Document	Document Title
US08684964B2	Inflation sensor mount and method of assembly An inflation device comprising a housing configured to receive a sensor assembly is disclosed. In some embodiments, the sensor assembly may be coupled to the housing through use of a snap fit-type connection. Further, the working fluid of the inflation device may be in direct communication with the pressure sensor, without the use of secondary fluids such as gels.
US08684939B2	Blood pressure measurement device A blood pressure measurement device is mounted with a radio-controlled clock function in a main body without lowering reception performance of the standard radio wave of the radio-controlled clock. A substrate including a sensor mounting surface and a sensor non-mounting surface is mounted with a pressure sensor. An antenna for receiving the standard radio wave including time information of the radio-controlled clock is mounted. The antenna includes a bar-shaped magnetic body core and a coil wound around the magnetic body core. A pump is arranged such that an axis line direction of the motor and an extending direction of the magnetic body core are substantially orthogonal. The substrate and the substrate are arranged so that the sensor non-mounting surface of the substrate and the antenna mounting surface of the sensor face each other.
US08684937B2	Imaging probe An imaging probe includes a first nub protruding from an elongate housing in a direction away from the long axis and configured to be grasped by a robot apparatus performing a procedure of the object or subject to position the imaging probe in connection with a region of interest of the subject or object to image the region of interest with the probe. The imaging probe further includes at least one other nub located on and protruding from the elongate housing in a direction away from the long axis and configured to be grasped by a robot apparatus performing the procedure to facilitate grasping the first nub by the robot apparatus.
US08684922B2	Health monitoring system A monitoring system for a person includes a processor coupled to one or more wireless nodes; a wearable mobile appliance in communication with the client and one or more wireless nodes; and one or more computer implemented agents with rules executed by the processor, the rules being selected to respond to a client communication relating to a predetermined health condition, each agent communicating with another computer implemented agent, the client or the treatment professional, and upon receiving a communication from the client, the processor selecting one or more computer implemented agents to reply with an instruction on healthy client behavior.
US08684917B2	Embolism filter with self-deployable guidewire stop An embolism filter adapted to selectively stop an embolism filter along a length of guidewire, including a filter adapted to encircle a guidewire and at least one self-deploying stop attached to the filter and which selectively stops movement of said filter.
US08684914B2	Image capture unit and an imaging pipeline with enhanced color performance in a surgical instrument and method In a minimally invasive surgical system, an image capture unit includes a prism assembly and sensor assembly. The prism assembly includes a beam splitter, while the sensor assembly includes coplanar image capture sensors. Each of the coplanar image capture sensors has a common front end optical structure, e.g., the optical structure distal to the image capture unit is the same for each of the sensors. A controller enhances images acquired by the coplanar image capture sensors. The enhanced images may include (a) visible images with enhanced feature definition, in which a particular feature in the scene is emphasized to the operator of minimally invasive surgical system; (b) images having increased image apparent resolution; (c) images having increased dynamic range; (d) images displayed in a way based on a pixel color component vector having three or more color components; and (e) images having extended depth of field.
US08684912B2	Deployable endoscopic support device An endoscopic support device configured to support an endoscope during a surgical procedure is disclosed. The endoscopic support device has a connection ring with a height smaller than its diameter and configured to be in an open or deployed position and in a closed or non-deployed position. The support device also has at least two guiding elements, an orientation component, and extension means for manipulating the ring between the deployed and non-deployed positions.
US08684904B2	Blood pump with expandable cannula A blood pump includes an impeller having a plurality of foldable blades and a cannula having a proximal portion with a fixed diameter, and a distal portion with an expandable diameter. The impeller can reside in the expandable portion of the cannula. The cannula has a collapsed condition for percutaneous delivery to a desired location within the body, and an expanded condition in which the impeller can rotate to pump blood. A flexible drive shaft can extend through the cannula for rotationally driving the impeller within the patient's body.
US08684891B1	Waist-mounted parachute deployment and retracting system A waist-mounted parachute deployment and retracting system for training runners and other athletes that provides a user a method for selectively deploying and retracting the parachute during training without stopping or breaking stride. The parachute provides drag to increase resistance to improve performance by overloading the muscles. The user selectively deploys the parachute by pressing a button to release and open the parachute. Air flow created by the user's forward motion flows through a pair of ports on the side of a case holding the parachute. The air flow expands the parachute, causing the cords attaching the parachute to the case to extend and wind a recoil mechanism. The user selectively retracts the parachute by pressing a button to close the parachute and the recoil mechanism rewinds the cords, pulling the parachute into the case, ready to be deployed again when desired.
US08684886B2	Transmission control system and method thereof A method of managing a transmission ratio with an assisted CVT with a governed engine to emulate a hydrostatic transmission and prevent a drivebelt abuse is provided, the method comprising: providing a reference power source rotational speed, using the assisted CVT to transmit rotatable motion between a power source and a drive mechanism, managing a torque of the power source to maintain a substantially even rotational speed upon a power source load variation and modulating a transmission ratio of the assisted CVT to change the rotational speed of the drive mechanism. A system and a vehicle having such a drivebelt abuse preventing mechanism is also provided.
US08684885B2	Vehicle driving system First and second engines ENG1 and ENG2; first and second transmissions TM1 and TM2 shifting the output of the first and second engines; first and second one-way clutches OWC1 and OWC2 that are provided in each output portion of the first and second transmissions; a driving target member 11 commonly connected to the output members 121 of the first and second one-way clutches via clutch mechanisms CL1 and CL2 and transmits the rotational power transmitted to the output members of the one-way clutches to the driving wheel 2; a main motor/generator MG1 connected to the member 11; a sub motor/generator MG2 connected to the output shaft S1 of the first engine; a battery 8 sending/receiving the electric power between both motor/generators; a synchronization mechanism 20 connecting/disconnecting the member 11 and the output shaft S2 of the second engine; and a controller 5.
US08684877B2	Gear transmission A gear transmission comprises an internal gear, an external gear, a first gear, a crankshaft, a two-stage gear and a second gear. The first gear is affixed to an end of the crankshaft, which eccentrically rotates one of the internal gear and the external gear. The two-stage gear comprises a center gear and an outer-toothed ring gear. The center gear meshes with the first gear. The outer-toothed ring gear surrounds the first gear. The second gear meshes with the outer-toothed ring gear and transmits torque from a motor to the two-stage gear. The two-stage gear is configured such that the center gear and the outer-toothed ring gear are each at least partially disposed in a common plane that crosses the rotational axis of the gear transmission.
US08684873B2	Drive system and method for operating such a drive system, in particular for a motor vehicle A drive system (1) for a motor vehicle has a double clutch transmission (2), with two component transmissions (3, 4), a double clutch (5) and an output shaft (6). An internal combustion engine (7) optionally can be connected operatively to one of the component transmissions (3, 4) via the double clutch (5) to drive the output shaft (6). A gear drive (8) is arranged rotatably on the output shaft (6). An electric machine (9) can be connected operatively via the gear drive (8) to at least one fixed gear (16, 17, 21) of one of the component transmissions (3, 4) to drive the output shaft (6) and/or to recover kinetic energy from the drive system (1).
US08684871B2	Belt positioner A belt positioner 1 for installing a flexible belt into a grooved periphery 12 of a pulley 11. The positioner 1 comprises a belt guiding ramp 2, a pulley flange engaging mechanism 3, a handle 4 and a belt guiding rim 5. The belt guiding ramp 2 is extendible across the grooved periphery 12 and a belt-bearing slanting surface 20 of the ramp 2 enables the belt to be moved into engagement with the grooved periphery 12 when the pulley 11 is rotated about its rotational axis. The pulley flange engaging mechanism 3 comprises a groove 30 extending across the positioner 1 for receiving a pulley flange 13 bordering the grooved periphery 12 and a shoulder 31 bordering the groove 30 for bearing against a side face 14 of the pulley flange 13, wherein the engaging mechanism 3 locks the positioner 1 to the pulley 11 while the belt bears against the slanting surface 20. The handle 4 extends from the ramp 2 and provides a gripping surface 42 for fingers adjacent the ramp 2. In use the handle 4 extends laterally of the grooved periphery 12 and substantially parallel with the rotational axis of the pulley 11. When installing a belt, the positioner 1 need not engage a shaft of the pulley 11 nor be mounted to the pulley 11 in any additional way.
US08684870B2	Ball A ball includes a ball body having a spherical surface, and at least one projection extending from the surface of the ball body. The projection extends in such a manner that the projection forcibly separates a laminar boundary layer generated on the surface of the ball body, and transitions the laminar boundary layer to a turbulent boundary layer.
US08684866B2	Golf balls having low and high modulus core layers based on polyalkenamer rubber Golf balls golf balls containing a core having at least two layers made from a polyalkenamer rubber composition are provided. At least one layer is made from a relatively low modulus polyalkenamer rubber composition and at least one layer is made from a relatively high modulus polyalkenamer rubber composition. The rubber composition may further include other rubbers such as, for example, polybutadiene, polyisoprene, ethylene propylene rubber, ethylene propylene diene rubber, and styrene-butadiene rubber. The rubber composition helps improve resiliency of the core. In one version, a dual-core having an inner core and surrounding outer core layer is provided. In another version, the golf ball contains a three-piece core having an intermediate core layer made of polybutadiene rubber.
US08684865B1	Fairway wood type golf club head A fairway wood type golf club head and method for forming is disclosed herein. The golf club head preferably has a cast body, a compression molded crown, and weight pads. The weight pads can be manipulated to create different mass property configurations for the golf club head using the same body and crown.
US08684857B2	Ten pin bowling method and apparatus A method for bowling a ball typically in ten pin bowling using apparatus (10) in which a ball (15) is supported to movable support means typically a roller (23) which is rotatably driven by a motor (26) whilst the ball is restrained in a substantially fixed position with the apparatus (10) including a stop (29) which may be actuated to release the rotating ball (15) to allow said ball to travel in a desired direction of travel along an elongated guide member or barrel (11).
US08684856B2	Infant swing and glider device An infant swing includes a base, a support coupled to the base, an arm coupled to and movable relative to the support, and a seat portion coupled to the arm. A drive system is coupled to the arm and moves the arm relative to the base. An actuator is connected to the drive system, and is located so that a user can engage the actuator with the user's foot to control the drive system.
US08684852B1	Angled rotating merry go round An angled rotating play device is provided as a cantileveredly merry-go-round supported above the ground from below. A foot platform provides a location for one or more riders feet along a first rotation axis and is angled at an acute angle relative to a vertical axis. The vertical axis may also provide a second rotation axis. At least one of a plurality of supports connect to at least one hand hold above the foot platform whereby the hand hold and/or covers over the hand hold provide a maximum elevation of the device and may help users to shift their weight to self drive the device from the device.
US08684850B2	Constant velocity universal joint A constant velocity universal joint has track shapes which facilitate quality control on a forging die set, securing higher durability through securement of a stable contact state of forging-molded tracks and finishing-processed tracks with respect to balls. At least one of each of track grooves of an outer joint member and each of track grooves of an inner joint member is formed by cold-forging finishing. A track groove bottom side of the at least one of each of the track grooves is formed into a Gothic arch shape in horizontal cross-section, and a track groove opening side of the at least one of each of the track grooves is are each formed into an elliptical shape in horizontal cross-section.
US08684845B2	Storage medium storing game program and game apparatus A game system includes a game apparatus and a controller. For example, whether an operation of waving the controller has been performed is determined based on at least one of a pointed position on a display screen by the controller and acceleration. A wind object is generated and moved in virtual game space according to the waving operation. When it is determined that the wind object has collided with a windmill object disposed in the virtual game space, the windmill object is influenced by the wind and its rotation speed is changed.
US08684844B2	Game system, game processing method, computer-readable storage medium having stored therein game program, and game apparatus A plurality of players operate player characters using controllers. The player characters form a friend team to attack enemy characters. The player characters make attacks on the enemy characters by firing bullets into a game space using guns, in accordance with the operations of the respective players. If one of the player characters attacks another one of the player characters, a life of the attacked player character decreases, and a life item for restoring a life also appears in the game space. The attacked player character can restore a life by acquiring the life item.
US08684842B2	Display device, game system, and game process method A game system includes a home-console type game device, a controller device, and a portable display device. The portable display device includes an infrared light-emitting portion capable of emitting infrared light. The controller device wirelessly transmits to the game device operation date including data representing a detection result by an image-capturing section, data representing a detection result by an inertia sensor, and data representing an operation performed on an operation button. The game device receives the operation data from the controller device, and performs a game process based on the operation data.
US08684837B2	Information processing program, information processing system, information processing apparatus, and information processing method A moving object and a topography object having a portion with different heights are positioned in a virtual space, and the moving object is controlled so as to move on the topography object. A real world image is obtained from an imaging device, and a position and an orientation of a marker in the real world image are detected. On the basis of a result of the detection, a virtual camera is positioned in the virtual space, and a moving object and a topography object are rendered on the basis of the virtual camera. Here, the real world image obtained from the imaging device is used as a texture for the topography object. The rendered moving object and the topography object are synthesized on the real world image and a synthesized image is displayed on a display device.
US08684832B2	Multi-player bingo game with optional progressive jackpot wager The invention is directed to methods and gaming units for conducting a wagering game and an associated progressive jackpot. Players may win the wagering game, interim pattern awards and/or progressive jackpot awards by matching predetermined patterns with patterns formed on their unique game array with indicia matching selected indicia. The players may optionally participate and be eligible to win all or a portion of the progressive jackpot. In one embodiment, the player may be eligible for the progressive jackpot by wagering at least a minimum wager amount, and perhaps the maximum bet for the wagering game. In another embodiment, the player may affirmatively elect to be eligible for the progressive jackpot by placing a wager or fee in addition to a wager on the wagering game. Graphics corresponding to the progressive jackpot may be optionally displayed only to players eligible to win the progressive jackpot.
US08684826B2	Wagering game with persistent state of game assets affecting other players A gaming system includes a plurality of linked gaming machines, each gaming machine including a display for displaying a plurality of symbols that indicates a randomly selected outcome of a wagering game. The randomly selected outcome is selected from a plurality of outcomes in response to a wager input. Each gaming machine allows a player to achieve a player level from a plurality of player levels. The gaming system further includes a controller linked to the gaming machines. The controller is adapted to permit a certain community-event game from a plurality of community-game events to be played at two or more of gaming machines in response to a conditional state at the gaming machines. The conditional state is a function of the player levels at the gaming machines.
US08684825B2	Multiplayer gaming device and methods A plurality of gaming devices is linked so as to effectuate multiplayer game play. Multiplayer game play may cost more than single player game play, but may provide bonus payouts in the multiplayer game play. Various embodiments disclose symbol swapping, best ball, and match multiplayer game play.
US08684821B2	Pause and resume schemes for gesture-based game Technologies are generally described for pausing and resuming a gesture-based game. In some examples, a method performed under control of a gesture-based game system includes receiving a pause command that indicates pausing play of a gesture-based game and in response to the receipt of the pause command, capturing a first image of a player currently playing the gesture-based game, the first image being associated with a first posture of the player substantially at the time of the pause command and generating an outline of the player corresponding to the first image of the player.
US08684819B2	Systems and methods for simulating a particular user in an interactive computer system Systems and methods for simulating a user's behavior in an interactive computer system are provided. For example, a computer program product includes a simulator configured to simulate a user interacting with a computer program. The simulator includes a learning mode of operation and a simulation mode of operation. During the learning mode, for example, the simulator is configured to monitor the user's interaction with the computer program for one or more events and analyze one or more current circumstances during the occurrence of the one or more events, and further, to record at least one user input in response to the occurrence of at least one event, store the at least one user inputs in at least one data field, and associate the at least one data field with the at least one events and the at least one current circumstances.
US08684798B2	Chicken mid-wing splitter An apparatus for splitting poultry mid-wings into separate radius and ulna portions. The apparatus includes a plurality of carrier blocks mounted to a drive chain that drives the carrier blocks along a path in a continuous loop around the apparatus. Each carrier block has recesses formed in it that cooperate with recesses formed in adjacent carrier blocks to form carrier slots that hold mid-wings in a predetermined orientation. A blade member having an upper blade and a lower blade extends into the path and is aligned with blade channels formed in the carrier blocks. The blade member bisects mid-wings that are held in the carrier slots as they move downstream. The carrier blocks rotate downwardly about the downstream end of the path and are separated from one another, thereby opening the carrier slots. The separated mid-wings contained in the slots are thereby allowed to fall out of the slots.
US08684795B2	Eyeglass lens processing apparatus An eyeglass lens processing apparatus is provided with: a lens chuck shaft that holds an eyeglass lens; and a beveling tool for forming a bevel on the periphery of the lens. The beveling tool includes a first processing part for forming a rear bevel on the lens rear side; and a second processing part for forming a bevel foot coupled to the rear bevel. In the second processing part, the distance from a line parallel to the lens chuck shafts and passing through a point of border with the first processing part gradually increases from the point of border as the starting point to the endpoint of the second processing surface and the increase rate of the distance gradually increases at least in two steps toward the endpoint.
US08684791B2	Linear, automated apparatus and method for clean, high purity, simultaneous lapping and polishing of optics, semiconductors and optoelectronic materials A linear, automated apparatus and method for clean, cost-effective, simultaneous lapping and polishing of optics, semiconductors and optoelectronic materials is presented, constructed principally from corrosion resistant stainless steel or nickel, enabling utilization of high purity water based abrasive slurry. The circular stainless steel or nickel lapping plate of the apparatus supports a synthetic nylon or rayon pad, whereby material is abraded from the workpiece primarily through the reciprocal, back and forth, linear movement of the workpiece holder, diametrically across the circular lapping plate, with intermittent rotation in step increments of the workpiece holder and affixed workpiece, tracing arcs of 180 degrees, first in a clockwise and subsequently counterclockwise direction. Intermittent rotation of the circular lapping plate for the sole purpose of ensuring uniform wear on the circular nylon or rayon pad and lapping plate, eliminates the need for periodic, time consuming conditioning or reflattening of the lapping plate.
US08684783B2	Magnetically coupled mannequin joint The present invention is directed to a mannequin having one or more articulated joints capable of exhibiting a full range of motion and of supporting substantial weight. In particular, this invention relates to an apparatus for movably joining two parts of a mannequin. The apparatus includes a first element having an arcuate surface and a second element having a convex surface and a magnetic portion. The second element is movably engageable with the first element.
US08684782B2	Convertible flower doll A convertible flower doll has garment including a skirt with layers that may be raised or lowered to convert the doll between a figure resembling a flower and a figure resembling a character. In flower form, the doll sits within a container resembling a flower pot. The doll has legs that wrap together and attach at the ankles to resemble a flower stem. The skirt has features resembling flower petals, and elastic in the lowest layer of the skirt bunches up the skirt layers when raised to resemble a flower.
US08684775B2	Electrical connector and terminal thereof An electrical connector includes an insulating body provided with a plurality of receiving holes, and a plurality of terminals respectively received in the receiving holes. Each of the terminals has a base and at least one elastic arm bent upwards and extending from the base. The elastic arm is provided with a contact portion. When the contact portion receives a force in a first stage, the elastic arm is deformed mainly due to compression, and when the contact portion continuously receives a force in a second stage, the elastic arm is deformed mainly due to bending. The normal force received by the terminal is rapidly increased in the first stage, and is reduced and maintained at the low level in the second stage.
US08684769B2	Electrical connector having terminal portions in specific arrangement and a grounding plate for excellent high-frequency characteristics A first connector includes a first insulative housing defining opposite first and second mating faces, a set of first upper contacts arranged upon the first mating face, a set of first lower contacts including a first lower differential pairs, a second lower differential pairs and a lower grounding contact, and a first grounding plate. The contacting sections and the first grounding arm are arranged upon the second mating face, and the first terminal portions of the first lower differential pairs are arranged in a first row, and the second terminal portions of the second lower differential pairs and the tail section of the lower grounding contact are arranged in a second row for excellent high-frequency characteristics.
US08684763B2	Connector with slideable retention feature and patch cord having the same A patch cord including a connector attached to an end of an electrical cable. The connector includes a boot member that slides over a portion of a wire manager to actuate a retention arrangement of the connector. Certain types of retention arrangements are actuated by deflecting flexible tabs of the wire manager inwardly to bite into at least an outer jacket of the electrical cable.
US08684761B2	Solar insulation displacement connector In one embodiment, a solar insulation displacement connector (IDC) is described. The example solar IDC includes a base configured with at least one pathway. The pathway may include a plurality of ridges. At least one pathway is configured with at least one conductive cutter. The conductive cutter is formed from a conductive material (e.g., copper, silver, gold, nickel, brass). The example solar IDC includes a cover configured to hold a wire in the at least one pathway when the cover is affixed to the base of the solar IDC. The solar IDC is configured to be mechanically connected to a conductor of the wire by the at least one conductive cutter. The at least one conductive cutter is configured to cut an insulation of the wire. An inverter is operably connected to the solar IDC. The example solar IDC and the inverter are fabricated as a unit.
US08684757B2	Memory module connector with air deflection system In one embodiment, a memory module connector includes sidewalls extending along a length of the connector body. A longitudinally oriented socket is provided between the sidewalls for receiving a card edge of a memory module. A top of the connector defines a socket opening. A bottom of the connector is for mounting to a system board. A plurality of air deflectors is provided adjacent to the connector body to manipulate airflow to improve cooling. The size, positioning, and spacing of the air deflectors may be selected to optimize cooling.
US08684754B1	Plug and socket convertible electrical connector assembly A plug and socket convertible electrical connector assembly including a connector body and a slide cover is disclosed. The connector body includes a housing defining an oblong insertion opening and multiple insertion slots at two adjacent walls thereof, a rack mounted in the housing, an electrical socket mounted in the rack and aimed at the insertion opening. The slide cover carrying multiple metal conducting blades is mounted in the housing and movable between a received position where the insertion opening is opened for allowing insertion of an external power adapter cable into the electrical socket, and an extended position where the slide cover blocks the insertion opening and the metal conducting blades are extended out of the insertion slots for connection to a city power supply outlet.
US08684750B1	Contact type of electric connection building block and electric connection unit disposed therein A contact type of electric connection building block includes an electric connection unit, which has an electronic device and electronic connection posts mounted on a circuit board of the electronic device. The electric connection unit is modularized, and the first and second electrodes of the electric connection post are provided with the contact portions to be connected with the circuit board of the electronic device. Thus, it does not need soldering and reduces environmental contamination. Moreover, when the first and second electrodes of a building block are respectively connected with the first and second electrodes of another building block, the first and second insertion portions could provide stable and accurate contact effect. Furthermore, the electric connection post only needs the post member and the first and second electrodes to assemble. It greatly reduces the numbers of components, simplifies assembling processes and reduces assembling time.
US08684748B1	System and method for playing web-based training content on a client computer system A method and system for playing web-based training content on a client computer system are provided. The method includes accessing previously downloaded web-based training content stored in a first memory coupled to the client computer system and playing a portion of the web-based training content on the client computer system while the client computer system is offline. The method further includes storing results associated with playing the portion of the web-based training content in a second memory coupled to the client computer system. The method further includes, in response to detecting the client is online, synchronizing results of the playing with a host computer system.
US08684739B2	Durable film coating compositions having sustained slow-release capability, and methods of use therefor Provided is a slow-release delivery vehicle for delivering at least one active ingredient into a film coating, comprising a population of stable, homogeneously-dispersed, porous polymeric or co-polymeric beads having a network of pores, wherein the at least one active ingredient is held within the bead particles and within the network of pores and slowly released by internal flow, and wherein the network of pores is substantially non-collapsible upon removal of the active ingredient. The porous co-polymer bead preparation comprises a continuous aqueous phase solution containing a monomeric mixture of at least one polyvinylaromatic monomer and at least one porogen forming a network that comprising (i) macropores; (ii) mesopores; (iii) micropores; and (iv) gel porosity. Also provided are methods of preparing the porous co-polymer bead preparation; and for its use as a slow-release delivery vehicle.
US08684738B2	Method and tool for firearm sight training The present invention is a firearm sight training tool, and, more specifically, relates to a method and tool for training a shooter to properly align a firearm's sights relative to a target, which through its implementation and use may provide for a more efficient and low cost means of training a firearm user to properly align a firearm's sights relative to the firearm user's target of interest.
US08684730B2	Obturation material delivery device A delivery device for delivering filling material into the canal during a root canal procedure includes a shaft having a bed portion at a distal end thereof, and a biocompatible filler material mounted to the bed portion. The filler material includes an upper surface, a side surface, and a distal end. The delivery device bed portion has a greater thermal conductivity than the filler material; and the bed portion of the shaft wraps at least partially around the filler material and contacts the filler material substantially along the length of the filler material from the upper end of the filler material to at, or proximate, the distal end of the filler material. This delivery device allows for better control of temperature delivery and position of the filling material and allows for a more thorough and precise heating of the filler material in vivo.
US08684728B1	Dental shield Apparatus related to a dental shield. Light may be filtered or blocked through the dental shield to delay the curing of a light-cured adhesive or cement. The shield has an elevated portion designed to provide clearance sufficient for a bracket as well as a nose relief and breathing passages.
US08684727B2	Ring furnace including baking pits with a large horizontal aspect ratio and method of baking carbonaceous articles therein The invention relates to a ring furnace (1) having a longitudinal axis and comprising elongated bays (10), a plurality of hollow partitions (3, 3′) arranged within the casing of each bay so as to be parallel to the longitudinal axis, a first end transverse wall (41) located at a first end of each bay (10), a second end transverse wall (42) located at a second end of each bay (10) and possibly one or more intermediate transverse walls (43) located between the first and second ends. The hollow partitions and transverse walls define baking pits (2) within the bays (10) for stacking carbonaceous articles therein. The baking pits have a length Lp and a width Wp, said length Lp being at least 15 times greater than said width Wp.
US08684725B2	Apparatus and method of producing oval plastics material containers An apparatus for tempering plastics material pre-forms with a tempering mould for tempering an outer wall of the plastics material pre-forms, wherein the tempering mould has at least one first mould part which is movable and wherein the first mould part contacts a first wall portion of the plastics material pre-form at least for a time, in order to temper this wall portion. The apparatus has a supply unit in order to supply the plastics material pre-forms to the tempering mould, and this supply unit has a holding device for holding the plastics material pre-forms as well as a movement device which, in order to supply the plastics material pre-forms into the tempering mould, produces a relative movement between the plastics material pre-form and at least one portion of at least one mould part in a longitudinal direction (L) of the plastics material pre-form.
US08684723B2	Blow nozzle to control liquid flow with pre-stretch rod assembly and metal seat seal pin An apparatus for forming a container from a container preform. The apparatus includes a housing, a mold cavity, and a nozzle system disposed in the housing and operably connectable to the mold cavity. The nozzle system is positionable between a first position engaging the housing along an interface of contact preventing pressurized liquid from being injected into the container preform and a second position spaced apart from the housing permitting pressurized liquid to be injected into the container preform. The nozzle system further includes in some embodiments a seal portion having a first surface—the first surface engaging a second surface extending from the housing in the first position.
US08684720B2	Fiber delivery system for composite part manufacture A gantry mounted fiber placement machine has a creel and a head with a compaction roller for applying fiber to a mold or tool. The fiber placement machine has 6 axes of motion. The machine has a gantry that moves in the X-axis, a horizontal gantry beam that is parallel to the Y-axis, and a creel that moves with the gantry in the X-axis. The machine has a head that moves in the Y-axis parallel to the floor and across the gantry beam, and in the Z-axis perpendicular to the X and Y-axes. The head swivels in the I-axis as it rotates about the X-axis, in the J-axis as it rotates about the Y-axis, and in the K-axis as it rotates about the Z-axis.
US08684717B2	Apparatus for constructing floor Provided is a floor construction apparatus that includes a guide unit that is disposed on surface of a floor to be constructed, and a flattening unit that is guided by the guide unit, to then be transferred to flatten the surface of the floor to be constructed, and to thereby reduce a construction time and expense for flattening of the construction surface of the floor.
US08684713B2	Rotor type pump A rotor type pump is provided. A rotor rotates and closely contacts an inner surface of a chamber, and a cam controls a sealing part, so that during a compression procedure, the sealing part, a convex surface of the rotor, and an inner surface of the chamber form a substantially hermetic space, and when a gas in the chamber is compressed to a set pressure, the compressed gas is guided out. Therefore, a smooth surface of the rotor closely contacts the inner surface of the chamber, and the gas in the chamber is compressed in a rotational manner, in which the to-and-fro movement of a piston is not required, and a dead point is prevented, so that operation is smooth and noise is not easily generated. Further, the rotor type pump does not need to use a lubricating fluid and offers extremely large compression capacity and excellent efficiency.
US08684709B2	Micro cooling fan A micro cooling fan includes a housing, a fan wheel, and a main circuit board. The main circuit board has a stator and a driving circuit. The stator is electrically connected to the driving circuit. The stator is disposed on a first inner surface, and the driving circuit is disposed on a first outer surface, so that the housing and the driving circuit of the micro fan motor form an integral structure. The first outer surface is opposite to the first inner surface, or the first outer surface is located on a side surface of the housing. Therefore, by disposing the driving circuit on the first outer surface, the wind resistance of the fan blades is reduced, and the air volume of the micro cooling fan is increased accordingly, so that the cooling effect of the micro cooling fan is improved.
US08684707B2	Piezoelectric microblower A piezoelectric microblower includes a vibrating plate including a piezoelectric element and arranged to be driven in a bending mode by applying a voltage of a predetermined frequency to the piezoelectric element, and a blower body arranged to fix both ends or a periphery of the vibrating plate and to define a blower chamber between the blower body and the vibrating plate, an opening being provided in a portion of the blower body facing a central portion of the vibrating plate. In a portion of the blower chamber corresponding to the central portion of the vibrating plate, a partition is provided around the opening and a resonance space is defined inside of the partition. A size of the resonance space is set such that a driving frequency of the vibrating plate and a Helmholtz resonance frequency of the resonance space correspond to each other.
US08684703B2	Reciprocating compressor A compressor includes a cylinder block including cylinder bores and pistons within the cylinder bores. A front housing opposes a first cylinder block end face to form a crank chamber accommodating a piston driving mechanism. A valve plate opposes a second cylinder block end face and includes suction and discharge holes. A rear housing includes suction and discharge chambers and opposes the second cylinder block end face with the valve plate there between. Strap-shaped suction valves on the valve plate end face oppose the cylinder block, thereby opening and closing the suction holes at tip portions. Discharge valves on the valve plate end face oppose the rear housing to open and close the discharge holes. Through-bolts join the front housing, the crank chamber, the cylinder block, the valve plate, and the rear housing. The valve plate includes grooves extending from holes accommodating the through-bolts to portions abutting the suction valves.
US08684699B2	Pump for a high-pressure cleaning appliance A pump for a high-pressure cleaning appliance for delivering cleaning liquid is provided. The pump has a pump housing with at least one pump chamber into which at least one piston plunges. The pump chamber is connected via at least one inlet valve to a suction line and via at least one outlet valve to a pressure line. A bypass line leads from the pressure line to the suction line. An overflow valve is arranged in the bypass line. The valve body of the overflow valve is connected to a control element which, in dependence upon the flow rate of the cleaning liquid, displaces the valve body to a closed or an open position. A rear housing component and a front housing component of the pump housing are joined together. The bypass line opens into a suction line section of the suction line, which extends between the housing components.
US08684692B2	Cooled snubber structure for turbine blades A turbine blade assembly in a turbine engine. The turbine blade assembly includes a turbine blade and a first snubber structure. The turbine blade includes an internal cooling passage containing cooling air. The first snubber structure extends outwardly from a sidewall of the turbine blade and includes a hollow interior portion that receives cooling air from the internal cooling passage of the turbine blade.
US08684688B2	Series-connected fan frame module A series-connected fan frame module includes a plurality of frames, an engaging assembly and an anti-rotation assembly. The frames are arranged in series. The engaging assembly is arranged on each of the frames to couple the frames in series. The anti-rotation assembly is arranged on each of the frames and includes at least one position-fixing member and at least one blocking member arranged on portions of adjacent two of the frames where the adjacent two of the frames are coupled together. The at least one position-fixing member is engaged with the at least one blocking member to prevent relative radial rotation between the adjacent two of the frames.
US08684683B2	Gas turbine nozzle attachment scheme and removal/installation method A turbine nozzle attachment assembly includes an outer turbine component (a shroud or a turbine shell) formed with a circumferential groove open in a forward-facing axial direction; a nozzle segment including a vane extending between inner and outer bands, the outer band provided with an upstanding annular hook formed with a hook element extending in an aft-facing axial direction and received in the circumferential groove. The upstanding annular hook and hook element are formed with a circumferentially-oriented slot. An anti-rotation block is located in the circumferentially-oriented slot, and an anti-tipping plate having a circumferential width greater than a corresponding circumferential width of the circumferentially-oriented slot substantially covers a forward face of the anti-rotation block. The anti-rotation block and the anti-tipping plate are fastened directly to the outer turbine component.
US08684680B2	Sealing and cooling at the joint between shroud segments A gas turbine engine shroud includes a plurality of shroud segments disposed circumferentially one adjacent to another to form a full, circumferentially segmented ring about the rotor. The radial seal between each pair of adjacent shroud segments is positioned on the back side of the shroud platform. Cooling underneath the radial seals may be done by conduction heath transfer through the platform of the shroud segments.
US08684676B1	Centrifugal fan A centrifugal fan that includes an impeller having fan blades with notched tabs extending through slots in a pair of disc shaped base elements with the notches engaging the ends of the slots to secure the fan blades upon the impeller.
US08684670B2	Sealing mechanism with bellows and steam turbine provided with the sealing mechanism A sealing mechanism includes a pair of space forming rings which face each other and are configured for surrounding a shaft body, an outer bellows-joint having one end connected to an outer periphery of one of the space forming rings and another end connected to an outer periphery of the other of the space forming rings, and an inner bellows-joint having one end connected to an inner periphery of one of the space forming rings and another end connected to an inner periphery of the other of the space forming rings. Each of the inner bellows-joint and the outer bellows-joint is a corrugated plate. The space forming rings space the inner bellows-joint and the outer bellows-joint apart from each other such that the inner bellows-joint and the outer bellows-joint do not come in contact with each other.
US08684663B2	Steam turbine with relief groove on the rotor A steam turbine is provided having a relief groove which is arranged in the region of the equalizing piston and extends in the circumferential direction of the rotor. The relief groove, with regard to an inlet passage, is arranged in the axial upstream direction so that it is arranged on the rotor outside a region in which the steam flow enters the bladed flow path via the inlet passage. The relief groove, with regard to the first blade row, is arranged in a region in which the greatest thermal stresses can arise in the rotor. As an option, the relief groove has a cover for reducing vortex flows, and also devices for reducing heating of the groove or devices for active cooling. The steam turbine allows an increased number of risk-free running up and running down operations of the steam turbine with minimum detriment to the turbine performance.
US08684660B2	Pressure and temperature actuation system A pressure and temperature actuation system is provided having a high-temperature low-pressure zone, a low-temperature high-pressure zone, a boundary, a pressure actuated mechanism, and a temperature mechanism. A gas located in the high-temperature low-pressure zone has a greater gas temperature than the gas located in the low-temperature high-pressure zone. The gas located in the low-temperature high-pressure zone has a greater gas pressure than the gas located in the high-temperature low-pressure zone. The boundary separates the high-temperature low-pressure zone from the low-temperature high pressure zone. The pressure actuated mechanism is located within the boundary and is configured for opening at a specified gas pressure in either the high-temperature low-pressure zone or the low-temperature high-pressure zone. The temperature actuated mechanism is located within the boundary and is configured for opening at a specified gas temperature in either the high-temperature low-pressure zone or the low-temperature high-pressure zone.
US08684656B2	Loader mast-to-mounting frame pin retaining arrangement A loader mast-to-mounting frame pin arrangement is provided. The pin arrangement has stops added to a shaft that allow the pin to be held in two positions: the locked position and the parked position. In the locked position, a unique slot cut in the mast plate retains the pin by not allowing an eccentric protrusion on the shaft from passing through the slot when the pin is rotated to place the shaft in the top of the slot. When the pin is rotated so the shaft is towards the bottom of the slot, the eccentric protrusion is allowed to pass through the mast plate and the pin can be pulled out until it hits another protrusion on the shaft. At this point, the pin will stay in the mast but the loader can be removed from the tractor. To prevent the pin from rotating by itself, when in the locked position, and the loader coming unlatched, a spring loaded knob engages in the slot which prevents the shaft from being able to rotate to the unlocked position. To operate, the knob is pulled back away from the mast and then the shaft can be rotated.
US08684655B2	Hay spear accessory apparatus A hay spear accessory apparatus for providing a secure and fixed mounting point for attachments such as ropes, chains, cables and the like, the apparatus being generally comprised of a an open-ended sleeve member having an interior diameter sized for slidable engagement over the distal end of a hay spear, the sleeve having attachment mounting means fixedly connected to the outer surface thereof. The interior of the sleeve has a varied diameter so as to accommodate the receipt of hay spears of various diameters. The apparatus of the subject invention is designed for frictional engagement with a hay spear, but optional securing means are also provided which prevent axial displacement of the apparatus along the hay spear once mounted thereon.
US08684652B2	Apparatus and method for loading and unloading containers An apparatus for loading and unloading a plurality of shipping containers into a carrier. The containers are arranged according to a predetermined pattern on a fixed staging unit of the apparatus. A first conveyor of the apparatus receives and transports the arranged containers from the fixed staging unit. The first conveyor is movable horizontally. A second conveyor of the apparatus receives the containers from the first conveyor and transports the containers into the carrier. The second conveyor is movable horizontally and vertically. A control unit of the apparatus controls transportation of the containers from the second conveyor into the carrier when the second conveyor is vertically moved to a predetermined position.
US08684651B2	Autonomous mobile robot An autonomous mobile robot includes a housing mounted on a track and controllable to move along the track and to stop at each selected location, two side covers pivotally mounted on the left and right sides of the housing and movable by a respective driving motor to close/open the left or right side of the housing, and a mechanism controllable to move a material carrier horizontally leftwards or rightwards to the outside of the housing after opening of the left-sided or right-sided side cover.
US08684639B2	Device for limiting the advance during a drilling operation In a device for limiting the advance during a drilling operation, which can be used in conjunction with a hand drill or with an automatic manufacturing machine, the device comprising a housing with a stop cage and a spindle mounted rotatably and axially displaceably in the housing, and a stop which is adjustable in the axial direction being arranged for limiting the advance, the invention consists in that the stop cage (2a) comprises a pin fixed to the housing for breaking the chips, with a housing-side end and a free end, in such a way that it extends approximately parallel and directly adjacent to the workpiece surface and approximately radially from the outside towards the drilling tool in such a way that its free end almost touches the countersink. Damage to the surface of workpieces is prevented by the invention, so that corresponding refinishing is avoided. Moreover, the removal of the coiled chips from the drilling tool previously necessary after each drilling cycle is dispensed with.
US08684631B2	Concrete form elevated site (CFES) A method for creating an elevated containment structure at a site for providing telecommunications services. The elevated containment structure defines a containment field that is substantially surrounded by at least one wall of the elevated containment structure. The creation of the elevated containment structure further comprises forming the at least one wall, disposing a fill material within the containment field, positioning an equipment pad on the fill material, positioning telecommunications equipment on the equipment pad, receiving a signal at the telecommunications equipment from either end user and a service provider, communicating the signal from the equipment to the other of the end user and the service provider. Forming the at least one wall comprises positioning a plurality of forms to create a gap between at least two of the forms and disposing a second fill material in the gap.
US08684629B2	Sea floor anchoring apparatus A sea floor anchoring apparatus including a first and second tube, the second tube extending through the first tube's hollow bore and forming an annulus between the first and second tubes; rotary bearings interconnecting the first and second tubes for rotation of the second tube within the first tube; sand agitating teeth attached to the second tube's lower end; a turbine pump connected to the first and second tubes for, upon the rotation of the second tube, driving the water downwardly through the annulus; and a motor and motor housing assembly further interconnecting the first and second tubes, the motor turning the second tube, the teeth, and the turbine.
US08684623B2	Tool coupler having anti-release mechanism A tool coupler for a machine is provided herein. In an embodiment, the tool coupler may have a coupler frame, a hook coupled to the coupler frame and configured to receive a first pin of a tool, and a wedge operatively connected to the coupler frame. The tool coupler may also have an actuator connected to move the wedge away from the hook to bias a second pin of the tool against the coupler frame, and a latch associated with the wedge. The latch may be movable between a first position at which the wedge is allowed to move away from the second pin, and a second position at which the wedge is constrained from moving away from the second pin.
US08684610B2	Connector assemblies having actuation mechanisms for selectively moving mating connectors A connector assembly including an actuator body that extends along a central longitudinal axis between a pair of connector ends. The actuator body is movable along the longitudinal axis and has an actuator cam feature. The connector assembly also includes an assembly frame that is operatively coupled to the actuator body and is movable along a mating axis that is non-parallel relative to the longitudinal axis. The assembly frame defines a connector compartment and has a frame cam feature that is positioned to engage the actuator cam feature. The actuator and frame cam features slidably engage each other when the actuator body is moved along the longitudinal axis thereby moving the assembly frame along the mating axis. The connector assembly also includes a mating connector that is held by the assembly frame within the connector compartment. The assembly frame is configured to move the mating connector in a mating direction.
US08684587B2	Backlight unit A backlight unit is capable of preventing generation of mura such bright lines and dark lines. The backlight unit includes a light guide panel divided into a plurality of light guide blocks for local dimming driving, a first block partitioning unit formed as a groove between respective adjacent light guide blocks on a lower surface of the light guide panel, and a point light source received in the first block partitioning unit.
US08684573B2	Light beam adjusting device for vehicle A light beam adjusting device includes a housing having a reflector, a light device disposed within the reflector for generating light which may be reflected partially upwardly and partially downwardly by the reflector. The light reflected downwardly by the reflector is allowed to emit out through the housing. A shielding panel is disposed in the housing, and an actuating device may rotate the shielding panel to open and block the lower portion of the housing, and to selectively open and block the light reflected upwardly by the reflector. The light reflected upwardly by the reflector may form a high beam together with the downwardly reflected light when the housing has not been blocked by the shielding panel.
US08684570B1	Light fixture with movable support for a removable electronic component A light fixture includes an illumination aperture and a normal illumination axis passing through a center of the illumination aperture perpendicular to a plane of the illumination aperture. The light fixture further includes a service space having a cross-section corresponding to a shape of the illumination aperture and extending along the illumination axis between on a support structure facing side of the illumination aperture. The light fixture has a movable support movably coupled to the light fixture. The movable support includes a mounting portion. An electronic component is removably mounted to the mounting portion. The movable support is movable between an operation position and a service position. When the movable support is in the service position, the mounting portion and electronic component are closer to the illumination axis than when in the operation position, and are preferably located wholly or partially within service space.
US08684568B2	LED unit and illumination apparatus using same An LED unit includes a plate-shaped base; a light-emitting device placed on a surface of the base and having one or more LED chips; and a cover mounted to the base at a location above a front side of the light-emitting device and having a function to transmit light emitted from the light-emitting device. The base has on the surface thereof an annular groove for receiving a seal therein, and the cover has on a surface thereof directed to the base an annular protruding part, the annular protruding part being inserted into the annular groove to seal the base and the cover through the seal. A distance between the protruding part and the groove in a width direction of the groove is shorter in a section of the groove than the other sections of the groove.
US08684567B2	Lamp A lamp including a first housing, a second housing assembled with the first housing to form a housing assembly and a bulb base is provided. The second housing includes a first sidewall and a second sidewall perpendicularly connected to the first sidewall. The first sidewall has a first stop portion extending along a normal direction. The bulb base is inserted into a first opening of the housing assembly to be assembled to the housing assembly. The bulb base has a second opening, multiple catches arranged on an outer sidewall of the second opening in a circumference direction and a second stop portion. The second stop portion disposed on the catches is located on a rotation path of the first stop portion when the bulb base rotates relative to the housing assembly for limiting a rotation angle between the housing assembly and the bulb base.
US08684565B2	LED light with active thermal management A lamp comprises an LED assembly comprising at least a first LED operable to emit light. A heat sink for dissipating heat from the LED assembly comprises an active element and a passive heat conductive element. The active element may comprise a fan that forces air over the passive heat conducting element.
US08684562B2	Semiconductor light emitting apparatus and light source apparatus using the same A semiconductor light emitting apparatus includes a solid-state light emitting device and a wavelength converter that converts primary light emitted by the solid-state light emitting device into secondary light at a loner-wavelength. The wavelength converter is an inorganic compact that includes a transparent wavelength conversion layer containing phosphor having a garnet crystal structure. The phosphor contains a constituent element group composed of at least one element selected from the group consisting of Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Y, La, Gd, Tb, and Lu. Part of the constituent element group is substituted by Ce3+ and the amount of Ce3+ is 1 atomic % less of the entire constituent element group. As a result, a high-power and highly reliable semiconductor light emitting apparatus suitable as a point light source is provided. In addition, such a semiconductor light emitting apparatus is manufactured through a simple application of traditionally used practical technicians.
US08684556B2	Light emitting diode (LED) lighting systems including low absorption, controlled reflectance and diffusion layers LED lighting systems include LEDs of at least two different colors, a reflective layer and a diffusion layer. The reflective layer has a transmittance-to-reflectance ratio that is configured to homogenize intensity of the light emitted from the LEDs. The diffusion layer is configured to homogenize color uniformity of the light.
US08684555B2	Light emitting device with ceramic conversion material A lighting device including at least one conversion element and a least one LED, which emits light into the conversion element. The light is then converted and emitted with a high radiant flux. The at least one LED emits light in the wavelength range of ≧220 nm to ≦800 nm and the at least one conversion element converts at least part of the light from the at least one LED to light in the wavelength range of >300 nm to <1000 nm. In some embodiments, the at least one conversion element includes a ceramic conversion material.
US08684551B2	Lighting assembly in the form of a palm tree A lighting assembly in the form of a palm tree as a decorative and ornamental street light includes an upwardly extending shaft, a base and a mechanism for fixing and anchoring the shaft in a selected location. The base includes a plurality of downwardly extending rods and a mass of concrete around and in between the rods to anchor the assembly. The upwardly extending shaft also includes a bark like outer cover and a plurality of outwardly extending limbs in the form of a palm tree. A plurality of lights illuminating an area around the assembly, the tree limbs including fronds.
US08684544B2	Retroreflective member producing iridescent reflected light An object of the present invention is to provide a retroreflective member that can improve the visibility further. The retroreflective member includes a reflective layer and transparent microscopic beads 13. The retroreflective member gives a phase difference corresponding to a visible light wavelength to at least a part of incident light and recombines, emphasizes a light component having the visible light wavelength by interference, and returns coherent light having a visible light wavelength depending on the incident angle in the traveling direction of the incident light. The reflective layer includes a light-transmissive interference layer 14, and the interference layer 14 each has an optical layer thickness of 100 to 600 nm so as to generate an interference color having a visible light wavelength depending on the incident angle of light.
US08684540B2	Optical projection apparatus An optical projection apparatus includes a first light source, a second light source, and an imaging element, which is illuminated by the first light source and the second light source during operation. The light source includes a light-emitting diode chip that emits red light during operation. The second light source includes a first light-emitting diode chip, which emits green light during operation. A second light-emitting diode chip emits blue light during operation. The second light-emitting diode chip is arranged on the first light-emitting diode chip at a radiation exit surface of the first light-emitting diode chip. Electromagnetic radiation generated in the first light-emitting diode chip during operation passes through the second light-emitting diode chip.
US08684537B2	Light source unit and projector for controlling illumination cycles of respective light sources and rotation of a luminescent wheel To provide a light source unit enabling a stable projection without a luminescent material heating and a projector, a projector of the invention including a light source unit, a display device, a light guiding optical system, a projection side optical system and a light source control device. The light source unit includes an excitation light shining device, a luminescent wheel emitting a luminescent ray of a green wavelength band and a light source optical system collecting rays from the luminescent wheel and respective light sources on a predetermined plane. The light source control device controls the excitation light shining device, each light source device of red and blue so that a period of time required for turning-on once of the excitation light shining device, and each light source device of red and blue becomes a non-integral multiple of a period of time required for one rotation of the luminescent wheel.
US08684532B2	System and method for generating multicolor scan lines and multicolor projection video display incorporating the same A system for, and method of, generating multicolor scan lines and a multicolor projection video display (PVD) incorporating the system or the method. In one embodiment, the system includes: (1) light sources that emit light of different colors at different emission locations and (2) first and second lenses having lenticular arrays associated therewith and configured to receive the light of the different colors and generate multicolor scan lines therefrom, the emission locations separated by different distances from the first lens.
US08684526B2	Compact binocular adaptive optics phoropter A binocular vision apparatus allows a patient to view objects through the apparatus with polychromatic light and monochromatic aberration correction, such that the chromatic aberration of the eye can be combined with the monochromatic aberration correction, so as to provide a more accurate determination of vision quality. The binocular vision apparatus provides left and right viewing optics that can substantially maintain the line of sight of each eye, such that objects can be viewed in a room with 3D depth perception corresponding to the distance of the object from the patient. As both near and far objects can be viewed with binocular aberration correction, the patient can alternate binocular viewing between near and far vision with chromatic aberration so as to evaluate a proposed treatment such as a presbyopia correction.
US08684514B1	Barrier dryer with porous liquid-carrying material A media drying system removes a moistening liquid from a moistened medium. A liquid reservoir containing a heating liquid heated above a moistening-liquid boiling point. A rotatable liquid-blocking member has a liquid-blocking layer with an inner surface and an outer surface. A media-transport system transports the moistened medium so it contacts or is entrained around the liquid-blocking member in a path zone so that the moistened medium is brought into contact with the outer surface of the liquid-blocking layer. A porous material absorbs heating liquid from the liquid reservoir and brings the absorbed heating liquid into contact with the inner surface of the liquid-blocking layer for at least a portion of the path zone. Heat is transferred through the liquid-blocking layer from the absorbed warmed heating liquid to the moistening liquid, vaporizing the moistening liquid and removing it from the moistened medium.
US08684513B2	Recording method A recording method is for recording on a recording medium with a photocuring liquid substance by discharging droplets from a discharge head onto the recording medium while displacing the discharge head and the recording medium relative to each other. While the discharge head and the recording medium are displaced relative to each other, a droplet discharge step of discharging the droplets from the discharge head toward a predetermined section of the recording medium, and a radiation step of radiating the light toward the droplets discharged on the recording medium, are performed n (n being an integer of 2 or greater) times on the predetermined section to complete recording on the predetermined section, and the recording rate in the nth discharge step is lowered below 100%/n.
US08684511B2	Ink jet UV pinning for control of gloss Gloss is controlled in UV ink jet printing within a printing system. Controlled pinning energy is used to adjust the amount of ink interaction between drops, substrate, and ink layers, resulting in virtual elimination of gloss banding and control of the finished gloss level from a gloss level of approximately 85 to a gloss level of approximately 5.
US08684503B2	Inkjet printers An inkjet printhead having at least one internal electrode in contact with ink in use, wherein region(s) of the electrode surface are covered by an electrically insulating organic material that has been deposited thereon by electrophoresis.
US08684498B2	Liquid ejection head and image forming apparatus including same A liquid ejection head including a nozzle plate having a nozzle array constructed of multiple nozzles from which liquid droplets are ejectable; a channel plate in which grooves that form part of multiple pressure chambers respectively communicating with the multiple nozzles are provided with partition walls interposed therebetween, a wall member that covers the grooves to form part of walls of the pressure chambers, and multiple first through-holes formed in the channel plate to connect the nozzles and the pressure chambers, respectively. The multiple first through-holes are provided with partition walls interposed therebetween, and each of the multiple first through-holes has a first opening and a second opening. The second opening is offset from the first opening in a direction in which the nozzle arrays extend. Each of the multiple first through-holes further has a portion between the first and second openings to change a direction of flow of liquid.
US08684493B2	Droplet-discharging-head manufacturing apparatus, droplet-discharging-head manufacturing method, droplet discharging head, droplet discharging device, and printing apparatus A droplet-discharging-head manufacturing apparatus that manufactures a droplet discharging head that includes a piezoelectric element formed by a laminated body of ferroelectric layers includes: a film forming unit that forms a ferroelectric precursor film on a silicon wafer having a conductive layer; a heating unit that heats and bakes the ferroelectric precursor layer to form the ferroelectric layer; a cooling unit that cools the ferroelectric layer; a conveying unit that conveys the silicon wafers one by one; and a control unit that controls the film forming unit, the heating unit, the cooling unit, and the conveying unit so as to repeat a series of processes including formation of the ferroelectric precursor layers by the film forming unit, heating of the ferroelectric precursor layers by the heating unit, and cooling of the ferroelectric layers by the cooling unit, for a predetermined number of times for each of the silicon wafers.
US08684491B2	Image forming apparatus, image correcting method, and computer-readable storage medium An image forming apparatus includes a recording head including a plurality of nozzles for ejecting recording liquid to perform image formation on a recording medium; and a correcting unit. The correcting unit is configured to divide the recording head by different division patterns each indicating that the recording head is divided into a plurality of segments by at least one different dividing point, correct input and output characteristics for each of the segments in each division pattern to calculate correction effect of the each division pattern, and determine one of the division patterns based on the calculated correction effects of the division patterns as a specified division pattern to correct input and output characteristics of the recording head.
US08684487B2	Conveying apparatus, liquid applying apparatus, and image forming apparatus A disclosed conveying apparatus includes plural conveyance paths arranged in parallel and configured to receive plural conveyance objects fed from an upstream side of the plural conveyance paths and convey the received plural conveyance objects to a conveyance destination situated at a downstream side of the plural conveyance paths. The plural conveyance paths are configured to convey the plural conveyance objects in the order in which the plural conveyance objects are received.
US08684482B2	Textile printing apparatus and textile printing method A textile printing apparatus includes a liquid remaining amount grasping unit which grasps remaining amounts of respective two or more kinds of liquids, and a control unit which performs control of execution of printings onto a plurality of printed textile materials, the control unit has a control mode for, in advance of starting the execution of printings, specifying any print-executable printing specification from among the printing specifications on the basis of the remaining amounts of the respective liquids and the contents of the respective printing specifications, and then, starting execution of any printing based on the any print-executable printing specification having been specified.
US08684476B2	Protective cabinet with angled deflection bracket for uninterruptible power supplies and the like A protective cabinet having an angled deflection bracket, the angled deflection bracket can include a first surface for catching falling debris, wherein said first surface is attached to an uninterruptible power supply, wherein said first surface is positioned at such an angle so as to make the debris impacting it, slide downward along its surface and reach a second surface configured to stop said sliding debris, wherein said second surface is attached to said first surface by a first corner.
US08684469B2	Vehicle seat belt apparatus A vehicle seat belt apparatus includes: a webbing; a lap anchor to which one end portion of the webbing is fixed and that is pivotable in a vehicle longitudinal direction; and a position retaining member that allows the webbing to be slidably inserted therethrough, and that is rigid in the vehicle longitudinal direction and is flexible and elastic in a vehicle transverse direction. In a seat belt retracted state, the position retaining member extends obliquely forward and upward from a lower end portion, and an upper end portion is located ahead of a side support of a seat back and above a seat shield.
US08684467B1	Method and apparatus for configurable ottoman Some embodiments of the present invention provide a method and apparatus for a novel configurable ottoman. The configurable ottoman comprises a pair of rear legs, a pair of leg connectors each coupled to a rear leg, a pair of stub front legs each coupled to a leg connector, a pair of hinged front legs each coupled to a stub front leg to form an ottoman frame, and a support surface coupled to the ottoman frame having the pair of rear legs coupled to the support surface and the pair of hinged front legs coupled to the support surface.
US08684466B2	Modular knock-down upholstered furniture A knock-down, modular furniture frame including a plurality of panels having interlocking sides and at least one tensioning device having a band that girds the plurality of panels to secure the plurality of panels together under tension into an interlocking relationship.
US08684462B2	Front tilt motor gear assembly and mechanism for a power seat adjuster An adjuster mechanism (14) includes a tilt bracket (52), a sector (54), and a motor and transmission assembly (56) and has minimal mass. The adjuster mechanism (14) is useful hi providing adjustability to a vehicle seat (12) for adjusting the front portion of a seat base cushion (16) between a plurality of positions.
US08684454B2	Infant car seat An infant car seat including a seat shell that forms a seat capable of receiving and retaining an infant, a hip contour defined by the seat shell, and a lifting handle rotatably attached to a connection point on the seat shell. A method of carrying the infant car seat by one carrier. A method of carrying the infant car seat by two carriers.
US08684452B2	High-seat folding chair having footrest A high-seat folding chair includes two pairs of front legs and rear legs pivotally connected with each other so as to be operable to unfold or fold the folding chair. When unfolded, each of the front legs and the rear legs form an angle relative to a horizontal plane. A footrest is mounted between the two front legs. Two opposite portions of the footrest bend symmetrically in a horizontal direction to form horizontal portions, respectively. The two horizontal portions further bend upward to form inclined extensions, and a portion of each inclined extensions forms a flat portion. An angle defined between the inclined extension and the horizontal portion is equal to an angle defined between the front leg and the horizontal plane. The inclined extensions of the footrest are respectively affixed with the two front legs, such that the footrest is mounted in horizontal.
US08684451B1	Front vehicle body structure A front vehicle body structure may include a front side member extending in a longitudinal direction of a vehicle, a fender apron upper member disposed in an outer direction of the front side member in a traverse direction of the vehicle, and a fender apron front reinforcement member extending in the traverse direction of the vehicle and connecting the fender apron upper member and the front side member.
US08684437B1	Portable mobile recycling center A portable mobile recycling center having a drop deck semi-trailer with an enclosed storefront section for office and storage with a bulk recycling section comprising an articulated boom mounted thereto providing means for handling and weighing recyclables and a roll-off recyclables receptacle at the rear of the trailer providing for bulk storage of recyclables. The mobile unit provides recycling opportunities for residential areas that have no means of recycling their large and small unwanted materials.
US08684434B2	End effector with internal valve A valve 28 is positioned in the upper portion of the interior space of the bellows 10. A flow of low pressure air is induced inside the bellows when the valve elements 40 move away from the air inlet openings 38. When high pressure air is moved into the central portion of the valve housing 30, the valve elements 40 tend to move radially outwardly to block the air passages 38 and 42, thereby terminating the suction applied to the bellows.
US08684426B2	Method and apparatus for installing alarm systems and door locks A method and apparatus for marking positions for burglar alarm sensor elements on a door, the door attached to a frame having a header including comprising the steps of providing a marking apparatus the marking apparatus including an arm, a positioning member with a longitudinal centerline attached to the arm, and punch point attached to the positioning member, the punch point being aligned with the longitudinal centerline of the positioning member; at least partially opening the door; placing the positioning member in a hole in the header and closing the door; while the door is closed causing the positioning member to make a mark on the top of the door; and opening the door and removing the positioning member from the hole in the header; and causing an opening to be made in the door at the location of the mark.
US08684417B2	Security element having a digitised mark and security support or document comprising same The invention relates to a security element comprising a carrier substrate comprising a transparent or translucent area carrying at least one digitised mark made of at least one set of dots appearing as a three dimensional mark when viewed in transmitted light. The invention relates to a security support or document or article comprising the said security element and to the method of identification and/or authentication of this security support or document or article.
US08684416B2	Label for receiving indicia having variable spectral emissivity values Labels that are conducive to the detection of bar-codes and other indicia having varying spectral emissivity values are provided. The labels include a substrate, a background layer, a thermally conductive layer and an adhesive layer. The background layer is preferably similar in visual appearance to the indicium that the label is to receive. Meanwhile, the thermally conductive layer is made from a material with high thermal conductivity that is used to substantially equalize the temperature across the label surface, thereby enabling a faster and cheaper detection of transitions of differential emissivity on the indicium surface. The adhesive layer is used for attaching the label to a document or other product.
US08684411B2	Impact absorbing steering apparatus Construction is achieved wherein the rear section of a steering column 6a can be prevented from displacing upward regardless of the occurrence of a secondary collision, and thus can effectively protect the driver. Capsules 28 are supported by a bracket on the vehicle body side. An installation plate section 14b of a bracket 13 on the housing side is held between a top plate section 29 and bottom plate section 30 of each of the capsules 28 so that the installation plate section 14b can displace in the forward direction during a secondary collision. The top and bottom plate sections 29, 30 extend forward to a position where they can support the installation plate section 14b even when the bracket 13 on the housing side has displaced in the forward direction due to a secondary collision. Alternatively, a suspended arm that functions in the same way is provided on the bracket on the vehicle body side.
US08684409B2	Airbag having a single-piece rebound strap defining two inflation stages An airbag module having an airbag and an inflation device, wherein at least one rebound strap for controlling the inflation of the airbag is disposed in the airbag and attached to portions of the airbag that move away from each other when the airbag is inflated. A first, shorter rebound strip segment breaks after a first inflation stage and subsequently the airbag regions separate from each other until the second, longer segment of the rebound strap is tensioned and the inflation stage of the airbag is predefined by the second, longer segment of the rebound strap. The rebound strap thereof is formed from a uniform textile segment, the first, shorter segment of the rebound strap is formed as a tab cut out of the second, longer segment the tab being narrower and shorter than the second, longer segment of the rebound strap.
US08684408B2	Side impact airbag cushion A side impact airbag cushion for mounting on a seat in a motor vehicle includes an occupant facing panel and a panel opposite the occupant facing panel, and a mounting portion mounted on the seat back. A cushion upper half portion is positioned near the occupant head, and a cushion lower half lower portion is positioned adjacent the occupant torso and has a central unfilled region surrounded by a tubular inflated ring that extends toward the occupant from the central unfilled region. The cushion upper half portion has a tubular inflated pillow region that extends toward the occupant further than the tubular inflated ring surrounding the central unfilled region, to thereby provide an enlarged pillow surface for supporting the occupant head. An upper tether attached to the cushion is shorter in length than the cushion so that the tether rotates the cushion upper half portion toward the occupant head.
US08684404B2	Air bag with variable venting An apparatus (10) for helping to protect an occupant (20) of a vehicle (12) comprises an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (14) inflatable between a vehicle surface (36) and the vehicle occupant. A vent (160) releases inflation fluid from the protection device (14). The vent (160) has an actuated condition and a non-actuated condition. A tether (150) has a first connection with the vent (160) and a second connection with the protection device (14). Tension on the tether (150) actuates the vent (160). The vent (160) is initially in the non-actuated condition upon initial deployment of the protection device (14). Further deployment of the protection device (14) causes the tether (150) to place the vent (160) in the actuated condition. Occupant penetration into the protection device (14) causes the tether (150) to place the vent (160) in the non-actuated condition.
US08684403B2	Active airbag venting system An airbag assembly including an airbag inflatable from a housing in operation with an occupant classification system is provided in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure. The occupant classification system is incorporated into a vehicle seat and is in communication with the airbag. A selectively actuatable vent formed in the airbag is opened during deployment of the airbag based on a determination from the occupant classification system.
US08684396B1	Foldable adjustable dynamic wheelchair A foldable adjustable dynamic wheelchair including a seat assembly and a push handle assembly configured to serve as a chair back frame both of which are pivotally connected to a mobility base having a pair of spaced apart front rear wheels and a front wheel. A pair of selector plates each having a pair of valleys at a bottom edge thereof are each mounted to either side of the mobility base. A foot operable actuator member is connected to an over-center assembly for moving a latch bar into a valley on one side of center and for moving the latch bar outside a valley on the other side of center. With the latch bar located in one valley the wheelchair is configured in an upright configuration and when the latch bar is located in the other valley, the wheelchair is configured in an extended position.
US08684390B1	Retractable tow strap apparatus A retractable tow strap apparatus includes a housing containing a spool operably connected to a crank on the exterior of the housing. A tow strap is wound around the spool, the ends of the strap extending through a pair of apertures on opposite sides of the housing. Unwinding the strap from the spool through the apertures rotates the spool in a first direction. The strap is retrieved onto the spool by rotating the spool in a second direction using the crank. Springs within the housing apply a braking force on the portion of the strap that is on the spool, whereby slack in the strap and resultant tangling may be minimized as the strap is wound and unwound from the spool. The strap is formed of a unitary webbing element that extends through the spool, thereby minimizing the application of tension forces directly to the spool during a towing operation.
US08684387B1	Cargo cycle steering system A steering system for a cycle that facilitates the placement of a horizontal cargo platform above and in close proximity to the front wheel. The steering system may be applied to numerous types of cycles including bicycles, electric bicycles, scooters, motorcycles, three wheeled vehicles, etc. The steering system comprises a fork assembly that is rotatably mounted to the frame near the top of said fork. The fork is supported in its lower portion by pushrods that both steer and structurally support the fork assembly.
US08684385B2	Steering damper device for saddle riding vehicle A steering damper device for a saddle riding vehicle includes a tubular damper including a cylindrical damper cylinder and a piston rod slidably passed through the damper cylinder. Either the damper cylinder or the piston rod is supported on an upper frame or a down frame of the saddle riding vehicle. The upper frame extends rearwardly from a head pipe through which a steering shaft passes and which holds the steering shaft therein rotatably about an axis thereof. The down frame extends downwardly from the head pipe. The steering shaft rotates with a bottom bridge. The tubular damper is disposed such that an axis thereof is disposed on a vehicle width direction central plane. The tubular damper extends or contracts as the bottom bridge rotates. The tubular damper extends or contracts within a space between the upper frame and the down frames in a side view.
US08684375B2	Guard for wheeled base The invention pertains to a guard assembly for securement to a wheeled base. The guard assembly comprises a central support, a plurality of wheel guards positioned in an array around the central support, a plurality of struts, and a plurality of support struts. The struts are connected to and extend between a respective pair of the adjacent wheel guards in the array. Each of the support struts are connected to and extend between the central support and a respective one of the struts. The invention also envelops a method of retrofitting an existing wheeled base with the guard assembly.
US08684360B2	Customizable gaming table apparatus for displaying preset game layouts using illumination devices A gaming table including a plurality of illumination devices mounted therein and a controller configured for receiving a selection of a preset game layout configuration from one or more preset game layout configurations stored in memory and actuating the illumination of a portion of the plurality of illumination devices corresponding with the selected preset game layout configuration.
US08684355B2	Sheet conveyance apparatus and printing apparatus A sheet conveyance apparatus includes: a guide unit for guiding the side end of the sheet; a first roller pair arranged on the downstream side of the guide unit for conveying the sheet, including a driven roller held in contact with a whole sheet in a sheet width direction; and a second roller pair having a conveyance roller arranged on the downstream side of the roller and adapted to convey the sheet, and a plurality of pinch rollers pinching the sheet in cooperation with the conveyance roller, wherein each of the plurality of pinch rollers applies to the sheet a conveyance force inclined toward a conveyance path side end, which is nearer to the pinch roller, and wherein the smaller the distance between the pinch roller and the conveyance path side end, the greater the inclination of the conveyance force thereof.
US08684350B2	Sheet adjusting device, sheet holding receptacle incorporating same, and image forming apparatus incorporating same A sheet adjusting device, applicable to a sheet holding receptacle and an image forming apparatus, includes a sheet setting plate to place a sheet thereon, first and second regulating member to slidably move in a given direction, a drive transmission mechanism to transmit a driving power generated by a driving power source to at least one of the first and second regulating members and move the first regulating member in the given direction, and a stopping unit to stop the first regulating member moving toward the sheet on the setting, plate either when a load exceeding a given threshold is given to either the driving power source or the drive transmission mechanism or when a pressure exceeding a given threshold is given to at least one of the first and second regulating members.
US08684347B2	Sheet amount indicator and image forming apparatus with amplifying mechanism Example embodiments relate to a sheet amount indicator for use in a sheet-feeding tray. The sheet-feeding tray includes a sheet stacking part having a base plate where sheets are stacked, and the base plate is configured to rise up for feeding of a topmost sheet stacked. The sheet amount indicator includes a viewing part disposed on an outer surface of the sheet stacking part, an indicator member configured to move as seen through the viewing part, a cooperative mechanism configured to move in accordance with a vertical movement of the base plate, and an amplifying mechanism disposed outside the sheet stacking part and connected to the cooperative mechanism so as to amplify the movement of the cooperative mechanism to transmit the amplified movement to the indicator member.
US08684338B2	Active control of torsional vibration from an engine driven generator set An active torque cancellation system is provided. The system includes a generator set having a combustion engine and mounted to an application structure. The system also includes an active power management module coupled to the engine which actively reduces vibrations in the application structure.
US08684332B2	Lifting mechanism with lift stand accommodation The present invention is a lifting mechanism with lift stand accommodation, which is used to allow a lift stand to reside within its bounding space. The present invention comprises a lifting mechanism and a Y-shaped chassis. The Y-shaped chassis comprises a lift mechanism housing and a U-shaped base. The U-shaped base comprises a base slot that allows a jack stand frame to be inserted between its left and right end. The lifting mechanism is used to raise and lower an object from its initial position. The lifting mechanism comprises a left support arm, a right support arm, a lift arm and a U-shaped lift platform. The U-shaped platform comprises a platform slot that can allow a jack stand saddle to be inserted between its left platform end and right platform end. A brace maintains the rigidity of the lift arm, the left support arm, and the right support arm.
US08684328B2	Universal trolling motor mount One trolling motor mount includes a mounting base having a cavity extending therethrough and a motor receiving portion configured to clamp a trolling motor thereon, a bracket, and a lock operably coupled to the base for removably fastening the base to a watercraft. The bracket is pivotably coupled to the base for rotation generally perpendicular to the cavity, and selectively defines a lower edge of the cavity. The bracket is also slidable relative to the base. Another trolling motor mount includes a mounting base having a cavity extending therethrough and a motor receiving portion configured to clamp a trolling motor thereon, a bracket pivotably coupled to the base, and a lock operably coupled to the base for removably fastening the base to a watercraft. The bracket has front and two side surfaces, and at least one channel for allowing the bracket to slide relative to the base.
US08684324B2	Top-adjusting leveling foot A top-adjusting leveling foot for installation on the leg of an object has an adjustment knob, an adjustment knob base with a bottom cavity and a non-circular passage extending axially through the center of the adjustment knob base, a threaded bushing with a top annular flange held within the bottom cavity of the adjustment knob base, and a drive stud assembly including a foot and a drive bar that has a lower threaded portion for engaging a partially threaded interior passage of the threaded bushing, and an upper bar portion sized and configured for engagement with the non-circular passage through the adjustment knob base. Rotation of the adjustment knob in a first direction axially advances the drive bar and lowers the foot and rotation of the adjustment knob in the opposite direction axially retracts the drive bar and raises the foot.
US08684322B2	Device for supporting in-ground sprinkler heads A sprinkler support for the in-ground sprinkler heads includes a base at the lower position, a sidewall extending vertically ascending from the base, a clamping structure disposed at the sidewall of the sprinkler support to secure the sprinkler head, a cushioning structure capable to absorb physical stresses, and anchoring structures holding the sprinkler support with respect to the soil. The sprinkler support accommodates a variety of different size of sprinkler heads by having an adapter, by cantilever fingers extended from the sidewall upwardly or by constructing with two halves, wherein each half comprises the base and sidewall.
US08684311B2	Bonded splice joint A method and apparatus for an aircraft structure. In one embodiment, the aircraft structure may have first and second stringers, each having a vertical stringer portion defining a lengthwise gap. The embodiment may include a cruciform fitting having a central rib attachment member and first and second extensions extending in opposite directions from said central rib attachment member. Stringer attachment portions extending up from said first and second extensions are inserted into the lengthwise gaps of the first and second stringer portions, respectively. The rib attachment member may be attached to a side-of-body rib.
US08684308B2	Universal arrangement for receiving a curtain rail for a partitioning curtain An arrangement for receiving a curtain rail for a curtain for partitioning at least two regions in a cabin of a vehicle includes a bottom facing the floor of the cabin, and a top facing the ceiling of the cabin. The bottom is essentially planar and is designed to receive the curtain rail. The top is designed to cover the space between a curtain held in the curtain rail and the ceiling of the cabin of the vehicle. The bottom includes means for the variable-position holding of attachment points to which the curtain rail can be fastened. Consequently the curtain rails can be affixed flexibly and so as to be subsequently changeable within the region of the arrangement, thereby contributing to such arrangements so as to be able to be standardized for a multitude of imaginable cabin layouts of a vehicle, to be able to minimize individual customization work and construction expenditure.
US08684305B2	Device and method for controlling the power supply of at least one aircraft maintenance actuator The invention relates to a method and a device for controlling the power supply of at least one aircraft maintenance actuator (7) from an electrical power supply network (10) of the aircraft comprising means (14) for controlling the electrical power supply of at least one maintenance actuator, and means (15) for establishing communication between the control means and at least one control unit (16) allowing a user to control the operation of at least one actuator. The control means are designed to compare the state of at least one control unit with at least one reference state (SBR) and/or an abnormal state (SBE1, SBE2, SBE3) for switching-on purposes, and to prohibit the activation of the actuator if the state of the control unit is different from a reference state (SBR) or corresponds.
US08684293B2	Apparatus for starting moving items into a processing machine Apparatus, system and methods of using the apparatus and system to manipulate fiber(s) into a chopper, winder or other fiber(s) processing equipment. By using the apparatus the operator(s) are freed up for pressing duties that will increase productivity and also create a safer workplace. The apparatus supports and constrains slowly or rapidly running fiber(s) and moves through a sequence of movements that reposition the fiber(s) into a path that places the running fiber(s) in the proper location for processing in the chopper, winder or other processing equipment and also places the running fiber(s) into a desired groove or valley on a separator roll or guide.
US08684292B2	Multiple tool attachment system A multiple tool attachment system is adapted to be attached to demolition equipment. The system includes a universal body attached to the demolition equipment. A series of tools is independently attachable to the universal body. The universal body includes a guide slot extending longitudinally along the universal body. Each tool generally includes a pair of pivotable jaws adapted to be pivotably attached to the universal body with at least one linkage extending from the universal body and attachable to each jaw of the tool. A slide member is received within the guide slot, with each linkage attached to the slide member, and a piston cylinder arrangement is attached to the universal body and coupled to the slide member for moving the slide member and the jaws. The multiple tool attachment system is provided with quick change features and is designed to optimize the cutting characteristics throughout the movement cycle.
US08684291B2	System for controlling the position of a feed roller A feed system that is configured to more effectively grab and pull brush and tree materials into a chipper is provided. The system of the present disclosure is configured such that a large, heavy tree trunk can be effectively pulled into the chipper. The system includes a hydraulic pump that applies variable down pressure on a feed roller.
US08684289B2	Continuous flow micro-crusher The present invention provides an apparatus comprising a substrate and first and second disks. The disks are rotatably located over the substrate, each disk having an outer circumference with teeth thereon. The first disk is positioned to interleave one or more of its teeth with the teeth of the second disk. The substrate includes a channel with an exit port located near the teeth of one of the disks. Another apparatus comprises at least one disk rotatably located over a substrate and in a well of the substrate, the disk having an outer circumference with teeth thereon. The disk is positioned to provide a maximum distance of less than about 10 microns between each one the teeth and a nearest wall defining the well. The substrate includes a channel with an exit port located near the teeth of the disk.
US08684286B2	Injection valve An injection valve has a valve body and a nozzle body which is resting in a sealing fashion against the valve body, with a first valve body bore, in which bore a control piston and a stroke adjusting bolt are arranged so as to be moveable in the axial direction, with the control piston being embodied in order to be moved by a control means, with a second bore being provided in the nozzle body, with a nozzle needle being arranged in the second bore, the nozzle needle being provided to open or close an injection opening, with a tension spring being provided in the second bore, the tension spring stressing the nozzle needle in the direction of a sealing seat for the injection opening, with the first and second bore being actively connected to one another and with the stroke adjusting bolt being actively connected to the nozzle needle.
US08684274B2	Cooling enhancements in thin films using flexible complex seal due to temperature increase or thermal load increase A cooling enhancement apparatus includes a first substrate and a second substrate, the first substrate having a face in contact with at least one hot medium and having another face in contact with a secondary gas. The second substrate includes a face in contact with the secondary gas and has the other face in contact with a main gas. The faces of the first and second substrates in contact with the secondary gas generally oppose each other. One or more flexible seals can be attached to the first substrate and to the second substrate to form one or more closed enclosures including the secondary gas so that the second substrate moves relative to the first substrate when the secondary gas undergoes volumetric thermal expansion.
US08684265B1	Rewards program website permitting conversion/transfer of non-negotiable credits to entity independent funds A set of Web pages are provided for a Web site for a different loyalty program of a commerce partner. Non-negotiable credits are identified that are earned by a member as part of a loyalty program of an entity. During a Web session involving the member and the Web site, a request is received to transfer or convert a quantity of the non-negotiable credits to entity independent funds. The entity independent funds are different loyalty points of the different loyalty program. During the Web session at least a subset of the non-negotiable credits are transferred or converted into entity independent funds that the commerce partner accepts for commerce partner goods or services. The commerce partner goods or services are available for member purchase via the Web site. Non-negotiable credits are not accepted for the commerce partner goods or services.
US08684261B2	Methods, apparatus, computer program products and articles for use in providing human understandable indication of account balance In accordance with some embodiments, a method includes receiving, in a proximity coupling system, holder consent to provide a human understandable indication of an account balance associated with a payment account; and providing a human understandable indication of the account balance associated with the payment account via an output device, in response at least in part to the consent; wherein receiving holder consent comprises receiving holder consent provided via a proximity payment device associated with the payment account. In accordance with some embodiments, a method includes storing account data and preference data in a proximity payment device, the preference data indicative of a preferred method to provide a human understandable indication of an account balance. In accordance with some embodiments, apparatus includes a proximity payment device, the proximity payment device including preference data, the preference data indicative of a preferred method to provide a human understandable indication of an account balance. In accordance with some embodiments, apparatus includes a proximity payment device wherein the proximity payment device generates data indicative of whether there is consent to provide a human understandable indication of an account balance based at least in part on whether a holder has actuated a switch.
US08684244B2	Vehicle-mounted equipment carrier with one-piece, fixed position frame construction A vehicle-mounted equipment carrier includes a single-piece frame member. The vehicle-engaging and equipment-engaging members extend outward from a central portion. Optionally, the equipment carrier may be mounted in at least a first and second operational orientation. The interior of each equipment support is hollow such that one equipment support may be stacked within another. Straps pass through and are secured to the frame member. The straps are further connected to a vehicle to secure the frame member to the vehicle.
US08684224B2	Canister style package with opening feature A cylindrical tubular canister package has a body and ends. A tear-away strip is formed in the body by a pair of spaced partial cuts on the outside of the body. A thin strip of tear tape is secured to the inside of the body underlying and extending along the tear-away strip. A tab is formed at one end of the tear away strip. The canister package is opened by grasping the tab and pulling away from the canister body, which causes the tear-away strip to be severed from the body to open up the canister. The strip may extend axially, circumferentially, spirally, or otherwise along the canister body.
US08684216B2	Closing member for opening An object is to provide a closing member for an opening, the closing member capable of more reliably maintaining a lightning-protective function. In addition to a first insulator 63, a second insulator 65 is provided between a door body 30 and a wing inner surface 11b around an opening 12. When the first insulator 63 falls off, the second insulator 65 becomes interposed between an inner peripheral planar part 64 and the wing inner surface 11b. With the first insulator 63 being tightly interposed between an outer peripheral planar part 62 and the wing inner surface 11b, the second insulator 65 faces the wing inner surface 11b with a predetermined clearance C therebetween. The outer peripheral planar part 62 is formed at a position further away from the wing inner surface 11b than an apical surface 65a of the second insulator 65 mounted on the inner peripheral planar part 64.
US08684196B2	Peg board hook A peg board hook, for insertion into a peg board, the peg board hook includes two tangs, each tang configured complementary, such that tangs from adjacent peg board hooks can be inserted into the same hole.
US08684190B2	Multi-position solar panel rack The present racking system uses space frame technology to minimize materials while maximizing strength. The rack has multi-position racking capability, using a simple swing arm and pin system to move the solar array into an optimum position for the appropriate time of the year.
US08684178B1	Storage and dispensing system A bi-directional storage and dispensing system is for accommodating cables, cords, tubes, hoses, and other similar mediums. The system includes a hollow container; a smaller diameter tube positioned within the container; and a pair of covers at either end of the container for holding the tube within the container while being removable.
US08684170B2	Junction device for conveyor belts The proposed device comprises chain links alternately connected to upper fastening plates and to lower fastening plates. These plates comprise fastening claws of which some are arranged on the front and/or rear edges of the plates and others inside the surface of the plates. Stops are provided for blocking the chain links along the edge of the end of a conveyor belt. Another series of similar chain links are placed against the other end of the conveyor belt. The two series of chain links and plates are braced against the upper and lower sides of the respective conveyor belt ends, the claws fastening them to these ends. A connecting rod is then fitted into the chain links of the two pre-interleaved series, bringing together the conveyor belt ends in the process.
US08684169B2	Transfer device A transfer device including a main conveyor part having a first conveying surface and a subsidiary conveyor part having a second conveying surface and arranged at the same area as the main conveyor part, the main conveyor part being designed to convey an article placed on the first conveying surface in one conveying direction, the subsidiary conveyor part being designed to convey an article placed on the second conveying surface in another direction transverse to the conveying direction of the main conveyor part, the main conveyor part and/or the subsidiary conveyor part being a roller conveyor having rollers, at least one of the rollers being a braking roller equipped with a brake, and the brake being designed to prevent the article from proceeding at least to the direction transverse to the conveying direction of the roller conveyor by a frictional force acting between the article and the braking roller.
US08684166B2	Trays and apparatus and method for removing cartons from trays A system includes trays of a plurality of different widths and an unloading system for unloading cartons from the trays. The trays (20; 20′; 20″) each comprise a base (22) and a pair of end walls (30) extending upward from the base. The unloading system (200; 200′) comprises a plurality of fingers (202A-202I). Each of the end walls comprise a plurality of vertical slots (40) open to an upper edge of the end wall. The fingers are positioned and dimensioned to pass through the slots of the trays as the trays are delivered by the tray delivery conveyor to lift contents of the trays. The fingers are positioned so that some fingers pass through the slots of each of the different widths, but others pass only through slots of wider said widths.
US08684162B2	Method for weighing containers which are supplied along a conveying line and a device for actuating the method The invention relates to a device and a method for weighing containers (2) supplied along a conveying line (L). The device comprises: first weighing means (MP1) arranged on a first side (L1) of a stretch (T) of the conveying line (L) of containers (2) in a proximal position thereto; second weighing means (MP2) arranged at a side of the stretch (T) of the conveying line (L) of containers (2) in a distal position thereto; a supporting member (8) activatable between a first position (P1) in which it is arranged at the stretch (T) of the conveying line (L) for receiving the containers (2), a second position (P2) in which it engages with the first weighing means (MP1), and a third position (P3) in which it engages with the second weighing means (MP2); and first guide means (9) activatable between a guide configuration (C1), in which they are arranged at the stretch (T) in order to guide the containers (2) along the conveying line (L), and a disengaged position (C2). The method comprises steps of: activating the support member (8) in order to bring the containers (2) received from the conveying line (L) into the third position (P3); activating the second weighing means (MP2) order to weigh the containers (2); activating the first guide means (9) in order to reach the guide configuration (C1) in phase relation with the movement of the support member (8).
US08684158B2	Multifunctional electronic parking meter An electronic parking meter mechanism for inserting into a parking meter assembly is provided. The mechanism includes an inner housing, a payment receiving structure located on the inner housing, a user input device located on the inner housing, and an electronic display screen supported by the inner housing. The mechanism includes a front shelf and a front solar panel coupled to the upper surface of the front shelf. The mechanism may also include wireless communications hardware supported by the inner housing configured to wirelessly communicate with a parking management system.
US08684155B2	Document handler for table games A document handler is provided that comprises: a casing 1 disposed adjacent to a gaming table 9, a deposit chamber 11 formed on an external side of casing 1 for receiving bills, an escrow chamber 14 formed on the external side of casing 1 for, visibly to players and removably from outside of casing 1 and temporarily, receiving genuine bills sent from deposit chamber 11, an escrow carrier 15 for transporting documents from deposit chamber 11 to escrow chamber 14, and a drive device 2 for driving escrow carrier 15.
US08684150B2	Control assembly and control method for supplying power to electrified rail vehicles A control assembly includes a monitoring module and a switching module. The monitoring module determines a load demand of a first rail vehicle traveling along a track, wherein the first rail vehicle is supplied with electric current from a plurality of power sources over a conductive pathway extending along the track. The switching module is communicatively coupled with the monitoring module and is joined with a switch controller disposed between the power sources and the conductive pathway. The switching module directs the switch controller to change which of the power sources supply the electric current to the first rail vehicle over the conductive pathway based on the load demand.
US08684142B2	Using a position detection device with an elevator system Using a position detection device, a position of a person in a building area outside of an elevator system is detected. It is determined that the person has not actuated a destination call for the elevator system within a preset period of time. As a result of the determination, a security measure is activated.
US08684140B2	Centrifugal clutch A centrifugal clutch having a rotor, a clutch component, and at least one centrifugal weight movable relative to the rotor. When the rotational speed of the rotor is below a predefined value, the centrifugal weight is in a first position and at a distance from the clutch component so that the rotor can rotate freely relative to the clutch component and, when the rotational speed of the rotor is above a predefined value, the centrifugal weight executes a movement relative to the rotor under a centrifugal force into a second position so that the centrifugal weight produces a mechanical force fit between the rotor and the clutch component. The centrifugal weight has first toothing and the clutch component a second toothing so that the first toothing, above the predefined rotational speed, engages into the second toothing, establishing a form-locking connection between the rotor and the clutch component.
US08684134B2	Gypsum-panel acoustical monolithic ceiling An acoustical panel for forming a monolithic ceiling or wall, the panel extending across a rectangular area, and having a core made primarily of gypsum, the core being essentially coextensive with the panel area such that it has two opposed sides, each of an area substantially equal to the area of the panel, the core having a multitude of perforations extending generally between its sides, the perforations being distributed substantially uniformly across the full area of the core and being open at both sides of the core, the face side of the core being covered by a porous layer, the perforations being optionally restricted at a rear side of the core, the porous layer at the face side of the core being suitable for adherence of drywall joint compound and a water-based non-blocking paint.
US08684133B2	Acoustically damped component Acoustically damped component for a vehicle, an engine, a transmission or a vehicle trim panel, includes a flat basic body provided on at least one side with a rib structure. The ribs of the rib structure form chambers which are arranged irregularly on at least one region of the component, which has a resonant frequency of from 200 to 1000 Hz. The chambers are configured irregularly in such a way that chambers of the component have different dimensioning and/or geometry in comparison with adjoining chambers, such that emitted airborne sound can be reduced and/or eradicated. A response to a transient excitation of at least two part areas of that surface of the component which is provided with the chambers having a correlation of from 0.5 to 0.85, preferably of from 0.6 to 0.7.
US08684131B1	Dual muffler A dual muffler is provided which includes an inlet pipe, an end of which an exhaust gas is introduced from an engine. Additionally, an outlet pipe, an end of which is connected to an opposite end of the inlet pipe, branched at the opposite end of the inlet pipe running toward a side and the opposite side such that the exhaust gas from the inlet pipe is discharged through an opposite end is also provided. A housing covers the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe to expose the end of the inlet pipe and the opposite end of the outlet pipe to an outside environment; and a sound-absorbing material fills the interior space of the housing except for the remaining space where the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe.
US08684128B2	Steering gear with electric motor, control unit and sensor arrangement, and electric power steering system equipped therewith A steering gear comprises a helical pinion and a helical gear which are mounted in the gear housing and driven by an electric motor, wherein a control unit and a sensor system connected thereto are also disposed in or on the steering gear so as to detect and control the rotor position and/or rotation of the rotor of the electric motor. A section of the shaft of the worm located on the drive side extends in the axial direction and protrudes from the gear housing, wherein the protruding end of the section on the drive side is designed as a rotor shaft of the electric motor, and the control unit and/or the sensor system are disposed on the gear housing. The control unit and the sensor system are preferably disposed on differing sections of the gear housing. This allows a very compact, cost-saving and flexible implementation of the design.
US08684114B2	Thermoelectric device with make-before-break high frequency converter An improved circular multi-element semiconductor thermoelectric hybrid utilizes a make-before-break high frequency switching output component to provide nominal alternating current voltage outputs. Overall efficiency of heat conversion is improved by coupling a chiller to the thermoelectric generator where exhaust heat produces chilled liquid or air that is conveyed to the cold side of the thermoelectric device. The thermoelectric generator is used in a variety of transportation vehicles including manufactured vehicles, retrofitted vehicles and vehicle power combinations.
US08684100B2	Electrically engaged, hydraulically set downhole devices A method of performing a wellbore operation is disclosed. A device is provided that includes a material that expands from an original shape to an expanded shape when a selected charge is applied to material. The device is placed in the wellbore in the original shape. The selected charge is applied to the material to expand the material, causing a pressure differential across the device in the wellbore. A fluid is supplied into the device to set the device in the wellbore.
US08684092B2	System and method for providing additional blowout preventer control redundancy An apparatus to allow backup or alternate fluid flow routes around malfunctioning BOP control components using a remotely installed removable hydraulic hose connection. The backup fluid flow route sends pressure-regulated hydraulic fluid to a BOP operation via an isolation valve rigidly attached to the BOP, then to a hose connected to an intervention panel on the BOP and finally through a valve that isolates the primary flow route and establishes a secondary flow route to allow continued operation. To increase reliability, the backup components route from a spare BOP function and are rigidly fixed to the BOP.
US08684091B2	Wellbore servicing compositions and methods of making and using same A method of servicing hydrocarbon production equipment comprising locating at least a portion of a hydrocarbon flow conduit experiencing a loss of functionality; creating a port to access an interior flow bore of the hydrocarbon flow conduit; installing at least one piece of equipment proximate the access port, wherein the equipment has access to the interior flow bore via the access port; and placing a servicing composition into the conduit via the access port, wherein the servicing composition prevents the loss of materials from the interior of the hydrocarbon flow conduit to the surrounding environment.
US08684071B2	End plate for plate heat exchanger An end plate (200, 300) for a brazed heat exchanger comprises a relief pattern comprising ridges (230, 330) and grooves (240, 340) pressed into the plate material. The relief pattern (330, 340) is symmetric.
US08684070B2	Compact radial platen arrangement for radiant syngas cooler A radiant synthesis gas (syngas) cooler used to contain and cool the synthesis gas produced by a coal gasification process used in an IGCC power plant employs a compact radial platen arrangement which is less prone to fouling and/or plugging issues.
US08684066B2	Overhead garage door An overhead garage door has an apparatus for pinch resistant operation. The garage door may include horizontal sections and the door may be formed from a plurality of these sections, arranged in a stack, and pivotally connected to adjacent sections. The apparatus, such as meeting rails, may be attached to adjacent horizontal sections to mask the appearance of a seam created as adjacent sections are joined or provide pinch resistant operation.
US08684065B2	Overhead door track assembly An overhead door assembly includes a horizontal track, a transition track and a vertical track. The horizontal track has a first axial end and an oppositely disposed second axial end. The transition track has a first end and a second end and is curved. The first end is engaged to the second axial end of the horizontal track. The vertical track includes a first end portion and a second end portion. The first end portion is rigidly mounted to the second end of the transition track. The vertical track includes a plurality of guide portions and a plurality of jog portions that are alternately disposed along the vertical track. The plurality of guide portions and the plurality of jog portions cooperatively define a channel. The plurality of jog portions is offset from the plurality of guide portions.
US08684062B2	Roller blind control mechanism Here is disclosed a stopper for stopping the upward movement of a bottom bar attached to a fabric blind wound on a roller tube mounted within an elongated chamber of an elongated housing having a vertical wall. The stopper includes an elongated member having a head portion, a toe portion and a neck portion between the head and toe portion. The head portion is mountable within a mounting cavity positioned on the elongated housing adjacent the vertical wall. The mounting cavity, head portion and neck portion are dimensioned and configured to position the toe portion between the vertical wall and the roller tube when the stopper is mounted to the housing. The toe portion has a multi-position spacer element for selectively positioning the toe portion between proximate and distal positions relative to the vertical wall.
US08684059B2	Method and apparatus for tabbing manually-manipulated folded material A method and apparatus for tabbing a piece of folded material includes a fixture into which a folded material is manually inserted and retracted. A dispensing device automatically dispenses a length of adhesive tape that may be pinked on at least one edge, and a cutting device separates the length of pinked tape from its source. A lower platen slides below the inserted media and traps a piece of the adhesive tape between the lower platen and the media. An upper roller or sliding member moves over the opposite side of the media for folding the remaining portion of the adhesive tape over the opposite side of the media and causing good contact between the adhesive surfaces of both portions of the folded adhesive tape and the media, thereby completing the sealing action. The media then is retracted manually.
US08684058B2	Roller assembly for use during tire construction A roller assembly for use during tire construction includes a telescoping tube arrangement and a roller positioned thereabout. The telescoping tube arrangement has an inner tube section and an outer tube section and which can be adjusted in length to accommodate the width of the tire component under construction. The roller includes a cylindrical surface of a desired hardness which is positionable into engagement with the outer surface of the tire component under construction and which includes a plurality of roller sections which are positionable about the telescoping tube arrangement and in a side-by-side relationship with one another. In addition, each roller section defines a peripheral surface so that when the roller sections are positioned in a side-by-side relationship along the tube arrangement, the peripheral surfaces of the roller sections collectively provide the cylindrical surface of the roller.
US08684049B2	Gas cartridge adapter for fixing the same to a transmission and combustion chamber filling member of a gas fixing device and for disconnecting the same from the member The adapter comprises a central tubular body extending on one side with an abutment and fixing base on the cartridge and, on the other side, with two fixing legs on an intermediary nose piece of the transmission and filling member able to be hinged for ensuring the fixing operation, disconnecting and ejecting wings being additionally provided. The disconnecting and ejecting wings are arranged for opening the fixing legs before driving them into translation.
US08684045B1	System for filling resealable bags A means for retaining a resealable bag in an open position for filling purposes is described which includes a surround having an interior dimension less than a nominal width of one side of an unfilled and sealed bag. A pair of cut-outs formed into the surround are shaped and sized to guide edges of a bag during insertion into the surround, retain the upper corners of the bag to prevent axial movement of the bag once inserted, and bias the mouth of the bag in a open position to receive contents.
US08684041B2	Control valve for a device for variably adjusting the valve timing for gas exchange valves in an internal combustion engine A control valve (14) for a device (1) for altering the valve timing for gas exchange valves (110, 111) of an internal combustion engine (100) is provided. A non-return valve (54) is located within an annular groove (44) formed on one of the components of the control valve (14) and pressurized medium flows through the annular groove. The assembly of the device is facilitated.
US08684026B2	Keg closure with safety mechanism A closure for a keg comprises a housing and a valve element movable within the housing between closed and open positions. A lock mechanism is capable of holding the valve element in the open position, to vent gas from the keg and to thwart unauthorised re-filling after dispensing. The lock mechanism comprises: a first part movable with the valve element that comprises a lock element engageable with the housing; and a second part that is movable with the first part when the valve element moves from the closed position to the open position during filling, and thereafter is separable from the first part as the valve element returns from the open position to the closed position after filling. Separation of those parts enables the lock formation to engage with the housing to hold the valve element when the valve element returns to the open position upon dispensing.
US08684022B1	Condensate drain clearing device and method A device to clear a blockage from an HVACR condensate drain line. A piston connected to a rod with a handle is inserted directly into the distal or outlet end of a condensate drain pipe and then rapidly withdrawn to create a vacuum or suction within the drain line. When sufficient suction pressure is created, it will dislodge a blockage in the drain line. Typically the piston has a proximal end with a diameter slightly greater than the inside diameter of the condensate drain pipe. Upon removal of the device from the drain pipe, the proximal end is caused to expand to its full diameter, creating an airtight and fluid tight seal with the inner diameter of the drain pipe, allowing for the creation of negative pressure and/or suction upstream to dislodge the blockage.
US08684006B2	Systems and methods for optimizing oral appliance therapy for the treatment of sleep apnea Systems and methods are provided for optimizing the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) using an oral appliance. The oral appliance can be configured by non-dental staff to safely conform to the dentition of a patient. The appliance includes configurable trays that include retention material that conforms to the dentition of the patient. The position of the upper and lower trays relative to one another can be adjusted both horizontally and vertically. The position of the upper and lower trays can be locked into place to maintain the position of the trays at a preferred treatment position. Methods for creating an appliance customized for a patient are also provided. Methods for using the customized appliance in combination with sleep study data is also provide. Methods for using the customized appliance to with pre-operative assessments and sleep study data to predict and reduce the risk of perioperative complications are also provided.
US08684003B2	Breathing mask device and method and mold for producing same A breathing mask device, a sealing lip device for a breathing mask device, a molding tool and a method for producing a corresponding breathing mask device and sealing lip device are described. An aspect of the invention is to provide ways that make it possible to create a breathing mask device that, with sufficiently strong tightness is distinguished by particular wearing comfort and which moreover can be produced advantageously in times of industrial production standpoints. According to an embodiment, a breathing mask device for administering a breathable gas is provided and includes a body structure that is sealed against a contact surface of a user's face, a sealing lip device that in combination with the body structure in part defines a breathing mask interior, a gel structure for at least intermittent and partial transmission of the retention forces, acting on the body structure, to the user's face area, and a gel material defining the gel structure is received in a gel receiving chamber defined at least in part by an elastically deformable receiving wall. The elastomer material intended for forming the receiving wall is integrally formed onto a wall portion of the breathing mask device, and is lifted or separated from this wall portion to form the gel receiving chamber.
US08683998B2	Multipurpose cannula This invention relates to medical treatment and monitoring of a living body, and more particularly to a multipurpose apparatus and method for measuring a living body's respiratory airflow, analyzing the composition of a gas exhaled by a living body and/or insufflating a treating gas into the living body.
US08683995B2	Dose dispensing containers Internally pierced formed blisters containing fluid compositions for use in devices to produce a spray or mist delivery of the compositions include internal piercing nozzles that can have significantly reduced channel volume to increase pressure of the fluid forced through the nozzle and provide finer control of spray geometry.
US08683992B2	Cooktop assembly comprising flush-mounted cooktop panel The invention relates to an adjusting device (10;30;40) for adjusting and/or selecting one or more parameters of an appliance (50), wherein the adjusting device (10;30;40) comprises touch sensitive sensors (14), which are arranged in row, and a processing unit (18) for processing output signals of the sensors (14), whereas the processing unit (18) is designed in such a manner that an adjustment and/or a selection of parameters is realized by touching at least two of the sensors (14) in sequence, whereas the sensors (14) are arranged around a circumference of a torque proof actuation element (12).
US08683990B2	Projectile launcher having upper receiver pivotally coupled to lower receiver A projectile launcher having an upper receiver capable of swinging away from a lower receiver is disclosed. In one aspect, the lower receiver having a first end and a second end contains a firing control chamber. While the second end is located closer to barrel of the launcher, the first end of launcher is located closer to a buttstock. The firing control chamber includes a gas channel, wherein one end of gas channel is coupled to a valve and another end of gas channel reaches to the top of external wall of the chamber. The upper receiver having a first end and a second end contains a bolt chamber. The second end of upper receiver and the second end of lower receiver are pivotally coupled whereby allowing the first end of upper receiver to be pivotally swung away from the first end of lower receiver.
US08683988B2	Systems and methods for improved engine cooling and energy generation Embodiments of engine systems for improved engine cooling and work production are disclosed herein. A working fluid can be injected into a combustion chamber or an engine during any portion of an energy cycle to cool the engine and/or to produce useful work in addition to work generated by combustion events in the chamber. The system can include a monitoring system configured to measure conditions within individual combustion chambers. Based on the interior conditions of the chamber, the system can adaptively inject working fluid mixtures into the engine. The engine can be part of a cascading series of engines including a primary engine and a secondary engine that receives fluids from the primary engine and generates energy from the fluids.
US08683986B2	Method for diagnosing additional valves A method for adjusting an exhaust gas recycling rate in an internal combustion engine exhaust gas recycling system, comprising: arranging the exhaust gas recycling system in at least one of a fresh gas line, an exhaust gas line, and an exhaust gas recycling line of the internal combustion engine; actuating at least one additional valve; adjusting the at least one additional valve temporarily by changing the operation of the internal combustion engine based on an exhaust gas rate associated with a current operating point of the internal combustion engine; diagnosing the at least one additional valve; and evaluating the change of at least one engine operating parameter dependent on the exhaust gas recycling rate.
US08683985B2	Belted gear assembly for driving a supercharger A belted gear assembly for driving a supercharger includes a belt drive assembly for operatively connecting a gear drive assembly to an existing pinion shaft of an engine. The belt drive assembly includes a lower pulley assembly that is operatively connected to the pinion shaft and belted to an upper pulley assembly. The upper pulley assembly is operatively connected to a side gear of the gear drive assembly. The side gear engages an upper gear of the gear drive assembly, which is operatively connected to a lobe of the supercharger. Rotation of the upper gear thereby initiates rotation of the supercharger. The amount of boost provided to the supercharger is readily adjustable by simply changing the lower pulley assembly to adjust the RPM ratio for the supercharger. Each component of the belted gear assembly is isolated and fully self-contained, including a separate lubrication system and collection well.
US08683973B2	Intake runner for an internal combustion engine An internal combustion engine, which includes a cylinder block, a cylinder head fastened to the cylinder block, an aperture formed in a side of the cylinder head, and a conduit assembly, such as an intake runner assembly or an exhaust conduit assembly. A combustion chamber is formed by the cylinder block and the cylinder head. The intake runner assembly is received within the aperture and configured to communicate air to the combustion chamber. The intake runner assembly includes a first piece and a second piece. The first piece has a first channel that includes a bend. The second piece has a second channel that includes another bend mirroring the bend of the first channel. The first piece is coupled to the second piece such that the first and second channels together form a flow path through the intake runner assembly, and the bends of the first and second channels together form a smooth turn in the flow path.
US08683972B2	Crankcase and method of manufacturing same A crankcase is provided for an internal combustion engine with at least one coated cylinder bore, which has a chamfer on a separating surface facing a cylinder head. A countersink is arranged on the chamfer. The geometry allows an additional grinding process on a separating surface facing a cylinder head to be omitted.
US08683965B2	Engine assembly including camshaft actuator An engine assembly may include an engine structure, a camshaft supported for rotation on the engine structure, a drive member and a camshaft actuation assembly. The camshaft may include a first shaft, a second shaft located within the first shaft and rotatable relative to the first shaft, a first cam lobe located on the first shaft and fixed for rotation with the first shaft and a second cam lobe supported for rotation on the first shaft and fixed for rotation with the second shaft. The drive member may be fixed to a first axial end of the camshaft and rotationally driven to drive rotation of the camshaft. The camshaft actuation assembly may include an actuator coupled to a second axial end of the camshaft and rotationally fixed to the engine structure and relative to the camshaft.
US08683964B2	Two-stroke engines A two-stroke, internal combustion engine which includes at least one set of paired first and second cylinders. The engine includes an air or air/fuel mixture inlet conduit bifurcated into inlet passages extending to respective first and second inlet ports of the first and second cylinders. A valve controls the passage of air or air/fuel mixture into the inlet passages. In one embodiment of the engine, a bypass passage provided with a bypass valve extends between the inlet ports of the paired cylinders.
US08683962B2	Cooling system for an internal combustion engine A cooling system for an internal combustion engine comprises a tubular conduit configured to conduct coolant to and from various components of the internal combustion engine and to remove excess heat therefrom. A shield portion is fluidly coupled inline of the tubular conduit and is disposed between a heat source and a cooler operating component. The expanded portion further comprises a cooling body, an inlet in fluid communication with the tubular conduit and configured to conduct coolant into the cooling body and an outlet in fluid communication with the tubular conduit and is configured to conduct coolant out of the cooling body.
US08683960B2	Retractable leash The present invention is a two or more subject retractable leash retractable leash, and methods of use regarding the same, which includes a roll-back feature on the retractable leash. The leashes may be locked in place by engaging a single lever. The leashes retract regardless of whether the spools are locked or unlocked. The leashes retract independently of the other leashes, such that a dual leash may be used to walk one subject.
US08683959B2	Locking pet lead system comprising a leash and collar to prevent the theft of pets A lead system for domesticated animals has a lock capable of securing the collar and the handle ends to prevent theft of the animal. The lead system has a leash having a handle at one end and a collar at the opposing end. The lead system may have a first lock at the collar end and a second lock at the handle end which are separately activated for fastening the handle to the leash at one end of the leash and the collar to the leash at the other end for securing an animal to an immovable object. Alternatively, the lead system may have a lock capable of simultaneously securing the collar and handle ends. The lead system may also allow for adjustment of the circumference of the collar and the handle through the use of levers, with the lock(s) capable of also securing the levers.
US08683955B2	Center spar fish pen A fish pen (100) includes an elongate spar buoy (110) and a reserve buoyancy buoy (120) disposed over a top end of the spar buoy. Lower and upper rim assemblies (130, 140) are attached to the spar buoy and each other with tension members (150, 152, 154). An adjustable upper connection plate (114) on the spar buoy provides a means for tensioning the tension members. A docking station (190) and portal (185) provide easy access to the fish pen. A deployable panel system (180, 182) allows for crowding fish into a smaller portion of the pen. The panel system may be nonporous and include additional panels (184) such that a portion of the pen can be substantially isolated.
US08683950B2	Synchronous poultry feeding system The present invention provides a synchronous poultry feeding system, wherein a barrier member is configured through the feed conveying trough. The conveying trough comprises a trough and a fence configured above the trough. The fence is configured with a plurality of feeding openings. The outer edge of the barrier member is close to the inner wall of the trough and the fence. The barrier member can be controlled by the control device to be lifted or lowered inside the conveying trough. In this way, when the barrier member is not lifted, it can block the feed inside the trough, so that the poultry cannot stretch into the trough to eat, while when the barrier member is lifted to an appropriate height, the poultry can stretch from their respective feeding openings into the trough to eat.
US08683941B2	Articulated nozzle Device for applying a strip (B) of a viscoelastic material to a receiving surface (S) in relative motion (R) relative to said device, comprising a feed means and an application nozzle (1) having a body (11), into which said feed means (2) emerges, and a head (12) at the end of which there is an outlet orifice (122) of elongate shape in the transverse direction to the direction of the relative motion when the device is operating. The head (12) of the application nozzle (1) is linked to the body (11) of the application nozzle (1) via an articulation (10) which can be deformed along an axis (AA′) perpendicular to the direction of application of the strip (B).
US08683932B2	Positioning of stitch data objects A method is provided for embroidering embroidery elements by means of a processor-controlled sewing machine (1). The method includes: the fabric (2) that is to be embroidered is placed in the required position in relation to a threaded needle (5) on the sewing machine; a plurality of embroidery elements (A, B, C) in the form of software products having pre-programmed embroideries are provided; a group of said embroidery elements, defined as stitch data objects in a memory (M), is selected; an arbitrary curve (KU) along which said group of embroidery elements (A, B, C) shall be embroidered on said fabric (2) is defined by the operator of the sewing machine; said embroidery elements of said group are distributed in a spaced relationship along said curve utilizing a positioning algorithm. According to the method of the invention, a coupling between the embroidery elements of the group and the arbitrary curve is preserved during the full processing by said positioning algorithm.
US08683921B2	Modular decorating machine for conical products A decorating machine applies artwork to a product having a central axis and a frustoconical surface around its central axis. The decorating machine includes a film with artwork, a moveable deck, and a roller. The moveable deck includes a rotating mount on which the product is rotatably mounted. The product undergoes a pendulum-like movement on the deck while the product rotates relative to the moveable deck. The roller has a frustoconical shape that generally corresponds to the frustoconical surface of the product. The film is located between the roller and the product. The roller provides heat and pressure to the film such that the artwork attaches to the frustoconical surface of the product.
US08683919B2	Modular strap feed head with forming wheels A strap forming assembly for a strapping machine includes a first forming wheel having a circumferential groove formed in a rim thereof and a second forming wheel cooperating with the first forming wheel and having a mating a circumferential crown extending therefrom. The first and second forming wheels cooperate to define a forming wheel nip therebetween. The forming wheel nip is non-planar. Strapping material fed into the forming wheel nip is permanently, longitudinally deformed.
US08683907B1	Electrical discharge system and method for neutralizing explosive devices and electronics Disclosed are a system and method for discharging electrical potential into the earth to disable or destroy electronics and/or explosive devices. The disclosed system includes an electrical power supply providing a pulsed electrical potential exceeding 30,000 volts with at least 30 Joules of energy in each pulse. The system includes a cathode emitter and an anode emitter configured to be moved along the earth in close proximity to the earth. The electrical potential is discharged into the earth through the cathode emitter and/or the anode emitter.
US08683905B2	Methods of skiving metal and forming a fin in a heat exchanger Methods of skiving metal using a skiving blade to form a shaving and methods of forming fins in a heat exchanger by skiving using a skiving blade. Where the metal body used to form the shaving or fin is made from a metal material having a hardness greater than that of aluminum.
US08683903B2	Compliant hold-down conveyor for slicer The powered endless belt (14) of a lower conveyor (12) transports workpieces (16) past a scanning station (18) and then past a slicing station (20), whereat the workpieces are sliced into desired thickness by a powered blade (23). An upper hold-down conveyor (24) includes a powered belt (26) that assists in holding the workpieces stationary and stable as workpieces travel past the slicing station (20). In this regard, the belt is of a compliant construction and is operated at a low enough tension to enable it to substantially conform to the contour of the upper surface of the workpiece, thereby to apply a substantially uniform load about the entire upper surface area of the workpiece.
US08683899B2	Chain cutter for continuously forming center-filled gum pieces The present invention includes a chain type cutting apparatus for continuous cutting of a rope of a center-filled consumable product into individual pieces, which includes a first continuous elongate rotary chain with a plurality of first open die cavity portions and a second continuous elongate rotary chain with a plurality of second open die cavity portions. The first and second die cavity portions are mutually engageable to form a closed die cavity about a rope of center filled consumable product, forming pieces. The invention incorporates four main variables, dwell time, chain length, chain speed and the number of closed die cavities in simultaneous engagement. These four variables can be altered to increase the output of the product, as well as maintain a satisfactory seal of the center-filled consumable product.
US08683896B2	Ergonomic surgical instrument handle Instrument handles isolate the functions of supporting the instrument and actuating controls on the instrument. An instrument handle may be grasped and supported by the less dexterous digits and palm of a human hand, and controls mounted on the instrument handle may be actuated by the more dexterous digits. The instrument handle may couple to an end effector so that the hand, wrist, elbow, and shoulder remain in a comfortable position when the end effector is positioned to act effectively on a selected portion of a workpiece, such as a surgical site.
US08683888B2	Shift device for an automated or automatic transmission A shift device for an automated or automatic transmission, in particular of a motor vehicle, has a manual selector lever which can be moved into the following stable selector lever positions: P, R, N and E and into four non-stable selector lever positions. Here, the stable selector lever positions are all arranged in alignment in a shift gate. Here, a stable selector lever position E is provided which is arranged in alignment with the stable selector lever positions in the shift gate and, here, is situated between two non-stable tilt positions +/−, which are arranged in alignment with the selector lever positions P, R and N, for step-by-step or multiple shifting, and in a transverse gate, which runs transversely with respect to the shift gate, between the two non-stable selector lever positions D and M arranged in the transverse gate.
US08683885B2	Friction type transmission device and pressing force control method for friction type transmission device In a friction drive transmission apparatus arranged to transmit power by a frictional transmission force between two roller units pressed against each other, there is provided a pressing force imparting means to increase and decrease a pressing force imparted to a roller pair to vary the frictional transmission force between both roller units smoothly at the time of a shift.
US08683879B2	Sample injecting device A sample injecting device is provided for reducing carryover. The sample injecting device includes the following mode: a needle is set at a low descending speed when sample is injected into an injection port in a total-volume injection manner by the sample injecting device. When the needle is in contact with the injection port, the needle is set at a low speed, thereby increasing the accuracy of the position of the needle relative to an injection hole and decreasing friction between the needle and the injection hole. Contaminants present in the injection hole are prevented from easily flowing from the injection hole into an analyzing flow path, so as to achieve an excellent low carryover.
US08683878B2	Sampling device, truck having sampling device and method of sampling dry bulk A sampling device has a valve body that comprises an inlet for connecting to an unloading pipe of a container containing dry bulk product, the inlet being shaped to receive a flow of dry bulk product from the container. The valve body has a first outlet which, when opened, discharges the dry bulk product that enters the valve body through the inlet. The valve body also has a second outlet which, when opened, discharges a sample of the dry bulk product, the second outlet having a cross-sectional area that is smaller than a cross-sectional area of the first outlet. The sampling device enables a sample of dry bulk product, e.g. cement, slag, fly ash, cement kiln dust, silica fume, silica sand, lime, alumina, flour, or any other similar dry powdery substance to be obtained safely from a transport container or vessel.
US08683876B2	Friction element load sensing in an automatic transmission A load sensor assembly for measuring an amount of torque transmitted through a torque establishing element includes a core mounted on a transmission housing and a load sensor mounted on the core. The load sensor is positioned against a portion of the torque establishing element whereby a portion of the amount of torque transmitted through the torque establishing element travels through the load sensor and is measured. A cable is connected to the load sensor for transmitting a signal representative of the amount of torque to a transmission controller.
US08683875B2	Beta ratio changer for flow measurement devices A beta ratio changer is provided for a flow measurement device having a fluid displacement member. The beta ratio changer includes a flange and a sleeve extending axially from the flange. The sleeve may be inserted into a fluid conduit of the fluid measurement device, reducing the inner diameter of the fluid conduit around the fluid displacement member. A new beta ratio may be determined from the diameter of the edge of the fluid displacement member and the inner diameter of the sleeve.
US08683866B2	Method of matching sensors in a multi-probe turbine blade vibration monitor A method of matching sensors in a multi-probe blade vibration monitor for a turbine. The method includes providing at least two probes mounted in a casing of the turbine adjacent to a rotating blade structure of the turbine. Targets are provided on radially outer portions of the blade structure. Each of the probes includes a sensor generating signals corresponding to target passing events, and a set of synchronous harmonics of the rotational speed of the rotor are produced for each sensor. The position of the sensors is adjusted such that the sets of harmonics of the sensors are substantially matched, indicating that the positions of the sensors are matched.
US08683853B2	Apparatus for detecting abnormality for fuel property detecting apparatus An apparatus for detecting abnormality for a fuel property detecting apparatus according to the present invention includes the fuel property detecting apparatus having a sensor part provided on a fuel channel, temperature detecting means for detecting the temperature of the fuel in the vicinity of said sensor part, a heater capable of raising the temperature of the fuel in the vicinity of the sensor part, and abnormality determining means for determining whether or not there is an abnormality in the fuel property detecting apparatus based on the temperature detected by the temperature detecting means when the heater is activated. The abnormality determining means includes fuel flow abnormality determining means for determining whether or not there is an abnormality in the flow of the fuel in the vicinity of the sensor part and failure determining means for determining whether there is a failure of said fuel property detecting apparatus itself.
US08683852B2	Leakage diagnostic devices for fuel vapor processing apparatus A leakage diagnosis device can determine whether or not leakage occurs from a fuel vapor processing apparatus by comparing a diagnosis criterion, such as a reference pressure set for diagnosing leakage, with an internal pressure of a process system of the fuel vapor processing apparatus during application of a negative or positive pressure to the process system. The diagnosis criterion has a device that can correct the diagnosis criterion based on a fuel vapor pressure within the process system.
US08683848B1	Oil well tubing pressure testing system and method of use An improved hydrotest testing system comprises a safety stop which prevents the testing tools from being blown out of the top of the tubing string. The safety stop is made up into the upward facing box of the tubing joint to be tested, where the stop is positioned between the tool assembly placed within the tubing joint and the no-go head assembly which is located at the surface during the testing operation. Once the safety stop has been made up into upward facing box, the tool assembly is set within the joint to be tested and the joint pressure tested. The safety stop has a generally cylindrical body which has a bore extending through its length, where the bore has a reduced diameter throat which is sized smaller than portions of the downhole testing tool.
US08683841B1	Apparatus and method to cut HVAC round and spiral ductwork and all attaching structures Apparatus and method for cutting HVAC round duct and spiral duct and all attendant-attaching structures comprising a computer controlled machine able to cut round and spiral HVAC ducts and also the ability to send attendant-attaching structures that are then cut on a flat X and Y cutting machine.
US08683838B2	Circular rolling mill with shaping roller This circular rolling mill (1), used for shaping annular workpieces (100), comprises a pair of rollers, an inner one (12) and an outer one (10), capable of working (F1+F2) the radial inner (102) and outer (101) faces of a workpiece, and a pair of conical rollers, an upper one (22) and a lower one (20), capable of working (F4+F5) the front faces (103, 104) of the workpiece, and also means (66) for moving some of these rollers (22) with respect to a frame (41) of the rolling mill (1). The means for moving at least one of the rollers (22) comprise at least one pinion (54, 55) and at least one rack (26, 28) which is secured to a member for the movement (F3) of the roller. This pinion (54, 55) is rotated by the output shaft of an electrically operated geared motor (66) mounted on a support (72) which is articulated with respect to the frame about the axis (X56) parallel to the axis of rotation of the pinion. Damping means (76) are provided for damping the pivoting movement of the support (72) about its articular axis (X56).
US08683833B2	Electronic access control handle set for a door lock The present invention provides for a handle set for a lock with a latch, the handle set having an authentication circuit and actuator in the interior handle that allow access to authenticated transponders. The present invention also provides a device and method for transmitting a rotational movement and force in an electronic lock, wherein the transmission takes place in a coupled state and not in a decoupled state and wherein the transmission of force does not damage an actuator that requires little energy to change between the coupled and decoupled states. A coupling cartridge of an electronic lock can easily be handed. The electronic lock can be retrofitted in installed mortise locks and used with cylindrical locks. The electronic lock can include a security feature that prohibits the electronic lock from changing between the coupled and decoupled states.
US08683832B2	Push button lock To provide a push button lock which includes a housing on which a plurality of depressible push buttons are located, a lock pin which moves axially with the push button and being engageable with and disengageable from the push button, a lock plate formed with a plate key hole and plate lock hole, a reset plate which is provided parallel to the lock plate, a driving cam linked to a deadbolt lock, and the security-code controller detachably attached to the housing. A mechanism and components for setting and storing a security code for locking and unlocking are assembled in a cartridge. The cartridge is detachably attached to the inside of the housing so that various surface designs are available.
US08683823B1	System for offshore liquefaction A system for offshore liquefaction of natural gas and transport of produced liquefied natural gas using a moored floating production storage and offloading vessel, fluidly connected with a flexible conduit to a moored floating disconnectable turret which can be connected and reconnected to a floating liquefaction vessel with onboard liquefaction unit powered by a dual fuel diesel electric main power plant.
US08683820B2	Refrigerator and guide member that guides discharge of defrost water A refrigerator includes an air guide that is provided with a defrost water hole and that is inclined toward the defrost water hole. The air guide guides cold air discharged from the cold air fan to a guide duct and also guides, to the defrost water hole, defrost water generated at the cold air fan.
US08683819B2	Air conditioner using hot water provided by solar heating system The present invention relates to an air conditioner using hot water heated by a solar heating system, the air conditioner comprising: a heater 10 that has a vacuous interior and a plurality of hot water branch pipes 13 immersed in the refrigerant; a condenser 30 connected with the heater 10 through a steam pipe L1; an ejector 20 mounted to the steam pipe L1; a flow regulator 40 installed on the exit side of the condenser 30; a refrigerant return line L2 connected to the flow regulator 40 to return the refrigerant to the heater 10; an evaporator 50 connected to the flow regulator 40 to receive condensate; a first steam supply line L4 connected with the evaporator 50 to supply the evaporated refrigerant to the ejector 20; and a second steam supply line L5 that is branched from the first steam supply line L4 and then connected with the steam pipe L1 and has a vacuum pump P2 installed therein. With the above configuration, the present invention can save energy by performing air conditioning using solar energy that is available in plenty during the summer, and continue air conditioning by maintaining the refrigeration cycle with the help of a built-in vacuum pump even when there is not enough solar energy.
US08683813B2	Multi-lobed cooling hole and method of manufacture A gas turbine engine component includes a wall having first and second wall surfaces and a cooling hole extending through the wall. The cooling hole includes an inlet at the first wall surface, an outlet at the second wall surface, a metering section extending downstream from the inlet and a diffusing section extending from the metering section to the outlet. The diffusing section includes a first lobe diverging longitudinally and laterally from the metering section, a second lobe adjacent the first lobe and diverging longitudinally from the metering section, a third lobe adjacent the second lobe and diverging longitudinally and laterally from the metering section, and a transition region having an end adjacent the outlet and a portion that extends between the lobes and the outlet. The first and third lobes each include a curved outer portion.
US08683808B2	Late lean injection control strategy A gas turbine engine is provided and includes a combustor having a first interior in which a first fuel supplied thereto by a fuel circuit is combustible, a turbine, a transition zone, including a second interior in which a second fuel supplied thereto by the fuel circuit and the products of the combustion of the first fuel are combustible, a plurality of fuel injectors, which are structurally supported by the transition zone and coupled to the fuel circuit, and which are configured to supply the second fuel to the second interior in any one of a single axial stage, multiple axial stages, a single axial circumferential stage and multiple axial circumferential stages, and a control system coupled to the fuel circuit and configured to control relative amounts of the first and second fuels supplied by the fuel circuit to the first and second interiors.
US08683805B2	Injector seal for a gas turbomachine An injector seal for a gas turbomachine includes a seal body having a first surface, an opposing second surface, a central opening configured and disposed to receive a gas turbomachine injector, an outer edge, and a plurality of passages extending through the seal body. The plurality of passages are configured and disposed to guide a fluid at the first surface through the second surface.
US08683801B2	Rankine cycle condenser pressure control using an energy conversion device bypass valve The disclosure provides a waste heat recovery system and method in which pressure in a Rankine cycle (RC) system of the WHR system is regulated by diverting working fluid from entering an inlet of an energy conversion device of the RC system. In the system, an inlet of a controllable bypass valve is fluidly coupled to a working fluid path upstream of an energy conversion device of the RC system, and an outlet of the bypass valve is fluidly coupled to the working fluid path upstream of the condenser of the RC system such that working fluid passing through the bypass valve bypasses the energy conversion device and increases the pressure in a condenser. A controller determines the temperature and pressure of the working fluid and controls the bypass valve to regulate pressure in the condenser.
US08683799B2	Control device of turbocharger A turbocharger includes a plurality of nozzle vanes provided on an outer circumferential side of a turbine wheel, a variable nozzle vane mechanism adjusting a flow of an exhaust gas with the nozzle vanes, and an actuator driving the nozzle vane mechanism. A control device for the turbocharger continues an abutting control that causes a movable member of the variable nozzle vane mechanism to abut against a stopper that regulates the movable range of the nozzle vanes as long as the engine is stopped while the vehicle is running.
US08683798B2	Stimuli-responsive product Embodiments of a product such as a stimuli-responsive product can comprise a shape memory component and a nanofiber component that forms a fibrous microstructure or network. The resulting product can be responsive to stimuli, such as electrical stimuli, in a manner that cause the product to deform, deflect, and rebound. In one embodiment, the product can comprise an epoxy and a continuous non-woven nanofiber, the combination of which provides a product with enhanced actuation speed.
US08683794B2	Controller of vehicle with hydrostatic continuously variable transmission By accurately determining timing for suppressing overrun in a hydraulic motor or the like, work efficiency is prevented from falling. A. pressure difference ΔP between pressure Pa on a discharge port side of a hydraulic pump and pressure Pb on suction port side of the hydraulic pump is calculated on the basis of the detected travel direction of the vehicle and the pressure Pa relative to Pb detected at the respective port sides of the hydraulic pump. At least one of an engine and the hydraulic pump is controlled, according to the calculated pressure difference, such that overrun of at least one of the engine, the hydraulic pump, and a hydraulic motor is suppressed.
US08683793B2	Method for recuperating potential energy during a lowering operation of a load A method is provided for recuperating potential energy during a lowering operation of a load, wherein a hydraulic system is adapted to lift and lower the load. In the method, at least two energy recuperation modes are provided, one of the modes is selected in response to a current operating state, and the hydraulic system is controlled according to the selected mode.
US08683781B2	Method for controlling an exhaust-gas aftertreatment device of a hybrid drive, and hybrid drive A method for controlling an exhaust gas aftertreatment device of a vehicle hybrid drive is provided. The method comprises operating the hybrid drive only by a combustion engine, only by a non-combustion motor, or by both, as a function of a temperature of the exhaust aftertreatment device, and conducting exhaust gas of the hybrid drive at least partially through the exhaust aftertreatment device, the engine and motor each providing output to power the vehicle. In this way, the aftertreatment device may be operated at an optimal temperature for conversion performance.
US08683779B2	Agricultural piston bale press An agricultural piston bale press includes a pressing piston, a main driving mechanism, an intake device to take in crop material, and a stuffing device. The stuffing device includes a feed passage and a stuffing mechanism that has a tine arm supporting tines that can be moved along a stuffing trajectory, and a drive mechanism for driving the tine arm. The drive mechanism is configured to move the tine arm in a cyclic movement along a constant trajectory, and that the tines are movably supported on the tine arm so that the tines can be arranged in different positions with respect to the tine arm to follow different trajectories.
US08683775B1	Spacer system for installing vacuum insulated glass (VIG) window unit in window frame designed to accommodate thicker IG window unit A vacuum insulated glass (VIG) window unit installation configuration and method for installing a VIG window unit in a window frame that was designed to accommodate at least a thicker IG (insulating glass/integrated glass) window unit(s). The VIG window unit may be supported on a first side by a first stop portion of the frame and on a second side by a second stop portion of the frame. A spacer structure is provided along at least one side of the VIG window unit between the VIG window unit and at least one of the first and second stop portions, the spacer structure including at least one hollow area surrounded by a solid portion when viewed cross sectionally.
US08683758B2	Cast structural yielding fuse A yielding fuse device is provided for use in association with a brace member in a bracing assembly for a structural frame. The device includes arms or elements that yield flexurally when a bracing member moves in an axial direction, with the bracing assembly under either tension or compression loading conditions. The device of the present invention is particularly useful as a mass customized cast device. The device is well suited for seismic bracing applications.
US08683756B2	Screw foundation system with a curable filling compound A screw foundation system for aligning and fastening a rod- or post-like object in the ground includes a sleeve-like plastic receiving part which can be screwed into the ground and which, in the fastened state, accommodates an end region of the rod- or post-like, object and surrounds their periphery of the object with a distance at least in certain portions; and a curable filling compound which, in the fastened state, fills the space between the end region of the rod- or post-like object and the inner contour of the receiving part, wherein the inner contour has undercuts for anchoring the cured filling compound. The screw foundation system can include a screwing-in tool having a dimensionally stable fitting core which can be inserted into the receiving part in order to screw in the latter.
US08683752B1	Modular shelter assembly A modular shelter assembly is presented. In particular, the shelter assembly comprises a mounting member structured to be secured to a predetermined support, a support beam outwardly spaced from the mounting member and the predetermined support, a plurality of track beams each disposed in interconnecting, supported relation to the mounting member and the support beam, the mounting member, the support beam and the plurality of track beams collectively comprising a modular construction, and the modular construction at least partially defined by an at least initially adjustable interconnecting relation of the plurality of track beams to both the mounting member and the support beam.
US08683744B2	Expandable flowerpot A power-saving flowerpots capable of serial connecting with other flowerpot includes a planting tank having a horizontal plane and an inclined plane at an upper side thereof for planting; a water tank connected to a lower side of the planting tank; the connection of the planting tank and the water tank being formed as an L shape; an interior of the water tank being formed with a water draining channel; an upper side of the water draining channel being formed with a communication hole so that when the water level in the water tank is over a lower edge of the communication hole; water will flow into the communication hole from the water tank. A plurality of flowerpot can be installed as a first row by a retaining rod to pass through all hooks of the flowerpots; and the water tubes of the flowerpot are connected one by one.
US08683742B1	Agricultural system An agricultural system including: at least one seed; a growing media in communication with the one seed; a biodegradable outer retainer surrounding a portion of the one seed and the growing media, and; at least one growing media additive.
US08683728B2	Barrel safety device Devices and methods for altering a firearm to prevent firing of rounds of a first size while allowing the firing of rounds of a smaller, second size are provided. In one embodiment, a barrel safety device prevents a live round from fully chambering in a firearm, while allowing a blank to be chambered and fired from the firearm. The barrel safety device includes a muzzle block, a rod, and a tip in one embodiment. The rod and the tip can be sized so as obstruct a portion of the barrel and/or the bullet chamber of the firearm, such that a round having a first length, such as a live round, contacts the tip of the barrel safety device and cannot be fully chambered. The rod and the tip can be sized so as to allow a cartridge having a second, smaller length, such as a blank cartridge, to be fully chambered without contacting the tip of the barrel safety device.
US08683726B1	Bullpup rifle fire control system A novel fire control system for a bolt action firearm includes a firing pin sear located and controlled at one side of the forward end of the bolt. The sear configuration is optimum for rifles having a bullpup form. The location of the sear also provides clearance under the bolt for the bolt to be moved over a firearm magazine without interference with cartridges in the magazine.
US08683717B2	Support for inclusion in article of footwear and method for raising the arch of a person's foot A support arranged for disposition within a shoe, boot or sandal, to raise the arch of the foot by everting the forefoot and inverting the rearfoot, thereby locking the midtarsal joint. The support basically comprises a base portion and a wedge portion. The base portion has an upper surface on which the wedge portion is disposed. The wedge portion includes a medial side edge and a lateral side edge and extends from the base of all five metatarsals of the person's foot to the heads of all five metatarsals. The wedge portion tapers in thickness from at least the midline of the wedge portion to the medial side edge. The wedge portion includes an anterior portion that is tapered to the sulcus section of the wearer's foot.
US08683714B2	Dryer comprising a dryness sensor The present invention relates to a dryer (1) comprising a drum (2) which is rotated around its own horizontal axis, a bulkhead (3) which has an opening (4) that enables the laundry to be loaded into the drum (2) and to be unloaded therefrom, a fixing surface (6) which is fixed to the bulkhead (3) and which has at least two apertures (9), and at least two electrodes (5) which are disposed into the apertures (9) and which provide dryness sensing to be performed.
US08683712B2	Lyophilizing tray employing reagent cartridge, lyophilizing system employing the same, and method of preparing lyophilized reagent A method of manufacturing a lyophilized reagent, including mounting a plurality of reagent cartridges in which a liquid reagent is loaded in a tray including one or more tunnel-shaped first rails having opened end portions in a lengthwise direction and an opening formed in the top of the one or more first rails; closing the opened end portions, placing the tray in a lyophilizer and lyophilizing the liquid reagent according to a lyophilizing program.
US08683711B2	Housing for modulizing heat pump system in a clothes dryer and clothes dryer having the same A housing for modularizing a heat pump system of a clothes dryer and a clothes dryer having the same are disclosed. The heat pump system modularized housing of the clothes collectively modularizes a condenser, a compressor, an evaporator and an expansion valve that constitute the heat pump system of the clothes dryer. Not only does the heat pump system is stably mounted in the clothes dryer but also components of the heat pump system can be effectively protected. In addition, the fastening procedures of each component can be unified to simplify an assembling process of the clothes dryer, and thus, the productivity can be improved. Moreover, a structure of an internal flow path of the clothes dryer can be simplified to thus improve efficiency of the heat pump system.
US08683704B2	Pipe cutter A power tool includes a pipe holder, a knife pivotally coupled to the pipe holder, and a drive mechanism coupled to at least one of the pipe holder and the knife. The drive mechanism is operable to move the at least one of the pipe holder and the knife relative to the other of the pipe holder and the knife. The power tool also includes a motor coupled to the drive mechanism and a power supply electrically coupled to the motor to selectively power the motor for operating the drive mechanism.
US08683703B2	Utility knife with blade wiper A utility knife includes a handle, a blade holder assembly, and a resilient blade wiper. The handle includes an opening at a front end. The blade holder assembly is constructed and arranged to hold a blade at a position of use wherein the blade projects through the opening at the front end of the handle, and to retract the blade into the handle. The resilient blade wiper is constructed and arranged to be positioned toward the front end of the handle. The blade wiper is constructed and arranged to remove debris from side surfaces of the blade when the blade is retracted into the handle.
US08683688B2	Method for balancing a wind turbine The present invention relates to a method for balancing a wind turbine. The method includes the steps of a) measuring at least one property that is dependent on a motor workload of at least one yaw motor 52 of a soft yaw system 5 during a period of time, b) calculating an unbalance based on the measurement of step a), c) determining a pitch offset angle for at least one turbine blade 41 based on the calculation of step b), and d) changing the pitch of the at least one turbine blade according to the pitch offset angle of step c) for decreasing the unbalance. The present invention also relates to a system for balancing a wind turbine.
US08683687B2	Method for manufacturing a crankcase of a piston compressor, crankcase obtained with the method and piston compressor provided with such crankcase Method for manufacturing a crankcase of a piston compressor, wherein the piston compressor is provided with a crankcase which is provided with recesses for therein receiving cylinders and with at least an inlet opening, wherein from a flat sheet at least one substantially rectangular body blank is manufactured provided with the desired cylinder receiving recesses, wherein the body blank is then angle bent in an angle bending machine for forming a body part having a limited number of folds, wherein at least two substantially flat end walls are manufactured from a flat sheet, wherein thereupon the at least one body part and the at least two end walls are positioned with respect to each other using a positioning tool and are connected with each other with a welding robot for forming the crankcase. Also disclosed is a crankcase obtained with the method, and a piston compressor provided with such a crankcase.
US08683685B2	Method of manufacturing multilayer printed wiring board A multilayer printed wiring board includes a first interlaminar resin insulating layer, a first conductor circuit formed on the first interlaminar resin insulating layer, a second interlaminar resin insulating layer formed on the first interlaminar resin insulating layer and the first conductor circuit, a second conductor circuit formed on the second interlaminar resin insulating layer. A via conductor can be formed in the opening portion. The opening portion of the second interlaminar resin insulating layer can expose a face of the first conductor circuit. The via conductor connects the first conductor circuit and the second conductor circuit. The via conductor includes an electroless plating film formed on inner wall face of the opening portion and includes an electrolytic plating film formed on the electroless plating film and on the exposed face of the first conductor circuit exposed by the opening portion. The second conductor circuit includes the electroless plating film and the electrolytic plating film.
US08683671B2	Method for fastening a retainer of an airbag The invention concerns a method for fastening a retainer of an airbag, in particular of a window bag, to a body of a motor vehicle. The method for fastening including the steps of: arranging the retainer on the body by inserting a hollow pin in a corresponding bodyshell opening; positioning a tool on the retainer; and pressing a pin into an opening of the hollow pin to radially expand the hollow pin, and thereby securing the hollow pin in the corresponding bodyshell opening.
US08683664B2	Touch-and-close fastener part A touch-and-close fastener part includes a two-dimensional carrier (1) and a main tang (7) extending from the carrier. The main tang has at least one secondary tang (9) located on it and supporting the main tang (7) on the carrier (1). The fastener part can be obtained as hooking elements (5), in particular by punching or cutting. The main tang (7) can be raised up about a bending line (13) forming a first connecting region with carrier (1), into a functional position over the carrier (1). The secondary tang (9) forms a connecting area lying against the carrier (1) and representing a second connecting region.
US08683663B2	Device for detachably fastening a camera to a carrying strap The invention relates to a device for detachably fastening a camera to a carrying strap. The device for detachably fastening a camera to a carrying strap includes an eyelet piece comprising an eyelet, a flexible extension fixed to the eyelet piece, and a fastening element designed as a stand screw for securing to the camera, said element being disposed on an end of the flexible extension facing away from the eyelet piece. The special feature of the eyelet of the eyelet piece is that it has an opening in the peripheral rim thereof, through which a carrying strap, in particular a carrying strap that is part of another system, such as the carrying strap of a handbag or camera bag, can be threaded.
US08683662B2	Piercing rib clip A piercing rib clip has first and second legs defining a space for receiving a rib of a component held thereby and a piercing pin held by at least one of the legs piercing the rib held between the legs.
US08683661B2	Push button type belt buckle A push button type belt buckle includes a moveable rod and a push button arranged to be interlaced with each other and configured to cooperate with spring mechanisms provided in a belt base. With such a unique structure, a buckling pin provided on the moveable rod is able to floatingly buckle a belt with ease while exhibiting an elastic characteristic capable of returning to its original position such that the adjustment of the extent of the fastening and buckling of the belt can be advantageously achieved via the push button reliably and such that the push button type belt buckle of the present invention is of the improved effects of facilitated operations and simplified assembly requirements and functions.
US08683658B2	Airbag clamp The present invention is directed to an apparatus and method for utilizing an airbag clamp for securing an airbag onto an inflating tube of an airbag system. An embodiment of the present invention includes a body, a first engaging portion, and a second engaging portion. The body may be capable of surrounding the device, wherein the body may include a first end and a second end that are capable of moving towards each other. The first engaging portion may be located at a first end, wherein the first engaging portion may include at least one plate. The second engaging portion may be located at the second end, wherein the second engaging portion may include at least one plate. The engaging portions may be capable of being fitted together and the plates may be capable of being fastened together to secure the clamp around the material and device.
US08683655B2	Separated type hinge apparatus with return function The present invention relates to a hinge apparatus for a door, and more particularly, to a separated type hinge apparatus with an automatic return function, in which a restoring device and a damping device are installed separately so that the overall length of the hinge apparatus is reduced, and thus the hinge apparatus may be buried less deeply. A separated type hinge apparatus comprises: an elastic casing; a first elastic member that provides a restoring force; a clutch device which is combined with one end of the first elastic member and controls the elastic force of the first elastic member to remain constant; a shaft penetratively combined through the clutch device in order to transmit a rotational force; and a spring fixing member which is coupled to the other end of the first elastic member and has a gear groove to control a spring elastic force.
US08683652B2	Furniture hinge The invention relates to a furniture hinge comprising a base plate, which is designed to be fastened to a furniture body, and a hinge arm that is mounted so as to be movable by an adjustment device in a controlled manner relative to the base plate within a predetermined adjustment range, wherein the adjustment device prevents the hinge arm from falling from the base plate by displacement. The furniture hinge has a fall guard for the hinge arm which prevents the hinge arm from falling relative to the base plate upon uncontrolled displacement of the hinge arm caused by failure of the adjustment device, and the hinge arm is mounted so as to be movable relative to the base plate within the predetermined adjustment range despite the fall guard.
US08683650B2	Universal bracket and luggage handle system The invention includes a universal retractable handle assembly for attachment to luggage items of a variety of different sizes. A plurality of tubes having a fixed length can be attached to a bracket member such that each tube can extend in a telescoping manner to a different distance from the bracket member when the handle is in the extended position and thus be employed in different sizes of luggage. Additionally, a tube housing is provided which includes a tube receiving portion and reinforcing portions on an outer surface of the tube housing. The tube receiving portion is formed with an arcuate shape which corresponds with the shape of the tube member to be inserted therein. The reinforcing portions include a plurality of planar flanges which extend beyond the outer surface of the tube receiving portion to provide improved structural characteristics.
US08683645B2	Vacuum cleaning device with air quality monitoring system An air quality monitoring system is associated with a housing of a vacuum cleaner and includes at least one sensor for measuring data of an air quality parameter and a display, such as a color screen, for presenting information regarding the air quality parameter that is measured by the at least one sensor. The air quality monitoring system may be a self contained unit that may be removed from the housing of the vacuum cleaner or may be included as an integral part of the vacuum cleaner.
US08683644B2	Automatic cord release A surface cleaning apparatus comprises an air flow path extending from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet, an air treatment member and a suction motor. The surface cleaning apparatus may comprise a power cord removably mounted to a power cord wrap and removable in a cord removal direction. The power cord wrap may comprise at least first and second spaced apart cord retaining members. At least one of the cord retaining members may be a moveable cord retaining member that is moveable between a cord storage position wherein the moveable cord retaining member is oriented to inhibit removal of the power cord and a cord removal position wherein the moveable cord retaining member extends generally in the cord removal direction.
US08683638B2	Rotary tool The subject of the present invention is a rotary tool (1) for surface treatment. This is equipped with a brush holder (3) which can be driven in rotation for an annular brush (4) with a brush strip (5) and bristles (6) protruding outwardly from the brush strip (5). According to the invention, coolant for the cooling thereof is supplied to the brush holder (3) and/or the annular brush (4).
US08683636B2	Oral-care device and system A device with two or more regions configured to clean or treat a working surface is disclosed. Preferably, the device is an oral-care device with a power cleaning head. The power cleaning head comprises two or more regions, wherein at least one of the regions is configured to move and wherein at least one of the regions comprises a squeegee element. Preferably, the regions are configured to independently rotate, oscillate, vibrate or otherwise move while cleaning teeth and gums and can each include bristles, nodules, squeegee elements, or any combination thereof.
US08683633B2	Mattress with concealed massage units A mattress with built-in massage capabilities that is arranged so the mattress can be used as a standard sleep surface when the massage function is idle. In standard sleep mode a user will not notice the massage aspects of the mattress. Massage is performed by air pumps and air bags controlled to simulate various massage protocols such as wave, stretching, kneading, and percussion.
US08683632B2	Internal valve and methods of use for inflatable objects An internal valve (10, 10′ or 10″) and its methods of use for stabilizing and reinforcing inflatable objects are disclosed. The internal valve is a novel, simple modification to conventional check valves with the addition of a discharging means (14, 22 or 28)for external control. An internal supplemental chamber comprises one or more partitions that are secured, directly or by I-beams (40′), to main chamber's walls (40) of an inflatable object and stretched when the main chamber is inflated. With the internal valve as the passage to and from the main chamber, the enclosed or isolated supplemental chamber (30, 30′, 32, 34, 36 or 38) functions as a stabilizing or reinforcing component. A plurality of chambers 36 can form cylinder beams for an inflatable mattress.
US08683621B1	Roll-up spa and swim spa cover A spa cover constructed of layers of pliable insulation encapsulated within a weatherproof vinyl reinforced fabric or a rubber membrane which is attached to rigid square support tubes that run parallel to the short end of the spa. The encapsulated insulation is fastened to the bottom of the square support tubes with corrosion-free nylon anchors which allows the soft insulation assembly to span over the water and rest directly on the spa bartop surface sealing the heat in and keeping debris out. An arched fiberglass rod structure supports a weatherproof rainfly which is permanently affixed to the flat cover assembly to shed rain and debris. The entire assembly is held in place at each end with adjustable straps which stretch the cover from end to end keeping the rainfly taut. Removing the cover to access the spa involves undoing the straps on one end and rolling the cover assembly towards the other end until the desired amount of spa exposure is reached. Covering the spa after use is just the opposite procedure.
US08683620B1	Pool covers A device for covering a pool, for example a swimming pool, has an upper component composed of a closed cell polymeric foam and a lower component composed of an open cell polymeric foam. The device can have, or can acquire in use, a convex upper surface which reduces the danger that it will be blown off the pool by wind.
US08689359B2	Apparatus and method for investigating surface properties of different materials The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for investigating surface properties of different materials, which make it possible to carry out atomic force microscopy with a simplified and faster shear force method. The apparatus according to the invention is characterized by perpendicular orientation of the measuring tip of a self-actuated cantilever with respect to the surface of the sample. A piezoresistive sensor and a bimorph actuator are preferably DC-isolated. The measuring tip is in the form of a carbon nanotube, in particular. A plurality of cantilevers can be arranged in the form of a cantilever array which is characterized by a comb-like arrangement of individual pre-bent cantilevers. The method according to the invention is distinguished by a fast feedback signal on account of the distance between the measuring tip and the surface to be investigated being regulated using the change in a DC signal which supplies the actuator.
US08689356B2	Content data delivery system, and method for delivering an encrypted content data A handheld device is configured to be connectable to a storage media that holds a unique media identifier and holds a content key data used to decrypt an encrypted content data. A content data delivery system is provided that is configured to be able to deliver various data to the handheld device and to make a content data available to the handheld device. The system includes a member-registration information database that holds member-registration information including a data pair of a handheld-device identifier related to the relevant handheld device and the relevant media identifier. The media identifier held by the storage media is verified with the member-registration information database.
US08689354B2	Method and apparatus for accessing secure data in a dispersed storage system A method begins by a processing module receiving, from a user device, a request to access secure data, wherein the request includes a user identification code and at least one object name for the secure data. The method continues with the processing module processing the request to determine a security level associated with the user device and to determine security parameters associated with the secure data. The method continues with the processing module determining a level of access to the secure data based on the security level associated with the user device and the security parameters. The method continues with the processing module retrieving a set of encoded data slices from dispersed storage units, wherein the set of encoded data slices includes less than a reconstruction threshold number of encoded data slices and generating a response that includes the set of encoded data slices when the level of access is a partial access level.
US08689342B2	Data protecting device An event condition is checked, using a computer and data content of the computer is additionally protected in relation to a normal data protection according to the event condition. The event condition is detecting by the computer a remote command and/or detecting a state according to a policy.
US08689341B1	Anti-phishing system based on end user data submission quarantine periods for new websites Quarantine periods longer than anticipated working lifetimes for phishing websites are used to protect users from phishing attacks. A central server or the like receives data indicating user attempts to submit confidential information to websites from a plurality of user computers. The received data is aggregated, and used to track website activity concerning solicitation of confidential information. The central server acquires and maintains current statistical data concerning phishing website lifetimes. The aggregated data concerning attempts by users to submit confidential information to websites and the current statistics concerning phishing website lifetimes are used to determine appropriate quarantine periods for websites, which can be enforced when users try to transmit confidential information to these websites.
US08689337B2	Systems and methods of fingerprinting and identifying video objects Systems and methods are provided for identifying a video object using digital fingerprints. The digital fingerprints are generated from information extracted from the video object including encoded video. The digital fingerprints can be calculated in a manner that permits identification of both the video object and operational characteristics of the video object based on matching calculated digital fingerprints with known fingerprints of known video objects. Systems and methods are described that allow a DVD to be uniquely identified and identify whether the DVD is original, copied or pirated. Systems and methods are described for computing digital fingerprints from strings of bits in which certain additional data is optionally embedded. Systems and methods are described that permit media players to access known signatures of known video objects maintained on one or more databases and to identify video objects presented for playing on the media player.
US08689336B2	Tiered exposure model for event correlation A method for real-time threat monitoring includes identifying two or more real time vulnerabilities, each associated with one or more objects of an enterprise, correlating the two or more real-time vulnerabilities to each other, applying an exposure tiering model to the correlated real-time vulnerability, thereby classifying the correlated real-time vulnerability into risk tiers, and initiating an alert based on the correlated real-time vulnerability and the exposure tiers into which the correlated real-time vulnerability is classified. According to other embodiments a method includes applying an exposure methodology to log data contained in one or more object logs thereby identifying one or more security events, applying an exposure tiering model to the one or more security events, thereby classifying the security events into exposure tiers, and initiating an alert based on the security events and the exposure tiers into which the security events are classified.
US08689334B2	Security protection for a customer programmable platform A method of preventing a customer programmable device from causing security threats to itself or to a communication system is provided. The method includes establishing one or more thresholds by programming or configuring of the device, detecting whether one or more of the thresholds have been exceeded using one or more detection mechanisms, and taking action in response to each threshold that has been exceeded.
US08689333B2	Malware defense system and method A computer worm defense system comprises multiple containment systems tied together by a management system. Each containment system is deployed on a separate communication network and contains a worm sensor and a blocking system. In various embodiments, the computer worm may be transported from a production network, where the computer worm is not readily identifiable, to an alternate network in the worm sensor where the computer worm may be readily identifiable. Computer worm identifiers generated by a worm sensor of one containment system can be provided not only to the blocking system of the same containment system, but can also be distributed by the management system to blocking systems of other containment systems.
US08689330B2	Instant messaging malware protection A system including a content server and a plurality of instant messaging clients is configured to enable each client device to scan for malware on incoming or outgoing instant messages. The content server may receive malware configuration information and distribute the malware configuration information to each client device. Each client device may employ the malware configuration information to perform a number of actions, including determining one or more malware scanners to use, selectively scanning incoming or outgoing instant messages, reporting instances of malware that are detected, or selectively restricting one or more instant messaging functions. The system may include a malware information repository that receives and reports of detected malware, analyzes the reports, and determines sources of malware.
US08689329B2	Scoping scripts in a page A mechanism on a server divides a page of content into sections defined by dividers, and renders the page stream with dividers to a browser. The browser reads the web page with dividers, and partitions the DOM for the page to create partitions in the DOM according to the sections in the page. Partitioning the DOM allows scripts in each partition to be scoped according to defined access rights for each partition. In this manner, a script in one DOM partition cannot access information in another DOM partition unless the access rights for the partition that contains the script allow it. By scoping scripts to appropriate DOM partitions, potential hacker attacks may be prevented.
US08689328B2	Maliciouis user agent detection and denial of service (DOS) detection and prevention using fingerprinting A method may include receiving a session control protocol request message and fingerprinting the received session control protocol message. The method may further include comparing the fingerprint of the received request message to a list of fingerprints associated with known malicious user agents and rejecting the request message when the fingerprint of the received message matches any fingerprint in the list of fingerprints associated with known malicious user agents. The method may include comparing the fingerprint of the received request message to the list of fingerprints associated with known non-malicious user agents and accepting the request message when the fingerprint of the received message matches any fingerprint in the list of fingerprints associated with known non-malicious user agents.
US08689324B2	Techniques to explain authorization origins for protected resource objects in a resource object domain Techniques to explain authorization origins for protected objects in an object domain are disclosed. In one embodiment, for example, an apparatus may comprise a processor circuit, a request processor component operative on the processor circuit to receive and process a request for an authorization origin of a resource object, the authorization origin comprising an access control with a permission arranged to control access to the resource object based on an identity, and a resource origin component operative on the processor circuit to identify the authorization origin of the resource object from a set of interrelated resource objects and associated access controls, retrieve authorization origin information for the authorization origin, and present the authorization origin information in a user interface view. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US08689320B2	Image forming apparatus with hard disk drive securely formatted If the validity of authorization information read from a USB key is verified (S1 to S4), use-information that indicates “used” is written in both of the nonvolatile memory and the USB key (S7). In a case of an initial use of an image forming apparatus (Cp=1, S8), a screen for selecting whether to perform a secure format on a hard disk device or not is displayed on a control panel (S9). If an instruction from the control panel indicates performing a secure format (S10), or if the use of the image forming apparatus is not a first time (Cp>1, S8), overwrite process on the hard disk with dummy data device is performed (S13, S14), and a logical format is performed regardless of a selection on the screen (S16).
US08689318B2	Trusted computing entities The present invention relates to trust in computing platforms and the like. In particular, embodiments of the invention provide a trusted computing entity (64), providing an environment comprising one or more of a set or sets of available security algorithms (62), the entity (64) being adapted to operate on data (702), which data has associated security criteria (704), only if the environment meets the associated security criteria.
US08689315B2	Method for managing network filter based policies A method and system are provided for adding, removing, and managing a plurality of network policy filters in a network device. Filters are installed in a framework and designated as active or disabled. Each filter has a priority. When a new filter is to be installed into the framework, it is compared to installed filters to determine if a conflict exists. If no conflict exists, the new filter is added as an active filter. If a conflict exists, a higher priority conflicting filter is added as active and a lower priority filter is added as inactive.
US08689313B2	Real time streaming data communications through a security device An exemplary method of the invention is for connecting a plurality of clients to one another over a computer network for communication of real-time streaming data to one another, with at least one of the clients being separated by a security device from the network. Exemplary steps include each of the clients communicating a request to the server including a client address and a conference identifier, the server using the conference identifier to identify a conference address, and the server communicating a confirmation to each of the clients in a first protocol containing the at least one conference address. The at least one security device recognizes one or both of the confirmation and request as a signal to allow traffic to pass from said conference address to the respective client separated from the network by the security device. Each of the clients communicates real time streaming data to the conference address in a second protocol, and the server communicates real time streaming data received from each of the clients in the second protocol at the conference address to the others of the clients whereby the plurality of clients share real-time streaming data.
US08689302B2	System, method and program for user authentication, and recording medium on which the program is recorded A method, and system, and computer program product for authenticating a user. A first server of a plurality of servers receives an access request from the user to access a federated computing environment that comprises multiple servers. After receiving the access request, the first server: receives input authentication information from the user, obtains a server address of a second server having an authentication policy that matches an authentication policy of the first server, transmits the input authentication information to the second server via the server address of the second server, receives from the second server a notification that the second server has successfully authorized the user, and permits the user to access the federated computing environment.
US08689296B2	Remote access of digital identities A system and method for controlling distribution and use of digital identity representations (“DIRs”) increases security, usability, and oversight of DIR use. A DIR stored on a first device may be obtained by a second device for use in satisfying the security policy of a relying party. Release of the DIR to the second device requires permission from a device or entity that may be different from the device or entity attempting to access the relying party. Further, the use of the DIR to obtain an identity token may separately require permission of even a different person or entity and may be conditioned upon receiving satisfactory information relating to the intended use of the DIR (e.g., the name of the relying party, type of operation being attempted, etc.). By controlling the distribution and use of DIRs, security of the principal's identity and supervisory control over a principal's activities are enhanced.
US08689295B2	Firewalls for providing security in HTTP networks and applications Systems and methods provide security to HTTP applications. Responses sent from a server, such as a web server, are analyzed and a signature is generated for each HTML object in that page. The signature is encrypted and sent to a client along with the contents of the page. When a client later sends a request, the system checks the signature associated with that request with the contents of the request itself. If the values, variables, lengths, and cardinality of the request are validated, then the request is forwarded to the web server. If, on the other hand, the request is invalidated, the request is blocked from reaching the web server, thereby protecting the web server from malicious attacks. The systems and methods offer security without being limited to a session or user.
US08689287B2	Federated credentialing system and method A federated credentialing system, and a correspond method, includes credential issuers that interact with relying parties to provide system users with access to protected resources within the system. The system includes a relying party federated domain server including devices for identifying users and authenticating user access credentials and a credential issuer domain server including devices for verifying user identities and access credentials. The access credentials may be single smart cards. The single smart cards are operative to provide user access to both logical and physical protected resources of the relying party. The system also includes a federated trust broker in communication in communication with the relying party and credential issuer federated domain servers. The trust broker receives authorization requests from the relying party, routes the received requests to the credential issuer and receives in return authorization responses from the credential issuer and routes the responses to the relying party. The relying party grants users access to the physical and the logical protected resources based on information contained in the responses.
US08689281B2	Management of context-aware policies A method includes obtaining input to modify a policy of a set of context-aware document policies. A policy of the set is applicable to a requested action on a document so as to indicate allowability of the requested action based at least on satisfaction of a condition of the policy that relates to a content of the document. When a plurality of policies of the set are applicable to the requested action on the document, allowability of the requested action is determined by the allowability that is indicated by application of the applicable policy with a highest priority. The modified policy is compared with another policy of the set. If the comparison indicates the modified policy and the other policy are applicable to a single requested action on a single document, the set of policies is automatically ensured to remain self consistent.
US08689279B2	Encrypted chunk-based rapid data encryption policy compliance To comply with a policy for a computing device indicating that data written by the computing device to the storage volume after activation of the policy be encrypted, an encrypted chunks map is accessed. The encrypted chunks map identifies whether, for each chunk of sectors of a storage volume, the sectors in the chunk are unencrypted. In response to a request to write content to a sector, the encrypted chunks map is checked to determine whether a chunk that includes the sector is unencrypted. If the chunk that includes the sector is unencrypted, then the sectors in the chunk are encrypted, and the content is encrypted and written to the sector. If the chunk that includes the sector is encrypted or not in use, then the content is encrypted and written to the sector.
US08689277B2	Method and system for providing location of target device using stateless user information A method of providing a location of a target device to an application implementing a location based service includes receiving a request for a location of the target device from the application at a location server, the request including a location reference having a user reference referring to user information corresponding to the target device and stored in at least one data source. The method further includes retrieving the user information from the at least one data source using the user reference, determining the location of the target device based at least in part on the retrieved user information, and providing the determined location of the target device to the application.
US08689271B2	Internet service provider callback for satellite systems A method, apparatus, article of manufacture, and a memory structure for delivering purchase information comprising storing purchase information for a purchase of a user in a set top box. The set top box (STB) is configured to receive and display the broadcast signals through a tuner onto a display device. The STB establishes a connection to the Internet through a user initiated action (e.g., when the user accesses the Internet using the STB). A new transmission control/Internet protocol (TCP/IP) connection is obtained using the established user-initiated Internet connection without the user requesting the connection. A secure electronic connection is established with a server through the new TCP/IP connection. The purchase information is then transmitted from the STB through the secure electronic connection to the server.
US08689265B2	Multimedia mobile personalization system A multimedia mobile personalization system provides a remote control that detects a user's electronic tag, e.g. an RFID tag. The remote control notifies a multimedia device of the user's identity. The multimedia devices tailors it operations to the user's preferences stored locally. Multimedia content such as broadcast or recorded television programs, music play lists, and the like could be sorted, displayed, or restricted, depending on the user identifier.
US08689263B2	Backwards-compatible frequency translation module for satellite video delivery A frequency translation module for delivering satellite signals to Integrated Receiver Decoders (IRDs). The module comprises at least one input for receiving polarized satellite signals, wherein at least one input is coupled to at least one low noise block amplifier (LNB), at least one legacy output, the legacy output coupled to the input through a multiswitch, wherein each legacy output selects a polarization of a satellite signal based on a Legacy IRD command directly to the multiswitch, and at least one combined output, the combined output coupled to the multiswitch through an interface, wherein at least one new IRD selectively commands the frequency translation module such that each new IRD receives a portion of a satellite signal based on commands received from each IRD.
US08689258B2	Apparatus, systems and methods for accessing an initial portion of a media content event Systems and methods are operable to retrieve a previously broadcast initial portion of a media content event. An exemplary embodiment stores a media content event at a first media device as the media content event is communicated over a broadcast system; receives a request at the first media device from a second media device, wherein the request identifies an initial portion of a media content event that has previously been communicated over a broadcast system; identifies the initial portion of the media content event from the stored media content event; retrieves the identified initial portion of the media content event; and communicates the initial portion of the media content event from the first media device to the second media device.
US08689249B2	In-home monitoring method and system having a video camera connected to a set-top box Provided is a method of receiving digital television programming content from a television service provider, receiving a first user input of a selected digital television programming content, receiving a message from a system, in response to receiving the message, causing a notification to be displayed on the television as an overlay over the displayed television programming content, receiving a first user command, determining a first control message to transmit to the system in response to receiving the first user command, transmitting the first control message. Also provided is a system including a video camera, an entry way security system, an HVAC system, a lighting system, an alarm system, or other system. User inputs may be received via a remote control to a set top box or from a computing device at a remote computer system through the internet and/or a mobile telephone network.
US08689221B2	Speculative thread execution and asynchronous conflict events In an embodiment, asynchronous conflict events are received during a previous rollback period. Each of the asynchronous conflict events represent conflicts encountered by speculative execution of a first plurality of work units and may be received out-of-order. During a current rollback period, a first work unit is determined whose speculative execution raised one of the asynchronous conflict events, and the first work unit is older than all other of the first plurality of work units. A second plurality of work units are determined, whose ages are equal to or older than the first work unit, wherein each of the second plurality of work units are assigned to respective executing threads. Rollbacks of the second plurality of work units are performed. After the rollbacks of the second plurality of work units are performed, speculative executions of the second plurality of work units are initiated in age order, from oldest to youngest.
US08689215B2	Structured exception handling for application-managed thread units Methods, data structures, instructions, and techniques for structured exception handling for user-level threads in a multi-threading system are provided. Registered filter routines may be dispatched to a thread unit not managed by the operating system (OS). The dispatch may occur by allowing an OS-managed thread unit (proxy) to invoke the OS-provided structured exception handling service (including dispatcher) on behalf of the sequestered thread unit. Alternatively, an OS-managed thread unit may include dispatch code and may, without OS intervention, dispatch the filter routine to the sequestered thread unit. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
US08689214B2	Replication of machine instances in a computing environment Disclosed are various embodiments for replication of machine instances in a computing environment. A clone machine instance is instantiated from a machine image associated with an original machine instance. A stored execution state of the original machine instance is applied to the clone machine instance. At least a portion of a series of stored events received by the original machine instance is applied to the clone machine instance.
US08689211B2	Live migration of virtual machines in a computing environment A method for migrating a virtual machine (VM) in a computing environment is provided. The method comprises receiving a request to migrate a VM executing on a source host to a destination host; defining a recovery point to which the VM is restored during recovery from a fault; and iteratively copying a memory of the source host associated with the VM to the destination host. During the copying, the original state of each page in the memory is preserved. At some point, the VM suspends executing on the source host, copies state information associated with the VM to the destination host, and resumes executing on the destination host. If a fault is detected on the source host, the VM is restored to the recovery point using preserved information.
US08689206B2	Isolating operating system in-memory modules using error injection A continuously operating system is provided and includes a processor and a computer readable medium to which the processor is operatively coupled, the computer readable medium having executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed, cause the processor to continuously load an operating system and to simultaneously operate as at least first and second mechanisms. The first mechanism loads a new module, which is a new version of an in-memory module of the operating system, into the operating system, and the second mechanism isolates and interrupts current access to the in-memory module such that subsequent access is to the new module.
US08689200B1	Method and system for optimizing an executable program by generating special operations for identical program entities A system and method for optimizing the object codes of a computer program is disclosed. The method includes receiving one or more object code units associated with an executable program; identifying, among the object code units, a first program entity and a first set of operations associated with the first program entity and a second program entity and a second set of operations associated with the second program entity, each program entity having an object code segment and an associated address; updating the object code units by inserting a predefined instruction before the first program entity's object code segment and causing the second set of operations to be associated with the predefined instruction if the first program entity's object code segment is identical to the second program entity's object code segment; and combining the updated object code units into the executable program.
US08689196B2	Display of data from parallel programming contexts The display of a debugging interface for use with parallel computing. When a break state has been entered in a particular code context (such as a method) by a particular execution context (such as a thread), related execution contexts are found that were also executing in the particular code context. While in the break state, multiple expressions are then evaluated for each of the execution contexts. The results are then displayed with perhaps navigation controls that allow the results to be efficiently navigated.
US08689194B1	Optimization identification A computer readable medium including executable instructions that when executed perform a method for validating an optimization in generated code using an executable constraints document is provided. The medium can include instructions for relating an assumption to the optimization during code generation. The medium can include instructions for generating the executable constraints document during the code generation, the executable constraints document including information about the relating; and the medium can include instructions for executing the constraints document when the validating is performed, the validating including performing an operation based on a validation result produced by the validating, where the operation includes displaying the validation result to a user, storing the validation result, sending the validation result to a destination, or modifying the generated code.
US08689193B2	Method and apparatus for protecting a software application against a virus A method and apparatus for protecting computer systems from a virus are disclosed. For example, the present method protects against a class of computer viruses that replicate themselves by making use of the knowledge that a specific piece of software code or data component that always resides at a specific relative memory location in RAM for all instances of the software. In one embodiment, the present method divides a software application into a plurality of components and creates distinct copies of the software application by varying the locations of the components when loaded onto a computer system.
US08689191B2	Correct refactoring of concurrent software Automated refactorings as implemented in modern IDEs for Java usually make no special provisions for concurrent code. Thus, refactored programs may exhibit unexpected new concurrent behaviors. We analyze the types of such behavioral changes caused by current refactoring engines and develop techniques to make them behavior-preserving, ranging from simple techniques to deal with concurrency-related language constructs to a framework that computes and tracks synchronization dependencies. By basing our development directly on the Java Memory Model we can state and prove precise correctness results about refactoring concurrent programs. We show that a broad range of refactorings are not influenced by concurrency at all, whereas other important refactorings can be made behavior-preserving for correctly synchronized programs by using our framework. Experience with a prototype implementation shows that our techniques are easy to implement and require only minimal changes to existing refactoring engines.
US08689187B2	Predictive run testing A test object can be selectively included in a test run based on predicting the behavior of the test object. In one embodiment, the present invention includes predicting how likely the test object is to produce a failure in a test run and deciding whether to include the test object in the test run based on the predicted likelihood. This likelihood of producing a failure may be based on any number of circumstances. For example, these circumstances may include the history of prior failures and/or the length of time since the test object was last included in a test run.
US08689180B2	Systems and methods for resource leak detection Systems and methods for detecting resource leaks in a program using static analysis are disclosed. Dynamically adjustable sets of must-access paths can be employed for aliasing purposes to track resources intra- and inter-procedurally through a program. Actionable reports are also disclosed, in which resource leaks are prioritized, filtered and clustered to improve utility.
US08689173B2	Detecting design patterns in models by utilizing transformation language A mechanism is provided for detecting pattern occurrences utilizing a transformation software application on a computer. An input model is received in which the transformation software application is configured to detect model elements playing pattern roles, and report them in an output model (conforming to new pattern result language). A pattern specification is configured as a declarative transformation relation that is used by the transformation software application to detect pattern occurrences in the input model. Pattern occurrences are reported in the output model, where the pattern occurrences are instances of the pattern detected in the input model.
US08689169B2	Method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for providing in situ, customizable information in designing electronic circuits with electrical awareness Disclosed are a method, system, and computer program product for providing customizable information in designing electronic circuits with electrical awareness. The method or the system displays a portion of a physical design of an electronic circuit in a first display area. The method or the system receives or identifies a user's or a system's manipulation of the portion of the physical design of the electronic circuit. The method or the system then determines and displays an in situ response to the manipulation in the first display area. The method or the system may further display, in the first display area or in another display area, result(s) relating to the physical data of a component, electrical parasitic(s) associated with the physical data, electrical characteristic(s) associated with the physical data or the electrical characteristic(s), or other element(s) of the physical design that is impacted by the manipulation.
US08689167B2	Layout design apparatus and layout design method A layout design apparatus includes: a memory unit to store design data of a hierarchical layout of a multilayer circuit including a macro; a channel count calculation unit to calculate a channel count of channels available to lead wiring from a terminal of the macro to a wiring layer based on the design data stored in the memory unit; and a path calculation unit to calculate a path for leading wiring from a terminal of the macro to the wiring layer in ascending order of the channel count.
US08689157B1	Extracting capacitance and resistance from FinFET devices Some embodiments of the invention provide a method for verifying an integrated circuit (IC) design. The method receives a process description file that specifies a process technology for building the IC. The process description file describes a particular device type in which a first conductor overlaps a second conductor by recessing from the second conductor in one or more cut-outs. Based on the process description file, the method finds a section of the IC design that matches the particular device type and uses the description of the particular device type to compute a capacitance value and a resistance value for the section of the IC design.
US08689153B1	M and A for importing hardware description language into a system level design environment A method for importing a design in hardware description language (HDL) into a system level design tool includes setting a sampling time. The simulation model template is generated with the sampling time according to a selected simulation model type.
US08689150B2	Method of fabricating semiconductor device A method of fabricating a semiconductor device includes preparing a layout of the semiconductor device, obtaining contrast of an exposure image of the layout through a simulation under a condition of using a crosspole illumination system, separating the layout into a plurality of sub-layouts based on the contrast of the exposure image, forming a photomask having a mask pattern corresponding to the plurality of sub-layouts, and performing an exposure process using the photomask under an exposure condition of using a dipole illumination system.
US08689145B2	3D remote control system employing absolute and relative position detection The present invention can include three-dimensional remote control systems that can detect an absolute location to which a remote control is pointing in first and second orthogonal axes and an absolute position of the remote control in a third orthogonal axis. Remote control systems of the present invention can employ absolute position detection with relative position detection. Absolute position detection can indicate an initial absolute position of the remote control and relative position detection can indicate changes in the position of the remote control. By combining absolute and relative position detection, remote control systems of the present invention can track remote controls more precisely than systems that only employ absolute position detection. The present invention also can include methods and apparatus for zooming in and out of an image shown on a display based on the absolute position of the remote control in the third axis.
US08689141B2	Dynamic user interface for navigating among GUI elements In one example, a computing device executes a plurality of application processes, each of which has an associated graphical user interface element. The computing device renders a common graphical user interface on a presence-sensitive screen. The common graphical user interface includes a currently rendered graphical user interface element associated with a currently selected application process from among the plurality of application processes; a tab row comprising a plurality of tabs, wherein each of the graphical user interface elements corresponds to one of the plurality of tabs; and a slide bar positioned proximate to the tab row. The computing device renders a first tab in the tab row with a larger size than other graphical tabs in the plurality of tabs responsive to receipt by the presence-sensitive screen of a gesture input associated with a region of the slide bar that is closest to the first tab.
US08689140B2	Remote control unit of air conditioning apparatus having a menu with items displayed in a predetermined order and a top item in the menu being different when a predetermined input is received A remote control unit of an air conditioning apparatus includes a display unit, a cursor-moving member, a confirmation member, and a controller. The display unit displays a menu and a cursor that indicates an item among a plurality of items inside the menu and is moved by the cursor-moving member when operated by a user. The confirmation member is configured to decide that the item is to be executed. The controller controls the display unit in response to the cursor-moving member or confirmation member being operated. The controller positions an item corresponding to a predetermined input at the top of the menu upon receiving the predetermined input.
US08689137B2	Command user interface for displaying selectable functionality controls in a database application An improved user interface is provided for displaying selectable software functionality controls of a database application. When a task-based functionality tab is selected from the user interface, selectable functionality controls provided by the associated database application for performing aspects of a task related to the selected tab are presented in a ribbon-shaped user interface above a workspace in which a user is entering or editing data. Upon selection of a different task-based functionality tab, the presentation of functionality controls associated with the first task is removed, and selectable functionality controls associated with the second selected task-based functionality tab are presented in the user interface. The selectable functionality controls presented in the user interface are grouped into logical groupings for more efficient utilization. An extensibility model is provided for allowing users to develop and use customized user interfaces and to allow utilization of legacy user interfaces.
US08689132B2	Portable electronic device, method, and graphical user interface for displaying electronic documents and lists In a computer-implemented method, a portion of an electronic document is displayed on a touch screen display of a portable multifunction device. The displayed portion has a vertical position and a horizontal position in the electronic document. An object is detected on or near the displayed portion of the electronic document. In response to detecting the object, a vertical bar and a horizontal bar are displayed on top of the displayed portion. The vertical bar has a vertical position on top of the displayed portion that corresponds to the vertical position in the electronic document of the displayed portion. The horizontal bar has a horizontal position on top of the displayed portion that corresponds to the horizontal position in the electronic document of the displayed portion. After a predetermined condition is met, display of the vertical bar and of the horizontal bar is ceased.
US08689128B2	Device, method, and graphical user interface for moving a current position in content at a variable scrubbing rate A method is performed by an electronic device with a display and a touch-sensitive surface. The method includes: displaying a progress icon; detecting a contact at a location that corresponds to the progress icon; detecting contact movement that comprises a first component in a direction corresponding to movement on the display parallel to a first predefined direction and a second component in a direction corresponding to movement on the display perpendicular to the first predefined direction; and, while detecting movement of the contact: determining a current offset distance; and, in response to detecting a current first component of movement of the contact, moving the current position within the content at a scrubbing rate, wherein: the scrubbing rate decreases as the current offset distance increases, and the direction of movement of the current position within the content is in accordance with the direction of the current first component of movement.
US08689124B2	Method, medium, and system for simplifying user management of products during online shopping In accordance with a method for simplifying user management of products during online shopping, an informal storage space for a merchant's web site may be displayed when web pages from the merchant's web site are displayed. The informal storage space may be separate from a shopping cart for the merchant's web site. The informal storage space may include visual identifiers for products that are currently added to the informal storage space. Users may be permitted to compare the products that are currently added to the informal storage space. Users may also be permitted to make modifications to the informal storage space. State information for the informal storage space may be updated to reflect the modifications made to the informal storage space.
US08689110B2	Multi-channel user interface architecture A computer-readable medium, computer-implemented method, and multi-channel user interface system are provided. In one embodiment, a computer-readable medium has instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method. The instructions include providing source code and metadata for a base set of user interfaces, where the base set of user interfaces is capable of being executed on multiple channel. The metadata is capable of configuration for a specific channel. The configuration of metadata for a specific channel includes projecting one or more task flows from a task flow template and configuring one or more regions for each task flow.
US08689104B2	Method for providing remote control device descriptions from a communication node A method of providing a description of a remote control device to a communication device configured to interact with an electronic device over a communication network as a remote control device is presented. In the method, the communication device transfers an indication of the electronic device over the network to a communication node. Afterward, the communication device receives the description of the remote control device associated with the electronic device from the node over the network. The communication device transfers a command associated with the remote control device over the network to the electronic device, wherein the command is generated using the description of the remote control device.
US08689102B2	User interface for creating and using media keys User interface for creating and using media keys. A user interface is provided for outputting media data corresponding to one or more media keys. The same user interface may be used to output media data of different types. The user interface provides user selectable options for performing various actions such as scanning one or more media keys, accessing and loading media data corresponding to media keys, performing actions on the media data accessed for the media keys, generating media keys, creating collections and media keys for collections, performing actions on collections, and other actions.
US08689091B2	Data transmitting device, data receiving device, data transmitting/receiving device, and controlling method of data transmitting/receiving device In a system, a data receiving device comprises a timing signal generation unit that generates a timing signal used for receiving the divided transmission data in each of the transmission paths, a data receiving unit that receives the divided transmission data transmitted by the data transmitting device for each of the transmission paths by using the timing signal generated by the timing signal generation unit, and an error detection unit that extracts the error detection information from the divided transmission data received for each of the transmission paths by the data receiving unit and detects an error of transmission data included in the divided transmission data by using the extracted error detection information.
US08689082B2	Method of operating memory controller, and memory system, memory card and portable electronic device including the memory controller A method of operating a memory controller includes reading data from a first block of a memory device; detecting degraded pages from a plurality of pages of the first block and counting a number of the degraded pages in the first block; and recharging or reclaiming the first block, which includes the degraded pages, based on the counted number of the degraded pages.
US08689080B2	Preemptive memory repair based on multi-symbol, multi-scrub cycle analysis In some example embodiments, a method includes performing a memory scrub of a memory across a scrub cycle of multiple scrub cycles. The method includes identifying correctable errors of symbols in the memory that are a result of accesses from a section of the memory in response to the memory scrub. The method also includes performing an analysis across the multiple scrub cycles, wherein the performing of the analysis comprises determining whether at least two symbols across the multiple scrub cycles have at least one correctable error. The method includes responsive to determining that at least two symbols across the multiple scrub cycles have at least one correctable error, executing at least one repair of the memory that includes the section of memory.
US08689073B2	Signaling reserved hybrid automatic repeat request information for downlink semi-persistent scheduling A method is provided for reuse of one of a plurality of hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) Process ID. The method includes receiving signaling used to associate at least one of the plurality of HARQ Process IDs with semi-persistent scheduling. The method further includes determining an activation of a semi-persistent resource. The method further includes receiving a non-semi-persistent data communication utilizing the at least one of a plurality of HARQ Process IDs.
US08689063B2	JTAG apparatus and method for implementing JTAG data transmission A Joint Test Action Group (JTAG) apparatus and a method for implementing JTAG data transmission are disclosed. The JTAG apparatus includes an isolation circuit connected with a processor and pins of a JTAG programmable logic device, wherein the isolation circuit has a register/registers corresponding to the pins of the JTAG programmable logic device. Based on a high or low level signal written into the register/registers of the isolation circuit by the processor, the isolation circuit drives the pins of the JTAG programmable logic device, and transmits the JTAG data corresponding to the high or low level signal from the processor to the JTAG programmable logic device. The isolation circuit is used to implement protection of a JTAG interface or a serial port of a personal computer connected with the JTAG apparatus.
US08689059B2	System and method for handling system failure A system and a method for handling a system failure are disclosed. The method is adapted for an information handling system having a basic input and output system and a micro-controller. The method includes the following steps: sending, via the micro-controller, a signal; checking, via the micro-controller, whether an acknowledgement is received from the basic input and output system responsive to the signal; and scanning, via the micro-controller, a type of a system failure in response to the acknowledgement being not received.
US08689055B2	Detecting device impairment through statistical monitoring A tool for detecting potential impairment in an electronic device. The tool classifies the user input into various categories and determines some measurement, typically a rate of input per user or per time, for determining average use statistics of the electronic device. The tool then determines if a calculated measurement based on user inputs deviates from the average use statistics past some threshold level of deviation. In response to surpassing the threshold level of deviation, the tool identifies the electronic device as potentially impaired.
US08689054B1	Increased distance of virtual machine mobility over asynchronous distances A system for operating a virtual machine using a first site and a second site of an active/active system is provided. A host cluster and a director cluster may be identified at each of the first site and the second site. A first link may be provided between the host clusters of the first and second sites. A second link may be provided between the director clusters of the first site and second sites. While the virtual machine is operating on the first site, storage data may be transferred from the first site to the second site. An image of the virtual machine may be transferred from the first site to the second site. At least one of the following may be performed: (i) the storage data is transferred using the first link or (ii) the image of the virtual machine is transferred using the second link.
US08689049B2	Corrective actions based on probabilities Techniques for taking corrective action based on probabilities are provided. Request messages may include a size of a data packet and a stated issue interval. A probability of taking corrective action based on the size of the data packet, the stated issue interval, and a target issue interval may be retrieved. Corrective action may be taken with the retrieved probability.
US08689045B2	Apparatus and method for reloading software images An apparatus and method are disclosed for reloading software images. A copy module copies application metadata for an application image to an application metadata copy. The application metadata and application image are stored on a writable memory of a data processing device. The application metadata copy is stored remotely from the data processing device. A detection module detects an operational anomaly. An erasure module erases at least the application image on the writeable memory in response to detecting the operational anomaly. An identification module identifies the application image from the application metadata copy. A reload module reloads the application image to the writable memory using the application metadata copy.
US08689038B2	System and method for providing total real-time redundancy for a plurality of client-server systems An automated and scalable system for total real-time redundancy of a plurality of client-server systems, wherein, data is replicated through a network connection and operationally located on a virtual machine that substitutes for a failed client-server system, wherein the virtual machine is activated and installed on the cloud computing environment. Monitoring applications are installed on both the client-server systems and the cloud computing environment. System components are identified, a network connection is initiated, a heartbeat is established, data replication is automated, system failure is detected, failover is initiated, and subsequent client-server restoration is automated.
US08689037B2	System and method for asynchronously and independently controlling core clocks in a multicore central processing unit A method of controlling core clocks in a multicore central processing unit is disclosed and may include executing a zeroth dynamic clock and voltage scaling (DCVS) algorithm on a zeroth core and executing a first DCVS algorithm on a first core. The zeroth DCVS algorithm may operable to independently control a zeroth clock frequency associated with the zeroth core and the first DCVS algorithm may be operable to independently control a first clock frequency associated with the first core.
US08689035B2	Communication system, communication interface, and synchronization method An interface board includes a synchronizer that synchronizes a first time that is a time of the interface board to a base time based on a master synchronization signal that is supplied by an external master time source and that defines the base time. The interface board also includes a comparator that compares a phase of a first synchronization signal that synchronizes to the first time with a phase of a shared synchronization signal sent by an interface controller that controls the interface board, and a notifier that notifies another interface board of a comparison result of the comparator.
US08689032B2	Secondary battery charging control apparatus An information processing apparatus capable of installing a plurality of storage units includes a first supply unit configured to supply electric power to the plurality of storage units, a second supply unit configured to supply electric power to the plurality of storage units, when the first supply unit stops supplying electric power to the plurality of storage units, a charging unit configured to charge the second supply unit, a measurement unit configured to measure a time during which the second supply unit supplies electric power to the plurality of storage units, a detection unit configured to detect a number of the storage units installed on the information processing apparatus, a determination unit configured to determine a time during which the second supply unit should be charged, based on the time which has been measured by the measurement unit and the number of units which has been detected by the detection unit, and a control unit configured to perform control that the charging unit charges the second supply unit for a period of the time which has been determined by the determination unit.
US08689026B2	Enhancing power efficiency in a wireless internet card A wireless internet card to support enhancing power efficiency. The wireless internet comprises a front end comprising shared frequency resources. The wireless internet card also comprises a first wireless block and a second wireless block. While the first wireless block is in low-power mode, the second wireless block may get access to the shared radio frequency resources without waking-up the first wireless block thus enhancing the power efficiency. The second wireless block sends a request to the first wireless block to use shared radio frequency resources. A coexistence block coupled to the second wireless block and the first wireless block may wait for a time duration to elapse after the request is received and may allow the second wireless block to use the shared radio frequency resources if the time duration is elapsed.
US08689017B2	Server power manager and method for dynamically managing server power consumption A server power manager and method for dynamic server power management are generally described herein. The server power manager is configured to implement one or more server management policies that identify target server power consumption and/or target functionality for the server system. The server power manager determines an amount of excess processing capability and/or an amount of excess physical memory based on the target server power consumption and the target functionality. The server power manager may transition a processor core to a lower-operational state when at least a predetermined amount of excess processing capability is determined while maintaining server system functionality. The server power manager may transition a memory module to a lower-operational state when at least a predetermined amount of excess physical memory is determined while maintaining the server system functionality.
US08689009B2	Authentication-secured access to a data carrier comprising a mass storage device and chip The invention provides a method for accessing the mass memory of a data carrier with a mass memory and a chip. The data carrier has been or is personalized by an individual date of a use device which is or has already been stored in(to) the chip to a use device for accessing the data carrier, so that the data carrier can only be used with this use device.
US08689008B2	Operating system A new and improved operating system comprising a series of self-contained interconnected modules and service layers for connecting proprietary systems together and extracting and translating data therefrom enables existing software systems to operate and cooperate in an existing software ecosystem while allowing flexible connections with both existing and new applications.
US08689005B2	Method for managing and controlling access to confidential information contained in portable electronic media A method of the management for confidential information contained in portable memory media provides recognition by a biometric identification element of the individual who is the proprietor of the information in the proprietor medium; recognition by a biometric identification element of an interlocutor individual, set for inserting and managing the confidential information, who in turn possesses an interlocutor memory medium with identification functions; automatic interfacing and matching between the proprietor medium and the interlocutor medium in terms of user identifications in order to authenticate the access to the stored information on the basis of the preconfigured access permissions; and attachment of a digital signature based on an asymmetric key for the updated/modified information stored on the proprietor medium and on the interlocutor medium.
US08689001B1	Method and system for protecting user identification information A method and system for protecting identity information comprises determining identity information required by a resource utilized by a user, determining strength of the identity information used by the user to access the resource, and performing an action in view of the strength.
US08688999B2	Methods for identifying audio or video content Methods and systems for identifying audio and video entertainment content are provided. Certain shortcomings of fingerprint-based content identification can be redressed through use of human-reviewers in a first party's social networking site environment. Access to a copy of a possible fingerprint-based match of user uploaded content is provided to a second party via a queue of an online interface provided by the first party. In response to providing access to the copy of the user uploaded content, manual human assessment data is obtained from the second party through the online interface. The manual human assessment data indicating a result of a comparison of the copy of the user uploaded content and data associated with reference content by one or more human reviewer(s). The manual human assessment data is used in concluding that the reference content corresponds with the user uploaded content.
US08688997B2	Using digital certificates in document distribution One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that uses digital certificates to facilitate enforcing licensing terms for applications that manipulate documents. During operation, the system obtains a credential, wherein the credential includes a private key and a digital certificate containing a corresponding public key. This digital certificate also contains a profile specifying allowed operations which can be performed on documents signed with the credential. Next, the system digitally signs a document using the credential, so that the resulting signed document is signed with the private key and includes a copy of the digital certificate with the profile specifying the allowed operations. The certificate issuer can subsequently revoke the digital certificate (which effectively revokes the license) if teens of a license agreement associated with the digital certificate are violated.
US08688996B2	Multipad encryption A method for protecting a message or document. The method comprises encrypting the message using a first key associated with a first party; sending the encrypted message to a second party; encrypting the message using a second key associated with the second party, so that it is encrypted with two keys simultaneously; sending the encrypted message to the first party; decrypting the message using the first key; sending the message to the second party, the message being encrypted with the second key, and using the second key to decrypt the encrypted message, thereby exposing the original message.
US08688995B2	Method and apparatus for detection of a fault attack The invention concerns a method of detecting a fault attack including providing a plurality of blinding values; generating a first set of data elements including a first group of data elements and at least one additional data element generated by performing the exclusive OR between at least one data element in the first group and at least one of the blinding values; generating a second set of data elements corresponding to the exclusive OR between each data element of the first set and a selected one of the plurality of blinding values; generating a first signature by performing a commutative operation between each of the data elements of the first set; generating a second signature by performing the commutative operation between each of the data elements of the second set; and comparing the first and second signatures to detect a fault attack.
US08688993B2	Method and apparatus for determining and using the sampling frequency for decoding watermark information embedded in a received signal sampled with an original sampling frequency at encoder side In watermarked signal decoding, the embedded message is decoded by correlating the reference patterns with the watermarked signal. The watermark detector decides, depending on the size of the correlation result values, whether or not a given reference pattern was embedded. However, decoding watermarked audio or video signals is difficult if the link between the watermark encoder and the watermark decoder is not a digital one, for example an acoustic path. A re-sampler control unit controls the sampling frequency of a re-sampler, in connection with a watermark decoder that outputs, in addition to the watermark information bits, a corresponding confidence value that is derived from the correlation result and that is used for synchronizing the re-sampler sampling frequency with the original sampling frequency of the watermarked signal. The synchronization processing includes a search mode and a synchronized mode.
US08688979B2	Means of mitigating denial of service attacks on IP fragmentation in high performance IPSEC gateways Embodiments of the invention reduce the probability of success of a DOS attack on a node receiving packets by decreasing the probability of random collisions of packets sent by a malicious user with those sent by honest users. The probability of random collisions may be reduced in one class of embodiments of the invention by supplementing the identification field of the IP header of each transmitted packet with at least one bit from another field of the header. The probability of random collisions may be reduced in another class of embodiments of the invention by ensuring that packets sent from a transmitting IPsec node to a receiving IPsec node are not fragmented.
US08688976B2	Method for issuing a digital certificate by a certification authority, arrangement for performing the method, and computer system of a certification authority In a method for issuing a digital certificate by a certification authority (B), a device (A) sends a request message to the certification authority (B) for issuing the certificate, the certification authority (B) receives the request message and sends a request for authenticating the device (A) to the device (A), the device (A) sends a response to the certification authority (B) in response to the received request, and the certification authority (B) checks the received response and generates the certificate and sends the certificate to the device (A), if the response was identified as correct.
US08688971B2	Remote access method All operations available on an intranet are securely performed from an outside of the intranet without taking out a file on the intranet from the intranet. A file on the intranet is not taken out, but, instead of this, image information on a target computer 1 is transmitted to an operational computer 4 with the http protocol, the https protocol, or the SSL protocol, and keyboard information, pointing information, or the like are transmitted from an operational computer 4 to the target computer 1. Consequently, the target computer 1 is operated.
US08688968B2	Preloading an application while an operating system loads This disclosure describes techniques and/or apparatuses for reducing the total time used to boot up a computer and load applications onto the computer.
US08688964B2	Programmable exception processing latency A digital processor with programmable exception processing latency, may have a central processing unit (CPU) of a digital processor, an exception controller coupled with the CPU, and a control register coupled with the CPU, wherein the control register is operable to set the operation mode of the CPU in at least one of two modes, wherein in the first mode the CPU has a fixed exception processing latency time, and in a second mode the CPU has a variable exception processing latency time.
US08688958B2	System for data collection from processing elements in a SIMD processor A processor has a plurality of PEs (processing elements) that operate in parallel based on operation commands and an information collection unit that collects the data of the plurality of PEs, wherein each of the plurality of PEs holds data and a condition flag, supplies the data and the condition flag to the information collection unit upon receiving an operation command, and upon receiving an update request for updating the condition flag, updates the condition flag in accordance with the update request that was received; and the information collection unit, upon receiving the data and the condition flags, selects one PE based on a predetermined order of priority from among the PEs for which the received condition flags are active and both supplies the data of the selected PE as collection result data and supplies an update request for updating the condition flag of the PE that was selected.
US08688954B2	Remapping inoperable memory blocks using pointers Inoperable bits are determined in a memory block. Rather than abandon the block as inoperable, a data structure is generated that includes at least one memory page pointer that identifies the location of the inoperable bits in the memory block. The data structure is stored in one of a group of memory blocks that are reserved for the data structures. A pointer to the data structure is stored in metadata associated with the memory block with the inoperable bits. When a later memory operation is received for the memory block, the pointer is retrieved from the metadata and the memory page pointers are used to avoid the inoperable bits.
US08688949B2	Modifying data storage in response to detection of a memory system imbalance A method begins by a processing module determining an imbalance between inode memory utilization and data storage memory utilization. When the imbalance compares unfavorably to an imbalance threshold, the method continues with the processing module determining whether the inode memory utilization is out of balance with respect to the data storage memory utilization or whether the data storage memory utilization is out of balance with respect to the inode memory utilization. When the inode memory utilization is out of balance with respect to the data storage memory utilization, the method continues with the processing module transferring a set of data objects from a data object section to a data block section and transferring object mapping information of the set of data objects into block mapping information for the set of data objects.
US08688948B2	Flexible memory controller for autonomous mapping of memory A memory controller implements flexible memory mapping for storage of data units in a memory. The memory controller logically partitions the memory into a plurality of blocks or block segments and manages the storage of data units among the plurality of blocks/block segments. The memory controller can operate in one of three modes: a monolithic mode whereby the memory is modeled as a plurality of blocks, whereby each block is treated as a “monolithic” block; a fragmented mode whereby the memory is modeled as a plurality of blocks segments of varying sizes; and a combined mode whereby the memory is initially partitioned into a plurality of equal-sized blocks, and whereby each block can be used as a monolithic block or a fragmented block comprising a plurality of block segments of different sizes, and wherein monolithic blocks can be converted to fragmented blocks and fragmented blocks can be converted back to monolithic blocks.
US08688945B2	Endless memory A storage device includes a controller that is configured to execute safe deletion operations so as to free up storage space on the device in response to triggering events. The safe deletion operations ensure that the data states of a host device making use of the storage device and the storage device itself are synchronized so as to prevent deletion of data from the storage device before it is offloaded to another storage platform.
US08688941B2	System and method for controlling automated page-based tier management in storage systems System and method for automated page-based management in storage systems. The system includes host computers, file servers and a storage system having automated page-based management means. The storage system interface receives instructions to change the condition for decision for migration regarding particular parts or the whole volume. The host computer can control execution of the migration performed by the storage system by specifying areas or volumes with the condition via the interface. Highly optimized, appropriate data placement and data relocation in computer system can be achieved when the application, host computer or management computer can recognize or predict the usage of the data or files. The storage system having automated page-based management may include compression/decompression and a control method for the compression and decompression process.
US08688934B1	Method for caching data A method of caching data includes: A. mirroring data processed by a first storage processor and a second storage processor between a first memory device of the first storage processor and a second memory device of the second storage processor; B. each of the first storage processor and the second storage processor monitoring an availability of the other of the first storage processor and the second storage processor; C. copying data stored in the first memory device to a third memory device and mirroring data processed by the first storage processor between the first memory device and the third memory device when the second storage processor becomes unavailable to the first storage processor; and D. copying data from the first memory device to the second memory device and mirroring data processed by the first storage processor and the second storage processor between the first memory device and the second memory device when the second storage processor becomes available to the first storage processor.
US08688932B2	Virtual computer system and method of controlling the same In a virtual computer system controlling a disk volume and a virtual server which is connected to the disk volume, to which the area of the disk volume is allocated as a virtual disk and which executes a process using the allocated virtual disk, the virtual computer system erases information stored in the virtual disk allocated to the virtual server to be deleted correspondingly with the deletion of the virtual server. An administrative server may be provided to select a server system which is low in load from among plural server systems controlling virtual servers as a server system for erasing information stored in the virtual disk allocated to the virtual server to be deleted.
US08688929B2	Method for storing data as well as a transponder, a read/write-device, a computer readable medium including a program element and such a program element adapted to perform this method A method for storing or reading data in a memory array of a transponder and a corresponding transponder, read/write device and program element is described. Therein, a data file system for storing data within the memory array is defined by a predetermined protocol. The method for storing additional data includes checking whether a memory size of the application data file is larger than the memory size indicated by the application data length indicator; and storing second application data in a partial memory area of the application data file not occupied by the first application data. Thereby, memory areas which, according to the predetermined protocol, are not used can be used for new applications, data can be hidden in these areas such that they can not be read by protocol compliant reader devices and the data structure read or written by the method of the invention is compatible with the former predetermined protocol.
US08688915B2	Weighted history allocation predictor algorithm in a hybrid cache A mechanism is provided for weighted history allocation prediction. For each member in a plurality of members in a lower level cache, an associated reference counter is initialized to an initial value based on an operation type that caused data to be allocated to a member location of the member. For each access to the member in the lower level cache, the associated reference counter is incremented. Responsive to a new allocation of data to the lower level cache and responsive to the new allocation of data requiring the victimization of another member in the lower level cache, a member of the lower level cache is identified that has a lowest reference count value in its associated reference counter. The member with the lowest reference count value in its associated reference counter is then evicted.
US08688912B2	Management of object mapping information corresponding to a distributed storage system Systems and methods for managing mapping information for objects maintained in a distributed storage system are provided. The distributed storage system can include a keymap subsystem that manages the mapping information according to object keys. Requests for specific object mapping information are directed to specific keymap coordinators within the keymap subsystem. Each keymap coordinator can maintain a cache for caching mapping information maintained at various information sources. To manage the cache, the keymap system can utilize information placeholders that replace previously cached keymap information while a request to modify keymap information is being processed by the information sources. Each keymap coordinator can process subsequently received keymap information read requests in the event an information placeholder is cached as the current cached keymap information.
US08688904B1	Method for managing data storage A number of accesses of a portion of data at a first storage device is accumulated. The number of accesses is periodically decremented by a predetermined amount. Based at least in part on the number of accesses, it is determined whether the portion of data of is a candidate for migration to a second storage device.
US08688902B2	Method and system for processing access control lists using an exclusive-or sum-of-products evaluator A method includes receiving input data comprising a plurality of bits and processing an access control list into an ESOP expression comprising a plurality of product terms. The method also includes storing a plurality of bits associated with the plurality of product terms in a TCAM comprising a plurality of rows and comparing the plurality of bits associated with the input data to the plurality of bits associated with the product terms stored in each row of the plurality of rows, such that each row of the TCAM outputs a plurality of signals, such that each of the plurality of signals indicate a match or no match for each bit stored in the selected row. The method includes receiving the plurality of signals from the plurality of rows by an ESOP evaluator and outputting an address associated with a selected row from the plurality of rows of the TCAM.
US08688898B2	Memory device configured to execute plural access commands in parallel and memory access method therefor According to one embodiment, a memory device includes a memory, a memory interface, a command generator, an access command returning module and a command progress manager. The memory interface accesses the memory in parallel in accordance with access commands. The command generator speculatively issues access commands to the memory interface. The access command returning module returns access commands already issued to the memory interface and unexecuted at a time of occurrence of an error, through corresponding purge responses. The command progress manager updates command progress management information such that the command progress management information indicates the oldest one of the unexecuted access commands. The command generator reissues the returned unexecuted access commands to the memory interface based on the updated command progress management information.
US08688897B2	Cache memory management in a flash cache architecture Provided are a system, method, and computer program product for managing cache memory to cache data units in at least one storage device. A cache controller is coupled to at least two flash bricks, each comprising a flash memory. Metadata indicates a mapping of the data units to the flash bricks caching the data units, wherein the metadata is used to determine the flash bricks on which the cache controller caches received data units. The metadata is updated to indicate the flash brick having the flash memory on which data units are cached.
US08688888B1	Computer peripheral device and operating method thereof A computer peripheral device, which is adapted to a computer system having a system-end connecting interface, includes a device-end connecting interface, an impedance unit and a control unit. The device-end connecting interface includes a power pin and a ground drain pin. The power pin electrically connects to a power source of the computer system and generates a voltage level on the ground drain pin. The impedance unit electrically connects to the power pin and ground drain pin of the device-end connecting interface respectively and decreases the voltage level of the ground drain pin optionally. The control unit electrically connects to the ground drain pin of the device-end connecting interface and determines a USB specification of the system-end connecting interface according to the voltage level of the ground drain pin.
US08688884B2	Information processing system and functionality expansion apparatus An information processing system is disclosed which includes: an information processing apparatus proper configured to include an optical communication connection portion establishing optical communication connection; a first functionality expansion apparatus configured to have an optical communication connection portion optically communicating with the information processing apparatus proper, and a first processing function portion processing or storing data for use by the information processing apparatus; and a second functionality expansion apparatus configured to have an optical communication connection portion optically communicating with the first functionality expansion apparatus, and a second processing function portion.
US08688879B2	Memory interface and method of interfacing between functional entities A data and signal interface for controlling the transfer of data and signals between a memory array and macro function such as that of a digital signal processor (DSP) core. In one embodiment, the interface comprises a plurality of memory ports which interface with X/Y memory banks, a plurality of function ports, each with a function controller, which interface with DSP functions, a crossbar connecting the memory and function ports, and an arbitration unit for arbitrating memory access by the function ports. The memory interface advantageously allows multiple simultaneous accesses of memory banks via a plurality of macro functions, each access under the control of a parent processor instruction. A standardized protocol used for memory read/write operations is also disclosed.
US08688872B2	Method and device for managing queues, and corresponding computer program product A method for managing a queue, such as for example a FIFO queue, and executing a look-ahead function on the data contained in the queue includes associating to the data in the queue respective state variables (C1, C2, . . . CK), the value of each of which represents the number of times a datum is present in the queue. The look-ahead function is then executed on the respective state variables, preferentially using a number of state variables (C1, C2, . . . CK) equal to the number of different values that may be assumed by the data in the queue. The look-ahead function can involve identification of the presence of a given datum in the queue and is, in that case, executed by verifying whether among the state variables (C1, C2, . . . CK) there exists a corresponding state variable with non-nil value.
US08688862B1	Systems and methods for monitoring input signal parameters Systems and methods for monitoring input signal parameters are provided. One embodiment may include an input unit for receiving at least three signals. The at least three signals can comprise at least one value associated with at least one monitored parameter. The system may further include at least one controller for determining that the at least one value of the at least three signals is outside of a predetermined range of values, detecting a deviation in the at least one value associated with the at least three signals from an expected value within the predetermined range of values, determining that the deviation exceeds a predetermined period of time threshold, and determining a change in at least one of the at least three signals based at least in part on the determination that the deviation exceeds the threshold period of time.
US08688860B2	Personalized account migration system and method A method for migrating information, and a migrator for migrating information, are disclosed. The method may include extracting organizational information from at least two service providers, accessing a first at least one of the at least two service providers upon selection of a migration selection interface by the user, receiving of a first plurality of information related to the user from one of the service providers, accessing a second at least one of the at least two service providers, and writing the first plurality of information to the second at least one of the at least two service providers. The migrator includes an importer in communicative connection with at least one migrate-from service provider, a normalizer that receives a first plurality of information from the importer and converts the first plurality to a standard format, a denormalizer that receives the standard format from the normalizer and converts the standard format to a second plurality of information, and an exporter communicatively connected to a migrate-to service provider, which exporter receives the second plurality of information from the denormalizer and sends the second plurality to the migrate-to service provider.
US08688859B2	Network transcoding system The system is a distributed video transcoding system that allows content to be transformed from one digital format to another close to the ingest and delivery points to minimize the time and cost of the transfer between end points. Additionally by making transcoding an integral part of the distribution of content itself, significant efficiencies can be gained. The distribution can be improved by transcoding at different phases of the transfer. Within the system decisions can be made to utilize different transcoding resources based on various business rules and priorities.
US08688856B2	Techniques for managing a network delivery path of content via a key Techniques for distributing content over a network via keys are provided. A key is associated with a particular destination or with a particular piece of content. A path management service derives and selectively communicates portions of a network path for moving the content to a destination on the basis of a value for a key. Any intermediate processing resource receives a next location within the path for forwarding the content from the path management service in response to presenting the key.
US08688850B2	Method for inter-site data stream transfer in cooperative data stream processing A cooperative data stream processing system is provided that utilizes a plurality of independent, autonomous and potentially heterogeneous sites in a cooperative arrangement to process user-defined inquiries over dynamic, continuous streams of data. The system derives jobs from the inquiries and these jobs are executed on the various distributed sites by executing applications containing processing elements on these sites. Therefore, components of a given job can be executed simultaneously and in parallel on a plurality of sites within in the system. The sites associated with a given job execution have the need to share data, both primal and derived. A tunnel mechanism is provided that establishes tunnels between pairs of sites within the system. Each tunnel includes either a sink processing element on an originating site and a source processing element on a destination site or a gateway processing element on each site and a network connection between the sink and source processing elements. The sink and source processing elements are in communication with application processing elements on their respective sites and facilitate the exchange of data between these application processing elements. Tunnels can be establish on demand or in accordance with a prescribed plan and can be job specific of generic to any job executing on a given pair of sites.
US08688834B2	Dynamic host configuration and network access authentication According to some embodiments, systems and methods for binding dynamic host configuration and network access authentication are provided related to, inter alia, interactions between a PAA (PANA Authentication Agent) and a DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) server, such as, e.g., for synchronization between the PANA SA state and the DHCP SA state, such as, e.g., maintaining synchronization when a connection is lost. In some embodiments, systems and methods for binding network bridge and network access authentication are also provided related to, inter alia, interactions between a PAA and a layer-2 switch, such as, e.g., for avoiding service thefts and the like (such as, e.g., MAC address and/or IP address spoofing) in the context of, e.g., the above. In some other embodiments, systems and methods for bootstrapping multicast security from network access authentication protocol are also provided related to, inter alia, key management for protected IP multicast streams, such as, e.g., to avoid IP multicast streams unnecessarily received and/or processed by unauthorized receivers connected to the same layer 2 segment as authorized receivers in the context of, e.g., the above.
US08688833B1	Autonomous robotic telescope system A worldwide network of Autonomous Robotic Telescope Systems (ARTS) tracks and analyzes space objects (satellites, shuttle, space debris, etc.) and astronomical objects (asteroids, comets, supernovas, etc.), and includes the ability to automatically schedule observations using remote, programmable or Internet controllable information networks. The system works with commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) items that include telescopes, mounts, cameras (e.g. CCD), software and computers. The telescope systems operate autonomously and remotely over Internet lines. Automatic scheduling is achieved by programming the slave telescope control computer. Satellite propagators and two line elements necessary for satellite tracking are provided on several Internet sites. Strategically placing these small portable telescope systems around the world enables users to acquire worldwide space object coverage and to be geographically diverse. This is also a cost effective way to provide necessary data to users.
US08688822B2	Push e-mail inferred network presence The presence of a user or device on a network is inferred without requiring permission or exposure from a service provider or network operator. If updates for a user have been pending past a specified amount of time, the user can be inferred to not be present. If the user has requested updates within that specified time, the user can be inferred to be present. If presence cannot be inferred from past activity, a wake-up event can be sent to the user. The wake-up event can be piggy-backed on an existing protocol in order to have easy access to the user. If the user is present on the network, the user will respond to the wake-up event and the user's presence can be determined. If the user does not respond, it can be inferred that the user is not present. This presence can be provided to a third party.
US08688819B2	Query optimization in a parallel computer system with multiple networks A database query optimizer optimizes a query that uses multiple networks. The database query optimizer optimizes a query that uses multiple networks to satisfy the query by splitting the query execution to use multiple networks. Thus, the query optimizer rewrites or optimizes a query to execute on multiple nodes or networks to more efficiently execute the query and reduce network traffic on a network. The query optimizer uses plan cache statistics to determine whether to use multiple networks to optimize the query.
US08688818B2	Administering devices with domain state objects Example embodiments of the present invention include a method for administering devices. Such example embodiments include receiving a domain state object, identifying an action in dependence upon the domain state object, and executing the action. In many example embodiments, receiving a domain state object includes receiving a signal to download the domain state object from a mobile sensor, and downloading the domain state object from the mobile sensor.
US08688815B2	System and method for welder with help request functionality A welder includes a network interface configured to connect to a network. The welder includes a user interface that indicates to a user entities to whom help requests may be sent and receives from the user a selection of an entity to whom to send a help request. A data store stores welder data and entity data. The welder data includes welder identification and location information, and the entity data correlates entities to respective communication modes. The welder includes a communication logic that receives signals from the user interface indicating the selection and receives from the data store the welder data and the entity data. The communication logic also generates the help request in at least one format corresponding and directed to a communication mode correlated to the selected entity. The welder further includes a processor that causes the network interface to transmit the help request in the network.
US08688814B2	Methods and apparatuses for notifying an application function of resource restrictions relating to a communication session The invention relates to a method of notifying an Application Function (AF) in a communications network of resource restrictions relating to a communication session. The network includes a Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF) for authorising and controlling flows of data in the session. In the method the AF sends an authorisation request to the PCRF for establishing the communication session. The authorisation request includes an indication that the AF is to be notified of resource restrictions for the data flows in the session. The PCRF notifies the AF of the resource restrictions.
US08688811B2	Projector, projector system, and control method A projector connected to a terminal device via a network includes: a confirming unit to confirm whether an IP address has been changed; a creating unit to create an executable file for executing image transfer software using a changed IP address, if the IP address is confirmed to have been changed; a delivering unit to deliver the executable file in response to a request from the terminal device; a receiving unit to receive, from the terminal device in which the image transfer software has been run by the executable file, a connection based on the changed IP address and receive a transfer of image information on an image being displayed in the terminal device; and a projecting unit to project the image being displayed in the terminal device using the image information.
US08688806B2	Procedure, apparatus, system, and computer program for collecting data used for analytics A procedure for operating a communication network including a network device that is in communication in the network with at least one user communication terminal and at least one server that server that provides content. The procedure includes receiving a message from one of the user communication terminal and the server, inserting at least one of an identifier of the user communication terminal and an identifier of the server in the message, and forwarding the message, including the at least one identifier inserted in the inserting, towards another of the user communication terminal and the server. A computer program, apparatus, and communication network also operate in accordance with the procedure.
US08688802B2	System, method and computer program product for serving an application from a custom subdomain In accordance with embodiments, there are provided mechanisms and methods for serving an application from a custom subdomain. These mechanisms and methods for serving an application from a custom subdomain can enable improved data security, enhanced system performance, optimized resource utilization, etc.
US08688791B2	Methods and systems for analysis of real-time user-generated text messages The present invention generally relates to methods and systems for analysis of real-time user-generated text messages. The methods and systems allow analysis to be performed using term associations and geographical and temporal constraints.
US08688789B2	Progressive messaging apparatus and method capable of supporting near real-time communication An email client capable of supporting real-time communication of time-based media. The email client includes a session element configured to establish a session with a server when an email address addressing a recipient within a domain is defined. As soon as the email address is defined, a transmitting element of the email client is configured to progressively and simultaneously transmit time-based media as the time-based media is being created to the recipient via a route at least partially discovered by a lookup of the domain of the email address. By at least partially discovering the route to the recipient as soon as the email address of the recipient is defined, the transmitting element may progressively deliver the time-based media to the recipient.
US08688781B2	System and method for creating multimedia content channel customized for social network The present invention introduces a method, system and computer program product for automatically creating and managing a social network consisting of at least one member, automatically selecting content according to contextual information about the member(s) of the social network, automatically creating and managing a channel of the content for the member(s) of the social network, automatically scheduling and managing the playback time of the content of the channel according to contextual information about the member(s) of the social network, the features of the channel, and the features of the content, and delivering the content of the channel to the member(s) of the social network according to the schedule. The system, method, and computer program product described herein also incorporate different charging strategies that charge a user, and give a user incentives and apply a penalty in return of special actions performed by the user.
US08688779B2	Publishing location for a limited time A method and user device for limiting a time for which location data sharing is enabled for a user device of a data sharing group, the data sharing group comprising at least two user devices inclusive of the user device, each user device of the data sharing group configured to store data shared by user devices of the data sharing group on the respective user device and to maintain a list of the user devices in the data sharing group. The method comprises receiving an instruction through a user interface on the user device indicating that location data sharing is to be enabled for a limited time period after which location sharing is to be disabled, obtaining location data for the user device during the limited time period; and sending the location data to at least one other user device of the sharing group during the limited time period.
US08688778B2	Processing browser requests based on trap lists Processing a browser request that specifies a destination network resource generally includes intercepting a browser request that specifies a selected destination network resource and redirecting the browser request to a network server that differs from the destination resource specified by the browser request. Processing a browser request also may include intercepting a browser request received from a client computer at a proxy server when the browser request specifies a selected destination network resource and performing instructions associated with and in addition to instructions performed to download the selected destination network resource.
US08688770B2	System and method for job management between mobile devices A system for job management between mobile devices includes a processor configured to store in a storage messages and data pertaining to job assignments and reassignments to build a historical record concerning each job assignment and reassignment, to receive from a dispatch terminal requests containing messages and data pertaining to creating and allocating job assignments and reassignments at and between mobile devices, to communicate via a communication interface with the mobile devices, to execute the requests by creating and allocating the job assignments and reassignments at and between the mobile devices, and to output to a storage the messages and data pertaining to the allocation of job assignments and reassignments in order to add to and maintain the historical record in the storage concerning each job assignment and reassignment with respect to the mobile devices.
US08688766B2	Method for managing the allocation of data into a peer-to-peer network and peer implementing such method A method and apparatus to manage allocation of data to peers in a peer-to-peer network, where the peers in the peer-to-peer network use distributed hash tables for addressing the peers, the peers associated with bit addresses, including dividing a virtual scene into a plurality of cells, each cell associated with a bit identifier, neighboring cells of the virtual scene associated with bit identifiers which differ from each other by one bit and allocating data in each cell of the virtual scene to peers whose bit address is closest to the bit identifier of the cells.
US08688764B2	System, method and software product for ordering image products using images stored on a digital storage device from a plurality of order terminals The present invention is directed to a system, method, and software product for ordering of digital photo services among a plurality order terminals each being associated with one of a plurality of business entities, using a digital image provided on a digital storage device associated with one of a plurality of digital storage device providers. The method includes maintaining information with respect to business relationships between the plurality of digital storage device providers and the plurality of business entities; providing a digital storage device at one of the order terminals; and providing an offering at the one order terminal based on a business relationship between the business entity associated with the one order terminal and the digital device provider associated with the digital storage device.
US08688751B2	Association and extraction of content artifacts from a graphical representation of electronic content A computer implemented method and system is provided for associating and extracting content artifacts from a graphical representation of electronic content. A multi-dimensional virtual lattice comprising one or more grid layers is created. The nodes of the multi-dimensional virtual lattice represent metadata acquired from predefined content criteria. Electronic content comprising content artifacts acquired from multiple content sources is graphically represented within the multi-dimensional virtual lattice using the grid layers. Each of the content artifacts from the electronic content attaches to one or more nodes of the multi-dimensional virtual lattice. A user provides search criteria comprising keywords. The content artifacts attached to nodes of the multi-dimensional virtual lattice whose metadata matches with the keywords are extracted and displayed to the user. The graphical representation of electronic content in the multi-dimensional virtual lattice is used to associate, extract, composite, project, and organize the content artifacts acquired from the content sources.
US08688734B1	System for and methods of controlling user access and/or visibility to directories and files of a computer A system includes a file access manager driver and a kernel file system driver stack in a kernel-mode address space of an operating system (OS). The system also includes session processes, a public file whitelist; a public file whitelist manager; a user/group file whitelist, which is a private whitelist; and a user/group file whitelist manager in a user-mode address space of the OS. A method includes receiving a request for access and/or visibility to a directory and/or file and then determining whether the request is allowed to execute based on whether the file access manager driver identifies that the directory and/or file is allowed in either public or private whitelists.
US08688733B2	Remote inventory manager A documentation inventory manager which assigns a protection key to each piece of documentation that is received. More specifically, when providing information to a receiving company, a client provides their files to a common FTP server. As a support team of the receiving company accesses the files and stores some or all of the files to a local storage system, the files are modified to include an imbedded header record. In certain embodiments, the imbedded header record includes information regarding an original file name sent by the client, a key value that is assigned to that version of the downloaded file, permissions such as whether the file can be copied, and the inventory manager location. Each time a version of the file is downloaded to a different location within the receiving company, that file name, location, and new unique key is updated in the documentation inventory manager.
US08688732B1	System for mining research data Comparative decision systems and methods are disclosed for gathering and mining data representative of purchase decisions. One disclosed comparative decision system detects when a user is comparing items and provides the user with the ability to create a research note storing comparative information for the alternative items. The system displays information about items according to a variety of factors. The user can customize the factors and enter information for each alternative item according to the various factors. Some information may be pre-populated by the system. The research note may be made visible to other users, and may be suggested to another user based on the note's expected helpfulness and relevance to that user. One disclosed method for mining data stored within research notes identifies which factors are given higher relative priorities by users considering a purchase. Another mining method analyzes the effects of price changes on item popularity.
US08688720B1	Method and apparatus for characterizing documents based on clusters of related words One embodiment of the present invention provides a system characterizes a document with respect to clusters of conceptually related words. Upon receiving a document containing a set of words, the system selects “candidate clusters” of conceptually related words that are related to the set of words. These candidate clusters are selected using a model that explains how sets of words are generated from clusters of conceptually related words. Next, the system constructs a set of components to characterize the document, wherein the set of components includes components for candidate clusters. Each component in the set of components indicates a degree to which a corresponding candidate cluster is related to the set of words.
US08688706B2	Topic based user profiles A system and method for developing a user's profile based on the user's interaction with content items. A module on the client rendering the content items or the service including the content items tracks the user's interactions with the content items and transmits the tracked data to a user analysis module. The user analysis module determines the topics associated with the interacted upon content items. The user analysis module then selects the topics for the user's profiles based on the received tracked data and the associated topics. The selected topics are stored in association with the user profile.
US08688704B1	User feedback in people search clustering Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for people search results. In general, one aspect of the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in methods that include the actions of receiving a search query, the search query including one or more terms including an individual identifier; identifying search results associated with one or more individuals corresponding to the individual identifier in the search query, the search results identifying resources clustered according to the one or more individuals; presenting one or more search results; receiving user feedback associated with a presented search result; and processing the received feedback to determine whether to modify a cluster associated with the individual.
US08688695B2	Computerized searchable document repository using separate metadata and content stores and full text indexes A computerized searchable repository stores documents as structured metadata parts and unstructured content parts using single instancing. A full text index used for keyword searching includes a metadata index and a content index. A linking structure includes metadata-to-content (MD to CT) links and content-to-metadata (CT to MD) linking entries, with each MD to CT link linking a metadata part of a document to each content part of the document, and each CT to MD linking entry having one or more CT to MD links collectively linking a content part to the metadata parts of the documents that include the content part. Indexing includes metadata indexing a metadata part, conditionally content indexing a content part, and updating the linking structure. Content indexing is performed only if the content part does not match a content part already stored and indexed. Index entries each associate a key word or key value with corresponding metadata or content parts containing the key word or key value. Updating the linking structure includes generating new MD to CT and CT to MD links between the metadata part and either the new content part or an existing matching content part if present.
US08688694B2	Systems and methods of identifying chunks from multiple syndicated content providers A computer receives a first set of information items from a first content provider and a second set of information items from a second content provider. For each of the first and second sets of information items, the computer retrieves the document identified by the corresponding document link from a respective remote location. The computer applies a first (or second) set of search criteria to each of the first and second sets of information items and its associated documents to generate a first (or second) set of search result wherein the first and second sets of search criteria are different. The computer associates a first channel with the first set of search results and a second channel with the second set of search results.
US08688693B2	Computer-implemented system and method for managing categories of waymarks A computer-implemented system and method for managing categories of waymarks is provided. Waymark records are each associated with a category and maintained on a database. Each waymark record includes metadata associated with at least one variable and one or more attributes specifying a type of the metadata for each variable. Access to the database is provided. A user having access to the database is identified based on a list of authorized users. A request from the user to present one such category and the associated waymark records is received. At least one waymark record from the requested category is processed. Input metadata is received from the user consistent with the variables and the attributes for that waymark record. At least a portion of the metadata is replaced with the input metadata.
US08688688B1	Automatic derivation of synonym entity names A synonym module analyzes a set of names for entities, such as names of streets and cities within a geographic database, and adds synonym names to the entities based on the analysis. More specifically, based on adjacencies of words within the names, the synonym module formulates a set of synonym rules specifying permissible ways of spelling a single word as multiple words (or vice-versa). The synonym module applies the synonym rules to the names, and if one of the rules matches a name, the synonym module adds an associated synonym name based on the name and on the rule matching the name. User queries for named entities in the database may then take into account not only the original names of the entities, but also any added synonym names.
US08688687B1	Hypertext browser assistant A system facilitates a search by a user. The system detects selection of one or more words in a document currently accessed by the user, generates a search query using the selected word(s), and retrieves a document based on the search query. When the document includes one or more links corresponding to a linked document, the system analyzes each of the links, prefetches the linked documents corresponding to a number of the links, and presents the document to the user. The system receives selection of one of the links and retrieves the linked document corresponding to the selected link. The system identifies one or more pieces of information in the retrieved document, determines a link to a related document for each of the identified pieces of information, and provides the determined links with the related document to the user.
US08688683B2	Query plan reformulation Apparatus, systems, and methods may operate to receive an original query plan, to transform the original query plan into an equivalent executable compact query plan, and to store the compact query plan on a machine readable device. Further activities may include computing maximal source sub-queries associated with the compact query plan, and computing semi-join reductions of the maximal source sub-queries to provide an executable derivative query plan, which may also be stored on a machine readable device. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are described.
US08688681B1	Identifying internet protocol addresses for internet hosting entities Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for identifying web hosting entities. In one aspect, a system includes one or more computers programmed to perform operations including maintaining an Internet Protocol (IP) address history for each hostname in a plurality of hostnames. Each IP address history is a time series of IP addresses. The operations further include organizing the hostnames into a collection of groups so that each hostname of the plurality of hostnames is a member of exactly one group in the collection of groups. Each group has a kernel calculated from the IP address histories of the members of the group, and the IP address history of each member of the group is within a threshold distance of the kernel of the group.
US08688677B2	Search-highlighter system and method A text string may be captured when a user initiates a selection event in a web browser. In response to the selection event, the text string is derived from the selected element(s) in a rendered web page. The text string is automatically placed in a web-search text-entry field of the web browser without further instructions from the user. The user can modify the text string before querying a web-search engine.
US08688671B2	Managing sponsored content based on geographic region Improved search capabilities are disclosed for mobile communications devices such as cell phones, as well as improved techniques for delivering sponsored content in a mobile communication environment.
US08688670B2	System and method for dynamically retrieving data specific to a region of a layer A method for retrieving data from a data source by querying the data source with data points of a layer. The data points may be encompassed within a determined region of the layer. The steps of the method may include: determining the region of the layer, dynamically querying the data source with one or more data points of the layer encompassed within the region upon determining the region, and receiving the data from the data source.
US08688669B1	Content item searching and retrieval In one aspect, a method includes receiving, from a user device, a search query including one or more search terms for a content item. The method identifies a corpus of content items previously delivered to the user device, creates an index of the corpus of content items previously delivered to the user device, and uses the received search terms to search the index of the corpus of content items. The method determines that at least one content item in the index corresponds to the received search terms and delivers, to the user device, a content item search result, where the content item search result includes the at least one content item corresponding to the received search terms. Other implementations of this aspect include corresponding systems, apparatus, and computer programs, configured to perform the actions of the methods, encoded on computer storage devices.
US08688668B1	Method and apparatus for improved navigation among search results A method and apparatus for navigating amongst search results. In one embodiment, the method receives a item to search within a document and stores a start location representing the position within the document at the time the item is received. The method searches the document for instances of the item and stores, as an index, at least one item location within the document for each instance of the item. A search result representing a match between the item and content in the document is displayed and, upon selecting to return to the start location at any time while displaying the search result, returning to the start location to display at least a portion of the document at the start location.
US08688656B2	Document management method, document management apparatus, and document management system User characteristic information acquired from the login information of a user is stored as attribute information associated with the document information of a registered document. In accordance with login of the user, a document associated with the acquired user characteristic information is acquired based on the acquired user characteristic information and the stored user characteristic information. A display content to display pieces of information for identifying the acquired document is created. As the attribute information of the document, a weight representing the relevance between the document and each of a plurality of items included in the user characteristic information is stored in association with each other. A display content to classify, based on the weight of each item, the pieces of information for identifying the acquired document and display the information is created.
US08688650B2	Data fingerprinting for copy accuracy assurance Systems and methods are disclosed for efficiently creating a data fingerprint to identify or characterize contents of a data object by using a selection function to select a plurality of non-contiguous regions from the data object, the selected regions each having a small number of bytes relative to the number of bytes in the data object and being distributed throughout the data object so that the selected regions comprise a sparse subset of the data of the data object yet provide a significant probability of including bytes that change if the data object were modified; and performing a hash operation on the data to produce a fingerprint based on the sparse subset of the data object. The data fingerprint thereby efficiently provides an indication of the contents of the data object, so that comparing data fingerprints can determine if the data objects are different if the corresponding fingerprints are different.
US08688642B2	Systems and methods for managing application availability A computer-implemented method for managing application availability. The method may include identifying an application running on a first cluster node of a failover cluster and copying configuration data of the application to a storage location accessible by a second cluster node of the failover cluster. The method may also include detecting failure of the first cluster node, restoring the configuration data to the second cluster node, and executing the application on the second cluster node in accordance with the configuration data. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed herein.
US08688641B1	Per user and per process layer visibility A method is proposed. The method includes receiving a file operation request from a process and performing a census of instances of a file applicable to the file operation request to populate a data structure. The data structure including a listing of the instances of the file applicable to the file operation request. The data structure also includes characteristics for a first instance from among the instances of the file applicable to the file operation request, and characteristics for a second instance of a selected file from among the instances of the file applicable to the file operation request. The method also includes eliminating the first instance from among the instances of the file applicable to the file operation request on the basis of a rule associated with properties from a record for the process, and the characteristics for the first instance.
US08688640B2	System, method and computer program product for distributed execution of related reports In accordance with embodiments, there are provided mechanisms and methods for distributed execution of related reports. These mechanisms and methods for distributed execution of related reports can enable embodiments to provide parallel execution of related reports. The ability of embodiments to provide parallel execution of related reports can result in higher performance in the execution of the related reports.
US08688638B2	System and method for management of research subject or patient events for clinical research trials A system and method for managing clinical research trials is disclosed. The system and method may include a centralized secure database with information on clinical research trial participants, clinical research trial events, investigator and administrator inputs, and communication of participants, investigators and administrators. In one embodiment, the system and method allows investigators to contact participants without disclosing confidential contact information of the participants to the investigators by storing health information and contact information in separate databases. In one embodiment, administrators may access clinical research trial information through a secure web portal.
US08688637B2	Bookmarked synchronization of files A file synchronization system that includes a non-volatile memory for storing at least one bookmark respective to a file; a telecommunication mechanism for receiving a new bookmark value respective to this file; and a controller operative to update the respective bookmark according to the new bookmark value; and to control presentation of the file in accordance with the updated bookmark value. A plurality of bookmarks that associate to a single file are stored in the file synchronization system, each such bookmark respective to a different user.
US08688628B2	Nested queued transaction manager A method and apparatus that manages transactions during a data migration. The transfer of data from an old database to a new database is structured as a set of small transactions. The transactions can be structured in a hierarchy of dependent transactions such that the transactions are nested or similarly hierarchical. A migration manager includes a set of transaction management methods or processes that enable the processing of the nested transactions thereby providing a higher level of granularity in transaction size and providing the ability to rollback small individual transactions as well as affected related transactions. The transaction management methods and processes manage a set of queues that are utilized by the migration manager to generate and execute the nested transactions.
US08688623B2	Method and system to identify a preferred domain of a plurality of domains There is provided methods and systems to identify a preferred domain of a plurality of domains corresponding to a query. First, the system receives the query. Second, the system accesses demand information corresponding to the query, the demand information including navigation information associated with the query. Third, the system accesses supply information corresponding to the query, the supply information including a count of data items in each of the plurality of domains that match the query. Fourth, the system identifies the preferred domain based on the demand information and the supply information.
US08688616B2	High-dimensional data analysis Described herein is a framework for analyzing data in high-dimensional space. In accordance with one implementation, observed data and at least one input model parameter set is received. The input model parameter set serves as a solution candidate of a predefined problem (e.g., inverse or optimization problem) and is related to the observed data via a model. To provide enhanced computational efficiency, a reduced base with lower dimensionality is determined based on the input model parameter set. The reduced base is associated with a set of coefficients, which represents the coordinates of any model parameter set in the reduced base. Sampling is performed within the reduced base to generate an output model parameter set in the reduced base. The output model parameter set is compatible with the input model parameter set and fits the observed data, via the model, within a predetermined threshold.
US08688615B2	Content selection based on consumer interactions In some embodiments, there is provided a technique for detecting a consumer's skipping habits at a given time and determining the consumer's current preferences based at least in part on those skipping habits. Skipping habits are determined by detecting which content is skipped (or not skipped) during presentation of content. Skipping habits, indicating trends in the consumer's consuming or skipping of content, that are detected during presentation of content may be used to determine a consumer's current preferences. Selection of content for presentation may be based on current preferences of the consumer. In this way, a consumer's interactions with the content, including the consumer's skipping habits, can be used to alter a selection of content to be presented to the consumer.
US08688603B1	System and method for identifying and correcting marginal false positives in machine learning models Embodiments of a system and method for identifying and correcting marginal false positives in machine learning models may include, based on reference data that includes pairs of information items and labels indicating whether pairs of information items have a specific relationship, generating a first machine learning model for determining whether pairs of information items have that relationship. Embodiments may include identifying one or more false positive pairs (e.g., a pair of information items that the first machine learning model indicates as having the specific relationship and which are labeled within the reference data as not having that relationship). Embodiments may include selecting identified false positive pairs as candidates for correction. Embodiments may include, subsequent to a correction of the reference data associated with the selected false positives, generating based on the corrected reference data a new machine learning model for determining whether pairs of information items have the specific relationship.
US08688601B2	Systems and methods for generating machine learning-based classifiers for detecting specific categories of sensitive information A computer-implemented method may include (1) identifying a plurality of specific categories of sensitive information to be protected by a DLP system, (2) obtaining a training data set for each specific category of sensitive information that includes a plurality of positive and a plurality of negative examples of the specific category of sensitive information, (3) using machine learning to train, based on an analysis of the training data sets, at least one machine learning-based classifier that is capable of detecting items of data that contain one or more of the plurality of specific categories of sensitive information, and then (4) deploying the machine learning-based classifier within the DLP system to enable the DLP system to detect and protect items of data that contain one or more of the plurality of specific categories of sensitive information in accordance with at least one DLP policy of the DLP system.
US08688587B2	Content recording apparatus, method for controlling the content recording apparatus, and recording program for the content recording apparatus Disclosed is a content recording apparatus having recording devices A and B and first and second encrypting units that are provided for the respective recording devices. When receiving stream data representing content from an input unit, a rate changing unit operates so as to input streams of data in parallel to the respective encrypting units. The first encrypting unit encrypts the stream data with an encryption key generated from the IDs of the recording device A and of a recording medium a. The second encrypting unit encrypts the stream data with an encryption key generated from the IDs of the recording device B and of a recording medium b. Each of the recording devices A and B records the content encrypted by a corresponding one of the first and second encrypting units.
US08688581B2	Product level payment network acquired transaction authorization A flexible spending account system can be implemented according to one embodiment of the invention so as to automatically substantiate purchases made at a retailer merchant. For example, according to one embodiment of the invention, a method of authorizing products for purchase can be implemented by determining via a computer that a product requested for purchase at a point of sale by a consumer matches a qualified product category under the flexible spending account, sending an authorization request message for requesting use of said flexible spending account of said consumer, wherein said authorization request message comprises a total purchase amount field and a first qualified amount field for a first type of qualified items.
US08688579B1	Automatic remote deposit image preparation apparatuses, methods and systems The AUTOMATIC REMOTE DEPOSIT IMAGE PREPARATION APPARATUSES, METHODS AND SYSTEMS (hereinafter “MultiCrop”) transforms uploaded check images and check deposit information inputs via MultiCrop components image into deposit confirmation outputs. For example, in one embodiment, a user may employ a personal computer connected to a web camera, and/or a smartphone with a built-in camera to initiate the remote deposit by holding a check in front of the camera, and the MultiCrop may capture images of the check and send them to a financial institution for deposit processing.
US08688578B2	Business customer community hub The business community hub application provides a business customer the ability to add an event or offer to the community hub that can be accessed by individual customers or business customers. The business community hub application also notifies business customers of offers provided by other businesses or about local community events in which the business customer may be interested. The business customers have the ability to find contacts and network with other local businesses. The business community hub application also uses transaction information available to the bank to display market data and trends that may be of interest to the business customer. In this way, the business community hub works with the online banking application as a tool for local businesses, it allows business customers to interact with individual customers, the community in general, as well as other businesses, in a forum for exchanging products, services, and information.
US08688576B2	Bill control Embodiments of the invention are directed to systems, methods and computer program products for implementing bill control. The invention enables a user of a financial institution account to maintain controls over bills via a single interaction point. In some embodiments, a method comprises determining whether a bill is due within a predetermined period; in response to determining the bill is due within the predetermined period: initiating, via a mobile network, presentation of a duration in which the bill is due; initiating, via the mobile network, presentation of an option to authorize payment of the bill via the mobile network; and in response to receiving selection of the option to pay the bill, authorizing payment of the bill via a financial institution account.
US08688572B2	Financial account related trigger feature for risk mitigation Systems and methods for producing and maintaining account related triggers are provided herein. The systems and methods may be utilized for risk mitigation. Account triggers may be executed to determine account activity indicative of a risk event. Once a risk event is identified, the financial institution may determine an appropriate action to mitigate foreseeable risk due to the risk event.
US08688562B1	System and method for prioritized automated trading in an electronic trading environment A system and method are provided for prioritized automated trading. One example method may include receiving a plurality of parameters, where each parameter has an order-related action associated with a trading strategy, and then detecting one or more events that trigger a plurality of order related actions. The method then includes determining priority levels in relation to a plurality of triggered order-related actions using at least one priority rule, and processing the plurality of triggered order-related action in an order associated with the determined priority levels.
US08688559B2	Presenting investment-related information on a mobile communication device Methods, systems, computer programs are described that provide for presenting investment-related information in conjunction with display of a live video stream that includes the related publicly traded or privately held business entity or an object associated with the business entity. Business entities or the objects associated with the business entities that are proximate to a mobile communication device may be identified via object recognition techniques, product codes, wireless communication, location determination or the like. Once the business entities or objects have been identified, the related investment information is retrieved and indicators are displayed in the live video stream proximate to the display of the business entity or an object associated with the business entity. The user can activate the indicator to receive further investment-related information or be connected to an online investment broker for the purpose of purchase stock or some other form of investment instrument associated with the business entity.
US08688552B1	Performing separate accounting and billing for each customer of a shared customer device Techniques are described that facilitate performing accounting and billing separately for each customer of a service provider account registered to an owner of a shared customer device. An access router performs separate data usage accounting for each of the customers in sub-accounts of the registered service provider account based on customer virtual local area network (CVLAN) and service VLAN (SVLAN) tags included in data packets. A network operator may, therefore, generate a bill for the shared customer device that includes separate data usage charges for each customer. To facilitate the techniques, the access router may determine a CVLAN and SVLAN associated with a customer. The CVLAN and SVLAN tags are included in a service request toward a service provider, and copied into a service request reply toward the shared customer device. The shared customer device then includes the tags in data packets to identify the customer to the access router.
US08688551B2	Charging control providing correction of charging control information There is proposed a charging control in which a policy and charging control function provides first (preliminary) charging control information, such as PCC rules, when the communication connection is set up or modified. Then, service information can be retrieved leading to an updated set of charging control information. The policy and charging control function provides then the updated charging control information for enforcement, wherein the charging system is informed about both the preliminary nature of the first charging control information and the validity of the second charging control information for a time before the update, i.e. before the transmission of the second charging control information. The charging system can use this updated charging control information and knows that it has to replace the former charging control information, so that the charging procedure can be corrected accordingly. Thus, charging of a service miming on the communication connection on the basis of correct charging control information is possible over the complete time the service is running.
US08688548B2	Negative balance management A system, apparatus, and method for managing account data for accounts having a negative balance. The invention embodiment includes a method, process or workflow for processing data for accounts associated with a debit, credit, pre-paid card or other form of financial instrument that have a negative balance. The data processing includes application of issuer criteria or filters to determine if certain of the accounts having a negative balance are not suitable for chargeback processing and instead may be processed in bulk, thereby reducing administrative and data processing overhead. For each account that is potentially eligible for chargeback processing, the invention embodiment accesses the account data and determines if the data supports initiation of a chargeback procedure for one or more transactions described by the account data. If the account contains one or more transactions that are eligible for chargeback processing, then a provisional credit in the amount of the one or more transactions may be applied to the account.
US08688543B2	Method and system for processing and authenticating internet purchase transactions A method for minimizing risk of a consumer performing a fraudulent Internet purchase transactions using a transaction card is disclosed herein, the method comprising receiving an enrollment verification request for a transaction from a merchant's website, transmitting the enrollment verification request to an access control server; receiving an enrollment verification response from the access control server, determining whether the transaction is risky based on at least a portion of the enrollment verification request, if the transaction is not risky, forwarding the enrollment verification response to the merchant website and it the transaction is risky, modifying the enrollment verification response to denote the transaction is risky and forwarding the modified enrollment verification response to the merchant's website.
US08688538B2	Automating the process of purchasing a memory upgrade for a computer system One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates purchasing a memory upgrade for a computer system. This system operates by obtaining memory configuration information for the computer system, and then determining a memory upgrade option based upon the memory configuration information. Next, the system presents an option to purchase the memory upgrade option to a user of the computer system. If the user indicates that the user would like to purchase the memory upgrade option, the system automatically initiates a purchase transaction for the memory upgrade option. In one embodiment of the present invention, the system automatically initiates the purchase transaction through a web site. In a variation on this embodiment, the system automatically transfers at least part of the memory configuration information to the web site so that the user does not have to reenter details of the memory configuration information.
US08688536B2	Method for integrated recommendations A recommendation appliance, system and method are provided for generating and deploying additional web page content or functionality (e.g., retail recommendations) to an existing web page server system. For example, the present invention may be embodied as a reverse proxy server that is inserted as an intermediate network node between a web server and the end users accessing the web server. In this position, the recommendation appliance can introduce recommendation messages to web pages generated by the web server without requiring any modification to the code or architecture of the web server. In addition, the appliance may separately track the transaction activities of end users who receive recommendation messages and the transaction activities of end users who do not receive recommendation messages, so that a comparison of the effectiveness of the recommendations may efficiently be demonstrated without requiring any modification to the code or architecture of the web server.
US08688535B2	Using model information groups in searching Managing user accesses is disclosed, including: generating journal files over a predetermined period of time, wherein a journal file includes merchandise information associated with an accessed webpage; determining, for a merchandise category, information related to an attribute based at least in part on the generated journal files; aggregating information associated with the attribute from journal files associated with the merchandise category, wherein the aggregated information is to be included in a model information group associated with the merchandise category; and returning, in a subsequent search of merchandise information corresponding to the merchandise category, search results that are based at least in part on information associated with the model information group. Conducting searches of merchandise information is disclosed, including: determining a merchandise category associated with a query based at least in part on received keywords associated with the query; retrieving a model information group corresponding to the determined merchandise category; extracting attribute information from the retrieved model information group based at least in part on a quantity associated with an attribute; and presenting the extracted attribute information.
US08688534B2	System and method for gathering ecommerce data The techniques introduced here provide a method of gathering ecommerce data. The techniques described here allow a system to return information about a product from several non-related ecommerce sites in response to a single search query. Using the techniques described here, a data mining system determines from the search query a product ID and retrieves from a database one or more product links that correspond to the product ID. Using the product links retrieved from the database, the data mining system traverses the links and parses the web-pages corresponding each of the links to determine up to date product information. The product information can then be returned to the application that initiated the request.
US08688531B2	System for associating requests with potential respondents to said requests The present invention comprises a system for associating requests with potential respondents to those requests. The system facilitates the purchasing of goods and/or services, knowledge-based inquiries, and matching common interest groups by associating requests with category designations and providing potential respondents with access to the requests.
US08688530B2	System for product demonstration An appliance having a smart device in communication with multiple components of the appliance and a user interface of the appliance, the smart device having an updatable demonstration software that takes over control of the multiple components from the controller when executing the demonstration software to implement a demonstration of the appliance by controlling the actuation of the components and display related multimedia information on the multimedia user interface.
US08688528B2	Methods and systems to alert a user of a network-based marketplace event A system to alert a user of a network-based marketplace event. The system receives the network-based marketplace event and determines if the network-based marketplace event is associated with a network-based marketplace alert that has been requested by the user. If so, the system communicates the network-based marketplace alert to the client machine over a persistent connection, the network-based marketplace alert to alert the user of the network-based marketplace event.
US08688519B1	Targeting mobile applications through search query mining Systems and methods are provided for identifying keywords for use in targeted advertising. Information concerning a region of interest is derived from data provided by a number of user devices within the region of interest. The information may come from actions such as search queries or communication with other users in the region of interest. In many cases, the information is time sensitive, with the actions occurring within a given timeframe. The time sensitive information for the region of interest is used to derive keywords that are used when selecting advertisements. These advertisements are then provided to users concerning the region of interest. Demographic information may also be used in conjunction with the timeframe and region to further refine the keywords.
US08688499B1	System and method for generating business process models from mapped time sequenced operational and transaction data The present invention pertains to generating workflows using operational data, and mapping the operational data to the flow. Systems and methods are provided to receive operational data from networked devices, process the data to determine tasks performed and timing associated therewith, and output the analysis in the form of a workflow. Metrics measuring work volume, productivity, and the like may also be calculated using the operational data, and mapped to the flow. Generation of the workflow may be fully automated, or may request input from a user.
US08688497B2	Systems and methods for determining pack allocations Systems and methods are provided for determining a distribution of each of a plurality of inner packs to a plurality of stores. Mismatch cost data and product demand data are received for the plurality of stores. A first inner pack quantity for distribution is determined based on the product demand data. A supply difference amount is determined, where the supply difference amount is a difference between the first inner pack quantity and the number of first inner packs available for distribution. A determination is made that adjusting the first inner pack quantity for the particular store based on the supply difference amount would have less effect on mismatch costs than other stores, and the first inner pack quantity is adjusted for the particular store based on the supply difference.
US08688478B2	Computer-based system and method for calculating an estimated risk premium A computer-based system configured to calculate an estimated risk premium for reinsurance of a cedent's insurance policies covering loss event related fatalities and disabilities. The system stores, for different market scenarios, representative of loss events for a defined insurance market, frequency of loss event and number of insured individuals involved in the loss event. Based on these market scenarios and considering the cedent's market share, the system calculates individual scenarios, indicative of the cedent's exposure to the loss events. Using a standard distribution for the number of insured individuals involved in the loss event, for example a Pareto distribution, and using individual scenarios as interpolation points, the system calculates a set of loss event frequencies by number of individuals insured by the cedent and involved in a loss event. Finally, the system calculates the estimated risk premium from the set of loss event frequencies and from severity data.
US08688473B2	System and methods of providing pharmacy services System and methods for processing a drug prescription transaction are configured to identify and resolve any issue or problem associated with the transaction during one or more early stages of processing. System and methods of processing the transaction handle prescription and customer data entry, pharmacy inventory check, prescription refill authorization check and/or insurance adjudication review well in advance of production and quality assurance stages by identifying and resolving any issue or problem. Prescription fulfillment is prioritized and estimated prescription pick-up times are predicted based on one or more outcomes of such early stage processing. Customers can be provided with realistic and relatively accurate prescription pick up times that a pharmacy can efficiently and consistently meet as a result of fulfillment prioritization. Further, system and methods for determining a staffing schedule for a workflow process requiring different skill levels during different operation times is provided.
US08688468B1	Systems and methods for verifying dosages associated with healthcare transactions Systems and methods are provided for verifying dosages associated with healthcare transactions. A healthcare transaction may be received from a healthcare provider computer. The received healthcare transaction may include information associated with a patient and a prescribed product. Based at least in part on the received information, an age of the patient may be determined. Based upon the determined age, a probable weight for the patient may be determined. The probable weight may be utilized to determine whether a prescribed dosage for the product is an appropriate dosage for the patient.
US08688456B2	System and method of providing a spoken dialog interface to a website Disclosed is a method for training a spoken dialog service component from website data. Spoken dialog service components typically include an automatic speech recognition module, a language understanding module, a dialog management module, a language generation module and a text-to-speech module. The method includes selecting anchor texts within a website based on a term density, weighting those anchor texts based on a percent of salient words to total words, and incorporating the weighted anchor texts into a live spoken dialog interface, the weights determining a level of incorporation into the live spoken dialog interface.
US08688449B2	Weight coefficient generation device, voice recognition device, navigation device, vehicle, weight coefficient generation method, and weight coefficient generation program A weight coefficient generation device, a speech recognition device, a navigation system, a vehicle, a vehicle coefficient generation method, and a weight coefficient generation program are provided for the purpose of improving a speech recognition performance of place names. In order to address the above purpose, an address database 12 has address information data items including country names, city names, street names, and house numbers, and manages the address information having a tree structure indicating hierarchical relationships between the place names from wide area to a narrow area. Each of the place names stored in the address database 12 is taken as a speech recognition candidate. A weight coefficient calculation unit 11 of a weight coefficient generation device 10 calculates a weight coefficient of the likelihood of the aforementioned recognition candidate based on the number of the street names belonging to the lower hierarchy below the city names.
US08688446B2	Providing text input using speech data and non-speech data Systems, methods, and computer readable media providing a speech input interface. The interface can receive speech input and non-speech input from a user through a user interface. The speech input can be converted to text data and the text data can be combined with the non-speech input for presentation to a user.
US08688437B2	Packet loss concealment for speech coding A speech coding method of significantly reducing error propagation due to voice packet loss, while still greatly profiting from a pitch prediction or Long-Term Prediction (LTP), is achieved by limiting or reducing a pitch gain only for the first subframe or the first two subframes within a speech frame. The method is used for a voiced speech class; a pitch cycle length is compared to a subframe size to decide to reduce the pitch gain for the first subframe or the first two subframes within the frame. Speech coding quality loss due to the pitch gain reduction is compensated by increasing a bit rate of a second excitation component or adding one more stage of excitation component only for the first subframe or the first two subframes within the speech frame.
US08688424B2	Method of modelling a porous geologic medium traversed by a network of fractures A method of modelling a fractured reservoir having application for petroleum reservoir development is disclosed utilizing a set of several families of equivalent blocks of regular shapes and sizes. The fractured reservoir is modelled by a complex porous medium made up of irregular blocks. A function defining the progress of an imbibition front within these blocks, whose derivative A′(X) is calculated, is determined. A function defining the progress of an imbibition front within regular equivalent blocks, whose derivative A′eq(X) is calculated, is then determined. This derivative, which constitutes at least two line segments with distinct slopes, depends on the dimensions of the equivalent blocks. Finally, the dimensions of the equivalent blocks are obtained by adjusting the two derivatives A′eq(X) and A′(X).
US08688423B2	Subsurface hydrogeologic system modeling A method of modeling a subsurface hydrogeologic system within a study area can include applying an electric current directly to the subsurface hydrogeologic system and monitoring a magnetic field generated by the electric current in the subsurface hydrogeologic system. An electric current distribution can be identified within the study area by an inversion process based on the magnetic field. A model of the electric current distribution can be created.
US08688417B2	Detecting impact of extrinsic events on a time series In one embodiment, an event impact signature detector may analyze a time series with external events. A data interface 250 may receive a data set 310 representing the time series with external events. A processor 220 may fit the data set 310 into a baseline time series model 330. The processor 220 may iteratively determine each event location 352 for multiple external events 350 affecting the baseline time series model 330. The processor 220 may iteratively solve for each event impact 354 of the multiple external events 350 factoring in interactions between the multiple external events 350.
US08688414B2	Identification of fluid flow bottlenecks Techniques for determining one or more fluid flow characteristic values of a structure are disclosed. A fluid flow vector and a pressure gradient vector for a portion of the structure are determined, and a dot/cross product of the fluid flow vector with the pressure gradient vector is obtained to provide a fluid flow characteristic value. The fluid flow characteristic value can be used for modifying the structure to improve fluid flow through the structure.
US08688403B2	Portable electronic device adapted to provide an improved attitude matrix According to one aspect, a method of determining an attitude matrix on a portable electronic device. The method includes determining a first attitude matrix gradient using data from at least one of an accelerometer and a magnetometer, determining a second attitude matrix gradient using data from a gyroscope, fusing the first attitude matrix gradient and the second attitude matrix gradient based on a mixing coefficient to generate a fused gradient, and based on the fused gradient, updating a fine attitude matrix for the portable electronic device.
US08688397B2	Error calculation method for angle detection device An angle detection device formed in the shape of a disk includes: a graduation plate having a plurality of graduation lines being provided radially from the center toward the circumference thereof; and two detectors being disposed along the circumference of the graduation plate in a manner to be opposite to each other in a radial direction, the detectors detecting the graduation lines. The angle detection device is configured to calculate a center error based on angles detected by the detectors.
US08688396B2	Targeted data collection for positioning systems Selecting devices from which to receive data for adjusting the performance of a positioning system. The positioning system infers the location of the devices based on beacons observed by the devices. The performance of the positioning system is compared to performance targets. One or more of the devices are selected based on the comparison. Data collection from the devices is adjusted to affect performance of the positioning system (e.g., improved or reduced). For example, if the positioning system predicts positions poorly for a particular area, data collection from selected devices within the particular area may be increased.
US08688395B2	Method for correcting measurement errors and electronic component characteristics measuring device A method for correcting measurement errors and an electronic component characteristics measurement device improve correction precision by eliminating correction errors caused by leakage signal components between ports of the measurement jigs. An equation that correlates measurement values in a test measurement jig mounted state with measurement values in a standard measurement jig mounted state is determined from a result of measuring electrical characteristics of correction data obtaining samples having different electrical characteristics from each other in a state in which they are mounted on a standard measurement jig and on a test measurement jig. The equation is an equation that assumes the presence of leakage signals that are directly transmitted between at least two ports of at least one of the standard measurement jig and the test measurement jig. By using the equation determined by measuring the electrical characteristics on an arbitrary electronic component in a state in which it is mounted on the test measurement jig, the electrical characteristics that would be obtained if measured on the electronic component in a state in which it is mounted on the standard measurement jig are calculated.
US08688391B2	Method for determining contact erosion of an electromagnetic switching device, and electromagnetic switching device comprising a mechanism operating according to said method In order to determine contact erosion of an electromagnetic switching device, a mechanical parameter is measured which characterizes the time course of the relative movement between the contacts, said movement being caused by an actuator. The point in time when the contacts close is determined by evaluating the time course of the relative movement, and the distance traveled by the contact/s until said point in time or the distance traveled by the actuator from said point in time until reaching the final position thereof is detected at least indirectly and is compared to a stored reference value.
US08688388B2	Methods and processes for non-invasive assessment of genetic variations Technology provided herein relates in part to methods, processes and apparatuses for non-invasive assessment of genetic variations.
US08688386B2	Analyte testing method and device for calculating basal insulin therapy Described herein are various methods to ensure safety and the compliance of therapeutic diabetes protocols. The method can be achieved by performing safeguards against hypoglycemia of the user prior to any change in basal insulin dosage based on the plurality of data.
US08688383B2	Forecasting asphaltic precipitation The magnitude of asphaltic precipitation when injecting a viscosity reducing diluent into a reservoir formation, notably to assist oil recovery therefrom, is forecast by (i) determining a relationship between asphaltic precipitation and a solubility parameter for the diluted oil, and then (ii) utilizing that relationship to forecast the magnitude of asphaltic precipitation when injecting a predetermined viscosity reducing diluent into the formation. Making this forecast may be followed by injecting a viscosity reducing diluent into the formation to assist oil recovery. The diluent may in particular be supercritical carbon dioxide or other asphaltene precipitant mixed with a more polar material in proportions designed by forecasting asphaltic precipitation by candidate materials in possible proportions.
US08688375B2	Method and system for locating and monitoring first responders The present invention is directed to methods and systems for locating and monitoring the status of people and moveable assets, such as first responders, including firefighters and other public service personnel, and their equipment both indoors and out. The invention can provide for locating and monitoring the status of people and assets in environments where GPS systems do not operate, or where operation is impaired or otherwise limited. The system and method uses inertial navigation to determine the location, motion and orientation of the personnel or assets and communicates with an external monitoring station to receive requests for location, motion orientation and status information and to transmit the location, motion orientation and status information to the monitoring station. The system and method can include storing the location, motion and orientation data as well as status data, in the event that the communication system is unable to communicate with and transmit information to the monitoring station, the system will wait until communication is restored and transmit the status information to the monitoring station to update the location, motion orientation and status information for the person or asset.
US08688369B2	Data mining in a digital map database to identify blind intersections along roads and enabling precautionary actions in a vehicle Disclosed is a feature for a vehicle that enables taking precautionary actions in response to conditions on the road network around or ahead of the vehicle, in particular, a blind intersection along a section of road. A database that represents the road network is used to determine locations where a blind intersection is located along a section of road. Then, precautionary action data is added to the database to indicate a location at which a precautionary action is to be taken about the blind intersection located along the section of road. A precautionary action system installed in a vehicle uses this database, or a database derived therefrom, in combination with a positioning system to determine when the vehicle is at a location that corresponds to the location of a precautionary action. When the vehicle is at such a location, a precautionary action is taken by a vehicle system as the vehicle is approaching a blind intersection.
US08688349B2	ACC extended mode operation When employing an a cruise control system in a commercial or heavy-duty vehicle, an adaptive cruise control (ACC) system (14) is activated upon activation of a vehicle or set-speed cruise control (SSCC) system (16). The ACC (14) remains on, even after SSCC shutoff, to maintain a minimum following distance for a primary vehicle in which the ACC (14) is employed and a forward vehicle. The ACC (14) is deactivated after detection of an ACC shutoff trigger event, which may be driver application of the brakes of the primary vehicle, driver-initiated acceleration for a predefined time period, expiration of a predetermined time period, manual shutoff (e.g., via a switch or button), etc.
US08688344B2	Method for recuperating kinetic energy of a motor vehicle in a optimum way in terms of energy So that kinetic energy of a motor vehicle is recuperated in an optimum way in terms of energy, after a target point for braking or initiation of braking by the motor vehicle driver during travel of the motor vehicle has been detected, an optimum braking distance is determined insofar as the energy which can be recuperated is concerned, and a signal for the vehicle driver is generated which informs the driver the form of the measure which he has to perform in order to brake the vehicle or during braking of the vehicle for braking to actually occur over the optimum braking distance and for kinetic energy to be recuperated in an optimum way. The method combines the calculation of optimum operating states with autonomy of the vehicle driver during braking.
US08688342B2	Vibration-restraining control apparatus for vehicle Predetermined weights are assigned, in accordance with a traveling state, to a first correction toque to suppress a sprung vibration of the vehicle in accordance with a wheel speed, and a second correction toque to suppress the sprung vibration of the vehicle in accordance with a driving/braking torque. With this configuration, it becomes possible to calculate the vibration suppressing torque corresponding to the traveling state.
US08688339B2	Method and system for providing a neutral tow mode in a shift-by-wire transmission A method and system provides a Neutral Tow mode in a vehicle with a shift-by-wire transmission by displaying a Neutral Tow mode option when the transmission control mechanism has been used to select Park, an ignition switch is on, and an engine is off or an information button has been pushed and entering a Neutral Tow mode upon detecting a triggering event. The Neutral Tow mode is canceled upon detecting a certain sequence of events, such as turning on the ignition switch, depressing and holding a brake pedal, and selecting Park. When in Neutral Tow mode the transmission will stay in Neutral, without automatically shifting to Park or using battery power, thereby enabling the vehicle to be towed long distances without draining battery power.
US08688326B2	Method and device for improving driving comfort in a steering assistance system A method for supporting a driver when steering a vehicle, in which a servo torque, as well as an additional actuating torque that may additionally be exerted on the steering system of the vehicle, are produced in order to cause the driver to make a change in the position of the steering wheel. The steering intervention by the additional required actuating torque may be made significantly more comfortable if the gradient of the actuating torque is limited to a maximum value.
US08688325B2	Method and device for automatically actuating a locking element of a vehicle In order to automatically actuate a locking element of a vehicle, movement of an object in a region surrounding the vehicle is detected. If the detected movement corresponds to at least one predefined movement profile, the locking element is automatically actuated. If the detected movement does not correspond to the at least one predefined movement profile, a further predefined movement profile is produced depending on the detected movement.
US08688324B2	Pump system and motorized vehicle A pump system for inflating a tire of a motorized vehicle, comprises a pump unit. The pump unit has an outlet connectable to an inlet of the tire, for providing a fluid to the inside of the tire. A communication interface is communicatively connectable to a tire pressure monitoring system, TPMS, in the vehicle, for receiving from the TPMS data representing information for controlling the providing of fluid to the tire. A pump controller is connected to the pump unit and to the communication interface and can control the pump unit based on at least the information.
US08688322B2	Air conditioner for vehicle An air conditioner for a vehicle in which an operational efficiency of an in-vehicle equipment is controlled, includes a first heating portion which heats air to be blown into a vehicle compartment by using heat medium, a second heating portion which heats the blown air by using heating energy outputted from the in-vehicle equipment, a determination portion which determines a target heat amount ratio that is a target value of a heating amount ratio of a second heat amount used in the second heating portion to a first heat amount used in the first heating portion, and a heating adjustment portion which adjusts at least one of the first and second heat amounts such that the heat amount ratio approaches the target heat amount ratio. The target heat amount ratio is increased in accordance with an increase of the operational efficiency.
US08688321B2	Traffic density estimation Traffic density may be estimated by increasing a value of a parameter if an object enters a predefined zone on a side of the vehicle and decreasing the value of the parameter after an object exits the predefined zone such that the value of the parameter increases as traffic in a vicinity of the vehicle increases and decreases as traffic in the vicinity of the vehicle decreases.
US08688314B2	Tuning parameter of kalman filter in a wheel inspection A method for tuning a parameter of a Kalman filter in a wheel inspection for a vehicle. The method includes: associating wheel inspection data of the vehicle with locations of wheels in the vehicle; evaluating a wheel stable score of the vehicle based on the wheel inspection data and the association, wherein the wheel stable score indicates reliability of the wheel inspection; and tuning measurement error covariance of the Kalman filter according to the evaluated wheel stable score. By using the method, the parameter of the Kalman filter can be dynamically tuned to enable the Kalman filter to filter more accurately to ensure the correct result of the wheel inspection. In addition, an apparatus for tuning a parameter of a Kalman filter and a wheel inspection system for a vehicle are disclosed.
US08688310B2	Method and device for monitoring that a vehicle in standby mode is correctly immobilized for transport, and vehicle equipped with such a device A method for monitoring that a vehicle on standby has been correctly immobilized for transport, the vehicle including a course control device, wheel speed sensors, a yaw speed sensor, a processing unit processing information managing operation modes of the vehicle, and a device for immobilizing the vehicle. The method includes detecting the vehicle is in a standby mode at a standstill following installing of the vehicle on a transport support, detecting a non-zero vehicle speed through the speed sensors of at least two wheels over a defined period, detecting a non-zero yaw speed through the yaw speed sensor, over a predefined period, and under these conditions determining a mode whereby immobilization of the vehicle for transport is monitored, in which mode information from at least the wheel speed sensors is filtered after a determined number of attempts at immobilizing the vehicle and allowing the vehicle to be fired up.
US08688309B2	Active and stateful hyperspectral vehicle evaluation A system, method and program product for evaluating a vehicle. A system is disclosed that includes: a plurality of hyperspectral sensors located in the vehicle; a system for fusing hyperspectral sensor data with user data into a feature vector; a support vector machine having a set of models, wherein the support vector machine implements a selected model based on the feature vector and outputs an evaluation based on data in the feature vector and the selected model; and a system for training the set of models.
US08688307B2	Moving device and method for controlling same Even when a first moving condition is not satisfied, when it is determined that a second moving condition is satisfied and at the same time an object belongs to a second classification, an operation of a robot is controlled so as to prompt the object to move according to a first pattern or an arbitrary pattern. The “first moving condition” is a condition that the robot is capable of moving without being obstructed by the object when the robot moves according to a current target position trajectory. The “second moving condition” is a condition that the robot is capable of moving according to the current target position trajectory without being obstructed by the object when the object is displaced according to the first pattern. The “second classification” means a classification of the object which is capable of being moved by a force from the robot acting thereon.
US08688305B2	System for managing vehicle energy, and method and apparatus for same In a method, system and apparatus for managing vehicle energy, the amount of electric power needed for operating a vehicle is calculated, a surplus amount of electric power that is the current amount of battery power less the calculated amount of electric power is sold, or a number of received location information signals according to the current amount of battery power is adjusted.
US08688301B2	Power converter In a power converter a controller determines that an AC motor is in an abnormal state when a voltage of each phase of the AC motor detected by a voltage detector is in an unbalanced state where the voltage exceeds a predetermined value, and turns an opening/closing unit OFF to prevent damage generated in the AC motor from becoming worse. Moreover, the controller determines abnormality of the opening/closing unit based on a current of each phase detected by a current detector, and the controller performs control to reduce the number of revolutions of the AC motor upon determining that at least one of the AC motor and the opening/closing unit is in an abnormal state.
US08688294B2	Supervisory control and data acquisition system for energy extracting vessel navigation A Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition (SCADA) system guides navigation of a vessel enabled to extract energy from wind and/or water currents primarily in offshore marine environments. An exemplary SCADA system embodies server and client software applications running on microprocessor systems at a remote control central service logging and energy distribution facility, and the vessel itself.
US08688292B2	Motion stabilizer for tractor A pendular motion determination unit of a motion stabilizer for a tractor includes a parameter computation unit configured to compute a determination parameter PA indicative of a quantity of change in an actual yaw rate Y, a threshold value setting unit configured to compute a threshold value PAth for the determination parameter PA, and a determination unit configured to determine that a pendular motion caused by swaying motion of a trailer is imparted, if the determination parameter PA is greater than the threshold value PAth. At least one of PAth and PA is changed based upon a correlation of a value related to a lateral acceleration based yaw rate Yg with a value related to the standard yaw rate Ys and a correlation of a value related to the actual yaw rate Y with a value related to the standard yaw rate Ys.
US08688286B2	Method for maintaining an optimal amount of energy derived from a power generation system in a storage device A method for controlling an amount of power delivered by a power source (16) to a power line (32). An energy storage unit (38) receives portions of energy generated by the source and provides stored energy to supplement power output from the source to the power line. Maximum and minimum limits define a range of change in the power delivered to the power line by the power subsystem. An amount of power to be delivered by each of the source and the energy storage unit to the power line is based on (i) a determined amount of power available for delivery directly to the power line from the power source, (ii) a determined level of energy in the storage unit available for delivery to the power line, and (iii) the limits in the range of change in the power to be delivered by the power source to the power line.
US08688284B2	Method for switching electrical consumers in a building comprising an elevator system A method is provided for switching at least one electrical consumer (1, 1′ 1″) in a building comprising an elevator system. The switched electrical consumer (1″) is, for example, a camera. The camera is activated if when using the elevator system the user does not actuate a building door within an ascertained route time, i.e. the user does not arrive at his/her destination. It is possible using an image recorded by the camera to establish whether the user is possibly in a dangerous situation.
US08688281B2	Optimization of energy storage device usage in wind energy applications System, method, and computer program product for optimally scheduling energy storage devices in wind energy applications. The power production system includes an energy storage device configured to service a first energy storage application at the first wind farm and a supervisory controller configured to determine if an attribute of the energy storage device is less than or equal to a threshold for the first energy storage application. In response to the attribute being less than or equal to a threshold for the first energy storage application, the supervisory controller schedules the energy storage device for a second energy storage application at the first wind farm or at a second wind farm different than the first wind farm. The optimization of the scheduling may be implemented in a computer-implemented method or as a computer program product.
US08688279B2	Energy storage at elevated voltage in a radar level gauge A power management circuitry for a radar level gauge including a first voltage converter, having a low-voltage end for receiving a drive voltage from a power interface and a high-voltage end for supplying an intermediate voltage higher than the required operating voltage, a temporary energy store arranged to be charged by the intermediate voltage, a second voltage converter, having a high-voltage end for receiving an input voltage from the energy store, and a low-voltage end for providing the operating voltage lower than the input voltage.By storing energy at a higher voltage, a different type of energy store (e.g. low capacity capacitor) may be used. As a consequence, the cost and start-up time of the energy store is significantly reduced.
US08688267B2	Classifying workpieces to be portioned into various end products to optimally meet overall production goals A method is provided for classifying incoming products (e.g., chicken butterflies) to be portioned into two or more types of end products (e.g., sandwich portions, strips, nuggets, etc.) to meet production goals. The method includes generally five steps. First, information on incoming products is received. Second, for each incoming product, a parameter value (e.g., the weight of an end product to be produced from the incoming product) is calculated for each of the two or more types of end products that may be produced from the incoming product. Third, the calculated parameter values for the incoming products for the two or more types of end products, respectively, are normalized so as to meet the production goals while at the same time achieving optimum parameter values. Fourth, for each incoming product, the end product with the best (e.g., largest) normalized parameter value is selected as the end product to be produced from the incoming product. Fifth, each incoming product is portioned to produce the end product selected in the fourth step.
US08688256B2	Advanced process control system and method utilizing virtual metrology with reliance index An advanced process control (APC) system, an APC method, and a computer program product, which, when executed, performs an APC method are provided for incorporating virtual metrology (VM) into APC. The present inventions uses a reliance index (RI) and a global similarity index (GSI) to adjust at least one controller gain of a run-to-run (R2R) controller when the VM value of a workpiece is adopted to replace the actual measurement value of the workpiece. The RI is used for gauging the reliability of the VM value, and the GSI is used for assessing the degree of similarity between the set of process data for generating the VM value and all the sets of historical process data used for building the conjecturing model.
US08688255B2	Actuator-link assembly manufacturing method, actuator-link assembly designing method, and actuator-link assembly In a material determining step, the material constituting an actuator and the material constituting a link are determined such that at least one of the materials contains fiber reinforced plastic. In a computing step, a computation model that defines the relationship between a control surface, the actuator, and the link is used to compute the change in gain margin with the change in a rigidity ratio, which is the ratio of the rigidity of the link to the rigidity of the actuator. The rigidities of the actuator and the link are determined in a rigidity determining step based on a result of the above-described computation, the shapes of the actuator and the link are determined in a shape determining step, and the actuator and the link are formed in a formation step, and are assembled in an assembly step.
US08688253B2	Systems and methods for sound recognition Systems and methods for recognizing sounds are provided herein. User input relating to a sound is received from a computing device. Instructions, which are stored in memory, are executed by a processor to discriminate the sound, analyze one or more databases using data included in the discriminated sound, the one or more databases being selected based upon the discrimination of the sound. Additionally, the processor may be executed to obtain information regarding the discriminated sound, from the one or more databases, based on the analysis, and in response to the search query, transmitting for display the information regarding the discriminated sound to the computing device.
US08688245B2	System control A method of controlling a system that has a finite execution time in the optimization of a cost function: J = ∑ i = 1 N ⁢ F ⁡ ( u ⁡ ( k + i \| k ) , y ⁡ ( k + i \| k ) ) , where N is selected such that J is convergent; k+i is the time in the future after the passage of i time increments; u(k+i\|k) and y(k+i\|k) are restricted to values of the respective control variables u and performance variables y that are compatible with predetermined system operational constraints; and for each time increment i=1 . . . N, values for F(u(k+i\|k), y(k+i\|k)) are calculated using a system model M to determine y(k+i\|k) for a plurality of respective discrete values of u(k+i\|k) that are limited to and representatively sampling the range of possible values of u that are compatible with the predetermined system operational constraints, J being optimised by identifying the combination {u(k+1\|k),u(k+2\|k), . . . u(k+N\|k)} of respective discrete values u(k+i\|k) over N time increments that combination yields an optimised value for J.
US08688243B2	Method and apparatus for controlling fans in heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning systems Systems, apparatus, and methods of controlling a variable-speed fan of an environmental maintenance module that controls temperatures of a plurality of zones of a building are provided. A first critical zone of the building is identified by analyzing the first zone temperature errors, which are used to determine a final speed setting of the variable-speed fan. Systems, apparatus, and methods of calibrating an environmental maintenance module that controls a temperature of a zone of a building are also provided. A location parameter is calculated for a plurality of zone temperatures, and a scale parameter is computed that quantifies a variation of the zone temperatures relative to a location parameter. A first temperature setpoint for the zone is determined and used in controlling the temperature of the zone.
US08688242B2	Operation controlling system and operation controlling device and method An operation controlling system is provided with an operation controlling device that is installed removably in a facility equipment, and an operating terminal for sending an instruction signal to the operation controlling device. The operation controlling device not only has communicating means for receiving the instruction signal sent from the operating terminal, but also operation controlling means for turning ON/OFF, in accordance with the instruction signal, the facility equipment that is connected locally, and/or output controlling means for controlling, in accordance with the instruction signal, an output value of the facility equipment that is connected locally.
US08688236B2	Medical lead coil conductor with spacer element Medical electrical leads equipped with spacer elements and configured for use during medical procedures such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are disclosed. An illustrative medical electrical lead includes a proximal connector, an insulated lead body including at least one electrode, a helically coiled conductor wire, and a helically coiled spacer element interstitially disposed between adjacent turns of the conductor wire.
US08688223B2	Implantable medical device impedance measurement module for communication with one or more lead-borne devices Example techniques for communicating between two medical devices are described. One medical device may be an implantable medical device. Another medical device may be a lead-borne implantable medical device. The lead-borne implantable medical device may be referred to as a satellite. The implantable medical device may measure impedance of a path including at least two electrodes, at least one of which is on the lead, using an impedance measurement module. In some example implementations of this disclosure, the implantable medical device may also use the impedance measurement module to communicate with the satellite on the lead.
US08688220B2	Systems, devices and methods for the treatment of neurological disorders and conditions The present disclosure relates to methods, devices, and systems used for the treatment of and/or promoting recovery from various neurological disorders and conditions, including epilepsy and other seizure disorders and movement and other related disorders; for promoting recovery from acute or chronic brain injury (e.g. stroke, hypoxia/ischemia, head trauma, subarachnoid hemorrhage, and other forms of brain injury, for awakening and/or promoting the recovery of patients in various levels of coma, altered mental status or vegetative state); or for promoting recovery from chronic daily headache and migraine and related disorders via external (cutaneous) stimulation of the sensory branches of the trigeminal nerve in the face and forehead. More specifically, devices and electrode assemblies configured for stimulation of the supraorbital, supratrochlear, infraorbital, auriculotemporal, zygomaticotemporal, zygomaticoorbital, zygomaticofacial, nasal and infratrochlear nerves are disclosed.
US08688211B2	Percutaneous neurostimulator for modulating cardiovascular function A neurostimulation device includes an external neurostimulator worn by a patient using a bracing element that braces a portion of the patient's body. The external neurostimulator delivers neurostimulation to modulate a cardiovascular function of the patient. In one embodiment, the external stimulator delivers neurostimulation percutaneously to a stimulation target in the patient's body using at least one percutaneous stimulation electrode having a distal end lodged on or near the stimulation target.

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