Document Document Title
US08690696B2 Systems and methods for martial arts combat
Systems and methods are provided relating to martial arts competitions including martial arts games, team competitions, and a martial arts combat league. A martial arts combat league may combine traditional aspects of martial arts competitions with the appeal of rooting for a favorite team or individual competitor. Martial arts competition rules and scoring systems may be provided for the martial arts combat league. A martial arts competition area may be provided for presentation of martial arts combat league events. A novel scoring system may involve and inform fans of the martial arts combat league.
US08690695B1 Portable modular winter sport terrain system and method for deploying the same
This invention provides a terrain system comprising a set of metal tubes having a rounded cross section The tubes are separated at a width that defines the appropriate terrain. The tubes are supported by a base located on at least two spaced apart positions therealong. Each leg assembly includes a bottom bar that allows it to be implanted in packed snow. Optional outriggers can be attached to each side of the bottom bar so that the legs can afford increased stability. The legs include telescoping sections that allow for height adjustability. One leg can be omitted, thereby creating a ramp. Each end of the top portion contains male and female connection points, which accommodate curved end caps. Two end caps can also be joined with a double-axis hinge assembly that allows the adjacent top portions to be joined together and articulated along two parallel hinge axes.
US08690690B2 Constant velocity joint with quick connector and method
A shaft assembly that includes a propshaft member and a constant velocity joint. The constant velocity joint has an outer race, which is coupled for rotation with the propshaft member, an inner race, a plurality of bearing balls disposed between the outer and inner races to transmit rotary power therebetween, a shaft member coupled for rotation with the inner race, and a boot assembly that is sealingly engaged to the outer race and the shaft member. The shaft member defines a coupling portion that extends from the boot assembly. A method for coupling a shaft member to a driveline component is also provided.
US08690683B2 Social requirement for online game asset acquisition
Example systems and methods related to a social requirement for acquiring an asset, such as a reward, in an online game are presented herein. In one example, an online game for a plurality of players is hosted. Information describing a social network of friends of a player of the game is accessed. An asset is provided to the player based satisfaction of an acquisition requirement to acquire the asset. The acquisition requirement includes a social requirement that is satisfied by a new association of a predetermined number of friends of the social network of the player with the online game.
US08690682B1 Browser based wagering game systems and configuration
A wagering game system and its operations are described herein. In embodiments, the operations can include presenting a web browser on a display associated with a wagering game machine and receiving a request to present wagering game content on the display, via the web browser. The operations can further include determining a web address stored in a setting associated with a wagering game machine and sending the web address associated with the wagering game machine to a wagering game server. The wagering game server is configured to provide a webpage document described in the web address. The web address can be stored in the setting prior to the request to present the wagering game content on the display. The operations can further include receiving the webpage document from the wagering game server; and presenting the webpage document on the display of the wagering game machine via the web browser.
US08690679B2 System and method for providing wireless gaming as a service application
A gaming system is provided. The gaming system allows users to access applications via gaming communication devices coupled to a communication network. At least a portion of the network may be wireless. The gaming applications include gambling, financial, entertainment service, and other types of transactions. The system may include a user location determination feature to prevent users from conducting transactions from unauthorized areas.
US08690670B2 Systems and methods for simulating a rock band experience
Systems and methods for indicating the performance of a plurality of players playing a video game simulating a rock band experience may include: calculating a player score for each player playing a rhythm action game within a band, each player score representing the performance level of a particular player; calculating a composite score for the band playing a rhythm action game, the composite score based in part on a performance level associated with each player within the band; displaying the composite score on a performance meter as a performance level; and displaying each player score on the performance meter as a graphical indication positioned on the meter at a position corresponding to the calculated player score.
US08690663B2 Payline and wagering options for low denomination games
Methods and systems for providing low denomination payline and wagering options for “penny” gaming machines and systems are disclosed. A gaming machine or system configurator can provide various operator adjustable settings, including minimum overall wager, maximum overall wager, available denominations for play, minimum number of paylines that must be played, and incremental amount of paylines to be played. The configurator can include manual devices, an interface to a remote server or internal gaming machine logic. Player adjustable game parameters can include a play denomination, an overall wager, the number of paylines played and the number of credits per payline. Parameters not set by the player are automatically calculated by the gaming machine for faster game play. Residual awards or credit balances of less than a whole coin can be squared by payout mechanisms including a ticket printer, a player accounting system, a charity feature or a bonus play feature.
US08690659B2 Casino game with next round multipliers
A player plays a first round of a casino slot machine game. If the player achieves a winning outcome on the first round of play, the payouts for the next round of play of the casino game will be increased. The amount of the increase is based on the category of the winning outcome on the first round of play. Each subsequent round of play continues to have increased payouts if the player continues to achieve winning outcomes. When the player has a losing outcome, the payouts revert to the base level. An extra wager may be required from the player to activate this feature during the play of the casino game.
US08690652B1 Longitudinally notched threshing element for an agricultural combine threshing concave
A concave includes a frame and an array of threshing elements supported by the frame, the threshing elements being spaced apart and extending generally parallel to one another. The threshing elements are configured in the form of round bars each having formed on an upper portion thereof disposed adjacent to an upper portion of the frame a longitudinally-extending notch respectively defining an aggressive threshing edge. The spaced apart relationship and round configuration of the threshing elements reduce plugging of the concave. The threshing edges facing in a direction opposite to the direction of crop material flow restrict crop material flow and thereby enable more effective threshing.
US08690648B1 Method and apparatus for preparing poultry skin
Penetrating the skin of a poultry item with an array of small holes accomplished by using a plurality of circular blades laterally spaced apart and substantially parallel and having a plurality teeth protruding from the edge of the blades and forcibly engaging and penetrating the skin of the poultry item with the plurality of teeth. The plurality of circular blades can have a common axis of rotation and rotating about a shaft extending along the common axis thereby forming a roller of blades.
US08690647B1 Field dressing attachment for a hunting knife
A field dressing attachment for a hunting knife preferably includes a support plate, an end hook, a bottom gusset and a finger ring. One end of the support plate is terminated with the end hook. The bottom gusset extends downward from a bottom of the support plate. The finger ring extends from the bottom gusset and is located at an opposing end of the support plate. A blade groove is formed in the support plate to receive a non-cutting edge of a knife blade. A tip cavity is formed in the end hook. A tip of the knife blade is inserted into the tip cavity. A user's finger is inserted through the finger ring and a remainder of the hand is wrapped around a handle of the knife. The forefinger is used to keep the tip of the knife blade in the tip cavity.
US08690645B2 Fish processing system and method
Methods and systems for processing fish are provided which enable cutting of the fish and removal of the viscera without damage to either the viscera or the remaining fish product. The systems may include an adjustable cutting device to cut the belly in a particularly unobtrusive manner and/or an adjustable gutting device to severe a gullet of the fish from the fish body and to gather and remove the viscera without significant damage to the viscera or the remaining fish product. Extractors for severing the connection between the gullet and the fish are also provided to assist in removal of the viscera, including the gonads. Vacuum head assemblies for cleaning a cavity of the fish after the viscera is removed are also provided.
US08690641B2 Apparatus for supplying constant amount of abrasive
An apparatus for supplying a constant amount of abrasive which can supply even dry ice particles, ice particles, or the like as abrasive in a constant amount is provided. In order to take out abrasive contained in measuring holes 21 of a rotating disc 20, an abrasive mixing section 40 for blowing a compressed gas into each of the measuring holes 21 has a cylinder 41′ which opens toward one surface of the rotating disc at the position where the measuring holes are formed. A piston 43′ is inserted into the cylinder. A fluid channel 45 opens toward the cylinder 41′ through the intermediary of the rotating disc 20 and whose opening rim 45a is in sliding contact with another surface of the rotating disc 20. One of the cylinder 41′ and the fluid channel 45 communicates with a compressed-gas supply source through the intermediary of a compressed-gas introduction path 52. The other one of the cylinder 41′ and the fluid channel 45 communicates with the abrasive transport path 51. The piston 43′ has a through-hole 43a passing therethrough in such a manner as to coincide with the position where the measuring holes are formed.
US08690637B2 Flex-arm devices and methods
Disclosed is a flex-arm device including a base, at least one support block attached to the base, the support block including a shaft aperture, a shaft engaged with the shaft aperture of the support block, and a flex-arm mount attached to the shaft. When the device is in an unlocked orientation, the shaft is capable of rotation within the shaft aperture such that the flex-arm mount may be angularly displaced about multiple positions, and when the device is in a locked orientation, the shaft is restricted from rotation within the shaft aperture.
US08690630B2 Bubble generating device and method for forming a bubble film
A bubble generating toy includes a bubble forming assembly mounted inside a housing behind a front opening thereof. The bubble forming assembly includes a cylindrical body having diametric inlet and outlet, a cylindrical air gate having diametric inlet and outlet. The air gate is rotatable in the cylindrical body between a closed position and open position when the inlets and outlets are aligned. A sleeve extends perpendicularly from the outlet of the cylindrical body and has a bubble ring. Bubble forming liquid is pumped from a container, through a tube and into the sleeve by a pump to form a bubble film across the bubble ring. An air blower blows are through the sleeve and the bubble ring to generate bubbles.
US08690627B2 Organic EL element producing method comprising energization treatment step and storage treatment step
Provided is a method for producing an organic EL element wherein a leak current is reduced, the visual quality is high, and the heat resistance is high. The method for producing an organic EL element formed by holding at least an organic light emitting layer between a pair of electrodes is comprised of an energization treatment process (S3) for energizing the organic EL element while the organic EL element is heated, and a storage treatment process (S4) for storing the organic EL element while the organic EL element is heated. Further, the method for producing an organic EL element is characterized in that the energization treatment process (S3) and the storage treatment process (S4) are performed in an atmosphere having a temperature of 80 DEG C. or more.
US08690626B2 Surfboard leash system and method
A surfboard leash system for a surfboard and a method of making it are disclosed. The system may include an insert or receptacle adapted to be disposed within a portion of the surfboard, a reel assembly releasably connected to the insert and having an arm portion terminating in an annular flange, a first elongated line having a first end attached to the reel assembly and a second end capable of being extended from and retracted to the annular flange of the reel assembly, and a second elongated line releasably connectable at a first end to the second end of the first elongated line and adapted to be releasably attached at a second end to a user of the surfboard.
US08690620B2 Through-hull support for steering and propelling a boat and boat equipped with such a support
Boat (10) comprising a steering and propelling unit comprising at least one driving shaft (11, 11′) passing in an opening of the transom (12) for transmitting the motion from a motor to at least one propeller (21, 21′), at least one steering (14) provided at the top with at least one rotation pin (13), and a through-hull support (100) able to be associated with the opening and equipped with a plate portion (101) able to be fixed on the outside to the hull (12) of the boat (10) and with a through-hull tubular portion (102) for support of the at least one driving shaft (11, 11′), in which the through-hull support (100) also comprises at least one bush (103) passing through the plate portion (101) to support, in a rotary manner, the pin (13) bearing the steering (14) and in which the wall (12) of the hull where the passage opening of the at least one driving shaft (11, 11′) is formed is inclined from the top to the bottom in the direction of the stem of the boat (10).
US08690615B2 Capacitor
An electrical contact includes a body having a mating segment. At least a portion of the mating segment defines a first conductive element having a three-dimensional (3D) surface. A dielectric layer is formed directly on the 3D surface of the first conductive element in engagement with the 3D surface. A second conductive element is formed on the dielectric layer such that the dielectric layer extends between the first and second conductive elements. The first and second conductive elements and the dielectric layer form a capacitor.
US08690613B2 Connector easily enabling a reduction in thickness and being structurally stable
A conductive terminal member is disposed at a portion between an insulating base film and an insulating cover film while insulating intermediate members are disposed at other portions therebetween. In this event, the intermediate members are formed in predetermined shapes and are located so as not to overlap the terminal member. The base film and the cover film are each melt-fixed to the intermediate members so that the terminal member is fixedly held between the base member and the cover film and with the terminal member 14 bent to penetrate windows 11b, 11c in the base and cover to form contact portions 14a, 14c.
US08690612B2 Electrical connectors and methods for coupling the electrical connectors to busbars
An electrical connector is provided. The electrical connector includes a first mounting portion. The electrical connector further includes a first clamping portion coupled to the first mounting portion. The first clamping portion has a first coupling tab and a second coupling tab. The first and second coupling tabs define a first gap. The first and second coupling tabs are configured to form an electrical connection with the first busbar in the first gap.
US08690610B2 Joint connector with a plurality of terminals, a housing, and a spring
A joint connector comprises a plurality of terminals, a housing having a space with a size such that the plurality of terminals is capable of being accommodated in a contact state in parallel, and a terminal insertion slot allowing the terminals inserted into the space to be laterally moved from the side of one side wall to the opposite side wall, and a spring interposed between a terminal close to the one side wall among the plurality of terminals accommodated in the space, and the one side wall to press the plurality of terminals in a mutual contact state toward the opposite side wall.
US08690606B2 Electrical interface and method
A mounting base is disclosed comprising: a base housing configured to retain an electrical connector at a first base housing end and a flexible shaft at a second base housing end, the base housing providing an electrical path between the electrical connector and a first electrical wire in the flexible shaft; a contact spring for providing an electrical connection to a power terminal on the electrical connector; a insulation sleeve enclosing the contact spring; a contact eyelet electrically attached to a second electrical wire in the flexible shaft, the contact eyelet in electrical contact with the contact spring; and a grounding collar disposed against an end of the flexible shaft, the grounding collar disposed within an interior channel in the second base housing end.
US08690605B2 I/O connector having metal covering portion tightly fixed with insulative housing
An I/O connector (100) includes an insulative housing (10) having a base portion (11) and a fitting portion (12) extending forwardly from the base portion, a number of terminals (30) retained in the insulative housing, and a metal covering portion (20) integrally molded with the insulative housing. The metal covering portion has a main portion (21) embedded with the base portion, a pair of deflexed side portions (22) engaging with two sides of the fitting portion, and a front portion (23) engaging with a front edge of the fitting portion. The main portion defines a slit (212) and forms a corresponding slant portion (213) extending into the slit. The fitting portion forms an upper hook (124). The upper hook is received in the slit and engages with the slant portion.
US08690600B1 Electronic device shield and connector case
An electronic device protective case with a built-in capability to have a connector or cable that enables it to interface to power and communication sources without the need for a separate cable. The connector can be an AC connector for power, or a DC connector for power and/or signals, such as an universal serial bus (USB) connector or similar connector. The connector or cable can the move between a stowed position within the protective case housing and a deployed positions where it is external to said case.
US08690598B2 Communication plug with improved crosstalk
A communication plug having a plug body and a plurality of contact pairs at least partially within the plug body, the contact pairs including an inherent asymmetric coupling between individual contacts of one of the contact pairs and other individual contacts of another of the contact pairs. Second asymmetric coupling elements are connected between the individual contacts of one of the contact pairs and the other individual contacts of another of the contact pairs. The second asymmetric coupling elements, when combined with the inherent asymmetric coupling, provide a balanced symmetric coupling between the individual contacts of one of the contact pairs and the other individual contacts of another of the contact pairs.
US08690594B2 Electrical connector with dual retention elements
An electrical connector electrically connecting a chip module to a printed circuit board, has includes an insulative housing having a number of terminals received therein and a loading plate covering on the insulative housing. The loading plate comprises a first rotating element rotatably attached to one end of the insulative housing and a second rotating element rotatably attached to the other end of the insulative housing, the two rotating elements interlocked with each other.
US08690589B2 Electrical card-edge connector
A card-edge connector has a housing that includes a housing body, and a plurality of electrical contacts carried by the housing body. The electrical contacts include a plurality of electrical signal contacts and a plurality of electrical power contacts. The electrical signal contacts are sized thinner than the electrical power contacts. The card-edge connector includes a mounting fastener extending out from only one side wall of the housing body at a location adjacent the electrical signal contacts.
US08690588B2 Junction box assembly having an over-travel spring
A junction box assembly includes a housing member and an electrical component. The housing member has a housing surface and a component receptacle having a pair of opposing sidewalls coupled to the housing surface. Each sidewall has a locking opening disposed therein and each locking opening defines a locking surface. A post is arranged within the component receptacle and extends from the housing surface for a predetermined distance to a post surface. The electrical component is received in the component receptacle and has a component surface adjacent the post surface and a barb received in each locking opening. The post applies a force to the electrical component for retaining the barb against the locking surface.
US08690583B2 Probe connector
A probe connector (1) connects a circuit board (2) and a coaxial plug (3) including an axial terminal (162) and a surrounding terminal (163). A coaxial probe (51) of the probe connector includes a center terminal (52) connected to the circuit board and the axial terminal; and an outer terminal (61) coaxial with the center terminal and connected to the circuit board and the surrounding terminal. The outer terminal includes an cylindrical outer conductor (62) surrounding the center terminal and mated with the surrounding terminal; an anchor (63) formed, as a projection (69), on part of an outer surface of the outer conductor by machining process so that a hole is formed on the part of the outer surface; and a conductive cover (91) covering and closing the hole and electrically conducted to the outer conductor. Thus, the position of the coaxial probe is slightly shifted even when the coaxial plug is inserted thereto or pulled therefrom.
US08690581B2 Opthalmoscope simulator
An ophthalmoscope simulator for simulation and a method for simulation of the handling of an ophthalmoscope, having a support that can be attached to a head of an observer, at least one first imaging display disposed on said support, wherein the display can be placed in front of an eye of the observer for displaying a virtual reality, an ophthalmoscope dummy that can be supported by one hand of the observer, a position recognition system for determining the spatial position and/or orientation of the support and of the ophthalmoscope dummy and a computer for displaying an image of an environment, a patient head and/or at least a portion of the ophthalmoscope dummy on the display. In particular, a patient head dummy is provided that comprises at least one peripheral surface with a patient eye position defined therein, wherein the spatial position and/or orientation of the patient head dummy can be determined and displayed by way of the position recognition system and that in addition to or alternative to the ophthalmoscope dummy an image portion can be added to the image displayed to the observer, wherein the image portion represents a virtual retina as could selectively appear to the observer, taking into account the spatial position of the support, the ophthalmoscope dummy and the patient head dummy.
US08690580B2 Cannulation simulator
A cannulation simulator. The simulator comprises a frame (1) shaped like a part of the human body, on the surface of which a cannulation zone (4) is arranged for insertion of a needle, in particular a cannulation needle. According to the invention, the cannulation zone (4) comprises a layer formed of a gel-like, at least essentially transparent polymeric material, which layer in regard to its mechanical properties at least approximately corresponds to human loose connective tissue, at least one vein simulating polymeric hose (5) arranged inside the polymeric material layer, as well as an elastic polymeric film (6) covering the polymeric material layer on the surface of the body. The simulator facilitates cannulation training.
US08690579B2 Dental position tracking system for a toothbrush
The dental position tracking system includes a toothbrush (30) which has a system (20) for determining the orientation of the toothbrush in the mouth of a user relative to the earth, based on measured stored information. Information is stored in the toothbrush concerning target ranges of expected measured toothbrush orientations for each of a plurality of dental zones (22). A processor (24) compares the measured toothbrush orientation information with the target orientation ranges, following conversion of both the target orientation information and the measured toothbrush orientation information to the same coordinate system. The processor then determines which if any of the target ranges matches, within a selected tolerance thereof, with the toothbrush orientation information. Any difference between the target range and the measured toothbrush orientation information is then used to partially adjust the target information range, in order to compensate for a change of position of the user's head.
US08690575B1 Apparatus and method for a weapon simulator
The present invention is a weapon simulator that is at least partially controlled by a host computer and simulates near actual recoil forces of a weapon via a gun active recoil unit.
US08690573B2 Method of arranging artificial teeth
Artificial teeth arranged in plates attachable in an oral cavity as a dental prosthetic appliance, in which arrangement direction indication parts showing a directivity of arrangement in the plates extending in an apical-cervical direction or in a mesiodistal direction are provided at a vestibular side or an oral side. The arrangement direction indication parts extending in the apical-cervical direction are positioned linearly as seen from the vestibular side in an occluded state of mandibular teeth and maxillary teeth. The arrangement direction indication parts extending in the mesiodistal direction are positioned linearly as seen from the vestibular side in the state in which the teeth are arranged in the plates. The artificial teeth are arranged at an appropriate position according to an oral environment of each patient, without requiring advanced skill and experience.
US08690565B2 Shaft furnace and method for heat-treating moulded bodies containing carbon
The invention relates to a shaft furnace (10) and a method for heat treating carbonaceous molded parts, particularly anodes (17), having an arrangement of the molded parts in at least one molded part column (11 to 15) disposed between tempering shaft devices (19, 20, 21) comprising a plurality of molded part rows (16) disposed above each other in a conveyor shaft, the rows being moved past temperature fields of the tempering shaft devices (19, 20, 22) and passing through a heating zone (25), a firing zone (27) having a burner device (28), and a cooling zone (26), wherein thermally insulating intermediate layers are disposed both between the temperature fields of the tempering shaft devices (19, 20, 22) and between the molded part rows of the molded part columns.
US08690557B2 Variable displacement vane pump
A variable displacement vane pump includes: a plate side high pressure introduction groove formed in the pressure plate or in the cam ring, formed so that an entire is positioned within a radial width of the cam ring, and a part is positioned in a circumferential region between the suction port and the discharge port, and arranged to receive a hydraulic pressure larger than a suction pressure; and a housing side high pressure introduction groove formed in the second housing or in the cam ring, formed so that an entire is positioned within the radial width of the cam ring, that a radial center is positioned radially outside the radial center of the plate side high pressure introduction groove, and that a part is overlapped with the plate side high pressure introduction groove in the circumferential direction, and arranged to receive the hydraulic pressure larger than the suction pressure.
US08690544B2 Oil pump
An oil pump includes a capacity adjustment mechanism that changes the pump capacity by moving a tubular body in a tube radial direction, with a pump chamber formed between the tubular body and an outer circumference side of a rotor, a first spring biasing the tubular body in a direction in which pump capacity increases, a control valve that converts oil pressure of the oil pump into control pressure and causes the control pressure to act on the capacity adjustment mechanism, and a second spring biasing a valve body in order to set the control pressure in the control valve. The relationship of the biasing forces of the first and second springs is set so that pump capacity is set to maximum when the engine rotational speed is less than a predetermined value, and so that pump capacity is reduced when the engine rotational speed exceeds a predetermined value.
US08690541B2 Turbine and a rotor for a turbine
A water powered turbine (1) comprises a main support frame-work (2) which rotatably carries a rotor (3) comprising a main shaft (5) to which three blades (7) are attached by carrier discs (8) and (9). The carrier discs (8, 9) are rigidly secured to the main shaft (5), and the blades (7) are pivotally connected to the discs (8) and (9) by pivot shafts (16) and (17). Each blade (7) is of constant hydro-foil cross-section along its entire length and defines a first upper spiral (12) and a second lower spiral (13). The first spiral (12) extends from a first end (10) which is coupled to the main shaft (5) by the carrier disc (8), and the second spiral (13) of each blade (7) extends from a second end (11) of the blade (7) which is coupled to the main shaft (5) by the carrier disc (9). The first and second spirals (12) and (13) are of opposite hand and extend from the respective first and second ends (10, 11) to meet midway between the respective first and second ends (10, 11). The first and second spirals (12, 13) define respective central spiral axes which substantially coincide with a main central rotational axis (4) about which the rotor (3) is rotatable. The pivot shafts (16, 17) of each blade (7) define a corresponding secondary axis (18) about which the blades (7) are pivotal for selectively altering the dive angle of the first and second spirals (12) and (13) of the blades (7).
US08690540B2 Lubrication system for a bearing
A lubrication system is provided for a bearing with a stationary inner ring and a rotating outer ring. The lubrication system includes a distribution ring attached to the outer ring for distributing a lubricant in the bearing. The distribution ring includes transport openings directed towards the bearing for transportation of the lubricant from a lower position of the outer ring to an upper position of the outer ring.
US08690538B2 Leading edge cooling using chevron trip strips
A turbine engine component has an airfoil portion having a leading edge, a suction side, and a pressure side and a radial flow leading edge cavity through which a cooling fluid flows for cooling the leading edge. The turbine engine component further has a first set of trip strips and a second set of trip strips which meet at the leading edge nose portion of the leading edge cavity to form a plurality of chevron shaped trip strips and for generating a vortex in the leading edge cavity which impinges on the nose portion of the leading edge cavity and enhances convective heat transfer.
US08690536B2 Turbine blade tip with vortex generators
A turbine blade for a turbine engine having a tip with one or more vortex generators for reducing tip leakage during operation of the turbine engine. The vortex generators may extend radially outward from the radially outer surface of the tip wall. The vortex generator may be positioned between a rib extending radially outward from the radially outer surface of the tip wall and an intersection between the outer surface of the tip wall and an outer surface on the pressure side. The vortex generators may include a base and three sides forming a triangular point with a first side having a larger surface are than second and third sides. One or more film cooling holes may be formed in the tip wall to provide cooling air to the tip. In one embodiment, film cooling holes may be positioned in one or more vortex generators.
US08690533B2 Adjustment and measurement system for steam turbine nozzle assembly
A remote adjustment and measurement system for a steam turbine nozzle assembly is disclosed. In one embodiment, a steam turbine casing segment is disclosed including: a horizontal joint surface; a pocket having a first opening at the horizontal joint surface and a second opening substantially opposing the first opening; and a path accessible from a radially outward surface of the steam turbine casing segment, the path fluidly connected to the second opening of the pocket.
US08690528B2 Counter-rotating axial flow fan
A counter-rotating axial flow fan in which the shape of stationary blades of a middle stationary portion is optimized to reduce noise is provided. Defining the maximum axial chord length of front blades as Lf, the maximum axial chord length of rear blades as Lr, and the maximum axial chord length of stationary blades as Lm, a relationship of Lm/(Lf+Lr)<0.14 is satisfied. Defining the maximum dimension between the blade chord for lower surfaces of the stationary blades and the lower surfaces as K1, the maximum axial chord length Lm of the stationary blades satisfies a relationship of Lm/K1>5.8.
US08690523B2 Fluid flow machine with running gap retraction
A fluid flow machine includes a main flow path which is confined by a hub (3) and a casing (1) and in which at least one row of blades (5) is arranged, with a blade end with gap being provided on the blade row, with the blade end and the main flow path confinement performing a rotary movement relative to each other in a vicinity of the blade end, with at least part of the running gap (11) retracted radially from the main flow path confinement into the main flow path, with the running gap (11) at the retractions no longer being confined by the main flow path confinement, but by a peripheral guiding device (10) passed by the main flow and firmly connected to the main flow path confinement and having a row of profiles (12).
US08690515B2 Fully automatic coupler for excavator arm
A coupler for receiving first and second pins of an accessory. A first latching mechanism is associated with a first jaw, having an arm connected to and extending away from a latching member thereof, and a second latching mechanism is associated with a second jaw, the first and second latching mechanisms adapted to latch the first and second pins of an accessory in or on the first jaw and the second jaw, respectively. The second latching mechanism is powered for movement between a latching position and a non-latching position. The first latching mechanism is connected to, or connectable with, the second latching mechanism to allow operation of the second latching mechanism selectively to operate the first latching mechanism between its own latching and non-latching positions by means of a groove or flange or finger provided on the second latching mechanism.
US08690514B2 Heavy duty vehicle recovery system
A heavy duty vehicle recovery system employs a crane/tow boom assembly which is pivotally mounted to an upright assembly and is transformable between various positions. Two variably positionable booms with slidable extensions are provided. The crane/tow boom assembly extends rearwardly from the lower portion of the upright assembly. When the upright assembly is in an upright position, the boom assembly is upwardly pivotal from the upright assembly. When the upright assembly is in a reclined position, the crane/tow boom assembly is pivotally transformable to a transport position generally parallel to the upright assembly. The crane booms may be independently positioned at different elevational angles and different extensions.
US08690512B2 Apparatus for freight container loading
Disclosed are apparatuses and methods for use thereof for loading bulk material into freight containers. One apparatus comprises a hopper configured to receive bulk material that is sized and shaped to be at least partially enclosable by a container to occupy a substantial volume of the container and a ram. The ram comprises a plate and a driver configured to move the plate from a back end of the hopper to an open end of the hopper to expel material into a container. Another apparatus comprises a hopper configured to receive bulk material that is sized and shaped to be at least partially enclosable by a container to occupy a substantial volume of the container and a reciprocating conveyor floor system. Optionally, the apparatuses further include a stand and/or collapsible legs to further support the hopper.
US08690510B1 Self-lifting robotic device movable in desired horizontal directions
A robotic device movable in a vertical direction and in prescribed horizontal directions along rails arranged in the prescribed horizontal directions in multiple rows provided at various levels with respect to ground. The robotic device has a frame, wheels coupled to the frame and configured for moving the frame along the rails, and support handles for lifting the frame in the vertical direction from first rails arranged in a first row of the rails to second rails arranged in a second row of the rails. The support handles are configured for providing engagement with the second rails to lift the robotic device in the vertical direction, and for turning the frame into a desired horizontal direction by pushing against the second rails on an intersection between the second rails and third rails arranged in the same row as the second rails.
US08690502B1 Apparatus for engagement with buckle
A buckle-engaging apparatus includes a stationary plate, a rotational receptacle and a pivot. The stationary plate includes a central aperture defined therein. The rotational receptacle includes a rotational plate and a shell. The rotational plate includes a central aperture defined therein. The shell is attached to the rotational plate and includes a slot in a raised portion. The pivot is inserted in the central aperture of the stationary plate and the central aperture of the rotational plate to rotationally connect the rotational plate to the stationary plate.
US08690500B2 Tool interface
A tool interface that is easy to produce but also precise, for coupling a tool head to a tool shank in a centered manner in respect of a shank axis, comprises a first interface part that is connected to the tool shank or to the tool head, and a second interface part that is connected to the respectively other tool part, namely, to the tool head or to the tool shank. The two interface parts have interface surfaces that substantially complement each other and are intended to bear flatly on each other. The interface surface of the first interface part comprises an inner cone surface and an outer cone surface, which surrounds the latter on the outside and coaxially. The interface surface of the second interface part comprises an outer cone surface, which corresponds with the inner cone surface of the first interface part, and an inner cone surface, which corresponds with the outer cone surface of the first interface part. In the case of a first invention variant, an annular web formed between the inner cone surface and the outer cone surface of the first interface part is slotted by at least one recess. In the case of a second invention variant, the second interface part has a central bore surrounded coaxially by its outer cone surface, an annular web formed between the outer cone surface and this bore being in this case slotted by at least one recess.
US08690499B2 Machine tool
High precision machining is enabled by eliminating the need for a conventional swiveling table, and by enhancing rigidity for supporting a work by relatively reducing the distance from the top surface of a stationary body section (1) to the position for machining a work by means of a tool on a rotary spindle (17). A pair of guide tracks (28a, 28b) respectively passing two positions separated in the X axis direction of the stationary body section (1) and in the Z axis direction intersecting the X axis direction perpendicularly are allowed to guide feed tables (30a, 30b) to be movable independently. A support/feed/turn output member (25) is latched to bridge the feed tables (30a, 30b) on the guide tracks (28a, 28b), one feed table (30a) and the support/feed/turn output member (25) are coupled to rotate relatively about a line in the Y axis direction which intersects perpendicularly both the X axis direction and the Z axis direction, the other feed table (30b) and the support/feed/turn output member (25) are coupled to rotate relatively about a line in the Y axis direction and to displace relatively in a specific direction related to the positions of the both feed tables (30a, 30b), and a means (35) for regulating relative displacement in the specific direction is provided additionally.
US08690494B2 Cutting inserts and cutting tool systems having sinusoidal and helical cutting edges
A cutting tool system is designed to have a combined sinusoidal-shaped and helical-shaped cutting edge formed by an assembly of aligned common cutting inserts each having a sinusoidal and helical cutting edge.
US08690493B2 End mill
An end mill including multiple spiral flutes in a helical shape around an axis that are formed in a periphery of the top portion of an end mill body which rotates on the axis. Cutting edges are formed at peripheral side ridge portions of wall surfaces of the flutes facing a front side in an end mill rotating direction. Honing is applied along each peripheral cutting edge such that the cutting edge has a variable honing width in the direction of the axis.
US08690489B2 Method and system for locally controlling support of a flat object
A non-contact support platform system is provided for supporting a substantially flat object. The system includes a platform with a first plurality of pressure ports and a first plurality of vacuum ports for inducing a fluid cushion to support the object at a distance from the platform. The system further includes a second plurality of pressure ports located at a predetermined zone of the platform for increasing the distance of the object from the platform at the predetermined zone.
US08690486B2 Method and device for measuring underground pressure
The present invention relates to in-place soil stabilization. Specifically, the present invention relates a method and device for measuring the increase in subsurface earth pressure during the injection of a stabilizing agent into the soil. The rise in sensor pressure indicates an increase in soil strength and bearing capacity. Therefore, real-time monitoring of these pressures may serve as a guide during the injection process.
US08690481B2 Removable impact cover for a marine riser buoyancy module
A removal impact cover (14) for a marine riser buoyancy module (10) has an arcuate shape with an open face (21). The cover (14) has a number of recesses (18) arranged to engage with recesses (22) on the module (10). The recesses (18) each contain an aperture (20) and the recesses (22) each contain an aperture (23). The cover (14) and the module (10) are engaged by fastening means preferably extending the apertures 20 and 23. More preferably the engaged cover (14) is spaced from the module (10) to reduce direct transmission of forces to the module (10).
US08690479B2 Speedy construction method for penstock of large scale hydraulic turbine
A speedy construction method for the penstock of a large scale hydraulic turbine is provided. The construction sequence thereof is as follows: the spiral case of the hydraulic turbine is installed firstly, then, upwards along the water flow direction, the penstock is arranged in turn from the intake section of the spiral case. The penstock is assembled and welded on a roll welding rack or on a penstock pallet car by use of segments so as to be installed rapidly.
US08690476B2 Method and system for storing hydrogen in a salt cavern with a permeation barrier
A novel method and system for storing high purity hydrogen into a salt cavern is provided. Particularly, the storage process involves storing high purity hydrogen into a salt cavern without seepage or leakage of the stored hydrogen through the salt cavern walls, by creating a permeation barrier along the salt cavern walls. The cavern pressure is monitored and controlled to ensure formation and maintenance of the permeation barrier. Optional temperature treatments may also be incorporated as desired.
US08690468B2 Laterally-actuated dispenser with one-way valve for storing and dispensing substances
A dispenser has a body defining with a variable-volume storage chamber for storing product. A compression chamber is in fluid communication with the storage chamber for receiving substance therefrom A one-way valve of the dispenser includes valve seat and flexible valve cover seated on the valve seat and defining a normally-closed seam therebetween forming a fluid-tight seal between the valve cover and valve seat. The flexible valve cover is movable relative to the valve seat to allow the passage of substance through the seam and out of the dispenser. A manually-engageable actuator connected to the dispensing portion is movable between first and second positions to dispense substance within the compression chamber out of the dispenser.
US08690466B2 Wiper of perforated sheet metal/expanded metal
The invention relates to a wiper for wiping a cosmetics applicator upon withdrawing the same from a storage chamber filled with a cosmetic to be applied, comprising a wiper section and a holding section for fixing the wiper on a storage container, wherein, at least in some areas between the wiper section and the holding section, a functional section is disposed having a screen structure of several passage openings that are disposed immediately next to one another, which connects the storage chamber with the wiper antechamber.
US08690461B2 System and method for controlling a multi-drive printing press
A system and method are provided for controlling a printing press including a plurality of print units and, optionally, a folder. Each print unit has one or more cylinders, a motor for driving the cylinders; an encoder for providing a cylinder position signal, a controller coupled to the encoder, the motor, a bus which interconnects each of the controllers and an input port for designating the controller as either master or slave. Any one of the controllers is selectively set as a master controller and the remaining controllers are set as slave controllers. The master controller generates a control signal based on a signal from the input port and outputs the control signal to the motor via the output port and to the slave controllers via the bus. Each of the slave controllers outputs a signal on the respective output port based on the received control signal.
US08690460B2 Camera phone mount for a weapon scope
An attachment assembly for attaching a camera phone to a weapon scope is provided. The attachment assembly includes a camera phone mount having at least one camera phone clamp for the selective retention of a camera phone in the camera phone mount, the camera phone mount rotatably and slidably coupled to a mount bracket. A scope mount assembly is coupled to a portion of a weapon scope, the scope mount assembly being slidably received by a portion of the mount bracket, wherein the camera phone mount is rotatable between a first position and a second position, wherein the first position has a camera lens of the camera phone in alignment the view through the scope, and the second position has the camera lens of the camera phone outside of alignment from the view through the scope.
US08690455B2 Planar optical interface and splitter
An apparatus includes an optical Input/Output (I/O) connector, which has a central axis that is mounted in a plane and which is configured to connect to external optical fibers for transferring input optical signals to the apparatus and output optical signals from the apparatus. A first optical ferrule is mounted perpendicularly to the optical I/O connector in the plane, and is configured to transfer the input optical signals from the optical I/O connector to respective optical detectors. A second optical ferrule is mounted perpendicularly to the optical I/O connector in the plane, and is configured to transfer the output optical signals from respective optical emitters to the optical connector. A light rotation module is configured to bend and transfer the input and output optical signals between the optical I/O connector and the perpendicularly-mounted first and second optical ferrules.
US08690452B2 Cage for roller bodies
A cage for roller bodies, for example axial bearings or flat guides, which is approximately W-shaped in the longitudinal cross-section, having side walls forming W-shaped limbs and webs connecting them, between which the roller bodies are accommodated. The profile of the webs is suitable for limiting the freedom of movement of the roller bodies to at least two degrees of freedom. Furthermore, the profile of the webs is designed such that the freedom of movement of the roller bodies can be limited in at least one additional degree of freedom.
US08690441B2 Wheel bearing device for motor vehicles
A wheel bearing device for a motor vehicle, having an inner ring arrangement, formed for rotationally fixed reception of a first rotary partner, particularly an axle stump, or a shaft, an outer ring arrangement, which is connected and/or connectable and rotationally fixed with a second rotary partner, a multitude of rolling elements, which roll between the inner ring arrangement and the outer ring arrangement, so that inner ring arrangement and outer ring arrangement and/or the rotary partners are rotatable against each other, and an electric sensor device, which, using mechanical contact, is arranged and/or formed for detecting an operating status of the wheel bearing device. The sensor device has a stationary sensor element and a rotating sensor element, which can work together to form the mechanical contact. One of the sensor elements is connected with the inner ring arrangement without the interposition of the first rotary partner.
US08690437B2 Connecting rod bearing of internal combustion engine
Disclosed is a connecting rod bearing for a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine, the connecting rod bearing comprising a pair of semi-cylindrical bearings. In at least one of the semi-cylindrical bearings, a front side circumferential groove is formed from the front side circumferential end surface, and in the opposed semi-cylindrical bearing, a rear side circumferential groove is formed from the rear side circumferential end surface. A circumferential length of the front side circumferential groove is larger than a circumferential length of the front side crush relief, and a circumferential length of the rear side circumferential groove is smaller than a circumferential length of the rear side crush relief.
US08690433B2 Sliding device for electronic apparatus
A sliding device for an electronic apparatus includes a contact piece projecting outward in a widthwise direction from a sliding plate and a contacted part with which the contact piece is caused to come into contact when the sliding plate is caused to slide with a maximum displacement in a rear direction relative to a base plate. The contact piece includes a partially cylindrical surface and a connecting surface. The contacted part includes a contacted shape part configured to be contacted by a boundary part of the partially cylindrical surface and the connecting surface to provide the sliding plate with a rotational force to cause a front direction end portion of the sliding plate to move in the bottom direction relative to a rear direction end portion of the sliding plate, and an engaged shape part with which the partially cylindrical surface and the connecting surface are caused to engage.
US08690428B2 Plastic bag with pour spout and slide closure
A bag has two juxtaposed face panels of plastic film and each having two parallel side edges and top and bottom edges. A gusset extends between one of the side edges of one of the panels and the juxtaposed side edge of the other of the panels. The gusset is movable between a folded-in condition lying mainly between the panels and an extended condition projecting laterally past the panels and forming a spout generally at the top edges. A slide fastener at the top edges has two profile strips that can be locked to each other and that each have an attachment flap, and a slider shiftable along the profile strips in a closing direction to close the strips together and in an opposite opening direction to separate the strips. Joints secure the attachment flaps directly to inner faces of the respective face panels at the respective upper edges.
US08690424B2 Patient stool for an x-ray imaging apparatus
The invention relates to a medical x-ray imaging apparatus including a support structure (1) which supports a substantially ring-shaped structure, an O-arm (2) supporting imaging means (21, 22), to which O-arm (2) is arranged an examination opening (4). The ring-shaped structure (2) supporting the imaging means is arranged movable with respect to said support construction (1) at least in vertical direction. A patient stool (30) is arranged to be positioned in connection with the apparatus, as well as positioning means (32, 33, 34) in connection with said examination opening (4) for positioning the patient stool (30) in the examination opening (4).
US08690414B2 Display device with light guide element overlapping peripherial display region of display panel
A plurality of display panels include a display region and a frame region. The plurality of display panels include first and second display panels adjoining each other; the frame region of the first display panel is overlapped by a side face of the second display panel so that an angle defined by viewer-side surfaces is more than 0° but less than 180°; first and second light guide elements are disposed on the viewer's side of peripheral display regions; the light guide elements have incident and outgoing faces and a plurality of light guiding portions; the distance between the incident and outgoing faces increases away from the peripheral display region toward the frame region; the volume of the first light guide element is larger than that of the second light guide element; and the outgoing faces of the first and second light guide elements are covered by a functional film.
US08690412B2 Backlight structures and backlight assemblies for electronic device displays
An electronic device may have a liquid crystal display with backlight structures. The backlight structures may produce backlight that passes through the display layers in the display. The display layers may include a layer of liquid crystal material interposed between a color filter layer and a thin-film transistor layer. The backlight structures may include a light guide plate. A plurality of light-emitting diodes mounted on a flexible printed circuit may be coupled to an edge of the light guide plate. The flexible printed circuit may be curled into a spring element to bias the light-emitting diodes against the edge of the light guide plate. A plurality of gaps may be formed in the flexible printed circuit and may be used to separate and mechanically decouple adjacent light-emitting diodes. Individual light-emitting diodes may independently register to the light guide plate to maximize optical efficiency in the display.
US08690410B2 Display element including microperforations
Methods and aparatuses disclosed herein relate to backlit visual display elements. A visual display element may include a base layer defining one or more microperforations and a light guide coupled to a light source. The light guide may be positioned adjacent the base layer and include one or more microlenses in alignment with the one or more microperforations along at least one vertical axis.
US08690398B2 Vertically adjustable cubicle lamp
A vertically adjustable cubicle lamp may be suspended on two vertical rods configured to grip the upper edge of a cubicle wall. The lamp may be vertically positioned and secured through a frictional fit, a mechanical interface, or a wirelessly controlled traction motor. Lamp intensity may be controlled through a microprocessor.
US08690375B2 Power cord mounted electronic module for portable lamp
A cap lamp system features a battery pack, a cap lamp housing containing a cap lamp bulb and a power cord connected between the battery pack and the cap lamp housing. The power cord provides power to the cap lamp bulb from the battery pack. An electronic module includes a housing defining a chamber and electronic circuitry is positioned within the chamber of the housing. The electronic module is positioned in circuit with the power cord. The electronic module may receives power from the battery pack and the electronic circuitry of the electronic module may includes a battery that powers the module.
US08690371B2 Board holder, electronic device, and display apparatus
A hole that penetrates each light emitting diode board in the thickness direction of the board is provided, on one end portion in the longitudinal direction of each of a plurality of light emitting diode boards which have a plurality of light emitting diodes mounted on one surface, respectively have substantially a strip shape, and are arranged in a plurality of rows. The board holder has: protruding sections which are inserted into the holes of the adjacent light emitting diode boards; and a coupling section which is disposed in the direction orthogonally intersecting the longitudinal direction of the light emitting diode board, has a strip-shape, and couples respective base ends of the protruding sections. The plurality of light emitting diode boards disposed in parallel are held by inserting the protruding sections into the holes.
US08690358B2 Video projection device for mobile device having a first projection surface integral with a surface of the mobile device
A mobile device such as a robot includes a processor, a memory that stores components executable by the processor, and a projection assembly. The projection assembly includes a projector, a lens, a movable mirror, and a first projection surface integral with a surface of the mobile device. The components include a projection component and a control component. The projection component determines the projection parameters, and projects the image onto the movable mirror, dependent upon the projection parameters. The control component causes the projector and the lens to focus the image onto the first projection surface, and further causes the movable mirror to reflect the image onto the first projection surface.
US08690357B2 Projector having a light transmitting window movably disposed in-front of the zoom lens and a control method for the same
A safe, highly bright projector is to be implemented. A projector directs a light beam from a light source (101) to an image modulating device (105), and magnifies and projects an image formed at the image modulating device (105) through a zoom lens (102). This projector has a light transmitting window (103) movably disposed in front of the surface of the light outgoing side of the zoom lens (102) along the optical axis. The projector further has a window position control unit (108) to control the position of the light transmitting window (103) so as not to change the light beam region that appears on the outer surface of the light transmitting window (103) as the focal length of the zoom lens (102) is varied.
US08690354B2 Mobile electronic device with an image projector
It is a task to provide a mobile electronic device with high operability and high safety. The mobile electronic device includes an image projector that projects an image, a cabinet, an input unit that is disposed on the cabinet and detects an operation input by an operator, and a control unit that controls the operation of the image projector and the state of the input unit. The task is solved in such a manner that when a predetermined operation is detected by the input unit, the control unit stops emission of light from the image projector or reduces an amount of light emitted from the image projector.
US08690345B2 Projection image display apparatus having a first lens and a second lens adjacent to the screen
There is provided a projection image display apparatus which is excellent in quality of a display screen image even if a projection lens using a plastic lens having an asymmetrical shape with respect to an optical axis is used. The apparatus includes a projection lens which obliquely projects video light on a screen, an integrator which aligns a polarization direction of light from a light source, and an image display element (P, PL) which modulates light having the aligned polarization direction by an image signal. The projection lens includes multiple plastic lenses, and each of the multiple plastic lenses is arrayed, respectively, by shifting a gate direction to each other by 180 degrees. When the projection lens includes n sheets (n is a natural number) of plastic lenses, each of the multiple plastic lenses may be arrayed, respectively, by shifting a gate direction to each other by (360/n) degrees.
US08690338B2 Reflective liquid crystal projector
A reflective liquid crystal projector according to the aspect of the invention includes a light source, a reflective liquid crystal panel, and a wire grid polarization beam splitter element. The wire grid polarization beam splitter element is provided with a polarization beam split surface that reflects a first polarized light component and transmits a second polarized light component. The reflective liquid crystal projector also includes a projection optical system that projects the first polarized light component, and an aperture stop that is disposed on an optical path of the light beam emitted from the light source. The aperture stop limits the amount of first light more than that of second light. The first light is divergent from the reflective liquid crystal panel to the polarization beam split surface. The second light is divergent from the reflective liquid crystal panel to the polarization beam split surface.
US08690334B2 Projector, projection system, and control method of projector
A projector includes an image projection unit that projects an image for left eye and an image for right eye, and a transmitting unit that transmits a synchronizing signal for synchronization with switching between the image for left eye and the image for right eye. The transmitting unit is arranged to adjust a transmission direction of the synchronizing signal.
US08690332B2 Binocular glare testing devices
The present invention is a glare tester attachment for use with a conventional ophthalmic instrument, comprising a pair of eye cups, both eye cups each comprising a wall partially enclosing a hollow interior chamber and having a viewing aperture defining a respective viewing line of sight axis for each eye cup, a portion of each wall being provided with a plurality of lights disposed around said line of sight axis. The invention may be incorporated into a phoropter or a hand-held device.
US08690330B2 Device for swept-source optical coherence domain reflectometry
A device for swept-source optical coherence domain reflectometry (SS OCDR) on moveable samples, particularly human eyes, for obtaining A-scans, having a measuring range according to the sample length and having a laser light source which can be adjusted by a main wave number k0 and at least one receiver for the light dissipated from the sample, wherein the sample is illuminated on the sample surface by a measurement beam having a diameter D by way of a coupling device. The light source has a spectral line width of δk<168 m−1 and the adjustment of the light source is carried out in τ<44 s/(D*k0).
US08690324B2 Method for modifying spectacle frame shape data
A method for modifying spectacle frame shape data, comprising the steps of: generating spectacle frame data by measuring the shape of a rim of a spectacle frame with a spectacle frame shape measuring apparatus, determining the principal axes of inertia of the measured shape of the rim of the spectacle frame using the rim spectacle frame data, and calculating new spectacle rim frame data expressed in the principal axes of inertia of the measured shape of the rim of the spectacle frame.
US08690318B2 Glasses
The present application provides glasses including a frame, temple bars and hinges connecting the temple bars with the frame. One end of each of the hinges is provided with a snap-in spring bow and the other end thereof is provided with a connecting hole hinged to the frame. Accordingly, each of the temple bars is provided with a snap groove cooperated with the snap-in spring bow of the hinge. When mounting the hinge, it only needs to insert the hinge into the temple bar such that the snap-in spring bow of the hinge is cooperated with the snap groove of the temple bar. Thus, in the glasses according to the present application, the hinge and the temple bar may be connected by a snap-fit connection instead of a soldering process or a screw connection, the connecting process is simple since neither a soldering process nor an additional screw is required.
US08690313B2 Conveying device and image forming apparatus
A conveying device comprising a conveying body that conveys a recording medium; and a press roller comprising a large diameter portion that is formed at an axial direction central portion of the press roller and makes contact with the conveying body, and small diameter portions formed at both axial direction sides of the large diameter portion with a smaller diameter than the large diameter portion. Only a width direction central portion of the recording medium is pressed against the conveying body by the large diameter portion.
US08690309B2 Print process for phase separation ink
A process including disposing at least one phase separation ink in an imagewise fashion onto a final image receiving substrate to form an ink image, wherein disposing is at a first temperature at which the at least one phase separation ink is in a molten, unseparated state; cooling the ink image to a second temperature sufficient to initiate crystallization of at least one component of the at least one phase separation ink, wherein at the second temperature the at least one phase separation ink comprises a crystalline phase and an amorphous phase; wherein the amorphous phase of the at least one phase separation ink substantially penetrates into the final image receiving substrate; and wherein the crystalline phase of the at least one phase separation ink substantially remains on the surface of the final image receiving substrate; applying pressure to the ink image on the final image receiving substrate; and allowing the ink to complete crystallization.
US08690300B2 Ink tank and ink jet printer
An ink tank, which is mountable on an ink jet printer, includes an ink outlet adapted to supply ink stored in the ink tank to the ink jet printer through the outlet; an air communicating hole configured to introduce air into the ink tank through the hole in accordance with an amount of the ink supplied to the ink jet printer from the ink tank; a passage communicating with the ink outlet; a prism formed in the ink tank and adapted to detect whether a remaining amount of the ink in the ink tank is below a predetermined level or not; a filter disposed between the prism and the passage; and an ink chamber connected to an upstream opening of the passage. The prism and the filter are disposed in the ink chamber.
US08690295B2 Fluid nozzle array
A method for fabricating a fluid nozzle array includes forming a circuitry layer onto a substrate, the substrate comprising a stopping layer disposed between a membrane layer and a handle layer, forming a fluid feedhole extending from a surface of the membrane layer to the stopping layer, and forming a fluid supply trench extending from a surface of the handle layer to the stopping layer. A fluid nozzle array includes a substrate including a membrane layer, a stopping layer adjacent to the membrane layer, a handle layer adjacent to the stopping layer, and a set of fluid chambers disposed on a surface of the membrane layer above and along a width of a fluid supply trench extending from a surface of the handle layer to the stopping layer.
US08690289B1 Printing device and printer using the same
A printing device and a printer using the same are provided. The printer includes a body and the printing device installed therein. The printing device includes a shaft, an inkjet module disposed on the shaft, and a cleaning module disposed under the shaft. The inkjet module has a nozzle and at least one electromagnet around the nozzle. The cleaning module includes a scraper and a cap disposed aside of the scraper, wherein the cap is magnetic or has at least one magnet disposed therein. Whether the cap attracts the nozzle or the cap repels the nozzle is determined by the current applied to the electromagnet.
US08690286B2 Inkjet printing apparatus
An apparatus which prevents an increase in a print suspension time or the time required to print because of a remaining ink detection operation when there is a sufficient amount of remaining ink. At least one ink tank is monitored to determine if the remaining ink is less than a given amount. If the remaining ink in an ink tank is less than a given amount, printing is suspended and it is determined which ink tank has ink less than the given amount.
US08690280B2 Printing apparatus, printing material cartridge, printing material container adapter, cartridge set, and adapter set
A printing apparatus includes: a holder in which a printing material cartridge set is mounted; and a mounting detection circuit for detecting mounted states of printing material cartridges in the holder. Each of the N printing material cartridges includes a storage device for storing information regarding a printing material which is contained, an electric device for mounting detection, a terminal for the storage device, and a terminal for the electric device. The electric devices of the N printing material cartridges are configured so that a detection voltage becomes equal to or greater than a threshold voltage set in advance when the N printing material cartridges are all mounted in the holder.
US08690265B2 Dual wheels with common hub adapter
A dual wheel assembly for a vehicle having a common hub adapter. The assembly includes an inner wheel having an inner rim; an outer wheel having an outer rim; and a hub portion having a central cylindrical portion disposed between first and second end face portions, wherein the inner rim is mounted to the first end portion, and the outer rim is mounted to the second end face portion. The assembly may further include radially spaced apart holes disposed on the central cylindrical portion, wherein the spaced apart holes have end openings on opposite sides thereof and first and second fasteners extending in opposite directions in an alternating arrangement from the first and second end portions of the hub portion. Each of the first fasteners extends through an end opening of a spaced apart hole and the inner rim, and each of the second fasteners extends through an end opening of a spaced apart hole and the outer rim.
US08690255B2 Seat back frame
A seat back frame for a seat of a vehicle includes: a pair of side frames placed at a left side and a right side in a width direction of a seat; a head rest supporting frame supporting a head rest; a supporting plate, a both ends of the supporting plate being connected to a lower portion of each of the side frames; an upper opening provided above the supporting plate, the upper opening being opened in a front-rear direction; a planar elastic body provided across the upper opening; and a connection member elastically connecting a lower portion of the planar elastic body and an upper portion of the supporting plate.
US08690250B2 Infant carrier apparatus having multiple configurations of use and its operating method
An infant carrier apparatus comprises a seat assembly, a backrest assembly including a first and second backrest frame, and a backrest holding mechanism. The first backrest frame includes first side and transverse segments, the second backrest frame includes second side and transverse segments, the first side segment being coupled with the seat assembly via a first pivot point. The backrest holding mechanism can be movably assembled between the first and second transverse segment, and include a latch element movable between a first and second position. The first position of the latch element causes the backrest holding mechanism to be in locking engagement with the first transverse segment to prevent rotation of the backrest assembly relative to the seat assembly, and the second position of the latch element removes the locking engagement of the backrest holding mechanism to permit rotation of the backrest assembly relative to the seat assembly.
US08690248B2 Auxiliary moving device
An auxiliary moving device contains a first cushion and two support members disposed on two sides of the first cushion. The first cushion is allowed to move on the support members, with one of the two support members including a plurality of holes. A positioning mechanism is fixed on the first cushion and includes a post. The post is inserted into one of the holes of the one of the two support members to fix the support member.
US08690244B2 Child restraint for vehicle
A child restraint includes a base, a seat, and an anchor belt. The anchor belt holds the base in place on a passenger seat of a vehicle. The seat mounts on the base and supports a child or infant for travel in the vehicle above the base.
US08690239B2 Chair-type massage apparatus
The chair-type massage apparatus is characterized in that, when placed with its back facing a room wall, it can be located near the wall and, when its seat is made movable back-and-forth, the leg kneading device mounted at the front of the seat can be used without being obstructed by the back-and-forth movement.The chair-type massage apparatus 1 comprises the seat 2, the base frame 6, and the backrest 3 reclinably mounted at the rear of the seat. During reclining, the upper end of the backrest moves vertically along one vertical line. The leg kneading device is mounted at the front of the seat. The base frame has the seat moving mechanism 15 for moving the seat at least in the front-rear direction, and the seat has the position changing mechanism 16 for effecting positional change of the leg kneading device relative to the seat while maintaining the relative distance.
US08690235B2 Device for operating sunroof in vehicle
An operating device for a sunroof of a vehicle may include a motor housing disposed at a rear side of a roof panel and a mounting space, an operating motor disposed at one side of the motor housing and a worm inserted into the mounting space, a gear unit rotatably disposed in the mounting space engaged with the worm and is rotated by the operating motor, a glass cable connected to the gear unit and to a moving glass disposed outside of the roof panel to move the moving glass, a sun shade cable connected to the gear unit at an upper side of the glass cable and is connected to the sun shade inside the roof panel to move the sun shade, and a locking unit disposed on the motor housing corresponding to the gear unit and selectively locks the gear unit such that the cable is separately operated.
US08690211B2 Holding aid for a personal, hand-held, tablet-shaped device and methods of use
A securement device to make it much easier for a user to securely hold onto a personal, hand-held, tablet-shaped device such as an electronic reader, a tablet computing device, a cellular phone, a personal data assistant, and a common clipboard—while minimizing the fatigue and discomfort on the user's hands: A typical device solves this problem by providing a system of one or more finger holds formed with a fabric or pliable material that are disposed on the back side of the personal, hand-held, tablet-shaped device. In many devices, the position and fit of the finger holds are easily adjustable by a user via hook-and-loop schemes.
US08690207B2 Impact absorbing member and a method for making same
A method for manufacturing an impact absorbing member, starting with a closed or substantially closed hollow section with a mid section and two end sections, wherein at least one the end sections is bent to form a supporting member, whereby at least one imprint is made in the part of the section to be deformed by the bending operation. The invention also relates to an improved impact absorbing member formed by a manufacturing process including bending.
US08690205B2 Door lockset
A sensor assembly for generating a request to exit (REX) signal for a door lockset operable with a latch operator and a controller that can signal an alarm. In one embodiment, the sensor assembly includes a mounting member adapted to be in a fixed position in the door lockset, a rotatable member adapted to rotate in response to rotation of the latch operator, and a sensor mounted to the mounting member. The sensor is spaced from the rotatable member and is configured to detect rotation of the rotatable member. When the rotatable member is rotated corresponding to rotation of the latch operator, the sensor detects the rotation, and a switch in the sensor, which may be magnetic, is actuated, closing a circuit to send a REX signal to the controller. The sensor assembly may be associated with a chassis of the door lockset.
US08690198B2 Locking device for connectors
A connector for high amperage, AC or DC connection includes a plug and a receptacle configured to securely mate and lock with each other. Connector receptacles include a locking mechanism having a sleeve unit having a plurality of openings configured to receive a plurality of alignment members, a control unit in communication with the alignment members, and at least one extension member coupling the sleeve unit to the control unit. The control unit is configured to bias the alignment members to engage a groove in a plug in a locked position. Upon rotation of the control unit, the control unit engages the sleeve unit and allows the alignment members to freely move, thus allowing a user to connect or disconnect the plug from the receptacle.
US08690197B2 Bearing apparatus and method for an irrigation pivot structure
A bearing structure for a pivoting irrigation system apparatus having a rotatable vertical section with a plurality of annular assemblies mounted thereon. The assemblies include a plurality of components that are rotatable and non-rotatable with the rotatable vertical section so as to facilitate movement with decreased friction therebetween.
US08690190B2 Work vehicle with engine mounted rearwardly
A work vehicle includes a vehicle frame extending between a right and left pair of rear wheels. An engine is mounted in a vertical position on a horizontal mounting surface defined in the vehicle frame in a peripheral area of the rear wheels in a central portion of a transverse direction of the vehicle. A fuel tank includes a main tank body mounted under a driver's seat and an auxiliary tank body mounted on the mounting surface on one lateral side of the engine in the transverse direction of the vehicle. A canister is mounted adjacent to the engine on one lateral side of the engine and rearwardly of and adjacent to the auxiliary fuel tank.
US08690188B2 Child seat with inflatable child restraint
A restraint seat for use in vehicles with restraint systems having inflation devices is disclosed; the seat has a seat body housing, a seat body attachment means for securing the seat to a vehicle seat assembly, the seat body means securable to the seat body and a child restraint harness affixed to the seat body housing for restraining a child. The child restraint harness includes one or more inflatable belts. The harness is connectable to the vehicle restraint system which includes an inflation device, wherein the actuation of the vehicle inflation device inflates the one or more inflatable belts of the child seat. The harness further has a tongue for connecting the harness of the child seat to the buckle of the vehicle restraint system.
US08690176B2 Suspension arm/link for motor vehicle and method for making same
A vehicle suspension component includes a first metal sheet having a center portion bounded by a first outer wall and a second outer wall. A second metal sheet includes a center portion in engagement with the center portion of the first sheet. The second sheet includes a first downturned wall engaging a surface of the first outer wall as well as a second downturned wall engaging a surface of the second outer wall. One of the first and second sheets includes a first hemmed flange portion wrapping around a first edge of the other of the first and second sheets and engaging another surface of the other first and second sheet. One of the first and second sheets includes a second hemmed flange portion wrapping around a second edge of the other of the first and second sheets and engaging another surface of the first and second sheets.
US08690173B2 Double pinion steering gear
The invention relates to a motor vehicle steering system, comprising a steering housing (7) in which a steering rack (6) is mounted in a longitudinally displaceable manner and is connected to tie rods (8) to swivel steerable wheels (9), the steering rack (6) being provided with a first toothed segment (5) which meshes with a first steering pinion (4) and the steering pinion (4) being connected to a steering wheel (1) for conjoint rotation by a steering shaft (2, 3), the steering rack (6) having a second toothed segment (13) which is opposite the first toothed segment (4) relative to the longitudinal axis of the steering rack (6), and that a second steering pinion (12) is provided which meshes with the second toothed segment (13).
US08690164B2 Tool bit assembly for quickly alternating bits
A hand tool with bit release device includes a connecting shaft, a block, a positioning bead and a cover. When the user wants to insert a tool bit into the connecting shaft, the user pushes the tool bit into the connecting shaft directly and the positioning bead engages with the tool bit firmly. When the user wants to release the tool bit from the connecting shaft, the user moves the cover axially relative to the connecting shaft and the positioning bead disengages with the tool bit so that the tool bit is released from the connecting shaft.
US08690157B2 Modified poker card games using partial community cards
The instant invention describes a new method of poker card games which allow a player to form a winning hand based on the five best cards chosen from at least two whole cards, at least three community cards, and one or more partial community cards. The format of the game in accordance with the instant invention provides card games using community style card distribution with a plurality of additional cards to be used by players during game play.
US08690151B2 Method and apparatus for separating out printed products from a stack
An apparatus to separate out printed products from a stack including a pushing device to separate out a respective printed product from the stack. The pushing device includes a first rotary drive. The apparatus further includes a downstream-arranged removal device to convey away the respective separated out printed product. The removal device also includes a second rotary drive separate from the first rotary drive.
US08690148B1 Utilization of an air amplifier to remove sheets of paper from glass in an automated glass handler
A method for removing a sheet of paper from a substrate includes providing an air exhaust stream from an outlet of an air amplifier to the sheet of paper on the substrate to perturb the sheet of paper and lifting the perturbed sheet of paper from the substrate using a sub-atmospheric intake of the air amplifier.
US08690147B2 Sheet stackable devices
A sheet stackable device includes a sheet stackable plane. The sheet stackable device includes a first tray and a second tray, each of which is formed in a shape of a flat plate. The first tray includes a first contact part. The second tray is slidable along a slidable direction between a first position, in which the second tray overlaps the first tray, and a second position, in which the second tray is dawn out of the first tray. The second tray includes a second contact part, which is slidable on the first contact part. At least one of the first contact part and the second contact part includes a rack with rack teeth, which are aligned along the slidable direction. An upper plane of the first tray and an upper plane of the second tray in the second position form at least a part of the stackable plane.
US08690143B2 Turn-aside for post processing device when maximum capacity exceeded
A post-processing device includes a processing tray on which sheets are to be stacked, a transport portion for transporting, a sheet introduced through an introduction port, a turn-aside portion for turning aside the sheet to delay arrival of the sheet at the processing tray, and a delivery mechanism for delivering the sheets stacked on the processing tray to a delivery tray on a boundary between copies. When a remaining number of sheets of one copy unstacked on the processing tray exceeds a maximum number of stacked sheets that is an amount of sheets stackable on the processing tray, the delivery mechanism delivers a sheet stack of the one copy a plurality of times so as to avoid delivery of only one sheet on a last page of the one copy, and the turn-aside portion turns aside a sheet on a first page to be stacked after delivering the sheet bundle.
US08690140B2 Fixture for gripping an end of a member
A fixture to be connected to an end of a large member, such as wind turbine blade and wind turbine tower sections is provided. The fixture allows for a high degree of flexibility with regard to size of the end and arrangement of holes in the flange of the member.
US08690139B2 Adapter for a magnetic clamp
An adapter (10) for a magnetic clamp (12) includes a body (14) having an element engaging portion (16) for engaging an element (18) to be supported in position by the magnetic clamp (12). A height compensation mechanism (20) is carried by the body (14) For compensating for height variations between the clamp (12) and the element (18).
US08690138B2 Coaxial concentric double-jaw vice
A coaxial concentric double-jaw vice comprises a base frame defining a longitudinal sliding groove, first and second movable jaws mounted on the base frame and movable along the sliding groove, a control rod set inserted through the first and second movable jaws and received in the sliding groove, a fixed screw rod mounted on the control rod set and screw-connected with the first movable jaw, a movable screw rod sleeved onto the control rod set and screw-connected with the second movable jaw and rotatable with the control rod set and movable axially along the control rod set by an external force, a clutch mounted in the control rod set, and a driving mechanism mounted in the control rod set and connectable to the control rod set by the clutch for rotating the control rod set.
US08690132B2 Hydraulically damping engine mount
A hydraulically damping axial mount includes a housing with an elastomeric support spring with an insertion part, a mount core part extending in axial direction (a) in the housing and supported by a support spring, and two chambers arranged underneath one another in axial direction (a) for fluidic damping. A working chamber and an equalization chamber are spatially separated by a channel unit and are hydraulically coupled with one another by a channel. One or several insertion parts which are partially covered by the elastomer of the support spring and reinforce the support spring are inserted in the elastomeric support spring. The support spring is secured in the housing by a thread pitch, formed on the outside contour of the elastomeric support spring in the circumferential direction (u) of the elastomeric support spring and brought into engagement with a corresponding inside contour of the housing during installation of the mount.
US08690131B2 Damping device
The invention relates to a damping device, particularly earthquake damper, comprising a hollow spherical body filled with a damping fluid (5) and comprising a plurality of damping bodies (10) disposed in the radial direction, the radially interior ends thereof being mounted on a common mounting element disposed in the center of the spherical body, and the radially exterior ends thereof being mounted directly or indirectly on the inner wall of the spherical body.
US08690128B1 Hydraulic leveling cylinder
An anodized aluminum hydraulic leveling cylinder 10 for a vehicle includes an extruded hollow body 20 having a vehicle attachment portion 24 for attaching the body to the underside of a vehicle. A piston 80 is slidably fitted into the interior of the body. The piston is formed of ductile aluminum capable of being machined to a desirable shape and dimensions. The piston is hard anodized and PTFE coated for durable and silent operation. Hydraulic oil passage means 23a, 23b is formed in the body, and a cap 50 with a pair of dual flow-through passages 53 is attached to the top end 30 of the body for permitting the flow of pressurized hydraulic oil into and out of the interior of the body to effect axial movement of the piston. Hydraulic fluid may be transferred through one or more hollow mounting bolts.
US08690120B2 Fluid transfer device
A disposable device for the sterile transfer of fluids, such as liquids or gases, includes a body, a bore formed through at least a portion of the interior of the body, and a linearly moveable plunger contained within the bore. The body is formed from a rotating section and a stationary section. Partial rotation of the rotating section around a portion of the stationary section and the plunger drives the plunger linearly within the bore, opening and closing the device. The plunger includes at least a first and a second opening, and a fluid channel in the interior of the plunger connecting the first and second openings forming a fluid pathway to downstream components when the device is open. A termination component at one end of the plunger connects to a downstream component. A flange at one end of the body attaches to an upstream component. When the device is closed, the upstream end of the plunger is in alignment with the upstream flange of the body, forming a steamable sterilized in place face and a sterile barrier.
US08690118B2 Solenoid actuated device and methods
A solenoid actuated device such as a fuel injector includes an actuator body having a plurality of body pieces, and a single-pole solenoid actuator assembly positioned at least partially within the actuator body. The single-pole solenoid actuator assembly includes a one-piece compound armature housing having a load carrying component clamped between the first body piece and the second body piece, and a flux carrying component. The load carrying component includes a high structural strength and a low flux permeability, and the flux carrying component includes a low structural strength and a high flux permeability. A method of making a solenoid actuated device includes placing an armature at a sliding radial air gap with a flux carrying component of a one-piece compound armature housing, and establishing a structural load path by placing a load carrying component of the compound armature housing between a first actuator body piece and a second actuator body piece. A method of operating a single-pole solenoid actuator device includes supporting a flux carrying component of a one-piece compound armature housing with a load carrying component of the compound armature housing, channeling magnetic flux across a sliding air gap between a flux carrying component and the armature, and channeling a clamping load between a first actuator body piece and a second actuator body piece through the load carrying component of the compound armature housing.
US08690112B2 Video display device with screen angle adjustment mechanism
A video image display apparatus is configured such that a monitor case includes a first gear unit that rotates according to a screen angle of the monitor case, and a clutch mechanism includes: a first torsion coil spring; a second gear unit that is meshed with the first gear unit, wherein a cylindrical portion is fitted to one end of the first torsion coil spring so as to rotate; a cam unit that rotates with a cylindrical portion being fitted to the other end of the first torsion coil spring; and an engagement unit that restricts the rotation of the cam unit, wherein when the screen angle of the monitor case is changed in a near direction, the restriction for the rotation of the cam unit by the engagement unit is removed, and the second gear unit, the first torsion coil spring, and the cam unit are rotated as being interlocked with one another, and when the screen angle of the monitor case is changed in a push-in direction, the restriction for the rotation of the cam unit by the engagement unit is not removed, and only the second gear unit is rotated through the first torsion coil spring.
US08690109B2 Automatic gap adjustor
An automatic gap adjustor is provided. The automatic gap adjustor includes an upper cammed disk, a lower cammed disk spaced apart from the upper cammed disk, and a resilient spring element therebetween. The upper cammed disk includes a first plurality of cams on an upper axial surface and a second plurality of cams on a lower axial surface. The lower cammed disk includes a third plurality of cams on an upper axial surface and a fourth plurality of cams on an undercut portion spaced apart from the upper axial surface. Opposing cams can be radially offset from each other, such that reciprocating axial movement of the upper disk relative to the lower disk can achieve a stepped rotation of the upper disk. Rotation of the upper disk can drive the automatic gap adjustor along a threaded support to eliminate a gap along a portion thereof.
US08690108B2 Rail vehicle
A rail vehicle has at least one vehicle antenna of a train safety system directed toward the track. To increase resistance to interference, the rail vehicle is configured such that the body of the rail vehicle and an axle arranged in the region of an end of the rail vehicle are electrically connected by way of a capacitive connection and the at least one vehicle antenna is arranged at a greater distance from the end of the rail vehicle than the axle that is electrically connected to the body.
US08690096B2 Aircraft with dual flight regimes
The aircraft is capable of two distinct fuel-efficient flight regimes: one is a vertical flight regime supported by two large two-bladed rotors with low disc loading located on right and left longitudinal booms. The booms extend between outboard regions of a front wing and inboard regions of a rear wing that has a larger span an area than the front wing. The other flight regime is high speed up to high subsonic Mach number with the aircraft supported by wing lift with high wing loading, and with the rotors stopped and faired with minimal local drag contiguous to the booms. The longitudinal location of the aircrafts center of gravity, aerodynamic center and the center of the rotors are in close proximity. The front wing is preferably swept back, and the rear wing is preferably of W planform.
US08690094B2 Film packing device
A film packing device includes an axle rod and a grasp pipe. The axle rod includes at least one engaging block protruding from one side thereof. The pipe body is fitted on the axle rod. The pipe body includes a semi-circle brake block at one end thereof close to the engaging block. The brake block is coupled with a semi-circle elastic brake member. The elastic brake member has a slide block corresponding to the engaging block. When in use, the elastic brake member cooperates with the brake block to press the axle rod, such that the axle rod stops rotating. The slide block can be pushed to engage with the engaging block to stop rotation of the axle rod, so that the user can pack an article conveniently.
US08690088B1 Food grinder with automatic hopper cover and tooless disassembly
A food ingredient grinder (30) having a grinding chamber (158) with an electrically powered grinding mechanism (130, 150, 154) has an ingredient hopper has a pivotally mounted cover (57) that is automatically moved between open and closed positions and a controller (202, 204, 208) responsive to a cover position sensor (81,82) failing to sense the cover in a closed position disables a start switch (212) from starting a grinding operation. The grinding chamber (156) is toolessly mounted to the top of a frame member (96) of the grinder to facilitate removal of the chamber for cleaning or replacement.
US08690086B2 Method and system for separating and recovering wire and other metal from processed recycled materials
Processing waste materials to recover valuable metals, such as copper, from the materials. The disclosed systems and methods employ processes that further refine the waste materials to concentrate the metallic material after the waste materials are initially processed. Processes include employing air separation and screening. Processes also include employing a dynamic sensor and a vacuum pressure separator to separate metals from other materials.
US08690083B2 Adjustable needle packing assembly for a spray gun
The present technique provides a system and for improving control of a needle valve in a spray coating device. An exemplary spray coating device of the present technique has a needle valve assembly that controls entry of a fluid to a fluid delivery tip. The needle valve assembly includes an adjustment element that is at least partially located on an exterior of the spray coating device such that the adjustment element is accessible by an operator. The adjustment element may be actuated to improve a seal around the needle so that fluid does not leak from around the needle valve assembly.
US08690082B2 LPI injector
An LPI injector includes an injector body that is supplied with fuel from the upper portion and injects the fuel down, an icing tube of which the upper end is coupled to the lower portion of the injector body and that injects the fuel inside the injector body through a fuel injection channel therein, a valve seat disposed between the injector body and the icing tube and fitted in the lower portion of the injector body, having an injection hole to inject the fuel and a tube-fastening groove fitted on the icing tube around the injection hole, and a ball valve that is seated at the injector body of the valve seat and opens/closes the injection hole.
US08690075B2 Fuel injector with needle control system that includes F, A, Z and E orifices
A common rail fuel injector includes a needle valve member that moves to open and close nozzle outlets for a fuel injection event responsive to pressure in a needle control chamber. Between injection events, the needle control chamber is fluidly connected to the fuel inlet by a first pathway that includes a Z orifice, and fluidly connected to the fuel inlet by a second pathway that includes an F orifice, an intermediate chamber and an A orifice. During an injection event, the needle control chamber is fluidly connected to a drain outlet by a third pathway that includes the A orifice, the intermediate chamber an E orifice and a buffer chamber, which may assist in avoiding cavitation erosion in a sensitive area associated with a flat control valve seat. Different performance characteristics are achieved by adjusting the sizes of the respective of F, A, Z and E orifices.
US08690074B2 Switch for multi function control of a thermostat
The invention provides for a controller such as a thermostat for an air handler including a housing having a circuit board and a display screen, the display screen having at least one alpha-numeric icon and a group of touch sensitive areas having at least two displayable touch sensitive areas. A microprocessor provided for the display screen. A sole mechanical button or switch is mounted in the housing and the button has a first end and second end and a touch surface extending between the first end and second end. The sole mechanical button signals the microprocessor in order to adjust the alpha-numeric icon, so that the combination of inputs received by the microprocessor from the group of touch pad sensitive areas and sole mechanical button provide for each and every adjustment required for all of the operational functions of the controller. The mechanical button may be a rocker switch.
US08690063B2 Apparatus for and method of electro-optically reading direct part marking indicia by image capture
An apparatus and method electro-optically read indicia, such as a direct part marking (DPM) code, that is raised or sunken relative to a target surface on a target. A solid-state, distance imaging sensor captures a target image comprised of a first set of pixels having first distance values that correspond to a first distance of the code from the sensor, and a second set of pixels having second distance values that correspond to a second distance of the target surface from the sensor. A controller reads the indicia by distinguishing between the first set of pixels and the second set of pixels within the image, by determining abrupt changes in the distance values among neighboring pixels.
US08690054B1 System and method for chip-enabled card transaction processing and alert communication
A system, method and computer program product is capable of proactive assessment of transactions and communication of alerts based on pre-set rules to increase transaction integrity and mitigate fraud. Unauthorized transactions may be stopped before processing through an account to enhance the security of transactions and decrease fraudulent transactions without the account holder seeing a negative transaction in their account. Chip-enabled cards may be configured to alert account holders of transactions prior to being processed through an account based on pre-set rules stored on the chip or in a remote data store. The transaction can be stopped until the account holder authorizes the transaction based on the alert. The alert can be sent through the merchant system or wirelessly from the chip-enabled card.
US08690052B1 Banking machine controlled responsive to data read from data bearing records
A banking system operates responsive to data read from data bearing records. The system includes an automated banking machine comprising a card reader. The card reader includes a movable read head that can read card data along a magnetic stripe of a card that was inserted long-edge first. The card reader includes a card entry gate. The gate is opened for a card that is determined to be properly oriented for data reading. The card reader can encrypt card data, including account data. The card data is usable by the machine to authorize a user to carry out a financial transfer involving the account.
US08690051B1 System and method for receiving ATM deposits
An envelope-free deposit mechanism of a transaction machine receives a deposit from an account holder. The deposit comprises papers includes a combination of cash and checks. The deposit mechanism scan images from the cash and checks. For each paper, it is determined whether the paper is a check or cash. The determining is performed based on a characteristic of the paper scanned by the deposit mechanism.
US08690050B2 Computerized information and display apparatus
Apparatus useful for obtaining and displaying information. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a network interface, display device, and speech recognition apparatus configured to receive user speech input and enable performance of various tasks via a remote entity, such as download of digital music such as MP3s. The downloaded may also, in one variant, be transmitted to a personal user device, such as via a wireless interface.
US08690043B2 Reducible carton with locking and reclosure features
The present invention is directed to a reducible carton formed from a one-piece unitary blank of material. The reducible carton comprises a top wall, a bottom wall, opposite side walls, a front wall and a back wall. Means enabling the reducible carton to transversely separate it into a reusable rear carton component and a discardable front carton component. The reusable carton component comprises the back wall and a rear portion of each of the top wall, the bottom wall and the side walls, wherein the rear top wall portion, the rear bottom wall portion and the rear side wall portions in the reusable carton component each terminate in a forward edge defining an open forward end of the reusable carton component. The forward edge of one of the rear top wall portion or the rear bottom wall portion defines a seal flap that is foldable into closing relationship over the open forward end of the reusable carton component. The seal flap has a locking tab on a free edge thereof. The forward edge of the other of the rear top wall portion or the rear bottom wall portion includes a recess therein for frictionally receiving the locking tab to lock the seal flap in closed position.
US08690038B2 Surgical instrument with gearing
The invention is a surgical instrument comprising a first toothed rack which can be pushed, in a linear manner, via a gear pair. The pushing causes an oppositely running linear movement of a slide, thereby opening and closing the surgical instrument. The first toothed rack is capable of being moved in a linear manner into a handle piece, or pulled out from the handle piece, via the corresponding movement of a lever. The lever is pivoted in the handle piece, and opened by a spring pair. A first gear and a second gear form the gear pair, and a size ratio of the gears determines the step-up, or the step-down, ratio of the surgical instrument. A cover guides the first toothed rack and the gear pair laterally and holds them in engagement. A screen protects the second toothed rack and the slide against damage.
US08690037B2 Setting device having a magazine and a provisioning module for joining elements
The present invention relates to a magazine of a setting device for storing and feeding a plurality of joining elements, particularly of joining elements, such as setting fasteners, to a provisioning module for joining elements and a setting device in combination with the joining elements. The magazine has a base element within the setting device including a storage groove, in which the joining elements can be received in an aligned and jointly moveable manner and one end of the base element ends in a head piece of the setting device. The magazine further includes an advancing mechanism, by which the joining elements can be moved within the storage groove towards the head piece of the setting device, as well as a dispensing mechanism, by which the joining elements can be fed individually from the storage groove to the head piece of the setting device.
US08690029B2 Backpack and waist bag carrying system
The invention provides a backpack (10) and cooperating waist bag (100) carrying system. In one embodiment the backpack has a lower or lumbar region below the bag portion of the backpack that releasably contains the receiver of the waist bag when the belt of the waist bag is secured around the bearer's waist and the backpack is worn on the bearer's back. The receiver of the waist bag can be moved without having to take off the backpack so that the receiver of the waist bag is disposed to the bearer's front and the bearer can gain access to the contents of the receiver. The bearer can then move the receiver back to the lower region of the backpack and the combination of the backpack and the waist bag then will appear to be a normal backpack with a waist belt. While moving the receiver, the waist bag remains operatively connected to the backpack.
US08690027B2 Ice dispenser duct door motor with adjustable drive
An ice dispensing assembly in an appliance and a method of controlling a duct door in an ice dispensing assembly is provided. A duct door is actuated to dispense ice using a motor. The motor can be variably driven using an electrical signal having a plurality of different levels or slopes during the actuation of the duct door. The electrical signal can have an increasing slope when the duct door is actuated into an open position. When the duct door is held in the open position, a constant electrical signal can be applied to the motor. The constant value can be lower than a peak value of the increasing slope of the electrical signal. To return the duct door to a closed position, an electrical signal having a decreasing slope can be applied to the duct door motor.
US08690026B2 Fluid dispensing assembly
A fluid dispensing valve assembly comprises a housing, a lever, a resilient member, and a seal. The housing defines a fluid dispensing port and a vent opening. The fluid dispensing valve can be operated with a single hand to dispense liquid from a container. Further, upon release of the lever, the fluid dispensing valve automatically returns to a sealed configuration, thereby preventing fluid from leaking out of the container.
US08690024B2 Spray can comprising a discharge tube
The invention relates to a spray can comprising a can member (12) for holding a material that is to be sprayed, and a spray head (14) which is plugged onto a can valve located on the top face of the can member (12) and is fitted with a discharge tube (24). The spray can has an adapter which connects the spray head (14) to the discharge tube. The discharge tube (22) is connected to the adapter (16) by means of a plug-on and/or screwed connection.
US08690019B2 Head for dispensing a liquid as a drip
A head for dispensing liquid as a drip, includes a nozzle onto which a channel for ejecting the liquid leads. Air sucked in from the outside is returned through the channel in the opposite direction. In the nozzle, on the ejection channel, the drip dispensing head of the invention includes a valve functioning as a non-return valve for the circulation of the liquid being ejected. A mobile disc of the valve is produced so as to selectively enable air to pass through the valve when the disc is bearing against the seat thereof in a position for closing the liquid ejection channel. The disc is returned to the position by negative pressure applied upstream, which tends to suck in outside air. The disc is advantageously made of a microporous material, which provides antibacterial filtering of the return air.
US08690016B2 Product storage and handling system for beverage dispenser
A product storage and handling system for a beverage dispenser is characterized by a cabinet in which a plurality of bins are removably supported on one or more shelves that may be slid into and out of the cabinet. Each bin is for containing a removable container of liquid beverage component, a fluid valve of which container extends downward through and is releasably secured against vertical movement in a lower opening in the bin. A connector coupled to a fluid line leading to a beverage valve of a beverage dispenser is arranged to be conveniently fluid coupled with and decoupled from the fluid valve of the bag. When a shelf of slid out of the cabinet, the bins supported by it may, if desired, be lifted off of and replaced on the shelf for during replacement of a depleted bag of liquid beverage component. Alternatively, the bins may remain supported on the shelf during replacement of a depleted bag of liquid beverage component.
US08690015B2 Dispenser for oil and vinegar
A dispenser for oil and vinegar, the dispenser comprising: (a) an outer container defining an internal space for receiving oil and having a top rim defining an opening; (b) an inner container defining an internal space for receiving vinegar, the inner container being at least partially located within the internal space of the outer container, the inner container having a shoulder projecting outwardly and being located above the top rim of the outer container; (c) a cap having a top wall and a peripheral wall for enclosing the top rim of the outer container and the shoulder of the inner container, the top wall and peripheral wall defining an internal space; (d) a first tube having a bottom end defining a bottom opening facing the internal space of the outer container and a top end defining a top opening opened to the atmosphere, wherein the first tube defines a first passage for allowing fluid communication between the internal space of the outer container and the atmosphere; and (e) a second tube having a bottom end defining a bottom opening facing the internal space of the inner container and a top end defining a top opening opened to the atmosphere, wherein the second tube defines a second passage for allowing fluid communication between the internal space of the inner container and the atmosphere.
US08690003B2 Gas cartridge
A method of forming an inner can of a gas cartridge including securing inner can material and pre-stressing the material such that flexion thereof during gas cartridge use is distributed.
US08689993B2 System and method for holding a hazardous substance
Systems and containers for holding and transporting potentially hazardous materials are disclosed. Assembled containers may have locking mechanisms reducing the possibility of the containers being opened by persons that are not opening the container in a safe environment. Moreover, containers with releasably securable members for carrying substances such as frozen carbon dioxide, used for maintaining cold temperatures of various items are disclosed.
US08689990B2 Metal cap and bottle with cap
The present invention relates to a metal cap which seals the mouth of a bottle for drinking or the like, and a bottle with the cap which is furnished therewith.
US08689987B2 Container adapter
A container adapter for use in feeding human infants and animal infants is shown. The container adapter has an internal threaded portion that can comprise a set of thread segments sized and configured to match the external threads of a commercially available soda or bottled liquid container, and can have an external threaded portion sized to match the internal threads of a standard nipple ring for an infant feeding bottle. The container adapter includes a funnel that provides a user with assistance in inserting infant feeding ingredients into the liquid container by placing the container adapter on the liquid container to use the funnel of the container adapter to place infant feeding ingredients into the liquid container. The container adapter is then inverted and installed onto the liquid container. A nipple within a collar is attached to the container adapter thus converting the liquid container to an infant feeding bottle.
US08689985B2 Filtration media for liquid filtration
Filtration media including at least one layer of nanofibers having average diameters less than 1000 nanometers with optional scrim layer(s) are disclosed for filtering particulate matter in liquid. The media achieve flow rates of at least 0.055 L/min/cm2 at relatively high levels of solidity. The media have also advantageously been found to have non-diminishing flow rates as differential pressures increase between 2 psi (14 kPa) and 15 psi (100 kPa).
US08689984B2 Mixture separation device with detached free rolling bars
A device for separating components of a mixture, particularly industrial fluids but also gases including air, allows for targeted components of the mixture to be attached onto a separating bar and removed from the mixture. The separating bars traverse a track formed within the body of the separating device and through respective tank, cleaning, free roll, and compression regions in a controlled cleaning system. The separating bars are detached from one another and allowed to move through the separating device independently of one another. The device removes the use of chains to connect cleaning bars traversing through a cleaning system.
US08689981B2 Manipulation of particles in channels
Systems and methods for the manipulation of particles within channels such as microfluidic channels are provided. In one set of embodiments, magnets are positioned around a channel. As a fluid containing magnetic and non-magnetic particles flows through the channel, the magnetic field created by the magnets can be used to transport the magnetic and/or non-magnetic particles to desired locations within the channel, which may useful in some cases for causing some separation of the particles. For example, the magnetic field may be used to transport magnetic or non-magnetic particles from a core fluid to a surrounding sheath fluid. In some cases, the magnetic field is used to transport non-magnetic particles to a small volume within the channel (e.g., a single-file row within the channel). The systems and methods described herein may find application in a variety of fields including, for example, continuous sorting of cells, removal of targeted cells from a stream of blood, or the arrangement of non-magnetic particles in channels for analysis.
US08689978B2 Hinged container holder for medication cards
There is shown in three embodiments a pill blister pack container for holding a pill blister pack. The container having a first portion highedly attached to a second portion. The first portion being sized to fit within the second portion when the container is closed. Both the first and second portions have defined side walls and a front wall. In addition, the first portion includes flanges in the side walls that engage apertures in the second portion to lock the two portions. Furthermore, at least one support post extends between the two portions.
US08689975B2 Bulk wire isolator apparatus
An apparatus includes a bulk wire container comprising coiled wire and an isolator. The isolator includes an attachment means to said bulk wire container, an inlet, an outlet, and a wire engaging means. The wire engaging means translates longitudinal axial movement of the wire in the inlet into circumferential tangential movement about the wire engaging means.
US08689964B2 Piece goods conveyance system having individual containers for transporting piece goods, in particular luggage
A piece goods conveyance system has individual containers for transporting luggage on a conveyor belt and an unloading and loading station for loading the containers. The storage space is formed by an endless stable carrier belt spanning each container and driven guided perpendicular to the transport direction of the container. There is a stationary drive for driving the carrier belt in the region of the loading and/or unloading station. In order to create a functional drive for the container that undertakes the transport and sorting of luggage in a cost-effective and low-maintenance manner, a drive element is configured as flat belts circulating endlessly around deflection wheels parallel to the transport direction. At least one deflection wheel is positively connected to the carrier belt and can be frictionally engaged to a second flat belt of a stationary drive station driven endlessly circulating parallel to the first flat belt.
US08689957B2 Two-wheel drive two-wheeled vehicle
A two-wheel drive motorcycle having a drive train that supplies power to the front wheel and includes a series of rigid shafts or other internalized drive systems. The front wheel drive consists of components located on the axis of steering within the head tube and positioned symmetrically in a counterbalancing fashion within the front fork in order to counteract the torque reactions from the rotating front wheel drive while providing a full range of steering. The front wheel drive lengthens and shortens in parallel with the shock-absorbing front fork. An engagement clutch, a one-way hub, and torque limiting clutch operatively engaged with the front wheel drive are also disclosed.
US08689956B2 Torsional vibration damper
A torsional vibration damper with a receptacle for several absorber masses pivotally held relative to the receptacle disposed around an axis of rotation in radial and circumferential direction. To be able to increase the mass of the absorber masses, the absorber masses have outside contours formed by several outside contour radii that remain within the receptacle over their entire swivel angle, and swivel over the entire swivel range near the outer circumference of the receptacle.
US08689952B2 Damper
A damper includes a housing, a cap, a rotor portion, and blade portions projecting from the rotor portion. The blade portions include deformation portions in which the blade portions expand the diameter in one rotational direction in response to a resistance received from a viscous fluid, and in which the blade portions reduce the diameter in the other rotational direction. The blade portions engage a ring member provided on an inner circumference of the housing at a time of diameter expansion, and drag the ring member around.
US08689944B2 Control of an electricity supply apparatus in an elevator system
The invention relates to an electricity supply apparatus, an elevator system and a method for limiting the electricity consumption of an elevator system. The electricity supply apparatus according to the invention is fitted to supply electricity to one or more devices in an elevator system. The minimum value of the permitted supply voltage with which the apparatus still operates is determined for one or more appliances of the elevator system, and the electricity supply apparatus is equipped to change the supply voltage of the one or more appliances of the elevator system towards the minimum value of the permitted supply voltage for limiting electricity consumption of the elevator system.
US08689942B2 Energy storage and release system
The technology is directed to an energy storage and release system that stores energy and enables a repeatable and accurately timed release of energy. A shaft member supports a drive assembly, a locking assembly and a lever member there between. The lever member and locking assembly are attached to the shaft. The drive assembly rotates freely about the shaft and loads energy into a torsion spring in communication with the lever member. The torsion spring connects at one end to the drive assembly and at the other end to the lever member without contacting the shaft member. The locking assembly provides a triggered release mechanism for selective release of stored energy from the torsion spring that accordingly rotates the lever member. The system can automatically reload the torsion spring once a signal is received from any number of events including, when the rotating lever member contacts a stop member or limit sensor that signals the end of travel for the lever member in either rotational directions.
US08689941B2 Lubricating apparatus and methods for lubricating vehicle panel assemblies for vehicle installation
A lubricating apparatus for lubricating a panel assembly prior to vehicle installation includes a lubricating jig assembly. The lubricating jig assembly includes a front guard wall and a rear guard wall connected to the front guard wall defining a panel receiving volume therebetween. At least one nozzle opening is located in the receiving volume. A pump is fluidly connected to the at least one nozzle opening for delivering a lubricant fluid thereto. A lubricant reservoir is in fluid communication with the receiving volume.
US08689936B2 Acoustic absorber having conical inserts
An acoustic absorber includes a wall provided with a plurality of apertures as well as a substantially non-perforated second wall, with the first wall and the second wall being spacedly arranged to one another, and at least one honeycomb structure being provided between the walls, with the honeycomb structure having a substantially cylindrical recess in at least one area, with a funnel element opening to the first and second walls being provided in the recess, and having a height greater than the distance of the walls, with the second wall being designed pot-like in the area of the funnel element.
US08689933B2 Helmholtz resonator for a gas turbine combustion chamber
A resonator is provided, having an adaptable resonator frequency for absorbing sound generated by a gas stream of a gas turbine. The resonator includes a neck section, a chamber and a deformable element being deformable under influence of a change of a gas turbine temperature of the gas stream. The shape of the deformable element is predetermined with respect to a respective gas turbine temperature. The neck section and the chamber form a volume of the resonator. The neck section forms a passage coupling the volume with the gas turbine. The deformable element is thermally coupled to the gas turbine in such a way that the shape of the deformable element depends on the respective gas turbine temperature. The deformable element forms a spiral and is installed to the neck section in such a way that an effective diameter of the neck section depends on the gas turbine temperature.
US08689923B2 Saddle riding vehicle
A saddle riding vehicle includes a vehicle body frame, a front wheel, a rear wheel, a power unit, a shift actuator, and an actuator guard. The power unit has a transmission and a shift mechanism for the transmission. The shift actuator is to actuate the shift mechanism and is attached to a lower portion of a side face of the power unit. The actuator guard is to protect the shift actuator from an obstacle and includes a guard frame and a guard member. The guard frame extends in a forward and backward direction of the saddle riding vehicle below the shift actuator. The guard frame is connected to the vehicle body frame. The guard member is connected to the guard frame and covers a lower face and an outer side face of the shift actuator.
US08689917B2 Method for monitoring operation of a shutter
A method of monitoring operation of an adjustable shutter adapted for cooling a powertrain in a vehicle includes commanding the shutter to adopt a position and assessing whether the shutter has adopted the commanded position. The method also includes generating a first signal if the shutter has adopted the commanded position, and commanding the shutter to perform a first retry to adopt the commanded position if the shutter has not adopted the commanded position. The method additionally includes generating a second signal if the shutter has adopted the commanded position on the first retry. A vehicle using a controller to perform such a method is also provided.
US08689915B2 Heat dissipating system for electric vehicle drive controller
The present invention provides a heat dissipating system for an electric vehicle drive controller. The heat dissipating system for electric vehicle drive controller includes: high power MOS transistors for controlling magnitude of power supplied to an electric vehicle drive motor and for switching current direction, and a radiator connected to bodies of the MOS transistors, the radiator being made of aluminum alloy material, and a surface of the radiator being plated with a metallic nickel layer. Compared with existing electric vehicle drive controller, the electric vehicle drive controller of the present invention has advantages of low operating temperature, high reliability and long service life.
US08689903B2 Coring apparatus and methods
A coring apparatus is provided, which apparatus, in one exemplary embodiment, includes a rotatable member coupled to a drill bit configured to drill a core from a formation, a substantially non-rotatable member in the rotatable member configured to receive the core from the formation, and a sensor configured to provide signals relating to rotation between the rotatable member and the substantially non-rotatable member during drilling of the core from the formation, and a circuit configured to process the signals from the sensor to estimate rotation between the rotatable member and the non-rotatable member.
US08689901B2 Electric power tool
An electric power tool receives an input power from an electric power source and converts the input power to a driving power to drive an electric motor. The electric power tool further includes a manual control mechanism, a magnetic control element and a power modulation circuit. The manual control mechanism includes a trigger portion movable by depressing of a user and a magnetic element movable with the trigger portion. The magnetic control element outputs an output control signal in proportion to alterations of a magnetic field caused by movements of the magnetic element. The power modulation circuit gets the input power and modulates to the driving power controlled by the output control signal to drive the electric motor. Thus by depressing the trigger portion, output power of the electric motor can be controlled to provide precise control of rotational speed and torque alterations.
US08689899B2 Three dimentional (3D) robotic micro electro mechanical systems (MEMS) arm and system
A micro assembly having a substrate and an operating plane coupled to the substrate. The operating plane is movable from an in-plane position to an out-of-plane position. One or more electric connections provide electric power from the substrate to the operating plane in the out-of-plane position. A tool is coupled to the operating plane. The tool is operable to receive electric power from the operating plane to perform work.
US08689891B2 Ball and dart launcher with parallel axis release
A universal dart launcher launches a dart by moving a dart from a first position to a second position. The universal dart launcher has a launcher body defining a central bore having an axis and lower and upper ends configured to attach to a string of pipe. A cartridge housed within the launcher body may move perpendicular to the axis from a first position to a second position. A drop member is positioned within the cartridge so that it will not be in axial alignment with the central bore while in the first position, and will be in axial alignment with the central bore while in the second position. An actuator assembly couples to the launcher body to move the cartridge from the first position to the second position when actuated.
US08689888B2 Method and apparatus for positioning a wellhead member including an overpull indicator
An outer wellhead member has a bore with a first profile portion and an annular recess. A tubular inner wellhead member with a centralizer/overpull ring is lowered into the outer wellhead member. The centralizer/overpull ring is biased to expand outward to engage the bore of the outer wellhead member to center the inner wellhead member within the bore as the inner wellhead member is lowered through the bore. The recess of the outer wellhead member is adapted to receive the centralizer/overpull ring and oppose axial movement of the centralizer/overpull ring to enable an upward test pull of the inner wellhead member.
US08689886B2 Gate valve seat and seat ring
A gate valve has a body, the body having a cavity and a flow passage intersecting the cavity. A seat is mounted to the body at the intersection of the flow passage and the cavity. A gate is installed at the cavity and has an engaging face that slidingly engages the seat while the gate is being moved between open and closed positions. The end faces between a seat pocket and the seat are hard-coated and smooth-finished to provide sealing when mated. The hardcoated pocket and seat sealing surfaces extend the life of the valve by eliminating the need for an elastomeric seal of limited life.
US08689874B2 Visco-elastic surfactant spacers
A spacer for use in an oil well cementing operation comprises an aqueous solution of a visco-elastic surfactant. A method of treating a well in a cementing operation comprises pumping the spacer into a well ahead of a cement slurry, thereby minimizing or preventing commingling of drilling fluid and the cement slurry.
US08689870B2 Use of methylhydroxyethyl cellulose as cement additive
Methylhydroxyethyl cellulose may be used as an additive in cement slurries in the treatment of wells to prevent or reduce the occurrence of gas channeling. In addition to acting as a gas control additive, methylhydroxyethyl cellulose controls fluid loss, minimizes free fluid and stabilizes foam during cementing of the well.
US08689868B2 Tractor communication/control and select fire perforating switch simulations
Apparatus and methods for controlling and communicating with one or more tools in a downhole tool string including a tractor, an auxiliary tractor tool, a logging tool, a safety sub, a release mechanism, a unit containing sensors for monitoring downhole conditions, a setting tool, and a perforating gun. Control and communication are accomplished by sending signals from the surface to control switches in the control units on the tool, with redundant switches for safety, to state machines in the respective control units, each state machine returning a signal verifying switch status to the surface. The state machine need not return a signal including a unique identifier.
US08689863B2 External grip tubular running tool
A method for running a tubular string in wellbore operations according to one or more aspects of the present disclosure includes providing a tubular running tool comprising gripping assembly rotationally connected to a carrier, the gripping assembly comprising a body and slips; connecting the carrier to a quill of a top drive of a drilling rig; positioning an end of a tubular for gripping with the slips; actuating the slips into gripping engagement with the tubular; and rotating the tubular with the slips in gripping engagement therewith.
US08689860B2 Vehicular air conditioning apparatus
In a vehicular air conditioning apparatus, a first blower unit is connected by a connection duct to a side of a casing constituted by respective air passages. On a lower portion of the casing, a second blower unit different from the first blower unit is connected. A center plate is disposed centrally in a lateral direction of the casing. Air is supplied from the first blower unit to the interior of the casing, whereby cool air cooled by an evaporator and warm air heated by a heater core are mixed together and blown respectively and separately to a driver's seat side and a passenger seat side of the front seats. Also, Air supplied from the second blower unit to the interior of the casing, after being adjusted to a predetermined temperature in the evaporator and the heater core, is supplied to a rear seat side of the vehicle.
US08689859B2 Total heat exchanging element and total heat exchanger
A total heat exchanging element includes a partitioning component to which a water-soluble moisture-absorbing agent has been added that is a component partitioning between a first laminar air-flow path and a second laminar air-flow path that are layered; a spacing component that forms the first laminar air-flow path and the second laminar air-flow path and maintains a space between adjacent partitioning components; and an adhesive agent that adheres the partitioning component and the spacing component. The adhesive agent is a water-solvent-type adhesive agent impregnated with a water-soluble moisture-absorbing agent. The partitioning component and the spacing component are made from a liquid-absorbing material that absorbs water and substances dissolved in the water.
US08689858B2 Cooler block, especially for a change air cooler/coolant cooler
A soldered cooler block, especially for a charge air cooler/coolant cooler, is constructed in a packet-type manner. Cooling channels for a liquid coolant are arranged in the cooler block in a crossways manner in first layers, and gas channels for a gas which is to be cooled are arranged in a crossways manner in second layers. The cooling channels are respectively formed by two wall areas which are arranged at a distance and by intermediate strips and connection strips that include groove profiles.
US08689856B1 Method of making long ingots (cutting in furnace)
A continuous casting furnace is configured for efficiently continuously casting ingots, including titanium alloy ingots. The furnace is configured with an internal cutter for cutting an ingot within the furnace interior chamber. The furnace typically includes a first interior chamber in which a continuous casting mold is disposed and a withdrawal chamber which is separable from the first interior chamber to facilitate withdrawal of finished ingots therefrom while casting continues within the first chamber.
US08689851B2 Process and machine for water proofing semimanufactured footwear, clothing items and accessories, and semimanufactured products obtained with said process or machine
A machine for waterproofing semimanufactured products including footwear, clothing items, and accessories. The machine has a pressing device with at least one pair of deformable plates that have a hollow body. The pressing surface is elastic and suitable for being urged outwards by a fluid pressure. At least one of the deformable plates is fixed in a mobile manner to a support structure for opening or closing the pressing device around at least one shaped support which is provided with transport means to and from the pressing device and is suitable for supporting the semimanufactured product during the pressing with at least one waterproofing sheath.
US08689848B2 Bead lock arrangement
This invention relates to a bead lock arrangement for use in tire building equipment, and to tire building equipment utilizing such a bead lock arrangement. A bead lock assembly is disclosed comprising first and second parallel, coaxial, axially spaced bead lock arrangements (13, 14), each bead lock arrangement including an annular, extensible, bead seating ring (38) encircling the radially movable segments (33) of the bead lock arrangement and having, at its radially outermost face, a circumferentially extending bead seating surface (39), and an annular sealing ring (42) positioned coaxial with the respective bead seating ring (38) and disposed adjacent a side face of the respective bead seating ring (38) presented generally towards the bead seating ring (38) of the opposing bead lock arrangement. The use of a bead seating ring (38) and a separately formed sealing ring (42) has considerable advantages over the use of a conventional bead seating ring. The use of a separate, extensible bead seating ring (38) and a non-expanding sealing ring (42) allows the production of less complex items having extended service life.
US08689845B2 Wheel including tread
Wheels and methods of making wheels are disclosed including an inner portion and a tread mechanically coupled to the inner portion. The tread may be mechanically coupled to the inner portion on an inside and an outside of the wheel. The inner portion may include a rim including a plurality of apertures. The inner portion may be high density polyethylene and the tread may be thermoplastic elastomer.
US08689839B2 Apparatus for receiving insulation
A conduit for facilitating the installation of insulation is disclosed. In one embodiment, the conduit comprises a body having one or more ribs and a collar having a forward end taper. In another embodiment, two or more pieces of conduit are joined to form a conduit network, with at least one piece of conduit comprising a body having one or more ribs and a collar having a forward end taper.
US08689837B1 Low profile downspout extension and landscape drainage assembly
A downspout extension has a low-profile to direct rainwater away from a building. A transition adapter can be used to transition from a generally circular or square cross-section of a downspout to a low-profile cross-section of a corrugated duct of the extension. The extension can include internal supports to withstand being stepped on and can have a generally rectangular or trapezoidal cross-section with a longer width than height. The corrugated duct can also be comprised of integrated accordion corrugation sections and transverse non-collapsible ribs to give the corrugated duct extension greater flexibility. The extension can be connected to a downspout using a flexible elbow duct, a downspout connector, and a downspout adapter. The transition adapter of the extension can also be connected directly to a downspout.
US08689826B2 Valve control hand wheel with position indicator and magnetic couple feature
A hermetically-sealed valve position indicator is provided with a valve control handwheel. Indicator includes a magnetic-coupling with a stationary mount for the valve control handwheel. During operation of valve control handwheel, its handwheel and shaft rotate along with a housing, housing cover, housing window, primary shaft, and drive gear about the actuator's central axis of rotation—clockwise or counterclockwise. Drive gear engages with drive train to rotate a needle across a dial face to indicate the position of a valve. Drive train includes two gears rotatably attached to a secondary shaft and an indicator gear attached to a back end of sleeve slid over a front portion of primary shaft. The needle is disposed on the front end of sleeve with the dial face positioned between the indicator gear and the needle.
US08689820B2 Pneumatic system for residential use
The present invention relates to a Pneumatic System that can be employed within the residential environment. The system includes both a section mode and a pressure mode. Both of these modes, in turn, have both a low and a high pressure range. A variety of applications are disclosed for use in conjunction with the various modes of the system. These various applications are described in greater detail hereinafter.
US08689818B2 Widespread faucet
A faucet assembly (10, 200, 300) including a waterway (28, 228, 328) fluidly coupled to a valve assembly (26). In one illustrative embodiment, a valve body (54, 206, 306) receives the waterway (28, 228, 328), and at least one retainer (64, 66, 216, 316, 318) restrains movement of the waterway (28, 228, 328).
US08689814B2 Regulated automatic changeover valve
A regulated automatic changeover valve is provided. A device engages the first and second high pressure gas source for providing a lower pressure gas source downstream of the changeover valve. An eccentric is provided between two valve assemblies, with each valve assembly having a piston with a valve arm projecting therefrom. The eccentric moves a block selectively closer to one of the two valve assemblies. Each valve assembly is engaged to a high pressure source, such as a tank of compressed gas. When a first tank begins to run low, the valve will automatically begin drawing from the second valve assembly. A tank that has run low of compressed gas may be changed out while the second, non-exhausted gas continues to feed the downstream device at a regulated gas pressure.
US08689810B2 Dust extractor, in the context of the transfer of powdery products, installation, dust extraction method, transfer method, and sterilization method using said device
A device installation and methods for extracting dust during the transfer of pulverulent products from a first container to a second container, the combination of the first container and of the second container forming, with the dust extraction device, a closed containment volume with connection between the two containers. A hollow connector with a side wall between its two ends defines an external wall and an internal wall so that the connector is pierced with several inlet pipes connected to hoses fed with a stream of pressurized fluid and also pierced with at least one fluid discharge pipe. The pipes projecting from said external wall of the connectors and opening onto the internal wall via orifices allows fluid to be introduced, the orifices being oriented relative to one another in such a way as to cause the fluid to flow in a cyclone within the connector, carrying with it any pulverulent product that remains on the internal wall and/or upstream and/or downstream of said connector.
US08689805B2 Electronic cigarette
An atomizing electronic cigarette has an atomizing core component and a liquid storage component, including an electric heater. The electric heater may have a through hole aligned with a channel passing through the liquid storage component. The cigarette can heat and uniformly vaporize liquid from the liquid storage component, with the user inhaling the vaporized liquid. The vapor generated by the atomizing process may be cooled as it flows through the channel.
US08689787B2 Apparatus for respiratory support and non-invasive detection of alveolar derecruitment for patients suffering from respiratory failure
There is described an apparatus (1) for respiratory support and non-invasive detection of alveolar derecruitment for patients suffering from respiratory failure. Such an apparatus (1) generally comprises a mechanical ventilator (3) for inspiration/expiration functions and means (15) allowing to impose an additional periodic pressure component (Pstim) having a higher frequency than the spectral content of the inspiration/expiration pressure component (Presp). There are provided computing means (12) to obtain the inspiratory average reactance (Xrs) of the respiratory system of the patient (2) as the positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) varies, in order to detect the presence of alveolar derecruitment. There is also described a procedure allowing to obtain an optimal positive end-expiratory pressure.
US08689784B2 Solar concentrator system
An improved solar concentrator, where because sunlight is focused into parallel or collimated beams the light can be reflected and controlled by a series of mirrors and collected to form increasingly powerful collimated beams targeted onto a reactor; where each array tracks the sun with a dual-axis solar tracker, an array has multiple units that have a collecting fresnel lens, a collimating lens and a mirror, an array has a centralizing mirror which gathers the fresnel unit light in middle of each array, the array beams are then reflected off of a series of mirrors that bounce the light beams form mirror to mirror and collect the beam energy from multiple arrays into one or more high power beams, which are bounced off mirrors until they hit the reactor.
US08689783B2 Cooking apparatus for insertion into a cut-out in a work top and method for mounting two cooking apparatuses that can be arranged adjacently in a shared cut-out in a work top
A cooking appliance for insertion into a cut-out in a work top includes a peripheral lateral wall having four wall sections. Each wall section has on the outer face thereof at least one resiliently deformable compression element. Two such cooking appliances disposed adjacently in the shared cut-out in the work top can be mounted by inserting a first one of the two cooking appliances into the cut-out. An intermediate wall is arranged on a free face of the first cooking appliance so that compression elements of the first cooking appliance adjoining the intermediate wall engage in a first group of recesses in the intermediate wall, and a second one of the two cooking appliances is inserted into the cut-out so that compression elements of the second cooking appliance adjoining the intermediate wall engage in a second group of recesses in the intermediate wall.
US08689781B1 Oven appliance
An oven appliance is provided. The oven appliance includes a cabinet and a pair of doors mounted to the cabinet. A latch selectively secures one of the pair of doors in a closed position. A pair of seals assists with sealing the chamber of the cabinet when the pair of doors is in the closed position. The seals of the pair of seals overlap and engage each other when the pair of doors is in the closed position such that both doors of the pair of doors are secured in the closed position when the latch secures the one of the pair of doors in the closed position.
US08689772B2 Fuel injector with telescoping armature overtravel feature
A common rail fuel injector includes a fuel inlet, a set of nozzle outlets, a drain outlet, a nozzle chamber and a needle control chamber. A needle control valve includes a ceramic control valve member movable between a closed position in contact with a flat valve seat to block the needle control chamber from the drain outlet, and an open position at which the needle control chamber is fluidly connected to the drain outlet. A solenoid actuator is mounted in the injector body and includes an armature movable between an overtravel position and an energized position, but the armature has a stable un-energized position between the overtravel position and the energized position. A needle valve member is positioned in the injector body and includes an opening hydraulic surface exposed to fluid pressure in the nozzle chamber, and a closing hydraulic surface exposed to fluid pressure in the needle control chamber. Armature overtravel is facilitated by a telescoping armature pin that includes a stem affixed to the armature and telescopically received in a pusher in contact with the ceramic control valve member.
US08689763B2 Rotary engine with a circular rotor
The rotary engine includes a circular stator, a circular rotor rotating about the stator; the rotor and the stator being separated by a circular cylinder and at least one element with two flanges. The rotor includes two compression pistons attached to the inner surface of the rotor. These two pistons are located at the two extremities of a first diameter of the rotor and kept substantially in contact with the outer surface of the stator. The stator includes a recess at each extremity of a diameter. Each recess forms a compression chamber with the compression piston positioned at the end of the recess in the direction of rotation of the rotor and one of the flanges of the element with two flanges, referred to as the cylinder head flange. The motive force is applied to the compression piston when the pressure of the gases inside the compression chamber is suddenly increased to a predefined value.
US08689756B2 Method for generating and applying a cleaning voltage pulse to a stop connection, and an associated digitally controlled magnetic ignition circuit
A method for generating and applying at least one voltage pulse, which provides a cleaning effect for a stop switch, to a stop connection assigned to the stop switch, which stop connection is provided on a digitally controlled magnetic ignition circuit of an electrical device, wherein the magnetic ignition circuit generates a voltage wave series from half waves, the amplitude of which decreases over time, and/or at least one voltage pulse in a medium voltage range, wherein if a voltage wave series is generated, at least one later half wave in the voltage wave series, which half wave follows the first half wave temporally and therefore has a lower amplitude, is applied as a voltage pulse to the stop connection, and/or in that if at least one voltage pulse in a medium voltage range of 12 V to 50 V is generated, the one or more voltage pulses are applied to the stop connection and thereby exert a cleaning effect on the stop switch.
US08689749B2 Valve timing controller
A valve timing controller has a control valve and a linear solenoid. The control valve is disposed in an interlocking rotor constructed by a vane rotor and a camshaft. The linear solenoid includes a movable member having an output shaft, and a bearing portion supporting the movable member to reciprocate and rotate. A spool of the control valve is contact with the output shaft. The output shaft contacts a sphere-shaped end surface of the spool, at a contact position offset in a radial direction from a center axis of the spool.
US08689742B2 Integrated coolant flow control and heat exchanger device
A coolant flow control system (100, 200) includes an integrated coolant flow control and heat exchange device (10, 50). The device includes a valve body part (20, 60) and a heat exchange part (30, 70). According to the system, all the coolant flow from the engine is delivered back to the engine after passing through the valve body part (20, 60) and then the heat exchange part (30, 70) in which it passes over the heat exchanger part (40, 80). The valve body part (20, 60) by positioning of the coolant flow wall (26, 66) allows multiple flow modes and coolant paths to branch out (or converge) from (or to) thereby controlling the flow in all coolant circuit branches.
US08689738B2 Vegetarian feeding method for carnivorous fish and shrimp with Spirulina and Chlorella algae using electrolyzed water and sodium thiosulfate, guar and oligofructans as additives
Feeding method and production technology of a vegetarian feed for carnivorous fish prepared from Spirulina and Chlorella algae that are produced by cell proliferation in production tanks in electrolyzed water with chlorine-neutralizing sodium thiosulfate and are subsequently dried, pelleted and packaged. The fish feed can be employed without the fish having diarrhea. As a result, the water in fish breeding tanks does not become immoderately eutrophic and at the same time the daily weight gain of the fish is not affected. An optimum daily growth rate and a fish flesh quality can be achieved without the use of animal and fish-based proteins in the fish food ration. The fish food is also inexpensive and ecologically sustainable and ethically acceptable, since it contributes to the rescue of the remaining fish stocks in waters worldwide.
US08689734B2 Deposition of active films
A plasma reactor (1) for treating a substrate (40), comprises at least two electrodes (20, 30) arranged within the reactor (1) defining an internal process space (13) there between, whereas the two electrodes (20, 30) are located opposed to each other and parallel with respect to a first surface (20a) of the electrodes (20, 30). Further it comprises a gas inlet (11) and a gas outlet (12) for transporting gas in and out of the plasma reactor (1), a radiofrequency generator (21) connected to at least one of the electrodes (20, 30). At least one of the electrodes (20, 30) has a corrective layer having a non planar shape along a surface (20a) facing the internal process space (13) which has in a first cross section along a radius of the electrode (20) a profile comprising three consecutive and adjacent segments, namely a first, a second and a third segment, where the third segment is adjacent to an edge of the electrode (20) and whereas medium gradient in the first segment is less than a medium gradient in the second segment and a medium gradient in the second segment is larger than a medium gradient in the third segment. An electrode (20) shaped in the above described manner provides for uniform plasma intensity along the surface of the substrate (40) and therefore provides for a treating which is homogenous and features uniform thickness. This invention further allows a compact construction of the vacuum treatment apparatus (1).
US08689728B2 Apparatus for holding a medical device during coating
The present invention is directed towards the holding of medical devices during manufacture to enable the application of therapeutic and/or protective coatings. More specifically, the present invention provides medical device holders that securely retain stents and other medical devices during the application of a coating while minimizing compressive and tensile forces applied to the stents. The invention avoids disruptions to coating quality due to holder blockage during coating deposition. The invention discloses an improved device containing a mandrel and frame that may improve coating uniformity by eliminating shadowing from the frame of the medical device holder when applying coatings to stents and other medical devices.
US08689724B2 Method of and apparatus for manufacturing coated bearing
A transfer roll rotates to have a coating liquid in a coating liquid tank filled in recesses formed on a roll surface thereof and to have a surplus coating liquid scraped off by a doctor blade, and rotates contacting with a coating roll. Thereby, the coating liquid in the recesses of the transfer roll is transferred to the coating roll. Thereafter, while the transfer roll is moved upward, an arm is rotated counterclockwise whereby the coating roll is separated from the transfer roll. The arm is further rotated whereby the coating roll is moved along an inner surface of a half bearing fixed to a jig and the coating roll applies the coating liquid to the inner surface of the half bearing.
US08689720B2 Offshore equipment deploying and retrieving vessel
A mono hull vessel for retrieving and deploying equipments in offshore region comprising a deck box with an upper deck (2) at its top said upper deck having a lifting and lowering device (3,3′), a hull/pontoon (1) at the base of said vessel, the vessel is characterized in that said hull/pontoon (1) is connected to the deck box by a plurality of columns (4) and said hull/pontoon (1) is made in one piece and is continuous to form the platform for a lower deck (5), the upper and lower deck being configured to allow lifting and lowering of equipment therefrom and thereon respectively.
US08689715B2 Actuator
An actuator (10) for use in controlling movement of a component (22) of a seagoing vessel comprises a cylinder (12) for coupling to a vessel hull (14) and an actuator shaft (18). A distal end (20) of the shaft (18) is coupled to the component whose movement is to be controlled and, in use, a control force (Fc) is applied to the shaft (18) to control movement of the shaft (18) from a first position, retracted, position to a second, extended, position. The actuator (10) is compliant in response to an opposing force exceeding a selected force to prevent or mitigate damage to the component (22) and/or the actuator 10 which may otherwise result from the opposing force.
US08689711B1 Quilting method and foundation
This method of producing quilts, or quilt components, uses a patterned quilt foundation to assist in the creation of reversible quilts, and reversible quilt components. The method uses a batting, layered between and affixed to patterned web material wherein the pattern lines match the front layer to the back layer for various patterns. This allows the quilter to create quilt block designs on the front as well as the back of a block using the pattern lines for the accurate placement of material on each of the two faces. The method is applicable to strip, square, triangle, rectangle and diamond shapes as well as any combination of those shapes. To maintain registration from one face to the other, the quilting of the piece is accomplished at the same time as the front and back pieces of material are sewn to the pattern.
US08689710B2 Combustion system with precombustor
A precombustor having a chamber having a first end and a second end, and an inlet configured to deliver a substantially parallel flow of solid fuel surrounded by oxygen at the first end. The first end further includes a recirculation step and the second end fluidly communicates with a furnace. The inlet and the recirculation step are arranged to form a recirculation zone of at least a portion of the solid fuel and the oxygen. A combustion system and method for operating a combustion system are also disclosed.
US08689709B2 Oxycombustion in transport oxy-combustor
A pressurized transport oxy-combustor with different configurations is disclosed. Substantially pure oxygen is fed to the transport oxy-combustor under pressure to combust fossil fuels, generating steam for power generation. The end product is the flue gas containing substantially pure CO2 after moisture condensation. The low excess oxygen necessary to achieve complete combustion in the combustor is scavenged by adding another fuel so that substantially all oxygen fed to the combustor is completely consumed. The capability to operate the transport oxy-combustor as a circulating fluidized bed combustor at very high solids circulation rates makes it unnecessary to use recycled CO2 or flue gas as a means to moderate and control the combustion temperature. The temperature in the combustor is effectively controlled by relatively cooler circulating solids that enter the combustion zone. A small amount of CO2 is recycled for aeration and to convey solids fuel to the combustor.
US08689695B2 Area denial device
A propelled lance provides a wounding non-lethal anti-insurgent action when stepped on by piercing an enemy insurgent's foot with a lance penetrator. The lance penetrator lodges in the foot and further penetration is impeded by a stop plate. The lance penetrator may insert an RFID or other identifiable device or other payload into the insurgent. The lance penetrator provides anti-personnel, anti-vehicle and anti-robot action.
US08689688B2 Pattern transcription device and method of fabricating cliché for the same
A pattern transcription apparatus comprises a cliché including a concave portion, a convex portion and a printing stopper, the printing stopper formed on a bottom surface of the concave portion; and a blanket, on which a resist material layer is coated, rotatable on the cliché, wherein a surface energy density of the blanket is greater than a surface energy density of the printing stopper and is smaller than a surface energy of the cliché.
US08689685B2 Dough forming pressing plate with spacers
In some embodiments, a dough pressing system includes a cover coupled to a pressing platen, wherein the cover can reduce the wear caused to the pressing platen by the heat and pressure used to process one or more products. The cover optionally can be configured to be removably attached to the pressing platen with vacuum pressure. In some implementations, one or more spacers are placed between the cover and the pressing platen. The thickness of the spacers can adjust the thickness and diameter of products processed by the pressing platen. For example, to increase uniformity among products pressed together in a press cycle, the spacers can have different thicknesses that correspond with the location of the spacer in the pattern of dough balls.
US08689681B1 “VALDON”—a dual-purpose bread baking oven
A dual-purpose urn-shaped clay oven is traditionally configured for baking flatbread on the inner sidewalls thereof. To increase its utility in a commercial bakery, a removable tray system is provided allowing using the oven for baking conventional bread products. The tray system includes a number of frame segments extending radially from a common vertical axis and rotatably supported below the oven cover. The oven cover has a door to partially access the oven and allow rising of one frame segment at a time from the oven to replace the bread products with unbaked dough. Each frame segment supports a number of vertically stacked baking trays configured for holding bread while baking. Also described is a conversion kit to adapt an existing oven for dual-purpose use.
US08689679B2 Automatic cooking medium level control systems and methods
An automatic cooking medium level control system for a cooking apparatus, e.g., a fryer, may include a cooking vessel having a first temperature sensor at a first level of the cooking vessel and a second temperature sensor at a second level of the cooking vessel. A reservoir holding a cooking medium, such as cooking oil, may be in fluid communication with the cooking vessel. A controller may monitor temperature data from the first and second temperature sensors to determine whether the level of cooking oil in the cooking vessel has lowered. Upon determining that the cooking oil level has lowered, the controller may actuate a supply mechanism, such as a pump, which may be disposed on a fluid communication path between the reservoir and cooking vessel, which may enable the introduction of cooking medium from the reservoir to the to the cooking vessel.
US08689678B2 Apparatus for aging wine or spirits
A device for the non-deleterious, passive aging of wine wherein the interior of the semi-permeable wall of the aging container, which provides the interface between the wine and the atmosphere, has a substantially larger interface area per unit volume of wine than does that of the prior art device. The device employs a polyhedron shaped aging container or vessel having a volumetric capacity of greater than 30 gallons; and, a relationship (ratio) of the interior surface area of the container to the volume of the container from 0.33 square inches to 1.0 cubic inch to 4.0 square inches to 1.0 cubic inch. In one advantageous embodiment, the container is a rectangular hexahedron. In another advantageous embodiment, the container is a trapezoidal hexahedron.
US08689674B2 Axial piston machine with rotation restraint mechanism
A reciprocator restraint assembly for a Z-crank axial piston machine is described. The assembly includes two gimbal arms each linked together at gimbal link joint that intersect at a point T. Point T lying in a medial plane M being defined as the plane passing through the point of coincidence of the crank and crankshaft axes to which the line that bisects the crank angle is normal. Each of the gimbal arms is pivotally mounted at an identical distance L from point T. A cylinder gimbal is pivotally mounted from the cylinder cluster and a reciprocator gimbal is pivotally mounted from the reciprocator. The reciprocator gimbal pivot axis is equidistant from point X and T as is the cylinder gimbal pivot axis. The orientations of the pivot axes of the two gimbal arms being mutual reflections in the medial plane M resulting in the point T lying on the medial plane M as the crankshaft rotates with respect to the cylinder cluster, and thus ensuring homo-kinetic rotational restraint between the reciprocator and the cylinder cluster.
US08689669B2 Method of producing warheads containing explosives
The present invention is directed to a method for production preformed fabrication casing or associated parts intended to generate fragments initiated by the explosive of contained warhead charges. Molded parts having fragmentation bodies (4, 21, 34) embedded therein are produced by a two-stage powder compaction method followed by sintering together the compacted powder metal. The method described in the present invention defines how in an initial stage the fragmentation bodies (4, 21, 34) are fixed in position using a fixture (2) after which the bodies are covered with powder metal that is then compacted until the powder forms a single molded part (2) after which the fixture is replaced with a secondary quantity of powder that is also compacted to form a self-supporting unit (12) together with the first quantity of powder.
US08689666B2 Drive link with improved lubrication feature
Various embodiments of the present disclosure generally provide a drive link for a saw chain including a body portion adapted to couple to adjacent side links and a tang extending from the body and sized to engage a guide bar groove. The tang may include a through hole extending from a first tang side to a second tang side and including a through hole center. In various embodiments, a material directing feature may be disposed adjacent to the through hole on at least one of the first side and second side of the tang. The material directing feature may include a recession in the tang which encourages oil and/or wood chips to pass through the through hole.
US08689665B2 Emergency braking system for machine tools
An emergency braking system for a machine tool for abruptly braking a revolving shaft includes at least one brake drum and at least one brake shoe which are engaged with one another in order to brake the shaft. The braking intervention between the brake drum and the brake shoe takes place under the influence of a centrifugal force resulting from the rotation of a shaft as soon as a locking device is released. Also provided in the braking system is a diagnostic system which allows the functionality of the locking device to be checked.
US08689661B2 Variable radius lever arm assembly
A curled variable radius lever comprises a lever arm 2 of variable effective length that curls and uncurls about a drive axis. In a preferred arrangement the lever assembly has a plurality of rigid blocks 3 articulated together by a chain 4 with link pivots 5 which are affixed to respective blocks 3. Each block 3 has a pair of facing walls 11 and a pair of facing mutually inclined sloping walls 12 which abut when the lever arm 2 is in a curled condition. The lever arm 2 is pulled into the curled condition by a coiled tension spring 13 and restrained in this position by a magnet 9. When it is uncurled the walls 11 abut. The chain 4 then prevents the arm 2 from bending further when a driving force is applied by users to a handle 6. The lever may be used with socket sets, yacht winch, fishing rod reel, a bicycle crank or a jack assembly.
US08689657B2 Axially compact support for a gear within a gearbox
A gearbox transmits rotational movement from a driving member to a driven member. The gearbox includes a pinion gear disposed inside a housing. The gear defines an axial bore and rotates in response to rotation of the driving member. An output member extends through the axial bore and engages therewith such that the output member rotates in response to rotation of the gear. The output member extends to a position outside the housing to rotate the driven member. A clamping nut is threadably coupled to the output member and abuts the gear thereby retaining the output member and the gear together. A bearing is disposed radially between the gear and the housing. The bearing rotatably supports the gear and the output member.
US08689656B2 Shifting device for a gearbox
A shifting device for a gearbox which has at least one sliding sleeve that is placed on a transmission shaft in a rotationally fixed and axially movable manner. One idler gear, which is rotationally supported on the transmission shaft, is located at on one side adjacent the sleeve. The sliding sleeve can be axially moved, by an actuating element, from a neutral position into a shifting position toward the idler gear, and upon reaching the shifting position, couples the idler gear with the transmission shaft. The associated actuating elements are arranged in a stationary manner and, upon actuation, engage with at least one shifting groove, provided on an outside diameter of the at least one sliding sleeve and has a curve-shaped path, in the axial direction, so that rotation of the transmission shaft axially shifts the sliding sleeve according to the further path of the shifting groove.
US08689652B2 Method for determining the surface radius and/or particle density of a powder
This invention relates to a method for determining the average surface radius ro and/or the density r of the particles of a nanopowder in a sample levitating in an electropositive plasma with a volume V formed between a first electrode powered by a radiofrequency voltage and a second electrode with a fixed voltage, in particular a ground one, characterized in that: V is the amplitude at the measuring time t of the radiofrequency voltage RF powering the first electrode when the powder is present in the plasma, V is the amplitude of said radiofrequency voltage powering the first electrode in the absence of powder in the plasma, V is the self-polarization voltage of the first electrode at the time t when the powder is present in the plasma, V is the self-polarization voltage of the first electrode in the absence of powder in the plasma, ΔAB is the surface variation of the second electrode in the presence of powder at the time t relative to a situation in which powder is absent, and the values of n and K are determined by means of calibrating by tracing a curve in which ro is a function of ΔAB and of VRF from experimental data obtained from powders having a known particle diameter by measuring VRF, VRF(O), VDC, and VDC(0) and by applying a regression to said curve. n D = 1 4 ⁢ π ⁢ ⁢ K 2 ⁢ V ⁢ ⁢ Δ ⁢ ⁢ A B × ( 1 V RF - 1 V RF ⁡ ( 0 ) ) 2 ⁢ ⁢ n r D = K ⁢ Δ ⁢ ⁢ A B ( 1 V RF - 1 V RF ⁡ ( 0 ) ) n Avec AA : K = ɛ 0 ⁢ C q ⁢ ⁢ V ⁢ ⁢ D n , Δ ⁢ ⁢ A B = δ ⁡ ( t ) δ ⁡ ( 0 ) - 1 1 A M ⁢ ⁢ 0 + 1 A B ⁢ ⁢ 0 , ⁢ δ ⁡ ( t ) = π arccos ⁡ ( V DC V RF ) - 1 et BB ⁢ ⁢ δ ⁡ ( 0 ) = π arccos ⁡ ( V DC ⁡ ( 0 ) V RF ⁡ ( 0 ) ) - 1 AA ⁢ ⁢ with BB ⁢ ⁢ and
US08689650B2 Immersible oxygen sensor for molten metals
An improved immersible oxygen probe for molten metals has a gas permeable body including an immersion end and a support end adapted for being supported by a lance. An oxygen cell and a thermocouple are supported in the immersion end of the body. An unobstructed gas flow passageway is provided through the gas permeable bodies and through the probe body from the immersion end to the support/connector end whereby gases released from the molten metal and sensor body during immersion readily pass through the probe and can escape from within the probe. Thus rapid analysis of the molten metal with improved accuracy within a few seconds after immersion is achieved. The probe contains a sample mold at least partially positioned in an unconfined portion of the permeable body.
US08689649B2 Methods and systems to prevent punch loss during automated sample processing
Automated methods and systems for punching out pieces of a porous substrate for biological samples comprising: loading the porous substrate onto a support comprising a die and an opening; moving a receptacle support in at least a z-direction to position a receptacle relative to the support so that an opening in the receptacle is aligned and substantially flush with the opening in the support; actuating a punching head so that the punching head passes through the die, thereby punching a piece out of the porous substrate; and actuating an ejector pin to eject the punched piece from the porous substrate support and into the receptacle aligned with the opening in the support.
US08689648B1 Compact aerosol sampler
Provided is an aerosol collector of reduced size having an aerosol inlet, an impactor plate containing several particle size-selecting nozzles therethrough, a replaceable collection layer and a fan having a power supply such as a battery pack, all of which fits a small container, attachable to, e.g., the lapel of the user, means to rotate the fan and move the aerosol through the sampler, so as to draw airborne particles through the inlet and through one or more nozzles, to impact the particles on the layer for analysis of same.
US08689639B2 Ultrasonic transducer having a matching layer between a piezoelectric element and a coupling element
An ultrasonic transducer for determining and/or monitoring flow of a measured medium through a measuring tube, which includes at least one piezoelectric element, at least one coupling element and at least one adapting, or matching, layer between the piezoelectric element and coupling element. The adapting, or matching, layer has a thickness smaller than a fourth of an uneven integer multiple of a wavelength of an ultrasonic signal being used.
US08689637B2 Fracture analysis method, device, and program for spot welded portion, and computer-readable recording medium
Maximum allowable load values of a welded portion in respective fracture modes of a load fracture, a moment fracture, and a nugget interior fracture are found based on at least one of a sheet thickness t, a tensile strength TS, an elongation El, and a chemical composition of a nugget portion in each of spot-welded steel sheets, a nugget diameter d of a welded portion, an effective width B of the welded portion determined by a distance between adjacent welded portions, edges or ridge lines, and a sectional height H. Then, according to these fracture modes, an allowable load value at every moment after the maximum allowable load value of the welded portion is reached is found, and a displacement or a time at which the allowable load value becomes 0, that is, at which a complete fracture occurs is found, thereby finding a fracture limit.
US08689630B2 Inertial force sensor and detecting element used for same
A detecting element for an inertial force sensor includes a mass section, an excitation section, and a detecting section. The excitation section excites the mass section along a third direction among a first direction, a second direction, and the third direction that are perpendicular to each other. The detecting section outputs a signal corresponding to displacement of the mass section along at least one of the first direction and the second direction. Resonance frequencies of the first direction and the second direction are set greater than a resonance frequency of the third direction.
US08689629B2 Sensing unit for bicycle speedometer
A sensing unit for a bicycle speedometer is disclosed. The bicycle speedometer has a meter body and the sensing unit for detecting pedaling and generating a signal related to bicycle pedaling. The sensing unit includes a sensor mounted on a bicycle frame and a fixture for carrying a sensed member. The fixture has a fixing end coupled with a bicycle crank and a coupling arm for carrying the sensed member. The fixture allows positional adjustment of the sensed member with respect to the bicycle crank, thereby facilitating aligning the sensed member with the sensor, so as to ensure proper sensing of the sensor to the sensed member.
US08689628B2 Dust-proof structure for measuring tool
A dust-proof structure for a measuring tool, includes: a case provided with an opening formed through a surface opposed to a protection plate thereof; a solar panel accommodated in the case through the opening of the case; an intermediate panel pressing an outer circumferential portion of the solar panel against a bottom wall of the case; a display device disposed at an inward portion of the intermediate panel and opposed to the solar panel with a gap; a cover attached to close the opening of the case; a screw used to secure the cover and the intermediate panel to the case; and a temporary-fixing unit disposed between the intermediate panel and the case, the temporary-fixing unit temporarily fixing the intermediate panel to the case while the outer circumferential portion of the solar panel is pressed against the bottom wall of the case.
US08689620B2 Pressure balancing device
A pressure balancing device for a transducer is provided. The pressure balancing device comprises: a pressure transmission device having a cross-sectional area and arranged, in use, to be exposed to a fluid; and a fluid chamber having a hollow shaft, the fluid chamber being arranged to be acted on by the pressure transmission device; wherein the cross-sectional area of the hollow shaft is less than the cross-sectional area of the pressure transmission device.
US08689598B2 Method of forming a tenon on one side of a metal plate member
A method of forming a tenon on one side of a metal plate member by means of punching the wall of one side of the metal plate member with a punch or punches to form a protrusion and then punching the protrusion with a punch rod to extend the height of the protrusion and to deform the protrusion into a tubular configuration.
US08689589B2 Washer/extractor with plastic hose connecting fitting
A washer/extractor having a one-piece plastic water hose connecting fitting having a base plate, a tubular hose connection portion that defines a passageway communicating between a hose connected to the fitting and an opening in the wall to which the fitting is mounted, and a pair of clamping members disposed in parallel relation to a rear side of base plate. The wash tub opening has a key hole configuration which enables the arms of the fitting to be positioned into the opening in a first position of the base and upon rotation of the base plate to a second position locates the clamping arms behind mounting portions of the wall for securement by respective fasteners extending through the base plate, wall mounting portions, and clamping arms.
US08689587B2 Polarization controlling optical fiber preform and preform fabrication methods
Methods to fabricate an optical preform for draw into Polarization Maintaining (PM) or Polarizing (PZ) optical fiber are provided. The methods involve assembly of pre-shaped and pieced together bulk glass elements into preforms (“assembled preforms”) for simultaneous fusing and drawing into optical fiber. These preforms form a stress-induced birefringent optical core when drawn to fiber.
US08689583B2 Turbocompressor train and method for operation thereof and natural gas liquefaction plant having the turbocompressor train
A turbo compressor train is provided. The turbo compressor train includes a turbo compressor unit and a drive assembly for driving the turbo compressor unit. The drive unit has a gas turbine and a generator and a steam turbine. The steam turbine may be coupled together with the generator to the turbo compressor unit and the gas turbine by means of a coupling device. The coupling device has an overrun coupling and a coupling exciter with which the overrun coupling may be taken from a disengaged condition to an active condition by engaging of the overrun coupling at synchronous speed of the gas turbine and the steam turbine and if the overrun coupling is engaged, disengages upon a speed increase to the steam turbine and generator so that the generator may be driven by the steam turbine at a higher speed than the turbocompressor unit by the gas turbine.
US08689578B2 Ice making apparatus and refrigerator comprising the same
Provided are an ice maker and a refrigerator including the same. The ice maker for making ice is provided on a rear side of a refrigerator door. A tray cover, a water flood prevention rib, and a rotation guide are provided to prevent flooding of water stored in an ice tray forming the ice maker while the refrigerator door is opened/closed. According to the ice maker and the refrigerator, reduction in a storage capacity of the refrigerator is prevented, flooding of water for making ice is prevented, and the ice maker can be more easily used.
US08689572B2 Climate control system including responsive controllers
A thermostat is provided that receives one or more inputs from at least one heating system of a climate control system, and initiates an appropriate action in response to the input. The thermostat can turn off a heat pump providing substandard heat and responsively turn on a fuel-fired auxiliary furnace. The thermostat may discontinue further operation of the auxiliary furnace upon receiving an operating error signal associated with the auxiliary furnace, and responsively turn on the heat pump to provide for continued heating. The thermostat may also discontinue operation of the fuel-fired furnace and turn on a circulating fan in response to an input signal indicating a furnace high-temperature or a carbon monoxide presence.
US08689571B2 Dryer for a refrigeration appliance and a refrigeration appliance including the dryer
Provided is a dryer for minimizing moisture entrained within a refrigerant used to provide a cooling effect to a temperature-controlled environment, and a refrigeration appliance including such a dryer. The dryer includes a housing defining a drying chamber and a desiccant disposed within the drying chamber for removing at least a portion of the moisture from the refrigerant. A first outlet is formed in the housing adjacent a lower region of the drying chamber when the drying chamber is viewed in an operational orientation. A second outlet is also formed in the housing at an elevation vertically above the first outlet when the dryer is viewed in the operational orientation for discharging at least a portion of the refrigerant introduced into the drying chamber to be delivered to a second heat exchanger with a relatively-low internal pressure. The elevation of the second outlet relative to the first outlet promotes the discharge of the refrigerant through the first outlet instead of through the second outlet.
US08689566B1 Compressed air energy system integrated with gas turbine
An apparatus performs a power cycle involving expansion of compressed air utilizing high pressure (HP) and low pressure (LP) air turbines located upstream of a gas turbine. The power cycle involves heating of the compressed air prior to its expansion in the HP and LP air turbines. Taking into consideration fuel consumption to heat the compressed air, particular embodiments may result in a net production of electrical energy of ˜2.2-2.5× an amount of energy consumed by substantially isothermal air compression to produce the compressed air supply. Although pressure of the compressed air supply may vary over a range (e.g. as a compressed air storage unit is depleted), the gas turbine may run under almost constant conditions, facilitating its integration with the apparatus. The air turbines may operate at lower temperatures than the gas turbine, and they may include features of turbines employed to turbocharge large reciprocating engines.
US08689564B2 Fossil-fueled power station comprising a carbon dioxide separation device and method for operating a fossil-fueled power station
A fossil-fueled power station including a steam turbine is provided. A steam generator is mounted downstream of the steam turbine via a steam return line and a carbon dioxide separation device. The carbon dioxide separation device is connected to the steam return line via a process steam line and a backpressure steam turbine is mounted into the process steam line.
US08689554B2 Engine arrangement with an improved exhaust heat recovery arrangement
An engine arrangement of the type including an internal combustion engine having an EGR line, wherein at least one turbine is located on an exhaust line, is provided. The arrangement includes a water vapor generating arrangement using exhaust gases energy to transform liquid water into water vapor. The water vapor is injected in the exhaust line upstream of the turbine. The EGR line is branched off the exhaust line upstream of the turbine and the water vapor generating arrangement includes at least one EGR/water heat exchanger for exchanging heat between the EGR line and the water to be vaporized.
US08689553B2 Exhaust gas recirculation system for an internal combustion engine
An internal combustion engine comprises an intake system to deliver a compressed intake charge thereto. A venturi assembly is disposed in the intake system and defines a venturi defining a low pressure zone “Z” for the intake charge passing therethrough. An annular exhaust gas recirculation conduit distribution passage extends circumferentially about an inlet annulus of an intake manifold and receives diverted exhaust gas from an exhaust system for delivery to the intake charge through exhaust gas recirculation diffuser passages disposed at circumferentially spaced locations about the annular exhaust gas recirculation conduit distribution passage.
US08689551B1 Hydrostatic transaxle
A hydraulic drive unit having a center section for a hydraulic pump and hydraulic motor mounted in a casing. The center section includes a cylindrical protuberance for locating the center section in the casing, and at least one fastener opening formed in the center section for receiving a fastener engaged to the casing. The drive unit may also include a pair of flat surfaces formed on the center section and adapted to mount with features in the casing, and a bypass shaft extending into the casing and at least partially disposed in the center section.
US08689548B2 Power system for vehicle and vehicle having the power system
A power system for a vehicle includes a hydraulic pressure generating device, a first hydraulically operated device, a second hydraulically operated device, a common oil channel, a first bifurcated oil channel, a second bifurcated oil channel, and an oil state detector. The first hydraulically operated device is configured to be operated by liquid supplied from the hydraulic pressure generating device. The second hydraulically operated device is configured to be operated by liquid supplied from the hydraulic pressure generating device. The common oil channel is connected to the hydraulic pressure generating device. The first bifurcated oil channel connects the common oil channel and the first hydraulically operated device. The second bifurcated oil channel connects the common oil channel and the second hydraulically operated device. The oil state detector is provided in the common oil channel and configured to detect the state of the liquid.
US08689546B2 Exhaust purification system of internal combustion engine
An exhaust purification system of an internal combustion engine is provided with an exhaust purification catalyst which removes NOx and a post treatment device. The exhaust purification catalyst has the property of reducing NOx if making the concentration of hydrocarbons vibrate by within a predetermined range of amplitude and within a predetermined range of period and furthermore has the function of oxidizing hydrocarbons. The exhaust purification system feeds hydrocarbons to the exhaust purification catalyst and raises the temperature of the post treatment device as temperature elevation control. The exhaust purification catalyst has a high purification rate range where the NOx purification rate becomes higher than a predetermined rate. In the temperature elevation control, the total feed amount of hydrocarbons is set and the feed period of hydrocarbons is set in the high purification rate range in a region at the end at the short side of feed period of hydrocarbons.
US08689528B1 Method of packaging a plurality of tissues for dispensing
A method of adapting a plurality of tissues for dispensing, includes cutting each tissue into a rectangular shape having a length and a width; folding each tissue in half lengthwise into a first attitude having the same length and one-half of the width; folding each tissue in half lengthwise again into a second attitude having the same length and having only one-quarter of the original width; placing an even number of equally spaced, widthwise folds, in the tissue dividing the tissue into an odd number of rectangular portions arranged in a Z-folded accordion arrangement; and aligning the plurality of folded tissues in a linear sequence with one rectangular portion of each succeeding folded tissue in the sequence engaged between two adjacent rectangular portions of a preceding folded tissue in the sequence.
US08689525B2 Machine for filling and capping vials
A machine (M) for filling and capping vials (F), comprising, arranged in a cascade fashion: a supply station (1) of empty vials (F); an Archimedes screw (2) having a rotation axis parallel to a longitudinal development of the machine (M), supplied with the vials (F) in arrival from the supply station (1); a device (D) for disengaging a predetermined number of vials (F) from the screw (2), activated in phase relation with the screw (2), and for transferring the vials (F) transversally; a comb conveyor (3), step-moved and designed to receive the predetermined number of vials (F) from the device (D); a filling station (6, 7), designed for introduction of a liquid solution contemporaneously into a plurality of vials (F); a capping station (10, 11) for contemporaneously sealing a plurality of vials (F); an outlet zone (U) for conveying the vials (F) out of the operating line of the machine.
US08689523B1 Ice bagging assembly with accessible hopper
An ice bagging assembly and related method with a horizontal ice bag cassette, a pair of opposing ice bag ply graspers configured to move an empty ice bag from the horizontal ice bag cassette to a vertical position to receive cubed ice before it is sealed shut and dropped to an ice bag merchandiser. The opposing graspers may be configured as rotating wheels and may have a grasping sensor. The ice bag cassette may be slidably and tiltably supported for easy replacement of horizontal bags. A load sensor, optical or mechanical, may be associated with the ice hopper to sense how much ice has been put in each bag. A pair of angled guides may guide a hopper into a support frame for the system.
US08689522B2 Method for setting tiles and tuning lippage
A tile aligning and lippage tuning method and system that uses an under tile base reusable upright connecting tab, which is detachably connected to said under tile base, a reusable flexible edge slotted cap configured to slip over the connecting tab and latch thereto as the cap is slid further down the connecting tab. The cap has an edge slot so that the connecting tab can be separated from the cap, by merely sliding the cap, so that the connecting tab passes through the slot. A flexible spring-like portion of the cap provides increased force on the tile even if undesired elongation of the connecting tab occurs.
US08689521B1 Method and apparatus for applying lippage reducing forces to an array of adjacent tiles
A tile aligning and leveling method and system that uses an under tile base re-usable upright connecting tab, which is detachably connected to said under tile base, a re-usable flexible edge slotted cap, configured to slip over the connecting tab and latch thereto as the cap is slid further down the connecting tab. The cap has an edge slot so that the connecting tab can be separated from the cap by merely sliding the cap, so that the connecting tab passes through the slot. A flexible, spring-like portion of the cap provides increased force on the tile, even if undesired elongation of the connecting tab occurs.
US08689514B1 Expandable structure
An expandable structure formed from a single piece of material is moveable between a stowed position and an extended position. The structure has a base and a plurality of support members integral with the base that move between a stowed position and an extended position. In the stowed position, the base and the plurality of support members are essentially a two dimensional shape. A biasing force makes the structure self-erecting and moves it to the extended position. In the extended position, the expandable structure has a hollow interior and a cross-section that is bounded by a closed path.
US08689513B2 Floor covering
Floor covering (10) including panels (12,14; 112) having a core (24) of a plastic material and at least one cover layer (28,30) covering the upper side of the core, the panels being provided with complementary and mutually engaging locking profiles (20,22; 120) at their connected lateral edges (16,18). For forming a groove between two connected panels (12,14; 112) at least one of these panels is provided with a milled-out portion (60,160) at the upper side of its lateral edge, with the cover layer (28,30) excavated completely over the width of the milled-out portion (60,160) so that the bottom (62,162) of the milled-out portion (60,160) is formed by the material of the core.
US08689512B2 Mechanical locking of floor panels with vertical folding
Floor panels (1, 1′, 1″) are shown, which are provided with a mechanical locking system on long and short edges (5a, 5b, 4a, 4b) allowing installation with vertical folding and where the long edge (5a, 5b) locking system prevents separation of the short edges (4a, 4b) during the folding action.
US08689508B2 Extra strength backing stud having notched flanges
Disclosed herein is an elongated C-shaped backing stud having a plurality of receiving notches positioned along its outer flanges. The backing stud is fastened to the studs of a sheet metal wall assembly by means of a plurality of fasteners, and such that the plurality of studs of the wall assembly abuts a planar web portion of the backing stud. The backing stud may be characterized in that (i) the ratio of the width of the web portion to the width of the backing stud flanges ranges from about 8 to 16, (ii) the ratio of the width of the backing stud flanges to width of the outer returns is at least about one, and (iii) the ratio of the width of the plurality of studs to the width of the outer returns ranges from about 6 to 8. The backing stud is configured to support wall hung grab bars, hand rails, cabinets, shelves, and the like.
US08689504B2 Fire protection module
A fire protection module is provided for wall and ceiling openings. The fire protection module includes a sheath for insertion into the wall or ceiling opening and a flange to be placed at the wall or ceiling. The assembly of the fire protection module may be performed with few steps. For example, the sheath and the flange are embodied in one piece.
US08689493B2 Truss based display system
A display unit comprising a plurality of vertical truss members anchored to a floor surface; a plurality of horizontal rails attached to the vertical truss members thereby forming a frame; a horizontal track anchored to a floor surface in front of the vertical truss members; a plurality of cantilever supports attached across the top of the frame, the cantilever supports each having a front portion providing an upper frame and lower frame; a plurality of upper rectangular panels mounted in a first row adjacent one another in the upper frames; a plurality of lower rectangular panels mounted in the lower frames adjacent one another a second row below the first row; first and second side panels anchored to the floor track and to a plurality of the horizontal rails; a plurality of cabinets located adjacent one another between the first and second side panels and anchored to the floor track and at least one of said horizontal rails; and a plurality of display panels disposed between the top surfaces of the cabinets and the lower edges of the lower rectangular panels.
US08689490B2 Reflective energy management system
A four component roofing system uses three reflective subsystems and one radiant subsystem to provide passive temperature control of a building comprising: (1) Shingles that reflect high angle summer sun light back to the sky, but absorb low angle winter sunlight; (2) A temperature sensitive attic insulator placed under a sunlit roof that reflects radiation and blocks convection from the roof to the attic at hot temperatures, permits radiation and convection at warm temperatures, and blocks radiation and convection from the attic at cold temperatures; (3) A temperature sensitive attic insulator placed under a shaded roof that permits radiation and convection at warm or hot temperatures, and blocks radiation and convection from the attic at cold temperatures; (4) Non-reflective shingles on a shaded roof that emit radiation continuously, but that are heated by air and radiation from the attic only when the second temperature sensitive attic insulator permits convection, so that radiant heat loss is reduced at cold temperatures.
US08689482B2 Apparatus and method for producing and harvesting algae
An apparatus and method are described for producing and harvesting algae. The orientation of the production substrates is critical for maximizing production as a function of water area utilized. By employing an array of algae production substrates in a vertical configuration relative to the water surface, the yield of algae production per area of open water is increased substantially relative to prior art algae production systems.
US08689459B2 Method and apparatus for spray drying and powder produced using said method
Method for spray drying a high-viscosity fluid product using a spraying device, wherein the method comprises projecting the fluid product out of an outflow opening of the spraying device for obtaining droplets of the fluid product, wherein the spraying device is arranged to cause a pressure drop in the fluid product across the outflow opening which is larger than 15 bar and at least partially drying the droplets in a drying medium, such as air, to become particles.
US08689449B2 Powered tube cutter
A power driven tube cutter having a power source and an open end for receiving the tube to be cut is provided. A tool housing encloses a circular tube cutter and opposed rollers as well as a pair of gear trains which can rotate at different speeds. One of the trains drives tool rotation and the other of the trains drives the tube cutter. Tool rotation can be reversed for setting the cutter and rollers in starting positions, along with setting and presenting the open end for the next tube to be cut. Two power-take-offs for treating the tube are also provided.
US08689442B2 Method for the fabrication of integrally bladed rotors
With the fabrication of integrally bladed rotors or stators (blisks) for gas-turbine engines, where the space confined by the pressure and suction side as well as the annulus surface is shaped by cutting and machining from the solid material, starting at the periphery of a ring or disk, a stiffness-optimized pre-machining contour is cut out in a cutting process at a certain distance from the pressure and suction side along straight control surfaces at a cutting angle varying in correspondence with the blade twist and along a conical surface extending at a certain distance from the annulus surface as well as along transition surfaces between the conical and the control surfaces, and subsequently finish machined by finish milling to produce the final contour of the blade, annulus and transition surfaces. The method reduces tool wear and is cost-effective.
US08689434B2 Integrated circuit manufacturing system
An ICs modeling manufacturing procedure is disclosed. A first pattern is printed on a first surface of a printed circuit board (PCB). The first pattern includes a first barcode and a plurality of production codes. A plurality of elements are disposed on the first surface of the PCB. The PCB is heated to fix the elements on the first surface and secure the first pattern on the first surface of the PCB. When the first pattern is read, a first production information is obtained.
US08689418B2 Turning machine
Instead of a conventional slide arrangement Z/X/Y and a B-axis that is pivotable thereon, a more compact and less complex configuration is achieved in that a tool support that is pivotable about the B-axis is directly placed onto the X-slide and only a single rotationally drivable tool spindle is additionally movable in Y-direction in this pivotable tool support, whereas all other tool receivers for stationary tools are fixated at the support.
US08689416B2 Method for manufacturing surface acoustic wave element
A method for manufacturing a surface acoustic wave element that prevents curvature of a piezoelectric substrate when forming an electrode pattern includes a first step of bonding to a first principal surface of a piezoelectric substrate a support member having a linear expansion coefficient lower than a linear expansion coefficient of the piezoelectric substrate to form a composite substrate, a second step of forming a plurality of grooves in the support member of the composite substrate from a surface that is opposite to a bonding interface between the support member and the piezoelectric substrate, a third step of forming electrode patterns including at least one IDT electrode on a second principal surface of the piezoelectric substrate of the composite substrate, and a fourth step of dividing the composite substrate on which the electrode patterns are formed to form individual surface acoustic wave elements.
US08689407B2 Hose clamp
A hose clamp includes: a clamp body having a plurality of screw holes passing therethrough; a coupling housing disposed at one side of the clamp body and into which an opposite side of the clamp body is inserted; and a coupling screw rotatably disposed in the coupling housing and engaged with the screw holes of the clamp body inserted within the coupling housing, wherein the clamp body includes a compensating means including at least one compensation bead formed at one side of the clamp body for resiliently fastening a hose by a degree by which a diameter of the hose is decreased so as to firmly tighten the hose. The hose clamp can prevent the compensation means from being deformed over the resilient area, so that the compensation means is not deformed over the resilient area.
US08689399B2 Bag release handle for a floor cleaner
A floor cleaner including a nozzle and a handle assembly pivotably mounted to the nozzle. The handle assembly including a handle, a motor housing supporting a suction source in fluid communication with the nozzle, and a bag housing defining a filter cavity. A door is removably coupled to the handle assembly and includes a retainer configured to secure a filter bag including a bag aperture to the door such that the door and the retainer are removable from the handle assembly as an assembly. The retainer includes a retainer handle positioned above the bag aperture.
US08689391B2 Mop press
A mop press for wringing liquids out of a cleaning device includes a housing having a fastening mechanism; a lever-actuated wringing device disposed in the housing; and a support device disposed on the housing at a horizontal distance from the fastening mechanism.
US08689376B2 Patient handling device including local status indication, one-touch fowler angle adjustment, and power-on alarm configuration
A patient handling device includes a controller, with a plurality of sensors, control panels, and lamps electrically connected to the controller. The patient handling device records the normal/desired state of the various components when power is applied. When one of the components goes outside the normal/desired state, the controller issues an alarm. This alarm includes illuminating a plurality of amber alert lamps which can normally be viewed by a user at any position around the outside of the patient handling device. The patient handling device also includes a position control. This control restricts movement of an upper (fowler) portion of the patient handling device in a certain range of angular positions, while permitting movement of the upper portion outside the certain range.
US08689372B2 Siderail handle
A perimeter panel for a person-support apparatus comprises a panel body and a handle. The panel body includes a perimeter edge. The handle is movably coupled to the panel body and configured to move between a storage position and a deployed position. The handle forms a portion of the perimeter edge of the panel body when the handle is in the storage position and extends from the panel body in the deployed position.
US08689368B2 Flushing mechanism
A flushing mechanism includes a housing, an upper cover on the housing, a sleeve, a first piston, a first piston sealed module, a first piston loading spring, a second piston and a second piston loading spring. Wherein a pressure-relief and/or ejection-proof part is provided in the housing, the second piston sealed module are respectively provided surround the periphery of the bottom end and the central hole of the second piston. The bottom end of the second piston, the second piston sealed module and the lower end of the housing define an exterior lower cavity and an interior lower cavity used for cooperating with the second piston loading spring in course of drainage, sequentially the second piston are moved upward and the outlet is opened. A toilet bowl employing said flushing mechanism can reduce the flushing water consumption.
US08689367B2 Adjustable Toilet Seat Handle
An adjustable toilet seat handle including a clamping assembly, a spring member, and a knob is provided. The clamping assembly having a first clamp and a second clamp is removably connected to an undersurface of a toilet seat. A spring member connects the first clamp to the second clamp for defining a receptacle that compression fits the undersurface of the toilet seat. The spring member is operably connected to a lower surface of the clamping assembly and extends a distance between the first clamp and the second clamp to allow the undersurface of the toilet seat to be compression fitted in the receptacle. The knob is rigidly attached to and extends outwardly from the first clamp and can be gripped by a user to allow the user to raise or lower the toilet seat without direct contact with the toilet seat.
US08689363B2 Glove and method for producing the same
A glove with a coating layer of rubber containing air bubbles formed at least on the surface of a back portion of a glove base material made of fibers is provided, wherein the moisture permeability of the coating layer of the back portion ranges from 1000 to 9000 g/m2·24 hrs in terms of a measured value according to JIS L 1099 A-1 method (calcium chloride method) and the wear loss of the coating layer of the back portion is 40 mg or less in terms of a value measured after 100 revolutions by use of a tester, Nu-Martindale Abrasion and Peeling Tester, specified by EN ISO 12947-1, according to the European Standard EN 388; 2003. The glove of the present invention is excellent in moisture permeability and abrasion resistance of a back portion.
US08695110B2 Scanning probe microscope and sample observing method using the same
In a near-field scanning microscope using an aperture probe, the upper limit of the aperture formation is at most several ten nm in practice. In a near-field scanning microscope using a scatter probe, the resolution ability is limited to at most several ten nm because of the external illuminating light serving as background noise. Moreover, measurement reproducibility is seriously lowered by a damage or abrasion of a probe. Optical data and unevenness data of the surface of a sample can be measured at a nm-order resolution ability and a high reproducibility while damaging neither the probe nor the sample by fabricating a plasmon-enhanced near-field probe having a nm-order optical resolution ability by combining a nm-order cylindrical structure with nm-order microparticles and repeatedly moving the probe toward the sample and away therefrom at a low contact force at individual measurement points on the sample.
US08695108B2 In-liquid potential measurement device and atomic force microscope
To measure surface potentials in a liquid, the in-liquid potential measurement device according to the present invention includes: a cantilever having a probe at its free end; a displacement measurement unit that measures a voltage corresponding to a displacement of a tip of the cantilever; an AC source that applies an AC voltage between the probe and the sample; and a signal detection unit. A frequency of the AC voltage is 10 kHz or higher. The signal detection unit detects, from the voltage measured by the displacement measurement unit, an amplitude of a frequency component having the same frequency as that of the AC voltage, an amplitude of a frequency component having double frequency of that of the AC voltage, and a frequency component having the same phase as that of the frequency of the AC voltage.
US08695106B2 Computer implemented method for analyzing data of a user with the data being stored pseudonymously in a database
The invention relates to a computer implemented method for analyzing data of a first user, wherein an asymmetric cryptographic key pair is associated with the first user, said asymmetric cryptographic key pair comprising a public key and a private key, the data being stored pseudonymously in a database with the data being assigned to an identifier, wherein the identifier comprises the public key, the method comprising: receiving a set of rules, the set of rules describing data processing steps, receiving the identifier, retrieving the data assigned to the identifier from the database, analyzing the retrieved data by applying the set of rules, providing a result of the analysis.
US08695104B2 System and method for creating conditional immutable objects in a storage device
A data storage system includes a storage device and a data handler that receives an object, creates metadata for the object that includes a key and an authorization, stores the object on the storage device, receives a request for the object, determines if the request includes the key, and, if the request has authorization information, permits access to the object. The data handler receives another request for the object, determines if the request includes the key, and, if the request does not have the authorization information, denies access to the object.
US08695102B2 Controlling execution of executables between partitions in a multi-partitioned data processing system
A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program code for assuring data integrity is shown. A partition receives a request to execute an executable file from a source external to the partition. A memory region is created within the partition. The partition or service interface makes an authentication determination. The partition executes an executable file in the memory region based on the request, provided there is a positive authentication determination.
US08695097B1 System and method for detection and prevention of computer fraud
In a networked computer system, a user accesses a webserver via a web interface presenting credentials comprising a user identification. The webserver is communicatively connected to an application server. If fraud with respect to the user identification is detected, the application server sends a notification or alert to add the user identification to a list of compromised user identifications. The system also comprises a database for storing the list of compromised user identifications on a computer. Another category of user identifications is created referred to as phish phood which is comprised of fabricated user identifications.
US08695095B2 Mobile malicious software mitigation
Mitigation of malicious software in wireless networks and/or on mobile devices is provided. A mobile malicious software mitigation component is provided that obtains an internet protocol address that is exhibiting malicious software behavior, a profile of the malicious software behavior, and a time of the malicious software behavior. The malicious software mitigation component can determine an identity of a mobile device that was assigned the internet protocol address during the time it was exhibiting malicious software behavior, and transmit the profile to the mobile device. In addition, the malicious software mitigation component determine if the duration of the assignment of the internet protocol address to the mobile device is sufficient for positive identification.
US08695091B2 Systems and methods for enforcing policies for proxy website detection using advertising account ID
In embodiments of the present invention improved capabilities are described for systems and methods that enforce policies with respect to proxy communications.
US08695081B2 Method to apply network encryption to firewall decisions
A system and related methods for providing a handler for requests to access a wireless network, operable by or separate from an enhanced personal firewall system, which obtains connection-related information from the operating system, network interface drivers, or both, and then provides that information to a controller which determines to allow or deny access. By collecting certain connection-related information, new levels and granularities of control are allowed and enabled. The process is equally well suited for implementation by a wireless device which may be in range of multiple servers or networks, such that the device may allow different levels of access to the device by the different servers or networks according to the collected connection-related information.
US08695079B1 Allocating shared resources
Disclosed are various embodiments for allocating shared resources. A request to allocate a shared isolating resource is received. The shared isolating resource operates to isolate a plurality of customer resources in a multi-tenant environment. In response to the request to allocate, a least recently deallocated shared isolating resource is removed from a pool of available shared isolating resources. The least recently deallocated shared isolating resource is provided to at least one device using the shared isolating resource.
US08695074B2 Pre-authenticated calling for voice applications
Architecture for providing pre-authenticated information from an endpoint for subsequently authenticating a device and/or user associated with the previously-authenticated information. A pre-authentication module of the architecture can be a trust component as part of an application that facilitates the utilization of user information and/or endpoint information in a media session protocol message to replace information that would otherwise be gathered via a dialog. In the context of IP-based voice communications, a call can be made from a client that is pre-authenticable, and no longer requires that an IP-based telephone interact with the phone user to facilitate sign-on.
US08695071B2 Authentication method
A system and method whereby the identity of a person, entity, device or the like attempting to gain access to a secured resource may be securely authenticated includes a means for receiving from a service client (such as a retail store, service station, on-line service provider or merchandiser, healthcare provider, medical insurer, information consumer or the like) a request for access to a secured resource, where the request for access was previously submitted to the service client by a requester purporting to be an authorized user of said secured resource; means for generating and communicating to the purported authorized user a challenge string adapted to provide a basis for authenticating the identity of the requester; a means for receiving from the service client a response string corresponding to the challenge string; and a means for evaluating the response string to authenticate the identity of the requester.
US08695060B2 System and method for creating secure applications
A method for generating a secure application is described herein. The method can include the steps of obtaining a target application and decomposing the target application into original files that contain predictable instructions. One or more predictable instructions in the original files may be identified. In addition, the target application may be modified to create the secure application by binding one or more intercepts to the target application. These intercepts can enable the modification of the predictable instructions in accordance with one or more policies such that the behavior of the secure application is different from the original behavior of the target application. Modification of the target application may be conducted without access to the source code of the target application.
US08695052B2 Network system and image projection apparatus
A network system includes an image projection apparatus that projects image data; a first terminal; and a second terminal where the first terminal includes an original image data storing unit that stores original image data and a corresponding information generating unit that generates corresponding information in which image identification data of the image data for projection, generated from the original image data, capable of identifying the original image data and terminal identification data for identifying the first terminal correspond with each other, and the image projection apparatus includes a corresponding information sending unit that sends, upon receiving the request for delivering the corresponding information of the image data being projected from the second terminal, the corresponding information stored in the storing unit, to the second terminal.
US08695051B2 Video quality monitoring method, distribution server, and client
A video quality monitoring method includes a distribution server measuring first video quality index values according to a full-reference method by comparing a video, distributed from the distribution server to a client through a network, with a degraded video, generated by causing multiple scenarios of quality degradation due to the network in the video in a pseudo manner, creating characteristic data of first quality degradation values, obtained by causing the quality degradation to vary with the scenarios at regular intervals, and the first video quality index values corresponding to the respective scenarios, and transmitting the characteristic data to the client; and the client measuring a second quality degradation value in the video distributed through the network, and calculating a second video quality index value, equivalent to a value according to the full-reference method, of the distributed video from the measured second quality degradation value and the characteristic data.
US08695049B2 Content switching apparatus and content switching method
The content switching apparatus includes at least a position identifying unit (800) and a play control unit (700). In switching from a first content (broadcast program) to a second content (VOD content), the position identifying unit identifies the position of the image in the second content, the image being the same as the first image of the first content. The play control unit determines a play starting position in the second content based on the position identified by the position identifying unit. By determining the play starting position of the second content in this way, the image can be properly switched even in the case where the time length or the content configuration is different.
US08695047B2 Video stream protection
System and method for protecting video stream quality during transmission over a wireless medium. A plurality of video streams may be transmitted to one or more clients in a wireless manner. It may be determined that a size of a transmit queue is above a first threshold. The plurality of video streams may be differentiated, as part of which a video stream may be selected for penalization in order to protect the other video streams of the plurality of video streams. A scheduling penalty may be imposed on the selected video stream based on determining that the size of the transmit queue is above the first threshold and based on differentiating the plurality of video streams.
US08695046B2 Bilateral control system and method of a vehicle-use front seat audio device and a back seat entertainment device
The present invention is related to a bilateral control system and method of a vehicle-use front seat audio device and a back seat entertainment device according to the present invention, the system includes a vehicle-use front seat audio device, a back seat entertainment device and a connection cable, the control method is provided to copy the signals and pictures of the vehicle-use front seat audio device or the back seat entertainment device and transmit mutually by utilizing the connection cable as the bilateral transmission passageway, the signals and pictures may be mutually bilateral controlled and transmitted via the connection cable by controlling the physical keys or operating on the touch panel.
US08695044B1 Wireless multimedia content brokerage service for real time selective content provisioning
A wireless multimedia content brokerage service can provide for real time selective content extraction in a manner that allows users to easily obtain, at a mobile device, one or more portions of a real time multimedia composite content presentation. The brokerage service ensures that the experience is transparent from the point of view of the user, and additionally does not require any specific interaction between the user and the display, or interaction between the user and the content service provider (or providers). Instead, the brokerage service handles the transactional details involved in subscribing to content and in obtaining, formatting, and forwarding content to the mobile device. Additionally, since the content of interest is not forwarded from the display itself and since some embodiments of the system do not rely on any interactivity at the display to identify the display device or content, relatively unsophisticated display devices can be used.
US08695018B2 Extensible framework for handling different mark up language parsers and generators in a computing device
A computing device programmed with an extensible framework that accepts one or more mark-up language parsers and/or generators, each implemented as plug-ins to the framework, with different plug-ins enabling different kinds of mark up languages to be handled by the device. In this way, the client is no longer tied to a single kind of parser or generator; it can operate with any different kind of parser compatible with the intermediary layer, yet it remains far simpler that prior art clients that are hard-coded to operate directly with several different kinds of parsers and generators.
US08695015B2 Application message conversion using a feed adapter
An indication of a configuration policy of a plurality of configuration policies is received at a feed adapter. The configuration policy of the plurality of configuration policies is selected based, at least in part, on the received indication of the configuration policy. The configuration policy of the plurality of configuration policies specifies a conversion rule from an input message format to an output message format using at least one conversion function of a plurality of conversion functions. The conversion rule specifies types of arguments that the at least one conversion function receives and returns. An application message having the input message format is received in the feed adapter. The feed adapter converts the application message having the input message format to an application message having the output message format according to the conversion rule specified by the configuration policy of the plurality of configuration policies.
US08695014B2 Distributed function execution for hybrid systems
A method includes processing an application by a host including one or more processors and distributing at least a portion of the application to an accelerator for execution. The method includes instructing the accelerator to create a buffer on the accelerator and instructing the accelerator to execute the portion of the application, wherein the accelerator writes data to the buffer. The method also includes instructing the accelerator to transmit the data in the buffer to the host before the application requests the data in the buffer. The accelerator aggregates the data in the buffer before transmitting the data to the host based upon one or more runtime conditions in the host.
US08695012B2 Load and backup assignment balancing in high availability systems
Among other things, embodiments described herein enable systems, e.g., Availability Management Forum (AMF) systems, having service units to operate with balanced loads both before and after the failure of one of the service units. A configuration can be generated which provides for distributed backup roles and balanced active loads. When a failure of a service unit occurs, the active loads previously handled by that service unit are substantially evenly picked up as active loads by remaining service units.
US08695008B2 Method and system for dynamically controlling power to multiple cores in a multicore processor of a portable computing device
A method and system for dynamically determining the degree of workload parallelism and to automatically adjust the number of cores (and/or processors) supporting a workload in a portable computing device are described. The method and system includes a parallelism monitor module that monitors the activity of an operating system scheduler and one or more work queues of a multicore processor and/or a plurality of central processing units (“CPUs”). The parallelism monitor may calculate a percentage of parallel work based on a current mode of operation of the multicore processor or a plurality of processors. This percentage of parallel work is then passed to a multiprocessor decision algorithm module. The multiprocessor decision algorithm module determines if the current mode of operation for the multicore processor (or plurality of processors) should be changed based on the calculated percentage of parallel work.
US08694993B1 Virtualization platform for secured communications between a user device and an application server
A modular virtualization platform is provided for secured communications between a user device and an application server. A client-side computing device performs secured communications during a virtual session with an application server across a network. The client-side computing device loads a virtual machine client; and selects a remote module to serve as a virtualization server for the virtual session based on one or more performance factors. The virtual session is established with the selected module, and secured communications can occur between the client-side computing device and the application server via the virtual session of the selected module. The performance factors can be collected from a plurality of modules using a peer-to-peer gossip-based state notification process. A route list preferably stores the performance factors for a plurality of modules. The route list can contain pointers to a plurality of remote modules in a plurality of virtualization platforms, to increase reliability.
US08694981B2 Shared resource dependencies
Described herein are methods for sharing resource dependencies between applications stored on a system. For example, in at least certain embodiments, a computer-implemented method for sharing resource dependencies includes installing or initiating installation of multiple application bundles having one or more applications and respective resources on the system. Next, an installer determines identifiers (e.g., hash signatures) for first and second resources and determines whether the resources are identical if an identifier for the first resource matches an identifier for the second resource. Then, a link is created from the second application bundle to the first resource of the first application bundle if the first resource is identical to the second resource. The second resource may be removed from the system if it has been installed. Alternatively, installation of the second resource is terminated if it has not been installed on the system.
US08694978B1 Function side-effect modeling by prototyping
Methods, systems, computer-readable media, and apparatus for determining function side effects of a program function are disclosed. Source code of one or more prototype functions that is configured to simulate the function side-effect behaviors of a program function can be provided, and the compiler can determine the functional side effects of the program function in various specific program contexts based on the source code of the prototype functions rather than the source code of the program function. Optimization procedures can be performed based on the function side effects of the program function derived from the prototype functions and the program contexts.
US08694974B2 Load-checking atomic section
A compiled program has an advanced-load instruction and a load-checking atomic section. The load-checking atomic section follows the advanced-load instruction in the compiled program. The advanced-load instruction, when executed, loads a value from a shared memory address. The load-checking atomic section includes a check instruction for checking the validity of the shared memory address.
US08694973B2 Abstracting computational instructions to improve performance
Methods and systems for executing a code stream of non-native binary code on a computing system are disclosed. One method includes parsing the code stream to detect a plurality of elements including one or more branch destinations, and traversing the code stream to detect a plurality of non-native operators. The method also includes executing a pattern matching algorithm against the plurality of non-native operators to find combinations of two or more non-native operators that do not span across a detected branch destination and that correspond to one or more target operators executable by the computing system. The method further includes generating a second code stream executable on the computing system including the one or more target operators.
US08694964B1 Managing code samples in documentation
Documentation having code samples is managed. Documentation describing programming code for a software product is received. The documentation references a code sample having an associated test module for determining whether the code sample is valid. The code sample is tested by executing the associated test module to produce a test result indicating whether the code sample is valid. The documentation, code sample, and test result are stored. The documentation, code sample, and test result may be provided to a client adapted to display the code sample and test result to a user of the client. Invalid code samples in the documentation may be identified using the test modules and the invalid code samples may be replaced to make the code samples valid.
US08694961B2 Thread-agile execution of dynamic programming language programs
Methods are provided for thread-agile script execution. Thread-agile script execution may be carried out by receiving, in a message queue, a message for an instance of a script and determining whether the web browser has a stored state object for the instance of the script identified by the message. If the web browser has a stored state object for the script, thread-agile script execution may be carried out by retrieving the state object; preparing a thread available from a thread pool for execution of the instance of the script in dependence upon the state object and an execution context for the instance of the script; providing, to an execution engine for executing the script, the state object and the prepared thread; and passing the message to the execution engine.
US08694958B1 Marking up objects in code generation
A system associates at least one review indicator with at least one of multiple elements of a model, where the at least one review indicator indicates whether a corresponding element of the model has or has not been reviewed by a reviewer. The system further displays a status of the at least one review indicator in a user interface.
US08694956B2 PowerShell cmdlets code generating tool for communicating to the web services
An objected oriented shell code generating tool receives data that identifies a Web service hosted by a server. The tool creates proxy code to generate a Web service client proxy to identify a plurality of methods for the Web service. For each method, the tool automatically creates object driven shell commands code that defines a class implementing parameters of the Web service method, wherein the object driven shell commands code is to be executed in an object driven shell platform to communicate with the Web service method via the client proxy. The tool generates invocation infrastructure code for communicating to the Web service method via the client proxy and deploys the proxy code, the invocation infrastructure code, and the object driven shell commands code in the object driven shell platform on the client to call a Web service method via the invocation infrastructure and the client proxy.
US08694955B2 Flow and methodology to find TDP power efficiency
A technique for determining thermal design point (TDP) power efficiency for an integrated circuit is disclosed. A simulation executes a set of input vectors on a model of an integrated circuit to generate a first estimated power consumption data during a first number of clock cycles. A simulation executes the set of input vectors on a model of an integrated circuit to generate a second estimated power consumption data during a second number of clock cycles. TDP power efficiency for the integrated circuit is calculated based on the first estimated power consumption data and the second estimated power consumption data.
US08694954B2 System and methods for mobile application development using mobile devices
The present invention is a system to develop mobile applications from a mobile device that includes a database with a memory, a hosting space, an app-creation application with a plurality of options stored on a mobile application repository on said memory over a communications network or within the mobile device. A client device downloads and installs the app-creation application from the mobile applications repository over a communications network to create said mobile applications. There are four methods for mobile application development created by the mobile device that utilize this system.
US08694952B2 Designing wiring harnesses
A method of designing a wiring harness using a wiring harness design tool can include allowing a first user to access and edit a first wiring harness design component in a wiring harness design workspace, allowing a second user to access and edit a second wiring harness design component in the wiring harness design workspace at least during a portion of the time that the first user is allowed to access and edit the first wiring harness design component, and displaying the first and second wiring harness design components to the first and second users during at least a portion of the time that access is allowed to the first and second users.
US08694949B2 Data processing device
A microcomputer provided on a rectangular semiconductor board has memory interface circuits. The memory interface circuits are separately disposed in such positions as to extend along the peripheries of the semiconductor board on both sides from one corner as a reference position. In this case, limitations to size reduction imposed on the semiconductor board can be reduced compared with a semiconductor board having memory interface circuits only on one side. Respective partial circuits on each of the separated memory interface circuits have equal data units associated with data and data strobe signals. Thus, the microcomputer has simplified line design on a mother board and on a module board.
US08694948B2 Reconfigurable circuit generation device, method, and program
A reconfigurable circuit generation device comprises: a netlist generation unit that generates as a shared netlist a netlist that can be shared among a plurality of netlists having a common portion, and a resource reduction unit that reduces resources of the reconfigurable circuit where the plurality of netlists are to be implemented, in a range in which the shared netlist can be implemented.
US08694945B2 Automatic place and route method for electromigration tolerant power distribution
The present disclosure relates to an electromigration tolerant power distribution network generated by an automatic place and route (APR) methodology. In some embodiments, an automatic place and route tool constructs a local power network having multi-level power rails. The multi-level power rails have interleaved segments of vertically adjacent metal layers, wherein each interleaved segment is shorter than a predetermined characteristic length corresponding to a Blech length. By limiting the length of the interleaved metallization segments, electromigration within the multi-level power rails is alleviated, allowing for the maximum current density requirement (Jmax) for mean time to failures (MTTF) to be increased.
US08694936B1 Terminal metal connection inspection
Various embodiments include computer-implemented methods, computer program products and systems for terminal metal connector inspection. In some embodiments, a computer-implemented method for identifying a set of critical terminal metal connectors (TMCs) in an integrated circuit (IC) layout includes: identifying a group of necessary terminal metal connectors (TMCs) in the IC layout to form a first portion of the set of critical TMCs; forming a rule including a limit on a number of redundant connections that can be noncompliant between each terminal metal connector (TMC) and a connecting surface in the IC layout without impacting a circuit parameter; and inspecting at least one of the IC layout or the connecting surface to identify each TMC that violates the rule, wherein each identified TMC that violates the rule forms a second portion of the set of critical TMCs.
US08694934B2 Method and apparatus for multi-die thermal analysis
Some embodiments of the invention provide a method for performing thermal analysis of a multi-die integrated circuit (IC) design layout. The thermal analysis produces a temperature distribution for analyzing internal properties of each die within the multi-die design and for analyzing thermal interactions between two or more dies of the design based on an internal configuration of the two or more dies. Therefore, in some embodiments, the temperature distribution shows a temperature distribution for each die and the individual temperature distributions show varying temperature across each of the dies. Some embodiments reduce the number of iteration required to perform the thermal analysis by constructing a high quality preconditioner based on thermal conducting segments introduced to model thermal effects at the boundaries between two dies.
US08694933B2 Methods, systems, and articles of manufacture for implementing electronic circuit designs with simulation awareness
Disclosed are methods, systems, and articles of manufacture for implementing electronic designs with simulation awareness. A schematic is identified or created and simulated at the schematic level to characterize the functional behavior of the circuit or to ensure the circuit design meets the required design specifications. Physical data of a component of the design is identified, created, or updated, and the electrical parasitic associated with physical data is characterized. One or more electrical characteristics associated with the parasitic is further characterized and mapped to the simulator to re-simulate the circuit design to analyze the impact of parasitics. Some embodiments re-run the same simulation process incrementally in an interactive manner by accepting incremental design or parameter changes from the design environment.
US08694923B2 Unlocking a device by performing gestures on an unlock image
A device with a touch-sensitive display may be unlocked via gestures performed on the touch-sensitive display. The device is unlocked if contact with the display corresponds to a predefined gesture for unlocking the device. The device displays one or more unlock images with respect to which the predefined gesture is to be performed in order to unlock the device. The performance of the predefined gesture with respect to the unlock image may include moving the unlock image to a predefined location and/or moving the unlock image along a predefined path. The device may also display visual cues of the predefined gesture on the touch screen to remind a user of the gesture.
US08694921B2 Methods, systems, and computer readable media for controlling presentation and selection of objects that are digital images depicting subjects
The subject matter described herein is directed to controlling presentation and selection of objects that are digital images depicting subjects. According to one aspect, a plurality of objects arranged in a plurality of rows and columns is presented via a presentation device. Each object in one of a second row and a second column is associated with an object in one of a first row and a first column. A first object presented in the one of a first row and a first column is selected in response to a first selection event associated with the first object. A second object non-adjacent to the first object is determined based on a predefined relationship associating the first object with the second object. The second is presented via the presentation device adjacent to the first object in the one of the second row and the second column in response to the determination.
US08694917B2 Mobile information communication terminal program and recording medium containing the program
In menu structure, information is separately displayed on a menu item-by-menu item basis. Therefore, the adoption of menu structure involves inconvenience. (For example, pieces of information under different menu items cannot be viewed at the same time.) A portable information communication terminal eliminates this inconvenience. Information is configured in list structure wherein items (A1, . . . , A5, B1, . . . , B4, B5, B6, C1, . . . , C5, D1, . . . (A to D represent groups.)) are arranged in succession. List information (B5 to C5) which is within a predetermined range (the second precedent line through the fourth subsequent line) from a specific item C1 of a predetermined serial number (top number) in a selected group (group C) is displayed. Since the top item in group C is the specific item, items corresponding to group B are also displayed. Thus, items corresponding to different groups (group B and group C) can be displayed at the same time.
US08694916B2 Method and apparatus for spatially indicating notifications
An apparatus, method, and computer program product are provided for spatially indicating notifications to a user via display regions that are arranged (e.g., perimeterally) about the display of an apparatus. The apparatus may include a processor and a memory including computer program code which provide for the presentation, in a first display region, of an indication of a notification associated with a first application and provide for the presentation, in a second display region, of a non-pictorial indication of a notification associated with a second application. The first and second display regions may, for example, be arranged along the edges of a polygonal display. As such, a user may be able to quickly discern which application is responsible for a particular notification, and the user's view of an underlying application provided on the display may not be obscured or diminished as a result of the issuance of the notification.
US08694894B2 Streaming graphic method and arrangement data for building control systems
A method for displaying building control system information includes receiving an interpreted program over the Internet using a web-browser. The method further includes executing the interpreted program to display at least a first graphical element, the first graphical element having a fixed element and a variable element, the variable element representative of a first value. The method also includes executing the interpreted program to receive at least a second value over the Internet, the second value comprising non-graphical information, and executing the interpreted program to display the first graphical element such that the variable element is representative of the second value.
US08694892B2 Method and system for caching of non-real time data
A method and system for generating and presenting a display page before all the desired computations are performed needed to fully populate the display page. The presentation system receives a request to present the display page that includes realtime information and non-realtime information. When generating a display page including both realtime and non-realtime information, the presentation system retrieves the realtime information and requests that the non-realtime information be generated. The presentation system then creates an initial display page that includes the realtime information along with an indication that the generation of the non-realtime information has been requested. When the presentation system next generates that display page, it checks whether the non-realtime information has been generated. If so, the presentation system adds the realtime information and non-realtime information to the display page.
US08694890B2 Use of color in a site analysis report
In the context of a site analysis report showing paths between nodes, color is used to indicate a direction of traffic that follows a particular node-to-node path. Different colors are assigned to different nodes in a site analysis report. Paths are color-coded according to their destination nodes, so as to provide a distinctive visual identification of a traffic flow direction. Node connection direction can be reinforced by static or moving arrows.
US08694886B2 Providing dynamic context assist for a command line interface
A method, system, and computer program product for providing dynamic context assistance to a user of a system, such as a storage system. One or more current command line interface (CLI) entries that are entered in a CLI of the system are received and a current state of the system is determined. Dynamic context assistance is then generated for one or more current CLI entries based on entered values of the one or more CLI entries. In this regard, the dynamic context assistance can be generated and displayed in a text or graphical form when one or more dynamic context assist keys are entered in the CLI in conjunction with the current CLI entry.
US08694878B2 Processor instructions to accelerate Viterbi decoding
Viterbi decoding is performed on a microcontroller by initializing a state-metric array by executing load instructions to load state-metric data from a memory module into a set of registers in the microcontroller. Butterfly processing on the state-metric array is performed by executing Viterbi processing instructions fetched from a program storage module to manipulate the state-metric (SM) data in the set of registers for each Viterbi butterfly in a stage of Viterbi decoding to form a final set of state-metric data and trace bits. After completing each stage, a final set of state-metric data is stored in the memory module by executing store instructions.
US08694876B2 Method and apparatus for data transmission using multiple transmit antennas
A method and apparatus for increasing the data rate and providing antenna diversity using multiple transmit antennas utilize a set of bits of a digital signal to generate a codeword. Delay elements may be provided in antenna output channels, or, with suitable code construction, delay may be omitted. n signals represent n symbols of a codeword are transmitted with n different transmit antennas. At the receiver, the noisy received sequence is decoded. The parallel transmission and channel coding enables an increase the data rate over previous techniques, and recovery even under fading conditions. The channel coding may be concatenated with error correction codes under appropriate conditions.
US08694874B2 Circuit and method for parallel perforation in rate matching
A circuit and a method for parallel perforation in rate matching can adopt three selector arrays and three register groups. The first selector array is configured to remove null bits in input data and output the remaining data to the first register group; the second selector array is configured to combine the first register group and the third register group and then output the combined data to the second register group; during the combination, the valid data in the third register group are preferentially selected, and then the data in the first register group are selected; Further, the third selector array is configured to output remaining valid data in the first selector group to the third register group if the valid data in the first selector group are not used out while combining the first register group and the third register group by the second selector array.
US08694858B2 Memory controller and operating method of memory controller
A controller to control a memory system including a memory device. The controlling the memory system may include calculating an error location polynomial in a received read vector with a key equation solving unit of the memory system to read data from the memory device, estimating the number of errors in the received read vector with a control unit of the memory system according to at least one of the calculated error location polynomial and information on the error location polynomial, searching error locations of the received read vector according to the calculated error location polynomial with a chien search unit of the memory system with the control unit. A cycle-per power consumption of the chien search unit may be adjusted with the control unit. A maximum correction time may be adjusted according to the number of errors of the read vector.
US08694857B2 Systems and methods for error detection and correction in a memory module which includes a memory buffer
The present systems include a memory module containing a plurality of RAM chips, typically DRAM, and a memory buffer arranged to buffer data between the DRAM and a host controller. The memory buffer includes an error detection and correction circuit arranged to ensure the integrity of the stored data words. One way in which this may be accomplished is by computing parity bits for each data word and storing them in parallel with each data word. The error detection and correction circuit can be arranged to detect and correct single errors, or multi-errors if the host controller includes its own error detection and correction circuit. Alternatively, the locations of faulty storage cells can be determined and stored in an address match table, which is then used to control multiplexers that direct data around the faulty cells, to redundant DRAM chips in one embodiment or to embedded SRAM in another.
US08694848B2 Image processing apparatus and control method for processing an image signal
An image processing apparatus and a method for controlling an image processing apparatus are disclosed. The method includes: primarily processing a first thread from among a plurality of threads for a preset process; generating and storing a first error correction code for data recorded in a stack area of a random access memory (RAM) corresponding to the first thread when a primary process terminates; processing a second thread which is different from the first thread from among the plurality of threads; determining whether the data of the stack area is valid on the basis of the stored first error correction code at a point of time when the process for the second thread terminates and a secondary process for the first thread begins; and secondarily processing the first thread by restoring the data having an error in the stack area in response to a determination that the data of the stack area is invalid.
US08694846B2 Method for receiving and transmitting data blocks
The present invention provides a scalable and reliable feedback suppression method for receiving and transmitting data block. The method comprises receiving at least one initial data packet of the data block which is sent by the transmitter to the multicast group of receivers; and sending at least one NAK packet indicating packet loss to the transmitter by at least one receiver of the multicast group, wherein the at least one NAK packet is sent in a single uplink time slot dedicated to said multicast group of receivers, and wherein the NAK packet is identical for all receivers of said multicast group.
US08694845B2 Methods and systems for testing electronic circuits
A system for testing electronic circuits is configured to receive a test signal and an ideal response signal and output a test result signal. The system for testing electronic circuits includes a circuit portion to be tested, a comparator and a comparison result recorder. The circuit portion to be tested receives a test signal from a test instrument, and outputs a system response signal. The comparator receives the system response signal from the circuit portion to be tested and receives an ideal response signal from the test instrument. Then, the comparator outputs a comparison result according to the system response signal and the ideal response signal. The comparison result recorder receives and records the comparison result. The comparison result recorder may record comparison results within a period of test time. The test instrument can obtain a record of the comparison results from the comparison result recorder.
US08694840B2 Memory test isolation logic bank with separate test enable input
An integrated circuit is described that has a substrate with a memory array with dedicated support hardware formed on the substrate. An access wrapper circuit is coupled to address and data lines of the memory array and to control lines of the dedicated support hardware. The wrapper circuit is configured to provide an access port to the memory array. A test controller is formed on the substrate and coupled in parallel with the access wrapper circuit to the address and data lines of the memory array and to the control lines of the dedicated support hardware, wherein the test controller is operable to perform a test of the memory array by manipulating control signals to the support hardware in addition to those required to write data patterns into the memory array and to read the contents of the memory array.
US08694834B2 Preventing log wrap with debug scripts
A shell debug application avoids loss of debug log data for configured commands during the operation of an operating system. A shell debug application executes a command shell script, by a computer, to control an amount of code path debug data captured in memory buffers and saved. The shell debug application obtains, by the computer, a configuration file that includes at least one command. The shell debug application runs the command shell script in the configuration file in response to detection of at least one script associated with the at least one command in the configuration file.
US08694833B2 Methods, media, and systems for detecting an anomalous sequence of function calls
Methods, media, and systems for detecting an anomalous sequence of function calls are provided. The methods can include compressing a sequence of function calls made by the execution of a program using a compression model; and determining the presence of an anomalous sequence of function calls in the sequence of function calls based on the extent to which the sequence of function calls is compressed. The methods can further include executing at least one known program; observing at least one sequence of function calls made by the execution of the at least one known program; assigning each type of function call in the at least one sequence of function calls made by the at least one known program a unique identifier; and creating at least part of the compression model by recording at least one sequence of unique identifiers.
US08694827B2 Job migration in response to loss or degradation of a semi-redundant component
A method of managing the workload in a computer system having one or more semi-redundant hardware components is provided. The method comprises detecting loss or degradation of the level of performance of one or more of the semi-redundant hardware components, identifying hardware components affected by the loss or degradation, migrating a critical job from an affected hardware component to an unaffected hardware component, and performing less-critical jobs on an affected hardware component. Loss or degradation of the semi-redundant component reduces the capacity of affected hardware components in the computer system without entirely disabling the computer system. Jobs identified as critical run on hardware components having the most capacity and reliability, while less-critical jobs use the remaining capacity of affected hardware components. Examples of semi-redundant hardware components include a memory module, CPU core, Ethernet port, power supply, fan, disk drive, and an input output port.
US08694822B2 Disaster recovery in a networked computing environment
In general, embodiments of the present invention provide a DR solution for a networked computing environment such as a cloud computing environment. Specifically, a customer or the like can select a disaster recovery provider from a pool (at least one) of disaster recovery providers using a customer interface to a DR portal. Similarly, using the interface and DR portal, the customer can then submit a request for DR to be performed for a set (at least one) of applications. The customer will then also submit (via the interface and DR portal) DR information. This information can include, among other things, a set of application images, a set of application files, a set of recovery requirements, a designation of one or more specific (e.g., application) components for which DR is desired, dump file(s), database file(s), etc. Using the DR information, the DR provider will then generate and conduct a set of DR tests and provide the results to the customer via the DR portal and interface. In one embodiment, a temporary DR environment can be created (e.g., by the DR provider or the customer) in which the DR tests are conducted.
US08694813B2 Efficient storage power management
Devices and methods for storage power management that depend at least partly on the operational component requesting access to the storage. For example, an electronic device may include storage and data processing circuitry. The storage may be capable of being activated and deactivated. The data processing circuitry may be configured to include several operational components and to obtain data from the storage upon request by the operational components. Additionally, the data processing circuitry may manage when the storage is activated and deactivated. In particular, the data processing circuitry may manage when the storage is activated and deactivated according to a first storage power management scheme when a first of the operational components (e.g., an operating system component) requests the data and according to a second storage power management scheme when a second of the operational components (e.g., an application program component) requests the data.
US08694806B2 Power transfer in an inline switch device
An apparatus and method for transferring power in an inline switch device are provided. The method comprises drawing power from an inline power source and transferring, by the powered device subsystem, a portion of the power that is not consumed by the powered device subsystem to one or more connected powered devices. The method further comprises determining a limit of current drawn by the powered device subsystem during transfer of power by the powered device subsystem to the one or more powered devices that results in the transfer of a desired amount of power to the one or more powered devices, and adjusting the limit for the current drawn by the powered device subsystem to the determined current limit.
US08694784B1 Secure client-side key storage for web applications
Implementations of the present disclosure include methods, systems, and computer-readable storage mediums for secure client-side key storage for authentication tracking. Implementations include actions of determining, at a browser executed on a client-side computing device, that an application is authentic, the application being executed on a server-side computing device, in response to determining that the application is authentic, receiving a session signing key (SSK) at a sub-domain of an application domain, the sub-domain including a static script that handles the SSK and that selectively provides request signatures, receiving, at the sub-domain, a message requesting a request signature, determining that the message originated from an authentic origin, and in response to determining that the message originated from an authentic origin, providing a request signature to a source of the message, the request signature being based on the SSK.
US08694776B2 Authenticated memory and controller slave
Systems and methods that can facilitate the utilization of a memory as a slave to a host are presented. The host and memory can provide authentication information to each other and respective rights can be granted based in part on the respective authentication information. The host can determine the available functionality of the memory. The host can activate the desired functionality in the memory and can request memory to perform the desired function(s) with regard to data stored in the memory. An optimized controller component in the memory can facilitate performing the desired function(s) associated with the data to generate a result. The result can be provided to the host, while the data and associated information utilized to generate the result can remain in the memory and are cannot be accessed by the host.
US08694775B2 Method enabling real-time data service, realization, real-time data service system and mobile terminal
The present invention discloses a method for implementing a real-time data service, a real-time data service system and a mobile terminal. Said method for implementing a real-time data service includes the following steps: before encapsulating a Media Access Control Protocol Data Unit (MPDU), a Wireless Local Area Network Privacy Infrastructure (WPI) module in an Access Point (AP) needs to determine the type of the data to be encapsulated in the MPDU; if the data is a control signalling message of a real-time data service, the WPI module encrypts said data, then encapsulates the encrypted data in a data (e.g. PDU) field of the MPDU, and transmits the encapsulated data to the mobile terminal; if the data is an audio/video data message of a real-time data service, the data is not to be encrypted, but is encapsulated directly into the data (e.g. PDU) field of the MPDU in plaintext, and then transmitted to the mobile terminal. The present invention can reduce the processing load and the software and hardware costs of the AP and the mobile terminal.
US08694766B2 Device bootup from a NAND-type non-volatile memory
Systems and methods are provided for using a NAND-type non-volatile memory (“NVM”), such as NAND flash memory, to store NV pre-boot information for a bootloader (e.g., a second state bootloader) or an operating system. The NV pre-boot information can include, for example, environment variables storing the configuration or state of an electronic device. In some embodiments, an electronic device including the NAND-type NVM may allocate a portion of the super blocks in the NAND-type NVM to storing the NV pre-boot information. The electronic device may store a redundant copy of the NV pre-boot information into the allocated portion of each IC die of the NAND-type NVM.
US08694765B2 Selectively compressing blocks of a bootable snapshot image during booting
Provided are a booting apparatus and method using a snapshot image. A snapshot image may be divided into a plurality of blocks. Each of the blocks may be stored in a nonvolatile memory in a compressed or non-compressed format. The snapshot image may be incrementally loaded in units of the blocks during booting. The loading and decompression of the blocks may be performed in parallel.
US08694759B2 Generating predicted branch target address from two entries storing portions of target address based on static/dynamic indicator of branch instruction type
A method and apparatus to utilize a branch prediction scheme that limits the expenditure of power and the area consumed caused by branch prediction schemes is provided. The method includes accessing a first entry and a second entry of the data structure, wherein each entry stores a portion of a predicted target address, determining the predicted target address using the portion of the predicted target address stored in the first entry and a portion of a branch address of a fetched branch instruction for a fetched branch instruction of a first type, and determining the predicted target address using the portion of the predicted target address stored in the first entry and the portion of the predicted target address stored in the second entry for a fetched branch instruction of a second type.
US08694750B2 Method and system for data structure management
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a method and system for allowing data structures to be moved between storage locations of varying performance and cost without changing the application firmware. In one embodiment, rather than application firmware directly accessing memory, the application firmware requests a data structure by parameters, to which the implementation returns a pointer. The parameters can be, for example, the logical block address of a data sector, and the data structure can be mapping and associated information of that logical block address (LBA) to a location in the flash device.
US08694741B2 Storage system and method of executing commands by controller
A storage subsystem capable of processing time-critical control commands while suppressing deterioration of the system performance to a minimum. When various commands are received in a multiplex manner via the same port from plural host devices, the channel adapter of the storage subsystem extracts commands of a first kind from the received commands. Then, the adapter executes the extracted commands of the first kind with high priority within a given unit time until a given number of guaranteed activations is reached. At the same time, commands of a second kind are enqueued in a queue of commands. After the commands of the first kind are executed as many as the number of guaranteed activations, the commands of the second kind are executed in the unit time.
US08694738B2 System and method for critical address space protection in a hypervisor environment
A system and method in one embodiment includes modules for detecting an access attempt to a critical address space (CAS) of a guest operating system (OS) that has implemented address space layout randomization in a hypervisor environment, identifying a process attempting the access, and taking an action if the process is not permitted to access the CAS. The action can be selected from: reporting the access to a management console of the hypervisor, providing a recommendation to the guest OS, and automatically taking an action within the guest OS. Other embodiments include identifying a machine address corresponding to the CAS by forcing a page fault in the guest OS, resolving a guest physical address from a guest virtual address corresponding to the CAS, and mapping the machine address to the guest physical address.
US08694736B2 Satisfying memory ordering requirements between partial reads and non-snoop accesses
A method and apparatus for preserving memory ordering in a cache coherent link based interconnect in light of partial and non-coherent memory accesses is herein described. In one embodiment, partial memory accesses, such as a partial read, is implemented utilizing a Read Invalidate and/or Snoop Invalidate message. When a peer node receives a Snoop Invalidate message referencing data from a requesting node, the peer node is to invalidate a cache line associated with the data and is not to directly forward the data to the requesting node. In one embodiment, when the peer node holds the referenced cache line in a Modified coherency state, in response to receiving the Snoop Invalidate message, the peer node is to writeback the data to a home node associated with the data.
US08694735B2 Apparatus and method for data bypass for a bi-directional data bus in a hub-based memory sub-system
A memory hub includes first and second link interfaces for coupling to respective data busses, a data path coupled to the first and second link interfaces and through which data is transferred between the first and second link interfaces, and further includes a write bypass circuit coupled to the data path to couple write data on the data path and temporarily store the write data to allow read data to be transferred through the data path while the write data is temporarily stored. A method for writing data to a memory location in a memory system is provided which includes accessing read data in the memory system, providing write data to the memory system, and coupling the write data to a register for temporary storage. The write data is recoupled to the memory bus and written to the memory location following provision of the read data.
US08694733B2 Slave consistency in a synchronous replication environment
Approaches for replicating data in a distributed transactional system. At a first node of a cluster, a per-transaction write set, comprising a plurality of write operations, is committed against a first MySQL database. One or more per-transaction write sets are replicated from the first node to a second node. Upon receiving a read query, the second node parses the read query to identify a read set, calculates a write set conflict window for the read query, and upon determining that the read set conflicts with one or more write sets in the write set conflict window, waits to process the read query until all conflicting write sets are committed. However, upon determining that the read set does not conflict any write sets in the write set conflict window, the read query is processed without first committing any write transactions in the write set conflict window for the read query.
US08694729B2 Methods for managing ownership of redundant data and systems thereof
A storage system, according to one embodiment, includes a processor and logic integrated with and/or executable by the processor. The logic is configured to: search for an instance of a file or portion thereof on a second storage tier; at least one of: associate the instance of the file or portion thereof on the second storage tier with a first user when the instance of the file or portion thereof is not associated with any user, and replicate the instance of the file or portion thereof on the second storage tier and associate the replicated instance of the file or portion thereof on the second storage tier with the first user; and disassociate an instance of the file on a first storage tier from the first user.
US08694727B2 First storage control apparatus and storage system management method
An object of the present invention is to allocate a volume to an appropriate tier in a pool in accordance with the performance of the volume. Multiple tiers 1K are created in a pool 1B. A pool volume that matches the performance required by a tier is allocated to each tier. An information acquisition part 1D acquires information related to respective storage apparatuses 1, 2, and information related to the performance of each volume. A tier control part 1E allocates a pool volume to any tier of the respective tiers, based on the performance information.
US08694726B2 Memory module system
A memory module system, a method for operating a memory module system, and an adapter card is disclosed. One embodiment provides last one memory buffer device, and a first plug mechanism for connecting the adapter card to a memory module system, and a second plug mechanism for connecting the adapter card to a memory module.
US08694714B2 Retargeting of a write operation retry in the event of a write operation failure
Methods and systems are herein disclosed for write operation retry using the data stored and retained in an internal buffer within the non-volatile memory device. By using the data stored in the internal buffer, the systems and method of the present invention eliminate the need to include a dedicated retry buffer at the system level. Thereby, reducing the system cost, minimizing space consumption on a board within the system and, in some instance, limiting the latency attributed to a retry that relies on retrying the write based on re-transferring of the data contents to the internal non-volatile memory buffer.
US08694701B2 Recovering dropped instructions in a network interface controller
A method for operating a peripheral device includes receiving at the peripheral device service orders, which are identified with respective service instances and are submitted to the peripheral device over the bus by software applications running on a host processor, which write copies of the service orders to a memory. The received service orders are queued for execution by the peripheral device. When one or more of the service orders have been dropped from the queue prior to execution, a recovery of a selected service instance is initiated by submitting a read request from the peripheral device to the memory over the bus to receive a copy of any unexecuted service order associated with the service instance.
US08694700B1 Using I/O track information for continuous push with splitter for storage device
Methods and apparatus for eliminating the need for a complete synchronization due to failure of a data protection appliance in a continuous data protection system having a replication splitter. In one embodiment, a continuous data protection system includes a source side having a source side storage array with a splitter and a data protection appliance, where processing includes initiating a source side splitter session, initializing a first I/O tracking mechanism for the splitter session, and activating the splitter to a source side processing active state to continuously push I/O data from the source side to the target side.
US08694699B2 Path selection for application commands
Systems and methods for path selection for application commands are described. To this end, information associated with at least one application command that were processed at least one port of a target device is received. For a subsequent application command, a set of ports of the target device is determined. In one implementation, the set of ports is determined based on information associated with the subsequent application command. Once the set of ports is determined, the subsequent application command is directed to a port selected from the set of ports.
US08694695B2 System and method for remotely operating a wireless device using a server and client architecture
The present disclosure relates to a system and method for remotely operating one or more peripheral devices of a wireless device using a server and client architecture. In one aspect, the system may comprise a wireless device that includes a processor, a memory, a peripheral device, and a server adapted to communicate with the peripheral device; and a removable media device that includes a memory, a processor, and a client adapted to communicate with the server of the wireless device. In another aspect, the method may comprise the steps of emulating a hardware interface on a removable media device; mapping a peripheral device of a wireless device to the interface; mapping a processor of the media device to the peripheral device; wrapping and sending hardware commands from a client of the media device to a server of the wireless device; and executing the commands on the peripheral device.
US08694688B2 Disk controller for implementing efficient disk I/O for a computer system
A hardware support system for implementing accelerated disk I/O for a computer system. The system includes a bus interface for interfacing with a processor and a system memory of the computer system, a disk I/O engine coupled to the bus interface, and a device interface coupled to the disk I/O engine for interfacing the disk I/O engine with a disk drive. The disk I/O engine is configured to cause a start up of the disk drive upon receiving a disk start up command from the processor. The disk I/O engine is further configured to execute a disk transaction by processing the disk transaction information from a bypass register coupled to the disk I/O engine.
US08694681B2 Dynamic content configuration for serving content to microbrowsers
A microbrowser such as web-enabled wireless telephones and personal digital assistants allows a user to configure types of objects to be blocked from download including object memory consumption, display area, download time, and restrictions on animated images and executable scripts. Microbrowser state conditions such as battery level and network connection mode are considered when providing said limitations such that more restrictions may be placed during low battery periods to maximize battery life. For example, during low battery conditions or analog connection mode, a user may configure an enhanced microbrowser not to download advertisements, run scripts or animated objects in order to maximize remaining battery life. In another example, a user may configure an enhanced microbrowser to block the download of objects containing audio, or which will occupy more than a certain percentage of the available display area.
US08694664B2 Active-active multi-homing support for overlay transport protocol
Techniques are provided for two peer edge switches in an edge switch cluster of a first data center site to actively provide traffic flow redundancy in an active-active configuration and provide multi-homing support over an overlay transport virtualization (OTV) protocol. Information is stored indicating a media access control (MAC) address of at least one endpoint device at the first site. An edge switch in the edge switch cluster at the first site sends via an OTV protocol a Layer-3 message that is configured to advertise the MAC address of the at least one endpoint at the first site to enable at least one edge switch at a second site to perform multipath routing to the endpoint device at the first site based on each of the edge switches in the edge switch cluster at the first site.
US08694662B2 Method and apparatus for communicating transmission requests to members of a group and/or making group related transmission decisions
Methods and apparatus supporting group communications in a peer to peer wireless network are described. Methods and apparatus are directed to implementations with closed groups, e.g., where the number of group members are fixed at a given time and known to one or more members of the group. Various embodiments are well suited to decentralized peer to peer wireless networks including a plurality of individual traffic resources, e.g., traffic slots and/or traffic segments, which may be independently scheduled. Approaches for implementing distributed scheduling for traffic air link resources which may carry group traffic signals and/or peer to peer traffic signals are described. Various aspects are directed to the transmitter side including: group traffic transmission request transmissions, reception of request response signaling, transmitter yielding decisions, group rate determination and/or group traffic data signaling. Other aspects are directed to the receiver side including: reception of group traffic transmission request signals, receiver yielding decisions, transmitting group request responses signals, and/or receiving group traffic signaling.
US08694655B2 Configuring output on a communication device
In one general sense, display of content communicated by a sender communication device to a destination communication device may be enabled by receiving, at a destination communication device, content to be displayed by the destination communication device. Characteristics of a display of the received content by the destination communication device may be algorithmically identified in accordance with display configuration settings for the destination communication device. Based on the identified characteristics, at least one change to be made to capture configuration settings at a capturing communication device used to capture the received content may be identified. At least one alternative capture configuration setting may be communicated to the capturing communication device. Content that is captured by the capturing communication device is received at the destination communications device based on the alternative capture configuration setting communicated.
US08694645B2 Tracking web server
A web server is disclosed that is configured to track requests for web pages on a third party web server. The tracking web server traps a web page request, such as a PURL (Personalized URL) for a personalized web page, before it attempts to serve the web page requested. The URL of the web page request is analyzed to determine the location of the requested page on a third party server, and details of the contact with which the personalized web page is associated. Receipt of the web page request is then recorded in a memory associated with the server, and the web page request is forwarded to the third party server for processing. The redirection to the third party web server may be seamless, such that the contact requesting the page does not know of the redirection. In this way, a tracking web server is provided which can supply a personalized tracking and forwarding function.
US08694644B2 Network-aware coordination of virtual machine migrations in enterprise data centers and clouds
Systems and methods are disclosed to schedule virtual machine (VM) migrations by analyzing VM migration behavior; building a simulation tool to predict time for multiple migrations under different links conditions and VM characteristics; determining a predetermined bandwidth sharing policy for each network link; applying a bin-packing technique to organize bandwidth resources from all network links, and allocating the links to different migration tasks.
US08694642B2 Selective proxying in domain name systems
Systems and methods for processing requests for domain name information in accordance with subscriber information are provided. A request for domain name information can be correlated with subscriber preferences to resolve the domain name information. Domain names may be flagged for blocking or proxying by one or more subscriber preferences. In response to a flagged domain name, a client device can be redirected to a web server that can function as proxy on behalf of the user for accessing the flagged domain. In one example, user preferences and/or network preferences can be used to determine whether a particular user can bypass a blocking preference and access the flagged domain using the proxy.
US08694641B2 Image delivery management server and image delivery management system
An image delivery management server of present invention includes a delivery load amount acquiring portion that acquires a delivery load amount of an image that is delivered to a viewer's terminal connected via a network, and a delivery device determining portion that determines, based on the delivery load amount, a type or a quantity of a delivery device that performs image delivery to the viewer's terminal.
US08694632B1 Determining content item expansion prediction accuracy
Methods, and systems, including computer programs encoded on computer-readable storage mediums, including a method for determining accuracy measures for predicted expansion directions for content item environments. The method includes, identifying a predicted expansion direction for the content item environment; generating a serving data log entry for the request specifying the predicted expansion direction and a unique identifier for the request; providing an expandable content item having the predicted expansion direction and response data specifying the unique identifier; receiving reporting messages specifying the display configurations of the resources and content item environments; determining pairs of serving data log entries and reporting messages based on the unique identifiers, each pair having a matching unique identifier; and determining an accuracy measure for the respective predicted expansion direction based on a comparison of the respective predicted expansion direction and the display configurations of the respective resource and content item environment.
US08694631B2 HTTP streaming with proved service quality
This invention relates to a method for streaming a media file to an end user using a hypertext transfer protocol HTTP, wherein a proxy monitors HTTP messages for detecting a streaming of the media file using HTTP. When a HTTP message is received, the proxy determines bearer parameters required for streaming the media file and determines whether a bearer meeting an appropriate service quality is necessary. If necessary, the proxy triggers a provision of the bearer meeting with said appropriate service quality.
US08694630B1 Self-learning classifier for internet traffic
A method for classifying network traffic, including (1) processing a first working set portion of a flow batch for a first iteration by dividing the first working set portion into clusters and filtering a cluster by (i) identifying a first server port as most frequently occurring comparing to all other server ports in the cluster, (ii) in response to determining that a first frequency of occurrence of the first server port in the cluster exceeds a pre-determined threshold: (a) identifying the cluster as a dominatedPort cluster, (b) removing the cluster from the first working set portion to generate a remainder as a second working set portion, and (c) removing, from the cluster to be added to the second working set portion, one or more flows having different server port than the first server port, and (2) processing the second working set portion for a second iteration.
US08694628B2 Wireless communication system
Apparatus identification information about wireless access apparatuses judged to be able to communicate with a monitoring apparatus, among multiple wireless access apparatuses, is stored in a neighborhood database. If there is apparatus identification information that is not stored in the neighborhood database, among apparatus identification information stored in a registration database in which apparatus identification information about wireless access apparatuses registered as monitoring targets of the monitoring apparatus is stored, it is judged again for a wireless access apparatus to which the apparatus identification information is given whether communication is possible, after a predetermined time elapses. On the other hand, if there is no such apparatus information, or if the judgment is performed again for a predetermined number of times, the apparatus identification information stored in the neighborhood database is copied to the registration database.
US08694627B2 Method and apparatus for correlating end to end measurements through control plane monitoring of wireless traffic
A method, computer readable medium and apparatus for correlating measures of wireless traffic are disclosed. For example, the method obtains the wireless traffic, and processes the wireless traffic by a plurality of probe servers, where each of the plurality of probe servers generates a plurality of feeds, wherein the plurality of feeds comprises a data feed and a control feed. The method correlates the plurality of feeds from the plurality of probe servers by a plurality of aggregator servers, where the data feed and the control feed of each of the plurality of probe servers are correlated with at least one other probe server of the plurality of probe servers to provide a correlated control plane and a correlated data plane, and extracts at least partial path information of a flow from the correlated control plane. The method then correlates performance information from the correlated data plane for the flow.
US08694626B2 Automated characterization of network traffic
Automated characterization of network traffic is described herein. A method may include compiling network traffic data based on received network traffic, preparing a network traffic characterization based on the network traffic data, and generating outgoing network traffic scripts based on the network traffic characterization. A method may also include capturing network traffic and generating test network traffic based on the scripts. A network testing system on which the method may be executed may include one or more chassis and/or computing devices, each having one or more network cards. The chassis and/or computing devices may be connected to one or more networks and to one another. The networks may include a production network and a test network. A system may include a data collector, a characterization engine, a script generator, and a traffic generator.
US08694622B2 Monitoring and controlling network communications
Aspects of the subject matter described herein relate to monitoring and controlling network communications. In aspects, communication components receive a communication from a node. The communication components determine a potential use of the communication that may be used for reporting and enforcement purposes. The communication components monitor subsequent communications and store usage information including duration in a store. In addition, the communication components may enforce a policy that depends on the potential use of a communication and the usage information.
US08694616B2 Service broker integration layer for supporting telecommunication client service requests
A telecommunications architecture processes telecommunications service requests received from third parties through a secure access gateway. The third parties may be other telecommunications service providers which employ the services to support their own products and services or may be or individual subscribers. The service broker provides a flexible and efficient layer in the telecommunications architecture for processing the service request. The service broker also overcomes the technical problems associated with third party service request processing. In addition to providing technical solutions for efficient and secure processing of service requests for exposed services, the architecture also provides an additional revenue channel for existing telecommunication service providers.
US08694610B2 Apparatus and method for domain name resolution
An apparatus and method for enhancing the infrastructure of a network such as the Internet. Multiple edge servers and edge caches may be provided at the edge of the network so as to cover and monitor all points of presence. There may be downstream clients coupled to the points of presence. The edge servers may selectively intercept domain name translation requests generated by the downstream clients for subscribing Web servers. The edge servers may provide translations which either enhance content delivery services, or redirect the requesting client to the edge cache to make its content requests. Further, network traffic monitoring may be provided in order to detect malicious or otherwise unauthorized data transmissions.
US08694609B2 Method and apparatus for improving wireless data networks performance
A method and apparatus for data communications over a wireless network. A user contacts an Internet gateway over the wireless network. When the user requests an Internet resource it sends an improved HTTP command to the gateway. The improved HTTP command causes the internet gateway to access a resource file and obtain not only the requested resource, but also all of the resources embedded in the requested resource. The requested resource and embedded resources are bundled into a file and sent to the user. By eliminating parsing of the requested resource by the user and subsequent requests for embedded information, the wireless network does not have to make multiple supplemental communication channel assignments, which improves overall performance.
US08694588B2 Facility for distributing and providing access to electronic mail message attachments
A facility stores attachments for electronic mail messages so that the messages may be transmitted to the intended recipients without the attachments. The recipients may then review and/or download the attachments by contacting the facility. This facility is especially useful in instances wherein the attachments are large. The facility eliminates the need to store multiple copies of the attachment throughout a system; thus consuming a great deal of memory space. In addition, the facility prevents the recipient from extensive delays that are often associated with downloading email messages that contain large attachments via a dial-up connection with a low transmission rate. The facility may be realized as a server and may be a web server so as to provide access to the attachments via an IP network.
US08694587B2 System and method for transferring a call bridge between communication devices
An improved system and method are disclosed for conference bridging. In one example, the method enables a device engaged in a conference call as a participant to bridge the conference call and to transfer the bridge to another device engaged in the conference call as a participant.
US08694586B2 Maintaining corresponding relationships between chat transcripts and related chat content
A method, apparatus, and system for maintaining corresponding relationships between at least one chat transcript and related chat content in an instant messaging system may include establishing a chat session in the instant messaging system. Corresponding chat content may be displayed synchronously according to a changed address of the chat content. The changed address of the chat content may be inserted into a chat transcript, and the chat transcript may be segmented into at least two segments to create a segmented chat transcript. The segmented chat transcript and corresponding relationship between the changed address of the chat content and corresponding chat transcript segments may be stored.
US08694584B2 Speculative and coordinated data access in a hybrid memory server
A method, accelerator system, and computer program product, for prefetching data from a server system in an out-of-order processing environment. A plurality of prefetch requests associated with one or more given data sets residing on the server system are received from an application on the server system. Each prefetch request is stored in a prefetch request queue. A score is assigned to each prefetch request. A set of the prefetch requests are selected from the prefetch queue that comprise a score above a given threshold. A set of data, for each prefetch request in the set of prefetch requests, is prefetched from the server system that satisfies each prefetch request, respectively.
US08694577B2 Providing personalized platform application content
A social networking website maintains a profile for each user of the website. The profile includes data associated with a user, such as a connection to one or more plurality of other users of the social networking website or user preferences. The social networking website communicates with one or more third-party application servers to provide one or more applications to social networking website users. When a social networking website user requests an application provided by a third-party application server, the social networking website communicates a subset of the user's profile to the third-party application server, allowing the third-party application server to use this profile data to personalize the application performed for the user. A privacy settings associated with a user profile allows the social networking website to limit the profile data communicated to the third-party application server.
US08694570B2 Method and apparatus for evaluation of multi-dimensional discrete fourier transforms
A device and method for evaluating multidimensional discrete Fourier transforms (DFT) by eliminating transpose operations by transforming every dimension concurrently. At least one computing node is enabled to evaluate a DFT of one of a multidimensional input data set and a subgroup of the input data set, wherein the subgroup comprises groupings of elements taken from a plurality of selected dimensions of the input data set for subsequent multidimensional DFT operations.
US08694567B2 Method and apparatus for arithmetic operation on a value represented in a floating-point format
Precision of arithmetic operations on floating-point numbers is improved while also preventing an increase in the amount of processing. A second converter converts an exponent included in an exponent field according to an exponent conversion rule defined in accordance with a function. A storage stores in a table a value obtained by converting a mantissa field according to a mantissa conversion rule defined in accordance with the function. A retrieving unit derives an index of the table, by extracting the most significant 8 bits from the 23 bits constituting the mantissa field. The retrieving unit adds 1 to the mantissa field approximated by the most significant 8 bits so as to derive a second index. A deriving unit derives a tentative return value A and a tentative return value B. Further, the deriving unit interpolates between the tentative return value A and the tentative return value B so as to derive a return value of the function.
US08694561B2 System and method of optimizing performance of schema matching
In one embodiment the present invention includes a computer-implemented method of improving performance of schema matching. The method includes storing a matching topology that maps a first data structure to a second data structure. The method further includes identifying a first portion of the matching topology that is a candidate for improvement as determined according to an incidence graph. The method further includes rewriting the first portion of the matching topology with a second portion according to the incidence graph.
US08694560B2 Systems and methods for table definition language generation
A non-transitory computer readable medium is provided that includes instructions to interpret a table definition language fragment, that includes modifications of attributes and functionalities defined in a first table definition language. The non-transitory computer readable medium also includes instructions to generate a second table definition language with the subsequent modifications based at least upon applying the modifications in the table definition language fragment to the first table definition language.
US08694559B2 Using database content for multiple business data systems connected to one database
A data model specific to a database schema is received in a database system. The received data model may be applied to a first instance of the database schema to generate a data view of the first database schema. The received data model may be applied to a second instance of the database schema to generate a second data view of the second database schema.
US08694552B2 Management system, electronic instrument, and management method
A management system includes an electronic instrument that uses a managed article, and a management server. The electronic instrument is configured to acquire identification information from the managed article used by the electronic instrument with the identification information being read-only information, and to transmit information including the identification information to the management server. The management server is configured to reference registered database, in which information corresponding to the identification information of a plurality of managed articles is registered in advance, using the identification information transmitted from the electronic instrument to determine whether identification information database is required to be updated by the information transmitted from the electronic instrument, and to record at least a portion of the information transmitted from the electronic instrument in the identification information database as being associated with the identification information when it is determined that the identification information database is required to be updated.
US08694548B2 Defense-in-depth security for bytecode executables
Defense-in Depth security defines a set of graduated security tasks, each of which performs a task that must complete before another task can complete. Only when these tasks complete successfully and in the order prescribed by Defense-in-Depth security criteria is a final process allowed to execute. Through such Defense-in-Depth security measures, vulnerable software, such as bytecode, can be verified as unaltered and executed in a secure environment that prohibits unsecured access to the underlying code.
US08694546B2 Optimized fetching for customization object attributes
An attribute of a hierarchical class-based object is received. The attribute in a database is stored both in a first location in a first table at a first level of a hierarchy of database tables which table hierarchy is based at least in part on a class hierarchy associated with the hierarchical class-based object and in a second location in a second table at a second level of the table hierarchy which second level is higher than the first level.
US08694542B2 Customizing tracking changes to user content in an online social network
Updates to landing pages of users in an online social network are fed from external sources so that content maintained by any one user can be consolidated in a single location regardless of where the changes are made to the content. When an update event occurs, users of the online social network are notified according to various criteria that they have set. With this feature, users can browse through content of other users efficiently.
US08694539B2 System and method for naming dimension members in a data analyzing system
A member naming system is provided for naming members of a dimension in a data analyzing system having a receiver for receiving a pattern. One example of the dimension is a time dimension containing time periods. The pattern has a sequence of pattern components for defining a name. A time period is defined by a start time, an end time, a relationship and a level in a single time hierarchy. The time period naming system further has an interpreter for interpreting the sequence of pattern components, and a generator for generating the time period name based on the interpretation of the sequence of pattern components within a context of the relationship of the time period in the time hierarchy.
US08694533B2 Presenting mobile content based on programming context
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for generating search queries in response to obtaining audio samples on a client device. In one aspect, a method includes the actions of i) receiving audio data from a client device, ii) identifying specific content from captured media based on the received audio data, wherein the identified specific content is associated with the received audio data and the captured media includes at least one of audio media or audio-video media, iii) obtaining additional metadata associated with the identified content, iv) generating a search query based at least in part on the obtained additional metadata, and v) returning one or more search results to the client device, the one or more search results responsive to the search query and associated with the received audio data.
US08694530B2 Search system with query refinement and search method
A search system and method for searching for electronic documents, and providing a search result in response to a search query. In one embodiment, the search system includes a processor, a user interface module adapted to receive a search query from a user that includes a search query term, a search engine that electronically searches for electronic documents that satisfy the search query term, and a query processing module that identifies at least one alternative term for the search query term, and provides the alternative term to the user interface module for display to the user, and also provides the alternative term to the search engine to search for electronic documents that satisfy the alternative term.
US08694525B2 Systems and methods for performing index joins using auto generative queries
In accordance with the teachings described herein, systems and methods are provided for performing index joins. A database management application may receive an instruction to perform an index join operation between columns in a first table and a second table, wherein the database management application does not have direct access to an index of the first table or the second table for performing the index join operation. A query may be automatically generated by the database management application, wherein the query includes a where clause equality expression that equates an indexed column of the second table with a parameter or updatable constant. The database management application may substitute a value from a row of the first table may for the parameter or updatable constant, and cause the query to be executed on the index of the second table to fetch any one or more rows of the second table that satisfy the where clause by having an index value that matches the substituted value. The database management application may then repeat the substituting and executing operations for each row of the first table, and perform the index join operation using the fetched one or more rows.
US08694516B2 Generating a hierarchy-based trace log
A computer-implemented method for generating a hierarchy-based trace log includes: receiving a log generated by a trace program performed in a computer system, the log having entries organized by sequence number, each entry including an object key for an object involved in the traced event and a log message about the traced event; identifying all object keys that occur in the log; assigning different separation values to each of the entries; generating respective adjusted sequence numbers for all of the entries by combining each entry's sequence number with the separation value for that entry; and storing an adjusted log having entries organized by the adjusted sequence numbers.
US08694515B2 Image search device and image search method
Provided is an image search device which relatively easily searches a large amount of stored images for images that a user wishes to use for interpolation, and which includes: an interpolation range computing unit (103) which computes, as an interpolation range, a range of an area including a first photographing location where a first interpolation target image was taken and a second photographing location where a second interpolation target image was taken; an interpolation image candidate obtaining unit (104) which obtains, as candidate images, images whose photographing location are included in the interpolation range from the plurality of images; and an interpolation image selecting unit (106) which selects, from the candidate images, an image having a greater subject distance, which is a distance between a subject and an imaging device when the image was taken, as a traveling speed between the first photographing location and the second photographing location increases.
US08694512B1 Query suggestions
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for provided expanded geographical query suggestions. In one aspect, a method includes receiving one or more characters input into a user interface. A node in a graph is identified based on the one or more received characters, in which the node represents an entity having a name whose prefix contains the one or more received characters. A candidate node is identified in the graph that is related to the identified node, wherein the candidate node represents an entity having a name whose prefix does not contain the one or more received characters. The name of the entity represented by the candidate node is provided as an expanded query suggestion.
US08694507B2 Tenantization of search result ranking
This disclosure describes methods and systems for searching documents in a multi-tenant hosting environment. According to embodiments, to conserve hardware resources, a plurality of documents associated with a plurality of tenants may be mapped to the same search index in the multi-tenant hosting environment. In order to search documents associated only with a single tenant in the multi-tenant hosting environment, a tenant identifier is prepended to every key stored in the search index that is associated with the plurality of documents of the single tenant. Moreover, where one document links to another document within the multi-tenant hosting environment, the link is stored in a web graph when a source tenant identifier matches a target tenant identifier for the link. According to embodiments, when conducting a search, the link is resolved only if the link is stored in the web graph.
US08694493B2 Computer-implemented search using result matching
A computer search system compares search results received for searches falling within a defined parameter envelope used for grouping search requests. The parameter envelope may be defined by various parameters, for example, time of search, origin or search request, language, or other non-keyword data associated with each search request, excluding keywords used to define the search. Each new search result (comprising a list of search hits) for incoming search requests is compared to stored search results for search requests within the same parameter envelope. Search results that are found to be similar based on a pre-defined similarity measure are provided as related search results responsive to the incoming search requests. A client-side pseudo-browsing application may control interactions with the search engine, collecting true browsing input from the client and providing pseudo-browsing information to the search engine or other information provider.
US08694492B2 Pre-fetching of data in a mobile communications environment
The invention relates to techniques for controlling a pre-fetching of data in a mobile communications environment. More specifically the invention relates to controlling a pre-fetching of data items into a cache associated with a mobile terminal. A method embodiment of the invention is performed by a cache management server and comprises the steps of receiving a pre-fetching request for data items, wherein the pre-fetching request comprises a first user identification associated with the mobile terminal; obtaining, based on the first user identification, one or more second user identifications from a community database of a social network; selecting items for the pre-fetching based on the second user identifications; and providing the selected items in response to the pre-fetching request.
US08694486B2 Deadline-driven parallel execution of queries
A data management system receives a query for data. A deadline for completing the query is supplied along with the query. The data management system determines access plans for the query and selects one of the access plans for execution to return a results set for the query. The selected access plan is selected according to an estimated ability to complete the query prior to the deadline. Further, the access plan is selected according to a lowest resource usage among the plans that can be completed the query prior to the deadline.
US08694483B2 Real-time query suggestion in a troubleshooting context
A method for assisting a user to develop a query in a natural language includes receiving a user's query in a natural language and, while the user's query is being entered, presenting a subset of ranked query suggestions from a collection of ranked query suggestions to the user as candidates for user queries. The subset is based on that portion of the user's query already entered. The query suggestions in the subset of query suggestions are presented according to their respective rankings in the collection. Each of the query suggestions in the collection is formulated to retrieve at least one responsive instance in the knowledge base. The rankings of the query suggestions in the collection are based at least in part on stored logs of prior user sessions in which user queries were input to a search engine for retrieving responsive instances from the knowledge base.
US08694478B1 Detection and correction of corrupted or dangling data object handles
Exemplary embodiments provide various techniques for detecting and correcting corrupted or dangling data object handles. In one example, a method is provided for correcting corrupted data object handles. In this method, a redirector file stored on a first logical data container is accessed. This redirector file includes a forward object handle pointing to a first data object stored on a second logical data container and includes a first checksum of the forward object handle. A second checksum of the forward object handle is determined and a comparison is made between the first and second checksums. If a mismatch is detected, the data objects stored on the second logical data container are scanned to extract backward object handles. A backward object handle can be identified to point back to the redirector file. The forward object handle can then be restored to point to the second data object based on the identification.
US08694470B2 Mobile terminal environment snapshot management and backup recovery
A method and mobile terminal for mobile terminal environment snapshot management and backup recovery to define different working environment snapshots, and to back up and recover the environment snapshots according to the user's selection, so as to provide more flexible ways of using the mobile terminal.
US08694462B2 Scale-out system to acquire event data
Events can be emitted by a method that includes acquiring data from a plurality of different sources by communicating to the different sources using a plurality of different protocols specific to the different sources and, based on the acquired data, determining that an event should occur. The method can further include causing an event that is normalized for a consistent event evaluation by consumers irrespective of the specific shape of the data from the data source resulting in the event.
US08694454B2 Methods, apparatus and systems for generating, updating and executing a vegetation control plan
Vegetation control plans may be automatically generated using vegetation control information received from a variety of sources. Such vegetation control plans may aid farmers, other vegetation control personnel, and professionals when determining a vegetation control strategy, including treatment, and then guide the implementation of that strategy. Vegetation control plans may include a variety of recommended vegetation control practices and projected outcomes for the implementation of recommended vegetation control management practices.
US08694450B2 Machine data web
Methods and apparatus consistent with the invention provide the ability to organize and build understandings of machine data generated by a variety of information-processing environments. Machine data is a product of information-processing systems (e.g., activity logs, configuration files, messages, database records) and represents the evidence of particular events that have taken place and been recorded in raw data format. In one embodiment, machine data is turned into a machine data web by organizing machine data into events and then linking events together.
US08694448B2 Method and apparatus for providing an adaptive parser
A method and apparatus for providing an adaptive parser are disclosed. For example, the method receives a configuration for a router, and parses a command from the configuration. The method determines whether there is an existing entry for the command in a model of a configuration language, wherein the model of the configuration language is used to record a syntactic structure of each command in the configuration language and its relationship to other commands. The method creates a new entry for the command in the model of the configuration language, if there is no existing entry for the command; and uses the model to update the parser.
US08694444B2 Learning multiple tasks with boosted decision trees
A multi-task machine learning method is performed to generate a multi-task (MT) predictor for a set of tasks including at least two tasks. The machine learning method includes: learning a multi-task decision tree (MT-DT) including learning decision rules for nodes of the MT-DT that optimize an aggregate information gain (IG) that aggregates single-task IG values for tasks of the set of tasks; and constructing the MT predictor based on the learned MT-DT. In some embodiments the aggregate IG is the largest single-task IG value of the single-task IG values. In some embodiments the machine learning method includes repeating the MT-DT learning operation for different subsets of a training set to generate a set of learned MT-DT's, and the constructing comprises constructing the MT predictor as a weighted combination of outputs of the set of MT-DT's.
US08694441B1 Method for determining the quality of a professional
A method of predicting a quality of a professional based on quality measures of the professional is provided. The method includes collecting recommendations associated with the professional and determining an independent variable for the professional based on the recommendations received for the professional. Here, the independent variable reflects the quality of the professional. The method also includes comparing the independent variable with quality measures associated with the professional and generating a model based on the comparison between the independent variable and the quality measures. The model associates each of the quality measures with the quality of the professional. Particularly, the model assigns a weight to each of the quality measures based on the probativeness of the quality measure in relation to the quality of the professional. Thus, the quality measure of the professional may be used to determine the overall quality of the professional.
US08694440B2 Consolidation yield management system and method
A consolidation yield management system and method is provided in the present invention, which is applicable to a network system to implement a real-time consolidation. The consolidation yield management system includes at least one skirt server and a hub server. The skirt server chooses whether to build consol of its skirt Master Air Waybill or skirt Master Air Waybill to a hub Master Air Waybill of the hub server, and generates a hub Master Air Waybill number according to the hub Master Air Waybill, thus finishing the operation of building consol.
US08694437B2 Smartcard-based value transfer
In a value transfer scheme, users are provided with programmable devices, for example, smart cards, capable of carrying data representing at least one available commodity value. Data representing user accounts is held at a remote processing station. Transactions between users are effected by the off-line exchange of data between users'respective smartcards, the exchanged data containing a record of each transaction entered into. The user account data for each user's account held at the remote processing station is updated only subsequently when the user's smartcard is on-line to the remote processing station and data therefrom is uploaded to the remote processing station. The scheme of the invention can, conveniently, be based around the ITSO scheme which is used to govern the secure transfer of data. The scheme is capable of providing a secure multi-commodity value transfer system.
US08694434B1 Techniques for unregistering and transferring software licenses
An automated way for a software customer to upgrade a hardware device and to recover his software license is provided. A software license can be automatically transferred from one hardware device to another hardware device. Software is unregistered from one hardware device by locking the software. When the user unregisters software from a hardware device, a passcode is transmitted to an unregister system. When the unregister system receives the passcode from the user, a license count is incremented. Software is registered on a new hardware device by generating a new unlock code. The unlock code is generated using the passcode and a fingerprint that identifies the new hardware device. The new hardware device receives the unlock code and attempts to match the fingerprint to unlock the software.
US08694424B2 System and method for managing foreign payments using separate messaging and settlement mechanisms
Managing foreign payments using separate conduits for messaging and payments. An originating depository financial institution can create an F3X message designating a fixed amount of foreign currency to be credited to, or debited from, a receiving depository financial institution. The originating depository financial institution transmits the F3X message to a domestic gateway operator via an ACH network. The domestic gateway operator then forwards the F3X message to a foreign gateway operator. Separately, the originating depository financial institution transmits a payment to the foreign gateway operator either directly or via a correspondent financial institution. The foreign gateway operator matches the payment to the F3X message and transmits the payment to the receiving depository financial institution.
US08694421B1 Method for structuring a supplemental interest mortgage
A system and method of structuring a supplemental interest mortgage is disclosed. A principal debt obligation and a supplemental debt obligation based on the principal debt loan are secured by a single security instrument. The principal debt obligation includes the principal loan and principal interest to compensate a lender for use of the lender's funds. The supplemental debt obligation includes supplemental interest to compensate a lender for the risk of borrower nonpayment.
US08694419B2 Methods and systems for utilizing intellectual property assets and rights
A method of utilizing an intellectual property grouping owned by a patent entity to generate income. The method includes acquiring rights in a first intellectual property asset from a seller on behalf of a patent investment entity, providing compensation to the seller in exchange for the first intellectual property asset, granting less than all of the rights in the first intellectual property asset to the seller of the intellectual property asset in exchange for a stream of payments, wherein granting less than all of the rights in the first intellectual property asset creates residual rights in the first intellectual property asset, and utilizing the residual rights in the first intellectual property asset to generate income for the patent investment entity.
US08694418B2 Integrated trading information processing and transmission system for exempt securities
The present invention provides a system for processing and transmitting trading information incorporating (a) a risk analytic module using the latest market prices and data provided by the other two modules, (b) an auction module comprising a private asset auction functionality and a two way trader workstation capability, with bid-offer and unique asset price sourcing capabilities, (c) an asset or portfolio tracking module to provide browser based, real-time consolidated reporting of multi-firm asset positions (public or private), and (d) an out-of-band communications module which alerts users/subscribers who may or may not be logged on the system via fax, e-mail, or text messages of a pending transaction being consummated or achieved.
US08694415B2 Out of band credit control
Systems and method for mediating risks associated with orders in an electronic trading system are provided. A front end component includes a plurality of trading engines that receive orders from traders. A back-end component includes a match system. The system includes a credit control module, which is located at the back-end (e.g., clearinghouse), front end, a combination thereof, or other location that communicates with the plurality of trading engines. The credit control monitors aggregate risk parameters for the trading engines and requests credits from trading engines.
US08694414B2 System and method for simulating an electronic trading environment
Market data is recorded from a real live exchange. The recording data can be played back in real time or delayed, in any manner, to simulate the recorded market. Moreover, one or more users can participate in the simulated market just as if they were participating in a real-live market. The system provides a realistic trading environment without the associated risks of trading in a live-market such as losing money and the cost of making trades. The system may be used for training purposes and for purposes of testing and analyzing various trading strategies. Software developers and testers may also utilize the realistic environment to develop trading products or applications. Additionally, the system provides a means for demonstrating trading application products.
US08694410B1 System for identifying and displaying effective support and resistance price levels for securities and commodities and methods of use
The disclosure is directed generally to a system used to generate and display useful support and resistance levels, as derived from a given price of a security or commodity. The system incorporates a methodology to derive and display key price values, in actual currency units such as dollars and cents, to serve as support and resistance levels for the benefit of a user who in turn can better make buy and sell decisions for targeted securities and/or commodities.
US08694407B2 Method and system for creating a volatility benchmark index
A method and system for creating a volatility benchmark index is disclosed. The method includes obtaining a value of a Treasury bill account less a mark-to-market value of at least one of a volatility-based future or option and calculating a value reflecting a volatility benchmark. The value may be displayed at a trading facility and volatility benchmark quotes may be transmitted by the trading facility to a market participant.
US08694404B2 System and method for optimizing fixed rate whole loan trading
Optimizing fixed rate whole loan trading. Specifically, the invention provides computer-based systems and methods for optimally packaging a population of whole loans into bonds in either a senior/subordinate bond structure or into pools of pass through securities guaranteed by a government agency. Models for each type of bond structure are processed on the population of loans until either an optimal bond package is found or a user determines that a solution of sufficient high quality is found. Additionally, the models can account for bids for whole loans by allocating whole loans that meet requirements of the bid but are least favorable to be securitized.
US08694399B2 Pricing mortgage-backed securities
Systems, methods and computer program products stored on a computer readable medium or media are described for providing pricing of mortgage-backed securities and other financial instruments. Multiple cashflow paths resulting from different interest rate development scenarios are consolidated into a single cashflow path. A continuously compounded interest rate spread (“equivalent cc spread”) corresponding to the option adjusted spread prevailing at the market is determined, as is a relationship between the two. Reformulating computations of option adjusted spreads and prices using an equivalent cc spread and factoring out assumption changes approximates individual cashflow path and interest rate path calculations and allows use of consolidated cashflows calculations as a very good approximation. In some embodiments, the consolidated cashflow and the relationship between two spreads is employed to compute the value of the financial instrument, as a very good approximation, at a later time, so that the price reflects changes in the market yield curve and the option adjusted spread. For example, interest rate paths, cashflow paths, consolidated cashflow paths, discount factors and the equivalent cc spread are computed at market close, and only the consolidated cashflow paths, discount factors and the equivalent cc spread (and not the interest rate paths and cashflow paths) are stored for later on-demand use when the discount factors are adjusted to reflect the then current market environment.
US08694398B2 Click based trading with market depth display
A method and system for reducing the time it takes for a trader to place a trade when electronically trading commodities on an exchange, thus increasing the likelihood that the trader will have orders filled at desirable prices and quantities. Click based trading, as described herein and specifically the “Click” and “Dime” methods of the present invention, enables a trader to execute single mouse click trades for large volumes of commodities at a price within a pre-specified range.
US08694397B2 Consistent set of interfaces derived from a business object model
Methods and systems consistent with the present invention provide a data processing system having a business object model reflecting the data used during a business transaction. Consistent interfaces are generated from the business object model. These interfaces are suitable for use across industries, across businesses, and across different departments within a business during a business transaction.
US08694393B2 System and method for reconciling one or more financial transactions
A system, method and computer program product for reconciling one or more financial transactions of one or more business units. The method includes capturing transaction data from the financial transactions using a first set of data logics. The capturing further includes extracting the transaction data from the financial transactions using import templates and transforming the extracted transaction data to a predefined format, using a first set of validations. The captured transaction data is then auto-matched with master data as reference, using one or more auto-match logics and a second set of validations. One or more reports are then generated on the auto-matched transaction data. The method further includes providing user privileges for controlling the capturing, the auto-matching, and the generation of the one or more reports according to a first predefined criterion.
US08694389B1 System for optimization of business transactions between a selling vendor and a shipping vendor
A method is disclosed for optimizing a business transaction between a selling vendor and a shipping vendor. The method includes receiving a query from a selling vendor. The query includes customer order data. The method also includes identifying at least one possible shipping vendor based on the customer order data and determining shipping information for each of the at least one possible shipping vendors. The method further includes selecting a preferred shipping vendor from among the at least one possible shipping vendors and completing the transaction between the selling vendor and the shipping vendor.
US08694382B2 System and method for automatic guidance control of a vehicle
A system and method is provided for adaptive control of at least one parameter of an auto guidance control algorithm for a vehicle. The parameters may be varied according to a previously established look up table, or automatically adapted through the use of control logic, such as a “fuzzy logic” algorithm. The control parameters that can be adaptively controlled include steered wheel turn rate, proportional valve current gain, line acquisition rate and/or auto guidance control valve current limits. The control algorithm responds to the vehicle's operating parameters such as vehicle speed, tracking error, predicted heading, and hydraulic oil temperature to make adjustments to the auto guidance control parameters.
US08694378B1 Publisher side file support for expandable content items
This specification describes methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer-readable storage device, for precluding the serving of expandable content items from vendors for publisher hosts that do not support the particular vendors.
US08694375B2 Determining whether to display message to user in application based on user message viewing history
One or more techniques and/or systems are disclosed for identifying an in-application message to display to a user. A user may perform a user action in an application, which can be identified. The identified user action can be compared to metadata data associated with a plurality of in-application messages for the application, and an in-application message that is eligible for display to the user can be identified based on the user action. A determination can be made whether to display the eligible message to the user in the application, based upon one or more in-application messages that the user may have previously viewed, as may be found or tracked in a user message viewing history.
US08694372B2 Systems and methods for automatic control of marketing actions
A method for automatically performing marketing actions. The method includes receiving consumer input relating to a product and/or service (“Product/Service”) from a service information display, receiving contextual input associated with the consumer input, placing the received consumer and contextual input into one or more segmented data groups, wherein each segmented group includes consumers data and associated contextual data having similar characteristics, and wherein each segmented group has sufficient consumers data and associated contextual data to enable statistical analysis. The method further includes computing for the Product/Service a projected marketing effectiveness corresponding to a change to one or more marketing attributes of the Product/Service, where the change to one or more marketing attributes defines a marketing action specified in a rule associated with one of the one or more segmented groups, and applying the rule in response to the projected effectiveness being equal or exceeding a corresponding pre-defined value.
US08694362B2 Taxonomy based targeted search advertising
Campaign creation systems and methods for building taxonomy based targeted search advertising campaigns in accordance with embodiments of the invention are disclosed. One embodiment of the invention includes obtaining source data describing a plurality of landing pages, obtaining a list of keywords using the campaign creation server system, where the list of keywords comprises keyword component, building a taxonomy using the source data and the initial list of keywords, where the taxonomy uniquely maps the plurality of landing pages to categories and attributes and maps the keyword components to the categories and attributes, mapping keywords to relevant offers based on the taxonomy, automatically generating adgroups based on the offers and relevant keywords, where each adgroup includes a landing page, at least one creative and at least one keyword, and deploying the adgroups to a search engine provider.
US08694349B2 Method and system of transferring a promotion information for social-local-mobile based community
The present invention provides a method for transferring a promotion information for a community. The method includes setting a business region, which has a center and a radius. A landmark building is selected to be the center of the business region. Next, a store data is accessed from a store located in the business region. The store data includes a first GPS location of the store and an associated promotion information of the store. Then, a second GPS location from a wireless communication device is accessed. Finally, a promotion information is sent to the wireless communication device when the first GPS location is closed to the second GPS location.
US08694345B2 System and method for negotiating a shared flight itinerary
A system and method whereby an air charter brokerage service enables users with similar or matching travel plans to find each other to directly negotiate a shared flight itinerary using a web-based negotiation software application. The air charter brokerage service further enables users to directly book the shared itinerary using a web-based negotiation software application, whereby the air charter brokerage service provides a charter aircraft for the shared flight itinerary.
US08694340B2 Systems and methods to evaluate application data
The present disclosure introduces systems and methods to evaluate application data. A computer system to evaluate application data is described. In one embodiment, a data module may be used to receive application data and validate the application data against at least one secondary data source. A predictive modeling module may be used to model the application data by applying predictive analytics. Further, a confidence level module may be used to calculate a confidence level factor and at least one aggregate degree of confidence level to evaluate an application. Other embodiments are also described.
US08694333B2 Cohort driven medical diagnostic tool
A computer implemented method, system, and/or computer program products derives a medical diagnosis for a patient. A current description of a patient is matched to a cohort of persons who each have a substantially similar description as the patient. Possible medical diagnoses, which have been accurate for members of the cohort, are presented for the patient. If one of the secondary medical diagnoses has an unacceptably high potential for an unacceptable outcome if improperly treated, then additional tests are run to rule out that secondary medical diagnosis.
US08694324B2 System and method of providing an automated data-collection in spoken dialog systems
The invention relates to a system and method for gathering data for use in a spoken dialog system. An aspect of the invention is generally referred to as an automated hidden human that performs data collection automatically at the beginning of a conversation with a user in a spoken dialog system. The method comprises presenting an initial prompt to a user, recognizing a received user utterance using an automatic speech recognition engine and classifying the recognized user utterance using a spoken language understanding module. If the recognized user utterance is not understood or classifiable to a predetermined acceptance threshold, then the method re-prompts the user. If the recognized user utterance is not classifiable to a predetermined rejection threshold, then the method transfers the user to a human as this may imply a task-specific utterance. The received and classified user utterance is then used for training the spoken dialog system.
US08694319B2 Dynamic prosody adjustment for voice-rendering synthesized data
Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for dynamic prosody adjustment for voice-rendering synthesized data that include retrieving synthesized data to be voice-rendered; identifying, for the synthesized data to be voice-rendered, a particular prosody setting; determining, in dependence upon the synthesized data to be voice-rendered and the context information for the context in which the synthesized data is to be voice-rendered, a section of the synthesized data to be rendered; and rendering the section of the synthesized data in dependence upon the identified particular prosody setting.
US08694318B2 Methods, systems, and products for indexing content
Methods, systems, and products index content. An audio stream is converted to a stream of phonemes. The stream of phonemes is filtered according to a list of popular phoneme strings. A weighting is computed for the content based on at least one popular phoneme combination occurring in the stream of phonemes. The content is indexed based on the weighting.
US08694316B2 Methods, apparatus and computer programs for automatic speech recognition
An automatic speech recognition (ASR) system includes a speech-responsive application and a recognition engine. The ASR system generates user prompts to elicit certain spoken inputs, and the speech-responsive application performs operations when the spoken inputs are recognized. The recognition engine compares sounds within an input audio signal with phones within an acoustic model, to identify candidate matching phones. A recognition confidence score is calculated for each candidate matching phone, and the confidence scores are used to help identify one or more likely sequences of matching phones that appear to match a word within the grammar of the speech-responsive application. The per-phone confidence scores are evaluated against predefined confidence score criteria (for example, identifying scores below a ‘low confidence’ threshold) and the results of the evaluation are used to influence subsequent selection of user prompts. One such system uses confidence scores to select prompts for targetted recognition training—encouraging input of sounds identified as having low confidence scores. Another system selects prompts to discourage input of sounds that were not easily recognized.
US08694314B2 Voice authentication apparatus
In a voice authentication apparatus, a characteristics analyzer analyzes characteristics of a sample noise which is generated around a subject while the subject generates a sample voice for authentication of the subject. A setting part sets a correction value according to the characteristics of the sample noise analyzed by the characteristics analyzer. A correction part corrects an index value, which indicates a degree of similarity between a feature quantity of a reference voice which has been previously registered and a feature quantity of the sample voice obtained from the subject, based on the set correction value. A determinator determines authenticity of the subject by comparing the corrected index value with a predetermined threshold value.
US08694305B1 Natural language processing (NLP) portal for third party applications
A method for generating an natural language processing (NLP) model including obtaining tags, obtaining actions to be implemented by a third party application, obtaining a training corpus including sentences, where at least one word in each of the sentences is associated with one of the tags, and wherein each of the sentences is associated with one of the actions. The method further includes generating features for the NLP model for the third party application using the tags, the actions, and the training corpus, training the NLP model using the features and the training corpus to obtain a trained NLP model, and generating an APIKey for use by the third party application, where the API provides the third party application access to the trained NLP model.
US08694304B2 Semantic clustering and user interfaces
Semantic clustering techniques are described. In various implementations, a conversational agent is configured to perform semantic clustering of a corpus of user utterances. Semantic clustering may be used to provide a variety of functionality, such as to group a corpus of utterances into semantic clusters in which each cluster pertains to a similar topic. These clusters may then be leveraged to identify topics and assess their relative importance, as for example to prioritize topics whose handling by the conversation agent should be improved. A variety of utterances may be processed using these techniques, such as spoken words, textual descriptions entered via live chat, instant messaging, a website interface, email, SMS, a social network, a blogging or micro-blogging interface, and so on.
US08694299B2 Artifact reduction in iterative inversion of geophysical data
Method for reducing artifacts in a subsurface physical properties model (120) inferred by iterative inversion (140) of geophysical data (130), wherein the artifacts are associated with some approximation (110) made during the iterative inversion. In the method, some aspect of the approximation is changed (160) as the inversion is iterated such that the artifacts do not increase by coherent addition.
US08694297B2 Porous medium exploitation method using fluid flow modelling
A porous medium exploitation method having application to petroleum exploitation is disclosed using coupling between a reservoir model and a near-wellbore model for modelling fluid flows. Fluid flows within the medium are simulated using a reservoir simulator and a near-wellbore simulator. At each time step, the boundary conditions used by the second simulator are calculated by means of with the reservoir simulator. Numerical productivity indices used by the reservoir simulator are calculated by means of using the near-wellbore simulator. The fluid flows within the porous medium during a given period of time are modelled by repeating the previous stages for several time steps. An optimum medium exploitation scenario is deduced determined from this modelling by taking into accounting for, for example, a well damage due to a drilling fluid, an injection of a polymer solution or of an acid solution in the well.
US08694294B2 Automated computerized method to determine the conductor structure of a gradient coil
In a computerized, automated method to determine the conductor structure of a gradient coil of a magnetic resonance device, the conductor structure is determined depending on the theoretical oscillation response of at least one metallic structure of the magnetic resonance device that is arranged adjacent to the gradient coil at the installation point, with the oscillation response of the metallic structure being determined dependent on theoretical eddy currents generated in the structure by the gradient coil.
US08694293B2 Simulation support method, computer-readable storage medium storing simulation support program, and simulation support apparatus
A simulation support method includes generating an operation interface used to convert a subject model to a model for parallel computation, in which a plurality of subsystem models are connected to each other, wherein the plurality of subsystem models correspond to a plurality of processes in one step, and the processes repeatedly run in parallel in a cluster computer; inserting dummy blocks in the subject model, when an instruction for converting the subject model to the model for parallel computation is provided through the operation interface, wherein the dummy blocks are used to synchronize the data in the processes, which are transmitted between the processes that run in parallel; and editing a simulation program for parallel computation, based on the model for parallel computation, wherein the simulation program for parallel computation is used to generate the processes that run in parallel in the cluster computer.
US08694289B2 Bayesian model generating computer product, apparatus, and method
A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium stores therein a model generating program that causes a computer capable of accessing a memory device storing, among coefficients and input variables making up a model formula expressing an object to be modeled, statistical values associated with the coefficients to execute: inputting a data group as a combination of an input value and an output value with respect to the object; determining, based on a joint probability joining a first probability of occurrence of the model formula as defined by the statistical values and the coefficients and a second probability of occurrence of the model formula as defined by the input variables and output variables, values of the coefficients to maximize the joint probability by giving the data group to the input variables and the output variables of the joint probability; and outputting the values of the coefficients determined in relation to the model formula.
US08694281B2 Method and device for determining the outlet cross-section of a component of a gas turbine
A method for determining the outlet cross-section of a component including one or more turbine blades, in particular of a turbine blade twin, of a gas turbine, in which at least one closed outlet cross-section is measured between the turbine blades, and/or respective open outlet cross-sections are measured on the side of the at least one turbine blade, using a measurement device, wherein in order to determine the corresponding outlet cross-section its respective bounding walls are traversed by the measurement device along a measurement line.
US08694280B2 Servo control circuit for detecting analytes via nanoparticle-labeled substances with electromagnetic read-write heads
A circuit for controlling an electromagnetic head module to detect antigens on a biosample track comprising a processor for receiving position-error-servo signal from the PES read sensor, a write head for magnetizing nanoparticles attached to antigens, and a read sensor for detecting the nanoparticle-labeled antigens. The circuit may further comprise an X-axis actuator for controlling the head module in the direction perpendicular to the track and an Y-axis actuator coupled to the head module and the X-axis actuator for controlling the head module in the direction of the track. Target antigens are attached to the biosample track and nanoparticles via antibodies.
US08694274B2 Distributed spectrum sensing
In summary, the invention relates to a device, a system, a method and a computer program for spectrum sensing. A detection procedure for detecting a signal of interest or an event by using a plurality of sensing devices capable of communicating with a central unit is proposed. The sensing devices can compute soft detection metrics and communicate this information to a central unit, where the information may be used to make a final detection decision using a certain specified rule. The signaling overhead of the proposed approach can be of the same order as that of a hard signaling approach. However, the proposed approach may achieve a better detection performance.
US08694272B2 Monitoring power-related parameters in a power distribution unit
A power distribution unit (PDU) disposable in an electrical equipment rack. The PDU has a housing, a power input penetrating the housing, outlets in the housing, a processor disposed in the housing, voltage and current sensors, and a voltage calculation procedure communicable with the processor. The processor samples voltage and current waveforms and calculates RMS values and other power parameters. A method of managing electrical loads each drawing electrical power from a PDU includes repeatedly sampling voltage across and current flowing through each of the loads, calculating raw RMS values of voltage and current, and scaling the raw RMS values to obtain corrected RMS voltage and current values and other power parameters.
US08694269B2 Reducing the ringing of actuator elements in ultrasound based health monitoring systems
A method and apparatus are present for monitoring a structure. A signal is sent into the structure, wherein the signal has a limited duration and a varying frequency. A response to the signal is received and the response is compared to a baseline to form a comparison.
US08694266B2 Multimodal spectroscopic systems and methods for classifying biological tissue
Multimodal optical spectroscopy systems and methods produce a spectroscopic event to obtain spectroscopic response data from biological tissue, either ex vivo or in vivo, and compare the response data with a model configured to correlate the measured response data and the most probable attributes of the tissue, thus facilitating classification of the tissue based on those attributes.
US08694265B2 Bioinformatic approach to disease diagnosis
A kit and test panel utilizing a multivariate diagnostic method based on optimizing diagnostic likelihood ratios through the effective use of multiple diagnostic tests is disclosed. The Neyman-Pearson Lemma provides a mathematical basis to produce optimal diagnostic results. The method can comprise identifying those tests optimal for inclusion in a diagnostic panel, weighting the result of each component test based on a multivariate algorithm described below, adjusting the algorithm's performance to satisfy predetermined specificity criteria, generating a likelihood ratio for a given patient's test results through said algorithm, providing a clinical algorithm that estimates the pretest probability of disease based on individual clinical signs and symptoms, combining the likelihood ratio and pretest probability of disease through Bayes' Theorem to generate a posttest probability of disease, interpreting that result as either positive or negative for disease based on a cutoff value, and treating a patient for disease if the posttest probability exceeds the cutoff value.
US08694263B2 Method of identifying virtual representations of nucleotide sequences
The invention provides oligonucleotide probes that can be used to hybridize to a representation of nucleic acid sequences. Compositions containing the probes such as microarrays are also provided. The invention also provides methods of using these probes and compositions in therapeutic, diagnostic, and research applications. Systems and methods for using a word counting algorithm that can quickly and accurately count the number of times a particular string of characters (i.e., nucleotides) appears in a nucleotide sequence (e.g., a genome) are provided. This algorithm can be used to identify the oligonucleotide probes of the invention. The algorithm uses a transform of a genome and an auxiliary data structure to count the number of times a particular word occurs in the genome.
US08694258B2 Derivative imaging for subsurface object detection
A series of scans is generated for a subsurface and a derivative image is created using the series of subsurface images. One or more tests are performed on the derivative image, and a subsurface object is detected based on the one or more tests. A sensor is configured to generate a series of scans for a subsurface and a processor is coupled to the sensor. The processor is configured to execute stored program instructions that cause the processor to generate a series of images of the subsurface using the series of scans, create a derivative image using the series of subsurface images, perform one or more tests on the derivative image, and detect a subsurface object based on the one or more tests.
US08694253B2 User-specified route rating and alerts
In some implementations, a user can provide ratings for routes, streets and/or locations. In some implementations, the user can initiate an alert associated with a location. In some implementations, user-specified ratings and alerts can be included in a route determination. In some implementations, route rating and alert information can be transmitted to other users and/or devices.
US08694249B2 Microfabricated flexible ground reaction sensor cluster for navigation in GPS-denied environments
Embodiments are directed to a ground reaction sensor cluster (GRSC) and to methods for precisely determining zero velocity points and bearing changes using a GRSC and for navigating using a GRSC and an inertial motion unit (IMU) in a global positioning satellite (GPS)-denied environment. The GRSC device itself includes an array of capacitive pressure and shear sensors. The array includes multiple flexible capacitive sensor cells that detect changes in capacitance in response to a footstep. Each cell of the array includes multiple overlapping, fingered capacitors that detect pressure and shear force by determining the change in capacitance in each fingered capacitor. The GRSC device also includes a multiplexing receiver that receives the capacitance inputs from each of the capacitive sensor cells. The multiplexing receiver and other electronic elements further process the received capacitance inputs to determine, based on the pressure and shear forces, the direction and bearing of the footstep.
US08694246B2 Methods and systems for displaying enhanced turn-by-turn guidance on a personal navigation device
Embodiment methods and systems enable personal navigation devices to warn drivers during turn-by-turn navigation directions when they are approaching a difficult turn. Personal navigation devices may report to a server when a turn is missed during turn-by-turn directions, including identifying the turn and situation information. The server may aggregate missed turn reports from many personal navigation devices to generate a difficult turn database. Personal navigation devices may access the difficult turn database when generating turn-by-turn directions to identify turns requiring enhanced directions. The difficult turn database may be stored on personal navigation devices, and/or may be maintained on the server. Personal navigation devices may be configured to recognize when turns are intentionally missed, and only report missed turns when they determined that the turn was missed unintentionally. Indications of turn difficulty may be correlated to situation information received in missed turn reports to more accurately reflect when turns are difficult.
US08694242B2 Traveling information creating device, traveling information creating method and program
A CPU of a navigation device transmits probe information including link traveling information and average vehicle speed information at every predetermined time to an information distribution center. On the other hand, when receiving the probe information, a CPU of the information distribution center reads the road type corresponding to each link ID and user's average vehicle speed during uncongested road traveling from the probe information, and determines the vehicle speed region corresponding to this link ID from a vehicle speed region determination table. Thereafter, the CPU of the information distribution center creates traffic information from this vehicle speed region and the probe information, stores it in a center side traffic information DB and statistically processes traffic information of a certain period to generate a link cost corresponding to a link ID and a time zone of a relevant vehicle speed region of statistical traffic information.
US08694234B2 System onboard an aircraft connected with a flight plan
An evaluation method and an evaluation system onboard an aircraft in communication with a flight management system to access a flight plan stored in memory of the flight management system, where the flight plan defines a cruising level and a minimum fuel reserve to destination objective. The evaluation system comprises circuitry to calculate a fuel consumption deviation between flight at a selected cruising altitude level and flight at an altitude level initially planned by the flight plan, where the selected altitude level is lower than the altitude level initially planned, and to determine a climb limit point from the selected cruising altitude level as a function of the fuel consumption deviation and the minimum fuel reserve objective, where the climb limit point represents the last climb point respecting the minimum fuel reserve to destination objective; and interface circuitry to provide the climb limit point and anticipative information concerning the climb limit point.
US08694229B2 Knock control apparatus for internal combustion engine
A knock correction amount computation portion computes, on the basis of intensity of a knock in a case where the presence of an occurrence of the knock is determined, a knock correction amount by which to move a spark timing of the internal combustion engine to be on a retard side and returns the knock correction amount to be back on an advance side in a case where the absence of an occurrence of a knock is determined. In a case where a value of the knock correction amount to be on the retard side becomes equal to or exceeds a predetermined value, the knock correction amount computation portion limits and holds the knock correction amount at the predetermined value and returns the limited knock correction amount to be back on the advance side in a case where the absence of an occurrence of a knock is determined.
US08694213B2 Construction machine with hybrid drive unit, regenerative device equipped in construction machine, and regenerative method
Provided is a method of controlling the regenerating condition by use of a construction machine having an upper revolving structure with a hybrid drive unit, and a lower traveling body, wherein when in a brake mode, the hydraulic motor is neutralized by the internal communication of an inlet port and an outlet port of the hydraulic motor via a communication valve, such that most of the kinetic (inertia) energy is efficiently transduced into electric energy by way of regenerative power generation for electric storage, and such that the switchover between driving and regenerative power generation is rendered in the optimal condition. The control unit determines the control mode of the control unit in accordance with the rotation direction of the hydraulic actuator, the operating direction of the hydraulic actuator controller, the actual rotational velocity of the hydraulic actuator, and the manipulated variable of the hydraulic actuator controller.
US08694206B2 Systems and methods for off-board voice-automated web searching
A system for surfing the web includes a mobile system for processing and transmitting through a wireless link a voice stream spoken by a user of the mobile system and a data center for processing the voice stream received into voice web search information. The continuous voice stream includes a web search request. The data center performs automated voice recognition processing on the voice web search information to recognize components of the web search request, confirms the recognized components of the web search request through interactive speech exchanges with the user through the wireless link and the mobile system, selectively allows human data center operator intervention to assist in identifying the selected recognized web search components having a recognition confidence below a selected threshold value, and downloads web search results pertaining to the web search request for transmission to the mobile system derived from the confirmed recognized web search components.
US08694203B2 Method and apparatus for vehicle process emulation and configuration on a mobile platform
A computer-implemented method includes providing an interface on a wireless device corresponding to an interface for vehicle infotainment system control. The method also includes providing simulated functionality of controls on the interface, such that activation of a control informs a user of what would occur if the control were activated on a vehicle interface. Further, the method includes saving at least one user setting input into the interface. The method additionally includes transferring the saved setting to a vehicle computing system (VCS) for use in infotainment system control when the wireless device is in communication with the VCS.
US08694201B2 Vehicle multimedia system
A vehicle multimedia system includes a display that displays a hierarchically structured menu. The hierarchically structured menu may have a main menu, a plurality of submenus, and menu items. The multimedia system provides a memory for storing information identifying a menu or menu item, and a memory control unit for writing information related to a menu item upon a user's selection of the menu by an operating element or by automatic return to a main menu, and displaying the information as selectable menu items identified by the information.
US08694194B2 Vehicular navigation control interface
Systems and methods for providing a vehicular navigation control are disclosed herein. Some embodiments include a navigation system and a vehicle with a vehicle control module (VCM), a navigation control module (NCM), and a navigation control interface, where the VCM receives a manual command from an operator to implement a manual control function. In some embodiments the NCM receives an automatic command from the navigation system to implement an automatic control function via the VCM and the navigation control interface directly connects the VCM and the NCM to facilitate communication between the VCM and NCM for implementing automatic mode and for reporting implementation of a manual mode.
US08694187B2 Control apparatus and control method for vehicle
An ECU (Electronic Control Unit) that controls a plug-in hybrid vehicle starts an engine when a required power as a value obtained by subtracting a required discharge amount from a drive power is larger than a threshold during intermittent control in a CD (Charge Depletion) mode, and stops the engine when the required power is smaller than a threshold. When intermittent control is being performed in the CD mode, the ECU limits the required discharge amount Pout to a relatively small value in a range where an engine coolant temperature is low, and sets the required discharge amount relatively large instead of imposing a limit thereon in a range where the engine coolant temperature is high.
US08694180B2 Method and system for an optimized utilization of energy resources of an electrical system
A method for optimized utilization of available energy resources/sources (3) of an electrical system such as for a vehicle generator system. The steps include: determining performance parameters LIst (e.g. current I, voltage U, temperature T, power PD (Pverlust), PE (Pwirk), efficiency, etc.) of a preferred energy resource (3); entering performance parameters LIst (current I, voltage U, temperature T, altitude of the vehicle, etc.) of the energy resource (3) into a thermal model (7); comparing a performance parameter LIst of the energy resource (3) with a specified performance limit parameter LSoll at a specified threshold level; determining a value for an energy reservoir ERest of a preferred energy resource (3); and to calculate a remaining time TMax depending on the energy reservoir ERest of a preferred energy resource (3) and using the one or more identified performance parameters LIst to maintain an operational state of the vehicle.
US08694174B2 Energy saving support device
An energy saving support device supports energy saving of an air conditioner and includes an acquiring unit, a first energy calculating unit, a second energy calculating unit, an information generating unit and a reporting unit. The acquiring unit acquires operating data regarding the air conditioner. The first energy calculating unit determines a total consumed energy or a standard consumed energy of the air conditioner as a comparison target energy based on the operating data acquired by the acquiring unit. The second energy calculating unit determines a low-COP consumed energy based on the operating data acquired by the acquiring unit. The information generating unit generates room-for-energy-saving information in order to determine a potential for energy saving based on the comparison target energy and the low-COP consumed energy. The reporting unit reports the room-for-energy-saving information.
US08694173B2 Control of a wind power plant
Methods for controlling a wind power plant that includes a plurality of wind turbines being operatively connected to a plant collector grid a power plant controller, a wind power plant, and a computer program product. The method may include generating an actual power reference signal in response to a determination of the power production of the wind power plant and comparing a desired power reference signal with the actual power reference signal. The method may include either applying a first filter characteristic as part of a generation of a wind turbine power reference if the desired power reference signal exceeds the actual power reference signal, or applying a second filter characteristic as part of the generation of the wind turbine power reference if the actual power reference signal exceeds the desired power reference signal. The first filter characteristic is different from the second filter characteristic.
US08694171B2 Wind-turbine-generator control system, wind farm, and wind-turbine-generator control method
A wind-turbine control system is provided for each of a plurality of wind turbine generators constituting a wind farm, sends wind-turbine data about a controlled wind turbine generator to the wind-turbine control systems provided for the other wind turbine generators, and receives wind-turbine data about the other wind turbine generators from the wind-turbine control systems provided for the other wind turbine generators. Then, the wind-turbine control system controls the controlled wind turbine generator based on the wind-turbine data about the controlled wind turbine generator and the wind-turbine data about the other wind turbine generators. Therefore, the control of the wind turbine generators constituting the wind farm can be changed more swiftly according to the operational condition of the wind farm.
US08694169B2 System and method of controlling a wind turbine in a wind power plant
The invention relates to a central controller adapted for controlling a number of wind turbines. The wind turbines being controlled and monitored by the central controller via a first monitoring and control network and a second monitoring and control network. The term monitoring and control network is in accordance with an embodiment of the invention understood as a data communication network which communicates at least control data for control of wind turbines, but may also communicate monitoring data, i.e. measure data. A typical example of a control of wind turbines is that the central controller sets the power set-point (the power to be produced) of each wind turbine in the wind power plant. The important control signals may be separated from high-bandwidth requiring monitoring data, such as analysis data in the communication network.
US08694166B2 Dynamic HVAC airside economizer high limit start control
A device stores control settings for an air conditioning unit for a space that houses power-consuming equipment. The air conditioning unit includes an economizer configured to supply outside cooling air when the economizer is in an active state. The device receives an inside temperature value associated with the space, and receives a real-time or near-real-time operating load value for the power-consuming equipment. The device determines, based on the inside temperature value, the operating load value, and the control settings, an outside temperature threshold for starting the economizer. The device determines if an outside temperature reading associated with the space is below the outside temperature threshold, and activates the economizer when the outside air temperature reading is below the outside temperature threshold.
US08694164B2 Interactive user guidance interface for a heating, ventilation and air conditioning system
The disclosure includes systems and methods of use of an HVAC graphical interface dashboard. In various embodiments the dashboard includes a weather tab, wherein invoking the weather tab advances to a weather screen. The dashboard also includes an indoor humidity tab, wherein invoking the indoor humidity tab advances to a humidity screen which displays at least a current indoor humidity. The dashboard further includes an alerts tab, wherein invoking the alerts tab advances to an alerts screen. The dashboard still further includes a help tab, wherein invoking the help tab advances to a help screen that provides context sensitive help that presents at least one dialog box related to a function of a current screen. A programs tab and a home tab are also provided, and a subnet controller informs said dashboard to display a specific screen and instructs it how to fill in data.
US08694163B2 System and method for managing resource sustainability performance
Resource sustainability performance of a facility is managed using real time resource monitoring data, and resource sustainability performance values for the facility determined using the real time monitoring data are provided in real time. In addition, resource sustainability feedback information is distributed in real time to cause a resource sustainability action to be executed in connection with the facility. The feedback information is determined from sustainability result information, which is determined from real time resource sustainability action information and the real time resource performance values determined for the facility.
US08694154B2 Storage and order-picking system as well as method for automatically addressing of storage spaces
A storage and order-picking system and method, wherein communication addresses are assigned to storage spaces, the system comprising a warehouse having a plurality of storage spaces each being either free or having assigned one good; a plurality of display devices each allocated to an assigned storage space and including a measuring device; a control device configured to allow addressing of order-picking data to each display device, wherein a display device can be activated based on transmitted order picking data such that an order-picking person visually recognizes from which one of the storage spaces goods are to be removed, and wherein a storage-space location is recorded for each storage space; a network connecting the display devices to the control device; and a location-measuring system configured to determine a mounting location for each mounted display device and to compare the so-determined mounting location with the recorded storage-space location.
US08694153B2 Method and laboratory system for handling sample tube racks
A method and laboratory system for handling sample tube racks are disclosed. The laboratory system includes a storage section (14) with a plurality of shelves (110) for storing a plurality of storage racks (SR), a disposal unit (18) for disposing sample tubes from the storage racks (SR), a robotic transfer system (510) for loading storage racks (SR) into the storage section (14), for retrieving storage racks (SR) from the storing section (14) and for bringing storage rack to the disposal unit (18) after a given storage time has elapsed.
US08694147B2 Embroidery data generating device, computer-readable storage medium storing embroidery data processing program and sewing machine
An embroidery data generating device includes an embroidery data storage unit storing data of a plurality of embroidery data, an embroidery data selection unit selecting a desired one of the embroidery data stored on the embroidery data storage unit, a color data storage unit storing data of a plurality of defined colors, and an assignment unit randomly extracting colors from the color data storage unit, the extracted colors being used as thread color data for specifying colors of the color-based pattern portions respectively, the assignment unit assigning the extracted colors to the respective color-based pattern portions composing the selected embroidery pattern. When the embroidery data selected by the embroidery data selection unit includes thread color data of two or more color-based pattern portions having a same color, a randomly extracted color is assigned to the color-based pattern portions so that the color-based pattern portions have the same color.
US08694140B2 Data-driven media management within an electronic device
A method and apparatus for intelligently routing and managing audio signals within an electronic device is disclosed. The routing is responsive to a set of logical and physical policies which are stored in data tables which can be updated as needed.
US08694135B2 Programming programmable logic controllers using exertion influence in establishing matrix parameters
The invention relates to an apparatus for the generation of a program for a programmable logic controller having a programming input unit for the selection and compilation of a plurality of symbols, a generation unit for the generation of a program code for the programmable logic controller from an arrangement of symbols compiled at the display unit of the programming input unit. In accordance with the invention an investigation unit for investigating the resulting possible influences of input signals of the programmable logic controller, onto output signals of the programmable logic controller at the actuator outputs from the arrangement of symbols generated by the program code or compiled at the display unit of the programming input unit is provided. In accordance with the invention an implementing unit for implementing the possible exertion of influence in a matrix and a display unit for the display of the matrix are also provided. The invention further relates to a programming device for a programmable logic controller having such an apparatus for the generation of a program, a corresponding method for programming a programmable logic controller and a corresponding computer program product.
US08694131B2 System and method for controlling operations of vapor compression system
A system and a method for controlling an operation of a vapor compression system are disclosed, such that a performance of the system measured in accordance with a metric of the performance is optimized. A control signal is modified with a modification signal including a perturbation signal having a first frequency, wherein the control signal controls at least one component of the vapor compression system. A metric signal representing a perturbation in the performance of the system caused by the modification signal is determined, wherein the metric signal has a second frequency substantially equal to the first frequency. The control signal is adjusted based on a function of a phase between the perturbation signal and the metric signal, such that the performance is optimized.
US08694124B2 Method for fabricating a neurostimulation lead contact array
A lead includes a lead body defining a lumen extending through the lead body; a conductor disposed in the lumen; a slit extending from an exterior of the lead body through at least a portion of the lead body to the lumen; and a contact strip. A portion of the contact strip is optionally disposed in the slit and is in contact with a portion of the conductor. A second portion of the contact strip is optionally wrapped around the lead body. A method of making a lead includes disposing one or more conductors in a lumen of a lead body; forming a slit from an exterior of the lead body to the lumen to access a portion of at least one conductor disposed in the lumen; coupling a flat contact strip to the portion of the conductor, and wrapping the contact strip around the lead body.
US08694102B2 Ionizing radiation-protected active implantable medical device
A radiation protected active implantable medical device includes an ionizing radiation shield disposed over at least one major surface of an electronics package, a microprocessor, or both contained within an AIMD housing. The ionizing radiation shield is made from a high atomic number, high atomic weight, high density material such as led, gold, platinum, iridium, tungsten or tantalum and has an atomic weight of at least 180 and a density of at least 11 grams per cubic centimeter. The ionizing radiation shield has a thickness of at least 0.25 millimeters and is preferably no thicker than 1.05 millimeters and has an overall attenuation of ionizing radiation of at least 0.5 HVL.
US08694101B2 Coupling element
An element (1) for mechanical and electrical coupling of a passive and/or active electrical unit (2) to an electrical circuit unit (3). The element (1) comprises at least one electrical contact element (10, 11) for electrical contacting of the passive and/or active electrical unit (2) with electrical circuit unit (3), a first side, which faces toward passive and/or active electrical unit (2), which comprises a second side (13), which faces toward electrical circuit unit (3), and at least one first means (14) for secure mechanical connection to the electrical circuit unit is attached fixed to second side (13). Also discloses an electromedical implant for stimulating human/animal organism and/or sensing human/animal physiological signals. Comprises at least one electrical circuit unit (3), at least one passive and/or active electrical unit (2), and at least one coupling element, to electrically and mechanically couple unit (2) and unit (3) together.
US08694098B2 Implantable defibrillator/cardioverter medical device with a dynamically adjustable threshold for ventricular detection
Methods, devices, and processor-readable storage media are provided for detecting spontaneous ventricular events in a heart using implantable medical devices. A method in this context includes applying a sensitivity function to collected data to detect occurrence of ventricular events. The sensitivity function is based on an adjustable detection threshold. The method further includes determining whether noise is suspected to be present in the data and, if so, increasing the threshold. The method further includes providing a stimulation pulse to the heart when a ventricular event has not occurred after a predetermined escape interval and, following the stimulation pulse, applying a capture test to detect whether an induced depolarization has occurred. If induced polarization is not detected, the threshold is reduced, while the threshold is maintained if induced polarization is detected.
US08694090B1 Device for determining tooth status underneath a crown
An apparatus for the detection of dental caries on the surface of a remaining tooth present underneath a crown are provided. Such an inventive concept involves the utilization of a proper electrically conductive pathway from the crown exterior to the tooth itself, allowing for impedance measurements to be undertaken to determine the degree of potential demineralization within the tooth and/or adhesive loss at the tooth/crown interface, all due to decay attributable to dental caries or like problems. A measuring electrode may be applied to a specific point on the target crown as well as on the adjacent gum, to measure impedance levels for any appreciable decreases which would indicate underlying tooth decay has been initiated. From that point, the dental professional may undertake proper therapeutic measures to treat such tooth locations in order to avoid far more expensive repairs, such as the implementation of bridges or implants.
US08694089B2 Apparatus and method for estimating stroke volume of the heart using bio-impedance techniques
A method of estimating stroke volume of the heart is described. In this method, the volume of the heart is estimated from electrical impedance data of the chest, at two different phases of the cardiac cycle. The stroke volume is estimated from the difference between the volumes estimated at the two phases.
US08694085B2 Collection and analysis of vital signs
A system is disclosed having a storage, a communications module for interacting with a medical measurement device, an analysis controller, and a test module that allows for the testing and evaluating of decision-support algorithms. A method for testing decision-support algorithms is disclosed having the steps of receiving into storage of a ruggedized, compact computer at least one decision-support algorithm; detecting with a communications module the initiation of a vital-sign monitoring session; receiving and storing vital-sign information into storage by the communications module; pushing the stored vital-sign information by an analysis controller to a test module running the stored at least one decision-support algorithm; and providing at least one output from the decision-support algorithm to at least one of a database and a display.
US08694084B2 Non-contact biopotential sensor
A capacitive sensor system including a sensing plate, an amplifier, and a switching circuit is described. The sensing plate is capacitively coupled to a body surface. A change in the electric potential on the body surface generates an electric field that induces change in the electric potential of the sensing plate. The sensing plate includes a sensing node positioned in the electric field for generating an input signal from the electric field. The sensing plate is not in contact with the body surface. The amplifier receives the input signal at the input port, amplifies the input signal and generates an output signal at the output port. The switching circuit is connected to the input port and a reference voltage. The switching circuit non-continuously closes a shunting path from the sensing node to the reference voltage to reset the voltage at the sensing node.
US08694079B1 Double membrane prostate glove
Systems and methods are provided herein that generally involve measuring a prostate or other object. In some embodiments, a membrane can be sealed over a digit extension to form a closed volume. The closed volume can be inflated via an inflation tube, and a reference pattern can be disposed within the closed volume along with a measurement assembly. In use, a user can put on the glove, position the membrane in proximity to a rectal wall overlying a prostate, and inflate the membrane. As the user slides their finger across the rectal wall, optical fibers in the measurement assembly can move relative to a reference pattern, and a controller can sense light reflected through the fibers from the reference pattern. The controller can calculate or estimate various attributes of the prostate based on the reflected light, such as the palpable surface width or volume.
US08694076B2 Electroactive polymer radiopaque marker
The invention relates to an expandable marker device having a pre-delivery state, a delivery state and at least one active region. The at least one active region incorporates electroactive polymer material. In addition, the expandable marker includes at least one radiopaque material to enhance observation through a medical imaging device.
US08694075B2 Intra-operative registration for navigated surgical procedures
A navigation system for use during a surgical procedure is provided. The navigation system is configured to use electromagnetic tracking data produced by electromagnetic tracking devices and 2D image data produced by a fluoroscope to intra-operatively register 2D images of a patient to a pre-operative 3D image of the patient. In some implementations, a surgeon may be able to perform an interventional or surgical procedure guided by the navigation system.