Document Document Title
US08623652B2 Host-vector system for cloning and expressing genes
A system for ligase-free cloning and/or expressing a target gene is described herein. A preferred version of the invention includes an E. coli host. The host preferably includes a T7 RNA polymerase gene comprising a T7gpl coding sequence, a lacUV5 promoter, and a lac operator. The host preferably further includes a lacI gene comprising a lacI coding sequence with an ATG start codon, a promoter derived from the lacql allele, and a translational enhancer derived from a 5′ RNA leader sequence of T7 gene 10. The invention further includes a low-copy plasmid vector comprising a T7 promoter a lac operator operationally linked to the T7 promoter. The system is configured to inhibit target gene expression when uninduced and to permit gene expression upon induction by auto-induction.
US08623651B2 Enhancin gene bel1 from Bacillus thuringiensis and its use in biological insecticide
The isolation, cloning of an enhancin gene bel1 from Bacillus thuringiensis, and the use of an enhancin Bel1 in biological insecticides are disclosed in the present invention. A new enhancin gene bel1 is isolated from Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki YBT-1520, and its encoded product is a new enhancin Bel1. The enhancin has very strong effect-enhancing activity on the insecticidal action of insecticidal crystal protein Cry1Ac in killing Lepidoptera insects. The insecticidal activity of genetically engineered Bacillus thuringiensis BMB0187 developed on the basis of this enhancin is 5.7 times as high as that of the initial strain.
US08623650B2 Methods and compositions for feeder-free pluripotent stem cell media containing human serum
The present invention provides compositions and methods for the culture and maintenance of pluripotent stem cells. More particularly, the present invention provides for compositions and methods for culturing, maintaining, growing and stabilizing primate pluripotent stem cells in a feeder-free defined media further comprising human serum, or a soluble attachment component of the human serum, for promoting cell attachment.
US08623649B2 Method of selecting a cardiomyoctye using intracellular mitochondria as an indicator
The invention relates to methods of selecting a cardiomyocyte from a cell population derived from a whole heart or a differentiated cell population derived from a stem cell without genetic alteration. Specifically, the invention relates to a method of selecting a cardiomyocyte from a cardiomyocyte-containing cell mixture without genetic alteration of a cardiomyocyte, on the basis of a relative content of cellular mitochondria and/or a relative mitochondrial transmembrane potential of the cell. The invention also relates to methods of enriching a cardiomyocyte from a cardiomyocyte-containing cell mixture without genetic alteration of a cardiomyocyte, producing a cardiomyocyte without genetic alteration of a cardiomyocyte, and evaluating the ratio of a cardiomyocyte in a cardiomyocyte-containing cell mixture.
US08623648B2 Treatment of pluripotent cells
The present invention is directed to methods to treat pluripotent cells, whereby the pluripotent cells can be efficiently expanded in culture and differentiated by treating the pluripotent cells with an inhibitor of GSK-3B enzyme activity.
US08623646B2 Volume exclusion agent to enhance formation of extracellular matrix
A method of enhancing the formation of extracellular matrix in culture. Cells in culture secrete most of the collagen into the media as unprocessed procollagen, i.e., the cells do not convert procollagen to collagen. In contrast, normal extracellular matrix deposition involves procollagen processing to collagen, fibril assembly and deposition into the cell layer to form a collagenous extracellular matrix. The addition of certain growth factors and the addition of a thin layer of a certain volume exclusion agent on top of the cells dramatically enhances the conversion of procollagen to collagen and will increase the amount of collagen and extracellular matrix associated with the cells. This invention advances bioengineering of connective tissues for medical applications that require an extensive and functional extracellular matrix with high tensile strength such as those in the cornea stroma, skin, tendons, ligaments, articular cartilage and the intervertebral disks.
US08623637B2 Nucleic acid amplification apparatus and thermal cycler
A thermal cycler is provided that may be used as a nucleic acid amplification apparatus. The cycler has at least three temperature zones that can be set at different temperatures, the temperature zones including a first temperature zone, an intermediate zone, and a second temperature zone. The cycler has a channel including a plurality of forward subchannels and a plurality of backward subchannels, with the forward subchannels being different from the backward subchannels in terms of cross-sectional area in the intermediate zone. The channel is configured to continuously flow a fluid alternately through one of the forward subchannels and one of the backward subchannels, so that the fluid travels repeatedly between the first temperature zone and the second temperature zone via the intermediate zone, whereby the fluid is thermally cycled while the fluid flows through the channel.
US08623626B2 Extract of E. coli cells having mutation in ribosomal protein S12, and method for producing protein in cell-free system using the extract
It is intended to provide an extract, kit and a process for synthesizing a protein in a cell-free system. The extract is characterized by being prepared from mutant Escherichia coli cells having a mutation in the ribosomal protein S12 gene. In a preferred embodiment, the mutation is such a mutation as conferring a resistance or dependence to streptomycin on E. coli whereby the reading efficiency of mRNA codon on ribosomes can be improved and thus the protein productivity can be elevated.
US08623617B2 Detecting PAX2 for the diagnosis of breast cancer
A method for monitoring breast conditions in a subject is disclosed. The method comprises determining a Paired Box 2 gene-to-beta defensin-1 gene (PAX2-to-DEFB1) expression ratio (the “Donald Predictive Factor” or “DPF”) in cells obtained from the breast of the subject, wherein the PAX2-to-DEFB1 expression ratio is correlated with breast conditions. Also disclosed is a kit for monitoring breast conditions and determining drug resistance.
US08623613B2 Method to detect endothelial cell massive calcium accumulation death
Stains that are specific for calcium ion are used to assess and predict the effects of various treatments on the viability of cell types contained in a sample, wherein said stain detects endothelial cells that have massive calcium accumulation death.
US08623610B2 Chondroitin sulfate binding proteins and modulators thereof
Chondroitin sulfate polysaccharides with defined sulfation patterns can be synthesized. These chondroitin polysaccharides can be used to identify chondroitin sulfate binding proteins. Further, compounds that modulate the activity of chondroitin sulfate binding proteins can be identified. For example, TNF-α was found to bind specifically to CS-E and CS-E can be used to modulate the interaction of TNF-α with the TNF receptor.
US08623609B2 Proteins expressed by Mycobacterium tuberculosis and not by BCG and their use as diagnostic reagents
The present invention is directed to proteins expressed by Mycobacterium tuberculosis and not by BCG and their use as diagnostic reagents.
US08623606B2 Screening method for GPCR ligands
This invention relates to a method of identifying a compound capable of binding to a target domain of a G-protein coupled receptor comprising the steps of: (a) providing a receptor comprising said target domain and a first group linked to said target domain; (b) bringing into contact said receptor of (a) with a test molecule comprising a second group and said compound linked to each other, wherein said first group binds said second group; and (c) determining, subsequent to the binding of said first group to said second group, whether said compound binds to said target domain.
US08623603B2 Full cold-PCR enrichment with reference blocking sequence
The present invention is directed to methods, compositions and software for enriching low abundance alleles in a sample. It is directed in particular to the use of an excess amount of reference blocking sequence in an amplification reaction mixture in order to improve the enrichment efficiency, and reduce cycle time, of full COLD-PCR.
US08623601B2 Methods of diagnosing cancer
Provided are methods of predicting or assessing the level of severity of cancer or cancer progression in a patient comprising measuring levels of SET expression in a biological sample from a patient and comparing levels of SET expression to a control sample or standard value. Methods for predicting or evaluating the efficacy of a SET therapeutic and kits comprising at least one reagent for measuring SET protein expression are also provided.
US08623596B2 Device and method for detection and quantification of immunological proteins, pathogenic and microbial agents and cells
The present invention provides a method and device for detecting and quantifying the concentration of magnetic-responsive micro-beads dispersed in a liquid sample. Also provided is a method and microfluidic immunoassay pScreen™ device for detecting and quantifying the concentration of an analyte in a sample medium by using antigen-specific antibody-coated magnetic-responsive micro-beads. The methods and devices of the present invention have broad applications for point-of-care diagnostics by allowing quantification of a large variety of analytes, such as proteins, protein fragments, antigens, antibodies, antibody fragments, peptides, RNA, RNA fragments, functionalized magnetic micro-beads specific to CD4+, CD8+ cells, malaria-infected red blood cells, cancer cells, cancer biomarkers such as prostate specific antigen and other cancer biomarkers, viruses, bacteria, and other pathogenic agents, with the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of bench-top laboratory-based assays.
US08623593B1 GPR 17 agonists and screening assay
The present invention is related to a method of determining a test compound's ability to modify the biological activity of a GPR17. Said method comprises, among others, the step of contacting the test compound with a GPR17, or a functional GPR17 fragment in the presence of a suitable amount of a GPR17 agonist of formula I.
US08623592B2 Methods and systems for predicting response of cells to a therapeutic agent
The invention provides methods for treating patients which methods comprise methods for predicting responses of cells, such as tumor cells, to treatment with therapeutic agents. These methods involve measuring, in a sample of the cells, levels of one or more components of a cellular network and then computing a Network Activation State (NAS) or a Network Inhibition State (NIS) for the cells using a computational model of the cellular network. The response of the cells to treatment is then predicted124 based on the NAS or NIS value that has been computed. The invention also comprises predictive methods for cellular responsiveness in which computation of a NAS or NIS value for the cells (e.g., tumor cells) is combined with use of a statistical classification algorithm. Biomarkers for predicting responsiveness to treatment with a therapeutic agent that targets a component within the ErbB signaling pathway are also provided.
US08623588B2 Scanning EUV interference imaging for extremely high resolution patterning
A system and method are provided for writing patterns onto substrates. First and second beams of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation are produced. An exposure unit is used to project the first and second beams of EUV radiation onto a substrate. The first and second beams of radiation interfere with each other to expose a first set of parallel lines at an exposure field of the substrate.
US08623575B2 Liquid crystal display panel, color filter and manufacturing method thereof
A liquid crystal display (LCD) panel, a color filter (CF) and a manufacturing method thereof are disclosed in the present disclosure. The CF comprises a transparent substrate, a black matrix, first CF units, second CF units and a conductive layer. The transparent substrate comprises an active area and a dummy area. The first CF units in the active area have a trapezoidal cross section, and the second CF units in the dummy area have an inverted trapezoidal cross section. The conductive layer covers the active area continuously but covers the dummy area discontinuously; and thus, the active area can perform normal electrical conduction functions while an insulating effect can be achieved in the dummy area. In this way, even if conductive particles are present in the dummy area during the assembling process of the CF and a TFT, the discontinuous conductive layer in the dummy area can still prevent occurrence of abnormal conditions that the CF and the TFT are at the same voltage level. Thereby, abnormal short-circuits occurring when the CF and the TFT are assembled together can be prevented to improve the product quality.
US08623572B2 Method for preparing metal catalyst and electrode
A method for preparing a metal catalyst includes a proton conductive material coating layer formed on the surface of a conductive material. Also, an electrode may be prepared using the metal catalyst. The method for preparing the metal catalyst comprises mixing the conductive catalyst material, the proton conductive material, and a first solvent, casting the mixture onto a supporting layer and drying the mixture to form a conductive catalyst containing film. The method further comprises separating the conductive catalyst containing film from the supporting layer and pulverizing the conductive catalyst containing film to obtain the metal catalyst. The method for preparing the electrode comprises mixing the metal catalyst with a hydrophobic binder and a second solvent, coating the mixture on an electrode support, and drying it.
US08623570B2 Fuel cell stack
A fuel cell stack includes a casing containing a plurality of fuel cell units. A ridge is formed integrally at the center in the width direction of a side panel of the casing. The ridge contacts a load receiver to support the load of the fuel cell units. A plurality of separate reinforcement plates bridging a recess of the back surface of the ridge are provided on the side panel. The reinforcement plates are fixed to the side panel at welding points by spot welding.
US08623567B2 Method to detect gross loss in coolant based on current feedback from the high temperature pump
A system and method for determining a loss of cooling fluid from a thermal sub-system in a fuel cell system. The method includes monitoring current feedback from a high temperature pump that pumps the cooling fluid through a coolant loop. A measured current from the pump is compared to an expected current for the system operating conditions, and if that current is significantly less than what is expected, then it may be as a result of low cooling fluid. If the measured current is less than the expected current for a predetermined period of time, then the system can take mitigating action as a result of a low cooling fluid. Further, if the pump speed is too low to provide an accurate current measurement, then it can be increased if an overflow tank level sensor indicates a low cooling fluid level.
US08623564B2 Method for remedial action in the event of the failure of the primary air flow measurement device in a fuel cell system
A system and method for controlling the speed of a compressor in the event that an airflow meter that measures the airflow from the compressor to the cathode input of the stack fails. When a failure of the airflow meter is detected, an algorithm first deactivates the primary feedback control algorithms used to control cathode pressure and flow, and sets the cathode exhaust valve to a fully open position. The speed of the compressor is controlled by an open loop set-point and the airflow from the compressor is estimated by a model using compressor discharge pressure and the compressor speed. The cathode by-pass valve position is determined by calculating the difference between the requested cathode airflow and the modeled compressor output flow. The position of the by-pass valve is then adjusted using the valve characteristics and the compressor discharge pressure. The estimated airflow to the stack is used to control the maximum stack current.
US08623558B2 Non-aqueous electrolyte and non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery using the same
A non-aqueous electrolyte in which the proportion of diethyl carbonate is reduced, and a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery using the same that has high safety are provided. The non-aqueous electrolyte of the invention for use in secondary batteries includes ethylene carbonate, propylene carbonate, diethyl carbonate, and an additive, as a non-aqueous solvent. The additive is at least one of a fluorinated aromatic compound having a molecular weight of 90 to 200 and a fatty acid alkyl ester having a molecular weight of 80 to 240. A weight ratio WEC ethylene carbonate, a weight ratio WPC of propylene carbonate, a weight ratio W DEC of diethyl carbonate, and a weight ratio WLV of the additive are 5 to 30 wt %, 15 to 60 wt %, 10 to 50 wt %, and 5 to 35 wt %, respectively, to the total of the non-aqueous electrolyte.
US08623553B2 Non-aqueous electrochemical cell having a mixture of at least three cathode materials therein
The present disclosure relates generally to a high capacity cathode material suitable for use in a non-aqueous electrochemical cell that comprises a mixture of at least three different cathode materials, and more specifically a mixture of fluorinated carbon, an oxide of copper and an oxide of manganese. The present disclosure additionally relates to a non-aqueous electrochemical cell comprising such a cathode material and, in particular, to such a non-aqueous electrochemical cell that can deliver a higher capacity than a conventional cell, and/or that possesses an improved end-of-life indication.
US08623548B2 Rechargeable battery
A rechargeable battery includes a case containing an electrode assembly and an electrolyte solution; a cap plate sealing the case; an electrode terminal electrically coupled to the electrode assembly and extending through the cap plate; and a seal gasket positioned between the electrode terminal and the cap plate, wherein the seal gasket has a beveled edge extending around a circumference of the seal gasket.
US08623533B2 High temperature fuel cell system with an electrical heater
Methods and systems for maintaining near operational mode internal temperatures of a high temperature fuel cell system during a hibernation mode are provided. Embodiments of the claimed invention include powering an electric heater adjacent to the high temperature fuel cell system to heat the high temperature fuel cell system. The use of an electrical heater allows the fuel cell system to maintain approximate operation mode internal temperatures during a hibernation mode and eliminates the problems of excess noise, vibration and exhaust emissions typical of previous fuel cell system heating methods. Gross energy savings of 67% and a fuel consumption reduction rate of 33% have been shown when substituting this method with previous fuel cell system heating methods with no additional manufacturing costs.
US08623531B2 Battery pack
A battery pack that does not increase contact resistance when an impact is applied to a bare cell and a protection circuit module. The battery pack includes: a bare cell having a surface on which at least one coupling groove is formed; a protection circuit module electrically connected to the bare cell; at least one coupling member having one end coupled to the protection circuit module and another end in which at least one coupling hole corresponding to the at least one coupling groove of the bare cell is formed, and tightly adhered to the bare cell; at least one screw bolt coupled to the at least one coupling groove through the at least one coupling hole; and at least one space formed in an opening part of the at least one coupling groove, having a diameter greater than that of the coupling groove. Therefore, the battery pack does not increase the contact resistance between the bare cell and the protection circuit module against an external impact.
US08623528B2 Method of manufacturing perpendicular magnetic recording medium and perpendicular magnetic recording medium
An object of the present invention is to provide a method of manufacturing a perpendicular magnetic recording medium (100) in which both of a coercive force Hc and reliability can be achieved at a higher level even with heating at the time of forming a medium protective layer (126) and to provide the perpendicular magnetic recording medium (100). Thus, in a typical structure of the present invention, in the method of manufacturing the perpendicular magnetic recording medium (100) including at least a magnetic recording layer (122b), which is a ferromagnetic layer of a granular structure in which a non-magnetic grain boundary part is formed between crystal grains each grown in a columnar shape, and a medium protective layer (126) with carbon hydride as a main component in this order on a disk base (110), the method includes a magnetic recording layer forming step of forming the magnetic recording layer (122b) so that the grain boundary part contains oxides of a plurality of types and a medium protective layer forming step of forming the medium protective layer (126) in a state where the disk base (110) having the magnetic recording layer (122b) formed thereon is heated at 160 to 200 degrees Celsius.
US08623524B2 Organic electroluminescent device
An organic electroluminescence device comprising a cathode, an anode and at least one layer comprising a phosphorescent light emitting material and a host material which is sandwiched between the cathode and the anode and further comprising an electron injecting layer which is adhered to the light emitting layer and is capable of transporting electrons, wherein an ionization potential of the host material is 5.9 eV or smaller, and wherein an energy gap of the electron transporting material in the electron injecting layer is smaller than that of the host material in the light emitting layer or wherein a triplet energy of the electron transporting material in the electron injecting layer is smaller than that of the host material in the light emitting layer. It emits phosphorescent light with enhanced efficiency because it comprises a light emitting layer and an electron injecting layer both satisfying specified condition and employs a light emitting layer capable of electron transporting.
US08623514B2 Zinc-based metal plated steel sheet
A zinc-based metal plated steel sheet is excellent in tribological properties during press forming. An oxide layer containing crystalline 3Zn(OH)2.ZnSO4.xH2O is formed on a plated surface. The oxide layer has a thickness of 10 nm or more. The crystalline oxide layer is composed of 3Zn(OH)2.ZnSO4.3-5H2O.
US08623505B2 Decolorizable color developing particle comprising color components present in concentration gradient
According to one embodiment, decolorizable color developing particle includes 41 to 50% by mass of a color material relative to the total amount, while the rest being a binder. The color material contains an amount mL of a color developing compound and an amount mD (mD
US08623503B2 Chromium-free rust-inhibitive surface treatment agent for metal parts with zinc surfaces and metal parts with zinc surfaces coated with rust-inhibitive surface coated film
Disclosed is a chromium-free rust-inhibitive surface treatment agent to form a siliceous film that rarely cracks or peels off and yields an excellent rust-inhibitive performance on zinc surfaces of a metal part. The chromium-free rust-inhibitive surface treatment agent is an alcoholic solution of alkoxysilane oligomer having weight-averaged molecular weight of 1,000 to 10,000, and 2.5 to 15% of silicon in molecules of the alkoxysilane oligomer has been replaced with titanium. To prepare partly titanium-replaced alkoxysilane oligomer, titanium compound, in which about a half of alkoxy groups in titanium tetraalkoxide has been chelated, is reacted with tetraalkoxysilane monomer or alkoxysilane oligomer in the alcoholic solution.
US08623496B2 Laser drilling technique for creating nanoscale holes
A method of forming extremely small pores in a substrate that is used, for example, in patch clamp applications is provided that employs an energy absorbing material beyond a back side of the substrate to allow a laser to be focused adjacent the exit side of the substrate so as to generate a pore through the substrate and can also form a crater in the back side of the substrate and in which the pore may propagate from the crater in a drilling direction that can oppose a laser transmission direction.
US08623490B2 Method and apparatus for temperature-compensated energy-absorbing padding
Impact absorbing padding includes a unitary piece including a polymeric material commingled with a structural element. The polymeric material includes a material having a first temperature-responsive stiffness, and the structural element includes an element fabricated from a shape memory alloy formulated to have a second temperature-responsive stiffness that is converse to the first temperature-responsive stiffness.
US08623470B2 Process to make core-shell structured nanoparticles
Disclosed is a process for making a composite material that contains core-shell structured nanoparticles. The process includes providing a precursor in the form of a powder a liquid and/or a vapor of a liquid that contains a core material and a shell material, and suspending the precursor in an aerosol gas to produce an aerosol containing the precursor. In addition, the process includes providing a plasma that has a hot zone and passing the aerosol through the hot zone of the plasma. As the aerosol passes through the hot zone of the plasma, at least part of the core material and at least part of the shell material in the aerosol is vaporized. Vapor that contains the core material and the shell material that has been vaporized is removed from the hot zone of the plasma and allowed to condense into core-shell structured nanoparticles.
US08623464B2 Process for production of water-absorbing articles
According to a first aspect of the present invention, a process for production of a water-absorbing article including a substrate and a coating film formed on the substrate and formed of a water-absorbing urethane resin is characterized in that: the process comprises an application step of applying a coating liquid to the substrate; the application step includes a step of supplying the coating liquid from a nozzle disposed above the substrate to a surface of the substrate conveyed horizontally; the coating liquid includes a solid matter and a solvent; the solid matter includes a mixture of a polyisocyanate, a polyol having ethylene oxide and a hydrophobic polyol; a concentration of the solid matter in the coating liquid is adjusted within a range from 5 to 30% in mass; and a viscosity of the coating liquid is adjusted within a range from 1 to 3 mPa·s.
US08623462B2 Redispersible polymer powder composition
The present invention pertains to a water-redispersible polymer powder composition based on at least one synthetic polymer and at least one natural latex. Preferably, the polymer powder contains up to about 90 wt. % of at least one water-insoluble, synthetic polymer, up to about 90 wt. % of least one natural latex, about 0 to 50 wt. % of at least one protective colloid, about 2 to 50 wt. % of at least one filler and/or anti-caking agent, as well as optionally further additives. In addition, the invention pertains to a process for the preparation of the polymer powder composition, the use thereof as an additive in building material compositions, as well as building material compositions containing the polymer powder composition.
US08623460B2 Adhesion promoter
The present invention refers to a method of making an copper-free article having a metal coating deposited on a substrate comprising: providing a substrate; contacting a surface of said substrate with a solution comprising: at least one metal ion selected from the group consisting of Ce, Pr, Nd, Eu, Er, Ga, W, Al, Mn, Mo, Sb, Te, La, Sm or their mixtures; and applying a metal coating on said surface of said substrate. In another embodiment the present invention refers to a method of making a metal coated article: providing a substrate; contacting a surface of said substrate with a solution comprising a mixture of more than one metal ion selected from the same group as listed above; or contacting said surface of said substrate with more than one solution comprising in each solution at least one metal ion selected from the same group; and applying a metal coating on said surface of said substrate. Moreover, the present invention refers to a method of making a metal coated article comprising: providing a substrate; contacting a surface of said substrate with a solution comprising a Bi metal ion, and applying a metal coating on said activated surface of said substrate. Furthermore an article obtainable by any of said methods, is claimed.
US08623458B2 Methods of directed self-assembly, and layered structures formed therefrom
A layered structure comprising a self-assembled material is formed by a method that includes forming a photochemically, thermally and/or chemically treated patterned photoresist layer disposed on a first surface of a substrate. The treated patterned photoresist layer comprises a non-crosslinked treated photoresist. An orientation control material is cast on the treated patterned photoresist layer, forming a layer containing orientation control material bound to a second surface of the substrate. The treated photoresist and, optionally, any non-bound orientation control material are removed by a development process, resulting in a pre-pattern for self-assembly. A material capable of self-assembly is cast on the pre-pattern. The casted material is allowed to self-assemble with optional heating and/or annealing to produce the layered structure.
US08623449B2 Method for producing laminated base material
A method for producing a laminated base material includes applying a liquid composition containing a solvent and a liquid crystal polyester to a substrate; and forming a covering material by removing the solvent. The substrate includes a conductor forming a circuit pattern on an insulating layer. The liquid composition covers the conductor. The polyester includes 30-50 mol % of (1), 25-35 mol % of (2), and 25-35 mol % of (3): -0-Ar1-00-  (1) —CO—Ar2-00-  (2) —X—Ar3—Y—  (3) wherein Ar1 is a phenylene or naphthylene group, Ar2 is a phenylene or naphthylene group, or (4), Ar3 is a phenylene group or (4), and X and Y each independently represent 0 or NH; and hydrogen atoms in Ar1, Ar2, or Ar3 are each substitutable with a halogen atom, or an alkyl or aryl group; —Ar11—Z—Ar12—  (4) wherein Ar11 and Ar12 each independently represent a phenylene or naphthylene group and Z represents 0, CO, or SO2.
US08623446B2 Ultraviolet activated antimicrobial surfaces
The invention is directed to an ion plasma deposition (IPD) method adapted to coat polymer surfaces with highly adherent antimicrobial films. A controlled ion plasma deposition (IPD) process is used to coat a metal or polymer with a selected metal/metal oxide. Exposing the coated surface to ultraviolet light significantly improves the antimicrobial properties of the deposited coatings.
US08623426B2 Composition for preventing or treating diseases caused by influenza viruses
The present invention relates to herbal medicine extracts useful in the prevention or treatment of diseases caused by influenza viruses, and to a pharmaceutical composition or health food comprising the extracts. The herbal medicine extracts of the present invention are derived from natural materials, and are safe for the human body, and can be used in preventing and treating and in relieving symptoms of diseases caused by various types of influenza viruses.
US08623424B2 Traditional Chinese medicinal compositions for treating depression, formulation thereof, method for preparing the same thereof
The present invention relates to a traditional Chinese medicinal composition for treating depression, which has a significant therapeutic effect and comprises as active components Fructus Gardeniae, Fructus Forsythiae, Rhizoma Pinelliae, and Cortex Magnoliae Officinalis. The present invention further concerns a method for the preparation of the composition, as well as a pharmaceutical formulation containing the composition.
US08623416B2 Formulations comprising aminosterols
This invention relates to stable aminosterol phosphate compositions. The aminosterol phosphate compositions permit administration without associated tissue damage and achieve a sustained release effect.
US08623412B2 Abuse-resistant pharmaceutical compositions
An abuse-resistant controlled release pharmaceutical composition comprising a pharmaceutically effective amount of discrete particles of an active capable of abuse, wherein surfaces of said particles are wetted with a water insoluble coating material, and preferably wherein said composition comprises a matrix, in which said particles are distributed, and which renders the abuse-capable compound within the matrix difficult to separate from the matrix; and a method for the preparation of a controlled release pharmaceutical composition having a reduced potential for abuse, comprising applying a pressure force to a mixture comprising a water insoluble material, and particles of a pharmaceutically active compound capable of inducing in a subject a reaction that is physiologically or psychologically detrimental if administered in an immediate release dosage form, thereby resulting in surface coated particles, and incorporating said surface coated particles into a pharmaceutical composition.
US08623407B2 Gabapentin-containing solid compositions and process for preparing the same
The present invention provides a stabilized solid composition containing a 4-amino 3-substituted-butanoic acid derivative which can be obtained by incorporating a humectant as a stabilizer.
US08623402B2 Non-starch-polysaccharides
The present invention relates to compositions of low molecular mass arabinoxylans for use as dietary supplements and to methods of improving growth performance and feed utilization of animals through the supplementation of their diets with the said compositions. In a preferred embodiment, the low molecular mass arabinoxylans are derived from natural sources, such as plant material and more preferably of cereals. They can be selected fractions of said natural arabinoxylans or can be obtained by acid and/or enzymatic depolymerization or fragmentation of said natural arabinoxylans or they can be structural analogues produced by chemical and/or physical processes.
US08623396B2 Compositions and methods for delivering clonidine and bupivacaine to a target tissue site
Effective treatments of pain for extended periods of time are provided. Through the administration of an effective amount of immediate release bupivacaine or lidocaine and a sustained release clonidine at or near a target site, one can relieve pain caused by diverse sources, including but not limited to spinal disc herniation (i.e. sciatica), spondilothesis, stenosis, discogenic back pain and joint pain. When appropriate formulations are provided within biodegradable polymers, this relief can be continued for at least three days. In some embodiments, the relief can be for at least twenty-five days, at least fifty days, at least one hundred days, at least one hundred and thirty-five days or at least one hundred and eighty days or longer.
US08623392B2 Allergen inactivating agent
An allergen inactivating agent for preventing allergic manifestations or alleviating symptoms by reducing antigenicity of an allergen through contact with the allergen includes dissolved chlorine dioxide as an active ingredient.
US08623377B2 Joint-homing peptides and uses thereof
The present invention provides peptides that home to a joint of an animal, wherein said peptide comprises an amino acid motif selected from the group consisting of NQR and ADK. Also provided are methods of treating a subject having an arthritic joint, comprising the step of administering to said subject a pharmacologically effective dose of a composition provided herein.
US08623369B2 Anti-ICAM-1 single domain antibody and uses thereof
Anti-ICAM-1 VHH single-domain antibodies (sdAbs) are generated by immunizing a llama with recombinant ICAM-1. These antibodies are linked to an imaging moiety for in vivo or ex vivo imaging of ICAM-1-related pathological conditions including atherosclerotic plaques. The antibodies may also be linked to a therapeutic agent to specifically target and treat ICAM-1-related pathological conditions.
US08623367B2 Antibody formulation
The present invention relates to novel pharmaceutical formulations, in particular novel pharmaceutical formulations in which the active ingredient comprises human antibodies to human interleukin I beta (IL-1β), in particular ACZ885 antibody, pharmaceutical formulations which are stable and aggregate-free upon storage and delivery.
US08623356B2 Demibodies: dimerization-activated therapeutic agents
The present invention relates generally to a set of synthetic immunointeractive molecules referred to herein as “demibodies” which are useful in targeting particular cells in a subject. More particularly, the present invention provides a set of demibodies wherein at least two molecules from within the set, each specific for a different antigen on a target cell, are required to interact together at the cell surface in order to form an active complex which directs demibody-mediated cellular or complement mediated cytotoxicity and/or reporter function and/or therapeutic activity. The demibodies of the present invention are useful in the targeting of particular cells such as cancer cells including leukemic cells, pathogens including malarial, bacterial and viral agents, and stem cells including embryonic and adult stem cells and pathogen cells. The present invention provides, therefore, methods of treatment, diagnosis and undertaking research and compositions comprising demibodies useful for same.
US08623352B2 Stabilized liquid and lyophilized ADAMTS13 formulations
The present invention relates to formulations of ADAMTS13 with enhanced or desirable properties. As such, the invention provides liquid and lyophilized formulations of ADAMTS13 that are suitable for pharmaceutical administration. Among other aspects, the present invention also provides methods of treating various diseases and conditions related to VWF and/or ADAMTS13 dysfunction in a subject. Also provided herein are kits comprising ADAMTS13 formulations useful for the treatment of various diseases and conditions.
US08623344B2 Structured depilatory compositions
Provided are compositions comprising a depilatory active; and a surfactant, wherein the composition has a Yield Stress of from about 1 Pascal (Pa) to about 1500 Pa, and methods of use thereof.
US08623342B1 Naturally derived citrate polyesters
The present invention is directed to a series of polymeric citrate esters that has very unique rheology properties. These materials find applications as additives to formulations in personal care products where there is a desire to have a structured film and flow properties. These compounds by virtue of their unique structure provide outstanding skin feel and outstanding waterproof properties in cosmetic formulations most notable sunscreens.
US08623332B2 Chewing gum having sustained release of nicotine
The present invention relates to a chewing gum having a high Surface Area to Volume ratio (SAV ratio), wherein said chewing gum comprises a water insoluble gum base matrix, a water soluble bulk portion and nicotine, wherein the gum base matrix, nicotine and the bulk portion are mixed and extruded to form a final extruded chewing gum product having a SAV ratio above 0.7, and wherein sustained release of nicotine is facilitated by adding 0.1-10% of C8-C10 triglycerides by weight of the chewing gum.
US08623330B2 Emollient foams for treatment of seborrheic dermatitis
Described herein are emulsions and compositions for the treatment of various dermatoses. The emulsions may be formulated as aerosol compositions. The aerosol propellant may be a hydrofluoroalkane propellant. Also described are methods of treating dermatoses, comprising the step of applying to an affected area of a subject in need thereof a therapeutically-effective amount of an inventive emulsion or aerosol composition. The dermatosis may be seborrheic dermatitis.
US08623327B2 Imaging agents for use in magnetic resonance blood flow/perfusion imaging
In one aspect, a method of imaging blood flow in a region of interest of a subject using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is provided. The method includes introducing an imaging agent into the subject, the imaging agent including a compound having at least one hyperpolarized nucleus having a T.sub.1 greater than 15 seconds and a water-octanol partition coefficient between −1 and 1, providing at least one excitation signal to the region of interest, the at least one excitation signal configured to invoke a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) effect at least in the introduced imaging agent, and detecting an NMR signal emitted by the region of interest in response to the at least one excitation signal. In another aspect, the imaging agent includes a carbon-13 enriched alcohol.
US08623324B2 Luminescent dyes with a water-soluble intramolecular bridge and their biological conjugates
Chemically reactive dyes that are intramolecularly crosslinked with a water-soluble bridge, their bioconjugates and their uses are described. Reactive fluorescent dyes that have a water-soluble bridge are superior to those of conjugates of spectrally non-crosslinked dyes or the dyes that are crosslinked with a hydrophobic bridge. The invention includes reactive fluorescent dyes, their biological conjugates and uses.
US08623320B2 Mg-Ti-Al composite metal hydroxide having a laminated structure, and a production method therefore
The present invention relates to a novel Mg—Ti—Al composite metal hydroxide and to production method therefor. Mg—Ti—Al composite hydroxide particles can be obtained by subjecting a solution containing a magnesium salt and a titanium salt to ultrasound processing and carrying out a high-temperature and high-pressure reaction with a solution containing an aluminum salt in the proportions of the metal elements comprised in the Mg—Ti—Al composite metal hydroxide, thereby giving the advantageous effects that the halogen capturing ability is excellent and, when used in a polymer, degradation and early-staining prevention properties and transparency are outstanding.
US08623318B2 Manufacture of high-strength, low-salt aqueous sodium hypochlorite bleach and substantially dry crystalline salt
A method for continuous manufacture of higher-strength, lower-salt, aqueous sodium hypochlorite bleach from lower-strength aqueous sodium hypochlorite bleach that has some sodium hydroxide and that is essentially free of sodium chloride (salt) crystals, aqueous sodium hydroxide solution having a concentration by weight within a range from about 45% to about 51%, chlorine in gas and/or liquid phase that may or may not include inerts, and a recycle solution. Slurry is withdrawn from the tank at a level below where the lower-strength bleach, the sodium hydroxide solution, the chlorine, and the recycle solution begin to mix with slurry already in the tank. A first portion of the slurry is withdrawn and used as the recycle solution. A second portion of the slurry is withdrawn and processed to separate substantially all salt crystals from residual liquid that is recovered as the higher-strength lower-salt, aqueous sodium hypochlorite bleach. The separation processes uses a pre-thickening tank, a hydrocyclone, and a two-stage centrifuge to recover substantially dry crystalline salt having at least 96% salt content.
US08623316B2 Combined solid waste, carbon dioxide quicklime sparging, brine water, and reverse osmosis/ion exchange processes for the production of soda chemicals
The proposed invention uses a classical chemical equation where carbon dioxide CO2 is reacted with quick lime Ca(OH)2 to produce soda carb NaHCO3 and concentrating it to 6% using advanced membrane and resin technology. The invention requires three chemicals CO2, Ca(OH)2, and sodium chloride NaCl to produce NaHCO3. The output of many industrial processes lacks waste heat and in many instances CO2 and the present invention combines a solid waste processing unit to the above processes which allows the production of solid products or high % liquors. Availability of waste heat sources can lead to high efficiency in NaHCO3, Na2CO3, and NaOH production. The process is not chloro-alkali electrochemical or Solvay column ammonia processing technique. Advanced membrane uses technologies of reverse osmosis and nanofiltration systems while resin technology uses ion exchange systems. Therefore, we conveniently call it the solid waste-quicklime membrane SWQM process.
US08623315B2 Methods for preparing compositions comprising ammonium nitrate double salts
Methods for the production of ammonium sulfate nitrate include (a) providing at a temperature of less than about 175° C. a melt including ammonium nitrate, ammonium sulfate, and water and the water content is greater than about 2 wt % based on the total weight of ammonium nitrate, ammonium sulfate and water in the melt, and (b) solidifying from the melt 1:2 ANS double salt by cooling at least a portion of the melt at a rate of less than about 100° C./min.
US08623310B2 Process for preparing monobasic pyrophosphate materials
The present invention relates to a process for preparing a material having the formula: (MxHy)+4(P207)−4: where M is a cation selected from the group consisting of monovalent cations, divalent cations, and trivalent cations; H is hydrogen, P2O7 is the pyrophosphate anion, and y is a number between 2.2 and 3.8; and x is a value sufficient to balance the overall charge of said compound comprising mixing and heating 105-112% polyphosphoric acid or pyrophosphoric and a compound having a monovalent metal cation or a compound having a divalent metal cation or a compound having a trivalent metal cation.
US08623295B2 Microfluidic system including a bubble valve for regulating fluid flow through a microchannel
A microfluidic system includes a bubble valve for regulating fluid flow through a microchannel. The bubble valve includes a fluid meniscus interfacing the microchannel interior and an actuator for deflecting the membrane into the microchannel interior to regulate fluid flow. The actuator generates a gas bubble in a liquid in the microchannel when a sufficient pressure is generated on the membrane.
US08623291B2 Multiple analyte assay device
The present invention relates to an assay device capable of testing for multiple analytes such as drugs using individual test strips for each analyte.
US08623287B2 Porous bodies and methods
Systems and methods for treating a fluid with a body are disclosed. Various aspects involve treating a fluid with a porous body. In select embodiments, a body comprises ash particles, and the ash particles used to form the body may be selected based on their providing one or more desired properties for a given treatment. Various bodies provide for the reaction and/or removal of a substance in a fluid, often using a porous body comprised of ash particles. Computer-operable methods for matching a source material to an application are disclosed. Certain aspects feature a porous body comprised of ash particles, the ash particles have a particle size distribution and interparticle connectivity that creates a plurality of pores having a pore size distribution and pore connectivity, and the pore size distribution and pore connectivity are such that a first fluid may substantially penetrate the pores.
US08623284B2 Photonic crystal microarray layouts for enhanced sensitivity and specificity of label-free multiple analyte sensing, biosensing and diagnostic assay
Methods and systems for label-free multiple analyte sensing, biosensing and diagnostic assay chips consisting of an array of photonic crystal microcavities along a single photonic crystal waveguide are disclosed. The invention comprises an on-chip integrated microarray device that enables detection and identification of multiple species to be performed simultaneously using optical techniques leading to a high throughput device for chemical sensing, biosensing and medical diagnostics. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US08623281B2 Electronic sensor for nitric oxide
Disclosed is a semiconductor device (1) for determining NO concentrations in fluids such as exhaled breath. The device (1) typically comprises a pair of electrodes (18) separated from each other to define a channel region (16) in an organic semiconductor (14), a gate structure (10) for controlling said channel region, and a receptor layer (22) at least partially overlapping said channel region, said receptor layer comprising a porphine or phtalocyanine coordination complex including a group III-XII transition metal ion or a lead (Pb) ion for complexing NO. Such a semiconductor device is capable of sensing NO concentrations in the ppb range.
US08623276B2 Method and system for sterilizing an electrosurgical instrument
An apparatus and method for use in sterilizing a surgical instrument is provided. The apparatus includes a surgical instrument that includes a housing having a shaft extending therefrom. The shaft includes one or more grooves defined therein that extends at least partially along the length thereof. The one or more grooves is configured to allow a sterilant passage therethrough. The apparatus also includes a jacket that encloses the shaft and allows the sterilant to travel along the one or more grooves.
US08623270B2 Dual outlet injection system
A dual outlet injector is disclosed for use in a dual lance or dual port desulfurization station, whereby reagent from a given injector vessel may be injected into two separate supply pipes respectively corresponding to the dual lances or dual ports. The dual outlet injector enables a desulfurization station to be configured comprising only one supply vessel for powdered magnesium reagent and only one supply vessel for a carrier reagent such as powdered lime.
US08623268B2 Production method for filament non-woven fabric
A production method for a filament non-woven fabric includes a) obtaining filaments having a crystallization temperature not exceeding 112° C. by melting a resin containing polyethylene sulfide as a main component which is not substantially copolymerized with trichlorobenzene; b) pulling and drawing fiber threads formed by discharging the melted resin from spinning nozzles at a spinning speed of at least 5,000 m/min and less than 6,000 m/min by an ejector disposed such that a distance between a bottom face of the spinning nozzles and a compressed air emission outlet of the ejector is 450-650 mm; c) collecting obtained filaments on a moving net, forming a non-woven web; and d) thermocompression bonding the obtained non-woven web using a heating roller.
US08623265B2 Conductive polymer foams, method of manufacture, and articles thereof
A method of manufacturing a polymer foam composite is described, the method comprising forming an article having a first surface and an opposite second surface from a precursor composition, the precursor composition comprising a polymer foam precursor composition, and a filler composition comprising a plurality of magnetic, electrically conductive particles; foaming the precursor composition to form a plurality of cells in precursor composition; applying a magnetic field to the foamed precursor composition, wherein the magnetic field is of a strength and applied for a time effective to align the electrically conductive, magnetic particles into mutually isolated chains between the first surface and the opposite second surface of the article; and solidifying the polymer foam precursor composition to provide a polymer foam composite having a density of about 1 to about 125 pounds per cubic foot and a volume resistivity of about 10−3 ohm-cm to about 103 ohm-cm at a pressure of 60 pounds per square inch. Polymer foam composites made by this method are also described, as well as articles formed therefrom.
US08623264B2 Device and method for processing light-polymerizable material for building up an object in layers
A method and a device for processing light-polymerizable material for the assembly of a mold, utilizing a lithography-based generative manufacturing technique wherein a layer of a light-polymerizable material, the material being located in at least one trough (4) having a particularly light-transmissive, horizontal bottom (6), is polymerized by illumination on at least one horizontal platform (12), the platform having a prespecified geometry and projecting into a trough (4), in an illumination field, wherein the platform (12) is displaced vertically to form a subsequent layer, light-polymerizable material is then added to the most recently formed layer, and repetition of the foregoing steps leads to the layered construction of the mold in the desired form, which arises from the succession of layer geometries. The invention is characterized in that the trough (4) can be shifted horizontally to a supply position, and the supply device (8) brings light-polymerizable material at least to an illumination field of the trough bottom (6), before the at least one trough (4) is shifted to an illumination position in which the illumination field is located below the platform (12) and above the illumination unit (10), and illumination is carried out.
US08623263B2 Process for curing a porous muffler preform
A process for curing a porous muffler preform defined by a plurality of glass fibers and a heat-curing thermoset or thermoplastic materials applied to the plurality of glass fibers is disclosed herein. The process includes the step of enclosing the muffler preform in a chamber. The process also includes the step of surrounding the muffler preform with steam. The process also includes the step of causing steam to enter the muffler preform from multiple directions.
US08623261B2 Transforming process
A method of preparing a thermoformed article which is relatively isotropic in terms of shrinkage of the final thermoformed article along the sheet extrusion flow path (the longitudinal direction) and the transverse direction. The article is prepared from an isotactic polypropylene produced by the polymerization of propylene with an isospecific metallocene catalyst. The polymer has a melt flow rate within the range of 1-5 grams/10 minutes and a melting temperature of no more than 160° C. The polypropylene is extruded to provide a sheet which is oriented in at least one direction and has a thickness of 10-100 mils. The sheet is heated to a temperature of 135-160° C, and thermoformed in contact with a template having the desired configuration to produce the thermoformed article. The thermoformed article is then cooled and retrieved from the template to arrive at the final product.
US08623246B2 Process of making a fibrous structure
Polymeric structures, methods for making same, fibrous structures comprising same and fibrous product incorporating same are provided.
US08623242B2 Particulate nanoparticles and nanowires of silver and method for large scale producing the same
Disclosed is a method suitable for large-scale producing silver nanostructures including nanoparticles and nanowires with high crystallization and purity in a short period of time. In this method, silver particles with mean diameter less than 200 nm and silver nanowires with length in micrometers are produced through a microwave-assisted wet chemistry method. Tens to hundreds grams of silver nanoparticles and nanowires are obtained in minutes by microwave irradiation treatment to a precursor pre-made by highly concentrated silver salt solution and other additives. These silver nanoparticles and nanowires have good dispersibility and are ideal for forming conductive adhesives.
US08623240B2 Method and apparatus for converting carbon monoxide and water into carbon dioxide and hydrogen, with removal of one or more products
A method for converting carbon monoxide and water into carbon dioxide and hydrogen, with simultaneous removal of one or more products, is described. The method includes the following steps: in a first reactor, carbon monoxide from the gas phase is bound in a first solvent and converted into formate, in a third reactor, formate is decomposed and resultant hydrogen H2 is removed, and in a second reactor a solid which is a hydrogen-carbonate salt or a carbonate salt is removed. The thermal decomposition of the solid and the expulsion of the carbon dioxide are carried out in an additional fourth reactor, optionally in a second solvent. Further presented is an apparatus for converting carbon monoxide and water into carbon dioxide and hydrogen, including a fourth reactor which thermally decomposes solids formed in the course of the reaction, and gives off carbon dioxide.
US08623232B2 Method and device for treating silicon wafers
A method and device for treating silicon wafers. In a first step, the silicon wafers (22) are conveyed flat along a continuous, horizontal conveyor belt (12, 32) and nozzles (20) or the like spray an etching solution (21) from the top onto the wafers to texture them, only little etching solution (21) being applied to the silicon wafers (22) from below. In a second step, the silicon wafers (22), which are aligned as in the first step, are wetted exclusively from below with the etching solution (35) to etch-polish them.
US08623230B2 Methods and systems for removing a material from a sample
The present method relates to processes for the removal of a material from a sample by a gas chemical reaction activated by a charged particle beam. The method is a multiple step process wherein in a first step a gas is supplied which, when a chemical reaction between the gas and the material is activated, forms a non-volatile material component such as a metal salt or a metaloxide. In a second consecutive step the reaction product of the first chemical reaction is removed from the sample.
US08623226B2 Making stacked pancake motors using patterned adhesives
A method of making a shaped electrical conductor (610, 630) includes providing a first sheet of metal (319) and applying a first and second thermoplastic adhesive pattern (311, 312) to a first and a second surface thereof. The second pattern is are fully justified with the applied first pattern. The first sheet is etched to remove metal not covered by the patterns so that no metal bridges remain between disconnected coated portions. A second sheet of metal (339) is provided and a third and fourth thermoplastic adhesive pattern (333, 334) is applied to a first and second surface thereof. The third and fourth patterns are fully justified. The second sheet is etched as for the first sheet. Contact regions (315, 335) in the second and third patterns are joined to form electrical contact between the first and second sheets.
US08623220B2 Synthesis of copper oxide-doped zinc-oxide nanoparticles and their use
A simple, room-temperature method of producing CuO-doped zinc oxide nanoparticles was established by reacting zinc nitrate hexahydrate, copper nitrate trihydrate and cyclohexylamine (CHA) at room temperature. These nanoparticles may be used for photocatalytic degradation of cyanide in aqueous solutions. The degradation of cyanide is effective because electrons transfer from the p-type copper oxide to the n-type zinc oxide.
US08623219B2 Fluid purification level control apparatuses and methods
Apparatuses and methods for level control in a fluid purification apparatus. The apparatuses and methods include a fluid purification apparatus and a level sensor that regulates operation of the fluid purification apparatus. The level sensor may further operate a bypass valve or a heater.
US08623218B2 Fluid purification pressure control apparatuses and methods
Apparatuses and methods for improved operation of a fluid purification apparatus. The fluid purification apparatus includes a pressure sensor to energize and de-energize one or more components of the fluid purification apparatus based on the pressure entering or in the fluid purification apparatus.
US08623217B2 Method for water treatment regeneration stage
Embodiments of the invention provide a method and system for providing a regeneration stage in a water treatment system. The method can include entering a first air bleed state to allow pressurized, deoxygenated air to exit the water treatment system, entering a second air bleed state to equalize a first air pressure of remaining deoxygenated air inside the water treatment system with a second air pressure outside the water treatment system, entering a backwash state to expel remaining deoxygenated air and particulates from inside the water treatment system, and entering an air draw state to allow oxygenated air to enter the water treatment system.
US08623212B2 Water treatment and revitalization system and method
A system and method are provided in at least one embodiment to filter water through a vortex leading into a disk-pack turbine having an expansion chamber and outlets into a discharge chamber that leads to at least one discharge port. In a further embodiment, the system includes an intake module, a vortex module, a disk-pack module, and a motor for driving the disk-pack turbine. The intake module brings water into the system and routes the water to the vortex module that speeds up the water into a vortex that flows into the disk-pack turbine that discharges into a discharge chamber that leads to at least one discharge port. The disk-pack turbine includes a plurality of disks that are spaced apart forming chambers between the disks that provide at least one passageway between the expansion chamber and the discharge chamber.
US08623206B2 Gravitational filter and liquid purification device
A system, that may be portable, for purifying liquid flowing gravitationally from a source/reservoir into a purified liquid receptacle is described. The system includes a housing with a generally horizontal filtering space. More than one liquid inlet disposed at a top portion of the filter is provided as well as one or more liquid outlets disposed at a bottom portion. The liquid flows in a generally lateral direction through the liquid treatment medium. Two or more first walls extending upwardly into the filtering space from a bottom wall thereof and ending with an apex are provided inside the device. One or more second walls downwardly extending into the filtering space from a top wall thereof are also provided. Each of the walls defines a closed path. The first and second walls jointly cause the liquid to flow in a curvilinear flow path from the inlet to the outlet. Apexes of the first walls may be defined such that each apex more distal along the liquid flow path is at a lower level than an apex of a first wall more proximal along the flow path. One or more venting ports may be formed at a top wall portion of the housing for releasing gas from the filter.
US08623204B2 Stormwater gully
A stormwater gully comprises a chamber in which an outlet assembly is installed. The outlet assembly comprises filter units connected to an outlet housing. In use, stormwater can flow from the chamber in an upwards direction through filter units into the outlet housing. The outlet housing has an outlet, which extends from the gully. At high rates of flow, the water level in the chamber will rise until water can flow into the outlet housing through bypass inlets. The bypass inlets are connected to the interior of the housing by siphons defined by arched regions of a top cover. The siphons allow rapid discharge of water until the water level returns below the level of the bypass inlets. A slow drain down feature is provided which enables the chamber and outlet assembly to be drained below the level of the primary inlet.
US08623199B2 Clay additive for reduction of sulfur in catalytically cracked gasoline
Compositions and processed for their use as additives for reducing the sulfur content of FCC gasoline employ a support material having deposited on its surface (a) a first metal component from Group IIB of the Periodic Table and (b) a second metal component from Group III or Group IV of the Periodic Table. The additive composition is preferably made of a montmorillonite clay support containing zinc and gallium, zinc and zirconium. Alternatively, the additive composition includes support material having deposited on its surface a metal component from Group III of the Periodic Table, preferably a montmorillonite clay support containing gallium. The clay is impregnated with the metal(s) using the known incipient wetness method and the dried powdered additive composition is preferably formed into shapes suitable for use in the FCC unit.
US08623189B2 Electrochemical gas sensor with an ionic liquid electrolyte system including at least one monoalkylammonium, dialkylammonium, or trialkylammonium cation
An electrochemical gas sensor includes an ionic liquid as electrolyte. The ionic liquid includes at least one cation selected from the group of a monoalkylammonium cation, a dialkylammonium cation, and a trialkylammonium cation. The individual alkyl groups of the cation can be branched or unbranched and have 1 to 4 carbon atoms. The individual alkyl groups of the cation can be the same or different in case of the dialkylammonium cation and the trialkylammonium cation. In a number of embodiments, the individual alkyl groups have 2 to 4 carbon atoms.
US08623184B2 Device for supporting a rotatable target and sputtering apparatus
It is provided a device for supporting a rotatable target of a deposition apparatus for sputtering material onto a substrate, wherein the device includes a drive unit for rotating the rotatable target; a ring-shaped part connected to the drive unit for attaching the drive unit to the rotatable target; and, a shield for covering the ring-shaped part. The shield is adapted for rotating together with the ring-shaped part and includes a plurality of parts assembled together. Furthermore, a sputtering apparatus and a method for supporting a rotatable target are provided.
US08623181B2 Seawater desalinization device
A seawater desalinization device includes a container portion and a heat conduction cover covering on the container portion. The container portion defines a receiving chamber and a slot. The receiving chamber is configured for receiving seawater, and the slot is defined around the receiving chamber for receiving fresh water evaporated from the seawater. The heat conduction cover defines a plurality of guiding slots facing the container portion for guiding the fresh water drop into the slot.
US08623162B2 Fabricating method of flexible display
A fabricating method of a flexible display device includes forming first and second jig substrates that have a first groove and a second groove formed in a lower part of an edge of the first groove; spreading an adhesive over the second groove; fixing first and second flexible substrates to the first groove and the adhesive; fabricating an upper array substrate on the first flexible substrate and a lower array substrate on the second flexible substrate; bonding the upper array substrate to the lower array substrate and injecting a liquid crystal; and peeling the first and second flexible substrates from the first and second jig substrates.
US08623160B2 Method of repairing an aircraft structure component
A method is provided for repairing an aircraft structural component which has a component fault in a portion adjoining a cavity of the aircraft structural component. The method includes removing a region of the aircraft structural component that has the component fault, introducing an expansion body into the cavity of the aircraft structural component through an opening that has been formed by the removal of the region of the aircraft structural component having the component fault, wherein the expansion body while being introduced into the cavity of the aircraft structural component is in a non-expanded state, converting the expansion body that has been introduced into the cavity of the aircraft structural component to an expanded state, and closing the opening by means of a repair material.
US08623157B2 Storage stable ANFO explosive compositions containing chemical coupling agents and method for producing same
An ANFO explosive composition includes a mixture of ammonium nitrate particles, an organic combustible fuel, and a chemical coupling agent having an aliphatic portion and an epoxy group. The chemical coupling agent may be selected from the group consisting of an epoxidized oil, an ester derivative of epoxidized oil and mixtures thereof. The use of such chemical coupling agents and a method of producing the ANFO explosive composition is also disclosed.
US08623155B2 Metastable beta-titanium alloys and methods of processing the same by direct aging
Metastable beta titanium alloys and methods of processing metastable β-titanium alloys are disclosed. For example, certain non-limiting embodiments relate to metastable β-titanium alloys, such as binary β-titanium alloys comprising greater than 10 weight percent molybdenum, having tensile strengths of at least 150 ksi and elongations of at least 12 percent. Other non-limiting embodiments relate to methods of processing metastable β-titanium alloys, and more specifically, methods of processing binary β-titanium alloys comprising greater than 10 weight percent molybdenum, wherein the method comprises hot working and direct aging the metastable β-titanium alloy at a temperature below the β-transus temperature of the metastable β-titanium alloy for a time sufficient to form α-phase precipitates in the metastable β-titanium alloy. Articles of manufacture comprising binary β-titanium alloys according to various non-limiting embodiments disclosed herein are also disclosed.
US08623154B2 Electron-beam welded joint, steel for electron-beam welding, and manufacturing method
An electron-beam welded joint including, by mass %, C: 0.02% to 0.1%, Si: 0.03% to 0.30%, Mn: 1.5% to 2.5%, Ti: 0.005 to 0.015%, N: 0.0020 to 0.0060%, O: 0.0010% to 0.0035%, Nb: 0% to 0.020%, V: 0% to 0.030%, Cr: 0% to 0.50%, Mo: 0% to 0.50%, Cu: 0% to 0.25%, Ni: 0% to 0.50%, B: 0% to 0.0030%, S: limited to 0.010% or less, P: limited to 0.015% or less, Al: limited to 0.004% or less, and a balance consisting of iron and unavoidable impurities, wherein an index value CeEB is 0.49% to 0.60%, a number of oxides having an equivalent circle diameter of 1.0 μm or more is 20 pieces/mm2 or less, and a number of oxides having an equivalent circle diameter of 0.05 μm or more and less than 0.5 μm is 1×103 pieces/mm2 to 1×105 pieces/mm2 at a thickness center portion.
US08623152B2 Reduction of entrance and exit marks left by a substrate-processing meniscus
A substrate is moved in a linear direction simultaneously between a processing face of an upper proximity head and a processing face of a lower proximity head. As the substrate is moved, a first meniscus of processing liquid is generated between the processing face of the upper proximity head and a top surface of the substrate, and a second meniscus of processing liquid is generated between the processing face of the lower proximity head and a bottom surface of the substrate. The first meniscus has a meniscus protrusion extending in the linear direction in which the substrate is moved and positioned on a trailing side of the first meniscus relative to the linear direction in which the substrate is moved. The meniscus protrusion is centered on the substrate relative to a diameter of the substrate as measured perpendicular to the linear direction in which the substrate is moved.
US08623150B2 Batch dishware washing machine with steam venting
A batch ware washing machine and/or related method of washing wares. The machine includes a moveable door which partially encloses a steam cavity. When the door is in the up or open position, hot moist air may be forcibly pulled from the steam cavity and into an exhaust plenum via an air inlet port that is strategically positioned above the top wall of the door when the door is in the closed position, but below the top wall when the door is in the open position. A controller causes the air to be forcibly pulled through the plenum for a predetermined exhaust time period, such as one minute, and then automatically stops the forced air exhaust movement. The exhaust plenum may be ducted directly to the outside of the surrounding building. The air conditioning load on the HVAC units serving the kitchen are reduced, thereby reducing energy consumption.
US08623149B2 Air wiping device
An air wiping device for cleaning an elongated product that passes through the air wiping device. The air wiping device includes a housing having an internal tubular passage through which the elongated product extends with the housing tubular passage having an inlet end and an outlet end for respectively receiving and passing the elongated product; a plurality of air outlets mounted in the housing and adapted to direct a flow of compressed air in a direction having a component in an opposite direction to the flow of the elongated product through the housing; and a ceramic insert disposed in the internal tubular passage of the housing and through which the elongated product passes. The ceramic insert includes a tapered input through which the elongated product is received and an output through which the elongated product passes from the housing.
US08623144B2 Apparatus for manufacturing large-area carbon nanotube films
An apparatus for manufacturing a large-area carbon nanotube film includes a reactor chamber, a helical-shaped substrate, and a supporter. The reactor chamber includes an inlet and an outlet. The inlet and the outlet are aligned on an axis of the reactor chamber. The helical-shaped substrate and the supporter are located wholly inside the reactor chamber. The supporter is moveable along the axis of the reactor chamber, and the helical-shaped substrate is supported by the supporter.
US08623139B2 Apparatus for producing polycrystalline silicon
An apparatus for producing polycrystalline silicon which heats a silicon seed rod in a reactor to which a raw material gas is supplied, and deposits polycrystalline silicon on the surface of the silicon seed rod, includes an electrode extending in a vertical direction to hold the silicon seed rod, an electrode holder having a cooling flow passage circulating a cooling medium formed therein, and inserted into a through-hole formed in a bottom plate of the reactor to hold the electrode, and an annular insulating material arranged between an inner peripheral surface of the through-hole and an outer peripheral surface of the electrode holder to electrically insulate the bottom plate and the electrode holder from each other.
US08623138B2 Crystal growth apparatus
A group-III nitride crystal growth method comprises the steps of: a) preparing a mixed molten liquid of an alkaline material and a substance at least containing a group-III metal; b) causing growth of a group-III nitride crystal from the mixed molten liquid prepared in the step a) and a substance at least containing nitrogen; and c) creating a state in which nitrogen can be introduced into the molten liquid prepared by the step a).
US08623136B1 Asymmetrical wafer configurations and method for creating the same
The present invention consists of a method for imparting asymmetry to a truncated annular wafer by either rounding one corner of the orientation flat, or rounding one corner of a notch. This novel method of rounding corners impart a visual and/or tactile asymmetry which can be utilized by a person in order to differentiate between the two different sides of the wafer. This inventive wafer design and method for making an asymmetric wafer is especially useful in the field of semiconductor technology and may be used on sapphire crystal wafers or any other class of wafer.
US08623131B2 Surface treatment agent and surface treatment method
Provided are a surface treatment agent that can effectively suppress pattern collapse of an inorganic pattern or resin pattern provided on a substrate, a surface treatment method using such a surface treatment agent, as well as a surface treatment agent that can carry out silylation treatment to a high degree on the surface of a substrate, and a surface treatment method using such a surface treatment agent. A surface treatment agent is used that is employed in hydrophobization treatment of a substrate surface and includes a silylation agent containing at least one compound having a disilazane structure and a solvent containing a five- or six-membered ring lactone compound.
US08623130B2 Sulphur cement pre-composition and sulphur cement product
A sulphur cement pre-composition, comprising sulphur, a first organosilane and a second organosilane, and a sulphur cement product comprising sulphur, a particulate inorganic material, a first organosilane and a second organosilane are disclosed. The first organosilane comprises one or more functional groups chosen from thiol, sulphide, amine or alkenyl groups. The second organosilane does not comprise any thiol, sulphide, amine or alkenyl groups. Processes for making the sulphur cement pre-composition and the sulphur cement product are also disclosed.
US08623128B2 Additives comprising cellulose ethers for ceramics extrusion
The present invention relates to extrudable ceramic masses and other masses which set as a result of baking or sintering, which masses comprise specific additives based on water-soluble cellulose ethers, an extrusion process, the extrudates and their use.
US08623120B2 Apparatus and method for recovery of sulfur hexafluoride
An apparatus and a method for recovery of sulfur hexafluoride is provided. Sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) may be separated with high-concentration and improved recovery ratio through a multi-stage separation and recovery processes using a plurality of separation membrane modules, and as well, SF6 gas may be concentrated to maximize the SF6 recovery ratio before the separation and recovery processes through the separation membrane modules. Furthermore, sulfur dioxide (SO2) and moisture included in the SF6 waste gas may be removed effectively so as to extend the service life of the separation membrane modules.
US08623114B2 Copper anode refining system and method
A method and system for the copper anode refining is provided in which coherent jet technology is employed to heat the molten blister copper and/or melt scrap copper charges using a melting flame, oxidize the sulfur in the molten blister copper, and reduce the oxygen in the molten blister copper using top-blown coherent jet gas streams from one or more multi-functional, coherent jet lance assemblies. The present system and method employs a microprocessor-based controller operatively controlling the flow of an oxygen-containing gas, an inert gas, a reducing agent and a fuel to the coherent jet lance. The disclosed copper anode refining system and method greatly improves copper production while lowering oxidation/reduction cycle times and minimizing NOx emissions.
US08623113B2 Metal component collection agent and method for collecting metal component
The present invention provides a metal component collection agent for collecting one or more metal components from a metal component-containing material; the agent containing, as an active ingredient, a compound containing one or more group 2 elements of the periodic table, or a compound containing one or more lanthanoid elements. The present invention further provides a method for collecting one or more metal components from a metal component-containing material; the method comprising heating the metal component-containing material and the metal component collection agent in such a manner that a metal vapor or metal oxide vapor produced by heating the metal component-containing material is brought into contact with the metal component collection agent. According to the present invention, metal components can be easily and efficiently collected from materials containing highly useful metal components such as noble or rare metal.
US08623110B2 Protein and isolated or purified amino acid product containing compositions and uses thereof
Compositions comprising a protein and an isolated or purified amino acid product, and uses thereof are disclosed.
US08623107B2 Gas hydrate conversion system for harvesting hydrocarbon hydrate deposits
In one embodiment, a gas hydrate conversion system is provided comprising a floating factory, an appendage for harvesting a gas hydrate from an oceanic hydrate deposit, and one or more storage tanks. The floating factory comprises one or more heat exchange assemblies, one or more heat pump assemblies and an engine. In another embodiment, a method for harvesting hydrocarbon hydrate deposits is provided, the method comprising providing a gas hydrate conversion system; inducing release of methane from an oceanic hydrate deposit; capturing the methane from a primary methane capture zone and/or a secondary methane capture zone; and converting the methane to hydrogen and carbon.
US08623106B2 Fluid reforming apparatus for maintaining thermal conductivity of a fluid in a flow channel
A fluid reforming apparatus of the present invention includes: a flow channel (30) in which a catalyst (1) is fixed to an inner wall; a fluid heating device (40) which heats a fluid to be reformed by the catalyst (1) and/or heats the catalyst (1) in the flow channel (30); catalyst temperature measuring devices (51, 52, 53, 54) which measure temperatures of the catalyst (1); and a pressure control device (10, 20, 60) which controls a pressure of the fluid in the flow channel so that the fluid can have a target pressure. The pressure control device (10, 20, 60) increases the target pressure when a difference between the temperatures of the catalyst (1) in a flow direction of the fluid exceeds a predetermined value during a period while the fluid in the flow channel (30) is being heated up to a target temperature.
US08623093B2 Sleeve for modular revision hip stem
The present disclosure provides a femoral prosthesis for use during a revision procedure. The femoral prosthesis includes a body, a neck, a stem, and a sleeve. The sleeve facilitates reattachment of an osteotomized proximal femur, specifically the greater trochanter, following a revision femoral prosthesis surgery involving an extended trochanteric osteotomy. Additionally, the sleeve promotes ingrowth of the osteotomized proximal femur with the sleeve.
US08623087B2 Intersomatic cage with unified grafts
An intervertebral cage includes a thin main wall having two return parts at opposite ends of the wall. The wall has an approximately constant thickness. The return parts are extended by facing end parts having a gap between them. The wall, the return parts and end parts delimit an inner cavity. The gap extends parallel to the wall and has a length between 50% and 100% of the cavity length. The gap length is preferably between 70% to 90% of the cavity length.
US08623070B2 Tapered helical stent and method for manufacturing the stent
A tapered helical implantation device for peripheral arteries and other body lumina of locally varying diameter, including struts connected by loops and shaped in a helical winding. The helical winding defines turns and, when expanded, has a first end with a first expanded circumference and a second end with a second expanded circumference greater than the first expanded circumference to form a stent tapering outward from the first end towards the second end. Bridges connect adjacent ones of the turns. The struts, the loops, and the bridges define a series of pores aligned along the helix, the pores having a substantially uniform pore size. The pores has a substantially similar area. The pore size limits a size of a particle that can pass therethrough. In particular, the pore size limits a size of a spherical particle that can pass therethrough.
US08623064B2 Stent graft delivery system and method of use
A stent graft delivery system including a tip assembly, a middle member tube, a sheath assembly, a threaded assembly, and a unitary endoseal. The tip tube is disposed in and longitudinally slideable within the proximal portion of the endoseal lumen, the middle member proximal end of the middle member tube is disposed in the distal portion of the endoseal lumen and fixed to the longitudinal cylindrical endoseal body, the first cylindrical portion of the transverse cylindrical endoseal body is disposed in the first sidewall port of the threaded assembly, the second cylindrical portion of the transverse cylindrical endoseal body is disposed in the second sidewall port of the threaded assembly, and the longitudinal endoseal cylindrical body is disposed in the threaded assembly lumen.
US08623063B2 Medical treatment apparatus using laser beams
Provided is a medical treatment apparatus using laser beams, which is used for treating arthritis, myositis, chronic pains and so on. A medical treatment apparatus using laser beams includes: a body; a main laser unit irradiating a main laser beam in a direction perpendicular to an area to be treated; a plurality of auxiliary laser units irradiating auxiliary laser beams to form a focus on a central axis of the main laser beam; and an angle adjustment unit adjusting a focal distance by rotating the auxiliary laser units. The medical treatment apparatus using laser beams is capable of easily varying the angle and distance of the focus of irradiated laser beams. In addition, a treatment effect can be enhanced by the laser beams having different intensities, and the absorption rates of the laser beams can be controlled based on the color of light which is separately irradiated onto the skin of an affected area.
US08623062B2 System and method to stablize a spinal column including a spinolaminar locking plate
A system adapted to be implanted in a patient to stabilize a spinal column of the patient comprises an anchoring plate having a shape generally conformal with at least a portion of a lamina associated with a targeted vertebra of the spinal column. The anchoring plate is securable to the targeted vertebra by two or more screws. A mounting bracket adapted to receive an secure a rod is connected with the anchoring plate.
US08623061B2 CAM lock pedicle screw
The present invention is directed to a pedicle screw fixation system which can be made for either posterior cervical, thoracic, lumbar spine, or elsewhere. With this type of system a surgeon can implant a pedicle screw system utilizing the same instrument set for an open or closed procedure. The system is designed to avoid cross threading and splitting of tulip heard by use of an outer threaded tulip and reducing donut. The system also provides the ability for superior angulation for hard to reach areas that are common in spinal procedures. The system allows for a bio-absorbable part (the reduction donut) that enhances fusion in the coming months after the procedure. With the elongate tulip portion of the system the user is able to avoid the need for other cannula type instruments; the need of additional parts; the need of additional instruments which could introduce bacteria into the patient and the need for fluoroscopy. The system is completely cannulated so as to permit a HOLDING wire driven procedure. The rods employed with these pedicle screws can be either flexible or rigid. Preferably a rod which is octagonal in cross section is employed with the system so as to prevent rotation in the tulip and slippage.
US08623059B2 System and method for dynamic vertebral stabilization
An intervertebral stabilization device and method is disclosed. The device preferably includes a planar spring enclosed within a housing. The housing is joined to an articulation component at either end, and the articulation components have couplings connectable to anchoring components which are securable to adjacent vertebrae. The planar spring can flex and retract providing relative motion between the adjacent vertebrae. The articulation components are ball and socket joints which allow the entire assembly to flexibly follow the curvature of the spine. A fusion rod with articulation components and couplings at either end may be substituted for the spring device. The couplings enable interchangeability between a fusion rod assembly and spring assembly, so that dynamic stabilization can occur at one vertebral level and fusion at the adjacent vertebral level. An overhung spring assembly with a sideways displaced housing which allows for a shorter pedicle to pedicle displacement is also disclosed.
US08623057B2 Spinal stabilization device
A flexible connection unit for use in a spinal fixation device that includes: a longitudinal member having first and second ends and a flexible member interposed between the first and second ends, at least one of the first end and second end configured to be engaged by a first bone securing member; and at least one spacer located between the first and second ends, the spacer comprising a resilient element and a ring element encircling at least a portion of the resilient element, wherein the ring element is configured to be engaged by a second bone securing member.
US08623053B2 Method and apparatus for spinal facet fusion
A spinal facet fusion implant includes an elongated main body having a distal end, a proximal end and a longitudinal axis extending between the distal end and the proximal end. The main body has a cross-sectional profile characterized by a primary axis and a secondary axis. At least one stabilizer extends radially outwardly from the main body in the secondary axis. The main body has a length along the primary axis that is less than the combined width of the spinal facets making up a facet joint. The stabilizer has a width that is sized to make a press fit into the gap between the spinal facets making up a facet joint.
US08623051B2 Tissue repair device
A tissue repair device includes a closed knotless loop of multifilament flexible material, and a fixation member having a structure that defines a cavity that receives at least a part of the closed loop. The tissue repair device may include a flexible member traversing the loop. The loop may include a portion in which ends of the multifilament flexible material are thermally fused together. The multifilament flexible material may be braided or twisted.
US08623046B2 Treatment for patients after removal of saphenous vascular material
A device and method for using the device is used for clotting volumes created postoperatively. The device is inserted into a cavity formed by removal of tissue or organ within a patient. The device may have a flexible tubing having a surface material; a blood clotting material enclosed within the surface material of the tubing; a guidewire associated with the device that when placed under tension, stabilizes the tubing radially or longitudinally; and the surface material of the tubing being removable from the enclosed blood clotting material while the guidewire is under tension.
US08623040B2 Phacoemulsification hook tip
In various embodiments, a phacoemulsification cutting tip with a straight shaft and an angled portion off of the straight shaft may include a hook on the angled portion to move an axis of rotation of the cutting tip closer to alignment with an extended centerline of the shaft. The cutting tip may be configured to torsionally rotate back and forth on an axis perpendicular to a centerline of the shaft (e.g., rotation around a y-axis). In some embodiments, lateral vibrations (e.g., side to side along an x-axis or z-axis perpendicular to the y-axis) that result from torsional rotation around the y-axis in a cutting tip without the hook may be reduced through use of the hook to balance the otherwise eccentrically weighted hook.
US08623037B2 System and method for making incisions for scleral eye implants
A system and method is disclosed for making incisions in the sclera of an eye to form a scleral pocket to receive a scleral prosthesis. The system and method comprises a surgical tool comprising a surgical blade for making incisions in the sclera of an eye. When a surgeon places the surgical blade on the sclera of the eye a pressure sensor in the surgical tool determines whether there is sufficient pressure between the surgical tool and the sclera of the eye for the surgical tool to operate properly. The surgeon activates the surgical tool to cause the surgical blade to advance through the sclera to form an incision having dimensions to receive a scleral prosthesis. When the incision is complete the surgical blade is rotated back out of the incision. The incision has the exact dimensions to receive a scleral prosthesis.
US08623022B2 Surgical instrument support system and method
Embodiments include a system for manipulating a portion of the spine. A support body provides support for extender sleeves that are coupled to bone screws implanted in bone. The extender sleeves are coupled to the support body in a manner that allows translation and rotation of the extender sleeves relative to the support body. Movement and rotation of the extender sleeves in selected directions can be allowed while movement and rotation in other directions can be inhibited. The extender sleeves can be manipulated to move the bone.
US08623015B2 Methods and devices for removing omental tissue
The invention relates to a method of treating obesity, insulin resistance and co-morbidities of these conditions by removing tissue from the abdomen. More specifically, it relates to a method of removing abdominal fat and omentum to which the fat is attached, in order to improve health. The invention includes a device for safely removing this tissue material.
US08623011B2 Magnetic surgical sled with locking arm
A surgical device comprises an ex vivo magnet and an in vivo sled magnetically attracted to the ex vivo magnet. The sled can be positioned and anchored within a patient by moving the ex vivo magnet. The sled defines a longitudinal axis. An arm extends from the sled. The arm being moveable relative the sled between a retracted position and an extended position. The arm comprises an end effector. A locking mechanism operatively connected to the arm to lock the arm in the retracted and extended positions. The mechanism may include a rack that both rotates about a pinion and translates tangentially about the pinion.
US08623005B2 Stent graft fenestration
A method for creating a channel through a foreign material located in a body of a patient, the foreign material defining a material first surface and a substantially opposed material second surface, the channel extending through the foreign material between the material first and second surfaces, the method using an apparatus including an electrode, the method comprising: positioning the electrode substantially adjacent to the material first surface; energizing the electrode with a radiofrequency current; and using the electrode energized with the radiofrequency current to deliver energy into the foreign material to create the channel, wherein the foreign material is included in a stent graft.
US08622995B2 Method for delivery of antimicrobial to proximal end of catheter
Systems, methods, and articles for delivering an antimicrobial composition into the lumen of a trans-dermal catheter and to proximal elements of the transdermal catheter are disclosed. In an embodiment, the system comprises an elongate member configured for insertion into a lumen of a catheter, the elongate member containing an antimicrobial. In an alternative embodiment, an antimicrobial composition placed on an interior surface a cap element, and transfers antimicrobial to the exterior of the proximal end of the transdermal catheter.
US08622976B2 Systems and methods for infusion of fluids using stored potential energy and a variable flow resistor
Systems and methods for infusion of fluids using stored potential energy and a variable flow resistor. In one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an infusion device that includes a plunger situated within a vessel so as to define a chamber within which a volume of fluid can be accommodated between a downstream surface of the plunger and the vessel. The infusion device further includes an outflow path through which the fluid in the chamber can be dispensed upon displacement of the plunger by a force acting thereon. A variable flow resistor is situated within the outflow path and is configured to allow a substantially constant fluid flow rate from the vessel to be maintained as the force acting on the plunger decreases.
US08622972B2 Peripheral catheter assembly and method of using it
A peripheral catheter assembly having a hollow catheter hub, a female proximal end, a distal end provided with a catheter tube, at least one infusion port located between the distal and proximal ends, a hollow needle module that includes a needle held by a male socket arranged to sealingly engage the female proximal end, and a sealing member engaged inside the catheter hub which serves for facilitating venipuncture without unintended splashing of blood. A sealing valve that includes a septum seal having a weakened portion surrounded by deflectable septum walls, and a hollow tubular extension which protrudes towards a free end from the periphery of the septum seal and extends inside the catheter hub past the infusion port towards the distal end of the catheter hub provide a self-closable sealing member which provide the physician the freedom to leave the patient when the needle module is retracted.
US08622970B2 Multi-lumen access port
An access device includes a body, a first tube, a second tube, and a mechanism. The first and second tubes extend through the body. The mechanism operably couples the first and second tubes such that at least one tube is pivotable about an axis with respect to the other tube. The body may form a substantially fluid-tight seal at the incision. In another embodiment, the access device further includes a third tube extending through the body and the mechanism operably couples the tubes together such that at least two tubes are pivotable about the axis with respect to the remaining tube.
US08622969B2 Trocar with retention cannula
A trocar comprises a retention cannula comprising an inverted or incised retention pattern disposed thereon. Embodiments of the incised cannula exhibit reduced tissue trauma compared with screw-threaded cannula, improved fixation and/or retention compared with an unthreaded cannula, and good sealing between the cannula and the incision.
US08622962B1 Safety syringe and method for using the same
A safety syringe that effectively prevents the administration of an injection in excess of a maximum injection pressure, and that provides a clear, immediate tactile feedback to the practitioner each time a maximum injection pressure is exceeded. The practitioner is provided a predetermined number of attempts to inject fluid without exceeding the maximum injection pressure, each time receiving a direct tactile feedback in the form of a ratcheting click within the plunger assembly of the syringe. After a final attempt, the next over-pressure event causes a disconnect between the thumb plate of the syringe and the piston that engages the fluid within the syringe barrel, positively prevent a potentially harmful injection. In an illustrative embodiment, the plunger assembly includes a distal portion connected to the piston and a proximal portion, connected to the thumb plate.
US08622954B2 Relay device for transferring information between a sensor system and a fluid delivery system
A relay device transfers information between a sensor system, which measures a physiological characteristic level of a user, and a fluid delivery system, which infuses a fluid into a user. The relay device includes a sensor system receiver for receiving communications from the sensor system in a sensor system format. The relay device also includes a processor for processing the communications from the sensor system and converting the communications for transmission in a delivery system format. The relay device further includes a delivery system transmitter for transmitting the converted communications in the delivery system format to the fluid delivery system. The sensor system and delivery system formats may utilize different frequencies and/or different communication protocols for communications transmitted between the sensor system and the fluid delivery system through the relay device.
US08622948B2 Anatomy support device
The invention is a support device for the male anatomy, comprising a pouch with an opening at the top for inserting the penis and testicles, a waistband to which the top front of the pouch is attached, and side straps. Each side strap is attached at one end to the waistband, and the side straps are attached at their other ends to substantially the same place on the top rear portion of the pouch.
US08622944B1 Modular articulating splint
A modular articulating splint includes flat slats; a covering that surrounds the slats and holds them in a fixed position spaced apart from each other so that adjacent slats can fold over atop one another to form a stacked deck of slats for storage; and a fabric hook-and-loop fastener for each slat so that the hook portion is affixed to the covering within the width of each slat on a first side and the loop portion is affixed to the covering within the width of each slat on the opposite side.
US08622932B2 Guidewire
An object of the present invention is to provide a guidewire having high safety and improved flexibility and rotation followability. This guidewire has an inner coil that surrounds a distal side portion of a core shaft, and an outer coil that surrounds the inner coil and the distal side portion of the core shaft. A front end of the outer coil and a front end of the inner coil are joined to a tip of the core shaft by a tip plug. Further, the guidewire has a coil joint that joins only the outer coil and the inner coil to each other. With this configuration, the flexibility of the inner coil is maintained. Moreover, rotation of a proximal side of the guidewire is transmitted to the inner coil not only from the core shaft but also from the outer coil. This leads to improvement in rotation followability.
US08622927B2 Mechanical tissue sample holder indexing device
A biopsy device comprises a probe assembly, a holster assembly, a tissue sample holder, and a manually operated rotation mechanism configured to rotate the tissue sample holder. The probe assembly comprises a cutter configured to sever a tissue sample. The tissue sample holder includes a plurality of tissue chambers configured to receive discrete severed tissue samples. The holster assembly comprises the non-motorized, manually operated rotation mechanism configured to allow a user to align consecutive chambers to successively collect discrete severed tissue samples. The tissue sample holder rotation mechanism may comprise a first button, a first lever, a first pawl, a first ratchet, an indexing shaft, and a first gear, which are all configured to, ultimately, rotate a tissue sample holder. The tissue sample holder rotation mechanism may alternately include thumbwheels, a worm gear, or a ratcheting lever, among other things.
US08622926B2 Tetherless biopsy device
A biopsy device comprises a body, a needle, and a cutter operable to sever tissue protruding through a lateral aperture of the needle. A vacuum pump is in fluid communication with the cutter. A fluid pump is in fluid communication with the needle. A fluid pump actuation assembly is operable to actuate the fluid pump to deliver a bolus of fluid to the needle based on movement of the cutter. A valve assembly responsive to cutter movement is operable to selectively couple the needle with the fluid pump, couple the needle with atmospheric air, or seal the needle relative to the fluid pump and atmospheric air. The fluid from the fluid pump and atmospheric air cooperate with the vacuum to urge severed tissue samples proximally through the cutter. Components operable to actuate the cutter and the fluid pump include coaxial lead screws having different pitch diameters.
US08622917B2 Electronic sphygmomanometer
An electronic sphygmomanometer has a causing unit that causes a constant volume change in a cuff and a causing processing unit for controlling a drive of the causing unit for a period for which a first pressure control (for example, depressurization control) is made so as to execute a process for giving a constant volume change to the cuff. Further, the electronic sphygmomanometer includes a measurement control unit that controls based on a cuff pressure signal measurement of a pulse wave amplitude and a pressure change property with respect to the volume change. The electronic sphygmomanometer includes a correction processing unit that corrects the measured pulse wave amplitude based on the measured pressure change property and a blood pressure calculating unit that calculates a blood pressure value based on the corrected pulse wave amplitude.
US08622916B2 System and method for facilitating observation of monitored physiologic data
Present embodiments are directed to a system and method capable of detecting and graphically indicating physiologic patterns in patient data. For example, present embodiments may include a monitoring system that includes a monitor capable of receiving input relating to patient physiological parameters and storing historical data related to the parameters. Additionally, the monitoring system may include a screen capable of displaying the historical data corresponding to the patient physiological parameters. Further, the monitoring system may include a pattern detection feature capable of analyzing the historical data to detect a physiologic pattern in a segment of the historical data and capable of initiating a graphical indication of the segment on the screen when the physiologic pattern is present in the segment.
US08622910B2 System and method of aquiring blood-vessel data
A system and method is provided for substantially synchronizing the acquisition of blood-vessel data to an identifiable portion of heartbeat data. Specifically, a data-gathering device is adapted to acquire heartbeat data and blood-vessel data from a heart-monitoring device and a data-gathering probe, respectively. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the blood-vessel data is acquired during a cyclical portion of the heartbeat data. By identifying a cyclical (or commonly reoccurring) portion of the heartbeat data and acquiring blood-vessel data during this cyclical portion (or during an interval that substantially corresponds thereto), the blood vessel can be analyzed as if it were standing still—i.e., not expanding and relaxing. In one embodiment of the present invention, the heart-monitoring device includes an EKG device, the data-gathering device includes an intra-vascular ultrasound (IVUS) device and a computing device, and the data-gathering probe includes at least one transducer. In another embodiment of the present invention, the data-gathering system further includes a retraction device adapted to move the data-gathering probe though a blood vessel at a substantially steady speed.
US08622909B1 Method of locating the position of a microcalcification in a human breast
This invention relates to diagnostic and screening medical ultrasound in general and to ultrasound-stimulated detection and location, Image-based Dynamic Ultrasound Spectrography, Acoustic Radiation Force Imaging, and similar modalities in particular. In this invention, an ultrasound signal is emitted into tissue and the resulting radiation force induces localized lower frequency oscillations, which are then received by various acoustic sensors and analyzed to determine certain features or characteristics of the interrogated region. The sensors can be arranged in the form of a ring, in any random arrangements, or positioned in specifically chosen locations. An ultrasonic imaging and excitation transducer generates certain stimulating signals which are received by the breast tissues and which, if they contact a microcalcification, other target, or any region with sharply different mechanical and visco-elastic properties, will result in reflected, demodulated, or re-radiated signals. These signals will propagate away from the targets and detected by the various receiving sensors.
US08622907B2 Biopsy system with integrated imaging
A biopsy system is disclosed that has a tissue removal system, an imaging system, an image display system and a common input console for these systems. The tissue removal system can have a mechanical tissue cutting blade or an electrosurgical cutting element and the tissue removal system is capable of handling both tissue cutting configurations. The imaging system is preferably an ultrasound imaging system and the image display system has a video screen for displaying diagnostic ultrasound images from an ultrasound probe. The common input console preferably has a touch screen display and a keyboard to facilitate operation of the tissue removal system, the ultrasound imaging system and the image display system from the same console.
US08622903B2 Continuous glucose monitoring system and methods of use
A continuous glucose monitoring system including a sensor configured to detect one or more glucose levels, a transmitter operatively coupled to the sensor, the transmitter configured to receive the detected one or more glucose levels, the transmitter further configured to transmit signals corresponding to the detected one or more glucose levels, and a receiver operatively coupled to the transmitter configured to receive transmitted signals corresponding to the detected one or more glucose levels, and methods thereof, are disclosed. In one aspect, the transmitter may be configured to transmit a current data point and at least one previous data point, the current data point and the at least one previous data point corresponding to the detected one or more glucose levels.
US08622895B2 Electric bending endoscope
In the present invention, a logical block of an FPGA is configured by a serial communication unit, a serial communication control portion, an EEPROM controller, an abnormal signal processing portion, an LED controller, an operation mode controller, a DPRAM, a clutch signal input portion, a jig substrate input output portion, a RAM, a motor controller, a motor drive waveform generating portion, an RL (right and left) motor current F/B portion, a UD (up and down) motor current F/B portion, a potentiometer control portion, a thermistor control portion, an RL encoder control portion, a UD encoder control portion, and an FPGA block abnormality monitoring portion.
US08622872B2 Method and control system for opening the drivetrain of a motor vehicle
A system and method for selectively opening a drivetrain of a vehicle is described. In one example, an electrically operated clutch is opened during selected driving conditions to conserve kinetic energy of the vehicle. The method may reduce fuel consumption during selected conditions.
US08622870B2 In-vehicle power transmission device and driving system for vehicle
An in-vehicle power transmission apparatus is equipped with a plurality of power split rotors and a power transmission control mechanism. The power split rotors work to split power among a rotary electric machine such as a motor-generator, an internal combustion engine, and a driven wheel of the vehicle. If rotational energy, as outputted from the power split rotors, is defined as being positive in sign, the power split rotors are so assembled that when the power transmission control mechanism establishes transmission of the rotational energy that is positive in sign as the power from a first rotor that is one of the power split rotors to the internal combustion engine, the other power split rotors are so linked as to provide output rotational energies which are opposite in sign to each other. This enables the speed of the first rotor to be placed at substantially zero.
US08622865B2 Speed change mechanism
A speed change mechanism 1 includes first and second planetary gear sets 11, 12 enclosed within a sleeve ring 14. A first one-way clutch 141 transmits drive from an output 114 of the first gear set to the sleeve ring and second one-way clutch 142 transmits drive from an output 124 of the second gear set to the sleeve ring, both clutches operating in the same direction. A DC electric motor 2 is coupled to an input 111 of the first gear set to drive its output 114 in the opposite rotary direction to the input. The output 114 of the first gear set is coupled to an input 121 of the second gear set to drive an output 124 of the second gear set in the opposite rotary direction from the output 114 of the first gear set. Drive is transmitted to the sleeve ring 14 either through the first gear set 11 only or through a combination of the first and second gear sets 11, 12 depending on the direction of rotation of the power input to provide two different gear ratios.
US08622860B2 Method and apparatus for transferring power between a flywheel and a vehicle
A vehicle driveline and a method for transferring energy from a flywheel is provided. The vehicle driveline includes a power source, a clutch drivingly engaged with the power source, a transmission drivingly engaged with the clutch, a power transmission device drivingly engaged with one of the power source, the clutch, and the transmission, a controller in communication with the power transmission device, and a flywheel drivingly engaged with the power transmission device. The power transmission device facilitates a transfer of energy from the flywheel to one of the clutch and the transmission. The power transmission device also facilitates a transfer of energy from one of the power source, the clutch, and the transmission to the flywheel. The controller directs the transfer of energy to and from the flywheel.
US08622859B2 Systems and methods for hybridization of a motor vehicle using hydraulic components
A system for hydraulic hybridization of a motor vehicle according to embodiments of the present invention includes a planetary gear mechanism including a first, second, and third planetary member and planet gears, wherein one of the first, second, and third planetary members is a sun gear, one is a ring gear, and one is a carrier; an engine, the engine including a crank shaft; a transmission, the transmission including a transmission input shaft; and a hydraulic pump/motor, the pump/motor including a pump shaft; and wherein the first planetary member is mechanically coupled to the pump shaft, wherein the second planetary member is mechanically coupled to the crank shaft, wherein the third planetary member is mechanically coupled to the transmission input shaft, and wherein the hydraulic pump/motor is not part of a hydrostatic transmission system.
US08622839B1 Enhancing user experience by presenting past application usage
Disclosed are various embodiments for enhancing the experience of a user with an application by presenting past usage of the application. An application is executed in a hosted environment in one or more computing devices. Multiple input commands are obtained from a client, and the input commands are provided to the application. A video signal generated by the application is encoded into real-time content, which is sent to the client. Recorded content from a library of recorded content is sent to the client. Each recorded content presents a past usage of the application.
US08622836B2 Use of wireless signal strength to determine connection
A gaming system compatible with patron-controlled portable electronic devices, such as smart phones or tablet computers, is described. The gaming system is configured to detect the presence of portable electronic devices and to determine whether to initiate a wireless communication session with the portable electronic device based on the strength of the signal received from the portable electronic device. If the signal strength exceeds a minimal threshold level, thereby indicating the portable electronic device is near a gaming device, a wireless communication session can be initiated. The signal strength transmitted from the portable electronic device can be monitored during a game play session to determine whether the wireless communication session should remain active or be terminated.
US08622822B2 Gaming machine, gaming information authentication and acquisition device, and gaming information acquisition device
A gaming machine includes a gaming operation execution device, a loading device and a processing device. The gaming operation execution device executes gaming operations. The loading device includes a connector for connecting a storage medium which stores gaming information, a program memory for storing an authentication program, and a processor for authenticating the gaming information with the authentication program. The processing device is connected to the loading device and includes a readable and writable memory, a reading unit for reading out the gaming information authenticated by the processor, a writing unit for writing the gaming information to the readable and writable memory, and an operation control unit for controlling the gaming operation execution device.
US08622815B2 Authorizing and managing wagering agent accounts
Described herein are processes and devices that authorize and manage wagering agents and associated accounts. One of the devices described is a wagering game system. The wagering game system can detecting a request from a first player account to utilize a shared wagering fund to wager on a wagering game. The shared wagering fund can be funded by a second player account. The wagering game system can make the shared wagering fund available to the first player account to wager on a wagering game. The wagering game system can determine a game award produced by the wagering game. The system can then allocate a portion of the game award to the second player account.
US08622811B1 Wagering game with a guaranteed but variable bonus payout
A gaming system and method includes one or more input devices, display devices, processors, and memory devices. The memory device(s) store instructions that, when executed by the processor(s), cause the gaming system to receive an input indicative of a wager for a base wagering game, initiate the base wagering game, initiate a bonus game, and establish a minimum bonus payout threshold for the bonus game. At least one bonus game outcome is determined for the bonus game. An aggregate award is determined for the at least one bonus game outcome. In response to the aggregate award being greater than the minimum bonus payout threshold, the aggregate award is awarded. In response to the aggregate award being less than the minimum bonus payout threshold, the aggregate award is awarded plus a supplemental award. The supplemental award is equal to the difference between the minimum bonus payout threshold and the aggregate award.
US08622810B2 Gaming machine with replacement of runs of symbols containing identical symbols with new identical symbols
A gaming machine comprising a processor configured to execute a game displaying a matrix of symbol containing elements having a plurality of rows and a plurality columns; at least one column of said matrix comprising a portion of a simulated rotatable reel of a plurality of said symbol containing elements; said simulated rotatable reel comprising sections of symbol containing elements displaying a plurality of symbols; said simulated rotatable reel including at least one section in which a consecutive run of two or more of said symbol containing elements is populated by a first identical symbol so that, said first identical symbol being used for a first play of said game, a second identical symbol being randomly selected, the first identical symbol being replaced by the second identical symbol in said consecutive run of two or more of said symbol containing elements, said second identical symbol being used for a second play of said game.
US08622809B1 Gaming system and method providing a multiplay game with resultant symbols
Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a gaming system and method providing a multiplay game with resultant symbols. The game is associated with a plurality of reel sets each including a plurality of reels. Each reel is associated with one or more symbol display areas. For each reel set, each symbol display area associated with a reel of that reel set is associated with a symbol display area associated with one of the reels of each other reel set. The gaming system independently generates and displays certain of the symbols on the reels of the respective reel sets at the corresponding symbol display areas. If associated symbol display areas display symbols having a designated relationship with one another, the gaming system forms a resultant symbol from those symbols. The gaming system determines any awards based on the resultant symbols and not based on any non-resultant symbols.
US08622806B2 System gaming
A system provides a player tracking system and system gaming apparatus for playing non-base games by funding the credit side of a gaming cycle. The system further includes at least one gaming device having a base game. The player tracking system and system gaming apparatus includes a player tracking user interface. The player tracking user interface provides a player with an opportunity to select and play a non-base game that may be promotional-funded or player-funded.
US08622802B2 Gaming machine and gaming method
A gaming machine according to an embodiment includes a symbol display and a controller. The symbol display configured to display an arrangement and a rendering movement of a plurality of symbols for a game, and the plurality of symbols including first and second symbols different from each other. The controller is configured to receive an input from a player, to determine whether a time of the input from the player is within a predetermined time duration during the rendering movement when the rendering movement satisfies a first condition, the predetermined time duration starting at a predetermined frame before the first symbol reaches at a predetermined position, and to stop a group of the symbols including the first symbol in response to the input from the player when the time of the input is within the predetermined time duration.
US08622798B2 Method of and system for conducting multiple contests of skill with a single performance
A method of and system for conducting multiple competitions of skill for a single performance are described herein. User generated competition groups and system generated competition groups allow users to participate in multiple competitions at once based on answering the same questions or making the same selections related to a single event. The users are informed of each competition either via email, text message or when logging into the network via a website. The users select which competitions groups to join. After joining the desired groups, the users then make their selections related to the event which are transmitted to the network where results are tabulated and transmitted back to the users. The results are separated based on each competition group, so that users can continually know where they stand in each separate competition. With multiple competition groups, users are able to have varying success from the same performance in multiple competitions.
US08622795B2 System and method for gathering and analyzing objective motion data
The systems and methods described herein attempt to provide data capture and analysis in a non-intrusive fashion. The captured data can be analyzed for qualitative conclusions regarding an object's actions. For example, a system for analyzing activity of an athlete to permit qualitative assessments of that activity comprises a first processor to receive activity-related data from sensors on the athlete. A first database stores the activity-related data. A second database contains pre-identified motion rules. A second processor compares the received activity-related data to the pre-identified motion rules, wherein the second processor identifies a pre-identified motion from the pre-identified motion rules that corresponds to the received activity-related data. A memory stores the identified pre-selected motion.
US08622793B2 Player made tournament application and method
Some embodiments of invention provide a method for creating a player made tournament. The method can comprise displaying a tournament creation page including a plurality of variables and at least one option for each of the plurality of variables. Some embodiments further provide receiving the at least one option for each of the plurality of variables. In some embodiments, operational parameters of the player made tournament can substantially comprise the at least one option for each of the plurality of variables received. Some further embodiments provide processing the operational parameters to create a player made tournament, and then displaying the player made tournament on a tournament main page.
US08622787B2 CMP pad dressers with hybridized abrasive surface and related methods
The present invention provides CMP pad dressers and methods for dressing or conditioning CMP pads. In one aspect, a method for conditioning a CMP pad can include cutting the CMP pad with superabrasive cutting elements and controlling a degree of contact between the CMP pad and the cutting elements using control elements. The degree of contact is established through placement of the control elements relative to the cutting elements.
US08622786B2 Interchangeable sanding system
An embodiment of the present invention is directed to a multi-purpose sanding system. The sanding system includes a motor, a drive mechanism in mechanical communication with the motor, and a plurality of interchangeable sanding devices. Each of the interchangeable sanding devices is interchangeably coupleable with the drive mechanism.
US08622780B2 Light-emitting element, light-emitting device, and vapor deposition apparatus
To provide a light-emitting element and a light-emitting device which can be designed and manufactured with redundancy. A light-emitting element of the invention includes a pair of electrode, and a layer containing a light-emissive substance between the pair of electrodes. The layer containing a light-emissive substance includes a layer containing a composite material, and the layer containing a composite material includes an organic compound and an inorganic compound. The concentration ratio of the organic compound to the inorganic compound changes periodically. The layer containing a composite maternal can be changed in electrical characteristics without changing the composition ratio of the organic compound to the inorganic compound in the layer or changing the kind of compounds used for the layer.
US08622778B2 Programmable automatic docking system
A programmable automatic docking system for a marine vessel, wherein the programmable automatic docking system includes a set of starboard side transducers and a set of port side transducers to detect and transmit real-time distance, position and velocity information of the marine vessel in relation to an external object. A programmable processor control unit receives the real-time distance, position and velocity information to control a set of propulsion elements to automatically control the marine vessels direct path of travel toward an external object and maintain the marine vessel at a pre-selected distance once the pre-selected distance is reached.
US08622777B1 Systems and methods for controlling trim and maneuvering a marine vessel
Systems and methods for maneuvering a marine vessel limit interference by the hull of the vessel with reverse thrust. A marine propulsion device provides at least a reverse thrust with respect to the marine vessel. The propulsion device is vertically pivotable into a trim position wherein the hull does not impede or interfere with the reverse thrust. A control circuit controls the propulsion device to move into the trim position when the reverse thrust of the propulsion device is requested.
US08622768B2 Connector with capacitively coupled connector interface
A connector with a capacitively coupled connector interface for interconnection with a female portion is provided with an annular groove, with a sidewall, open to an interface end of the female portion. A male portion is provided with a male outer conductor coupling surface at an interface end, covered by an outer conductor dielectric spacer. The male outer conductor coupling surface is dimensioned to seat, spaced apart from the sidewall by the outer conductor dielectric spacer, within the annular groove, when the male portion and the female portion are in an interlocked position, secured by a releasable retainer dimensioned to secure the male portion and the female portion in the interlocked position.
US08622758B2 Rotatable plug and power supply device having the rotatable plug
A rotatable plug includes a casing unit having a first casing part and a second casing part with a pair of receiving spaces, a pair of conductive terminals respectively having conductive sections, and a rotatable unit including a pivot shaft, a pair of conductive prongs connected transversely to the pivot shaft, and a pair of conductive protrusions protruding out from the pivot shaft. The rotatable unit is rotatable relative to the casing unit between non-use and use positions, where the conductive prongs are accommodated in and extend out of the receiving spaces, respectively. Each conductive protrusion has at least two points of contact with the conductive section of a respective conductive terminal.
US08622752B2 Probe-card interposer constructed using hexagonal modules
Apparatus and methods for fabricating an interposer that may be used in testing a large number of electronic circuits or devices in parallel. The interposer may be fabricated from a plurality of modules that may be assembled into a selected shape, such that the assembled modules substantially fill the selected shape, e.g., a circle approximately the size of a semiconductor wafer. The plurality of modules may be formed from a single base shape (e.g., formed from a single injection mold). A portion of the formed modules may be machined into a first machined shape, or first and second machined shapes. The assembled modules may include only the base shape and first machined shape or first and second machined shapes. The limited number of shapes can reduce fabrication costs for an interposer.
US08622745B2 Visual stimulous game
An aid is disclosed for a trainer teaching a student motor skills. A magnetically-inert shield receives a magnetically-inert screen fixed to the front side thereof. A token has a magnetically-attractive material, and a token controller has a first magnet, such that the token controller may be used to move the token around on the screen when the token controller is pressed up against the rear side of the shield. One of the screens may include at least one raised portion raised off of the front surface of the screen a distance sufficient to receive the token thereunder. Various activities and games may be played with the aid, revolving primarily about the student trying to grasp a token that is moved by the trainer about the screen.
US08622743B2 Wagering game training tool for wagering systems
A wagering game system and its operations are described herein. In some embodiments, the operations can include initiating, at a gaming machine, an analysis mode of a wagering game training tool associated with a wagering game, and determining when a player has played a predefined number of rounds of the wagering game. The operations can also include determining a skill level associated with the player for one or more areas of skill associated with the wagering game based, at least in part, on the predefined number of rounds played by the player. The operations can further include identifying an area of skill associated with the wagering game where the skill level associated with the player is less than a predefined skill level, and initiating a training mode of the wagering game training tool to improve the skill level associated with the player in the identified area of skill.
US08622727B2 Apparatus and method for portioning food
A device and a method for portioning food, in particular meat, into portions with a predetermined weight and/or predetermined thickness are proposed. To this end a press unit (1) with at least two elongated press chambers (3a, 3b) and with respectively one closure element (5a, 5b) per press chamber (3a, 3b), a closure element drive (7) in order to displace the closure element (5a, 5b) in the press chamber (3a, 3b) and to adjust the cross section of the press chamber (3a, 3b), at least one pressure ram (8) for the press chambers (3a, 3b), which is equipped with a pressure ram drive (38) in order to displace the pressure ram (8) in the longitudinal direction of the press chamber (3a, 3b), a portioning plate (2) with several portioning chambers (9), a portioning plate drive (12) in order to move the portioning plate (2) relative to the press unit (1), a cutting element between the press unit (1) and the portioning plate (2) and a cutting element drive (34) in order to move the cutting element relative to the press unit (1) are provided.
US08622716B2 Oil-cooled air compressor
In an oil-cooled air compressor for controlling a temperature of a lubricant by changing a flow rate of a cooling medium supplied to a heat exchanger for the lubricant, for obtaining an energy saving effect by variable control of the flow rate of the cooling medium and preventing securely a condensed water from occurring in a compressor unit even when an exhaust duct is arranged inappropriately, a lubricant flow rate adjustor is arranged to measure a temperature of the lubricant and decreasing a flow rate of the lubricant supplied to the heat exchanger so that the lubricant temperature becomes T1 to satisfy T0>T1≧TD when T0 is a control temperature of the lubricant and TD is a condensed water occurrence critical temperature at which a condensed water occurs in the compressor.
US08622714B2 Pressure exchanger
A pressure vessel provided with a first port acting as a high pressure inlet of a first stream and a second port acting as a high pressure outlet. A rotatable valve element is located in the center of the machine. In operation, a fluid stream is introduced to the machine at high pressure where it then passes through the open ports of the valve element and into flow distributor causing upward displacement of a first duct piston, resulting in pressurization and flow of a second fluid. At the same time the second fluid is introduced to the machine at low pressure and flows into the pressure exchange duct, causing downward displacement of a second duct piston and resulting in flow of the first fluid below the duct piston, which then flows into the lower flow distributor, into the valve element, and then out of the pressure vessel.
US08622710B2 Wind turbine component having an electrical line embedded in a laminate and method for making the same
A wind turbine component has a laminate of fibrous material and plastic and an electrical line embedded in the laminate, wherein a profile is arranged on a lateral surface of the electrical line, the profile counteracting the formation of a hollow space or plastic nest between the lateral surface and a fibrous material layer which covers an upper side of the electrical line during the manufacture of the laminate.
US08622709B2 Wind turbine blade and wind power generator using the same
A wind turbine blade using a core member that is light and low-cost while maintaining strength and a wind power generator using the same are provided. A wind turbine blade (9) is formed of a fiber-reinforced plastic skin (13). The skin (13) or a main beam (15) uses a core member (39) formed integrally of fiber layers (55) arranged so as to intersect in plan view and each penetrate in the thickness direction to constitute flow paths for resin and plastic foam members (57) filling spaces between the fiber layers (55), in such a manner that the fiber layers (55) are impregnated with the resin.
US08622705B2 Device for adjusting the blade pitch of a wind generator
The device is intended to adjust the pitch of blades or propellers which are articulately coupled by means of end supports inside radial bearings which are solidly joined to a rotating head-piece of a wind generator. This adjustment may be performed either actively or passively. It is characterized in that the rotating head-piece incorporates a linear actuator (1), such as a cylinder, the shaft of which is connected to a crosspiece (14), the latter being associated with intermediate mechanisms connected to the end supports (7) of the blades (6) so as to vary the pitch thereof when the crosspiece (14) moves, being driven by the shaft of the cylinder.
US08622702B1 Turbine blade with cooling air inlet holes
A turbine rotor blade with a root section having a cooling air feed hole opening onto a bottom surface of the root section of the blade. The feed hole includes a clam shell shape with a forward side wider than an aft side of the feed hole, and the feed hole is sloped upward from the forward side to the aft side to form a scoop so that cooling air flowing along a live rim cavity in a rotor disk will more easily flow into the feed holes with less loss of pressure.
US08622699B2 Device adapted to be fitted with propeller blades
A device adapted to be fitted with propeller blades includes a first retention ring including over a periphery thereof a plurality of radial bores; and a second retention ring including over a periphery thereof a plurality of radial bores, the first and second retention rings being mounted one on top of the other in the radial direction, each bore in the first retention ring being positioned opposite a bore in the second retention ring, a bore in the first retention ring arranged opposite a bore in the second retention ring forming a bore pair adapted to receive a foot of a blade.
US08622697B2 Ram air turbine bearing spacer
A ram air turbine assembly includes a spacer that controls axial movement of a bearing assembly supporting rotation of a driven shaft to limit compression of a bearing biasing member. A gearbox includes mating gears that transfer power through a strut to a generator. Bearings support rotation of the driven shaft and the biasing member generates a biasing load to maintain desired alignment between the mating gears. Axial thrust reversals generated during operation are prevented from fully compressing the biasing member by a spacer that defines a minimum compressed height and that further limits axial movement of the bearing assembly responsive to the thrust reversals of the driven shaft.
US08622686B2 Stabilized device for moving a plurality of containers
A device for moving containers or other objects relative to a surface such as a pallet includes a frame and a pin matrix movably attached to the frame. The pin matrix includes an array of pins and is housed in a plate having apertures for receiving the pins. The device further includes a pair of tracks that movably support the pin matrix. A method for moving containers or other objects relative to a surface includes the steps of moving the pin matrix over the objects, lowering the pin matrix, securing the objects within the pin matrix, moving the pin matrix and the objects relative to the surface, and raising the pin matrix.
US08622685B2 Apparatus and method for stacking objects
Apparatus and method for stacking objects on a transport carrier. The apparatus is provided with a forming platform, a loading platform on which a transport carrier to be loaded, such as a pallet or a roller container, can be placed, and a gripper which is movable between the forming platform and the loading platform. The gripper comprises a support frame which is provided with at least one row of parallel forks, which forks comprise an upright to which a horizontal beam is attached at a distance beneath the support frame, wherein the beams can be moved backward and forward in their longitudinal direction, wherein each fork is individually adjustable vis-à-vis the support frame. The forks are independently adjustable vis-à-vis the support frame.
US08622684B2 Workpiece orientation apparatus
A workpiece orientation apparatus includes a base, two pushing bars, a linear actuator, a connecting member, at least one first connecting bar, and a second connecting bar. The two pushing bars are slidably connected to the base and aligned apart along a first direction. The linear actuator is mounted on the base. The connecting member is driven by the linear actuator to move back and forth along a second direction. One end of the first connecting bar is rotatably connected to the connecting member, and the other end of the first connecting bar is rotatably connected to one of the two pushing bars. One end of the second connecting bar is connected to the first connecting bar and is rotatably assembled together on the connecting member. The other end of the second connecting bar is rotatably connected to the other of the two pushing bars.
US08622677B2 Semi-trailer support loading nut
A semi-trailer leg loading nut includes a screwed hole provided on a nut column and connecting two ends of the nut. Said nut is a two-layered structure formed of a top layer and an under layer or a three-layered structure formed of a top layer, an intermediate layer and an under layer. The outer outline of at least two layers of the nut is a square with the same cutting angle. The side length of the two layers of squares is equal. The outer outline projection of the two layers of squares overlap with each other along the column axis direction. The outer outline projection of the other layer is within the overlapped projection of the two layers along the column axis direction. A funneled oil cup or an oil groove is provided on the top layer of the nut and communicates with the screwed hole. A bottom of the under layer of the nut is plane and is pressed on a loading plate in a quadrate pipe to transfer load.
US08622676B2 Screw structure
A screw structure for securing a first object to a second object comprises a screw member, a blocking member and a pivot member. The screw member comprises a cap and a pole extending from the cap. The blocking member is captive on the pole and defines a latching groove. The pivot member comprises a latching portion elastically engaged in the latching groove and located beneath the cap. The pivot member can be raised up and lowered down, and twisted to activate the screw function.
US08622672B2 Press-in element, component assembly consisting of a press-in element and a sheet metal part and also methods for the manufacture and attachment of a self-piercing press-in nut
A self-piercing hollow press-in element, in particular a nut element for attachment to a sheet metal part, wherein the press-in element has a flange part of a larger diameter and a shaft part of a smaller diameter. The shaft part extends away from the flange part and has a circular piercing edge at its end face remote from the flange part. The side of the flange part facing the shaft part forms a sheet metal contact surface in ring shape and features providing security against rotation are provided at the shaft part which extend approximately from the level of the sheet metal contact surface over a part of the length of the shaft part along the latter. A ring-like recess is provided radially within the ring-shaped sheet metal contact surface in the flange part and excess material for the shaft part which arises during manufacture of the ribs providing security against rotation is located within the ring recess. Further designs of the press-in element and also of a component assembly and methods for the manufacture of the press-in element and of the component assembly are described.
US08622671B2 Anti-rotation lock device for a screwed assembly, an assembly including such a device, and the use of such an assembly in aircraft manufacture
An anti-rotation lock device for preventing movement in an assembly which includes an endpiece carrying a thread screwed into a tube together with a nut suitable for being screwed on the endpiece, the lock device including a first washer provided with an anti-rotation lock component and a second washer having at least one key and wherein the first or the second washer includes a lug, and the faces of the first and second washers are configured to adjustably lock them mutually against rotation. The device further includes a third washer which includes a member for locking the nut in rotation and an outer periphery of the third washer has a tab adapted to co-operate with the lug so as to lock the first or the second washer provided with the lug against rotation relative to the third washer.
US08622665B2 Fast chip removal hole saw
A rotary tool accessory in one embodiment includes a base, a circular wall extending upwardly from the base about a central axis, the circular wall including an inner face, an outer face and a circular rim, a first cutting group including a first inwardly extending tooth extending from a location directly above the circular wall to a location closer to the central axis than the inner face, a first outwardly extending tooth extending from a location directly above the circular wall to a location farther from the central axis than the outer face, and a first gullet extending downwardly from the rim toward the base, a second cutting group including a second inwardly extending tooth, a second outwardly extending tooth, and a second gullet, and a toothless expanse of the rim extending between the first cutting group and the second cutting group.
US08622650B2 Multi-purpose rotational barrier unit
The instant invention describes a multi-purpose rotational barrier unit and a system of interconnected barrier units which function in multiple environments, including aquatic environments and land-based environments. The multi-purpose rotational barrier unit has a design configuration which provides hydro-dynamic stability in strong currents and high waves and resists roll over. The multi-purpose rotational barrier unit comprises a plurality of equally sized walls interconnected to form side walls and a bottom wall. Connected to the side walls and the bottom wall are two opposing end walls which define a hollow interior portion. The opposing end walls contain one or more rotation members which are constructed and arranged to provide the barrier unit rotational movement which is independent from the movement of other barrier units directly attached to its opposing walls or units which may indirectly be attached as part of a larger barrier wall system.
US08622645B2 Coupler with gravity operated safety device
A coupler for an excavator, the coupler having a body with first and second spaced-apart recesses for receiving respective pins of an excavator attachment. A first latching hook is movable into and out of a latching state in which it is capable of retaining a respective attachment pin in the first recess. A second latching hook is movable into and out of a latching state in which it is capable of retaining a respective attachment pin in the second recess. A blocking member may be provided that is movable into and out of a blocking state in which it lies in the path of the second latching member to prevent the second latching member from leaving its latching state. The blocking member may be movable into and out of the blocking state under the influence of gravity.
US08622641B2 Document-feeding roller mechanism and printing apparatus having the same
A document-feeding roller mechanism includes a feeding roller assembly and a clamping-force adjusting module. The feeding roller includes a roller frame, a first roller unit, and a second roller unit. A document is conveyed by the first and second roller units through a printing module. The clamping-force adjusting module includes a cam unit and a resilient pressing unit. The resilient pressing unit is disposed between the roller frame and the cam unit. When the cam unit is rotated, the biasing force of the resilient pressing unit applied to the roller frame can be adjusted to change the document clamping force of the first and second roller units. Hence, just before a trailing end of the document is separated from the first and second roller units, the document clamping force can be reduced.
US08622640B2 Printing apparatus
A printing apparatus is supplied capable of printing without the occurrence of the slack of copying paper. The printing apparatus comprises a paper cut mechanism for cutting successive paper printed in a print mechanism; a first conveying section which holds and sends out successive paper to the print mechanism; a second conveying section which holds and sends out the successive paper that is printed out in the print mechanism and is sent out from the first conveying section to the paper cut mechanism; and a controlling section which returns a tip of the successive paper after being cut by the paper cut mechanism to between the print mechanism and the first conveying section.
US08622632B2 Small-form-factor fiber optic interface assemblies for electronic devices having a circuit board
Small-form-factor fiber optic interface assemblies (180) for electronic devices (100) are disclosed. The fiber optic interface assemblies include a receptacle (120) configured to matingly engage with a plug (20) of a fiber optic cable assembly (10). Example assemblies include a flexible mount (228) supported by a circuit board (150) and configured to absorb a mechanical force when the plug is mated to the receptacle. The receptacle aperture (223) has at least one transverse dimension (L, W) of between about 2 mm and 4 mm. The assemblies can support both optical and electrical communication and functionality.
US08622630B2 Optical fiber connector
An optical fiber connector includes a coupling portion. The coupling portion includes a first end surface and an opposite second end surface. The first end surface includes a number of lenses arranged thereat and a number of engaging holes formed therein. The second end surface includes a number of optical fiber holes formed therein and aligned with the respective lenses, and a number of posts formed thereon. Each of the posts has a spring member arranged thereon.
US08622628B2 Optical fiber connector having V-shaped receiving grooves
An optical fiber connector includes optical fibers, a connector body, and a cover. The connector body includes optical lenses arranged at the first side surface. The connector body defines receiving grooves. Each of the receiving grooves has a V-shaped section and two slanted surfaces. The optical fibers are received in the grooves and as a result are correctly aligned with the respective optical lenses. The cover and the slanted surfaces of the receiving grooves cooperatively securely retain the optical fibers in the connector.
US08622623B2 Bearing upgrade and kit
A journal bearing assembly includes a journal shaft configured to be mounted in a pulverizer. The journal shaft has a lower bearing receiving surface proximate a lower end thereof, and an upper bearing receiving surface spaced apart from the lower bearing receiving surface axially. A lower journal bearing is mounted on the lower bearing receiving surface of the journal shaft. An upper journal bearing is mounted on the upper bearing receiving surface of the journal shaft. An upper journal housing is mounted on the upper journal bearing for rotational movement relative to the journal shaft. A lower journal housing is mounted on the lower journal bearing for rotational movement relative to the journal shaft. The lower journal housing is mounted to the upper journal housing for common rotation about the journal shaft. The journal bearing assembly has a loading point defined between the upper and lower journal bearings.
US08622621B2 Rolling bearing apparatus, manufacture method thereof, and hard disk apparatus
To prevent a problem due to gas produced from an adhesive and to improve the productivity of a rolling bearing apparatus. The present invention provides a method of manufacturing a rolling bearing apparatus, including fitting a first rolling bearing and a second rolling bearing to a first member each in a pressed state, pressing the inner races of the first and second rolling bearings in a direction in which they are closer to each other in the axial direction with a second member sandwiched between outer races of the first and second rolling bearings, and welding at least a portion of a peripheral portion of the inner race of the pressed second rolling bearing in the axial direction to the outer face of the first member through irradiation with laser light.
US08622619B2 Packaging
A package has a flexible top wall (3) joined at its periphery (6) to flexible side walls (4, 5) to form an enclosure, the top wall (3) being formed with a line of weakness (7) which is adapted to be torn to create an opening, the tear being confined between the peripheral join (6). The side walls (4, 5) may have transverse seals (1, 2), and top and bottom walls (3) folded inwards as gussets, and the line of weakness (7) extends substantially centrally along the fold line of the gusseted top wall (3) between the two transverse seals (1, 2). The package is easily gripped in both hands, one either side of the line of weakness (7), with a thumb on each side to press downwards and create a tear along the line of weakness. Preferably, the upper edges of the side walls (4, 5) are sealed to the adjoining edges of the top wall (3) to form a peripheral upstanding rim (6).
US08622618B2 Easy open and reclosable package with discrete laminate having panel section with easy-open sealant
An easy-open and reclosable package includes a pouch including a discrete laminate including a tape including a base strip coated with a pressure sensitive adhesive, and a panel section, the inner surface of the panel section having an easy-open sealant, the panel section adhered by the PSA to the base strip; the discrete laminate anchored to a first side panel; and a product in the pouch. When the package is opened, the package can be reclosed by adhering the first or second side panel to the pressure sensitive adhesive. Methods for making the package, and a pouch, are also disclosed.
US08622616B2 Reclosable double zipper and methods
A reclosable bag includes first and second side edges and a double zipper, which includes first zipper with first side seal adjacent the first side edge and second side seal adjacent the second side edge. The double zipper includes second zipper having third side seal adjacent the first side edge, and fourth side seal adjacent to the second side edge. One of the first side seal and third side seal has an end that is spaced closer to the second side edge than the other. A method for providing a sensory indication of double sealing in a reclosable bag includes closing a mouth by pressing opposing fingers against first and second zipper closures and moving opposing fingers linearly across the closures until there is a sensory indication of an end seal for each of the first and second zipper closures at different linear locations.
US08622608B2 Process for mixing wellbore fluids
A method for mixing a drilling fluid formulation that includes establishing a flow path for a base fluid, adding drilling fluid additives to the base fluid to create a mixture, aerating the mixture of base fluid and drilling fluid additives, and injecting a compressible driving fluid into the mixture of base fluid and drilling fluid additives to form a mixed drilling fluid is disclosed.
US08622606B2 Micro-channels, micro-mixers, and micro-reactors
A fluid micro-mixer and micro-reactor array is provided having at least two bonded layers of micro-channels. The micro-mixer can include at least one input port and one output port, and a mixing and/or reaction port. At least one inlet stream separator layer can isolate the inlet ports from one another.
US08622603B1 Backlight module
A backlight module includes a light source, a light guide plate and at least one optical film. The light source has a plurality of light emitting devices. The light guide plate includes a light entrance portion, a main body portion and at least one positioning structure. The light entrance portion has a top surface and a light entrance surface. The light source is disposed corresponding to the light entrance surface. The top surface is adjacently connected to the light entrance surface. The main body is connected to the light entrance portion and has a first light extraction surface connecting the top surface. The positioning structure is disposed on the top surface and corresponding to an interval between two adjacent light emitting devices, and has an accommodating space. The optical film is disposed above the light guide plate and has at least one protruding portion disposed in the accommodating space.
US08622600B2 Backlight module and display device using the same
An exemplary backlight module includes a frame, a light guide plate, a light source module and an optical film. The light guide plate is arranged on the frame and includes a light-incident surface and a light-emitting surface adjacent to the light-incident surface. The light source module includes a circuit board arranged between the frame and the light guide plate board, and a light emitting element arranged on the circuit board and facing the light-incident surface. The optical film includes a wavelength shifting portion arranged between the light emitting element and the light guide plate, a second extending portion arranged between the light guide plate and the frame, and a first extending portion connected between the wavelength shifting portion and the second extending portion and arranged between the light guide plate and the circuit board. A display device equipped with the backlight module is also provided.
US08622598B2 Light emitting device and luminaire
This invention relates to a light emitting device (100) having a movable collimating unit for adjusting the output direction of light being emitted from the light emitting device. The light emitting device comprises a base unit (110), and a light output unit (120) which is engaged with the base unit. The light output unit comprises at least one light source (121) for emitting light. The light emitting device further comprises a movably arranged collimating unit (130) for adjusting the direction of the emitted light, which is arranged such that it encompasses a light output portion (125), which is arranged on the light output unit.
US08622593B2 Ratchet clip
This invention relates generally to an illumination system that is configured for attachment to a hard hat or the temple arm portion of a pair of eyeglasses. The illumination system includes a light source and a multi-axis pivot assembly to permit directional adjustment and focus of a beam of light. An adapter clip is provided to facilitate attachment to the temple arm portion of the eyeglasses. The adapter clip includes a plurality of grooves positioned between two flexible side portions to allow the clip to be slid along the temple arm to a desired position and snapped into a locked position. The illumination system is fully adjustable in terms of light intensity and direction of the light beams.
US08622585B2 Lighting device with multiple light sources and primary and secondary optics
A lighting device has multiple light sources each having a primary optics; and a secondary optics for the multiple light sources; such that at the secondary optics the radiation patterns emitted from the multiple light sources have a substantially uniform luminance; and such that the secondary optics transforms the radiation pattern from the multiple light sources into an elliptical spot of light of substantially uniform luminance.
US08622575B2 Lighting apparatus
A lighting assembly having a socket adaptor and a microprocessor for receiving user input and selectively actuating at least one LED based on that user input. The microprocessor is electrically connected to the socket adaptor. A processor-readable medium is in electrical communication with the microprocessor. An LED assembly comprising at least one plurality of LEDs is electrically connected to the microprocessor. A lens encloses the LED assembly and the microprocessor. An input device is electrically connected to the microprocessor to receive user input.
US08622571B2 LED tube and a lighting fixture arrangement having a safety unit
A LED tube (41) comprises one or more LED components (34) and a current control unit (33) installed therein. Both ends of the LED tube (41) are provided with a contact pin pair (37, 38, 39, 40) for connecting the LED tube mechanically and electrically to tube holders of a fluorescent tube lighting fixture. The LED tube includes a safety unit (42, 43, S1) arranged to prevent a voltage from passing through the LED tube (41) from its one end to the other end thereof until at both ends of the LED tube, a voltage (U1, U2) fed from the corresponding tube holder of the lighting fixture to the contact pin pair (37, 38, 39, 40) has been detected separately.
US08622568B2 Power tool, particularly a hand-held power tool
A power tool includes a lighting unit directed towards a detection field on a workpiece side, and a detection system that emphasizes the contrast between a marking applied to an underlying surface and the underlying surface.
US08622567B2 Portable light source
A portable light source for connection to a hardhat. The portable light source has a battery housing with an LED light mounted in a lamp holder that is connected either directly to or via a boom or wires to the battery housing. The housing or the lamp holder also has a mounting post that engages an aperture on the side of the hardhat for holding the portable light source in place. The lamp housing may be rotatably connected to the battery housing.
US08622566B2 Lighted glove
A lighted glove includes a glove member configured to substantially cover a wearer's hand and having finger and thumb sections. A plurality of light modules is positioned in a spaced apart arrangement on a palm section and on interior surface of the finger and thumb sections. Each light module includes multiple LED's having different colors. The light modules are electrically connected to a battery. Different color LED's may be selected using a toggle switch.
US08622559B2 Mirror support and device to adjust the orientation of a mirror
The present invention relates to a mirror support used in a door mirror vehicle which provides stability and distributes the forces in an uniform way due to two gear knees which are attached to the first ends of two perpendicular arms, a first arm and a second arm setting up a cross and also relates to a device to adjust the orientation of a mirror comprising the clutch mechanism.
US08622557B2 Micromirror array lens with self-tilted micromirrors
A Micromirror Array Lens with self-tilted micromirrors comprising a plurality of self-tilted micromirrors and configured to form a designed optical surface profile by self-tilted micromirrors. Each self-tilted micromirror comprises a substrate, at least one stiction plate configured to be attracted to the substrate by adhesion force, a micromirror plate having a reflective surface, coupled to the stiction plate elastically and configured to have a required motion when the stiction plate is attracted to the substrate, and at least one pivot structure disposed between the substrate and the micromirror plate and configured to provide a tilting point or area for the motion of the micromirror plate. The designed optical surface profile determines the required motion of the micromirror plate and a surface profile shape memory is built in the structure of the micro-mechanical elements of the self-tilted micromirrors so that each micromirror plate has the required motion.
US08622553B2 Reduced-speckle laser projector with speckle-reduction
A laser projector includes a housing, a light source arranged within the housing, and a vibration module arranged within the housing to cause the light source to vibrate in a predetermined range.
US08622552B2 Portable computing device with media player and projecting unit
A media player includes a display and a main body. The display includes a cover and a display panel located on the cover. The host includes a housing, a control module received in the housing, with a projecting unit also received in the housing. The housing is rotatably connected to the cover and operable to be covered by the cover. The control module is for generating video signals to display in the display panel. The projecting unit is for converting the video signals into optical signals and projecting the optical signals out of the housing.
US08622548B2 3D retinal disruptions detection using optical coherence tomography
System and method for 3D retinal disruption/elevation detection, measurement and presentation using Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) are provided. The present invention is capable of detecting and measuring the abnormal changes of retinal layers (retinal disruptions), caused by retinal diseases, such as hard drusen, soft drusen, Pigment Epithelium Detachment (PED), Choroidal Neovascularization (CNV), Geographic Atrophy (GA), intra retinal fluid space, and exudates etc. The presentations of the results are provided with quantitative measurements of disruptions in retina and can be used for diagnosis and treatment of retinal diseases.
US08622543B2 Curable colored inks for making colored silicone hydrogel lenses
The present invention provides an actinically or thermally curable ink for making colored silicone hydrogel contact lenses. The ink of the invention comprises at least one colorant, a solvent and a binder polymer including ethylenically unsaturated groups and segments derived from at least one silicone-containing vinylic monomer or macromer. The ink of the invention is characterized by having capability to be cured actinically or thermally to form a colored coat on a silicone hydrogel contact lens, wherein the colored coat has good adhesion to the silicone hydrogel contact lens without being covalently attached to the lens material of the contact lens. The invention also provides methods for making colored silicone hydrogel contact lenses.
US08622542B2 Image display apparatus
The image display apparatus of the invention comprises a prism optical system using at least two optical surfaces, each having an optical function. At least two surfaces of the two optical surfaces are rotationally asymmetric surfaces, and one of the two surfaces which light transmits or leaves has a function of one transmission and two internal reflections.
US08622538B2 Recording apparatus and recording method
First humidified gas is supplied from a first supply port to a sheet to be conveyed, thereby increasing the moisture content of the sheet. Simultaneously, second humidified gas is supplied to a space where nozzles of the inkjet recording head are exposed, from a second supply port provided at a position closer to the inkjet recording head than the first supply port, thereby increasing the atmosphere humidity of the space. The part of the sheet of which the moisture content has been increased is made to enter the space where the atmosphere humidity has been increased, and recording is performed by the inkjet recording head.
US08622533B2 Inkjet recording apparatus and method for removing air bubbles in inkjet recording apparatus
An inkjet recording apparatus is capable of an operation of removing air bubbles in a recording head that includes the ink supply step, the ink ejection step, and the refilling step. The ink supply step supplies ink to a common flow-passage in the state in which movement of the ink inside a second ink-flow passage is tolerated with an inflow side valve, and movement of the ink inside a third ink-flow passage is restricted with an outflow side valve. The ink ejection step ejects the ink together with the air bubbles inside the common flow-passage from an outflow port into the third ink-flow passage by tolerating movement of the ink inside the third ink-flow passage with the outflow side valve. The refilling step refills the ink in the state in which movement of the ink inside the second ink-flow passage is restricted with the inflow side valve.
US08622530B2 Ink tank and recording apparatus
An ink tank includes an ink supply connection port connected to a main body of a recording apparatus for supplying ink thereto, a first ink reservoir reserving the ink supplied to a sub-tank, a first ink delivery passage supplying the ink reserved in the first ink reservoir to the ink supply connection port, a one-way valve disposed in the first ink delivery passage that enables the ink to move from the first ink reservoir to the ink supply connection port, a second ink reservoir reserving the ink returned from the sub-tank, and a second ink delivery passage supplying the ink reserved in the second ink reservoir to the ink supply connection port and joins with the first ink delivery passage at a position between the one-way valve and the ink supply connection port.
US08622529B2 Liquid ejecting head and liquid ejecting apparatus
A diaphragm unit includes an elastic film unit which seals an opening portion of a pressure chamber, and an island unit which is provided on the elastic film unit and to which a tip portion of a piezoelectric vibrator is joined. The width of the center portion of the island unit in the longitudinal direction is set to be narrower than the width of both end portions of the island unit in the longitudinal direction. The dimension of the center portion of the island unit in the longitudinal direction is shorter than the dimension of the piezoelectric vibrator in the same direction.
US08622520B2 Apparatus for ejecting droplets
Disclosed herein is an ejecting apparatus including: an upper body which includes an inlet through which ejectable fluid flows in from an external source, a channel which fluidly communicates with the inlet and through which the ejectable fluid flows, and an upper mounting portion which fluidly communicates with the channel and is opened downwardly; a lower body which includes a lower mounting portion which is opened upwardly to correspond to the upper mounting portion, and a nozzle slit which fluidly communicates with the lower mounting portion to eject the ejectable fluid to an outside, the lower body being fastened to the upper body, and a nozzle chip which is interposed between the upper mounting portion and the lower mounting portion to receive the ejectable fluid from the channel and discharge the ejectable fluid into the nozzle slit by being driven by an actuator.
US08622518B2 Printing apparatus and printing method
A printing apparatus includes: a first nozzle for ejecting clear ink to form a first dot; and a second nozzle for ejecting color ink to form a second dot, wherein, when forming a color image on a photoluminescent ground layer by means of the second dot, the first dot is formed at an area where the color image does not exist.
US08622512B2 Droplet ejection apparatus
A droplet ejection apparatus includes: a droplet ejection head which includes a nozzle surface having a non-nozzle forming region and a nozzle forming region of a prescribed width in a prescribed direction, a nozzle row being formed in the nozzle forming region; and a nozzle surface cleaning apparatus which cleans the nozzle surface of the droplet ejection head and includes: a wiping device which presses a wiping member having absorbency against the nozzle surface and wipes the nozzle surface with the wiping member by moving the wiping member relatively in the prescribed direction with respect to the nozzle surface; and a sweeping device which sweeps excess liquid from the non-nozzle forming region before the wiping member wipes the nozzle surface, by pressing a sweeping member having elasticity against the non-nozzle forming region and moving the sweeping member relatively in the prescribed direction with respect to the nozzle surface.
US08622511B2 Image forming apparatus having carriage mounting recording head for ejecting liquid droplets
An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body, a carriage, a first recording head, a second recording head, and a maintenance assembly. The carriage is movable in a main scanning direction. The first recording head has nozzles in a nozzle face thereof to eject liquid droplets. The second recording head has nozzles in a nozzle face thereof to eject liquid droplets. The second recording head is displaced from the first recording head in a sub scanning direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction. The maintenance assembly maintains and recovers the first recording head and the second recording head. The maintenance assembly includes a first maintenance device and a second maintenance device. The first maintenance device is held by the apparatus body. The second maintenance device is reciprocally movable between a first position to oppose the first recording head and a second position to oppose the second recording head.
US08622510B2 Cap device and liquid jetting apparatus provided with the same
There is provided a cap device including: a cap unit which is tiltable in a plane direction of the jetting surface and which comes into close contact with the jetting surface of the liquid jetting head; a flexible discharge tube of which one end is connected to the cap unit, which communicates with an inner space defined by the cap unit and the jetting surface under a condition that the cap unit comes into close contact with the jetting surface, and through which a liquid in the inner space is discharged; and a fixing mechanism which fixes a portion, of the discharge tube, other than the one end to the cap unit.
US08622509B2 Touch-free nozzle sealant removal
A method for automatic removal of a sealant member from a nozzle plate that includes applying a sealant member to a surface of the nozzle plate, attaching the sealant member with a pull tab, one end of the pull tab being attached to a maintenance sled of a maintenance mechanism at a first position, the maintenance sled moves from a first position to a second position thereby removing the sealant member at a 180 degree angle and with a speed of about 10 mm/sec.
US08622497B2 Liquid ejection apparatus, drive circuit thereof, and drive method thereof
According to one embodiment, a direct current voltage which has positive and negative potentials relative to a ground potential interposed therebetween is used as a drive voltage for electric charging/discharging to/from an actuator.
US08622494B2 Refrigerator shelf assembly
A shelf assembly for use in a refrigerator includes a glass panel having a central region and a perimeter region, with the perimeter region having an upwardly turned spill prevention lip. The upwardly turned spill prevention lip is upwardly turned relative to the central region via a glass forming process. The upwardly turned spill prevention lip includes upwardly turned lip portions at the front, rear, left and right sides of the glass panel. The central region of the glass panel includes a storage portion. The upwardly turned spill prevention lip circumscribes the periphery of the central region to limit spillage of liquid over the sides of the glass panel. The shelf assembly may include a pair of support rails bonded at lower surfaces of the left and right sides of the glass panel and having attachment elements configured to mount the shelf assembly at the refrigerator.
US08622483B2 Dual slotted holder body for removal tool access
A plurality of differing horizontal pairs of slot shapes are positioned in the upper body portion of a quick change type bit holder to provide access to a bit extractor tool for removing the bit holder from its associated bit block.
US08622480B2 Machine with pivotal connection between a frame and a conveyor
A machine configured to travel across a surface is disclosed. A material removal mechanism is configured to remove material from the surface. A frame supports the material removal mechanism. A conveyor is configured to receive the material and to convey the material to a location off of the machine. A pivotal connection includes connectors connected to the frame and conveyor, respectively, which are configured to mate with one another to allow pivoting of the conveyor relative to the frame.
US08622478B2 Child car seat with adjustable harness system
A child safety seat has a seat back with an upper end, a back side, and a front facing side. A harness system has a pair of safety straps each with a back portion on the back side and a shoulder strap portion on the front facing side. A router is on the back side and has a fixed upper guide, a fixed lower guide spaced below the upper guide, and a slider vertically movable therebetween. The back portions are routed from the respective shoulder strap portions through the slider, up to the upper guide, down to the lower guide, and back up to the slider. The slider is vertically adjustable between a raised position and a lowered position and determines the height of the shoulder strap portions.
US08622475B2 Linear recliner assembly with threaded linear drive rod and rotatably engaged gear stop
A linear recliner assembly in use with a seat having a seat back pivotally engaged relative to a seat bottom. A housing exhibits a communicating interior between a first and second ends. A drive rod is supported in linearly displaceable fashion from the first end and is secured to the seat bottom. The second end pivotally engages the seatback spaced from its pivot point. A rotatable gear located at a fixed lineal position within the housing receives the drive rod in threadably inter-engaged fashion. A trigger mechanism pivotally secured to the housing exhibits a downwardly biased detent communicating through an opening in the housing to seat between succeeding teeth of the gear. A spring supported within the housing contacts the drive rod. Upon release of the detent, a reclining force applied to the seatback results in displacement of the housing against the drive rod to bias the spring. The spring influencing the drive rod in a reverse direction such that, upon release of said detent when the seatback is in the reclined position, the spring influences the seatback to reverse pivot to a returned upright position.
US08622474B2 Mobile ergonomic rotating adjustable chair with lumbar support
An apparatus for sitting, including: a keystone assembly which connects various parts of the apparatus; a back that provides support for at least a person's back or shoulders; a floating lumbar support, which provides support for a person's lower back, attached to the keystone assembly; a seat that can adjust between a forward tilted and reclined position; a plurality of rollers, disposed on the keystone assembly, on which the seat rests; a central column, attached to the keystone assembly, on which the seat can spin; and a lower torsion spring connected to the seat and disposed on the keystone assembly allowing controlled movement of the seat.
US08622468B2 Seat back device
There is provided a seat back device including: a seat back that is placed on a rear side of a vehicle cabin and has a movable portion that is movably disposed in correspondence to a lower back region of a seated passenger and a forwardly collapsible portion that is forwardly collapsibly disposed on a vehicle upper side of the movable portion; a frame member that is disposed inside the seat back and in which is formed an open portion that has a size including the movable portion and the forwardly collapsible portion and that makes the vehicle cabin and a luggage compartment communicate; an angle adjusting mechanism which adjusts the movable portion about an axis along a vehicle width direction to a predetermined angle; and a trunk-through mechanism which forwardly collapses the movable portion and the forwardly collapsible portion from the seat back and opens the open portion.
US08622467B2 Reclining seating unit with tiltable headrest
A reclining seating unit includes: a base; a seat; a backrest; a reclining mechanism attached to the base, seat and backrest, the reclining mechanism configured to move the seating unit between an upright position and a fully reclined position; a headrest that is positioned in front of an upper portion of the backrest; and a headrest mechanism attached to the headrest and to the reclining mechanism. The headrest mechanism is configured to move the headrest from a retracted position when the seating unit is in its upright position to an extended position when the seating unit is in its fully reclined position. In the retracted position the headrest is generally parallel with the backrest and in the extended position the headrest defines an angle with the backrest in which the front surface of headrest is rotated to partially face the front surface of the backrest.
US08622462B2 Drag reducing apparatus for a vehicle
The disclosure comprises a pair of inflatable substantially inelastic lobes. A single lobe can be mounted on each of the rear trailer doors of a standard tractor-trailer unit. Each lobe can be inflated or deployed to provide an aerodynamic substantially planar contour extending rearwardly of the rear end of the vehicle. The aerodynamic shape of the lobes with stable and substantially planar external surfaces for air to pass over can be created by a series of internal cords and flag sets extending substantially horizontally and vertically in an array from one side of the lobe to the other side of each lobe. When the lobes are deflated, the trailer doors can be opened and latched to the side of the trailer in a conventional manner.
US08622459B2 Deck in a drawer
A sliding retractable deck assembly is provided for use with recreational-type vehicles. The deck is adapted for use adjacent to and below the vehicle side door and is retractable by sliding back into place under the vehicle so as to be totally out of view and allow total use of vehicle door and all other components of said vehicle. A plurality of individually-adjustable ground-engaging leg members providing at least nine points of support for the deck thus allowing placement of the deck on uneven or sloping ground, while avoiding undue stressing of either the deck assembly or structural components of the vehicle.
US08622451B2 Endeffectors for handling semiconductor wafers
An endeffector for handling wafers at a relatively low temperature is disclosed along with an endeffector for handling wafers at a relatively high temperature. Both endeffectors include a base member and uniquely designed support members that are configured to only contact a wafer at the wafer's edge. Further, the support members have an arcuate shape that generally matches a radius of a semiconductor wafer. More specifically, each support member has a curved wafer contact surface that tapers from a maximum radius at a top surface to a minimum radius at a bottom surface. The endeffectors may also include a wafer detection system. The endeffector for handling wafers at relatively low temperatures may also include a pushing device that is used not only to position a wafer but to hold a wafer on the endeffector during acceleration or deceleration of the endeffector caused by a robot arm attached to the endeffector.
US08622447B1 Cellular telephone support device
A cellular telephone support device for releasably holding a cellular telephone having a top edge and a bottom edge is provided. The support device comprises a main support member having a first side, a second side, a first edge, and a second edge. A slotted first opening formed in the first edge. A second slotted opening is formed in the second edge. A ring attachment is positioned on the first side. A first clamping member is slidably receivable within the first slotted opening. A second clamping member is slidably receivable within the second slotted opening of the second edge. Upon positioning the cellular telephone against the second side, the first clamping member is slidable against the top edge of the telephone and the second clamping member is slidable against the bottom edge of the telephone thereby releasably securing the telephone between the first clamping member and the second clamping member.
US08622445B1 Rub rail assembly
A rub rail assembly for a side wall surface of a vehicle includes a cleat support having a first body portion and a second body portion. The first body portion has a first fastener receiving hole for fastening the cleat support to the side wall surface of the vehicle, and the second body portion has an engagement structure. The rub rail has a hook that is engageable with the engagement structure of the support cleat to permit the rub rail to hang from the support cleat.
US08622443B2 Lost motion cam actuating device
A lost motion cam assembly for a vehicle lock. The assembly includes a lever, pivotally mounted to the housing and movable between locked and unlocked positions. A motor drives a gear mounted to a shaft in the housing. A cam is also rotatably mounted to the shaft, and includes a pair of opposing cam arms. When a cam arm engages a first interaction surface on the lever, the lever actuates. A second interaction surface on the lever stops the cam. The cam is operably connected to the gear by a lost motion connection that defines a range of free travel of the cam relative to the gear. Manually pivoting the lever while one of the pair of cam arms is in contact with the first interaction surface on the lever causes the cam to rotate within the range of free travel.
US08622419B2 Vehicle component with integral inflator
A method of manufacturing a vehicle component is presented, wherein the vehicle component has at least one dimensional length, the method containing the steps of: providing an elongated perforated inflator substantially coextensive with said at least one dimensional length; fixing said elongated perforated inflator within said vehicle component along said at least one dimensional length, such that said inflator functions as a structural member of said vehicle component; providing a propellant bed substantially coextensive with said elongated perforated inflator; and providing an airbag in fluid communication with said inflator and substantially coextensive therewith, said airbag stored within said vehicle component.
US08622417B1 Airbag with low-volume structure
A frontal airbag has a first section, a second section, and a third section, the second section being in fluid communication with both the first and the third section. The first, second and third sections form a triangular structure upon inflation of the airbag. A gas generator is attached to the first section and in fluid communication with the first section. An end portion on the third section remote from the second sections attached to the first section in an area between the gas generator and the second section. Two side tethers attached to the first section and to one of the second and third sections or near transitional bend between the second and third section provide resistance against flattening of the airbag after inflation. The first section and the third section are directly attached to each other by a seam, by an adhesive, or by lamination.
US08622416B2 Airbag module
An airbag module for use in a vehicle to provide restraint to an occupant of the vehicle. The module includes a cushion pack having an inflatable airbag cushion configured to inflate to restrain the occupant of the vehicle. An inflator is provided to supply inflation gas for inflating the airbag cushion. The module also includes an annular retaining member engaged with the cushion pack to thereby retain a portion of the cushion pack in the airbag module during deployment of the airbag cushion. An annular locking member is connected to the retaining member and to the inflator and is configured to prohibit substantial displacement of the inflator relative to the locking member during deployment of the airbag.
US08622411B1 Bicycle frame
A bicycle assembly can include a bicycle frame that can have a main frame, a sub-frame and a shock absorber. The sub-frame can move in relation to the main frame and the shock can be used to regulate that relationship. A extension body can be used to establish a rear pivot point of the shock absorber. In some embodiments, the extension body can also be used to adjust the length of the combined shock absorber and extension body.
US08622410B2 Wheelchair legrest assembly
A powered wheelchair includes a seat assembly configured to support an individual, a curved legrest assembly pivotally connected to the seat assembly, and an adjustment assembly including an actuator operatively connected to the central column through a piston slidably secured within a sleeve. The adjustment assembly is secured underneath the seat assembly. The powered wheelchair may also include an extension bracket that allows legrests and a central column of the curved legrest assembly to be separately and independently adjusted with respect to one another.
US08622403B2 Transport cart for loading an aircraft galley
The invention relates to a transport cart (10) for loading an aircraft galley, comprising a base element (12) and a plurality of wheels (14) attached to the base element (12). Two frame elements (20, 24) are connected to the base element (12) and disposed at a distance from each other. A first guide device (28, 28′, 28″) is set up for engaging a complementary second guide device formed on a box that is receivable in the aircraft galley to be loaded and for transporting on the transport cart (10). The first guide device (28, 28′, 28″) is further set up for securing the box against displacement on the transport cart (10) in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal axis (L) of the transport cart (10) when engaged with the complementary second guide device formed on the box. The transport cart (10) finally comprises a locking mechanism (40, 40′) which is set up for securing the box against displacement on the transport cart in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis (L) of the transport cart (10).
US08622400B2 Quick and reliable tool
A tool includes a chuck connected to a handle. The chuck includes a mandrel including a non-circular cavity defined therein, a slit in communication with the non-circular cavity, a first bore in communication with the non-circular cavity, and a second bore in communication with the slit. A bit with a non-circular profile can be inserted in the non-circular cavity. A flat bit can be inserted in the slit. A ball is located in the first bore. A pin is located in the second bore. A movable sleeve is located around and movable along the mandrel and formed with a thread. A rotary sleeve is rotationally located around the mandrel and formed with a thread engaged with the thread of the movable sleeve. By rotating the rotary sleeve, the movable sleeve pushes the ball into the non-circular cavity and the pin into the slit.
US08622399B2 Composite sealing gasket and process for belling plastic pipe
An sealing gasket is shown for use in forming joints of plastic pipe. The gasket is formed as a composite elastomeric body with a leading region formed of a thermoplastic elastomer material and with a trailing region formed of a synthetic plastic material. The gasket body has an outer circumferential region provided with a series of recessed pocket which give it a scallop-like appearance. The relatively harder plastic region of the gasket body deforms the associated pipe socket end during manufacture of the pipe end, whereby the gasket is integrally locked within an internal pipe groove in the pipe socket end upon completion of the pipe belling operation.
US08622385B2 Medium receiving device and recording device
A medium receiving device includes a support shaft that extends in a width direction of the sheet that intersects with an ejection direction of the sheet at a position spaced from the apparatus body, a locking member that is fixedly provided at a position which is lower than the apparatus body in the gravity direction and on the side of the apparatus body with respect to the support shaft and extends in the width direction of the sheet, and a medium holding member that is hung between the support shaft and the locking member so as to form a receiving surface for the sheet which falls thereon and is capable of holding the sheet on the receiving surface, wherein the support shaft moves between a first position and a second position with rotative displacement about a rotation shaft that extends in the width direction of the sheet.
US08622384B2 Paper sheet processing device
A paper sheet processing apparatus that can detect in an inexpensive way that a bill housing part is full with bills. The paper sheet processing apparatus includes: a bill housing part that houses a bill in a stacked manner; a placing plate arranged in the bill housing part and moves as a bill is stacked and housed; a magnetic body magnetized and disposed on the placing plate; a magnetic sensor that detects an amount of magnetism from the magnetic body; and a control part that determines whether the amount of magnetism detected by the magnetic sensor is greater than or equal to a threshold value.
US08622381B2 Sheet supply apparatus
An image recording apparatus includes a supply tray and a supply unit. The supply unit includes a supporting shaft, an arm configured to pivot around the supporting shaft, and, a first roller and a second roller which are provided in the arm. The first and second rollers are pressedly contacted with a sheet placed on the supply tray. The supply tray is provided with a contact portion. The contact portion includes a first contact portion facing to the first roller and second rollers, and a second contact portion disposed in an upstream side of the first contact portion in the supply direction. A friction coefficient of the second contact portion is smaller than that of the first contact portion. When the first and second rollers rotatingly moves on the sheet, a friction force is applied by the second contact portion to the sheet.
US08622375B2 Dual frequency damper for an aircraft
A dual frequency damper includes a liquid inertia vibration eliminator (LIVE) portion and a fluid damper portion. LIVE portion and fluid damper portion operate in series and function so that dual frequency damper is optimized in both stiffness and damping at multiple frequencies. LIVE portion acts as a frequency dependent switch to selectively cause low frequency oscillatory forces to be treated primarily by the high spring rate and high damping rate characteristics of the fluid damper portion, and also to select high frequency oscillatory forces to be primarily treated by the low spring rate and low damping rate characteristics of the LIVE unit portion.
US08622373B2 Bearing for structures
A bearing (1) comprising a block (10) of flexible material, having two end surfaces (11, 12); and a first fixture element (20) and a second fixture element (30) connected at each of the end surfaces (11, 12); wherein at least one rotational damping device (40) is arranged between the first and second fixture elements (20, 30), the bearing thus providing high dampening between structural parts of a structure, such as buildings, bridges, elevated highways, and mechanical systems (machinery).
US08622372B2 Fan cooling tower design and method
A hybrid cooling tower apparatus that extends along a vertical axis is provided. The cooling tower includes a first housing structure having an inlet and a first outlet located a first position along the vertical axis, wherein the housing structure includes a base and opposing side walls that extend along the vertical axis away from the base. The tower also includes a heat exchanger disposed in the housing structure, wherein the heat exchanger is positioned adjacent the first outlet and extends at least partially all the way across the first outlet. Finally the hybrid tower employs an air current generator positioned in a plane normal to the vertical axis and oriented to direct an air stream toward the base and through the heat exchanger and the first outlet.
US08622369B2 Floor jack having integrated tool kit
A floor jack is provided having an integrated tool kit. The floor jack includes a jack body and a tool kit assembly disposed on the jack body for housing tools. The tool kit includes a storage housing pivotally coupled to an exterior side of a sidewall of the jack body. The storage housing defining a plurality of storage locations configured to secure tools, such as a socket wrench and a plurality of sockets such that they are exposed and readily assessable for use.
US08622367B2 Low friction live-loaded packing
A valve packing assembly for a control valve includes a seal assembly, a loading assembly, and a packing retainer. The seal assembly has a seal component to provide a fluid seal around a valve stem and an anti-extrusion component to substantially prevent extrusion of the seal component about the valve stem. The loading assembly is configured to advantageously provide a predetermined packing stress to the seal assembly that is in the same direction as a process stress applied to the seal assembly by a process fluid, thereby substantially reducing packing friction and packing wear in the control valve assembly.
US08622365B2 Pinch valve
A pinch valve includes a spring disposed between a movable iron core of a solenoid and an end cover thereof, and which urges the movable iron core toward the side of a tube provided in a body. An elastic force of the spring is set to be smaller than a reactive force of the tube that is applied to a valve plug. In a non-excited state of the solenoid, the valve plug is pressed toward the solenoid by the reactive force of the tube, so as to enable a fluid to flow through a flow passage of the tube. Conversely, in an excited state of the solenoid, since an attractive force of the movable iron core toward the tube is added to the elastic force of the spring, the valve plug is pressed in opposition to the reactive force of the tube for thereby blocking the flow passage.
US08622363B2 Vehicle seat
A vehicle seat having an oscillatory scissor-type stand and a damper that is articulated at two parts of the scissor-type stand which are movable relative to one another. One end of the damper is articulated at a pin that extends in transverse direction of the seat and extends between two structural parts arranged at a distance from one another in transverse direction of the seat at a part of the scissor-type stand. A bearing bushing is arranged with its axial bushing opening on a tubular component part enclosing the pin, wherein the bushing opening has a spherical longitudinal section with the greatest diameters at the two axial ends and the smallest diameter in the middle of the bushing opening. The bearing bushing is enclosed by a bearing ring of the damper having a shorter axial length than the bearing bushing and is arranged on the bearing bushing at an axial distance from the two ends of the bearing bushing so as to be secured against axial displacement. The bearing bushing is arranged between the structural parts without axial play.
US08622354B2 Display
A display includes: a display section; and a supporting section including a post and a base and supporting the display section. The post includes: a tubular upper post extending in a direction perpendicular to a horizontal plane; a tubular lower post separated from the upper post at a separating plane tilted with respect to the horizontal plane and having a variable mounting angle with respect to the upper post by rotating around a central line of the upper post on the separating plane; and a tilt mechanism disposed on a side opposite to the separating plane of the upper post and changing a tilt angle in an elevation direction of the display section. A tilt angle α with respect to the horizontal plane of the separating plane satisfies α=45°−(θ/2), where θ is a maximum tilt angle of the display section by the tilt mechanism.
US08622345B2 Passenger seat system incorporating a multi-functional furniture unit, and an aircraft comprising such a system
A passenger seat system including a plurality of seat modules, in which each seat module may be configured to form a more or less flat bed. The seat modules are arranged side by side in longitudinally offset relative positions, and each seat module is configured to form a bed from a convertible seat and a fixed footrest. The footrest is integrated into a box structure, which includes an upper surface arranged as a fixed shelf for the passenger in the adjacent seat module.
US08622341B2 Suspension rudder bar for an aircraft turbojet and a suspension with fan hanger provided therewith
A suspension rudder bar has the shape of a bar with a transversal axis (Y′Y), symmetrical with respect to a plane (PS) intersecting the rotation axis (X′X) of the engine, and includes links with transmission connecting rods between a rear casing for ejecting gases and a front casing hub of the fan, and a central link to a fastening fixation to an engine fastening pylon. The links of the rudder bar to the transmission connecting rods are arranged on the transversal ends of the rudder bar, and the rudder bar extends, perpendicularly to the axis of the bar (Y′Y), with spars over a sufficient portion and at a determined distance from the edges of the plate to act as an abutment to the plate in the case of a torsion around the central link or of a connecting rod breaking.
US08622340B2 Air inlet of an aeroengine having unducted pusher propellers
An air intake for an aeroplane engine of type with unducted propellers, which intake can be connected by a pylon to a fuselage of an aeroplane, a local length of the air intake, measured parallel to the axis of the engine between a point on a leading edge of the air intake and a transverse plane situated at an inlet impeller of the engine compressor, is longer in a region of the air intake connected to the pylon and shorter in a region of the air intake opposite the pylon.
US08622339B2 Mass flow increase at takeoff in supersonic airliner
In a supersonic aircraft, turbojet engine nacelles each containing two remote fans in the front half of the nacelle, for noise reduction at takeoff. During supersonic flight, a front wedge at the nacelle nose achieves external compression of intake air. The wedge is vertical, sending the airflow left and right inside the nacelle along its side walls. The two flows follow mirror image curved paths on their way to a turbojet, leaving unused space between them to house the fans in tandem. For takeoff, clutches connected to the turbojets's compressors are engaged. Driveshafts turn pinions against a gear on the same shaft as the remote fans. The fan output is discharged backward under the nacelle to produce thrust. The energy to turn the fans is taken from the turbojet cycle. The reduced exhaust jet velocity decreases its noise. Supercharging produces the extra power to turn the remote fans if multistage.
US08622337B2 Airship for transportation
An airship for facilitating transportation to and from one or more locations which are difficult to access or operate such as high above the ground level is disclosed. The airship can also be used in surface missions, The airship includes a cabin and a platform. The cabin is configured on a top portion of the airship. The platform is operatively connected to the cabin. The platform facilitates easy access to the cabin.
US08622333B2 Toilet tissue roll holder capacity extender
A toilet tissue roll holder extender which extends the roll diameter capacity of the holder by adhesively attaching flat plastic extender bodies to the inside surfaces of the conventional toilet tissue roll holder arms. In the preferred embodiment, the extenders have compound diameter spindle-receiving holes formed therein and the combination can be used with a toilet tissue core restoring insert of rigid plastic.
US08622329B1 Combined pepper grinder and salt shaker
A combined pepper grinder and salt shaker (1) having an upper portion (2) of the device that stores salt and also having apertures (3) to dispense the salt. A bottom portion (9) comprises a pepper mill that grinds peppercorn. The upper portion attaches to the bottom portion via a pressure fit clip-top shell (20), spring retaining ring (21) and push buttons (22), that allow a user to easily remove the upper portion from the bottom portion.
US08622327B2 Loosefill blowing machine having offset guide shells and vertical feed
A machine for distributing loosefill insulation is provided. The machine includes a chute having an inlet end configured to receive the loosefill insulation. A lower unit is associated with the chute and includes a shredder configured to shred the loosefill insulation and an agitator configured to finely condition the loosefill insulation. The lower unit includes a shredder guide shell positioned partially around the shredder and an agitator guide shell positioned partially around the agitator. A discharge mechanism is positioned in the lower unit. The discharge mechanism has a top inlet positioned below the agitator such that loosefill insulation exiting the agitator is allowed to fall in a substantially vertical direction from the agitator into the top inlet of the discharge mechanism. The position of the shredder guide shell at a passageway is offset in a vertical direction from the position of the agitator guide shell at the passageway.
US08622325B2 Process for producing granules
The present invention relates to a process for the production of granules from a liquid composition with a decreased dust production, the process steps are as follows: applying the liquid composition onto solid particles that are kept in a continuous movement by a gas stream in a granulation zone of an oblong granulator, thereby depositing and solidifying liquid composition around the solid particles to increase the size of the particles and thereby form grown solid particles; discharging a stream of the grown solid particles from the granulation zone, dividing, in a size-sorting apparatus, the stream of grown solid particles into individual streams based on the size of the grown solid particles to thereby produce streams of undersized, oversized, and desired-sized grown solid particles; transferring the stream of oversized grown solid particles to a size-reducing apparatus; crushing the stream of oversized grown solid particles in the size-reducing apparatus, thereby reducing the particle size of the oversized grown solid particles and thereby producing a stream of crushed solid particles wherein that stream of crushed solid particles is introduced in the granulator at a place below the place where the gas stream leaves the granulator.
US08622324B2 VOC-less electrostatic fluid dispensing apparatus
Systems and methods for rapidly atomizing and dispensing electrostatically atomized insecticides and similar low electrical conductivity active materials without the use of VOCs. The active materials are dispensed via insertion of a disposable cartridge in a dispensing apparatus. The dispensing apparatus is hand actuated and the exhausted cartridge is minimized to the size of a wad of chewing gum and it is doubly sealed to prevent any residual active material from leaking into the environment. Spray flow and configuration may be user selectable.
US08622320B2 Sprayer
A sprayer system having a sprayer assembly adaptable to a variety of sizes and shapes of containers. The sprayer assembly includes a dual venturi in the flow conduit to provide even pressure and consistent flow in the spray volume. A metering device is coupled to the flow conduit for accurate and reliable regulation of mixture ratios. A dip tube, coupled to the fluid conduit, is adaptable to a variety of container orifices. In addition to acting as a conduit for passage of concentrate into the sprayer assembly, the dip tube may also be used as a cutting device to open the container into which it will be inserted. By adapting to a variety of container orifices, the dip tube allows the sprayer assembly to fit to a variety of containers.
US08622303B2 Decoding utilizing image data
The invention relates to decoding utilizing image data. The image data can be received from a source. A processor can process the image data for decoding. A processing for decoding can be responsive to determined information.
US08622286B2 Portable computerized wireless payment apparatus and methods
A mobile user apparatus and associated methods useful for conducting payment transactions wirelessly, such as at point-of-sale locations. In one embodiment, the mobile user apparatus is a cellular-enabled mobile device that includes a short-range radio frequency device, such as an active-mode capable device, that generates a transmission to a point of sale apparatus, including information relating to an account of the user of the mobile apparatus that is to be charged for the payment. In one variant, the information stored on the mobile device is further configured to receive transaction data wirelessly in return.
US08622284B1 Determining and recording the locations of objects
In certain embodiments, one or more images of a container may be received. The following may be repeated for one or more device codes of one or more devices of an image of the one or more images: locating a device code in the image; reading a device identifier from the device code; determining a device location according to the location of the device code in the image; and associating the device identifier and the device location to yield a device identifier-location association. The one or more device identifier-location associations may be stored.
US08622273B2 Stapler
A stapling device includes an anvil arm bearing an anvil plate; a magazine pivotable about a transverse pivot on a bearing block in the rearward region of the anvil arm; and an arm bearing a driver for feeding the staples through a discharge slot at the front end of the magazine and pivotable about the transverse pivot. The discharge slot extends transversely through a bottom wall of the magazine between the magazine side walls which run from the front end towards the bearing block and is bounded with respect to the magazine front end by a stop plate for the staples. The discharge slot is closed with respect to the side walls of the magazine. The magazine is provided on each of its side walls and on each side of the discharge slot with a prong projecting from the bottom wall.
US08622252B2 Personal care composition foaming product and foaming dispenser
A manually-actuable, non-aerosol dispenser to be used with a personal care composition having a relatively higher viscosity that gives a desired foamed composition generated from a manually-actuable, non-aerosol dispenser.
US08622237B2 Drink bottles with bite-actuated mouthpieces
Drink bottles, or containers, with bite-actuated mouthpieces. In some embodiments, the mouthpieces are self-sealing mouthpieces that are biased to return from a dispensing configuration to a closed configuration. The bottles may be rigid or collapsible and may include a removable cap assembly. In some embodiments, the bottles include a manual on/off valve adapted to prevent drink fluid from being dispensed regardless of the mouthpiece's configuration. In some embodiments, the bottles include a straw extending into the bottle and/or a drink tube extending from external of the bottle and/or an air return system. In some embodiments, the bottles include a dispensing spout that is pivotally coupled to the cap of the drink bottle. In some embodiments, the dispensing spout includes a mount for the mouthpiece and/or cooperates with the cap to provide a manual on/off valve to selectively restrict flow of drink fluid from the bottle regardless of the mouthpiece's configuration.
US08622236B2 Drinking vessel usable in different orientations
A drinking vessel is provided for use in an upright orientation and an upturned orientation. The vessel includes a mouthpiece portion and a conduit portion fluidly connected to the mouthpiece portion. The conduit portion has a lower opening through which fluid may be drawn to the mouthpiece portion when the vessel is oriented in a substantially upright orientation. The vessel further includes an intermediate inlet (fluidly connected to the mouthpiece portion. The intermediate inlet is disposed intermediate the lower opening and the mouthpiece portion. The vessel further includes a flow controller operable to control flow to the mouthpiece portion from the intermediate inlet, according to the orientation of the vessel. A lid for a drinking vessel and a drinking conduit are also claimed.
US08622221B2 Device for filtering polymer melts
A filtering device (100) for plastic melts exhibits at least one screen plunger (10) arranged movably between an inlet channel (5) and an outlet channel (6) of a housing (1) and containing replaceable, three-dimensional filter elements (25). The inside of the filter elements (25) is connected to at least one melt channel (11, 12) formed in the screen plunger (10). The melt channel is connected to the inlet or outlet channel (5, 6) of the housing (1) when in the production position. The screen plunger (10) exhibits at least one receiving chamber (14) that can be closed using a cover (16) on the face side. Several filter elements (25) are bundled with a central distribution element (20) to a filter cartridge (30) that can be placed in the receiving chamber (14).
US08622215B2 Device for collection, storage, retrieval and shipping of hair follicles from animals
The present invention relates to a novel device for the collection, storage, shipping and retrieval of hair follicles from animals for the purpose of isolating DNA or other genetic material from the follicles for analysis. The device has outer flaps for the protection as well as identification of the samples and an inner part where samples are placed. The inner device has thicker base and a clear plastic cover, the easy peel back of which is facilitated by a) low tack adhesives that hold the two together and b) a touch cut on one end, through the base sheet which creates a grip. This makes the device convenient and easy to use, and yet a robust collection device for hair follicles from animals in a farm or real-life situation. Hair follicles can be punched out through the inner device for direct DNA isolation and analysis.
US08622214B1 Keepsake arrangement and method of making a keepsake
A keepsake arrangement comprising a cavity defined by at least one cavity wall and having an opening, an impressible material disposed in the cavity, a seal, sealingly coupled to a lip about the cavity, for sealing the impressible material in the cavity and for maintaining moisture in the impressible material while the seal is sealingly coupled to the lip about the cavity, a frame releasably coupleable to at least a portion of the lip that extends about the cavity, the frame comprising a shoulder section that extends over the opening when the frame is coupled to the at least one cavity wall, wherein the shoulder section is dimensioned to assist in retaining the impressible material in the cavity when the seal is removed from the lip about the cavity and the moisture is removed from the impressible material. A method of making a keepsake utilizing a keepsake arrangement as disclosed herein is also provided.
US08622208B2 Reinforced cup
A reinforced plastic foam cup including a body which defines an open top end and a closed bottom end, wherein the top end has a greater diameter than the bottom end. The body includes a reinforced tapered side wall that extends from the bottom end to the top end. A substantial portion of the reinforced tapered side wall includes a plastic foam layer, a pressure sensitive adhesive layer and a rigid material layer. Such reinforced plastic foam cup provides an improved tactile feel and enhanced insulation and rigidity properties.
US08622205B2 Pocket storable hand towel and case
A portable hand drying device incorporates a case foldable to form a vertex having an interior surface and a zipper closure for a peripheral edge. A multilayer liner having an outer permeable layer and an inner absorbing layer is attached to the interior surface of the case with hook and loop fastener and a towel, foldable to be encased within the case, is attached to the liner at the vertex.
US08622200B2 Feeding device with motorized rollers for overlying bands of paper or other materials
Feeding device, for feeding bands having different lengths and bound in a direction transverse to the feeding direction, includes a driving roller and a rubber-covered pressure roller, both being activated by respective brushless motors. The feeding device is controlled by an electronic drive that allows the pressure roller to rotate at a greater speed than the driving roller, allowing the sliding of the overlapping band above the base band during feed motion, maintaining constant the required tension and eliminating the rolling up of the overlaying band in correspondence of the transversal bind with the base band.
US08622189B2 Banknote recognition and counting machine and money counting method
In a banknote recognition and counting machine (10), information concerning a count result on coins is inputted through an input unit (32, 53), and then the information concerning the count result on the coins inputted through the input unit (32, 53) is sent to a control unit (50). Thereafter, information concerning a count result on one or more banknotes counted by a recognition and counting unit (24) and the information concerning the count result on the coins inputted through the input unit are outputted, through an output unit (32p, 34, 52, 38).
US08622184B2 One-way clutch
A one-way clutch includes an outer race, an inner race which is spaced from the outer race in an inside diameter direction and arranged concentrically so as to be relatively rotatable, a plurality of engaging members which are arranged between the outer race and the inner race to transmit a torque, and a cage which retains the engaging members. The one-way clutch is provided with volute springs which urge the engaging members in the direction in which the engaging members engage with a cam face of the outer race or the inner race.
US08622176B2 Gearbox oil reservoir shape optimization
A gearbox for use in an auxiliary power unit has a plurality of gears received within a housing. A lube pump is mounted within the housing, and delivers oil to the plurality of gears and bearings. The lube pump has an oil supply tube for supplying oil to the pump for delivery to the plurality of gears and bearings. An oil reservoir maintains a quantity of oil above a lowermost end of the inlet tube, and is shaped such that a cross-sectional area at a lower end of the inlet tube has a first cross-sectional area. Other cross-sectional areas spaced upwardly from the first cross-sectional area are greater. A ratio of the second cross-sectional area to the first cross-sectional area is less than 3.
US08622166B1 Switch-actuated joystick for power wheelchairs
The present invention provides a universal single switch driving system for power wheelchairs, which can be attached to any wheelchair joystick and remotely controlled, by any single switch available for persons with disabilities.
US08622165B2 Building machine comprising a presence detection system
A building machine, especially a road finishing machine, comprising a presence detection system. The presence detection system comprises a sensor which is integrated in the control panel of the building machine. By means of the sensor a distance measurement can be carried out, which determines whether the operator is properly seated on the driver's seat of the building machine or whether he stands properly at the standing work place. In order to determine the presence a tolerance range may be specified, which allows a slight movement of the operator on the driver's seat. If the operator approaches the limits of the tolerance range he is asked in time by warning signals to be seated again properly on the driver's seat or adopt a proper position at the standing work place. If the sensor detects no operator on the driver's seat or at the standing work place all of the functions of the building machine are stopped in order to make sure that the work site is safe.
US08622160B2 Moveable steering and universal charger
A universal steering and charger system is disclosed for a dual motor vehicle comprising a socket having socket terminals. A coupling defines a socket insert having socket insert terminals. A sensor is connected to the socket insert terminals with a hand control enabling an operator to manipulate the sensor. The socket insert is receivable within the socket for electrically connecting the socket insert to the socket. A motor drive control is connected to the socket for powering the first and second motors from a storage battery for steering the dual motor vehicle. A mast has mast terminals connected to a low voltage power source. The coupling is removable from the socket for enabling insertion of the mast into the socket for charging the storage battery. A plurality of sockets may be mounted at multiple location on the dual motor vehicle for steering the dual motor vehicle from multiple locations on the dual motor vehicle. The mast of the charging system may be utilized for charging a variety of electrical device.
US08622155B2 Pointed diamond working ends on a shear bit
In one aspect of the present invention, a drill string has a drill bit with a body intermediate a shank and a working face. The working face has a plurality of blades converging at a center of the working surface and diverging towards a gauge of the working face. At least one blade has a cutting element with a carbide substrate bonded to a diamond working end with a pointed geometry. The diamond working end also has a central axis which intersects an apex of the pointed geometry. The axis is oriented between a 25 and 85 degree positive rake angle.
US08622153B2 Downhole assembly
A downhole assembly for insertion into a borehole comprising an articulated mandrel, a passive and an active damping mechanism operating on said mandrel for exercising control over torsional stick-slip and further proposing an improvement over the prior art which diminishes lateral shock.
US08622152B2 Down-the-hole drill hammer having a sliding exhaust check valve
A down-the-hole drill hammer having a housing, a backhead and a tubular sliding check valve assembly that includes a distal end, a threaded male proximal end, a supply inlet and an exhaust port. The exhaust port communicates between an interior of the backhead and an exterior of the backhead. The tubular sliding check valve assembly includes a distributor, a sliding valve, and a biasing member. The distributor has a central opening extending through the distributor, an aperture extending through the distributor, and an exhaust gallery. The sliding valve is slidable along the central opening. The biasing member biases the sliding valve to a closed position.
US08622149B2 Ballistic transfer delay device
A ballistic transfer delay device and method of use. The ballistic transfer delay device does not include a firing pin and it is not pressure initiated. The device comprises a time delay fuse, a through-bulkhead initiator to initiate the time delay fuse, and an output booster to ballistically transfer the energy from the initiated time delay fuse.
US08622148B2 Power tool
A hand-operated power tool, particularly a hammer drill (1), includes a drive motor (2), a tool spindle (3) to drive a tool in rotary manner, a rotary drive transmission (4) to couple the drive motor (2) to the tool spindle (3), a hammer mechanism (5) to drive the tool in percussive manner, a hammer mechanism transmission (6) to couple the drive motor (2) to the hammer mechanism (5), and a switching device (7) to activate and deactivate the hammer mechanism (5). The switching device (7) has a clutch (9) that is integrated in a force path (10) of the hammer mechanism transmission (6) and has an actuation stroke (11) for advancing and withdrawing the clutch (6), which stroke extends perpendicularly to the axis of rotation (8) of the tool spindle (3), or parallel to an axis of rotation (37) of an actuating element (28) that is rotated manually to actuate the switching device (7) for advancing and withdrawing the clutch (6).
US08622143B2 Device, method and use for transfer of equipment for a wireline operation in a well
Device for transfer of equipment for a wireline operation in a well connected to a drilling derrick via a top drive. The device comprises a beam structured for releasable connection to said top drive; wherein the beam is structured in a manner allowing it to extend, when in its position of use, transversely relative to a center line between the top drive and the well; wherein the beam is provided with at least one hoisting device with a lifting line for vertical movement of said equipment; wherein a support point for the lifting line is connected to the beam and is structured so as to be movable in the longitudinal direction of the beam, whereby said equipment may be moved horizontally relative to said center line; and wherein said hoisting device and support point are structured for remote-controlled operation.
US08622137B2 Subsea structure installation or removal
There is disclosed a system comprising a subsea structure; and a carrier comprising an opening adapted to receive the subsea structure.
US08622135B2 Apparatus and methods for separating sand from well fracturing return water
Apparatus and methods for removing sand or other particulate from well fracturing return water are disclosed. In a sand separator box, a barrier element divides the tank into an upper compartment and a lower compartment. Particulate-laden return water flows through a gas separator and then into the upper compartment of the box. The barrier element allows the water in the upper compartment to pass into the lower compartment while keeping the sand or particulate in the upper compartment. As water accumulates in the lower compartment, it is pumped out to storage tanks or back to the well for reuse.
US08622134B2 Organic acid compositions and methods of use in subterranean operations
Subterranean treatment fluids comprising one or more organic acids and methods of use in subterranean operations are provided. In one embodiment, the methods comprise: providing a treatment fluid that comprises an aqueous base fluid, a plurality of particulates, a gelling agent, and one or more organic acids; introducing the treatment fluid into at least a portion of a subterranean formation; and depositing at least a portion of the particulates in a portion of the subterranean formation so as to form a gravel pack in a portion of the subterranean formation.
US08622128B2 In-situ evaluation of reservoir sanding and fines migration and related completion, lift and surface facilities design
Methods and related systems are described relating to monitoring particulates downhole at in-situ conditions. Solid particles being carried in the fluid as the fluid is produced from the reservoir formation are monitored. The downhole solid particle monitoring can include measuring the quantity (e.g., volume fraction, weight fraction, or the like) of solid particles, measuring the distribution of sizes of the solid particles, and/or measuring the shape of the particles. The solid particles can be monitored using one or more of sensors such as optical spectrometers, acoustic sensors, video cameras, and erosion probes. A sanding prediction is generated based at least in part on the monitoring of the solid particles, and the sanding prediction is then used to design a completion, lift system, and surface facilities for the wellbore and/or select operating conditions so as to control sanding during production.
US08622124B2 Well treatment using electric submersible pumping system
A technique provides an electric submersible pumping system to facilitate a well treatment, such as a hydraulic fracturing well treatment. The electric submersible pumping system is positioned downhole and oriented to intake a fluid delivered downhole for use in the well treatment. Once the fluid is delivered downhole, the electric submersible pumping system pumps, pressurizes and discharges this fluid to perform the well treatment, e.g. the hydraulic fracturing treatment. The pumping system reduces the pressure at which the treatment fluid must be delivered downhole.
US08622122B2 Rod reel and method of repairing a rod string
A rod reel includes a reel body having a central axis, a first rod receiving channel and a second rod receiving channel. The first and second rod receiving channels are centered about the central axis. The second rod receiving channel is adjacent to the first rod receiving channel. The rod reel may be used to repair a rod string by loading a supplemental rod string in one of the pockets, loading the rod string into another of the pockets, cutting the rod string, and attaching a desired length of the supplemental rod string to the cut in the rod string.
US08622118B2 Loop heat pipe
An exemplary loop heat pipe includes an evaporator, a condenser, a vapor line and a liquid line each connecting the evaporator with the condenser to form a closed loop. A working medium is contained in the closed loop. A wick structure is received in the evaporator, and includes a bottom wall contacting the bottom plate, a support wall extending up from the bottom wall and contacting the cover plate, and guide walls extending out laterally from the support wall. The support wall separates an interior of the evaporator into a liquid chamber adjacent to the liquid line and a vapor chamber adjacent to the vapor line. The guide walls are located in the vapor chamber. Guide channels are defined between the guide walls for guiding the working medium in a vapor state to flow from the vapor chamber through the vapor line to the condenser.
US08622117B2 Heat pipe including a main wick structure and at least one auxiliary wick structure
A heat pipe includes a casing, a main wick structure received in the casing, an auxiliary wick structure received in the main wick structure, and a working fluid contained in the casing. The main wick structure is attached to an inner surface of the casing. An inner peripheral surface of the main wick structure and an outer peripheral surface of the auxiliary wick structure cooperatively define a vapor channel. The auxiliary wick structure is hollow, and extends along a longitudinal direction of the casing. A liquid channel is defined in the auxiliary wick structure. Two ends of the auxiliary wick structure are both fixed on the two ends of the casing. The working fluid is saturated in the main wick structure and the auxiliary wick structure.
US08622114B2 Semimolten or semi solid molding method and molding apparatus
A molded article includes a flat plate portion and a projected portion. A molding method includes filling a cavity with the semimolten or semisolid metal in plate thickness directions of the flat plate portion starting from a surface on an opposite side of the flat plate portion from the surface from which the projected portion projects. The cavity is a casting space of the molded article formed inside a forming mold. A molding apparatus for casting the molded article includes a forming mold having the cavity, and a separate insert or slide mold disposed between the cavity and a runner in order to form the runner in plate thickness directions of the flat plate portion starting from the other surface. The runner is used to fill the cavity.
US08622106B1 Bead structure for a pneumatic tire
A pneumatic tire includes a carcass ply extending from one bead structure to another bead structure. Each bead structure includes a plurality of circumferentially wound metal wires defining a cross-sectional profile of a bead. The profile has a radial height to axial width ratio greater than 1.0 and a bead orientation angle between 30 degrees and 60 degrees.
US08622099B2 Multi-function unit for the offshore transfer of hydrocarbons
A hydrocarbon transfer arrangement for transfer of fluids between an offshore unit and a carrier which are placed in an offloading configuration, includes at least one transfer hose and a gas return hose, wherein the end of the at least one transfer hose is connected to a floating multi-function unit allowing for the transport of the transfer hose between the offshore unit and the carrier, wherein the floating multi-function unit can be lifted out of the water and can be held in a fixed position above water-level and is provided with connection elements for making a fluid connection between the transfer hose end and a manifold of the carrier and with emergency disconnect elements for the at least one transfer hose, placed at a distance from the connection elements.
US08622096B2 Spin improvement string pliers
The spin improvement string pliers is a pivotally secured together plier device used to manually restructure and roughen the surface of a synthetic string on a strung tennis racquet by means of plastic deformation. The line grids on the pliers depress the string, leaving a series of indentations on the string surface that increases the friction between the string and the ball so that the tennis player can more easily generate top or under spin on a tennis ball or a racket ball.
US08622095B2 Structured fabric for use in a papermaking machine and the fibrous web produced thereon
A structured fabric for use with a papermaking machine for the production of a fibrous web. The structured fabric includes a plurality of weft yarns and a plurality of warp yarns. The plurality of warp yarns interact with the weft yarns to produce a weave pattern. The plurality of warp yarns include a first set of warp yarns and a second set of warp yarns. The first set of warp yarns are woven as a plain weave. The second set of warp yarns form an impression layer. The first set of warp yarns are in a first plane, the second set of warp yarns have a surface in a second plane. The second plane is positioned farther from the machine facing side of the fabric than the first plan to form the impression layer. The first set of warp yarns have a first cross-sectional area and the second set of warp yarns have a second cross-sectional area. The first cross-sectional area is less than the second cross-sectional area.
US08622093B2 Vibration-resistant reinforced concrete watertight pipe and method of manufacturing the same
A vibration-resistant reinforced concrete watertight pipe, at opposite ends of which coupling units formed of a separate material are formed, and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. The vibration-resistant reinforced concrete watertight pipe includes a reinforced concrete pipe having a reinforcement mat, which is assembled with longitudinal reinforcements and transverse reinforcements, disposed in a concrete layer, and a convexity coupling part and a concavity coupling part that are coupled to opposite ends of the reinforced concrete pipe and have coupling ridges and coupling furrows respectively. Here, the coupling part and the concavity coupling part are formed of a synthetic resin, which is different in physical properties from the reinforced concrete pipe, and have the same shape and thickness as the reinforced concrete pipe. Each of the convexity coupling part and the concavity coupling part has a metal core installed therein to increase a coupling strength.
US08622084B2 Liquid-suctioning tank and droplet discharge device provided with the same
A liquid-suctioning tank includes a liquid inflow port, a gas outflow port, a baffle plate and a guide member. The liquid inflow port communicates with an upper space of a surface of a liquid, and configured and arranged to be connected to a liquid-suctioning object. The gas outflow port communicates with the upper space, and configured and arranged to be connected to a suctioning device so that a negative pressure is applied to the upper space by the suctioning device to trap liquid from the liquid-suctioning object using suction. The baffle plate is disposed in the upper space so that the liquid flowing from the liquid inflow port collides against the baffle plate. The guide member has a guiding wall configured and arranged to guide the liquid that has collided with the baffle plate from the baffle plate toward the surface of the liquid.
US08622078B2 Apparatus of hot tapping multiple coaxial or nested strings of underwater piping and/or tubing for overturned wells or platforms
A method and apparatus for tapping into a pressurized multiple strings of coaxially situated tubulars for wells and/or platforms which have overturned wherein the tapping occurs underwater via a diver or remotely operated vehicle. The assembly includes a tapping tool connectable to the tubular via a saddle connection and an adjustable tapping clamp with adjustable support/locking feet, compression plate with view ports, and angularly adjustable hot tapping system, along with a drill/saw system.
US08622074B2 Fuel tank venting system
A venting system for a fuel tank may include a first vent valve having an inlet, an outlet through which fuel vapor may be vented from the fuel tank, and a valve. The first vent valve may be located within a first chamber of the fuel tank. A second vent valve may have an inlet, an outlet through which fuel vapor may be vented from the fuel tank, and a valve. The second vent valve may be located within a second chamber of the fuel tank that is separate from the first chamber during at least certain fuel levels within the fuel tank. The support may carry both the first and second vent valves within the fuel tank and be movably carried within the fuel tank to vary the height of the first and second valves within the fuel tank as the support moves relative to the fuel tank.
US08622070B2 Valve release mechanism
A valve release mechanism has an actuator, a ring, a plurality of ball bearings, and a retainer. The retainer is positioned adjacent an inner diameter of the ring and has a plurality of circumferentially spaced holes therein. Each circumferentially spaced hole receives one of the plurality of ball bearings, which are movable therein. The ring has channels and lands along its inner diameter that allow the ball bearings to move varying distances relative to the retainer. The lands contact the ball bearings when the ring is in a first position and the channels receive the ball bearings when the ring is in a second position. The poppet has a groove that is vertically aligned with circumferentially spaced holes in the retainer when the poppet is in a first closed position. The ball bearings are pressed into the groove in the poppet by the lands of the ring. The resulting interference of the ball bearings with poppet locks the poppet in the first closed position. The ring can be moved from the first closed position to a second position by the actuator.
US08622069B2 Valve device in a unit for conducting a product, unit of this type and method for operating the same
A valve device for connecting two conduits in a unit for conducting a product comprises a first shut-off member and a second shut-off member and a first leakage space between the first and the second shut-off members, a first connection for one of the two conduits on a side of the first shut-off member facing away from the leakage space, and a second connection for the other of the two conduits on the side of the second shut-off member facing away from the leakage space. A third shut-off member and a fourth shut-off member and a second leakage space are present between the third and the fourth shut-off members, wherein a central third leakage space is present between the second and the third shut-off members, and wherein the second connection for the other of the two conduits is arranged on a side of the fourth shut-off member facing away from the second leakage space.
US08622064B2 Combination toothpick and mint dispenser
A combination toothpick and mint dispenser. On a bottom end of the dispenser is a toothpick. On a top end (opposite the bottom end) is a chamber which is used to hold solid mints or liquid refreshment (such as mouthwash). In an embodiment, a shaft connecting the chamber to the toothpick can be hollow, thereby allowing liquid refreshment to pass from the chamber through a bottom of the shaft and out of the dispenser.
US08622063B2 Lip substrate applicator kit and method
A lip substrate applicator kit includes upper and lower applicators adapted to facilitate the application of lip substrates onto the upper and lower lips of a wearer. The lip substrates typically includes an image layer featuring one or more of a variety of colors, graphic designs and text elements. Edges of the applicators may be pre-cut to ensure that the applied substrate presents a symmetrical and clean appearance at the vermillion borders of the wearer's lips. Each applicator includes an adhesive layer, a peel layer and a guide layer. The guide layer has a guide pattern configured to aid a user in trimming excess portions from the applicator generally along a curved pathway, so that the substrate may be customized to fit the lips of the wearer. The kit may include a die cut applicator sheet from which the upper and lower applicators are die cut, suspended and detachable.
US08622061B2 Implanted soft palate support and implantation method
An implanted soft palate support and an implantation method are provided. The implanted soft palate support is a flat implant made of a material capable of being implanted into human tissues for a long time period, and includes a hard palate connecting end and a support. The hard palate connecting end has a connecting structure connected with a hard palate; the support is a flat implant capable of being inserted into a soft palate; and the hard palate connecting end is connected to the support. The implanted soft palate support can achieve the objectives of treating OSAHS and snoring by effectively lifting the collapsed soft palate during sleep and thereby reducing an upper airway obstruction condition. In particular, the soft palate support can be adjusted within a certain range to calibrate its shape and curvature event after the surgery, so as to achieve optimal treatment and comfort.
US08622055B2 Solar collector and solar heating system using same
A solar collector includes a substrate having a top surface and a bottom surface opposite to the upper surface, a sidewall, a transparent cover, and a heat-absorbing layer. The sidewall is arranged on the top surface of the substrate. The transparent cover is disposed on the sidewall opposite to the substrate to form a sealed chamber with the substrate together. The heat-absorbing layer is disposed on the upper surface of the substrate and includes a carbon nanotube structure.
US08622054B1 Methods and systems for reducing combustion emissions
Methods and systems for reducing combustion emissions generated in, or released from, a combustion chamber are provided. Systems and methods provided herein may be used to modify, for example, an existing fireplace such that combustion emissions resulting from burning a fuel combustion source are reduced. The method involves providing an emission reduction system which includes a casing assembly with at least one panel of a catalyst-coated media and a support structure supporting the casing assembly. The casing assembly is positioned between a fuel combustion source and a flue by associating the support structure with an interior surface of the firebox. The fuel combustion source is burned to create a fire, such that the catalyst-coated media reduces emissions associated with fuel combustion when contacted with combustion exhaust.
US08622052B1 Archery bow grip
In at least one embodiment, an archery bow grip comprises a body portion comprising a first wall and an opposed second opposed wall. A connecting wall spans between the first wall and the second wall. The body portion defines a groove between an inner surface of said first wall and an inner surface of second wall. The groove defines a central axis, and the connecting wall comprises a ridge having a peak that extends parallel to the central axis of the groove. The peak is desirably straight along its length.
US08622049B1 Pitching machine
The present invention is a swing arm pitching machine for throwing a ball in a trajectory comprising a horizontal adjustment system for selectively varying the trajectory of a ball horizontally, a height adjustment system for selectively varying the trajectory of the ball vertically, a speed adjustment system for selectively varying the speed of the ball, and a control panel in communication with the horizontal adjustment system, the height adjustment system, and the speed adjustment system for automatically adjusting the trajectory as desired.
US08622045B2 Active air control
An air-balanced engine assembly is configured to operate efficiently while producing a reduced level of harmful emissions. The engine assembly includes a two-stroke internal combustion engine with multiple power cylinders and intake and exhaust manifolds that fluidly communicate with the cylinders. The engine assembly also includes an air balancing assembly with valves that control intake air flow from the intake manifold to the cylinders. The valves cooperate to balance intake air flow among the cylinders and are configured to substantially equalize trapped equivalence ratios among the cylinders.
US08622032B2 Internal combustion engine with dual-chamber cylinder
Improvements in a gas powered engine. Said improvements include use of a piston with a fixed piston arm that extends through a seal in the lower portion of the cylinder. The piston arm operates on an elliptical crank that drives the output shaft. Valves that move air and exhaust into and out of the pistons are lifted by a cam located on the crank. A unique oil injector passes oil to the piston and the cylinder wall. An energy recovery unit recovers energy from the cooling system and from the exhaust system.
US08622031B2 System for supplementary fuel supply
Supply of supplementary fuel is controlled by activation of a valve in response to certain engine operating conditions or parameters. For example, the supplementary fuel may be supplied to facilitate starting and warming up a cold engine, or to cool and/or slow down an engine operating above a threshold speed.
US08622027B1 Animal paw massager and dirt remover
An apparatus to aid in the cleaning of animal's paws comprises a plastic tub filled with water from a hose attached to a remote faucet and having a side-mounted drain valve. The apparatus also comprises a battery-operated vibrating system that vibrates a floor portion of the tub. Control of the vibrators is provided via a control switch located conveniently along a side panel. During use, the animal is placed or walked into the tub upon returning from the outdoors. The vibrating action along with the water removes all foreign material from the animal's lower legs and paws. Additionally, the vibrating action may be utilized to soothe and comfort the animal's paws.
US08622021B2 High lifetime consumable silicon nitride-silicon dioxide plasma processing components
A method of increasing mean time between cleans of a plasma etch chamber and chamber parts lifetimes is provided. Semiconductor substrates are plasma etched in the chamber while using at least one sintered silicon nitride component exposed to ion bombardment and/or ionized halogen gas. The sintered silicon nitride component includes high purity silicon nitride and a sintering aid consisting of silicon dioxide. A plasma processing chamber is provided including the sintered silicon nitride component. A method of reducing metallic contamination on the surface of a silicon substrate during plasma processing is provided with a plasma processing apparatus including one or more sintered silicon nitride components. A method of manufacturing a component exposed to ion bombardment and/or plasma erosion in a plasma etch chamber, comprising shaping a powder composition consisting of high purity silicon nitride and silicon dioxide and densifying the shaped component.
US08622018B2 System and method for glazing
A back bedding glazing compound applicator assembly is disclosed. The back bedding glazing compound applicator assembly comprises a nozzle head that is fluidly connected to a back bedding glazing compound supply source and a stabilizer device for retaining a fixed vertical position of a viewing surface while back bedding glazing compound is being dispensed by the nozzle head. The nozzle head includes a back bedding glazing compound channel fluidly connected to a dispensing opening. The dispensing opening is positioned adjacent a bottom surface of the nozzle head.
US08622017B2 Electroless plating system
An electroless plating system includes a plating solution, and controlling reducing agents in the plating solution for deposition over outlier features smaller than about five hundred nanometers and isolated by about one thousand nanometers.
US08622010B2 Seacock closing system
A pneumatic seacock retrofit is provided for convenient closing of all or a portion of the seacocks, whether as a matter of every day convenience or for use in an emergency, in which all of the vessel's seacocks can be pneumatically closed at the same time, leaving the possibility of selectively overriding seacock closure, with all control valves operating to provide a momentary pulse of air to the rotary actuators and then return to a neutral position, leaving the actuators free for further control. Moreover, an operator is free to manually close a valve in the event that the pneumatic system fails.
US08622009B2 Locking mechanism for a bobbin case
A locking mechanism for a bobbin case (5) is provided with a locking lever (35) supported pivotally in the bobbin cover (27). The locking lever is pivotal on a shaft (33). A hook-shaped end (51) is formed at the locking lever (35), which latches in the sleeve (9) in the hook and can hold the bobbin case (3) in the hook (1).
US08621998B2 Remote initiator breaching system
A remote initiator breaching system for initiating breaching charges over a short range requiring no physical link between the breacher and the demolition charge. The remote initiator breaching system has at least one transmitter, at least one receiver, at least one shock tube connectable to a breaching charge and a power source for each of the transmitter and receiver. The transmitter is able to generate and transmit a coded signal. The transmitter has an input for inputting operational commands into the transmitter for generating the coded signal, The transmitter has a plurality of channels representing different frequency bands, and multiple addresses for each channel such that transmission of the coded signal from the transmitter to the receiver is possible per individual addresses or all addresses simultaneously.
US08621996B2 Engraving of printing plates
An optical imaging apparatus (80) for direct engraving of flexographic plates (52) includes at least two laser sources (43), each emitting laser beams (44). A mirror or prism (45) is placed in front of each of the laser sources to alter an optical path of each of the laser beams. The laser beams cut the flexographic plate at different depths and cut out chunks (65) of the flexographic plate.
US08621983B2 Soluable beverage system with liquid flavor dispensing
A beverage apparatus including a soluble beverage system and a liquid flavor dispensing system. The liquid flavor dispensing system can add liquid flavor to water flowing through a heated water manifold for combination with beverage material dispensed from the soluble beverage system. The liquid flavor dispensing system and soluble beverage system are cooperatively positioned and controlled to combine liquid flavor, water, and soluble beverage material for controllably producing a variety of beverages.
US08621982B2 Temperature-controlled beverage brewing
Aspects of the present disclosure relate to the brewing of beverages from a liquid, such as water, and a flavor base, such as tea, cocoa, or coffee. Specifically, aspects of the present disclosure enable the brewing of beverages with a level of precision that can yield a uniform taste from cup to cup, and at a rapid rate. In one embodiment, a liquid is heated in a reservoir to a predetermined temperature. Prior to brewing a beverage with the liquid, the liquid may be passed through a temperature control unit to cool the liquid to a desired brewing temperature. By utilizing such a temperature control unit, the brewing temperature can be varied on a per-beverage basis. Moreover, utilization of a temperature control unit can enable the liquid to be brought to a desired brewing temperature relatively rapidly.
US08621979B2 Lubrication system for a reciprocating apparatus
A positive displacement pump comprising a lubricant manifold comprising a first fluid pathway, a housing comprising a second fluid pathway in fluid communication with the first pathway, a crosshead slide within the housing and comprising a third fluid pathway in fluid communication with the second pathway; a crosshead configured to reciprocate within the crosshead slide, the crosshead comprising a fourth fluid pathway in fluid communication with the third pathway, the crosshead further comprising a wrist-pin having a fifth fluid pathway in fluid communication with the fourth pathway, a crankshaft within the housing, and a connecting rod disposed between the crosshead and the crankshaft and connected thereto, wherein the connecting rod comprises a sixth fluid pathway displaced from the connecting rod centerline and in fluid communication with the fifth pathway, and wherein the crankshaft end of the connecting rod comprises a seventh fluid pathway in fluid communication with the sixth pathway.
US08621964B2 Rotary cutting tool with coolant passage disposed in non-circular recess for reducing stress
A cutting tool includes a tool body having a plurality of pockets for receiving cutting inserts. Each pocket includes a bottom support surface, an axial support surface, a radial support surface and a corner relief between the bottom support surface and the radial support surface. A non-circular recess is formed proximate the pocket, and a coolant passage is disposed within the recess. The recess reduces a tensile stress of the cutting tool during a machining operation.
US08621961B2 Multi-purpose tool
A tool handle includes a handle body having a first end, a second end, an exterior surface and a bore configured to receive a shaft. A wire stripper is integrated into the exterior surface of the handle and configured to cut and remove the insulating layer of a conductive wire. The wire stripper includes a first sharp edge and a second sharp edge intersecting the first sharp edge to form a v-shaped notch.
US08621960B2 Single motor power seat
A multi-output transmission assembly includes first and second gears rotatable in opposite directions, an output shaft, first and second collars slidably coupled to the output shaft, and an actuator coupled to the first and second collars. The first collar is rotated by the first gear in a first direction. The second collar is rotated by the second gear in a second direction. The actuator moves the first and second collars along the output shaft. With the actuator in a neutral position, the first and second collars are disengaged from the output shaft and the output shaft does not rotate. With the actuator in a first position, the first collar engages the output shaft and the output shaft rotates in the first direction. With the actuator in a second position, the second collar engages the output shaft and the output shaft rotates in the second direction.
US08621959B2 Compact active material actuated transmissions for driving multiple output loads from a single primary actuator
Power is selectively transferred from a primary actuator to one of a plurality of output shafts with a transmission including a plurality of output members coupled to an input member, the input member being coupled to the primary actuator. A first active material actuator includes a mechanical coupling feature coupling one of the plurality of output shafts to one of the plurality of output members when the active material actuator is activated.
US08621949B2 Safety device for a linear actuator and a linear actuator
The invention concerns a safety device (1) for an actuator comprising a connection means (2) allowing a connection to a releasable holding means (5). The connection means (2) is fixed via a sacrificing means (3) to a supporting means (4), and a resilient means (7) is acting between the supporting means (4) and a supporting portion (8). An extension means (9) is fixed to the supporting means (4) via the connection means (2). The sacrificing means (3) has a mechanical strength such that the sacrificing means (3) breaks when subjected to a force exceeding a predetermined force, such that the extension means is no longer fixed to the supporting means and that a re-connection of the supporting means (4) and the releasable holding means (5) is made impossible. The predetermined force is lower than the mechanical strength of the extension means (9) and the supporting means (4). A linear actuator (13) comprising the safety device (1) is also provided.
US08621948B2 Drive device for entrance/exit devices with coupling
The invention relates to a drive device (20) for entrance/exit devices for public transit vehicles, comprising a drive unit (22) disposed in and driving a column (24) that rotates about an axis of rotation Z-Z during opening and closing operations, said column opening and closing an entrance/exit device. The drive unit (22) is supported in the vehicle by way of a support component (40) and the support component (40) acts as a counterbearing for a torque of the drive unit (22). A coupling device (72) is disposed between the drive unit (22) and the support component (40), said coupling device facilitating a rotation of the drive unit (22) about the axis of rotation Z-Z when a limit of the torque acting on the drive unit is exceeded.
US08621945B2 Method and apparatus for improving the temperature stability and minimizing the noise of the environment that encloses an interferometric measuring system
Disclosed herein is a method and system for providing environmental control for a vibration sensitive system such as an interferometric measurement system, while minimizing acoustic noise during data acquisition.
US08621944B2 Actuated septa and systems and methods using the same
A device, system, and method for passively sealing a vessel containing a fluid and for sampling the fluid without carry-over or cross-contamination between the fluid sampling device, the sealing septum, and the vessel contents. The device includes an actuated septum having a plurality of septum fingers, to passively seal the vessel, and an actuation device, to open the passive seal without carry-over or cross-contamination. Each of the plurality of septum fingers includes a corresponding rib portion. The actuation device can be an actuation ring having an annulus. The plurality of septum fingers and corresponding rib portions are disposed internal or substantially internal to the vessel, while the actuation device is disposed external to the vessel.
US08621939B2 Ribbed force sensor
In one embodiment, a force sensor apparatus is provided including a tube portion having a plurality of radial ribs and a strain gauge positioned over each of the plurality of radial ribs, a proximal end of the tube portion that operably couples to a shaft of a surgical instrument that operably couples to a manipulator arm of a robotic surgical system, and a distal end of the tube portion that proximally couples to a wrist joint coupled to an end effector.
US08621929B2 Manufacturing method for a micromechanical component and micromechanical component
A micromechanical component comprising a displaceable mass made of a substrate material having at least one actuator plate electrode and one first insulating layer between the displaceable mass and the at least one actuator plate electrode, a mounting having a frame, which at least partially encloses the displaceable mass, at least one contact terminal of the at least one actuator plate electrode, and at least one stator plate electrode, and at least one spring component, via which the displaceable mass is connected to the mounting, one of the actuator plate electrodes being connected to the assigned contact terminal in each case via the assigned spring component, wherein the frame of the mounting is made of the substrate material of the displaceable mass and wherein one of the actuator plate electrodes is configured in one piece with the assigned contact terminal and the assigned spring component in each case.
US08621920B2 Obtaining and evaluating downhole samples with a coring tool
Samples of hydrocarbon are obtained with a coring tool. An analysis of some thermal or electrical properties of the core samples may be performed downhole. The core samples may also be preserved in containers sealed and/or refrigerated prior to being brought uphole for analysis. The hydrocarbon trapped in the pore space of the core samples may be extracted from the core samples downhole. The extracted hydrocarbon may be preserved in chambers and/or analyzed downhole.
US08621914B2 Respirator test accessory
A test accessory for testing a variety respirators. The accessory is designed to compliment existing equipment to provide a robust assessment of respirator performance. The accessory may include a head form having an inflatable bladder capable of fitting a variety of sizes of respirator masks. In some embodiments, the inflatable bladder does not rely on adhesives to effect a seal, thereby eliminating manufacturing and quality assurance steps. The test accessory may also include a detachable instrumentation module that may be removed from the accessory, enabling calibration and maintenance at a remote facility without need for transporting the entire unit. The module may also house a memory device that may be upgraded with calibration data and firmware during the calibration process.
US08621912B2 Natural gas analyzer on a micro-chip
A miniaturized gas analyzer formed onto a micro-chip and a method of separating components from a composite gas using the miniaturized gas analyzer are disclosed. The gas analyzer includes an injector block and two column blocks arranged in series along an analytical path. The injector block receives the composite gas and a carrier gas to create a gas sample. The gas sample is then injected into the column blocks to separate the components of the composite gas. Further, a valve used within the miniaturized gas analyzer is disclosed, in which the valve is formed onto the micro-chip and includes a flexible membrane and a rigid substrate.
US08621909B2 Tool wear compensation devices and related machines and methods
The invention relates to disc-shaped compensation shims for compensating for the shortening of a tool die or a tool stamp due to regrinding. The shim includes a coding indicating a thickness of the tooling shim, the tooling shim being configured for use with a tool die or tool stamp to compensate for shortening of the tool die or tool stamp resulting from regrinding. The invention also relates to tool arrangements having at least one such shim, and to machine tools having such tool arrangements.
US08621902B2 Master keying system and method for programmable lock cylinder assemblies
A master key system and method for a reprogrammable lock cylinder with at least one first master pin and one second master pin. The first and second master pins have different bitting configurations. The master key system includes at least a first array of change key cuts corresponding to an input key bitting array and sequence of progression and at least two master key cuts corresponding to the input key bitting array and sequence of progression and each of the change key cuts. The system further comprises at least one master pin matrix including a master pin sequence for each change key cut and at least one rekey matrix including a rekey cut for each change key. Each master pin sequence represents a sequence of master pins configured to achieve the respective change key cut and the at least two master key cuts.
US08621881B2 System and method for heat pump oriented zone control
A system and method to control environmental parameters of pre-defined zones within an environment using an electronic controller. An electronic controller monitors a loop temperature of a loop field of a geo-thermal heat pump as detected by a temperature sensor connected to the loop field. The electronic controller selects a staging combination of the geo-thermal heat pump and an auxiliary HVAC equipment based on at least the loop temperature. The electronic controller activates the selected staging combination, to modify at least a portion of the environmental parameters, using non-proprietary activating signals provided by the electronic controller.
US08621879B2 Air conditioning system recharging method and apparatus
A method of charging or recharging an air conditioning wherein an initial amount of refrigerant is introduced, followed by additional introductions of refrigerant during injection pulses. The pulse periods are adjusted dynamically during the charging/recharging process based on feedback obtained after each pulse related to how much refrigerant was transferred during the previous pulse. Also, a system for implementing the above-mentioned method.
US08621865B2 Internal combustion engine with liquid-cooled turbine
Embodiments for cooling a turbine of an engine are provided. In one example embodiment, an internal combustion engine comprises a turbocharger including a turbine having a coolant jacket integrated in a housing of the turbine, and an oil circuit coupled to the coolant jacket of the turbine. By cooling the turbine with the oil circuit, the turbine may be constructed from less-heat resistant materials.
US08621848B2 Ammonia vapor management system and method
A method is described for managing vapors generated from an ammonia-containing reductant delivery system. The method may include generating ammonia vapors in a first storage device and storing said generated ammonia vapors in a second storage device. Further, the method may include purging the stored vapors from the second storage device to upstream of a combustion chamber of the engine during a first condition and downstream of the combustion chamber during a second condition.
US08621847B2 Engine off NH3 based selective catalytic reduction NOX adsorber
An exhaust treatment system for an engine includes a selective catalyst reduction (SCR) treatment module that controls a valve and an air pump to deliver air to an SCR catalyst in response to the engine turning off. An SCR loading module controls the valve and the air pump to deliver air to an exhaust manifold and controls a dosing system to deliver a dosing agent upstream of the SCR catalyst when a temperature of the SCR catalyst is less than a temperature threshold and the SCR catalyst is not saturated with ammonia.
US08621842B2 Exhaust silencer convection cooling
An example auxiliary power unit (APU) exhaust silencer includes cooling features to protect the outer skin and other components from heat generated by gases passing through an exhaust duct. Cooling air flow through a cooling air passage in thermal contact with the exhaust silencer carries heat away from other nearby components and the aircraft skin.
US08621835B2 Trash finger
A corn head includes a frame, an auger, and a finger. The frame includes a feeder house opening and a trough located in front of the feeder house opening. The auger is rotatably mounted in the trough and includes flighting for directing material into the feeder house opening. The finger is attached to the auger and extends radially outward from the auger. The finger is flexible and rotates along with the auger.
US08621826B2 Apparatus for assembling mail pieces
Prior to assembling mail pieces of which at least a number each comprise a main document and at least one insert of at least one type, one or more mini image files are stored, each defining a mini image of at least a part of a type of insert. The mini image of the respective insert defined by the mini image file is printed on each envelope for a mail piece including that type of insert for one or each of a number of the inserts.
US08621821B1 Apparatus and method for mounting a gutter
The combination of a gutter piece and a gauging apparatus. The gutter piece has a length, a front, a rear, a bottom and a top. The gutter piece has an upwardly opening “U” shape, as viewed in cross-section taken transversely to the length of the gutter piece, for accumulating water and guiding accumulated water in a lengthwise direction. The gauging apparatus is operatively attached to the gutter piece and has a front and rear and a projecting portion to abut a surface on a structure to which the gutter piece is attached so as to thereby allow the gutter piece to be consistently aligned with the structure in a direction lengthwise of the gutter piece.
US08621805B2 Bridging thermal block system and method
A system and method for insulating a metal roof include a blanket of insulation laid over at least one purlin. A series of thermal blocks are fastened above the purlin over the blanket of insulation. Each thermal block in the series of thermal blocks has legs that pin the blanket of insulation to a top of each purlin. Gaps are defined between the legs, the gaps enabling regions between the legs wherein the blanket of insulation is only partially compressed between the purlin and an underside of each thermal block. Each thermal block can include a first end, a second end, and a first leg between the first and second ends. The first end includes slots for receiving clip legs of a first roof clip. The second end includes an abutment surface and a landing surface for receiving a next thermal block in a series of thermal blocks.
US08621776B2 Bait mimicking insertable fishing lure module
An electronic module in a fishing lure in the water is activated to broadcast a pre-recorded actual or simulated sound of a bait creature and or create lifelike bait creature motion. A switch in the module activates a sound chip and a micro speaker, a water sensing automatic on-off switch turns the power on and off, and the battery is charged by an external charging coil. An alternate embodiment automatically activates the fishing lure device to replicate bait animals in size, shape, movement and sound.
US08621760B2 Hands-free measuring instrument
A hands-free measuring instrument is disclosed. The disclosed instrument includes an upright member extending perpendicularly from a base member. At least one magnet is affixed to the instrument to facilitate the mounting thereof on a ferrous workpiece. The disclosed instrument includes at least one level disposed thereupon. Graduations may be provided on the instrument to facilitate measurement of linear distances. Embodiments are disclosed wherein an adjustable ruler arm is provided to facilitate the measurement and inscribing of arbitrary angles relative to the upright member.
US08621759B2 Method and system for attenuating a wavelength shifting source
An apparatus comprises a light source which produces a first radiation within a first wavelength range and which produces a second radiation within a second wavelength range when a property of the light source is changed. The apparatus further comprises an optical device which receives the first radiation and attenuates the first radiation to emit a first attenuated radiation having a first perceived brightness. The optical device also receives the second radiation and attenuates the second radiation to emit a second attenuated radiation having a second perceived brightness. The first and second perceived brightnesses are approximately equal.
US08621757B2 Coated cutting edge of a blade member
In a cutting edge of a razor blade, a non-nitrided layer containing Ti, Al, and Cr formed on opposite surfaces of a base plate as a portion of a coating layer. A remaining layer containing Ti, Al, Cr, and N formed on opposite surfaces of the non-nitrided layer as a portion of a nitrided layer of the coating layer. A surface layer containing Ti, Al, Cr, and N formed on opposite surfaces of the remaining layer as a portion of the nitrided layer of the coating layer. A fluororesin layer formed on opposite surfaces of the surface layer with a bonding layer containing Cr and Al in between. The coating layer further improves the cutting edge, enhances cutting performance of the cutting edge, and maintains the enhanced cutting performance to improve the durability of the cutting edge.
US08621752B1 Pruning clipper for dispensing a chemical treatment
A pruning clipper includes a pair of handles each having a distal end and a proximal end, with the handles being pivotally connected to each other close to the proximal ends of the handles. A first blade is connected to the proximal end of one of said handles, and a second blade is connected to the proximal end of the other handle. A chemical storage tank may be positioned within the distal end of one of said handles for storing a chemical to be selectively applied to vegetation. A bulb is connected to the proximal end of one of the handles, with the bulb being connected to the tank using a first connecting tube. A dispensing member extends along one of the blades and beyond the blade to a dispersion point, and the dispensing member is connected to the bulb using a second connecting tube. The user will thus cut the vegetation using the clippers, and selectively dispense an herbicide at the precise time and point as desired by the user.
US08621741B2 4-way compression grooved coupling
A pre-assembled pipe coupling for joining and sealing two grooved-ended pipe segments without disassembling the coupling is disclosed. The coupling has a housing with upper and lower arcuate housing segments and left and right bridge segments. Each bridge segment has at least one set of dihedrally angled faces that engage corresponding faces each in the upper and lower housing segments. Drawing the upper and lower segments inwardly together along a first axis, presses each bridge segment inward along a second axis roughly tangential to the first axis. All segments are loosely pre-assembled with bolts and nuts into a coupling and all segments each have radially inwardly projecting lands that mate with end grooves in the pipes to be joined. The coupling also has a one-piece circular sealing gasket that has an inward circumferential and centrally positioned pipe stop that has an inner diameter smaller than an outer diameter of the pipes to be joined. The gasket has two circumferential sealing lips axially outward from the pipe stop, the inner diameter each sealing lip larger than the outer diameter of the pipe segments to be joined.
US08621716B2 Angle positioning device of rotation shaft and foldable electronic device having the same
An angle positioning device of a rotation shaft includes a first pivot portion and a second pivot portion. The first pivot portion includes a first face having a positioning portion, a first path and a second path divided by the positioning portion. The first pivot portion includes a second face having a returning portion, a third path and a fourth path divided by the returning portion. The second pivot portion can move along the first path, the second path, the third path, and the fourth path. When the second pivot portion moves from the first path to the second path, the pivot angle is increased. When the second pivot portion moves from the third path to the fourth path, the pivot angle is decreased. When the pivot portion moves from the first path to the positioning portion, the pivot angle cannot be decreased. The second pivot portion can move from the third path through the returning portion and back to the first path.
US08621715B2 Hinge
A riser hinge (10) is disclosed which includes a mounting flange assembly (12) pivotally coupled to a strap assembly (15). The cylindrical portion (52) includes an upper strap bearing (54) and a lower strap bearing (55) which are each mounted partially within the cylindrical portion. The strap cylinder portion has a space (82) which includes an enlarged portion (83) flanked by narrowed portions (84) at stop ledges (85). The upper strap bearing and lower strap bearing each have a vertically oriented, elongated, locking tongue or flange (87) with a narrowed portion (88) extending to an enlarged portion or stop (89), which enables them to be removably mounted within the space.
US08621713B2 Arrangement for damping and/or retarding
In an arrangement for damping and/or retarding a movable part, including a housing with a pressure member slidably supported in the housing and a cylinder piston unit arranged in the pressure member and in the housing wherein the housing includes a mounting flange with a support surface provided with at least two throughbores, the mounting flange has at least two spaced guide surfaces which are oriented at least approximately normal to the support surface, the guide surfaces delimiting an adapter area at several sides thereof. The damping arrangement can be used and installed rapidly and accurately to various types of hinges.
US08621712B2 Self closing internal hinge
A self closing enclosed hinge is placed within the tubular structure of a gate. The inventive hidden hinge cannot physically smash fingers. An internal axle physically holds together a first gate hinge connector piece which receives the upper part of the gate, an upper stationary hinge piece, and a midsection outer tubular section, which contains a bushing and a spiral spring to return the gate to a closed position. This internal axle joins the lower stationary hinge piece with the second gate hinge connector piece. The second gate hinge connector piece receives lower part of workpiece gate.
US08621707B2 Intake control for blower in vehicle wash system
A vehicle wash system may have a drying station that may have a frame and a blower mounted on the frame. The blower may be used blowing liquid from the surface of a vehicle and may have a plenum with a cavity opening, an exit port, and an interior cavity. An impeller may be positioned inside the cavity, and when driven by a motor, may be operable to draw air into the cavity compress the air, and then emit an airflow from the plenum through the exit port. The blower may have an inlet region formed proximate the cavity opening and be in communication with the cavity. The inlet region may have a generally tubular inlet opening. A movement apparatus may be provided that is movable axially relative to the inlet opening to vary the size of the tubular inlet opening. The system may also include a sensor system operable to detect the presence and/or absence of a vehicle at drying station. A controller may be in communication with the sensor system and be operable to control the position of the movement device dependent upon the presence and/or absence of a vehicle to be dried.
US08621702B1 Tool for scratch tickets
A tool with a handle (14) that can be used to removed film from printed matter. In addition, there is a small brush (16) used to cleaning film residue from printed matter. Further the toll will have a loop (18) or patch of hook/loop material (20) so that the tool can be attached to a linking device so that the tool can be easily hooked to a key chain, key ring, pant loop or any other item with attachment capability in order to make the tool readily available for immediate use.
US08621701B2 Dental brush assembly and method for making the same
A dental brush assembly includes an elongate handle having first and second coupling ends sized and shaped to couple with at least a first detachable dental brush. The first coupling end is at a first angle relative to a handle longitudinal axis and the second coupling end is at a second different angle relative to the handle longitudinal axis. The first coupling end includes first and second brush facing surfaces. The second coupling end includes third and fourth brush facing surfaces. The first detachable dental brush includes a directional brush surface and a brush end complementary to the first, second, third and fourth brush facing surfaces. The directional brush surface is directed in first, second, third or fourth non-identical orientations relative to the handle longitudinal axis depending on which brush facing surface the first detachable dental brush is oriented with.
US08621700B2 Mobile sweeper
The invention relates to a mobile sweeper comprising a housing, in which a sweeping roller driven by an electric motor is mounted for rotation, and a sweepings container for receiving sweepings, wherein there are mounted on the housing adjacent to the sweeping roller two front supporting wheels and at a distance from these at least one rear supporting wheel, each for rotation about an axis of rotation. In order to further develop the sweeper such that with the occurrence of surface unevennesses, there is no risk of the sweeping roller becoming blocked or of the sweeper tilting, it is proposed in accordance with the invention that the axis of rotation of a first front supporting wheel be arranged coaxially with the axis of rotation of the sweeping roller and, in relation to the main direction of movement of the sweeper, offset from the axis of rotation of the second front supporting wheel.
US08621699B2 Brush head for a toothbrush and method for producing the brush head
The brush head of the toothbrush has filaments that are pointed at one end and led through clearances in the bristle carrier. These filaments have a length of about 10-20 mm. The tips of the pointed filaments produce a height profile other than that of a plane and the ends of the pointed filaments that are remote from the tips are melted.
US08621687B2 Topper member for bed
According to certain arrangements, a conditioner mat for use with a bed assembly includes an upper layer comprising a plurality of openings, a lower layer being substantially fluid impermeable, at least one interior chamber defined by the upper layer and the lower layer and a spacer material positioned within the interior chamber. In one embodiment, the spacer material is configured to maintain a shape of the interior chamber and to help with the passage of fluids within a portion of interior chamber. The conditioner mat can be configured to releasably secure to a top of a bed assembly.
US08621685B2 Extendable folding bed frame
An extendable folding bed frame includes a pair of first sub-frames having a pair of spaced apart and extendable longitudinal bars, each longitudinal bar having a first end and a second end. The opposing longitudinal bars are fixedly connected together by a plurality of lateral support bars. The pair of first sub-frames are pivotally connected together at corresponding longitudinal bar first ends by first pivotal connecting members. The pair of first sub-frames are pivotable from an open configuration whereby each first sub-frame is aligned longitudinally to form a generally rectangular co-planar support surface and a folded configuration whereby each first sub-frame is substantially overlapped and adjacent to each other. The folding bed frame also includes a connecting bracket for attaching additional bed frames to provide a larger mattress support surface.
US08621678B2 Freeze prevention for a spa having a spa pack powered through a ground fault circuit interrupter
Systems and methods for preventing water from freezing in a spa or hot tub featuring a spa pack having a pump, heater and controller connected to a spa power supply through a ground fault circuit interrupter. A sensor is used to monitor an operating condition of the spa pack that is initially electrically connected to the spa power supply in order to activate at least one freeze prevention device if the operating condition of the spa pack changes due to electrical disconnection from the spa power supply by the ground fault circuit interrupter. The freeze prevention device features a heater, a circulating pump or both, and keeps water in the tub and the piping associated therewith from freezing. A switching arrangement is provided for deactivating the system outside the winter season when freeze protection is not required.
US08621677B2 Odour seal for a vacuum toilet drain system
The invention relates to an odor seal for a vacuum toilet drain system whose cross section in the state of no throughflow tapers off in such a way in the downstream direction that the interior walls on the downstream end of the odor seal rest against each other so that the odor seal in a downstream direction allows throughflow while in the opposite direction it blocks throughflow, wherein the downstream end of the odor seal is closed in the state of throughflow and no throughflow of the odor seal. Furthermore, the invention relates to a drainage device comprising such an odor seal and a sieve which is arranged upstream of the odor seal. Moreover, the invention relates to a vacuum toilet system for an aircraft, comprising such an odor seal or a drainage device.
US08621666B2 Garment protective assembly
A garment such as a shirt or pants has a front layer with portions which define a central opening defined by an inner periphery and positionable to overlie a portion of the joint to be protected such as a knee or an elbow. A removable protective insert is larger than the central opening and has a unitary cap sewn thereto. The cap has an upper segment separated from a lower segment by a bending joint defined by at least one groove which extends substantially across the cap. The upper segment and the lower segment are separately fixed to the protective insert by stitching. The upper segment and the lower segment have an outwardly projecting flange which overlies the protective insert, the flange having portions which engage the front layer of the garment between the cap flange and the protective insert. A slot in the insert ventilates through the front layer.
US08621665B1 Novelty mitt
The present invention is a novelty mitt to be worn on a person's hand at a sporting event such as baseball game. In one embodiment, the novelty mitt comprises a flexible base having inner and outer surfaces, left and right edges, and a bottom edge. The flexible base further comprises a lower portion, a left upper portion, a central upper portion, and a right upper portion. The central upper portion is spaced apart and disposed between the left and right upper portions. The outer surface of the left and right upper portions are removably engaged with the inner surface of the central upper portion to form the curved shape of the novelty mitt. The novelty mitt further comprises first, second, third, fourth and fifth finger pockets removably engaged with the outer surface of the flexible base to accommodate different size hands. The novelty mitt further comprises a wrist strap removably engaged with the lower portion of the flexible base to secure the novelty mitt to the person's hand.
US08627506B2 Providing privacy settings for applications associated with a user profile
Systems and methods for providing privacy settings for applications associated with a user profile are provided. Exemplary methods include receiving a request from a member of a web-based social network to install an application in association with a member profile, installing the requested application, providing privacy settings selections to control access to data associated with the installed application, receiving a privacy settings selection from the member, and displaying data associated with the application based on the privacy settings selection.
US08627505B2 Technique for controlling access by a client entity to a service
A technique of controlling access by a client entity to a service in a communications network. Processing modules are interconnected in the network in order to supply the service to the client entity. A processing module implements an individual function of a chain of individual functions associated with the service. The access method includes the following steps implemented by an access control device associated with an access node giving access to the service, the device being referred to as a main device: receiving a chain of processing modules from the access node; sending, to a secondary access control device associated with a processing module of the chain, a request to access the processing module under consideration, the request including an access token negotiated between the main device and the client entity; receiving a response to the access request from the secondary device; and notifying the access node of the response.
US08627500B2 Methods and apparatus for sharing, transferring and removing previously owned digital media
The invention provide systems and methods for management of digital media objects, comprising first and second client digital data processors (e.g., personal (or private) computers, laptops, dedicated music devices, electronic book readers, and so forth) that are in communications coupling with one or more stores (e.g, dedicated disk drives, flash drives, cloud storage, etc.). At least one digital media object (DMO) or copy thereof is stored in one or more of those stores and is accessible by at least one of the first and second client digital data processors.
US08627494B2 Classification separation router
A method and system are provided to classify and convey data to satisfy a client request. The classification system is a two dimensional data classification system, including a first dimension pertaining to subject matter and a second dimension pertaining to data security. A partition is dynamically created, and data that satisfies the request populates the created partition to convey parsed data based satisfying both dimensions of the request.
US08627490B2 Enforcing document control in an information management system
A method and apparatus for controlling document access and application usage using centrally managed rules. The rules are stored and manipulated in a central rule database via a rule server. Policy enforcers are installed on client systems and/or on servers and perform document access and application usage control for both direct user document accesses and application usage, and application program document accesses by evaluating the rules sent to the policy enforcer. The rule server decides which rules are required by each policy enforcer. A policy enforcer can also perform obligation and remediation operations as a part of rule evaluation. Policy enforcers on client systems and servers can operate autonomously, evaluating policies that have been received, when communications have been discontinued with the rule server.
US08627489B2 Distributed document version control
Systems and techniques to provide distributed document version control. In general, in one implementation, the technique includes: receiving a request to take an action with respect to a distributed electronic document, identifying, in response to the request, information associated with the distributed electronic document, the associated information indicating a second electronic document different from the distributed electronic document, and imparting information concerning the second electronic document to force the action to be taken with respect to the second electronic document. Receiving the request can occur at a server, and the request can be from a client to take the action with respect to the distributed electronic document, retained locally at the client. The associated information can be retained at the server, and imparting the second document information can involve relating the second document information (e.g., the second document or a link to it) from the server to the client.
US08627478B2 Method and apparatus for inspecting non-portable executable files
An apparatus for inspecting a non-PE file includes a data loading unit configured to load candidate malicious address information related to a malicious code of the non-PE file; and a program link unit configured to acquire normal address range information of a module being loaded on a memory when an application program adapted for the non-PE file is executed and set up a candidate malicious address corresponding to the candidate malicious address information to be a breakpoint of the application program. Further, the apparatus includes a malicious code determination unit configured to determine whether a next execution address is within the normal address range information when there occurs an event derived from the breakpoint.
US08627469B1 Systems and methods for using acquisitional contexts to prevent false-positive malware classifications
A method for using acquisitional contexts to prevent false-positive malware classifications. The method may include (1) receiving, from at least one client-side computing device within a community of users, contextual information associated with a file, (2) determining, based at least in part on the contextual information received from the client-side computing device, a reputation rating for the file, and (3) providing the reputation rating for the file to at least one additional client-side computing device within the community in order to prevent the additional client-side computing device from falsely classifying the file as untrustworthy due to acquiring an additional instance of the file via a context that is insufficient to determine that the additional instance of the file is trustworthy. Various other methods and systems are also disclosed.
US08627466B2 Alert message control of security mechanisms in data processing systems
An authenticated secure network communication link is established between an alert message generating computer 2 and a destination data processing system 6. The alert message sent specifies a risk threat level and a suggested countermeasure amongst other data. The destination computer 6 automatically responds to the alert message as controlled by its local response configuration parameters to trigger security actions of one or more security mechanisms, such as malware scanners, firewall scanners, security policy managers and the like.
US08627462B2 Token processing
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for mapping security processing rules into a data structure that facilitates a more efficient processing of the security processing rules. In one aspect, a method includes receiving security processing rules, each of the security processing rules defining one or more security checks and security operations corresponding to the security checks and that are to be performed when the security checks occur; and generating from the security processing rules a mapping of security checks to security operations, the mapping including a security check entry for each security check that is defined in one or more of the security processing rules, and each security check entry being mapped to one or more security operations that the security processing rules define as corresponding to the security check.
US08627456B2 Methods and systems for preventing access to display graphics generated by a trusted virtual machine
The methods and systems provide for preventing a non-trusted virtual machine from reading the graphical output of a trusted virtual machine. A graphics manager receives a request from a trusted virtual machine to render graphical data using a graphics processing unit. The graphics manager assigns, to the trusted virtual machine, a secure section of a memory of the graphics processing unit. The graphics manager renders graphics from the trusted virtual machine graphical data to the secure section of the graphics processing unit memory. The graphics manager receives a request from a non-trusted virtual machine to read graphics rendered from the trusted virtual machine graphical data and stored in the secure section of the graphics processing unit memory, and prevents the non-trusted virtual machine from reading the trusted virtual machine rendered graphics stored in the secure section of the graphics processing unit memory.
US08627453B2 Method and apparatus for managing multiple security protocols and users for imaging devices
Methods and apparatus contemplate a system for securing imaging devices on a network by allowing a system administrator to apply different security protocols to specific functions of an imaging device. This allows a system administrator to customize the functions of the imaging device by restricting the particular functions to only those users who need them, as opposed to the global security policies currently required. The system uses a computer program product, including executable instructions, which can be stored on the imaging device itself, a network server, and/or some other device attached to the network. The computer program product can be installed directly from the manufacturer, through computer readable media, or by downloading. The product interfaces directly with the imaging device to determine what imaging functions are present and to set what security protocols are required to access those functions.
US08627452B2 System and method for providing network security to mobile devices
A small piece of hardware connects to a mobile device and filters out attacks and malicious code. Using the piece of hardware, a mobile device can be protected by greater security and possibly by the same level of security offered by its associated corporation/enterprise. In one embodiment, a mobile security system includes a connection mechanism for connecting to a data port of a mobile device and for communicating with the mobile device; a network connection module for acting as a gateway to a network; a security policy for determining whether to forward content intended for the mobile device to the mobile device; and a security engine for executing the security policy.
US08627449B2 Dynamic tunneling over virtual private network connections based on network conditions
Techniques are provided for transmitting data securely across virtual private network (VPN) connections. A first VPN connection is initiated between a first device and a second device. The second device selects a first communication protocol to be used for the first VPN connection with the first device. The first device generates session identification data associated with the first VPN connection and sends the session identification data to the second device over the first VPN. The second device receives the session identification data and stores it. The second device determines when the first VPN connection has been disrupted. The second device then selects a second communication protocol and initiates a second VPN connection using the second communication protocol with the first device. The second device transmits the session identification data to the first device, and the first device associates the second VPN connection with the first VPN connection using session identification data.
US08627447B1 Provisioning layer three access for agentless devices
A method may include obtaining a layer two identification of an endpoint that is seeking access to a network, the endpoint omitting an agent to communicate a layer three address of the endpoint to a policy node, applying one or more authentication rules based on the layer two identification of the endpoint, assigning the layer three address to the endpoint, learning, by the policy node, the layer three address of the endpoint, and provisioning layer three access for the endpoint to the network based on the learned layer three address.
US08627444B2 Computers and microchips with a faraday cage, with a side protected by an internal hardware firewall and unprotected side connected to the internet for network operations, and with internal hardware compartments
A personal computer or microchip comprising at least one Faraday Cage, two or more microprocessors or processing units and an internal hardware firewall. The internal hardware firewall is configured to separate a protected side of the computer or microchip from an unprotected side of the computer or microchip. The unprotected side being configured to connect to a network including the Internet. The protected hardware side of the computer or microchip includes at least one microprocessor or processing unit. The unprotected network side of the computer or microchip is located between the internal hardware firewall and the network and includes the unprotected microprocessors or processing units. At least one of the unprotected microprocessors or processing units is not a network communications component and is a separate component from the internal hardware firewall. The computer or microchip can include two, four, or more internal hardware compartments.
US08627440B2 PassThru for client authentication
This disclosure pertains generally to client authentication. One aspect of the disclosure relates to a first server for presenting evidence to a Domain Controller (DC) of a first authentication context being submitted from a client to the first server to obtain a delegable credential, wherein the credential can be used to request a second authentication context from that client to a second server. Another aspect relates to the first server providing a pass-thru with evidence to a DC. The evidence relates to a first authentication context being submitted from a client to the first server that it obtained a delegable credential. The pass-thru is used in combination with the credential to request a second authentication context from the client to a second server.
US08627421B1 Methods and apparatus for authenticating a user based on implicit user memory
Methods and apparatus are provided for authenticating a user based on implicit user memory. Access to a protected resource is controlled by presenting a user with a plurality of stimuli during a priming phase; presenting the user with a plurality of degraded versions of the primed stimuli and with a plurality of degraded versions of non-primed stimuli during an authentication phase; receiving an identification from the user of the degraded versions of the primed stimuli and the degraded versions of the non-primed stimuli; and authenticating the user based upon a number of correct identifications of the degraded versions of the primed stimuli. The stimuli can comprise, for example, images and/or sounds. An authentication score can be based, for example, on a number of correctly labeled primed stimuli plus a number of incorrectly labeled non-primed stimuli.
US08627420B2 Apparatus for associating a client device or service with a wireless network
A network association apparatus includes identification information and an authorization credential associated with a specific client device or service to be connected to a wireless network. The apparatus is configured to automatically provide the identification information and the authorization credential to a host device of a wireless network in a secure fashion when brought into close proximity to or physically connected with the host of the wireless network. The apparatus may comprise an RFID tag.
US08627419B1 Multiple image reverse turing test
In a Reverse Turing Test an applicant seeking access to a computer process is presented with an image containing human-readable data that is intended to be inaccessible to an automated process or bot. In an improved Reverse Turing Test the applicant is presented with multiple sub-images that have to be rearranged in order to yield the overall image. This does not substantially increase a human applicant's difficulty in dealing with the test, but makes it much more difficult for a bot to interpret the image.
US08627417B2 Login administration method and server
When a login request in which a network terminal serves as a login destination is received from an administrator terminal, a login request receiving unit of a login administration server causes the administrator terminal to transmit a shared account and fingerprint information. A search engine unit performs a search in an authentication table by using the account and the user fingerprint information as a key, and, when the authentication succeeds, acquires association data including a right upon successful authentication and a login permitted terminal from an association data table. A login request transmitting unit transmits a login request to the network terminal of the login destination so as to achieve login and imparts the right upon successful authentication. Furthermore, the login request transmitting unit transmits a login request to the unprocessed network terminal so as to achieve login and imparts the right upon successful authentication.
US08627414B1 Methods and apparatuses for user-verifiable execution of security-sensitive code
A computer including a processor and a verification device. The processor in the computer performs the steps of authenticating a secure connection between a hypervisor and the verification device, measuring the identity of at least a portion of a select guest before the select guest executes any instruction, and sending a measurement of the identity of the select guest to the verification device. The verification device compares the policy stored in the verification device with the measurement of the select guest received by the verification device. The steps of authenticating, measuring, sending, and comparing are performed after receiving a signal indicative of a request to execute the select guest and without rebooting the computer.
US08627406B2 Device for protection of the data and executable codes of a computer system
A security and protection device (1) for protection of the data and executable codes of any fixed or portable computer system and that has a memory medium to be protected. The security and protection device (1) is located physically between the computer system (2) and the memory medium (MP) to be protected, in order to allow the computer system (2) access to the data and codes to be protected after execution of the protection functions independently of the machine code executed by the computer system (2) and requires no interaction with the processor of the system for the execution of these functions.
US08627392B1 Proxy addressing scheme for cable networks
A proxy in a cable modem termination system receives IP packets having an address associated with set top box out of band messages. The proxy encapsulates the packets in an Ethernet frame containing an Ethernet address. A cable modem associated with the set top box is preconfigured to detect the Ethernet encapsulated packets and pass the out of band messages in the packets to the set top box.
US08627390B2 Method and device for providing programs to multiple end user devices
A scheme for providing programs to multiple end user devices. Two types of media streams that convey a first group of programs are provided to multiple end user devices via an edge device. The two types of programs include a unicast media stream and a multicast media stream. When a request from a first end user device to view a first program that belongs to the first group of programs is received, a type of a media stream that conveys the first program to a second end user device is selectively switched, in response to bandwidth constraints imposed on a communication path coupled to the edge device.
US08627382B2 Multiple dwelling unit satellite television delivery system
Systems for delivering satellite signals to multiple dwelling units (MDUs). A system in accordance with the present invention comprises an antenna for receiving the satellite signals, a conversion unit, coupled to the antenna, for stacking the satellite signals onto a single cable, a distribution unit, coupled to the conversion unit, wherein the distribution unit distributes the stacked satellite signal to a plurality of outputs, and at least one customer device, coupled to an output of the plurality of outputs, wherein each unit in the MDU uses the customer device to destack the stacked satellite signals for delivery to a receiver.
US08627380B2 System and method for an interactive internet radio application in an internet protocol television system
A set-top box for an Internet protocol television (IPTV) network includes a radio interface module, a remote control interface module, and a display interface module. The radio interface module accesses an Internet radio service on the IPTV network and outputs a list of Internet radio stations received from the Internet radio service to a particular IPTV channel on the display interface module, receives a selection of an Internet radio station from the remote control interface module, retrieves an Internet radio stream associated with the selected Internet radio station from the Internet radio service in response to receiving the first selection, and outputs the Internet radio steam on the particular IPTV channel of the display interface module.
US08627377B2 Method and system for providing usage information for a set-top box
A method and system for providing usage information for a set-top box is disclosed. An embodiment is disclosed that receives a request for usage information for a set-top box and the usage information has media content received by the set-top box, queries a database with a query based upon the request and the request has criteria for usage information, and sends a query result for the query.
US08627373B2 System and method for presenting media services
A system and method for presenting media services is disclosed. A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a media system having a controller element that contextually associates a plurality of portals with a corresponding plurality of multimedia broadcast channels as an aggregated service offering. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US08627371B2 System and method of applying user profiles at a set-top box device
A method of applying user profiles at a set-top box device includes receiving data associated with each of a plurality of user profiles at the set-top box device, the plurality of user profiles including a default profile and a supplemental profile. The method also includes automatically applying the supplemental profile to at least one set-top box action after a start time associated with the supplemental profile occurs. Further, the method includes automatically applying the default profile to the at least one set-top box action after an end time associated with the supplemental profile occurs.
US08627359B2 Method and system for automatically targeting ads to television media using demographic similarity
Described herein is a system and method of ad targeting that automatically matches advertisements to media based on the demographic signatures of each. The method and system include calculating a match score between historical buyer demographics and media demographics. Media which is similar to the demographic of the product buyers is targeted for advertising.
US08627358B1 Location-based movie identification systems and methods
The illustrative embodiments described herein provide systems and methods for movie identification based on a location. In the embodiment, a method includes locating a mobile communication device associated with a user to form location data, accessing a location database to determine a geographic location of the mobile communication device based on the location data, and identifying a set of movies related to the geographic location by accessing a movie database. Each of the set of movies in the movie database is associated with one or more respective geographic locations. The method also includes presenting a set of movie results corresponding to the set of movies on a graphical user interface of the mobile communication device. In another embodiment, the method may also validate an object photographed by a camera of the mobile communication device, and use the recognized object to identify the set of movies.
US08627356B2 Method and apparatus for television program promotion
A computer implemented method and apparatus for determining an optimal time and channel for delivery of television advertising content based on viewer profile information is disclosed. The method and apparatus provide for collecting viewer profile information for a viewer and storing it in a computer memory. Segments of viewers may be defined by viewer profile information thresholds in the computer memory. Viewers may be assigned to an audience segment based on a comparison of the viewer profile information thresholds with the collected viewer profile information. Information describing programs to be promoted, spots in which promotions for such programs may air, and geographic data also may be collected and stored. The computer may determine an optimal time and channel for delivery of the television advertising content to a selected audience segment based on the program to be promoted information, spot information and geographic data. The method and apparatus may be of particular use in determining optimal channels and times for promotion of a television program on a channel/network other than the channel/network on which the program is to air (i.e., cross-network promotion).
US08627342B2 Multi-machine shell
A shell capable of operating a plurality of computer systems and possibly using a plurality of user credentials. An embodiment is described whereby a single command can involve a plurality of different processes operating on a plurality of machines under a plurality of user credentials.
US08627328B2 Operation control for deploying and managing software service in a virtual environment
A system and method can deploy and manage software services in virtualized and non-virtualized environments. The system provides an enterprise application virtualization solution that allows for centralized governance and control over software and Java applications. Operations teams can define policies, based on application-level service level agreements (SLA) that govern the allocation of hardware and software resources to ensure that quality of service (QoS) goals are met across virtual and non-virtualized platforms. The system use a rules engine that can compare administrator defined constraints with runtime metrics; generate events when a constraint is violated by a metric of the runtime metrics and generate events when a constraint is violated by a metric of the runtime metrics.
US08627326B2 System and methods for using a quantitative application measurement to determine whether to instantiate an application
Systems and methods are disclosed for quantitative measurements of an application and a computer. In one exemplary embodiment, there is provided a method for determining whether to instantiate an application on one of a plurality of interconnected computers. Moreover, the method includes receiving information regarding the application to be instantiated on the computer; receiving information regarding the computer on which the application is to be instantiated; determining a dual measurement based on the received application information and the received computer information; and determining whether to instantiate the application based on the determined dual measurement.
US08627322B2 System and method of active risk management to reduce job de-scheduling probability in computer clusters
Systems and methods are provided for generating backup tasks for a plurality of tasks scheduled to run in a computer cluster. Each scheduled task is associated with a target probability for execution, and is executable by a first cluster element and a second cluster element. The system classifies the scheduled tasks into groups based on resource requirements of each task. The system determines the number of backup tasks to be generated. The number of backup tasks is determined in a manner necessary to guarantee that the scheduled tasks satisfy the target probability for execution. The backup tasks are desirably identical for a given group. And each backup task can replace any scheduled task in the given group.
US08627318B2 Image forming apparatus, method of acquiring identification information, and non-transitory computer readable medium
An image forming apparatus includes: a first processing section that, in an environment where a first operating system is running, executes a process for a first application program, and performs a generation process for generating identification information for identifying the process for the first application program; and a second processing section that, in an environment where a second operating system is running, executes a process for a second application program, and when the process for the second application program is instructed to be executed, performs an identification information acquisition process for acquiring identification information newly generated through the generation process of the first processing section as identification information for identifying the process for the second application program.
US08627310B2 Capturing multi-disk virtual machine images automatically
A plurality of virtual disk images are established on a virtual machine. The virtual machine identifies corresponding network address translations for a plurality of disks, each having a corresponding plurality of data sets. The virtual machine installs the corresponding plurality of data sets to the plurality of virtual disks using the corresponding network address translations. An image of the plurality of disks is created, wherein the image contains the plurality of virtual disks with the plurality of data sets.
US08627307B2 Extending the functionality of an embedded system
The present description refers in particular to a computer-implemented method, an embedded system, and a memory. The method relates to extending the functionality of an embedded system, wherein the embedded system includes a firmware in a fixed non-volatile memory. The method comprises attaching an attachable non-volatile memory to the embedded system, wherein an extension is stored in the attachable non-volatile memory; recognizing the extension by the firmware; and executing a service on the embedded system by means of the extension.
US08627304B2 Vectorization of program code
A method for vectorization of a block of code is provided. The method comprises receiving a first block of code as input; and converting the first block of code into at least a second block of code and a third block of code. The first block of code accesses a first set of memory addresses that are potentially misaligned. The second block of code performs conditional leaping address incrementation to selectively access a first subset of the first set of memory addresses. The third block of code accesses a second subset of the first set of memory addresses starting from an aligned memory address, simultaneously accessing multiple memory addresses at a time. No memory address belongs to both the first subset and the second subset of memory addresses.
US08627303B2 Memory optimization of virtual machine code by partitioning extraneous information
A method, computer program product, and system for memory optimization by partitioning extraneous information from executable virtual machine code or interpreted code. The extraneous information may be stored separately, or accessed from the original code if needed for debugging or servicing the code in the field. This approach optimizes memory usage by reducing memory footprint while maintaining accessibility of the non-executable information for debugging and other processes necessary for servicing code in the field.
US08627292B2 STM with global version overflow handling
A software transactional memory system is provided with overflow handling. The system includes a global version counter with an epoch number and a version number. The system accesses the global version counter prior to and subsequent to memory accesses of transactions to validate read accesses of the transaction. The system includes mechanisms to detect global version number overflow and may allow some or all transactions to execute to completion subsequent to the global version number overflowing. The system also provides publication, privatization, and granular safety properties.
US08627279B2 Distributed, non-intrusive code review in a development environment
Code review is performed by initiating a source code editing session associated with a first user, where the source code editing session is controlled by a computer-based source code editing tool that is configured to accept changes to source code of a computer-based software application during the source code editing session, displaying on a computer display, in the context of the source code editing session, a source code portion of the computer-based software application, and displaying on the computer display, in the context of the source code editing session, a visual indicator that is associated with the source code portion, and that indicates that the source code portion was added or modified by a second user.
US08627273B2 Model checking of liveness property in a phase abstracted model
Phase abstraction may be utilized to increase efficiency of model checking techniques. A liveness property may be checked in respect to a phase abstracted model by modifying the liveness property in accordance with the phase abstracted model. A fairness property may be modified to ensure that the fairness property is held by the model checker. A counter-example produced by a model checker is modified to be in accordance to an original model. The counter-example comprises a repetitive behavior. The counter-example may be modified to shorten the repetitive behavior or to apply the repetitive behavior in an earlier cycle of the counter-example.
US08627272B1 Traceability in a modeling environment
Exemplary embodiments employ a mapping among entities that are related to each other. The entities may include a graphical model, generated code, a generated report, a requirements document and/or an intermediate representation. The mapping may facilitate graphical identifications between parts of one entity that maps to part of another entity. The graphical identification may occur based on a selection of a part in one of the entities.
US08627269B2 Runtime library including a virtual file system
This specification describes technologies relating to a runtime library including a virtual file system. In general, a method can include interfacing with an operating system of a computer; and providing runtime services, including a virtual file system, to programs running on the computer. Providing runtime services can include receiving first information and second information through a single file access routine of an API for the virtual file system; determining a selected one of multiple file storage areas to access based on the first information, the multiple file storage areas including a first local area accessible by a first program and inaccessible by a second program, and a second area accessible by the first program and the second program; mapping the second information to file resource(s) in the selected file storage area in the virtual file system; and accessing the one or more file resources for the first program.
US08627265B2 Computing device and method for automatically checking wiring information
In a computing device, a computerized method and a non-transitory storage medium are applied in checking a stored wiring diagram for high-noise components in close proximity to signal lines. An electronic component is selected in a PCB wiring file. A checking range of the selected electronic component is determined for searching for one or more signal transmission lines which pass within the checking range in the PCB wiring file. Basic information of the one or more signal transmission lines is recorded into a result list which is displayed on a display unit of the computing device.
US08627263B2 Gate configuration determination and selection from standard cell library
A method comprises determining gate configuration from a standard cell library for optimizing behavior of a logic gate in an electronic circuit to be resized. The determining includes defining variables for the logic gate to be resized and defining nets influenced by the logic gate to be resized. The determining includes determining constraints relative to other logic gates in the electronic circuit affected by the logic gate to be resized and formulating objective function. The determining includes solving the objective function using a linear programming solver based on the defined variables and the determined constraints. The determining includes outputting solving of the objective function obtained by linear programming solver for further processing. The gate configuration is selected from the standard cell library for optimizing behavior of the logic gate to be resized based on solving of the objective function.
US08627260B1 Bit-level simplification of word-level models
Computer implemented techniques for simplification of models are disclosed including various manipulations that are useful in logic analysis, verification, and re-synthesis. A high word-level representation is obtained along with a bit-level design representation. A map between the word-level representation and the bit-level representation is produced. Optimizations are performed on the bit-level representation with the results being lifted and included in the word-level representation, based on the map. Similar optimizations are performed on the word-level representation and translated to the bit-level representation.
US08627258B2 Adjusting capacitance of capacitors without affecting die area
According to one exemplary embodiment, a method for adjusting geometry of a capacitor includes fabricating a first composite capacitor residing in a first standard cell with a first set of process parameters. The method further includes using a second standard cell having substantially same dimensions as the first standard cell. The method further includes using a capacitance value from the first composite capacitor to adjust a geometry of a second composite capacitor residing in the second standard cell, wherein the second composite capacitor is fabricated with a second set of process parameters. The geometry of the second composite capacitor can be adjusted to cause the second composite capacitor to have a capacitance value substantially equal to the capacitance value from the first composite capacitor.
US08627251B2 Systems and methods of automatically detecting failure patterns for semiconductor wafer fabrication processes
A system and method of automatically detecting failure patterns for a semiconductor wafer process is provided. The method includes receiving a test data set collected from testing a plurality of semiconductor wafers, forming a respective wafer map for each of the wafers, determining whether each respective wafer map comprises one or more respective objects, selecting the wafer maps that are determined to comprise one or more respective objects, selecting one or more object indices for selecting a respective object in each respective selected wafer map, determining a plurality of object index values in each respective selected wafer map, selecting an object in each respective selected wafer map, determining a respective feature in each of the respective selected wafer, classifying a respective pattern for each of the respective selected wafer maps and using the respective wafer fingerprints to adjust one or more parameters of the semiconductor fabrication process.
US08627250B2 Method and system for high speed and low memory footprint static timing analysis
The invention provides a method and system for performing Static Timing Analysis on SoC (System on a Chip) designs. The invention solves a longstanding problem with timing analysis of designs, namely, the ability to multi-thread the design under analysis. The invention provides for slicing a design into levels, further decomposing each level into gates, and the multi-threaded processing of gates so that the solution of large design analysis is generated significantly faster than current approaches. Further, the invention provides that only one level exists in the RAM at any time. Once the arrival time on the level is computed, the data is saved to disk immediately. Because the memory footprint is sub-linear to the size of the design, entire system-on-a chip designs may be run on inexpensive, off-the-shelf hardware.
US08627248B1 Verification for functional independence of logic designs that use redundant representation
Computer-implemented techniques are disclosed for verifying functional independence of logic designs that make use of redundant representations. Initially, the design of a logic component is obtained. Two representations of the component are computed, one in redundant form and another in non-redundant form. A randomness factor based on a time-varying value is injected into the second representation. The value from the second form is then constrained to the context of the logic component within a digital system. It is then possible to analyze the component using the first deterministic representation and the constrained second representation. This analysis allows verification of the component with downstream logic.
US08627237B2 Unlocking a device by performing gestures on an unlock image
A device with a touch-sensitive display may be unlocked via gestures performed on the touch-sensitive display. The device is unlocked if contact with the display corresponds to a predefined gesture for unlocking the device. The device displays one or more unlock images with respect to which the predefined gesture is to be performed in order to unlock the device. The performance of the predefined gesture with respect to the unlock image may include moving the unlock image to a predefined location and/or moving the unlock image along a predefined path. The device may also display visual cues of the predefined gesture on the touch screen to remind a user of the gesture.
US08627235B2 Mobile terminal and corresponding method for assigning user-drawn input gestures to functions
A method of controlling a mobile terminal, the method including displaying, via a controller, at least one first function icon on a touchscreen of the mobile terminal, assigning, via the controller, a first input gesture to the displayed first function icon such that a first function corresponding to the first function icon is executed when the first input gesture is performed on the mobile terminal, and removing, via the controller, the first function icon from the touchscreen of the mobile terminal after the first gesture has been assigned to the first function icon.
US08627233B2 Radial menu with overshoot, fade away, and undo capabilities
Embodiments of the invention are generally related to graphical user interfaces (GUIs), and more specifically to selecting items from a radial menu. More specifically, embodiments of the invention provide a complex set of gestures which, when performed using a screen pointer, facilitate fast and accurate selection of radial menu items from a radial menu. The gestures may generally involve a first movement of the screen pointer to activate a desired radial menu item, and a second predefined movement of the screen pointer to select the radial menu item.
US08627230B2 Intelligent command prediction
A method, system, and computer program product for intelligent command prediction are provided. The method includes determining a command prediction preference associated with a user from user profile data, and selecting one or more command history repositories responsive to the command prediction preference. The one or more command history repositories include command history data collected from a plurality of users and classification data associated with the plurality of users. The method also includes calculating command probabilities for commands in the command history data of the selected one or more command history repositories as a function of the classification data associated with the plurality of users in relation to the user. The method additionally includes presenting a next suggested command as a command from the command history data of the selected one or more command history repositories with a highest calculated command probability.
US08627226B2 Dynamic web page arrangement
A browser renders a page for display according to user habits. When a user interacts with a page associated with a network address, an entry is made in a file that associates the element on the page of the user interaction with the network address. When the page is visited again, the file is checked to see if any entry exists. If an entry exists and the stored user interaction is still relevant for that page, the page is rendered so that the location the user interacted with is provided at the top of the display, or the element is re-arranged, as in the case of a table, or both re-positioning and re-arranging occurs. Such page rendering reduces the need for the user to scroll through the page to view the desired information.
US08627199B1 Incremental computing of changes to computer user interfaces
A method is provided to update information in a computer system comprising providing a reactive value hierarchy structure in a non-transitory computer readable storage device; in response to a change in a reactive value corresponding to a node in the hierarchy, marking nodes within the hierarchy that share as dirty a path with a node corresponding to a changed reactive value; traversing down through the hierarchy to a level where a reactive value is located that is either dirty or clean; if the reactive value is dirty, traversing back up to a dependent node in the hierarchy and compute a new reactive value and repeating the traversing down step; if the reactive value is clean, traversing back up to a dependent node and repeating the traversing down step; and producing at least one side-effect in the computer system in response to a compute of a new reactive value.
US08627197B2 System and method for annotating an electronic document independently of its content
A system, method, and apparatus for annotating an electronic document independently of its content is provided. According to one variation, a tablet and stylus-based computer is programmed with a document browser that permits a user to annotate documents viewed through the browser. The annotations are stored separately from the viewed document pages but are correlated with the pages such that when a previously annotated page is revisited, annotations relating to that page are retrieved and displayed on top of the page as an “ink” layer. Three different annotation modes are possible: ink, highlight, and erase. Each mode can be selected through a user interface supplied through the browser or through controls embedded in a document.
US08627194B2 Hyperlink destination visibility
Various embodiments utilize page scripting and parsing to identify the target destination of a hyperlink and provide a visual indication of the destination to the user without causing redirection to the target destination. In some embodiments, hyperlink color, highlighting, or icons are used to indicate the destination. Particular colors and/or icons selected to indicate the destination can, in some embodiments, be selected based on the domain hosting the target destination. In at least some embodiments, the destination of a link is determined by the page script run by a web browser on a user's device, while in other embodiments, information is transmitted to a web request handler on the server hosting the web site to determine the destination.
US08627182B2 Impulse noise mitigation
Systems and methods to mitigate impulse noise are provided. A particular method includes providing a signal from a transmission source to a mitigator. The mitigator checks the signal for complex impulse noise comprising at least a first periodic impulse noise component correlated to a first portion of a sinusoid representing frequency of an alternating current power source associated with the transmission source and a second periodic impulse noise component correlated to a second portion of the sinusoid. The method further includes receiving noise mitigation instructions from the mitigator at the transmission source to compensate for the complex impulse noise.
US08627181B1 Storage apparatus, storage controller, and method for managing locations of error correcting code blocks in array
According to one embodiment, a storage controller of a storage apparatus includes an array management unit managing an array. The array includes a plurality of stripe groups. A set of an error correcting code block and a plurality of data blocks is arranged in each of the plurality of stripe groups. Each of the plurality of stripe groups includes a set of stripe blocks of which physical positions correspond to each other in the plurality of solid state drives. The array management unit regularly arranges the error correcting code blocks and the data blocks in the plurality of stripe groups such that the numbers of the arranged error correcting code blocks are non-uniform among the plurality of solid state drives.
US08627175B2 Opportunistic decoding in memory systems
Approaches for decoding data read from memory cells of a nonvolatile, solid state memory involve attempting to decode hard data using a hard decoding process prior to a time that soft data is available to the decoder. The hard data includes information about the digital symbols stored in the memory cells without data confidence information. The soft data includes information about the digital symbols stored in the memory cells and data confidence information. In response to the hard decoding process failing to achieve convergence, after the soft data becomes available to the decoder, the soft data is decoded using a soft decoding process. The decoder generates an output of the decoded data after the hard decoding process or the soft decoding process achieves convergence.
US08627163B2 Error-correction forced mode with M-sequence
Improved apparatus, systems and methods, such as those for testing an error correction code (ECC) encoder/decoder for solid-state memory devices, are provided. In one or more embodiments, the improved systems and methods deliberately inject errors into memory storage areas of memory devices to test the operation of the ECC encoder/decoder.
US08627157B2 Storing apparatus
A storing apparatus, equipped with a control unit configured to control the writing of data into a memory and to communicate a notice to an external device with a communication unit if the remaining amount of substitute blocks becomes equal to or less than a threshold value specified by stored threshold value information, includes the control unit configured to change the threshold value information, used for the notice communicated by the control unit, by the use of threshold value information received from the external device with the communication unit.
US08627155B1 Integrated circuit testing with clock manipulation and auto-step features
Apparatus having corresponding methods and non-transitory computer-readable media comprise: a function module to operate according to a clock signal; a clock manipulation module to manipulate an edge of the clock signal responsive to occurrence of a predetermined condition; and a report module to indicate a clock cycle number of the edge of the clock signal responsive to occurrence of an error in the function module.
US08627154B2 Dynamic administration of component event reporting in a distributed processing system
Methods, systems and products are provided for dynamic administration of component event reporting in a distributed processing system including receiving, by an events analyzer from an events queue, a plurality of events from one or more components of the distributed processing system; determining, by the events analyzer in dependence upon the received events and one or more event analysis rules, to change the event reporting rules of one or more components; and instructing, by the events analyzer, the one or more components to change the event reporting rules.
US08627142B2 Fast resource recovery after thread crash
A resource recovery system may maintain a counter in memory that indicates a number of times one or more threads of execution, which use shared resources, have crashed. The system may associate a first value of the counter with a resource allocated to a thread of the one or more threads, and may set an indicator associated with the thread to indicate whether the thread has crashed. The system may determine whether to re-allocate the resource to the thread based on the first value of the counter associated with the resource and based on the indicator associated with the thread.
US08627116B2 Power conservation in an intrusion detection system
In a tamper detection system, a control system controls power consumption by sensors and power consumption of a state machine that controls operations of the sensors. A first state machine controls which sensor is activated. A second state machine controls the operations performed by the activated sensor and the operations are timed according to a clock signal. Prior to activating a sensor, the second state machine is in a wait state. The clock signal is gated so that the logic state of the clock signal does not change when the second state machine is in a wait state. Power consumption by the state machine is reduced by gating the clock signal so that the clock signal is held to a fixed value. Immediately after the activated sensor performs all operations, the second state machine samples the pass or fail result from the sensor. Power consumption by the activated sensor is reduced by sampling the pass or fail result of the sensor immediately after the sensor performs the last operation and immediately turning off the sensor after sampling the pass or fail result. The second state machine enters another wait state after sampling of the pass or fail result.
US08627108B2 System and method for protecting data on a mobile device
Methods and systems are disclosed for protecting data on a mobile device. A data protection module on the mobile device receives a transmission including a secret key. The secret key is used in encrypting data on the device and is then deleted. Subsequent to an event detectable to the mobile device, the data protection module receives another transmission including said secret key. The secret key is then used to decrypt the encrypted data.
US08627107B1 System and method of securing private health information
A system and method for securing private health information collected by a covered entity. The system and method comprises a key generation module configured to generate a public key and a private key compatible with a fully homomorphic encryption scheme. The patient's private health information, having been encrypted using the public key, can be processed by business associates without decrypting it, yielding an encrypted result. Only the holder of the unencrypted private key can decrypt the encrypted private health information and the encrypted result. The invention ensures that business associates can process private health information and return a result without accessing the private health information.
US08627105B2 Method and apparatus for securing programming data of a programmable device
Configuration data for a programmable integrated circuit device is at least partially encrypted according to at least one encryption scheme. A plurality of key stores store a plurality of decryption keys for the at least one encryption scheme. Control circuitry identifies a required key from the at least partially encrypted configuration data and generates a key selection signal. Key selection circuitry responsive to the key selection signal reads the plurality of key stores and provides the required key to the control circuitry. The control circuitry may include decryption circuitry that decrypts the at least partially encrypted configuration data using the required key. In some embodiments, different portions of the configuration data, which may represent separate partial reconfigurations of the device, require different decryption keys. Keys may be generated from combinations of the contents of the key stores.
US08627103B2 Identity-based encryption of data items for secure access thereto
The invention uses the concept of identity-based encryption in the context of data-centric protection of electronic health records, where each data item is encrypted by using its own identifier as a public key. The corresponding decryption keys are managed by special trusted entities, which distribute the keys to authorized parties and provide logging facilities. This approach has the particular advantage that emergency access mechanisms can be implemented in a secure and extremely efficient way. In contrast to previous approaches, it requires no large-scale distribution of secret decryption keys. Furthermore, the scheme allows limiting the impact of a compromised decryption key, as one key can only be used to decrypt one single document.
US08627099B2 System, method and computer program product for removing null values during scanning
A system, method, and computer program product are provided for scanning data values. Initially, a set of data values are received. Null values between the data values are then removed such that the data values are contiguous. Further, the data values with the null values removed are scanned for the purpose of identifying unwanted data.
US08627088B2 System and method for in- and out-of-band multi-factor server-to-user authentication
A method to authenticate a server to a client is provided, including in-band and out-of-band techniques. At least a first shared secret identifies a server path, including a plurality of pre-defined locations on a frame of reference (e.g. a grid). An authentication session is initiated upon receiving a client identifier at the server-side resources. A current session instance of the grid is presented to the client, populated with characters. The process includes sharing between the client and the server a challenge identifying a random subset of the plurality of predefined locations in the server path, and a response including characters that match the characters in the locations on the server path identified by the challenge. As a result, client is capable of verifying that the server has access to the first shared secret. Then a protocol is executed to authenticate the client to the server.
US08627081B2 Multimedia data protection
The invention provides a method of transmitting a media work such as a movie to a client comprising the steps of (a) encrypting the work using a sequence of different keys corresponding to respective temporally spaced segments of the document, (b) transmitting software code containing an algorithm from a security server to the client, the algorithm having a result that is a function of the state of the client, (c) executing the code at the client and returning the result to the security server, (d) determining whether the result is indicative of an unmodified client, and further comprising the steps of: (e) transmitting a segment from a server to the client, (f) securely streaming a key corresponding to the transmitted segment from a secure remote server to the client, (g) decrypting the segment using the obtained media key, (h) if step (d) indicates a modified client, preventing further keys from being transmitted, otherwise repeating steps (e) to (g) and repeating steps (b) to (d).
US08627078B2 Communication apparatus and computer program product
According to an embodiment, a communication apparatus establishes communication with an external apparatus through a higher-level device. The communication apparatus includes a main processor and a key generator. The main processor receives a data authentication request including data to be authenticated, a first key specification, and a message authentication algorithm identifier from the higher-level device. The key generator retains a key hierarchy used by an authentication protocol that is used between the higher-level device and the external apparatus, and to generate a first key by use of the key hierarchy and the first key specification. The main processor generates a message authentication code for the data to be authenticated by use of the message authentication algorithm, which is identified by the message authentication algorithm identifier, and the first key, and transmits a data authentication response including the message authentication code to the higher-level device.
US08627076B2 System and method for facilitating communications based on trusted relationships
Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for facilitating communications based on a trusted relationships. A system configured to practice the method first receives a communication request from a second communication device for a specific resource, wherein the communication request is based, at least in part, on trust information generated by a previously established trusted relationship. The system confirms, via an access to a trust database and using the trust information, (1) an identity of a sender of the communication request and (2) access permissions for a requested resource. Then, if the identity and the access permissions are confirmed, the system establishes communications between the first communications device and the second communications device in response to the communication request according to the specific resource. The trust information can include a trust user ID and a trust key.
US08627071B1 Insuring integrity of remote procedure calls used in a client and server storage system
A system and method generates a message integrity check. The message integrity check value is computed by hashing one or more block checksums from procedure specific parameters of an RPC and then encrypting the resulting hash value. The one or more block checksums may be quickly computed using conventional data checksumming procedures for the data contained within the RPC. As such, the computations to hash the block checksums is minimal. The computed message integrity check is appended to the RPC to thereby provide a level of security approaching or equal to the level of Integrity defined by the RPCSEC_GSS protocol specification.
US08627069B2 System and method for securing a computer comprising a microkernel
A method of securing a computer comprising a microkernel and a system for interfacing with at least one virtualized operating system are presented. The microkernel includes a clock drive, a scheduler and an inter-process communication manager. The system for interfacing forms at least one virtual machine associated with each operating system and allows execution of the latter without modification. The method includes, at the level of the system for interfacing, the steps of:—intercepting any communication between a means external to the operating system and the operating system,—verifying that predefined rules of access to said external means are validated by said communication;—transmitting the communication to the recipient if the rules are validated.
US08627057B2 Reconfigurable sensing platform for software-defined instrumentation
A reconfigurable sensor front-end includes a logic block having a storage circuit to store hardware description information and a reconfigurable block including a plurality of circuits. The plurality of circuits are to be set in a first configuration based on the hardware description information and are to be set in a second configuration when the hardware description information changes. The first hardware description information corresponds to a first sensor and the changed hardware description information corresponding to a second sensor.
US08627053B2 Method and apparatus for secure execution using a secure memory partition
A processor capable of secure execution. The processor contains an execution unit and secure partition logic that secures a partition in memory. The processor also contains cryptographic logic coupled to the execution unit that encrypts and decrypts secure data and code.
US08627045B2 Postponing processing of received commands of pre-determined type until amount of associated data received and aggregated exceeds threshold to save power
A data processing device including a reception unit, an instruction unit and a storage unit. The reception unit receives instructions for processing at a processing execution device. The instruction unit instructs the processing execution device to cancel a power saving state of the processing execution device and execute the processing corresponding to an instruction received by the reception unit. The storage unit stores data relating to received instructions. If the processing corresponding to the received instruction is a pre-specified process, data relating to the instruction is stored by the storage unit. If the processing corresponding to the received instruction is not a pre-specified process, the instruction unit instructs the processing execution device to execute both the processing corresponding to this instruction and processing based on data relating to instructions stored in the storage unit.
US08627044B2 Issuing instructions with unresolved data dependencies
The described embodiments include a processor that determines instructions that can be issued based on unresolved data dependencies. In an issue unit in the processor, the processor keeps a record of each instruction that is directly or indirectly dependent on a base instruction. Upon determining that the base instruction has been deferred, the processor monitors instructions that are being issued from an issue queue to an execution unit for execution. Upon determining that an instruction from the record has reached a head of the issue queue, the processor immediately issues the instruction from the issue queue.
US08627041B2 Efficient line and page organization for compression status bit caching
One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for performing a memory access request to compressed data within a virtually mapped memory system comprising an arbitrary number of partitions. A virtual address is mapped to a linear physical address, specified by a page table entry (PTE). The PTE is configured to store compression attributes, which are used to locate compression status for a corresponding physical memory page within a compression status bit cache. The compression status bit cache operates in conjunction with a compression status bit backing store. If compression status is available from the compression status bit cache, then the memory access request proceeds using the compression status. If the compression status bit cache misses, then the miss triggers a fill operation from the backing store. After the fill completes, memory access proceeds using the newly filled compression status information.
US08627033B2 Storage device migration and redirection
A network storage system may receive the contents of a storage device attached to a client device to the network storage system. The network storage system may then redirect access to the contents of the client device to the network storage system. The storage device may then be removed or repurposed. Storage device management may be performed by the client device or the network storage system. A policy may be used to define under what circumstances the contents of a storage device may be moved to a network storage system, or data movement may be initiated by a user. Any access permissions or other metadata associated with files on the original storage device can be preserved.
US08627032B2 Memory protection unit with support for distributed permission checks
A memory management and protection system that manages memory access requests from a number of requestors. Memory accesses are allowed or disallowed based on the permissions assigned to the request based on the memory segment being accessed. The decision to allow or disallow access is made by the extended memory controller by merging the permissions assigned to the memory segment being accessed, and the permissions assigned to the access request by the originating memory controller or other endpoint.
US08627029B2 Methods for managing files according to application
The present invention discloses systems for managing files according to an application. A method for accessing files in a digital storage device, the method including steps of: providing an application having an application identity; and adjusting a storage mode of a file according to the application identity upon the application accessing the file. Preferably, the step of providing includes providing a process identifier (PID) that is an indicator of the application identity. Preferably, the step of adjusting includes adjusting the storage mode according to a storage command associated with an application scenario of the application. Preferably, the step of adjusting is performed using a storage attributes table (SAT). Preferably the step of adjusting is performed using an application scenario table (AST).
US08627026B2 Storage apparatus and additional data writing method
Deduplicated backup data of a plurality of generations are aggregated and stored.A storage apparatus is connected via a network to a host system making a content write request and includes a storage unit providing one or more containers composed of a specified storage area, and a back up unit storing the content in the container in accordance with a backup request from the host system; and wherein the backup unit cuts out the content into one or more chunks, detects a duplicate chunk, which is a duplicate of a chunk stored in the container, from the cutout chunks, and additionally writes the chunk, other than the duplicate chunk, to the container where the duplicate chunk is stored.
US08627019B2 Method and device of controlling memory area of multi-port memory device in memory link architecture
A memory area managing method of a multi-port memory device in a memory link architecture which includes a multi-port memory device, a memory controller, and a flash memory, the method including performing a data processing step in which data stored in a host CPU area of the multi-port memory device is processed by a host CPU connected with the multi-port memory device, the processed data being stored in a shared area; performing a file data generating step in which file data on the processed data stored in the shared area is generated according to a write command of the host CPU, the file data being stored in a memory controller area of the multi-port memory device; and performing a file data storing step in which the file data is read out from the memory controller area and the read file data is sent to the flash memory.
US08627013B2 Methods and systems for caching data using behavioral event correlations
A method is disclosed including a client accessing a cache for a value of an object based on an object identification (ID), initiating a request to a cache loader if the cache does not include a value for the object, the cache loader performing a lookup in an object table for the object ID corresponding to the object, the cache loader retrieving a vector of execution context IDs, from an execution context table that correspond to the object IDs looked up in the object table and the cache loader performing an execution context lookup in an execution context table for every retrieved execution context ID in the vector to retrieve object IDs from an object vector.
US08627008B2 Memory access prediction
An apparatus for memory access prediction which includes a plurality of processors, a plurality of memory caches associated with the processors, a plurality of saturation counters associated with the processors, each of the saturation counters having an indicator bit, and a physical memory shared with the processors, saturation counters and memory caches. Upon a cache miss for a data item, a cache snoop and access to physical memory are initiated in parallel for the data item if the indicator bit is a first predetermined bit (one (1) or zero (0)) whereas a cache snoop is initiated if the most significant bit is a second predetermined bit (zero (0) or one (1)).
US08627007B1 Use of cache to reduce memory bandwidth pressure with processing pipeline
A data read/write system includes a system clock, a single port memory, a cache memory that is separate from the single port memory, and a controller coupled to an instruction pipeline. The controller receives, via the instruction pipeline, first data to write to an address of the single port memory, and further receives, via the instruction pipeline, a request to read second data from the single port memory. The controller stores the first data in the cache memory, and retrieves the second data from either the cache memory or the single port memory during one or more first clock cycles of the system clock. The controller copies the first data from the cache memory and stores the first data at the address in the single port memory during a second clock cycle of the system clock that is different than the one or more first clock cycles.
US08627005B1 System and method for virtualization of networked storage resources
A method, system, and program product for managing a plurality of storage area networks including a plurality of data storage volumes and one or more hosts, wherein the volumes are in a storage network, wherein the network includes one or more processors in the network, the program product comprising a computer-readable storage medium encoded with computer-executable program code enabling controlling virtualization of volumes in the storage network and managing a SCSI virtualization service; wherein the volume virtualization controller service supports virtualization enabling virtual Storage Area Networks (SAN)s by parsing between front-end SANs and back-end SANs regardless of physical configuration of the front and back-end SANs, to enable mapping from virtual volumes to back-end storage elements across virtual SANs.
US08626996B2 Solid state memory (SSM), computer system including an SSM, and method of operating an SSM
In one aspect, data is stored in a solid state memory which includes first and second memory layers. A first assessment is executed to determine whether received data is hot data or cold data. Received data which is assessed as hot data during the first assessment is stored in the first memory layer, and received data which is first assessed as cold data during the first assessment is stored in the second memory layer. Further, a second assessment is executed to determine whether the data stored in the first memory layer is hot data or cold data. Data which is then assessed as cold data during the second assessment is migrated from the first memory layer to the second memory layer.
US08626979B2 Common protocol engine interface for a controller interface
A signal transmission system includes a controller interface, a protocol engine to convert data based on at least one protocol, and a common protocol interface coupled between the controller interface and the protocol engine. The controller interface includes or is coupled to a common dispatcher, and the data is to be transmitted between the controller interface and protocol engine through the common protocol interface and common dispatcher. The same protocol engine may convert data into different protocols, with all of the converted data be transmitted to or received from the controller interface through the common dispatcher and common protocol interface.
US08626971B1 Flash memory method and apparatus with single-press button response
A flash memory device apparatus and method is provided such that data or programming information is uploaded or downloaded between the flash memory device and a host, in response to a single-press of a button associated with the flash memory device. The system can facilitate a number of operations including saving an active window application or associated data, transferring media files to or from media players, providing device-specific and/or data-specific transfer of applications or data and/or providing protection of transferred data or applications.
US08626955B2 Directing packets to a processor unit
A computer system may comprise a plurality of cores that may process the tasks determined by the operating system. A network device may direct a first set of packets to a first core using a flow-spreading technique such as receive side scaling (RSS). However, the operating system may re-provision a task from the first core to a second core to balance the load, for example, on the computer system. The operating system may determine an identifier of the second core using a new data field in the socket calls to track the identifier of the second core. The operating system may provide the identifier of the second core to a network device. The network device may then direct a second set of packets to the second core using the identifier of the second core.
US08626954B2 Application-aware M:N hot redundancy for DPI-based application engines
A packet processing system for providing application-aware hot redundancy and a related card and methods are disclosed. The system may include a plurality of active devices, each including a processor configured to perform deep packet inspection to identify an application associated with an active flow, and a redundancy block configured to determine whether the application requires hot redundancy and, if so, to forward a message from which state information may be derived. The system may also include at least one protecting device in communication with each of the active devices and configured to receive the message regarding the active flow from the active device, derive state information from the message, and resume packet forwarding operations for the active flow upon failure of a respective active device of the plurality of active devices.
US08626945B2 Method for transparently exchanging data packets
The invention relates to a method for transparently exchanging data packets with a packet-oriented network, via which a number of network elements and a network node device are connected based on a common access method. The network elements are allocated unique local addresses only within the network. The network node device connects the packet-oriented network to an external device based on a point-to-point protocol and performs an address conversion of the address of a network element, said address being allocated within the packet-oriented network, into an address valid for the external device. A verification of message header entries of the data packets exchanged between the external device and the network element permits the establishment of a temporary transparent connection of the network element to the external device in the event an entry is detected the characterizes an expanded point-to-point protocol, e.g. PPPoE, whereby the address newly allocated by the external device is transmitted to the external device without address conversion.
US08626942B2 Real-time priority-based media communication
Representative embodiments are disclosed of a real-time priority-based communication system and method for communicating media streams made up of multiple media message sub-streams, the communication system comprising a chunk configurator for dividing media message sub-streams into chunks, a state machine configured to translate between information regarding the media message sub-streams and the chunks and state associations to the information, the state associations written into a header for each of the chunks, a queue for holding the chunks waiting to be transmitted, and a processor for executing a scheduling algorithm, wherein the scheduling algorithm determines ones of the chunks in the queue to transmit next.
US08626938B2 Service providing apparatus and method, and information processing apparatus storage medium
The invention provides a service providing apparatus and method and an information processing apparatus and method as well as a program storage medium by which a plurality of users can communicate with each other simultaneously. A plurality of client computers are connected to a shared server over a network and log in a common chat room of a chat system. If a user of one of those of the client computers which are in a group requests for reproduction of a predetermined tune, then the instruction is transmitted to the shared server over the network. The shared server receives the instruction transmitted thereto and reads out music data of the request stored in a music database therein, and transmits the music data to the client computers of the group.
US08626935B1 Identifying use of software applications
Techniques are described for identifying the use of software applications, such as to determine an identity of a user interacting with a Web site or other electronic information service based on information regarding an application copy used by the user. When a communication is received from a software application, the communication is analyzed to attempt to identify a particular software application copy that sent the communication. Various types of information about a client software application copy may be used in the analysis, including information about particular configuration settings for the client software application and for the client computing device on which the client software application is executing. After a matching software application copy is identified for a received communication, possible inappropriate activities related to the received communication may be identified in various ways, including based on previous communications received from the same software application copy.