiments may include a power amplifier to provide single-ended amplification of a radio frequency signal. A lattice matching network may be coupled with the power amplifier and may transform a source impedance associated with an output of the power amplifier to a load impedance. In some embodiments, the lattice matching network may include first and second arms coupled in parallel between the power amplifier and an output node. The first arm may include a serial high-low network and the second arm may include a serial low-high network. The serial high-low network and the serial low-high network may provide a passband response with respect to the radio frequency signal. The serial high-low network and serial low-high network may include one or more Pi networks. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
US08497743B2	Passive fourier transform circuits and butler matrices The coupling circuit described herein comprises passive analog components for coupling a transceiver to an antenna, such as an antenna array. The coupling circuit transforms an input signal into an appropriate format for each element of the antenna array. The coupling circuit comprises a coupling network having a plurality of inputs and a plurality of outputs. The inputs provide quadriphase versions of at least one input signal. In one embodiment, the coupling circuit performs a Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) on the input signal. In another embodiment, the coupling circuit performs a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) on the input signal. In still another embodiment, the FFT performed by the coupling circuit implements a Butler matrix.
US08497738B2	Broadband power combining method and high power amplifier using same A broadband power combining method comprises the steps of converting desired voltage or current relation over a specified frequency band to specified polynomial transfer equation; steps of formulating the said specified polynomial transfer equation and extracting the coefficients of the denominator polynomial functions; steps of comparing the said voltage/current transfer function in first step with the design goal to decide if the design criteria is met; and a multiple-device power combining amplifier using same method is presented. This invention presents an automated method for the designing high power multiple-device amplifier based on a compact, robust and easily extendable combining circuit-synthesis method. By using multiple low-power transistors and the proposed circuit synthesis method, this broadband power combining amplifier can provide high power level with 100% power combining efficiency over any given wide bandwidth, thereby allowing for high-speed communication with less power consumption at lower cost when used in cellular or satellite transceiver systems.
US08497730B1	System for and method of modifying impedance characteristics of circuit elements A circuit includes a passive element having an impedance. An active circuit can be configured to receive an impedance signal associated with the impedance. The impedance includes a real portion and an imaginary portion. The active circuit removes at least a portion of the real portion of the impedance signal. The circuit can be utilized in a wide array of applications including radio applications.
US08497729B2	Method and apparatus for time-differential comparison of an analog signal A time-differential analog comparator includes a variable frequency signal source, a timing circuit, a counting circuit, and an evaluation circuit. The variable frequency signal source provides a repeating signal having a frequency corresponding to a value of an analog input. The timing circuit defines a timing sequence including a first time interval and a second time interval and generates a mode select signal at a time between the first time interval and the second time interval to stimulate a change in the analog input. The counting circuit is coupled to the timing circuit to count the periods of the repeating signal. The evaluation circuit coupled generates a decision signal in response to a count of the periods of the repeating signal indicated by the counting circuit. The first time interval is not equal to the second time interval to generate an offset in the decision signal.
US08497723B2	Low-hysteresis high-speed differential sampler A low-hysteresis high-speed latch circuit is disclosed which isolates a sample stage and hold stage from one another during a latch clock phase and simultaneously shorts the output nodes together during the latch clock phase to reduce hysteresis of the latch.
US08497719B2	Slew rate PWM controlled charge pump for limited in-rush current switch driving Circuits and methods to limit an in-rush current of a load circuit such as a processor are disclosed. A charge pump is used as driver for switches with pulse modulation width (PWM) control on the duty cycle of a clock. A clock generator generates a ramp signal with variable slope and a reference voltage. The slope of the ramp signal is dependent on the in-rush current of the switch. No dedicated slew rate driver or an external capacitor is required. The main building blocks are: a charge pump used as driver connected to single supply domain, one external (or internal) switch device, a single capacitive feedback between the switch device and the PWM control, and a PWM control comprising a fix frequency voltage triangular pulse generator with variable slope proportional to the in-rush current measurement.
US08497716B2	Phase locked loop with phase correction in the feedback loop A frequency synthesizer circuit is disclosed. The frequency synthesizer circuit includes a comparator circuit coupled to a reference clock and a phase-corrected output signal. The frequency synthesizer circuit also includes a loop filter coupled to the comparator circuit. The frequency synthesizer circuit also includes an oscillator coupled to the loop filter. The frequency synthesizer circuit also includes a fractional divider coupled to an output of the oscillator. The frequency synthesizer circuit also includes phase correction circuitry that corrects a phase of an output of the fractional divider to produce the phase-corrected output signal.
US08497714B2	System and method for driving a switch transistor In an embodiment, a method of driving a switch transistor includes activating the switch transistor by charging a control node of the switch transistor at a first charging rate for a first time duration. After charging the control node of the switch transistor at the first charging rate, the control node of the switch transistor is further charged at a second charging rate until the control node of the switch transistor reaches a target signal level, where the second charging rate is less than the first charging rate.
US08497713B2	Power reduction in switched-current line-drivers A differential switched-current line-driver implements a method to reduce power consumption by eliminating output current that does not contribute to the required differential output signal. This output current is used for example during a training phase, and the current elimination can take place after the training phase is complete.
US08497711B2	Envelope detector and associated method An envelope detecting method performing squelch detection on a pair of differential signal includes: by a voltage divider, providing a real-time reference signal according to a sum of the pair of differential signals; and comparing two comparison signals associated with the real-time reference signals and the pair of differential signals to generate a squelch detection signal.
US08497709B2	Input/output circuit and system An input/output circuit has a first load having one end coupled to a first standard voltage line, a first MOS transistor having a drain electrode coupled to another end of the first load, a second load having one end coupled to the first standard voltage line, a second MOS transistor having a drain electrode coupled to another end of the second load, a third MOS transistor having a source electrode each of which is coupled to source electrodes of the first and second MOS transistors, a first constant-current source coupled between the source electrode of the first MOS transistor and a second standard voltage line, and a second constant-current source coupled between the source electrode of the second MOS transistor and the second standard voltage line. The circuit size is reduced by transmitting a differential signal or a single-ended signal using a single input/output circuit.
US08497707B2	Transmitter equalization method and circuit using unit-size and fractional-size subdrivers in output driver for high-speed serial interface A method is provided for controlling a data transmission device that includes at least one fractional-sized subdriver. The method includes enabling at least one subdriver and driving a differential signal pair output. Also provided is a device with an output driver having a plurality of subdrivers where at least one subdriver is fractional-sized. The device also includes a de-emphasis portion configured to enable and disable the subdrivers. The device is configured to drive an output data signal. Also provided is a computer readable storage device encoded with data for adapting a manufacturing facility to create an apparatus such as the device. Also provided is an apparatus that includes an output driver with at least one fractional-sized subdriver and a de-emphasis portion configured to enable and disable the subdrivers of the output driver. The output driver is configured to drive a differential output data signal.
US08497706B2	Adjustable data drivers and methods for driving data signals Apparatuses and methods for driving input data signals onto signal lines as output data signals are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a detection circuit, a driver adjust circuit, and a data driver. The detection circuit is configured to detect a characteristic(s) of a group of input data signals to be driven onto adjacent signal lines. A characteristic could be, for example, a particular combination of logic levels and/or transitions for, the group of input data signals. The driver adjust circuit is configured to provide a driver adjustment signal based at least in part on a detection signal, that is provided by the detection circuit. A data driver is configured to drive a respective one of the group of input data signals as a respective one of the output data signals, wherein the data driver is adjusted based at least in part on the driver adjustment signal.
US08497694B2	On-chip sensor for measuring dynamic power supply noise of the semiconductor chip An on-chip sensor measures dynamic power supply noise, such as voltage droop, on a semiconductor chip. In-situ logic is employed, which is sensitive to noise present on the power supply of functional logic of the chip. Exemplary functional logic includes a microprocessor, adder, and/or other functional logic of the chip. The in-situ logic performs some operation, and the amount of time required for performing that operation (i.e., the operational delay) is sensitive to noise present on the power supply. Thus, by evaluating the operational delay of the in-situ logic, the amount of noise present on the power supply can be measured.
US08497687B2	Method and apparatus for monitoring electrical ground isolation in a powertrain system A method for monitoring operation of a vehicle including a high voltage electrical system including an electrical energy storage device electrically connected to switching circuits of an inverter device via a high voltage bus, the inverter device configured to transfer electric power to an electric machine via activation of a plurality of switch devices, includes monitoring electrical ground isolation of the high voltage electrical system during ongoing operation of the vehicle, detecting an electrical ground isolation fault in the high voltage electrical system, and detecting a location of the electrical ground isolation fault associated with at least one of the electrical energy storage device, the high voltage bus, the inverter device, and the electric machine subsequent to a vehicle key-off event.
US08497679B2	Magnetic resonance method and system to create an image data set In a magnetic resonance method and system to create a difference image, essentially only one k-space point in a k-space data set belonging to the difference image is acquired at least twice in the form of k-space measurement values after a radiation of an RF excitation pulse. The difference image is thereby created depending on acquired k-space data set by means of taking the difference of the respective at least two results acquired per k-space point. For each essentially only one k-space point shift multiple phase coding gradients are activated in respective spatial directions, followed by a first readout of the essentially only one k-space point for an acquisition of a first of the k-space measurement values. The phase coding gradients are subsequently modified such that a gradient moment for each of the phase coding gradients is zero for a time period from the first readout of the essentially only one k-space point up to a second readout of the essentially only one k-space point. The essentially only one k-space point is subsequently read out a second time.
US08497677B2	Current sensing device and manufacturing method of the same A current sensing device and a manufacturing method of the same are disclosed. The current sensing device includes: a core having a gap; and a magnetic sensor inserted in the gap. The core includes a first core member and a second core member each made of a grain-oriented magnetic steel sheet having a magnetization easy axis. The first and second core members are stacked into a multiple layer structure so that a direction of the magnetization easy axis of the first core member and that of the second core member are perpendicular to each other. The first core member has a first trap part. The second core member has a second trap part.
US08497672B2	Acceleration sensor The present embodiments provide an acceleration sensor, which enables highly accurate detection and has an extremely compact size. The acceleration sensor of the present embodiments is provided with a substrate, a anchor portion formed on the substrate, a support beam, which has one end connected to the anchor portion and extends across a space from the substrate, and a proof mass which is connected to the other end of the support beam and held across a space from the substrate. The acceleration sensor is further provided with first and second piezoelectric bending resonators, a comparison unit, and a calculation unit. The first and second piezoelectric bending resonators have one end connected to the anchor portion and the other end connected to the proof mass or the support beam and have a stack of a first electrode, a first piezoelectric film, and a second electrode. The first and second piezoelectric bending resonators extend on the both sides of the support beam and perform bending resonance motion in a direction perpendicular to the piezoelectric film. The comparison unit measures a difference of a resonance frequency between the first and second piezoelectric bending resonators. The calculation unit calculates an acceleration in a direction perpendicular to the extending direction of the support beam in the substrate surface from the difference of the resonance frequency.
US08497668B2	Power control system and power amplification system using the same A power control system includes a power regulator having a plurality of power PMOS transistors connected to a power source in parallel and configured to supply current and voltage controlled according to an input lamp voltage, a current sensing unit connected to the power source and configured to sense currents flowing through a plurality of target PMOS transistors located at predetermined positions among the PMOS transistors, a current mirror unit connected to a first regulated voltage terminal and configured to generate a plurality of currents equal to the sensed currents, a comparator unit configured to total the generated currents to convert the totaled currents into a voltage, and to generate a voltage difference between the voltage and a predetermined reference voltage, and a current bias circuit unit connected to a second regulated voltage terminal and configured to control a bias current according to the generated voltage difference.
US08497651B2	Open phase detection system and method for three-phase motor An open phase detection system and method for a three-phase motor is provided. The open phase detection system comprises: a signal generating unit coupled to the three-phase motor and configured to generate a driving signal for driving the three-phase motor; a detecting unit coupled to the signal generating unit, and configured to detect whether the signal generating unit generates the driving signal and to detect three-phase current values of the three-phase motor; and a determining unit coupled to the detecting unit, and configured to determine whether the three-phase motor has open phase according to the three phase current values detected by the detecting unit when the driving signal is detected.
US08497647B1	Motor spindle control system and method A control system and method for a multi-phase motor substantially reduces or eliminates jitter resulting from. drive mismatch by replacing a conventional trapezoidal drive profile with a drive profile that causes the voltage applied across active phases of the motor to match the back-EMF across those phases. In an ideal motor, the back-EMF is substantially sinusoidal, and although the drive profile applied to each phase is not truly substantially sinusoidal, the drive voltage across the active phases is substantially sinusoidal. In a non-ideal motor, the back-EMF is not truly sinusoidal and the drive profiles applied to each phase are calculated to cause the drive voltage across the active phases to match the back-EMF across those phases.
US08497638B2	Light source device A light source device which is used as the backlight device and does not generate sound is provided. One or more flat substrates each having a light emitting element on its surface side are supported by a chassis having a conductive flat plate surface so that back surfaces of the substrates are opposed to the flat plate surface. The substrate comprises first wiring conductive thin films on a surface side of an insulation substrate, and one or more second radiating or wiring conductive thin films on a back surface side of the insulation substrate. Two terminals of the light emitting element are connected to the two adjacent first conductive thin films. A potential of at least one of the second conductive thin films is fixed to have a constant potential difference or preferably fixed to the same potential with respect to that of the flat plate surface of the chassis.
US08497636B2	Auto-switching triac compatibility circuit with auto-leveling and overvoltage protection Drivers and ballast circuits are presented having a boost converter with a triac compatibility circuit providing regulated current load to accommodate phase-cutting triac circuit holding current requirements, including auto switching driver circuit with overvoltage protection and an auto leveling circuit to regulate against thermal and load fluctuations.
US08497633B2	Ceramic metal halide discharge lamp with oxygen content and metallic component Disclosed herein are lamps which comprises a discharge vessel comprised of a ceramic material; at least one electrode extending into the discharge vessel; an ionizable fill sealed within the discharge vessel, the fill comprising Hg, a buffer gas component, and a halide component comprising at least an alkali metal halide component and a rare earth halide component; a source of available oxygen; and a metallic component. The discharge vessel defines an interior space which comprises available oxygen during lamp operation conditions. Also disclosed herein are associated methods for making and using such lamps. Disclosed advantages may include mitigating some of the deleterious effects of highly electronegative species, enhanced lumens, and balancing the level of available oxygen for wall cleaning.
US08497632B2	Short arc type discharge lamp A short arc type discharge lamp includes a cathode and an anode arranged inside an arc tube to face each other. The cathode comprises a main body portion made of tungsten and an emitter portion made of thoriated tungsten that is joined at the tip of the main body portion, where a metal oxide other than thorium (Th) is contained in the main body portion of the cathode, and a tungsten carbide layer is formed on the metal oxide.
US08497631B2	Polymer microcavity and microchannel devices and fabrication method A microplasma device includes a substrate and either or both of a microchannel or microcavity defined in a polymer layer supported by the substrate. Electrodes arranged with respect to the polymer material can excite a plasma in a discharge medium contained in the microchannel or the microcavity or both. A method of forming a microplasma device places a curable polymer material between a mold having a negative volume impression of microcavities and/or microchannels and a substrate. The polymer is cured and then the mold is separated from the solid polymer.
US08497621B2	Illuminating device with light buffer A light-emitting device may include at least one light source, which is configured for at least one of AC and PWM operation; and at least two optical buffers for absorbing light energy from the light source and for temporally delayed emission of the stored luminous energy, wherein the at least two optical buffers have different relaxation times and are sensitive to different wavelengths.
US08497586B2	Package module structure for high power device with metal substrate and method of manufacturing the same A method of manufacturing a package module structure of a high power device using a metal substrate that can improve reliability by minimizing stress due to a thermal expansion coefficient difference between a metal substrate and a semiconductor device includes: preparing a metal substrate; forming an oxide layer by selectively anodizing the metal substrate; forming a mounting groove for mounting a semiconductor device by etching a portion of the oxide layer; installing a shock-absorbing substrate that is made of a material having a thermal expansion coefficient in a range similar to a material of a semiconductor device to expose the entirety or a portion of a bottom portion of the mounting groove; mounting the semiconductor device in the shock-absorbing substrate exposed to the mounting groove; and electrically connecting an electrode terminal of the semiconductor device and an electrode line formed in an upper surface of the oxide layer.
US08497585B2	Chip package A quad flat non-leaded package including a first patterned conductive layer, a second patterned conductive layer, a chip, bonding wires and a molding compound is provided. The first patterned conductive layer defines a first space, and the second patterned conductive layer defines a second space, wherein the first space overlaps the second space and a part of the second patterned conductive layer surrounding the second space. The chip is disposed on the second patterned conductive layer. The bonding wires are connected between the chip and the second patterned conductive layer. The molding compound encapsulates the second patterned conductive layers, the chip and the bonding wires. In addition, a method of manufacturing a quad flat non-leaded package is also provided.
US08497584B2	Method to improve bump reliability for flip chip device A new method is provided for the creation of a solder bump. Conventional methods are initially followed, creating a patterned layer of Under Bump Metal over the surface of a contact pad. A layer of photoresist is next deposited, this layer of photoresist is patterned and developed creating a resist mask having a T-shape opening aligned with the contact pad. This T-shaped opening is filled with a solder compound, creating a T-shaped layer of solder compound on the surface of the layer of UBM. The layer of photoresist is removed, exposing the created T-shaped layer of solder compound, further exposing the layer of UBM. The layer of UBM is etched using the T-shaped layer of solder compound as a mask. Reflow of the solder compound results in creating a solder ball.
US08497580B2	Noble metal cap for interconnect structures An interconnect structure that includes a dielectric material having a dielectric constant of about 3.0 or less is provided. This low k dielectric material has at least one conductive material having an upper surface embedded therein. The dielectric material also has a surface layer that is made hydrophobic prior to the formation of the noble metal cap. The noble metal cap is located directly on the upper surface of the at least one conductive material. Because of the presence of the hydrophobic surface layer on the dielectric material, the noble metal cap does not substantially extend onto the hydrophobic surface layer of the dielectric material that is adjacent to the at least one conductive material and no metal residues from the noble metal cap deposition form on this hydrophobic dielectric surface.
US08497578B2	Terminal face contact structure and method of making same The invention relates to a contact structure (24) and to a method for producing a contact structure for semiconductor substrates (21) or the like, in particular for terminal faces of semiconductor substrates, comprising a base contact part (22) arranged on a terminal face (20) of the semiconductor substrate and at least one connecting contact part (23) arranged on the base contact part, wherein the connecting contact part is formed from a connecting contact material (34) which has a lower melting point than a base contact material of the base contact part.
US08497576B2	Semiconductor device A semiconductor device which has a plurality of semiconductor chips stacked on a substrate. The semiconductor device includes semiconductor chip 2, semiconductor chip 3a stacked on substrate 4 together with semiconductor chip 2, and having a foot print larger than semiconductor chip 2, through electrode 22 extending through semiconductor chip 2 only in a central portion of semiconductor chip 2, through electrode 32 extending through semiconductor chip 3a at a position facing to through electrode 22, and conduction bump 7b arranged between through electrode 22 and through electrode 32, and conductively connecting through electrode 22 with through electrode 32.
US08497572B2	Semiconductor module and method of manufacturing the same In a semiconductor module, a first heat sink is disposed on a rear surface of a first semiconductor chip constituting an upper arm, and a second heat sink is disposed on a front surface of the first semiconductor chip through a first terminal. A third heat sink is disposed on a rear surface of a second semiconductor chip constituting a lower arm, and a fourth heat sink is disposed on a front surface of the second semiconductor chip through a second terminal. A connecting part for connecting between the upper arm and the lower arm is integral with the first terminal, and is connected to the third heat sink while being inclined relative to the first terminal.
US08497570B2	Wafer, fabricating method of the same, and semiconductor substrate A wafer, a fabricating method of the same, and a semiconductor substrate are provided. The wafer includes a first substrate layer formed at a first surface, a second substrate layer formed at a second surface opposite to the first surface, the second substrate layer having a greater oxygen concentration than the first substrate layer, and an oxygen diffusion protecting layer formed between the first substrate layer and the second substrate layer, the oxygen diffusion protecting layer being located closer to the first surface than to the second surface.
US08497557B2	Semiconductor device A semiconductor device includes a first semiconductor substrate, a second semiconductor substrate, and a sealing member. The first semiconductor substrate has a surface and includes a sensing portion on the surface side. The sensing portion has a movable portion. The first semiconductor substrate and the second semiconductor substrate are bonded together to form a stacked substrate. The stacked substrate defines a hermetically sealed space for accommodating the sensing portion between the first and second semiconductor substrates. The stacked substrate further defines a recess extending between the first semiconductor substrate and the second semiconductor substrate to penetrate an interface between the first semiconductor substrate and the second semiconductor substrate. The sealing member is located in the recess.
US08497555B2	Vertical memory devices including indium and/or gallium channel doping A vertical memory device may include a substrate, a first selection line on the substrate, a plurality of word lines on the first selection line, a second selection line on the plurality of word lines, and a semiconductor channel. The first selection line may be between the plurality of word lines and the substrate, and the plurality of word lines may be between the first and second selection lines. Moreover, the first and second selection lines and the plurality of word lines may be spaced apart in a direction perpendicular with respect to a surface of the substrate. The semiconductor channel may extend away from the surface of the substrate adjacent sidewalls of the first and second selection lines and the plurality of word lines. In addition, portions of the semiconductor channel adjacent the second selection line may be doped with indium and/or gallium. Related methods are also discussed.
US08497546B2	Back-side-illuminated image sensors with bulk-charge-modulated image sensor pixels Image sensor arrays may include bulk-charge-modulated-device (BCMD) sensor pixels. The BCMD sensor pixels may be used in back-side-illuminated (BSI) image sensors. A BCMD sensor pixel need not include a dedicated addressing transistor. The BCMD sensor pixel may include a gated drain reset (GDR) structure that is used to perform reset operations. The GDR structure may be shared among multiple pixels, which provides increased charge storage capacity for high resolution image sensors. A negative back body bias may be applied to the BCMD pixel array, allowing the depletion region under each BCMD pixel to extend all the way to the back silicon surface. Extending the depletion region by negatively biasing the back silicon surface may serve to minimize pixel crosstalk.
US08497540B2	Capacitor and method of forming same A device comprises a substrate having at least one active region, an insulating layer above the substrate, and an electrode in a gate electrode layer above the insulating layer, forming a metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) capacitor. A first contact layer is provided on the electrode, having an elongated first pattern extending in a first direction parallel to the electrode. A contact structure contacts the substrate. The contact structure has an elongated second pattern extending parallel to the first pattern. A dielectric material is provided between the first and second patterns, so that the first and second patterns and dielectric material form a side-wall capacitor connected in parallel to the MOS capacitor.
US08497539B2	Semiconductor device and its manufacturing method To realize miniaturization/high integration and increase in the amount of accumulated charges, and to give a memory structure having a high reliability. A 1 transistor 1 capacitor (1T1C) structure having 1 ferroelectric capacitor structure and 1 selection transistor every memory cell is adopted, and respective capacitor structures are disposed respectively in either one layer of interlayer insulating films of 2 layers having different heights from the surface of a semiconductor substrate.
US08497534B2	Chip package with heavily doped regions and fabrication method thereof The invention provides a chip package and fabrication method thereof. In one embodiment, the chip package includes: a semiconductor substrate having opposite first and second surfaces, at least one bond pad region and at least one device region; a plurality of conductive pad structures disposed on the bond pad region at the first surface of the semiconductor substrate; a plurality of heavily doped regions isolated from one another, underlying and electrically connected to the conductive pad structures; and a plurality of conductive bumps underlying the heavily doped regions and electrically connected to the conductive pad structures through the heavily-doped regions.
US08497532B2	Semiconductor substrate with stripes of different crystal plane directions and semiconductor device including the same Manufacturing a semiconductor device with higher operating characteristics and achieve low power consumption of a semiconductor integrated circuit. A single crystal semiconductor layer is formed so that crystal plane directions of single crystal semiconductor layers which are used for channel regions of an n-channel and a p-channel TFT and which are formed over the same plane of the substrate are the most appropriate crystal plane directions for each TFT. In accordance with such a structure, mobility of carrier flowing through a channel is increased and the semiconductor device with higher operating characteristics can be provided. Low voltage driving can be performed, and low power consumption can be achieved.
US08497530B2	Semiconductor structures including dual fins Fin-FET (fin field-effect transistor) devices and methods of fabrication are disclosed. The fin-FET devices include dual fin structures that may form a channel region between a source region and a drain region. In some embodiments, the dual fin structures are formed by forming shallow trench isolation structures, using a pair of shallow trench isolation (STI) structures as a mask to define a recess in a portion of a substrate between the pair of STI structures, and recessing the pair of STI structures so that the resulting dual fin structures protrude from an active surface of the substrate. The dual fin structures may be used to form single-gate, double-gate, or triple-gate fin-FET devices. Electronic systems including such fin-FET devices are also disclosed.
US08497528B2	Method for fabricating a strained structure A structure for a field effect transistor on a substrate that includes a gate stack, an isolation structure and a source/drain (S/D) recess cavity below the top surface of the substrate disposed between the gate stack and the isolation structure. The recess cavity having a lower portion and an upper portion. The lower portion having a first strained layer and a first dielectric film. The first strained layer disposed between the isolation structure and the first dielectric film. A thickness of the first dielectric film less than a thickness of the first strained layer. The upper portion having a second strained layer overlying the first strained layer and first dielectric film.
US08497524B2	Organic el device and method for manufacturing the same An organic EL device is provided and, in particular, a top-emission-type organic EL device, which can maintain excellent light emission efficiency over a prolonged period of time. The organic EL device includes a substrate; and an organic EL element that is formed on the substrate and that includes a lower electrode, an organic EL layer, an upper electrode, and a protective layer. The protective layer includes at least one inorganic film provided that at least one film thereof is a SiN:H film having a stretching-mode peak area ratio, as determined by infrared absorption spectrum measurements, of N—H bonds to Si—N bonds that is greater than 0.06 but does not exceed 0.1, and having a stretching-mode peak area ratio, as determined by infrared absorption spectrum measurements, of Si—H bonds to Si—N bonds that is greater than 0.12 but does not exceed 0.17.
US08497515B1	LED device with thermoelectric module An improved light emitting diode (LED) device with a thermoelectric module is provided. In the preferred embodiment, the LED device herein includes a heat sink/housing containing a LED light, heat slug, and LED circuit board attached to a first side of a thermoelectric module and a heat sink on a second side of the thermoelectric module. Heat is conducted from the LED light and through the circuit board to the first side of the thermoelectric module. The heat sink housing dissipates heat from the second side of the thermoelectric module to create a temperature differential across the thermoelectric module and generate electricity.
US08497514B2	Organic light emitting device and method of fabricating the same An organic light emitting device and a method for fabricating the same are discussed. According to an embodiment, the method includes forming a mother substrate structure including organic light emitting devices including TFTs and first electrodes, each first electrode electrically connected to the corresponding TFT and being a part of an OLED to be formed; forming first and second conductive layers to form a power line in each organic light emitting device; forming a dummy layer on the first electrodes and the second conductive layer; performing at least one of scribing and grinding processes on the mother substrate structure to divide the mother substrate structure into sub-substrate structures; removing the dummy layer from the first electrodes and the second conductive layer after the performing step; and forming a light emitting layer and a second electrode on the first electrode in one of the sub-substrate structures to form the OLED.
US08497512B2	Light-emitting device and manufacturing method thereof To prevent a point defect and a line defect in forming a light-emitting device, thereby improving the yield. A light-emitting element and a driver circuit of the light-emitting element, which are provided over different substrates, are electrically connected. That is, a light-emitting element and a driver circuit of the light-emitting element are formed over different substrates first, and then electrically connected. By providing a light-emitting element and a driver circuit of the light-emitting element over different substrates, the step of forming the light-emitting element and the step of forming the driver circuit of the light-emitting element can be performed separately. Therefore, degrees of freedom of each step can be increased, and the process can be flexibly changed. Further, steps (irregularities) on the surface for forming the light-emitting element can be reduced than in the conventional technique.
US08497507B2	Array substrate for liquid crystal display device and method of fabricating the same An array substrate for a liquid crystal display device includes a gate line on a substrate; a gate insulating layer on the gate line; a data line crossing the gate line; a gate electrode connected to the gate line; an active layer on the gate insulating layer and overlapping the gate electrode; first and second ohmic contact layers on the active layer, the first and second ohmic contact layers spaced apart from each other by a first distance; first and second barrier patterns spaced apart from each other by the first distance and on the first and second ohmic contact layers, respectively. The active layer is exposed through the first and second barrier patterns; source and drain electrodes spaced apart from each other by a second distance greater than the first distance and on the first and second barrier patterns, respectively.
US08497495B2	Electroactive materials A compound having at least two diarylamino moieties and at least 10% deuteration.
US08497492B2	Variable resistive element, and its manufacturing method A variable resistive element comprising a configuration that an area of an electrically contributing region of a variable resistor body is finer than that constrained by an upper electrode or a lower electrode and its manufacturing method are provided. A bump electrode material is formed on a lower electrode arranged on a base substrate. The bump electrode material is contacted to a variable resistor body at a surface different from a contact surface to the lower electrode. The variable resistor body is contacted to an upper electrode at a surface different from a contact surface to the bump electrode material. Thus, a cross point region between the bump electrode material (the variable resistor body) and the upper electrode becomes an electrically contributing region of the variable resistor body, and then an area thereof can be reduced compared with that of the region regarding the conventional variable resistive element.
US08497490B2	Terahertz wave generation device and method for generating terahertz wave A terahertz wave generation device is provided with an ultra-short pulse laser light source (3) for generating ultra-short pulse laser light at a single repeating frequency and optical fibers (F1 to F5) for respective transmitting and projecting of the ultra-short pulse laser light to an LN crystal (15). Projection units (13) of the optical fibers (F1 to F5) are made parallel to irradiate the ultra-short pulse laser light (L) projected from the projection units (13), respectively, on terahertz transmission line (A) in the LN crystal (15) with sequential delays. The optical lengths of the transmission paths of the optical fibers (F1 to F5) are set longer as the transmission paths go closer to one side of the parallel direction of the projection units (13).
US08497476B2	Inspection device An inspection device for inspecting a surface of an inspection object using a beam includes a beam generator capable of generating one of either charge particles or an electromagnetic wave as a beam, a primary optical system capable of guiding and irradiating the beam to the inspection object supported within a working chamber, a secondary optical system capable of including a first movable numerical aperture and a first detector which detects secondary charge particles generated from the inspection object, the secondary charge particles passing through the first movable numerical aperture, an image processing system capable of forming an image based on the secondary charge particles detected by the first detector; and a second detector arranged between the first movable numerical aperture and the first detector and which detects a location and shape at a cross over location of the secondary charge particles generated from the inspection object.
US08497470B2	Method and device for carrying out a quantitative spatially-resolved local and distribution analysis of chemical elements and in situ characetrization of the ablated surface regions A laser ablation chamber, which is suitable for use in a conventional laser-assisted micro dissection unit (LMD), in combination with the LMD allows for both quantitative spatially resolved nanolocal analysis and distribution analysis of element concentrations of a sample, and a microscopic detection of the surface topography of the same sample, in the nanometer range. Optionally, further examinations may follow, without having to remove the sample from a microscope slide bearing the sample. For the examination, a region of the sample to be analyzed is selected with the aid of a microscope of a LMD. For this purpose, the sample is located on the lower face of a cover slip (microscope slide), which also forms part of a laser ablation chamber mounted beneath the microscope slide and inside the LMD. A portion of the sample is ablated and analyzed. Optionally, the existing LMD instrumentation may be used to deliberately cut out certain regions of the tissue in which metals were detected for further analytics and to collect these regions in sample containers, which are mounted beneath the microscope slide after the laser ablation.
US08497469B2	Rotary encoder that detects rotation angle A rotary encoder 100 includes a scale 201 that includes a spiral pattern 501 and a radial pattern 502 to be rotatable around a rotation axis, a first sensor unit 301 that detects a light transmitted through the spiral pattern 501 to output a first detection signal, a second sensor unit 302 that detects a light transmitted through the radial pattern 502 to output a second detection signal, and a signal processing circuit 401 that generates an eccentricity correction signal based on the first detection signal to correct the second detection signal based on the eccentricity correction signal. The spiral pattern 501 detects a rotational angular displacement larger than a predetermined value, and the radial pattern 502 detects a rotational angular displacement smaller than the rotational angular displacement detected by the spiral pattern 501.
US08497445B2	Vacuum valve A vacuum valve includes a hermetically sealed vessel having an insulative cylinder, an end plate at a movable electrode end, and an end plate at a fixed electrode end. The vessel accommodates a movable contact and an opposed fixed contact. The movable contact is supported through a bellows allowing the contacts to open and close while maintaining an air-tight (hermetic) seal. The bellows used in at least one embodiment is a seam type bellows without metal plating. Nickel plating layers are formed on the end plate at movable contact end and on a cover, which are joined to the bellows. The ends of the bellows are soldered with the end plate and the cover using a silver solder at the solder joints.
US08497442B2	Electronic device with button mechanism An electronic device includes a housing defining an opening, a button mechanism, and a fixing portion. The button mechanism includes a button cap depressibly received in the opening, a light guiding plate with the button cap mounted on a first side thereof, and a connecting portion. The connecting portion is mounted on an opposite second side of the light guiding plate, and includes a resisting member, and a tab protruding from the resisting member. The fixing portion is received in the housing, and includes a block defining a slot with the tab extending therethrough, an light source for illuminating the light guide plate, a switch to switch on or off the light source and the electronic device. The switch is configured to switch on or off the light source and the electronic device. The button mechanism is depressible so as to enable the resisting member to actuate the switch.
US08497437B2	Method of switching a surgical device Method for operating a self-powered surgical device, comprising providing a handle with a self-contained power supply and control circuit operable to carry out at least two operational conditions of the surgical device and effecting the at least two operational conditions with a two-stage switch electrically connected to the control circuit, a first stage of the switch effecting a first of the two operational conditions and a second stage of the switch effecting a second of the two operational conditions different from the first operational condition, the two-stage switch having a variable resistance such that the first stage occurs when a first depression force is applied to the switch, the second stage occurs when a second depression force greater than the first depression force is applied to the switch, and a holding force lower than the second depression force is required to maintain the switch in the second stage.
US08497427B2	Segmented cable sheath with inner sleeves A cable sheath of the present invention includes several adapter tubes which can be joined to one another. Each of the adapter tubes has a metal outer tube and a plastic inner tube. The plastic inner tube which is inserted into the metal outer tube abuts against the metal outer tube, so that the plastic inner tube of each of the adapter tubes can be used for receiving a metal cable therein. Thereby, said invention can receive a brake cable or the like without a plastic tube of the cable, so that said invention can prevent the cable from being wound by a remaining interior stress from the plastic tube.
US08497421B2	Lift-off structure for substrate of a photoelectric device and method thereof A lift-off structure for substrate of a photoelectric device and method thereof, which making it possible to enable an etching solution to flow through not only external etch channel but also internal etch channel to etch a sacrificial layer in order to increase the overall etching speed and decrease the overall time of lifting a substrate off.
US08497419B2	Solar cell module Provided is a solar cell module (100) wherein an adhesive (30) has a first adhesive portion (30A) which is formed from the light receiving surface of a solar cell (10) to the side surface (20S) of a wiring material (20).
US08497412B2	Loblolly pine tree named ‘96GE0034’ A new and distinct variety of loblolly pine tree named ‘96GE0034’, particularly characterized by excellent stem straightness, high biomass production, uniform rapid growth and good fusiform rust resistance.
US08497409B2	Absorbent article having an olfactory wetness signal Absorbent articles incorporating a wetness sensor for indicating the presence of a body fluid are disclosed. The wetness sensor includes an olfactory signaling device that produces a scent or odor when a body fluid is detected. For instance, in one embodiment, an odorous composition can be contained in a water degradable pouch that releases the odorous composition when contacted with moisture. Once released, the odorous composition can produce a desired scent. In other embodiments, the odorous composition can be encapsulated within a water degradable material or can be coated on a substrate. The scent or odor that is released by the odorous composition can vary depending upon the particular application. The scent, for instance, may be pleasant or unpleasant. In one embodiment, the olfactory signaling device may be used to assist in toilet training a child.
US08497405B1	Process for dispersing vaporous hydrogen peroxide The disclosed invention relates to a decontaminant dispenser which may be used as a projectile. The invention also relates to a decontamination process using the decontaminant dispenser. The decontaminant dispenser may be thrown by hand, launched as an artillery shell or the payload for a missile, or dropped by an airplane into the area to be decontaminated. The dispenser may be placed in the area to be decontaminated. The decontaminant dispenser may be ruggedized for use in hostile environments such as those that may be anticipated for military applications.
US08497404B1	Processes for upgrading fischer-tropsch condensate by olefin enrichment and alkylation of hydrocrackate Processes for upgrading Fischer-Tropsch condensate olefins by alkylation of hydrocrackate involves providing an olefin enriched condensate stream and further providing a Fischer-Tropsch derived hydrocarbon stream comprising wax, hydrocracking the latter Fischer-Tropsch hydrocarbon stream to provide a distillate enriched hydrocracked product comprising isoparaffins, and alkylating the olefins with the isoparaffins in an alkylation zone to provide an alkylate product. The alkylate product is fed to a distillation unit together with the hydrocracked product, while a naphtha containing fraction from the distillation unit is fed to the alkylation zone together with the olefin enriched hydrocarbon stream.
US08497403B2	Condensation of diols for biofuel production The present disclosure relates to methods for converting biomass-derived streams of hydrocarbon diols into products suitable for use as a biomass-derived fuel additive. These methods involve the condensation of diols comprising five or six carbon atoms to form condensation products containing at least ten carbon atoms. The remaining hydroxyl functional groups of the condensation products are optionally modified to decrease overall polarity of the products, and improve miscibility with liquid hydrocarbon mixtures.
US08497395B2	Compound A compound represented by general formula (c1) (R1 represents an alicyclic group of 5 or more carbon atoms which may have a substituent; X represents a divalent linking group; Y represents a linear, branched or cyclic alkylene group or an arylene group; Rf represents a hydrocarbon group containing a fluorine atom; and M+ represents an organic cation or a metal cation).

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