Document	Document Title
US09004517B2	Bicycle wheel carrier assembly with built-in brake A bicycle wheel carrier assembly is equipped with a rim brake with pads (5) which is built into the structure of the carrier assembly. The rim brake includes two actuating arms (3) and two pad-bearing brake arms (4). Each actuating arm (3) associated with a pad-bearing brake arm (4) is articulated in a recess of the structure of the carrier assembly between a first position in which it is retracted within the structure and a second position providing access to the pad-bearing brake arm (4).
US09004512B2	Shear spring useful for vehicle suspension A shear spring having a base plate having a flat upper surface, and an upper plate having a V-shaped upper surface opposite the base plate adapted to mate with a corresponding V-shaped surface positioned on a side wall of a spring mount, the upper plate having a flat lower surface parallel to the flat upper surface of the base, and an elastomeric material positioned between the flat upper surface of the base plate and the flat lower surface of the upper plate.
US09004506B2	Rotatable ball cart A ball cart comprising a removable and rotatable ball basket having a plurality of separated chambers that are each able to hold a different kind of ball. Thus, whenever a particular type of ball is desired, a user is able to rotate the basket and lock it in place such that a lid of the chamber that holds balls of that type is accessible to the user. As a result, the user is able to easily select that type of balls desired from the ball cart without sifting through all of the balls in the ball cart.
US09004502B2	Hockey skate A skate assembly includes a shell structure and a removable tendon guard. The shell structure includes a heel portion, a lateral ankle portion, and a medial ankle portion. The heel portion is formed to cover a human heel. The lateral ankle portion is formed to extend beyond the heel portion. The medial ankle portion is formed to extend beyond the heel portion. The lateral ankle portion and the medial ankle portion are spaced apart to form a notch extending toward the heel portion. The removable tendon guard is removably attached between the lateral ankle portion and medial ankle portion to cover the notch.
US09004495B2	Segmented intershaft seal assembly A segmented intershaft seal assembly for counter-rotating and co-rotating turbine engines is described. The assembly includes a pair of end rings, an annular seal element, and at least one resilient element. At least one end ring has a flange that extends from one side thereof. The flange has a lower annular surface. The seal element includes at least two seal segments. Each seal segment includes a ring segment and a ring flange segment. The ring segment has an upper radial surface. The ring flange segment directly contacts and extends from the upper radial surface forming either a substantially “T”-shaped or “L”-shaped cross section. The seal segments are disposed between the end rings. At least one resilient element biases each seal segment away from the inner shaft so that the upper radial surface contacts the lower annular surface and a portion of the ring flange segment extends beyond the flanges.
US09004492B2	Shrouded face seal and components thereof One embodiment of the face seal described herein includes a seal seat and a seal element carried by a seal housing. The seal element cooperates with the seal seat to establish a seal. The housing includes a seal element support and a shroud. The seal housing is made of a parent material and the shroud has a tip impregnated with a second material.
US09004488B2	Conveying apparatus and image forming apparatus A conveying apparatus includes a first pair of rollers having a drive roller and a pinch roller driven by the drive roller, a second pair of rollers provided downstream of the first pair of rollers, and an arm member supporting the drive roller and adapted to be swingable such that a force for pressing the drive roller against the pinch roller increases as a conveyance resistance of the sheet increases. The force for pressing the drive roller against the pinch roller decreases if driven by the moving sheet. The conveying speed of the second pair of rollers is set to be higher than the conveying speed of the drive roller so as to cause the drive roller to be driven by the sheet in the case where a skew of the sheet has been corrected and the sheet having the skew corrected is conveyed by the second pair of rollers.
US09004475B2	Clamping mechanism with detachable positioning member A clamping mechanism includes a positioning member, a support plate, a frame, a fastening assembly, and an operating assembly. The support plate defines a through hole. The fastening assembly is fixed to the frame. The fastening assembly includes a fastening member and an elastic member. The positioning member extends through the through hole of the support plate, and is fastened by the fastening member under an elastic force of the elastic member. The operating assembly resists the fastening member, thereby driving the fastening member away from the positioning member.
US09004467B2	Liquid sealed vibration isolating device A partition member for partitioning a primary liquid chamber and a secondary liquid chamber is provided with a damping orifice and an elastic partition member. A leg portion integrally projects from a lower surface of the movable diaphragm so as to be pressed vertically against a stopper surface formed on an upper surface of the bottom portion of a frame member. A third liquid chamber is defined between an outer circumferential portion of the leg portion and the support wall. When a bottom surface of the leg portion is pressed against the stopper surface, the third liquid chamber is sealed to confine a hydraulic fluid thereby increasing the internal pressure. When the leg portion is brought out of contact with the stopper surface, the third liquid chamber is opened to the secondary liquid chamber, thereby allowing the hydraulic fluid to flow out of the third liquid chamber.
US09004460B2	Combined collector and distributor A combined collector and distributor for a distillation column that includes a collector portion connected to a distributor portion. The distributor portion includes a channel-like distributor to distribute liquid into an underlying packing The collector portion has spaced rows of collection elements that cover the open spaces and distribution elements of the distributor portion and one or more rectangular sumps into which descending liquid drains from the collection elements. The liquid in turn drains from the rectangular sump or sumps into a pre-distribution box located within a header of the distributor portion. The collection elements that cover the open spaces are set at higher positions than the collection elements covering the distribution elements to form chimneys to allow the ascending vapor to escape from the collector portion.
US09004456B2	Manual marine winch with safety knockout override preventing release of winch tension without the handle in the stowed position A manual marine winch includes a safety knockout override preventing release of winch tension without the handle in stowed position. The winch includes a housing; a rotating drum on the housing; a winch line on the drum; a control for spooling and un-spooling the winch line on the drum, wherein the control includes a handle for selectively tensioning the drum and moveable between a position engaged with the drum and a disengaged stowed position; a tension holding mechanism on the housing comprising a ratchet gear coupled to the drum, a pawl selectively engaged with the ratchet gear, and a knockout configures to selectively disengage the pawl from the gear to allow for release of winch tension; and a safety knockout override coupled to the housing and selectively engaged by the handle and configured to prevent release of winch tension when the handle is not in the stowed position.
US09004453B2	Tapping fitting for a transport and storage container for liquids and transport and storage container with such tapping fitting A tapping fitting, particularly a flap or ball cock, with a fitting housing made from plastic for connection to a drain spigot of a plastic container for liquids, particularly an interior container of a transport and storage container, wherein the fitting housing is provided with a conductive device at least part of which is made from electrically conductive plastic for dissipating an electrostatic charge, wherein the conductive device is the conductive device has an integrally conformed earthing conductor for the electrically conductive connection of the conductive device to a ground potential and is also connected integrally with the fitting housing.
US09004450B2	Fluid valve Described herein is a fluid valve assembly includes a body that defines a fluid cavity. The body includes an inlet through which fluid enters the fluid cavity and an outlet from which fluid exits the fluid cavity. The fluid valve assembly includes at least one arm rotatably coupled to the body and positioned within the fluid cavity. Additionally, the fluid valve assembly includes a flap coupled to the at least one arm. The flap includes a domed portion and a flat portion extending radially outwardly away from the domed portion.
US09004449B2	Conical rotary valve for chromatographic applications A conical rotary valve for chromatographic applications is provided, including a valve stator, a valve rotor, a drive adaptor and a pair of stoppers each mounted to the stator. The drive adaptor is rotatable and coupled to the valve rotor for transmitting a rotating force thereto. The drive adaptor has a body and a pair of radial arms projecting from the body radially outward from the axis of rotation on opposite sides thereof. Each of the pair of radial arms is movable along a respective arcuate travelling course with respect to the stator. The stoppers are each positioned to obstruct one of the radial arms at an end of the corresponding travelling course. The stoppers are positioned to simultaneously engage the radial arms, thereby balancing the reaction forces created within the valve when the radial arms reach the ends of their travelling courses.
US09004444B2	Device for the hydropneumatic control of a valve with a pneumatic locking means Valve control device includes a body with a longitudinal axis, a control member housed at least partially in the body in a bottom portion along the longitudinal axis, a piston movable along the longitudinal axis and housed in a portion of the body forming with the piston a control chamber of the piston, an element movable in rotation with respect to the longitudinal axis on a top portion of the body, and sealing means between the movable element and the control chamber in the area of the connection port and/or of the passage.
US09004443B2	Early-stripping formwork system for concreting of constructions comprising beams, slab and columns An early-stripping formwork system for concreting of constructions comprising beams, slab and columns comprises several rectangular standard formworks (1), props with multiple early-stripping support mechanisms (2), several filler beams (3) and filler panels. The standard formwork (1) consists of a panel (11) and a formwork frame (12), and the formwork frame (12) is provided with L-shaped corners (121) at its four corners. Each of the early-stripping prop (2) consists of an upper support inner tube (21) and a lower support tube (22) which form a telescopic connection, a rectangular head plate (23) is disposed at the top end of the upper support inner tube (21), one corner of the head plate (23) fits an internal corner of any one of the L-shaped corners (121) on the formwork frame (12). A load-releasing mechanism (24) is connected between the upper support inner tube (21) and the lower support outer tube (22). An early stripping mechanism (25) for early stripping of the standard formwork (1) is disposed on the upper support inner tube (21), short posts (251) for supporting the formwork frame (12) are disposed at four corners of the early stripping mechanism (25), and a structure for preventing the formwork frame (12) from slipping outwards is formed between the short post (251) and the L-shaped corner (121). The formwork frame (12), the filler panel, the filler beam (3), and a bridge beam (4) may be all in a detachable combined structure. In the formwork system, transport and storage of the formwork are convenient, and manufacturing cost is reduced.
US09004440B2	Ground-anchored umbrella stand A ground-anchored umbrella stand comprises a base unit which is to be anchored in the ground and includes a soil sleeve extending into the soil. A pole mounting unit, in which the pole is inserted, is fastened to the base unit so as to be able to tilt relative to the base unit in all directions in space. An adjustment and locking mechanism between the base unit and the pole mounting unit allows tilting and aligning the pole mounting unit in all directions.
US09004437B2	Vibration proof structure of seat apparatus for vehicle A vibration proof structure of a seat apparatus for a vehicle, includes a first member and a second member movably arranged relative to each other in a first relative direction corresponding to a forward movement of a seat element in a front and rear direction of the vehicle and in a second relative direction corresponding to a rearward movement of the seat element in the front and rear direction, a first restriction wall restricting a relative movement of the first member to the second member in the first relative direction, a second restriction wall restricting the relative movement of the first member to the second member in the second relative direction, and a resistance force applying portion applying a resistance force to the first member moving in the first relative direction while not applying the resistance force to the first member moving in the second relative direction.
US09004430B2	Articulating mount for a display An articulating mount for a television or other device with a display screen, permits in/out translation, left/right translation, and left/right roll or tilting movement of the display of the television or device. The left/right roll or tilting movement is about a generally horizontal axis that remains substantially perpendicular to the display screen of the device that is mounted to the bracket. The articulating mount further provides added retention and support of the television or device when a bracket of the mount is fully retracted, such as when the mount is used in a vehicle that is underway.
US09004429B2	Curtain track assembly and mounting device A mounting device for installing a track for a curtain or blind has an engagement portion for cooperation with the track by a snap-type engagement. A resiliently deformable release means has a tongue portion (29) that has a free end that is positioned in a cavity of the track when the engagement portions are fully mutually engaged and a connected end that is connected to the mounting portion and spaced from the free end and that is positioned externally of the cavity of the track when the engagement portions are fully mutually engaged. The tongue portion (29) has an abutment face (33) disposed for assisting with prising apart the mounting device and the track by turning a tool, simultaneous with the operation of the tool against the tongue portion. The abutment face is opposed to and spaced from the track in use.
US09004428B2	Serving tray stand A serving tray stand includes a top portion including a tray rack, and a base portion. The base portion includes at least one leg defining a vertical segment engaged to the tray rack, a horizontal segment extending from the vertical segment, an angled segment extending from the horizontal segment, and an attachment segment extending from the angled segment. The attachment segment of each the at least one legs is disposed in parallel orientation relative to the tray rack and spaced-apart from the tray rack to define a gap therebetween. The gap defined between each attachment segment and the tray rack is configured to receive the tabletop to mount the serving tray stand to the tabletop.
US09004426B2	Concealable hook and method of use A concealable hanging device for hanging seasonal decorations, pictures, coats or purses. The hanging device includes a sleeve having a proximal end, a distal end, an inside diameter and an outside diameter, and a pin having a proximal end with a head and a distal end with a tip. The pin is movably engaged in the sleeve and oriented such that the proximal end of the pin engages the proximal end of the sleeve and the distal end of the pin engages the distal end of the sleeve so that the moveably-engaged pin can be moved to an extended position and a retracted position within the sleeve but the tip configured such that the tip engages the sleeve to prevent the pin from being removable from the sleeve when the pin is moved to an extended position and the head engages the sleeve to allow the head to be grasped in order to allow the pin to be moved into the extended position.
US09004404B2	Aerodynamic sealing member for aircraft A sealing member for forming a seal in an aircraft, the sealing member comprising: a sealing material; and a stiffening element which provides structural support to the sealing material and comprises a material with a glass transition temperature below +50° C. The stiffening element is relatively flexible when the aircraft is at low altitude (high temperature) but becomes relatively stiff (increasing resistance to seal flutter) when the aircraft is at cruise altitude (low temperature).
US09004402B2	Method and apparatus for automated launch, retrieval, and servicing of a hovering aircraft An aircraft capable of thrust-borne flight can be automatically retrieved, serviced, and launched. In one embodiment, for retrieval, the aircraft drops a tether and pulls the tether at low relative speed into contact with a horizontal guide. The tether is pulled across the guide until the guide is captured b an end effector. The tether length is adjusted as necessary, and the aircraft swings on the guide to hang in an inverted position. Translation of the tether along the guide then brings the aircraft to a docking carriage, in which the aircraft parks for servicing. For launch, the carriage is swung upright, the end effector is released from the guide, and the aircraft thrusts into free flight. A full ground-handling cycle can thus be accomplished automatically with a simple, economical apparatus. It can be used with low risk of damage and requires moderate accuracy in manual or automatic flight control.
US09004398B2	Balloon with deflation and maneuvering port A hot air balloon with an adjustable deflation port at its upper end which can be selectively opened and closed on the ground and during flight. The positive control of the port by the operator of the balloon in the basket allows the deflation port to be adjusted at any position from full open to fully closed or held in intermediate positions as desired.
US09004395B2	Drive system for helicopters The rotors of a helicopter are directly connected with electric high-torque motors, and are powered by the latter. Energy generation and rotor drive are separate from each other. The high-torque motor of the main rotor is pivoted to the cabin canopy, so that it can be tilted together with the main rotor.
US09004392B1	Apparatus and method for spooling wire An apparatus and method for spooling wire or cable from a reel assembly. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises an inner flange assembly and an outer flange assembly. The inner flange assembly is capable of freely rotating relative to the outer flange assembly for spooling wire from any surface. In another embodiment, wire is spooled from a reel assembly comprising an inner flange assembly and an outer flange assembly.
US09004391B2	Apparatus for hand winding a hose line An apparatus for winding a hose line having a threaded male end. The apparatus comprises a frame that has a first side plate, a second side plate and means for positioning the side plates apart from one another. The first side plate has a circular aperture and a center assembly having a handle crank, a revolving handle and means for rotating the center assembly within the first side plate aperture when the handle crank is rotated by hand. A coupling jaw assembly is also provided and has a fork that is removably insertable into the center assembly to capture the threaded male end of the hose line. Rotation of the handle crank then winds the hose line to form a coiled hose within the apparatus. The coiled hose can be transported within the apparatus or can be left standing upright when released from the apparatus.
US09004389B2	Bobbin and method of using the same A bobbin is provided, which includes a main body, a first block board, a second block board, and at least one guiding member. The main body extends along an axis. The first block board and the second block board circumferentially surround ends of the main body and radially extend from the main body, respectively. The guiding member is formed on the first block board or the second block board and comprises a dummy pin, radially extending from the first block board or the second block board.
US09004380B2	Shower head A shower head includes a shower head body, a water diversion plate with water diversion outlets, a water outflow member with nozzles, and a water outlet panel with water outlets. The nozzles of the water outflow member extend out of the respective water outlets of the water outlet panel. A gap is defined between each nozzle of the water outflow member and each water outlet of the water outlet panel. A water mix mechanism is provided between the water outflow member and the water diversion plate. The water mix mechanism is that the water outflow member has an air inlet and that the water diversion plate is formed with a water diversion lid at a lower surface thereof to cover the exterior of the air inlet. The water diversion outlets of the water diversion plate are aligned with the position between the air inlet and the water diversion lid.
US09004378B2	System and method for land application of waste fluids A system and method are provided for automated control of application of fluid to a surface. A surface map is annotated with shapes designating zones for spraying, and excluding others. A control system in a vehicle uses the annotated map and GPS to assist the operator of the vehicle avoid spraying on excluded zones, and provides a record of the spraying operation including locations sprayed and fluid spray rates. The control system operates valves to control spraying from a container on the vehicle, based on several parameters, so as to avoid spraying excluded zones and steep slopes, to avoid overlaps, and to limit fluid spray rates below pre-determined maximums. The system further assists the operator by providing a visual guide on a display. A kit can be provided to retrofit a vehicle for landspraying.
US09004365B2	One-time password card for secure transactions A card for use in secure transactions includes a card body having a first major surface and a second major surface; one or more groupings of a plurality of individual distinct symbols viewable from the first major surface, each individual distinct symbol comprising a single segment defining the individual distinct symbol that upon activation illuminates the respective individual distinct symbol; and a controller coupled to the plurality of individual distinct symbols. The controller is operable to produce a one-time password value and to selectively activate individual ones of individual distinct symbols to identify a sub-combination of the plurality of individual distinct symbols, thereby displaying an illuminated one-time password token for use in a secure transaction.
US09004364B1	Indicia reader An illuminating, indicia-reading device includes a hand-held indicia reader and a charging-and-communication base. The charging-and-communication base's communication button places the hand-held indicia reader in presentation mode when the hand-held indicia reader is seated in the charging-and-communication base, thereby facilitating hands-free scanning and providing work lamp functionality via activation of the hand-held indicia reader's light source. When the hand-held indicia reader is not seated, the communication button pages the hand-held-indicia reader.
US09004362B1	Method and apparatus for utilizing three dimension printing for secure validation The invention uses three-dimensional printing techniques to lay down a three-dimensional black and white grid (or “4-dimensional” grid, if color is used). To read and decode a three-dimensional bar-code, a light-field camera is used to capture the whole three-dimensional structure and the focus levels are then determined for a predetermined number of vertical levels. Adding color adds another degree of freedom (dimension) in the number and difficulty of encoding and decoding the three-dimensional bar-codes. These bar-codes cannot be simply made or copied, providing a level of security thereby.
US09004361B2	Wearable device transaction system An electronic transaction card communicates with an add-on slot of an intelligent electronic device. The add-on slot may be a memory card slot. The intelligent electronic device may be a mobile phone or other device with or without network connectivity. The electronic transaction card may have magnetic field producing circuitry compatible with magnetic card readers, smartcard circuitry, other point-of-sale interfaces, or any combination thereof.
US09004359B2	Optical scanner with top down reader A data reading system including one or more imagers, the data reading system having a lower main housing structure with a horizontal surface, across which items to be read are passed, and an upper reader module, such as pole-mounted top down reader (TDR) including an imager configured to provide a top down viewing angle from above the horizontal surface of the item in a read region. In one configuration, the pole-mounted upper reader module includes a one-piece post housing section mounted to the main housing structure and extending therefrom and containing imaging electronics and optics of the upper reader.
US09004355B2	Secure system and method to pay for a service provided at a reservation A method and system for allowing the setting of reservations and the pre-authorization of credit to purchase a desired service for which a reservation is made. A customer accesses a reservation system that is integrated with a credit authorization system. The customer may make a reservation and substantially simultaneously become pre-authorized to pay for services to be provided at the reservation by one of any number of credit providers. Pre-authorized credit and reservation information is then supplied to the service provider in advance of services being provided, expediting the overall transaction time and allowing for a secure and cardless transaction procedure. The reservation and preauthorization information are typically stored upon the reservation system and then passed to the point-of-sale systems, but other types of input/output storage devices could be used to perform this function.
US09004354B1	Machine-readable code rendering device and methods for using the same A machine-readable code rendering device may include an electronic paper display and a machine-readable code rendering module that dynamically renders machine-readable codes on the electronic paper display. The electronic paper display may be configured so that the machine-readable codes are read by a light-based code reader off of the electronic paper display.
US09004352B1	Banking system controlled responsive to data read from data bearing records A deposit management system is operable responsive to data read from data bearing records. The system is associated with financial funds depositories. Each depository can accept items, such as deposit bags. Each depository includes a bar code reader that can read data from a bar code label that is located on a deposit bag. The system allows merchants to preregister a deposit before performing the deposit. A preregistered deposit is linked with a deposit identifier in a data store. The deposit identifier can be represented in a bar code. If the system determines that a depository read a bar code having a deposit identifier that corresponds in the data store to a preregistered deposit, then that depository is operated to automatically unlock its deposit entry door to permit the deposit. The system also allows merchants to review their deposit history.
US09004351B2	Electronic transaction security system and method A computerized method for generating a time-limited number for use in a payment card transaction involving a payment card issued by a financial institution. The payment card comprises an original payment card number. A first plurality of digits of the original payment card number is provided to a processor. The first plurality of digits are predetermined digits associated to the financial institution. A desired expiration date through which the time-limited number is valid for acceptance in the payment card transaction is provided to the processor. A program is executed by the processor to set a first plurality of digits in the time-limited number to the first plurality of digits in the original payment card number, generate a first number corresponding to the desired expiration date, set a second plurality of digits in the time-limited number to the first number, and output the time-limited number.
US09004349B2	IC card and IC card system having suspend/resume functions An IC card and an IC card system are disclosed in which command processing performance is improved by storing current state data related to a first command upon interruption of an execution cycle for the first command by a second command. Upon completion of the second command, the current state information is reloaded and execution of the first command is resumed.
US09004346B2	Delivery receptacle A delivery receptacle for receiving objects, such as parcels, has a housing having an input opening, a delivery door rotatably coupled to the housing for opening and closing the input opening, and a drum rotatably coupled to the housing and having a drum access opening accessible through the input opening. The delivery door is mechanically coupled to the drum such that rotation of the delivery door in a first rotational direction causes rotation of the drum in the opposite rotational direction. The delivery door is rotatable between an open position in which the drum is oriented with the drum access opening aligned with the input opening such that a parcel can be inserted into the drum, and a closed position in which the drum is oriented with the drum access opening aligned with a drop area such that a parcel will exit the drum and enter the drop area.
US09004341B2	Method for producing welded steel pipe and welded steel pipe Provided is a method for producing a welded steel pipe having excellent buckling resistance. The method for producing a welded steel pipe according to the present embodiment includes steps of: preparing a welded pipe, and expanding the welded pipe over the entire length thereof by using a pipe expanding head such that an undulation wavelength ratio D defined by Formula (1) is not more than 0.8, or not less than 1.8: D=p/λ (1), where p is an undulation wavelength in the axial direction of the welded steel pipe, and λ is a Timoshenko's buckling wavelength as defined by Formula (2): λ=3.44×(r×t)1/2 (2), where r is an inner radius of the welded steel pipe and t is a wall thickness of the welded steel pipe.
US09004336B2	Sheet conveyance apparatus and recording apparatus A sheet conveyance apparatus includes a conveyance roller pair that has a roller with a uniform diameter in a sheet width direction and that is configured to pinch and convey a sheet, and a guide unit that is provided on an upstream side of the conveyance roller pair and that is configured to regulate a position of an edge of the sheet, wherein the conveyance roller pair conveys the sheet in a state in which the sheet is bended by the guide unit so that on a roller side with a uniform diameter in a sheet width direction, the sheet convexly bends.
US09004334B2	Holder for a handheld electronic device A holder for a handheld electronic device, the holder including a container defining a space for receiving the handheld electronic device and an inner surface facing inwardly towards the space. At least a portion of the inner surface includes an infrared-neutral material or coating operative for interacting with infrared light emitted from the handheld electronic device and received by the infrared-neutral material. The interaction is such that, while the handheld electronic device is being received by the container, any reflected infrared signal effected by the interaction is inoperative for effecting activation of a functionality of the handheld electronic device when the reflected infrared signal is sensed by the handheld electronic device.
US09004333B2	Cases and covers for handheld electronic devices Holders and cases for supporting portable handheld electronic devices, such as but not limited to iPhones®, IPODS®, IPADS™, cellular phones, smart phones and the like. The holders and cases protect a portable handheld electronics device holder with a built on bottle opener fixed to a rear face of the holders and cases.
US09004325B2	Domestic refrigerator including an ice dispenser An ice dispenser for a domestic refrigerator includes a lever having a housing with a passageway defined therein and a flapper door configured to pivot between a closed position in which ice is prevented from advancing into the passageway and an open position in which ice is permitted to advance into the passageway. A linkage is coupled to the lever and the flapper door such that movement of the lever causes the flapper door to move from the closed position to the open position.
US09004323B2	Aerosol systems and methods for dispensing texture material A system for forming an acoustic texture coating on a surface, the system having an aerosol dispenser, a liquid portion of a propellant material, a gas portion of the propellant material, a base material, and a plurality of discrete particles of at least one of urethane foam and melamine foam, where the discrete particles define a physical structure. The liquid portion of the propellant material, the gas portion of the propellant material, the base material, and the plurality of discrete particles are disposed within the aerosol dispenser. The propellant material does not alter the physical structure of the discrete particles when combined within the aerosol dispenser. When the aerosol dispenser is operated, the base material and the discrete particles are deposited on an uncoated portion of the surface such that the base material dries to adhere the discrete particles to the uncoated portion of the surface.
US09004318B2	Foam dispensing container It is an object of the present invention to provide a foam dispensing container that can homogenize foam quality and can discharge foam of stable quality. By providing a plurality of liquid intake paths for delivering the foaming liquid into the air-liquid mixing chamber and a plurality of air intake paths for delivering air, the air-liquid mixing efficiency can be improved significantly, stable volumes of air and foaming liquid can be delivered into the air-liquid mixing chamber, without the possibility of delivering a great volume of liquid with a single press, and consequently the foam quality can be homogenized and foam of stable quality can be discharged.
US09004317B2	Product packaging and dispensing device comprising a sterile filter bottle which is equipped with a nozzle A device for packaging and dispensing a flowable product comprises a casing comprising a nozzle for dispensing the product and a container designed to contain the product to be packaged. The casing comprises a rigid bottom, an air renewal and filtration assembly, a filter element, and an air inlet passage located in said rigid bottom. The nozzle comprises a tapered portion that defines a free end of the nozzle, an actuating portion resiliently movable between an engagement position and a rest position. A dose-defining chamber may be isolated from the air contained in the container and may have a determined volume in the rest position. The engagement position may be obtained by engaging the actuating portion against a stationary wall portion, so as to empty the chamber and expel a dose exactly corresponding to the determined volume of the chamber.
US09004314B2	Glove dispenser A dispenser is disclosed for flat items such as disposable gloves that are contained within a dispensing bag that has an at least partially-open front side. The dispenser includes a base that has a rear wall and a pair of opposing side walls. A non-opaque cover with a dispensing aperture therethrough is pivotally fixed between each side wall and adapted to swing between an open and a closed position. At least one elastic cord is stretched between each side wall to urge the dispensing bag towards the cover when the cover is in the closed position and the dispensing bag is between the cover and the at least one elastic cord. The front side of the dispensing bag may be non-opaque and open at a dispensing bag aperture therethrough, a temporary adhesive being fixed proximate a periphery of the dispensing bag aperture.
US09004307B2	Container having movable support member assemblies for supporting dunnage and movable door A container for holding product therein during shipment and being returned for reuse has a body, horizontal and vertical tracks attached to opposite sides of the body, and a plurality of support member assemblies extending between the tracks. Each support member assembly includes sliders or end members located at the ends of tubular supports, the sliders being movable in the tracks. The support member assemblies support dunnage for supporting products for storage or shipment.
US09004306B2	Convertible storage container and methods for the remediation of environmentally damaged articles A convertible storage container and methods are provided for the remediation of environmentally damaged articles. The container defines an interior chamber for receiving the environmentally damaged articles therein, the container having at least one container door for closing an access opening into the container. A conversion door is removably positionable with respect to the access opening so as to close the access opening with the container door in an opened condition. The conversion door includes a conversion door panel and a plurality of access ports through the door panel for connection of ducts to permit remediation of the environmentally damaged articles within the interior chamber.
US09004305B2	Cutting device for container coverings The present invention discloses a container cover produced from a plastics film, having a rotating closure which has a rotatable cylindrical cutting device (100, 300), wherein the latter has a lower rim (110) on which at least one cutting edge section (120) is arranged, and wherein said at least one cutting edge section (120) has at least three teeth (130) which are located on a line extending in an inclined manner in relation to the bag, and wherein the front-most tooth in the direction of rotation comes first into contact with the plastics film during the cutting operation. The cutting device (100, 300) is characterized in that the inclination of the line on which the teeth (130) of each cutting edge section are located is selected such that, in the case of at least approximately maximum deformation of the plastics film before the latter is perforated by the front-most tooth, at least two following teeth of the same cutting edge section (120) are in direct contact with the plastics film.
US09004304B2	Device for at least partially blocking an opening and forming a seal in the opening A device includes a first body having a curved wall with a top surface that slopes away from the first body and a second body having an interior configured to receive the curved wall of the first body, the interior including a curved ramp with a sloped bottom ramp surface. The second body is mounted on the first body with the bottom surface of the curved ramp resting on the top surface of the curved wall. A compressible seal extends from the first body bottom, and a shaft projects from the second body through a passage in the first body and into the interior of the compressible seal. Rotating the bodies relative to each other causes the shaft to pull the seal against the first body and radially expand the seal against an interior wall of an opening in which the device is placed to form a seal therewith.
US09004274B2	Fishing rod storage container Described is a fishing rod storage container comprising a lid pivotally connected to a container housing by one or more hinges. The container housing comprises a pair of elongated sides and an interior volume adapted to store fishing equipment. The container housing further comprises a plurality of lower half supports extending between the pair of elongated sides that are adapted to support several fishing rods. The lower half supports are elevated above the bottom of the container housing so as to provide clearance for equipment stored on the bottom of the container housing. The lid comprises upper half supports that are positioned so as to align with the lower half supports, such that the lower and upper half supports are complementary halves of a fishing rod support. In this way, a fishing rod can be secured in place between the upper and lower half supports when the container is closed.
US09004270B2	Link belt for use in furnaces A link belt for use in a sintering furnace, which is made of a plurality of first links, each of said links having working surfaces for supporting objects to be carried on the belt. A plurality of rollers are positioned intermediate certain of said first links, and a plurality of pins pass through apertures within said first links and within said rollers.
US09004265B2	Methods for restricting backflow of solids in a pump assembly A pump assembly includes a rotating component and a stationary component coupled to the rotating component such that the stationary component substantially circumscribes at least a portion of the rotating component. A high pressure outlet extends at least partially through the rotating and stationary components. An inlet is positioned a predefined distance from the high pressure outlet. The inlet extends at least partially through the rotating and stationary components. A solid fuel flow is channeled from the inlet to the outlet as the rotating component rotates. A flow control member is coupled to the rotating and stationary components in a first predefined position. The flow control member is selectively moveable from the first predefined position to a second predefined position to form a seal within the pump assembly such that the solid fuel flow and a fluid flow are substantially restricted from being channeled back into the inlet.
US09004258B2	Apparatus and method for offsetting conveyor A conveyor assembly adapted to convey material comprising an offsetting conveyor having an offsetting conveyor tail end, an offsetting conveyor swing end, and an offsetting conveyor belt and being adapted to move between an offsetting conveyor centered position an offsetting conveyor angled position, and an offsetting conveyor offset position. The preferred conveyor assembly also comprises an offsetting conveyor swing actuator that is adapted to move the offsetting conveyor between the offsetting conveyor centered position and the offsetting conveyor angled position. The preferred conveyor assembly further comprises a chute having a chute feed end and a chute discharge end and being adapted to move between a chute centered position and a chute angled position. The preferred conveyor assembly still further comprises a chute actuator that is adapted to move the chute between the chute centered position and the chute angled position. A method for moving an offsetting conveyor.
US09004248B2	Power transmission device for torque converter It is an object of the present invention to achieve reduction in size and weight of, and inhibition of axial size increase of, a power transmission device for a torque converter including a turbine functioning as an inertia element. The power transmission device includes a torque transmission plate fixed to a turbine, a damper mechanism disposed between a front cover and the turbine, and an engaging part. The damper mechanism elastically couples the torque transmission plate and a transmission-side member. The engaging part couples the torque transmission plate and the damper mechanism on a radially inner side of a torus center C of a torque converter main body.
US09004241B2	Powered vehicle brake cooling system An inlet, positioned to access the flow of air passing around and under a moving vehicle, may draw in air which is conveyed through a duct and discharged to cool a brake on a vehicle. The inlet has a closure. The closure is opened and closed on demand by a temperature-operated actuator incorporating an active or smart material under the direction of a controller. In embodiments, a sensor, suitably positioned to sense a temperature representative of the brake temperature, communicates the sensed brake temperature to the controller. The controller may respond to the sensed brake temperature, by triggering operation of the actuator. Typically the closure is opened to allow passage of cooling air to the brake when the sensed brake temperature exceeds, or is anticipated to exceed, a predetermined temperature.
US09004237B2	Disc brake of hydraulic self-energizing design with force transmission unit A self-energizing disc brake includes a brake-internal hydraulic arrangement with a supply circuit and an expansion vessel; a brake application device having a cylinder for applying a brake pad toward a brake disc; a force transmission unit supporting the brake pad at a wedge angle on the brake application device; a tangential-force absorbing cylinder for switching over the wedge angle, which is operatively connected to the force transmission unit; an electric-motor actuator for acting on the brake application device via the hydraulic arrangement; and a control unit. The force transmission unit has a deflection lever and a shoulder element attached thereto. Rolling surfaces thereof are in contact with respective corresponding rolling surfaces of a brake application element of the cylinder and a brake pad support device. The deflection lever has a pressure section with a rolling surface in operative connection with the tangential-force absorbing cylinder.
US09004233B2	Combined thrust bearing/load cell for brake actuators A ring-shaped thrust bearing extending in an axial direction having an inner surface includes a first axial groove in the inner surface having a first flat wall and a second flat wall; and a first principal strain sensor positioned on the first flat wall of the first axial groove to measure compression in the axial direction.
US09004232B2	Suspension-means end-fastener with fixing element An end-fastener for fastening a suspension device of an elevator system has a housing which contains two side walls. The end-fastener has at least two essentially cylindrical wrap-round elements for fastening the suspension device, wherein the wrap-round elements each extend between the two side walls. The second wrap-round element is embodied as a movable bolt which can be inserted into the housing. The end-fastener includes a fixing element which can be mounted on the housing for fixing the second wrap-round element in its position in the housing. The fixing element is embodied in such manner that it engages in at least one groove of the second wrap-round element that comes to lie between the side walls of the housing.
US09004221B2	Torque sensor and power steering system using the torque sensor Torque sensor detects torque of steering shaft formed by first and second shafts which are connected through torsion bar. Torque sensor has: a magnetic member provided at the first shaft and having magnetic poles alternately arranged in circumferential direction concentrically with rotation axis; a first yoke member provided at the second shaft and having (a) first nail portions arranged concentrically with the rotation axis and facing the magnetic member in radial direction and (b) a first ring portion; a second yoke member provided at the second shaft and having (c) second nail portions arranged concentrically with the rotation axis so that the first and second nail portions are alternately arranged in the circumferential direction and the second nail portions face the magnetic member in the radial direction and (d) a second ring portion arranged to be separated from and face the first ring portion; and a magnetic sensor.
US09004219B2	Drive control system A vehicle drive control system (1), such as a car, a boat, an aircraft and like, or of a driving simulator, such as a videogame console, simulation apparatuses and the like, and with a direction control device (2), such as a steering wheel, a rudder or the like, and with directioning means (21′, 22′, 21″. 22″), said system (1) being characterized by means (6) for detecting a position of said direction control device (2), an adjustment module (7, 7′, 7″) having a frame, mechanically coupled with said direction control device (2), provided with passive actuator and adjustment means (8′, 8″, 8a, 8a′, 8b, 8b′) to adjust resistance to the movement of said direction control device (2), one or more sensors (27) for detection of position of said directioning means (21′, 22′, 21″. 22″), and at least a central control unit (23).
US09004211B2	Radiator exhaust structure for saddle type vehicle To provide a radiator exhaust structure for a saddle type vehicle that includes step floors provided on the left and right sides of a center tunnel, a radiator disposed in the center tunnel, an exhaust air guide that is provided rearwardly of the radiator and by which exhaust air from the radiator is guided, and an under cover by which the vehicle is covered on the lower side thereof. In the radiator exhaust structure, an air guide wall serving as a front end of the under cover and extending forwardly upward is disposed rearwardly of the radiator. The upper end of the air guide wall and the lower end of the exhaust air guide are disposed proximate to each other in the vertical direction.
US09004209B2	Front air guide structure for a motorcycle In a motorcycle with a cowl, a bent portion which has an upright wall facing forwardly and is bent in an upward and downward direction is provided at an intermediate portion in a forward and backward direction of an air intake duct. A plurality of dewatering devices are provided, and configured to be hit from the front by traveling wind to remove moisture from the traveling wind. The dewatering devices are disposed at a plurality of locations in the air intake duct spaced from each other along the traveling wind flowing direction in the air passage in the front of the upright wall. An overall extent of a range in which the air passage can be seen up to a rear end thereof without obstruction when the air intake duct is viewed from the front of the traveling wind inlet is occupied by the dewatering devices.
US09004207B2	Control apparatus and control method for hybrid vehicle A vehicle includes a charging unit for externally charging a power storage unit with electric power received from an external power supply, and an electric power generation unit capable of generating electric power from drive force received from an engine. The power storage unit is configured to be internally chargeable with electric power received from the electric power generation unit. The vehicle travels in selected one of EV priority mode restricting internal charging of the power storage unit and HV priority mode controlling internal charging such that a state of charge of the power storage unit is kept within a predetermined range. When a predetermined operating condition is satisfied while the vehicle is traveling, a control apparatus generates an operation request to the engine. The control apparatus changes the operating condition of the engine depending on whether the mode is EV priority mode or HV priority mode.
US09004206B2	Engine control device of work machine and engine control method therefor An engine control device is provided including: detection units for detecting a driving state of a work machine using a generator, target engine speed setting units for causing, on the basis of the driving state, a target engine speed set for a case where electric power generation by the generator is OFF to be the same as a target engine speed set for a case where the electric power generation by the generator is ON, and engine target output calculation units for calculating an engine target output during electric power generation OFF that can be output at most when the electric power generation by the generator is OFF, and calculates an engine target output obtained by adding an output corresponding to an electric power generation amount by the generator to the engine target output when the electric power generation by the generator is ON.
US09004198B2	External, divorced PDC bearing assemblies for hybrid drill bits A hybrid-type earth boring drill bit is described having fixed cutting blades and rolling cones with cutting elements, wherein the rolling cones are associated with a spindle assembly that may be optionally divorced from the head pin assembly, and which includes bearing members that further include a plurality of polycrystalline diamond elements.
US09004196B2	Drill bit assembly having aligned features A drill bit assembly has a bit head and a pin body. The bit head comprises a cutting end, an opposite connecting end with an engagement section, and a feature facing the connecting end. The pin body comprises a tubular body with an axial bore therethrough, a connecting end with an engagement section and a feature facing the connecting end. The drill bit assembly is manufactured by positioning the pin body connecting end with the bit head connecting end such that the pin body and bit head engagement sections overlap with a gap therebetween, and the pin body and bit head features are aligned; injecting a thermoplastic or other connecting material in liquid form between the bit head and pin body engagement sections and into the gap; and solidifying the thermoplastic or other connecting material such that the bit head and pin body are mechanically coupled together at their connecting ends and their features are securely aligned.
US09004193B2	Sensor deployment Apparatus and the methods for deploying a sensor in the formation down a borehole. The apparatus comprises a downhole drilling system which is connected at a first end to the surface and is connected at a second end to a flexible drilling string downhole in the borehole. At least a portion of the flexible drilling string is locatable in a lateral hole of the borehole, and at least one downhole sensor is connectable to the portion of the drilling string that is locatable in the lateral hole.
US09004189B2	Protective device having a pressure tank A protective device with a pressure tank (1) includes an elastic extinguishing agent balloon (3) filled with an extinguishing agent (23) and a propellant, where the elastic extinguishing agent balloon (3) borders onto at least one elastic component (32) and this elastic component is fluid permeable. The upper part of the elastic extinguishing agent balloon (3) is formed as a sealing ring. The device has the advantage that when it is used in mobile and stationary objects, where vibrations and other forces act on the extinguishing device, a high degree of operational safety of the extinguishing device can be assumed, that makes it possible to discharge almost 100 percent of the extinguishing agent without any malfunctioning. The operation of the extinguishing device is also temperature independent so that no additional safety measures are required in the case of a change in the spatial attitude of the pressure tank.
US09004188B1	Apparatus and method for extinguishing fires in a multi-floored building An improved apparatus for treating a fire in a multi-floored building where the fire is located on an upper floor vertically displaced from a lower floor from which the fire is treated, and where the upper and lower floors each have a selectively openable environmental access along an external wall of the multi-floored building. The improved apparatus includes a tubular structure having an inlet, an intermediate portion, and an outlet and a bracing system. The bracing system has a frame, a first pivot point, and a second pivot point. The frame provides support against a sturdy surface. The tubular structure is supported on the first pivot point and rotates thereon to elevate or hoist the outlet towards the upper floor environmental access. The tubular structure is further supported on a second pivot point and further rotates thereon to elevate the outlet.
US09004170B2	System for heating a hydrocarbon resource in a subterranean formation including a transformer and related methods A system for heating a hydrocarbon resource in a subterranean formation having a wellbore extending therein may include a radio frequency (RF) source, an RF antenna to be positioned within the wellbore, and a transformer to be positioned in the wellbore and configured to couple the RF source to the RF antenna so that the RF antenna supplies RF power to the hydrocarbon resource in the subterranean formation.
US09004166B2	Down-hole gas separator A gas separator for separating gas from a fluid in a production stream in a producing hydrocarbon well is described. The gas separator includes a central tube sized to fit into a well casing of the producing hydrocarbon well and having an input at its lower end for receiving the production stream and perforations at its upper end to allow the production stream to flow into the space between the central tube and the well casing. A suction tube is located inside the central tube, the suction tube is operable to draw fluid from the space between the central tube and the well casing and to deliver the fluid to an artificial lift mechanism. A baffle assembly in the gas separator is comprised of a series of baffles, each baffle extending between an inner wall of the central tube and an outer wall of the suction tube for a portion of the available space between the inner wall of the central tube and the outer wall of the suction tube, each baffle offset from the other baffles in the baffle assembly, wherein the baffle assembly is operable to continually redirect the fluid and gas as it travels through the central tube.
US09004164B2	In situ radio frequency catalytic upgrading The present invention relates to a method and system for enhancing in situ upgrading of hydrocarbon by implementing an array of radio frequency antennas that can uniformly heat the hydrocarbons within a producer well pipe, so that the optimal temperatures for different hydroprocessing reactions can be achieved.
US09004160B2	Downhole tool apparatus with slip plate and wedge A downhole tool that is used to seal a well bore. The downhole tool has at least one of a nose cap coupled to a slip means for converting shear forces into compression forces, a pultrusion rod, and a butterfly ring. The pultrusion rod extends the full length of the center mandrel. The butterfly ring includes a plurality of wedges configured to remove the extrusion gap when the tool is expanded to prevent failure of a sealing member over increased well bore diameters. The downhole tool includes a pressure equalization port to equalize pressure between a first and a second fluid volume during removal of the tool from the well bore.
US09004149B2	Counter-gravity casting of hollow shapes The embodiments described herein relate to methods and apparatus for counter-gravity formation of BMG-containing hollow parts. In one embodiment, the BMG-containing hollow parts may be formed by first feeding a molten metal alloy in a counter-gravity direction into a mold cavity to deposit the molten metal alloy on a surface of the mold cavity and then solidifying the deposited molten metal alloy.
US09004128B2	Steel cord for reinforcing rubber article and pneumatic tire Without decreasing the strength in the axial direction of the cord, and without increasing the thickness in the radial direction, a steel cord for reinforcing a rubber article, which improves durability against cut, as well as a construction vehicle tire utilizing the steel cord for reinforcing a rubber article as a reinforcing material is provided.A steel cord for reinforcing a rubber article is formed by twisting a plurality of sheath strands 2 formed by twisting a plurality of wires around a core strand 1 formed by twisting a plurality of wires, wherein the core strand 1 is constituted of a 4-layer-twisted structure and the diameter of the steel cord is 5 mm or larger. The tire of the present invention is a tire which has a belt constituted with 6 belt plies with cords arrayed on the outer side in the radial direction of the tire at a crown part of the carcass, which are crossed between the laminated plies, and wherein the steel cords for reinforcing a rubber article are applied to the third belt layer and the fourth belt layer.
US09004125B2	Pneumatic tire A pneumatic tire, wherein the central narrow groove includes an arc, the inner diameter side of the arc is facing towards the tire ground contact edge side, one end is open to another adjacent central narrow groove and the other end is open to the circumferential main groove on the inner side area side. A first central sipe is disposed between adjacent central narrow grooves, and connects the central narrow groove and the circumferential main groove on the inner side area side. One end of the notch portion is open to the circumferential main groove on the outer side area side, and the other end terminates within the central land portion. A second central sipe is disposed between adjacent notch portions. One end of the second central sipe is connected to the circumferential main groove on the outer side area side and another end terminates within the central land portion.
US09004124B2	Tire having enhanced rolling performance Tire provided with a tread surface and lateral faces intersecting at two corner edges to determine a total width of tread between the said two corner edges, provided with grooves of depth H opening onto the tread surface and delimited by faces of material which are distant by at least a width equal to 2 mm, a plurality of grooves on at least one of the opposing faces that delimit them with at least one profiled protrusion delimited by a radially external surface and by a radially internal surface, the radially external surface being closer to the tread surface than the radially internal surface, meeting at those points of the protrusion that are furthest away in the direction of the groove, each of these radially internal and external surfaces of each protrusion has, in a plane of section parallel to the faces delimiting the groove, a profile of length greater than the length of the profile of the radially internal surface.
US09004123B2	Agricultural tire with tread having lugs A farm vehicle tire (1) having a tread (2), which has a toroidal base surface (3), and a number of lugs (5), each extending radially outwards from the base surface (3) and having a front wall (6) and a rear wall (7) with respect to a given rolling direction (8); the leading edge (11), with respect to the rolling direction (8), of the section of each lug (5) along any plane (12) perpendicular to an axis (4) of rotation of the tire is in the form of an involute curve outward of the base surface (3).
US09004122B2	Pneumatic tire A pneumatic tire has a shoulder land portion including a tread edge and a plurality of lateral grooves which are open to an outer wall of the shoulder land portion in a tread surface. One end in a tire circumferential direction of the outer wall is positioned on an inner side in a tire width direction with respect to another end between the lateral grooves which are adjacent to each other. A vacancy communicating with the lateral groove from the one end of the outer wall is formed so as to face the outer wall. A pawl portion protruding in the tire circumferential direction is provided in a wall surface of the lateral groove which is close to the other end of the outer wall. A height of the pawl portion from a bottom of the lateral groove is gradually decreased toward a leading end.
US09004119B2	Protective cover for use with handbags and a method for its use A protective cover for handbags and like objects is provided, which comprises a portable and self-contained storage pouch. The protective cover can be attached to the exterior of a handbag by various mechanisms and can comprise one or more carrying straps. The protective cover can be made from a durable, water resistant and germ resistant material capable of preventing dirt, moisture and harsh chemicals from reaching the handbag. This protective cover can also prevent germ contamination of the handbag or other surfaces by removing it from the handbag and washing it after use.
US09004112B2	Method for adhesive bonding plug details for composite structures An apparatus and method for repairing defects in composite materials using a tapered disk sized to fit the part being repaired. Also included is a bolt sized to fit through a central hole in the disk. A spring is positioned on the bolt with a washer. A nut is attached to the end of the bolt and tightened to place pressure on the washer to compress the biasing device. An adhesive is applied to the tapered disk prior to engaging the composite material. A threaded bushing is used to fixedly attach a second bolt completely in the hole.
US09004111B2	Plug for connector A plug for a connector includes an insertion portion, and the insertion portion includes an O-ring abutment portion and a creep prevention portion. Also, when the insertion portion of the plug for a connector is inserted in a mouth portion of a connector, the O-ring abutting portion abuts against an O-ring mounted inside the connector, and closes the mouth portion of the connector. Also, the creep prevention portion prevents a creep of a lock member which is in a standby position.
US09004109B2	Block valve for vacuum line or network with emergency input Block valve with emergency input, in particular for vacuum line or network, comprising a valve body traversed by a main fluid passage between a first orifice located at an upstream end of the said main passage and a second orifice located at a downstream end of the said main passage. The valve body further comprises a control device comprising a member operable manually by an operator and movable between at least an open position in which the said control device allows fluid communication between the first and second orifices, and a closed position in which the said control device interrupts any fluid communication between these orifices. An auxiliary fluid passage is fluidly connected via its upstream end to the said main passage between the control device and the first orifice, and comprises a third orifice at its downstream end.
US09004099B2	Check valve for variable capacity compressor of vehicle Disclosed is a check valve for a variable capacity compressor of a vehicle, which includes a valve seat including a refrigerant introduction hole, a valve case disposed above the valve seat, and including refrigerant discharge holes along a circumferential surface of a cylindrical body thereof, a spool valve disposed within the valve case to selectively open and close the refrigerant introduction hole and the refrigerant discharge holes, and an elastic member disposed between the valve case and the spool valve.
US09004096B2	Hose management system for a plumbing fixture fitting The present invention provides a hose management system for a plumbing fixture fitting.
US09004081B2	Household appliance, in particular a household dishwashing machine A household appliance, in particular a household dishwasher, includes an external display, a transmission interface connected for signal transmission to the external display, and a power supply network for supply of electrical energy. The household appliance is isolated from the power supply network after completion of a treatment cycle, and the transmission interface is configured to transmit a signal to activate the external display to display at least the completion of the treatment cycle before the household appliance is isolated from the power supply network.
US09004076B2	Method for extending eyelashes to achieve a particular look A method of sectioning eyelashes into zones is disclosed. A method of sectioning eyelashes into zones comprises dividing a surface of an eyelid into zones and applying extension lashes to natural lashes within the zones. Zones can comprise an inner zone, a mid-zone and an outer zone. Furthermore, at least a portion of extension lashes within inner zone can have a first length, while the extension lashes within middle zone and outer zone can have a second and third length, respectively.
US09004057B2	Appliance baffle system An appliance comprises at least one heating component, a baffle component positioned below the at least one heating component, an air intake component positioned above at least a portion of the baffle component, and an air redirection component positioned between the air intake component and the baffle component. In an example of an airflow path in the appliance, air entering the appliance through the air intake component is directed down below the baffle component by the air redirection component before flowing up through the baffle component to the at least one heating component.
US09004055B2	Target delivery device The present invention relates to a device for delivering targets (2) comprising at least one column (4) for storing targets (2) capable of receiving a first target (11) at the lowest point of the column (4) and at least a second target (12) stacked on the first target (11), means for delivering the first target (11), and retention means for retaining the second target (12) in the column (4), characterized in that the retention means for retaining comprise a ramp (21) configured to exert a bearing force on the lower face of the second target (12) during the delivery of the first target (11).This invention also relates to a machine for launching targets (2) equipped with a device and a method for distributing the targets (2).
US09004044B2	Method for supplying a high-pressure pump in a fuel injection system of an internal combustion engine with fuel and fuel injection system The invention relates to a method for supplying a high-pressure pump (1) in a fuel injection system of an internal combustion engine with fuel, wherein for delivery and for controlling the delivered quantity a delivery pump (3) is used, wherein said delivery pump is arranged in a low-pressure circuit (2) and operated by an electric motor and by means of which, depending on the respective selected engine speed, a certain quantity of fuel is fed to the high-pressure pump (1), in which the fuel is first compressed and then fed to a fuel high-pressure accumulator (4). According to the invention, the fuel pressure on the intake side of the high-pressure pump (1) is controlled by means of a pressure control valve (5), wherein a supply of the high-pressure pump (1) with fuel for lubrication and/or cooling via the low-pressure circuit (2) and the delivery pump (3) is assured when the pressure control valve (5) is in the closed position. The invention further relates to a fuel injection system.
US09004043B2	Control device for internal combustion engine A control device calculates a maximum amount of increase in an intake pipe pressure in a Δt obtained by moving a throttle to an opening side at a maximum speed, and calculates a maximum amount of decrease in an intake pipe pressure in the Δt obtained by moving the throttle to a closing side at a maximum speed. Then, command values for each of a VVT and a WGV are determined such that an amount of change in an intake pipe pressure in the Δt required to achieve a target intake air amount falls within a range from the maximum amount of decrease to the maximum amount of increase. Then, a target opening for the throttle for a purpose of achieving the target intake air amount is calculated on the basis of command values that have been determined for the VVT and the WGV.
US09004042B2	Method and apparatus for achieving high power flame jets while reducing quenching and autoignition in prechamber spark plugs for gas engines A prechamber spark plug may have a prechamber having a pre-determined aspect ratio and hole pattern to achieve particular combustion performance characteristics. The aspect ratio and hole pattern may induce a rotational flow of fuel-air in-filling streams inside the prechamber volume. The rotational flow of the fuel-air mixture may include both radial flow and axial flow characteristics based on the aspect ratio and hole pattern. Axial flow characteristics can include a first axial direction proximate the periphery of the rotational flow and a counter second axial direction approaching the center of the rotational flow. The radial and axial flow characteristics may further include radial air-fuel ratio stratification and/or axial air-fuel ratio stratification. The rotational flow, the radial flow and the axial flow may be adjusted by alteration of the aspect ratio and hole pattern to achieve particular combustion performance characteristics in relation to a wide variety of spark gap geometries.
US09004035B2	Starter motor A starter motor for an internal combustion engine has an electric motor, a shaft driven by the motor, and a pinion assembly arranged to engage a flywheel of the engine. The pinion assembly has a drive collar mounted to a helical spline of the shaft, an output gear and an elastic member disposed between the drive collar and the output gear. A connection shell prevents axial separation between the drive collar and the output gear. The elastic member prevents direct contact between the connection shell and at least one and possibly both of the drive collar and the output gear.
US09004031B1	Connecting structure of multiple variable valve lift apparatus A variable valve lift apparatus that has a simplified configuration is provided. The apparatus includes a camshaft and first and second cam forming portions inserted with the cam shaft to rotate together with the camshaft and be movable in a shaft direction of the camshaft, and includes an upper cam and a lower cam. A valve opening/closing device is actuated by the upper cam or the lower cam. First and second moving units are inserted with the camshaft and are movable together with the cam forming portions. First and second actuating units selectively move the moving units in the shaft direction of the camshaft and are mounted on a mounting portion. A positioning unit is connected with the moving units, and has first and second grooves. A stopper unit is mounted on the mounting portion, and is selectively inserted into the grooves to align the cam forming portions.
US09004028B2	Valve timing control apparatus Even when sliding occurs between a radially extending face of a spring member and at least one of a driving-side rotary member and a driven-side rotary member, wear of the at least one of the driving-side rotary member and the driven-side rotary member is prevented. Along the axial direction of the camshaft, a torsion spring is provided between the driven-side rotary member and a housing side face portion for urging the relative rotational phase to the angle advancing direction or the angle retarding direction, and a spring washer is disposed between the driven-side rotary member and the torsion spring.
US09004027B2	Cam-data creation device and cam-data creation program A cam-data creation device includes: a waveform generating/processing unit that generates at least one of a stroke waveform and a velocity waveform of a follower for each piece of cam data from cam data stored in a cam-data storage unit, a cam-data waveform-image processing unit that converts a waveform for each piece of cam data generated by the waveform generating/processing unit into image data, and a screen generating/processing unit that generates a list display window that collectively displays the waveform for every piece of cam data having been converted into image data by the cam-data waveform-image processing unit and displays the generated list display window on a display device.
US09004022B2	Engine including a crankshaft An inline engine is provided. The engine includes a cylinder block with four cylinders and only three main bearing saddles. The engine also includes a crankshaft with only three main bearing journals. The engine may exhibit less friction than other similar engines.
US09004010B2	Ultrasonic noise device An ultrasonic noise device that can be used as an animal entertainment device and/or animal training device. The ultrasonic noise device includes a compressible bladder defining an air retaining cavity and a nozzle operably connected to the bladder and fluidly connected to the air retaining cavity. The nozzle including a nozzle flow pathway extending from a first end of the nozzle to a second end of the nozzle. The ultrasonic noise device also includes a resonator operably connected to the nozzle and defining a resonator flow pathway in fluid communication with the nozzle flow pathway and a pin positioned at least partially within the nozzle flow pathway and aligned with the nozzle flow pathway and a first end of the pin extends towards but does not reach a tip of the nozzle.
US09004002B2	Mask assembly having a plurality of projections at a boundary of adjacent two deposition masks A mask assembly is disclosed to improve organic material deposition efficiency including: a plurality of deposition masks, at least one of opposite ends of each of the plurality of deposition masks is formed to have a plurality of projections, which form at least one boundary aperture region at a boundary of adjacent two deposition masks.
US09003999B2	Liquid consumption counters Liquid consumption counter devices are described herein. One liquid consumption counter device can comprise a body having a number of indicator points, and a counter coupled to the body, wherein the counter rotates around the body to each of the number of indicator points and wherein rotation of the counter to each of the consecutive indicator points indicates consumption of a volume of liquid.
US09003992B2	Anchor reeling Apparatus for anchor line reeling to raise or lower an anchor using a cranked reel employing a clutch bearing and a drag, which drag is controllably released by reverse rotation of the crank. An additional reel drag is used to prevent reel overturning when the anchor is lowered and hits bottom.
US09003991B1	Universal trolling motor pedal A pedal control is applied to a trolling motor shaft to allow the driver of a boat to control the direction of the trolling motor from nearly any location within the boat to which the trolling motor is attached, the pedal control having a mechanical adjustable length extension rod between an adjustable height arm on the pedal and a bracket mounted to the trolling motor shaft with a universal joint applied at each end of the extension rod, allowing placement at a variety of distances and a variety of angles from the pedal on the floor of the boat to the trolling motor. A cut-off switch is optionally applied to the pivotal footplate on the pedal to turn the trolling motor on or off or remain at a constant speed.
US09003985B2	Device and non-transitory computer-readable medium A device includes a processor and a memory. The memory is configured to store a plurality of group information pieces, the number of thread colors to be used in embroidery sewing and computer-readable instructions. Each of the group information pieces is associated with one more thread colors among a plurality of thread colors. The computer-readable instructions cause the processor, when executed, to perform processes that includes acquiring image data including pixels, replacing a color of each of the pixels with a thread color from the thread colors, calculating a frequency of using each of the thread colors, selecting, until the number of thread colors selected from the thread colors is equal the number of thread colors to be used stored in the memory, one thread color from each of the group information pieces sequentially, based on the group information pieces stored in the memory and on the calculated frequency.
US09003984B2	Storage tank mounting arrangement for an agricultural implement An agricultural implement includes a frame assembly configured to support a storage tank. The frame assembly includes a pair of longitudinal beams positioned on opposite lateral sides of the storage tank, and multiple cross members extending between the pair of longitudinal beams. A substantially flat upper surface of each cross member is secured to a lower surface of each longitudinal beam, and each cross member is configured to support the storage tank via contact between the substantially flat upper surface of the cross member and a substantially flat lower surface of the storage tank such that the substantially flat lower surface of the storage tank is positioned vertically below an upper surface of each longitudinal beam.
US09003973B1	Narrowing high strength polymer-based cartridge casing for blank and subsonic ammunition A high strength polymer-based cartridge casing includes an upper component of polymer, a bullet of a standard weight, a lower component of polymer, and an insert. The upper component has a shoulder portion and an upper component inner wall has a first diameter extending from the shoulder. The lower component has a lower component inner wall having a second diameter. The upper and lower component inner walls form a propellant chamber; and the first and second diameters reduce a volume of the propellant chamber. The reduced volume of the propellant chamber permits only enough propellant to propel a bullet engaged in the cartridge casing at subsonic speeds.
US09003963B2	Blade attachment for meat cutters A meat cutter, a blade head and an associated cutter blade (11, 12) are provided to reduce the complexity with respect to assembly and disassembly and the diversity of the parts, and the potential danger during assembly and disassembly. This is achieved according to the invention by providing the blade foot (2) of the cutter blade (1, 11, 12) with a toothing structure (8) with projections (9) and recesses (10), which point towards the drive shaft (19) and by means of which the cutter blade (11, 12) can be positioned in a rotationally secure manner in a matching toothing structure (14), by being pushed on in the axial direction.
US09003957B2	Apparatus for the preparation of a hot beverage, in particular a milk-based beverage An apparatus for preparing a hot beverage. The apparatus includes a hot steam source for supplying a flow of steam into a vessel, a rotary stirring device including a rotatable shaft which carries a stirring rotor; and a cleaning container. A control unit controls movement of the stirring device between its rest position and its working position; the activation of the steam source and of the stirring device while the shaft and the rotor of the latter extend inside a vessel; and the activation of the steam source and of the stirring device while the shaft and the rotor of the latter extend in the cleaning container.
US09003956B2	Fluid cylinder mechanism A fluid cylinder mechanism (1) equipped with a cylinder (10) having a base end (12) and an open end (11), and a piston (20) having a flange portion (21) disposed inside the cylinder and a rod portion (25) that passes through the open end of the cylinder, in which a space inside the cylinder is partitioned by the flange portion of the piston into a first pressured chamber (14) on a side of the base end and a second pressurized chamber (15) on a side of the open end, is characterized by including: a first flow path (22) that permits flow of a fluid from the first pressurized chamber to the second pressurized chamber; a second flow path (32) that permits flow of the fluid from the second pressurized chamber to the first pressurized chamber; and an opening and closing means (35) for opening and closing the second flow path.
US09003949B2	Automatic pneumatic valve reset system A cup for an air valve assembly in a positive displacement pneumatic motor includes a cup body, a gas cavity, and a first pilot slot. The cup body is rectilinear and has a sliding face as one side, and the gas cavity is concave and extends into the cup body through the sliding face and terminates within the cup body. The first pilot slot extends from the gas cavity and into the cup body through the sliding face and terminates within the cup body.
US09003930B2	Clamping pliers Fluid line clamping pliers include shanks, jaws, handles, a pivot connecting the shanks such that first and second jaws are opposed to one another and movable using first and second handles within a common plane between a clamping position and a non-clamping position. The pliers include a biasing mechanism, a locking mechanism, and a retainer return mechanism. A retainer is adapted to be pivoted to a locking position using an index finger of an operator of the clamping pliers while the operator's other fingers grasp the handles of the clamping pliers, and the retainer return mechanism is adapted to move the retainer from a locking position to a non-locking position when the operator squeezes the handles towards one another while the jaws are in a clamping position.
US09003929B2	Oil filter cap removal and drain tool An oil filter removal tool and system for the removal and drainage of an oil filter comprising: an oil drain connector, where said connector connects to an oil filter cap of the oil filter; a turn bolt at a distal end of the tool, where said bolt is used to turn the removal tool; a second turn bolt, where the second turn bolt turns counter clockwise to secure the connector to the filter cap; a drain tube provided at the distal end of the tool that inserts onto a drain plug; a body portion, where the body portion secures around the oil filter and surrounds the oil drain connector; and notches, where said notches are provided around a perimeter edge of the body portion of the removal tool.
US09003925B2	Twin electronic torque management device An axle module may comprise an outer housing and a ring gear assembly rotatably supported within the outer housing on a hub. The axle module may further include first and second shafts arranged within the ring gear assembly, and first and second inner hubs rotatably fixed to the first and second shafts, respectively. Additionally, the axle module may include first and second clutch packs, each having a first plurality of friction plates fixed for rotation to the first and second inner hubs, and a second plurality of friction plates fixed for rotation to the hub. Exemplary axle modules may have a reduced packaging width.
US09003918B2	Robot arm with an adjustment device The invention relates to a robot arm of an industrial robot. The robot arm includes a flange provided to secure an end effector and several sequentially-positioned members connected by means of links, of which one of the members is mounted immediately before the flange, and the flange is mounted to rotate with respect to an axis relative to this member. To adjust the flange with respect to the member mounted immediately before the flange, the robot arm comprises an adjustment device that includes a base carrier is detachably attachable to the flange particularly by means of screws, with an adjustment means disposed on the base carrier that interacts with a counter-adjustment means disposed on the member mounted immediately before the flange.
US09003917B2	Adjustable shifter mechanism A gear shifter includes a frame and a pivot frame pivotally mounted to the frame. A gear shift lever is pivotally interfaced to the pivot frame by a pivot pin passing through a bore in the gear shift lever. The gear shift lever extends upwardly beyond the frame and a lower section of the gear shift lever extends downwardly into the frame. A fastener passes at least partially though the gear shift lever and interfaces with the pivot pin such that, one position of the fastener locks the pivot pin within the gear shift lever and within the pivot frame and, a second position of the fastener frees the pivot pin from both, therefore facilitating removal of the gear shift lever. The lower section of the gear shift lever is interfaced to a first transmission linkage and the pivot frame is interfaced to a second transmission linkage.
US09003909B2	Rack bar supporting device of vehicle steering apparatus A rack bar supporting device for a vehicle steering apparatus, having a clearance between the rack bar and a support yoke can be kept always constant when the vehicle steering apparatus is operated, which makes it possible to reduce operational friction and noise, to maintain the supporting force of the support yoke and the rack bar to be constant for a long time, and to improve a steering feeling of a driver.
US09003906B2	Eleven speed dual clutch transmission A transmission is connectable to an input member and includes an output transfer gear, first and second shaft members, first and second countershaft members, a plurality of co-planar gear sets, and a plurality of torque transmitting devices. The torque transmitting devices include a plurality of gears, synchronizer assemblies and a dual clutch assembly. The transmission is operable to provide at least one reverse speed ratio and a plurality of forward speed ratios between the input member and the output member.
US09003904B2	Transmission assembly for a vehicle A transmission assembly for a vehicle includes a transmission mechanism, a clutch unit and a switching mechanism. The transmission mechanism includes first and second gears meshing with each other. The clutch unit is slidable along a crankshaft rotation axis between an engaging position, in which the clutch unit engages the first gear, and a disengaging position, in which the clutch unit is disengaged from the first gear. The switching mechanism includes a motor, and a clutch-driving member that is driven by the motor to move relative to the transmission mechanism and the clutch unit and to drive sliding movement of the clutch unit from the disengaging position to the engaging position.
US09003900B2	Chain force measuring device for mounting on a bicycle A chain force measuring device for measuring a chain force of a bicycle includes a dropout body unit having frame and axle connecting portions which are respectively connected to a frame fork and a wheel axle to define an accommodation space therebetween, and a hall sensing unit having a sensor extending from the frame connecting portion to spacedly confront a magnetic element which is disposed on a slidable carrier. By shifting of the magnetic element with the carrier due to the chain force exerted on the wheel axle, a magnetic field generated thereby is changed so as to give off a signal indicative of the magnitude of the chain force.
US09003893B2	Chain link tester A chain link tester and method of use is disclosed herein. The chain link tester may contain a tapered lever and may be adapted to operatively connect to a torque metering device. The chain link tester may be used to test chain links.
US09003885B2	Tri-axis accelerometer having a single proof mass and fully differential output signals A tri-axis accelerometer includes a proof mass, at least four anchor points arranged in at least two opposite pairs, a first pair of anchor points being arranged opposite one another along a first axis, a second pair of anchor points being arranged opposite one another along a second axis, the first axis and the second axis being perpendicular to one another, and at least four spring units to connect the proof mass to the at least four anchor points, the spring units each including a pair of identical springs, each spring including a sensing unit.
US09003884B2	Oscillation type inertia force sensor An oscillation type inertia force sensor includes an oscillator, an oscillation circuit unit, and a detection circuit unit. The oscillation circuit unit functions as a self oscillation circuit of a closed loop with the oscillator as a resonant element, and includes an AGC circuit. The AGC circuit includes a VGA circuit, a comparison circuit comparing a predetermined reference voltage with a voltage of the monitor signal to output a control signal based on the compared result, and a pulse width modulation circuit modulating the control signal to a pulse width modulation signal. Based on the pulse width modulation signal, the driving signal is modulated with the output of the VGA circuit switched between an ON state and OFF state to control the degree of the amplification factor of the VGA circuit.
US09003880B2	Reference speed measurement for a non-destructive testing system A system includes a non-destructive testing (NDT) system having an NDT probe and a processor. The NDT probe includes a testing sensor and a motion sensor. The testing sensor is configured to capture sensor data from an inspection area, and the motion sensor is configured to detect a measurement speed at which the NDT probe moves relative to the inspection area. The processor is configured to determine a speed comparison between the measurement speed and a reference speed range.
US09003876B2	Thermal mass flowmeter with a metal-encapsulated sensor system A thermal mass flowmeter with a metal-encapsulated sensor system is provided. The sensor system included at least one heating resistor having a platelet geometry, and a sensor cap surrounding the at least one heating resistor. At least one distal end area of the sensor cap is formed with a flat rectangular cross section corresponding to the platelet geometry of the heating resistor, such that the distal end area of the sensor cap surrounds the heating resistor closely with an accurate fit (e.g., with a predetermined gap therebetween).
US09003869B2	Use of vibrational spectroscopy for DNA content inspection This disclosure concerns a cytometry system including a handling system that enables presentation of single cells to at least one laser source. The laser source is configured to deliver light to a cell within the cells in order to induce bond vibrations in the cellular DNA. The system further includes a detection facility that detects the signature of the bond vibrations, wherein the bond vibration signature is used to calculate a DNA content carried by the cell.
US09003863B2	Method and device for correcting the actual limit value of a sensor A controlling unit and a method of correcting an actual limit value of a sensor signal is described, wherein above or below the limit value a specific state of the sensor is recognized, the method including the steps of determining a new limit value of the sensor, determining a stability criteria to decide whether the actual limit value is corrected with said new limit value and approaching the actual limit value to the new limit value when the conditions are fulfilled to correct the actual limit value for said sensor.
US09003855B2	Pressure ring for extrusion press and extrusion press comprising such a pressure ring An extrusion press comprising a pressure ring (6) having a convex shape rear base (62) resting in a seat (71) of a platen (7). The convex shape is either spherical or truncated cone shaped so as to relieve onto the platen (7) the greatest amount of extrusion pressure exerted on the front face (61) of the pressure ring (6) of the die pack (3). This limits the deformation on the front base (61) and consequently the geometric variations of the extruded profile (5).
US09003850B2	Boundary layer improvement of plate springs or undulating springs A process for producing plate springs or undulating springs wherein surface regions which are subjected to tensile stresses when the spring is under load are provided with an internal compressive stress in the boundary layer, wherein said surface regions are rollingly compressed by a ball or roller or subjected to tensile stress and compressed by shot peening.
US09003849B2	Method of coating metal filament with rubber, method of producing cord, cord, rubber coating apparatus and cord producing apparatus An object of the present invention is to make it possible to provide a cord, in particular, a cord for reinforcing a rubber article in which rubber permeation properties are improved by coating filaments as constituents of the cord with rubber in a reliable and stable manner. The cord of the present invention is produced by, when the metal filament is guided to an extruder and extruded together with rubber from a mouthpiece of the extruder so that the metal filament is coated with the rubber, juxtaposing plural metal filaments in the mouthpiece and extruding the metal filaments together with rubber.
US09003843B2	Integrated door operator hardware Disclosed in one aspect is the fixed door pull handle assembly that includes an elongated door pull handle with two or more support standoffs projecting away from the elongated door pull handle and securing the elongated door pull handle to the doorframe or to the body of the door. One of the support standoffs is user rotatable, and rotatably engages a door latch assembly within the door. In another aspect, the support standoff is not user rotatable. Instead, a center-pivoting handle is mounted in-line with one of the support standoffs and rotatably engages the door latch assembly within the door. The center-pivoting handle is recessed within the elongated handle.
US09003842B2	Latches for gates and doors A latch has a displaceable latching element in a housing for engagement with a separate striker arm to be latched behind an engagement shoulder of the latching element. The housing mounts a cylinder lock to receive a key from the front. A rotor is mounted on the rear of cylinder lock and rotation of the key causes rotation of the rotor to drive a locking element to engage and lock the latching element. The rotor may also be axial displaceable against spring biasing responsive to a rear unit pushing element whereby unlocking from a rear cylinder lock may rotate the rotor to unlock and pushing causes the latching element to be displaced against its biasing to release the striker arm.
US09003828B2	Method and system for production of liquid natural gas A process and system for liquefying a hydrocarbon gas is provided. The hydrocarbon feed gas is pre-treated to remove sour species and water therefrom. The pre-treated feed gas is then passed to a refrigeration zone where it is cooled and expanded to produce a hydrocarbon liquid. A closed loop single mixed refrigerant provides most of the refrigeration to the refrigeration zone together with an auxiliary refrigeration system. The auxiliary refrigeration system and closed loop single mixed refrigerant are coupled in such a manner that waste heat generated by a gas turbine drive of the compressor in the closed loop single mixed refrigerant drives the auxiliary refrigeration system and the auxiliary refrigeration system cools the inlet air of the gas turbine. In this way, substantial improvements are made in the production capacity of the system.
US09003825B2	Refrigerator with module receiving conduits A refrigerator door includes the ability to mount a variety of modules requiring utilities, such as electricity and fluids, within adjustable locations in the door of the refrigerator. The door includes a conduit extending in at least one direction and including one or more plug-in connectors for allowing a module with a mating connector to be positioned on the door for supplying operating utilities to the module. This allows the purchaser of the refrigerator to add components and accessories to the refrigerator after purchase or select desired features at the time of purchase.
US09003810B2	Aircraft cover including means for limiting the scoop phenomena of pneumatic type An aircraft nacelle includes at its outside wall a cowl moveable relative to the nacelle so as to block or unblock an opening. The cowl includes an articulation and locking/unlocking elements distant from the upstream edge of the cowl that include elements for limiting the appearance of scooping phenomena. The limiting elements include at least one lock integral with the rest of the nacelle or respectively the cowl that can occupy a locked state in which part of the lock interferes with the cowl or respectively the rest of the nacelle and prevents a deformation that includes a radial component of the cowl, and another free state in which the part no longer interferes with the cowl or respectively the rest of the nacelle and allows the opening movement of the cowl, with the switch from one state to the next being generated by a gas pressure variation.
US09003808B2	Turbofan with gear-driven compressor and fan-driven core A gas turbine engine comprises an outer engine case, a combustor, a high pressure spool and a low pressure spool. The combustor is disposed within the outer engine case. The high pressure spool is configured for rotation coaxially with the combustor. The low pressure spool is configured for rotation coaxially with the high pressure spool. The low pressure spool is configured to rotate at speeds faster than that of the high pressure spool during operation of the gas turbine engine. In one embodiment, the low pressure spool includes a gear system configured to rotate a low pressure compressor faster than a low pressure turbine. In another embodiment, the high pressure spool rotates outward of the combustor within the outer engine case. In another embodiment, the high pressure spool includes a drum having radially inward projecting blades and vanes and radially outward projecting fan blades.
US09003804B2	Multipoint injectors with auxiliary stage A multipoint combustion system for a gas turbine engine includes a housing defining a pressure vessel. A master injector is mounted to the housing for injecting fuel along a central axis. A plurality of slave injectors are each disposed outward of the master injector for injecting fuel and air in an ignition plume radially outward of fuel injected through the master injector. The master injector and slave injectors are configured and adapted so the injection plume of the master injector intersects with the ignition plumes of the slave injectors. A primary manifold is included within the pressure vessel for distributing fuel to the slave injectors. An auxiliary manifold is in fluid communication with the auxiliary nozzles of the slave injectors for issuing an auxiliary flow of fuel from the auxiliary nozzles that is separate from the fuel flow of the primary manifold.
US09003803B2	Combustor cap assembly A support structure for a burner tube in a combustor cap assembly for a gas turbine combustor includes an outer annular ring; an inner annular hub; and a plurality of struts extending radially between said outer annular ring and the inner hub. The inner hub is provided with a piston ring groove and a piston ring adapted to receive and seal an inner end of the burner tube.
US09003790B2	Turbocharger with improved casing and diffuser areas A turbocharger includes a compressor, a turbine, a shaft coupling the compressor to the turbine, and a turbo casing configured to improve pressure recovery and reduce energy loss from exhaust flow. In one embodiment, the turbo casing may include a geometry configured to improve exhaust flow towards an exhaust outlet. The turbo casing may include a torus shaped chamber having a cross-sectional area that progressively increases in an annular direction of the flow towards the exhaust outlet.
US09003787B2	Control apparatus and control method for stirling engine An ECU is used for a Stirling engine that is provided with a starter that drives an output shaft of the Stirling engine. The ECU includes a control portion that commences an engine-starting drive of the starter within a phase interval, during which the torque of the Stirling engine that varies according to phase of the output shaft is relatively small. The phase interval is an interval during which the torque of the Stirling engine is less than or equal to the torque obtained when the compression begins. The phase at which the driving of the starter is commenced is set to the phase at which the torque of the Stirling engine becomes smaller than the torque obtained when the compression begins.
US09003783B2	Burner arrangement for a two-stroke locomotive diesel engine having an exhaust aftertreatment system A diesel locomotive burner arrangement for controlling the temperature of exhaust gas at the exhaust aftertreatment system thereby controlling the oxidation of soot within the aftertreatment system filters. The burner is arranged in isolation of the locomotive engine to ensure freedom from vibration and excessive thermal input, as well as ease of servicing.
US09003780B2	Exhaust gas purification device An exhaust gas purification device capable of enhancing handling operability such as maintenance of an engine includes two gas purification bodies which purify exhaust gas discharged from the engine, inner cases in which the gas purification bodies are incorporated, and outer cases in which the inner cases are incorporated. The outer cases are arranged side by side in a moving direction of exhaust gas and connected to each other. One of the adjoining inner cases is inserted into the other inner case to form a double-layer structure. A loosely-fitting gap is formed between an inner side surface of the one inner case and an outer side surface of the other inner case.
US09003779B2	Wheel loader A wheel loader includes an engine, a selective catalyst reduction device, and an injection device accommodated in an engine room defined by a vehicle body cover. The wheel loader further includes a partition plate, a reducing agent tank, a reducing agent pump, and a reducing agent pipe. The selective catalyst reduction device is for treating exhaust gas from the engine. The injection device is for injecting reducing agent into the exhaust gas fed from the engine toward the selective catalyst reduction device. The partition plate is disposed between the selective catalyst reduction device and the vehicle body cover. The reducing agent tank stores reducing agent. The reducing agent pump supplies the reducing agent from the reducing agent tank to the injection device. The reducing agent pipe connects the reducing agent pump and the injection device, and extends between the vehicle body cover and the partition plate inside the engine room.
US09003768B2	Variable fan inlet guide vane assembly, turbine engine with such an assembly and corresponding controlling method A turbine engine includes a plurality of variable fan inlet guide vanes. Where the turbine engine is a tip turbine engine, the variable fan inlet guide vanes permit the ability to control engine stability even though the fan-turbine rotor assembly is directly coupled to the axial compressor at a fixed rate. The fan inlet guide vanes may be actuated from an inner diameter of the fan inlet guide vanes.
US09003756B2	Rake positioned between a flail rotor and an auger A flail rotor head attachment for use with any type harvesting machine having crop residue processing elements and including an input opening for receiving crop residue. The attachment includes a frame structure for operatively coupling the attachment to the harvesting machine, a flail rotor and an auger each mounted on the frame structure and a drive mechanism for rotating the flail rotor and the auger. The flail rotor includes a plurality of cutting elements for picking up and chopping crop residue from a field. The auger includes at least two flightings positioned in opposite directions for funneling crop residue towards the opening of the harvesting machine. Another embodiment includes a rake positioned between the flail rotor and the auger, the rake and the flail rotor rotating in the same direction and the auger rotating in an opposite direction.
US09003752B2	Harvesting machine for erecting and threshing and collecting crop materials A harvesting machine for threshing crop materials includes a platform supported in front of a chassis, an erecting device having a number pairs of guiding bars attached to the platform and having a channel formed between two bar members of each pair of guiding bars, a guiding element disposed between every two adjacent pairs of guiding bars for guiding a stalk of the crop materials into the channel of the guiding bars, a number of pawls extended into the channel for sending the stalk of the crop materials into the channel, and a cutting device having two or more cutting elements for cutting the stalk into a lower base segment that carries no grain and an upper straw segment that carries grains.
US09003745B2	Working station with a cutting tool for quickly cutting a width of film A working station for a packaging machine for sealing a package and quickly cutting a top film and a method for operating such a working station. The working station may include a sealing tool upper part, a sealing tool lower part, a sealing frame, a movable cutting tool having a blade for cutting a top film, and at least one energy storage device in operable engagement with the cutting tool and the sealing frame. The at least one energy storage device may be configured for accumulating potential energy upon a relative movement of the sealing frame with respect to the cutting tool. The working station may further include a holding mechanism that is operable to hold the cutting tool to a portion of the working station that is stationary with respect to the cutting tool and the sealing frame.
US09003741B2	Articles and methods for laying ceramic tile floor Ceramic floors and methods of making thereof such that the ceramic tiles are quickly and easily removable from the floor substrate and replaceable at a future date.A ceramic tile floor is laid by releasably adhering a sheet to a floor substrate and bonding at least one ceramic tile to the sheet.A plurality of pre-fabricated articles each comprising a sheet and one or more ceramic tiles bonded to the sheet are laid onto the floor substrate with sheet edges abutting, and the sheets are releasably adhered to the floor substrate. The tile edges are set inwardly from the sheet edges so that a tile of one article is spaced from a tile of another article when the articles are laid. A non-Portland cement grout, preferably urethane grout, is provided between adjacent tiles.
US09003734B2	Multi-component retaining wall block with natural stone appearance A mortarless retaining wall constructed of a plurality of segmental retaining wall (SRW) blocks stacked in an array of superimposed rows. Each SRW block includes a face unit having connectors and one or more anchoring units each having connectors. The anchoring unit connectors are of complementary shape to interlock with respective face unit connectors. The face unit and each anchoring unit forming the SRW block when interlocked, each anchoring unit for confronting soil being retained by the retaining wall. The face units have first and second load bearing surfaces and first and second end surfaces forming front edges which are non-linear along the entire edge. The first and second load bearing surfaces are non-planar across the entire load bearing surfaces.
US09003732B2	Mobile partitioning wall A mobile partitioning wall is disclosed and provided with several wall elements, which are displaceably suspended at running rails. The wall elements have a structure that is simple to manufacture and to mount and is universally usable. The wall elements are formed without supporting frame.
US09003728B2	Modular, self supporting exterior enclosure system with insulating, evacuated tubes having solar collector rods A tubular building enclosure system with thermally-broken modules having evacuated air spaces assembled in rows and/or columns to form a structurally self-supporting, thermally insulating, and solar energy collecting facade.
US09003721B1	Leveling arrangement for a tower Provided is a leveling arrangement for a tower, which leveling arrangement comprises a leveling ring realized for placement between a tower foundation and the tower; and a leveling apparatus, which leveling apparatus comprises a connection means for detachably connecting the leveling apparatus to the leveling ring during a leveling procedure; and a number of adjustment legs, wherein an adjustment leg is realized to effect a displacement of the leveling ring relative to the tower foundation during the leveling procedure; along with a method of providing a level mounting interface for a tower; and a method of erecting a wind turbine tower; and a wind turbine tower assembly.
US09003717B2	Tropical ventilation well The invention relates to a ventilation well with hurricane-resistant function for a building comprising an inclined roof (11), intended to be adapted to said building in such a way as to extend over its entire height, communicating towards the exterior of the building at the peak of the roof, and having at least one lateral opening (3, 4) communicating with the inside volume of the building, characterized in that it further comprises a cap (5) which may be adjustable in height and/or removable at the top of the well.
US09003713B2	Modular rail system for suspending sliding doors and sliding door system with user accessible braking/stopping element A modular rail system for suspending sliding doors, including at least one rail profile having a top side arranged for being fixed against a horizontal wall part, a bottom side having a rail portion for carrying suspension wheels of a sliding door, a first lateral side arranged for being fixed against a vertical wall part, and an open second lateral side. On both opposite lateral sides the rail profile includes recesses having substantially the same shape for engaging complementary spacer elements. A sliding door system including a rail system, at least one sliding door with suspension wheels and at least one repositionable braking/stopping element having a stop for defining an extreme position of the sliding door and a releasable fixing element for fixing the braking/stopping element in the rail system. The fixing element is spaced a predetermined distance from the stop, chosen for maintaining user accessibility to the fixing element while the stop is located in a user inaccessible position.
US09003711B2	Seal arrangement for opening of a vehicle body A seal arrangement is provided for an opening, in particular a door or window opening of a vehicle body, having a fastening flange delimiting the opening, which is used for fastening a peripheral seal profile part and is formed by at least one vehicle body part, the fastening flange provided with one or more projections arranged around the opening on at least one flange face and the seal profile part having at least one shoulder, which engages behind the projections, for fastening on the fastening flange. A seal profile part is also provided and a method is provided for the production of a seal arrangement. A seal profile part having at least one shoulder is applied to the fastening flange delimiting the opening. The at least one shoulder caused to engage behind one or more projections of the fastening flange to fasten the seal profile part on the fastening flange.
US09003701B2	Plant growth method and article The present invention is directed to device and method for promoting plant growth. The device is a plant spacing member that has a body and a first end and a second end. The first end and second end have openings for receiving at least one plant limb therein to create a space between the limbs of the plant. An increased flow of air and light then flow through the created space to the interior of the plant to stimulate the growth of the plant. In addition, the increase flow of air and light dries the plant to reduce the accumulation of mold and mildew.
US09003699B2	Covers for plant-growing media A cover for a plant-growing medium comprises a main cover portion, a peripheral base spaced from the main cover portion and defining an outer perimeter of the cover, and a peripheral wall extending from a first side of the main cover portion between the main cover portion and the peripheral base. One or more plant growth channels are defined by one or more tubes extending from the first side of the main cover portion. Each tube has a proximal end adjacent the main cover portion and a distal end relative to the proximal end, with a first aperture defined in the main cover portion at the proximal end of the tube and a second aperture defined at the distal end of the tube. The first aperture and the second aperture communicate through the tube to define each plant growth channel.
US09003698B2	Greenhouse screen The invention refers to a greenhouse screen comprising strips of film material that are interconnected by a yarn system by means of hosiery, knitting, warp-knitting or weaving process to form a continuous product. At least some of the strips comprise a film material in the form of a multilayer polyester film having a thickness less than 60 μm and comprising at least two layers, wherein at least one layer is white and at least one layer is black, the at least one white layer comprises polyester and a white pigment in an amount between 5 and 50 weight-% based on the total weight of the white layer, and the at least one black layer comprises polyester and a black opacifying agent.
US09003683B1	Folding sign Improvements in a foldable sign are disclosed. The sign provide a foldable “A” frame floor sign that folds for easy storage. The folding sign generally includes An “A” frame. The “A” frame provides a stable platform with multiple cross members that support the sign from wind or uneven surfaces. The “A” frame folds in two dimensions to create a dense elongated collapsed structure. The storage is by folding the structure at the apex of the “A” frame and bringing the sides together. Because the sign is flexible, the sign can be folded or wrapped around the collapsed frame. In this dense elongated collapsed structure the folding sign can be placed in an elongated storage bag. While the sign is folded for storage and transportation, when the sign is expanded it essentially resembles traditional “A” frame structures with the same overall dimensions.
US09003682B2	Adjustable sign holder device A sign holder device for the support and display of signage. The device includes a base, sign holder and a stem, the stem having a first end appended to the base and a second end supporting the sign holder. The stem has a length defined by the distance between its first and second ends, the length being adjustable to vary the distance between the base and sign holder.
US09003678B2	Article of footwear with support members and connecting members An article of footwear includes an upper and a midsole positioned beneath the upper. The midsole includes an upper portion formed of a first material and a lower portion formed of a second material and positioned beneath the upper portion. The lower portion includes a plurality of support members spaced from adjacent support members. A plurality of connecting members extend between and are connected to adjacent support members, with the connecting members having a height that is less than a height of the support members to which the connecting members are connected, and an upper surface that is substantially flush with an upper surface of the support members to which the connecting members are connected.
US09003675B2	Fuel preprocess system for coal combustion boiler A fuel preprocess system for a coal combustion boiler is disclosed. The fuel preprocess system for a coal combustion boiler that dries biomass or refuse-derived fuel in accordance with the present invention can include: a dryer configured to dry the biomass or refuse-derived fuel by use of flue gas generated after combustion in the boiler; and a torrefier configured to devolatilize a fibrous component contained in the dried fuel from the fuel dried in the dryer by use of primary air that is heat-exchanged after the combustion in the boiler.
US09003665B2	Identification tag with breakaway tool An identification tag having one or more breakaway tools that may be utilized by uncoupling, or otherwise breaking the tool or tools away from the identification tag to expose a working edge or point for example. Generally includes identification information on the tag along with one or more relatively flat tool including but not limited to one or more knives, saws, screwdrivers, pry bars, can openers, bottle openers, chisels, awls, ice picks, sharpeners or any other relatively flat tool with a working edge or point or any combination thereof.
US09003661B2	Production method for coned disc spring and clutch apparatus provided with coned disc spring A clutch apparatus is equipped with two clutch structures having a clutch drum therein. A driven plate and a piston are provided in the clutch drum of each clutch structure, and a primary coned disc spring and a secondary coned disc spring, which are ring-shaped, are provided between the driven plate and the piston. A flat portion 12 is formed on an inner peripheral portion of a convex surface of the primary coned disc spring 1, and the flat portion 12 can come into contact with a counter member first when a load is applied. A load in a flat condition due to elastic deformation is adjusted by the flat portion so as to be a desirable value. Blanks 1A and 2A of the primary coned disc spring and the secondary coned disc spring can be obtained from one sheet of material having the same thickness. In this case, the flat portion 12A is formed by press forming on an inner peripheral portion of the blank 1A in view of the shape thereof after bending forming is performed.
US09003658B2	Method for enclosing heat pipe with metal and composite heat pipe thereof A method for enclosing a heat pipe with metal is disclosed. The method includes the steps of: a) providing a tube made of a metal; b) putting the heat pipe in a hollow of the tube; and c) stretching the tube to shrink an inner diameter of the tube for tightly enclosing the heat pipe.
US09003654B2	Method for metalizing blind vias A method for metalizing at least one blind via formed in at least one substrate, including: a) arranging at least one solid portion of electrically conductive material in the blind via, b) performing a thermal treatment of the solid portion of electrically conductive material, making it melt in the blind via, cooling the electrically conductive material, solidifying it in the blind via, and wherein, before carrying out step a), at least part of the walls of the blind via is covered with a material able to prevent wetting of said part of the walls of the blind via by the melted electrically conductive material obtained during the performance of step b), the solidified electrically conductive material obtained after carrying out step c) being able not to be secured to said non-wetting part of the walls of the blind via.
US09003653B2	Method for the production of a ceramic multilayer circuit arrangement A method for producing a ceramic multilayer circuit system, and a corresponding multilayer circuit system are provided. An embodiment of the method includes sequential deposition of a plurality of circuit layers of the multilayer circuit system on a substrate using a powder spray method; pressing of the deposited plurality of circuit layers; and thermal sintering of the pressed plurality of circuit layers. The individual circuit layers have electrically conductive areas made of at least one conductive material and electrically insulating areas made of at least one ceramic material.
US09003645B1	Ultrasonic device for assessing the quality of a wire crimp A system for determining the quality of an electrical wire crimp between a wire and ferrule includes an ultrasonically equipped crimp tool (UECT) configured to transmit an ultrasonic acoustic wave through a wire and ferrule, and a signal processor in communication with the UECT. The signal processor includes a signal transmitting module configured to transmit the ultrasonic acoustic wave via an ultrasonic transducer, signal receiving module configured to receive the ultrasonic acoustic wave after it passes through the wire and ferrule, and a signal analysis module configured to identify signal differences between the ultrasonic waves. The signal analysis module is then configured to compare the signal differences attributable to the wire crimp to a baseline, and to provide an output signal if the signal differences deviate from the baseline.
US09003643B2	Systems for stator bar shape tooling Certain embodiments of the invention may include systems for providing stator bar shape tooling. According to an example embodiment of the invention, a system for shaping an element is provided. The system includes tooling that having at least one constraining surface that is fabricated at least in part by selective laser sintering, where the at least one constraining surface includes at least one curved element section to facilitate bending of at least a portion of an element around the at least one curved element section.
US09003636B2	Method of manufacturing a control interface for motor vehicle The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a control interface for motor vehicle comprising a touch pad exhibiting a front face, and a housing accommodating said touch pad, said housing exhibiting an aperture delimited by a border for access to the front face of the touch pad by a user, characterized in that: —in the course of a first step (101), the aperture of a housing is disposed around a touch pad provided with a film on the front face, the film covering at least the front face of the touch pad and the edges of the housing, —in the course of a second step (102), a holding force is applied to the housing so as to hold it, and —in the course of a third step (103), a liquid levelling lining material is introduced into a peripheral space partitioned off by the film, the border of the housing and the rim ate touch pad, so as to spread the liquid levelling lining material in said peripheral space.
US09003624B2	Method for making a gangable composite clip for attaching decking A gangable composite clip for attaching decking. The clip includes a bottom and a top. The bottom is made of a first material. The top is made of a second material. The first material of the bottom is different than the second material of the top. The first material of the bottom engages in the second material of the top during manufacturing so as to attach the bottom to the top and form the gangable composite clip without a need for any other means to attach the bottom to the top.
US09003623B2	Apparatus for forming a blower wheel having longitudinally inclined blades An apparatus for forming an inclined-blade blower wheel is provided. A plurality of blades are initially positioned between first and second end caps, and a first engagement member mates with the first end cap, while a second engagement member mates with the second end cap. First and second end motors are configured to independently rotate the first and second engagement members. A crimping roller coupled to a crimping motor contacts and compresses a circumference of the first and second end caps to a plurality of blades. A controller is configured to rotate the first engagement member a predetermined amount with respect to the second engagement member, a then circumferential speed of the first and second end caps and the crimping roller is synchronized, therein fixing a desired longitudinal pitch of the plurality of blades between the first and second end caps.
US09003612B2	Coupler, methods, and applications A coupler including an at least partially cylindrically shaped external body portion having a longitudinal axis, which further includes an integral first and second, axially opposed ends that have a taper along the longitudinal axis. The coupler includes an integral gate consisting of two axially opposed, disconnected tongue sections having an open space there between. The at least partially cylindrically shaped external body portion has an open space at least partially enclosed by an inner surface of the body portion and disposed over at least a portion of the at least partially cylindrically shaped external body portion. The external body portion is characterized by a maximum radial dimension, including a circumferential region of the at least partially cylindrically shaped external body portion intermediate the first and second axially opposed ends where the gate is disposed.
US09003610B2	Closure clip and die for closing said clip The invention relates to a closure clip for closing tubular or bag-shaped packing casing for packing loosely goods or foodstuff. The closure clip includes two arms extending at least substantially in a plane and at least substantially parallel to each other, having first and second ends and inner and outer surfaces. The closure clip further includes a bottom portion arranged in the plane defined by the arms, having an inner and an outer surface and connecting the arms by their first ends, thereby forming a substantially U-shaped closure clip. The closure clip further includes at least one arbor having a first end and a second end that extends from the inner surface of the bottom portion, to which the arbor is coupled by its first end between the arms and parallel thereto. The closure clip further comprises a die for closing the closure clip. The closure clip further comprises two guide channels for guiding the second ends of the closure clip, which are separated from each other by a land.
US09003600B2	Vacuum cleaner with noise reduction recesses A new vacuum cleaner that is adapted for use in a vehicle has a user-removable debris collection tank that has spaced recesses on the bottom that inhibit both fore-and-back movement of debris within the collection tank and side-to-side movement of debris within the collection tank. The recesses are located in opposed outer corners of the tank, and have lower surfaces that support the tank in a standing position. Raised sections divide each of the recesses into two corner recess sections and an offset recess section, and inhibit both fore-and-aft movement of debris within the recesses and side-to-side movement of debris within the recess sections. The offset recess section has tracks that curve in different directions from an intermediate position adjacent or near a side of the tank. The bottom of the tank is generally curved downwardly towards the sides of the tank.
US09003594B2	Bolt built into a connector of a wiper arm for an on-board washing line The invention relates to a motor vehicle windshield wiper, comprising: a windshield wiper blade (42) that is hinged onto a windshield wiper arm (41) by means of an arm/blade connector (43, 44, 45, 51); and a washing liquid-spraying device (47) that is arranged on the windshield wiper blade and connected by means of a Connecting device (49, 53, 57) to a washing liquid delivery channel (46) that extends at least partially along the windshield wiper arm. Said windshield wiper is characterized in that the Connecting device is built into the arm/blade connector so as to automatically connect the spraying device to the delivery channel when Connecting the windshield wiper blade onto the windshield wiper arm and so as to automatically detach the spraying device from the delivery channel when disconnecting the windshield wiper blade from the windshield wiper arm.
US09003581B2	Support device for persons, for example a hospital bed, provided with a hydraulic system A support device for persons, such as a bed, treatment or operating table, chair, comprises: a frame; a first and a second movable member, which movable members can be adjusted independently of one another and which are designed to support the person or one or more parts of the person in various positions, and a hydraulic system for adjusting the movable members, the hydraulic system comprising: a reservoir for hydraulic liquid; a first and a second hydraulic actuator associated with the first and second movable member, respectively, which hydraulic actuators can each be moved in two directions; a hydraulic pump; a pump activating member which is operatively connected to the pump in order for an operator to activate the pump; a valve assembly which is provided in the hydraulic circuit between the pump and the respective actuators, and a valve assembly operating member which can be mechanically operated by an operator and is mechanically connected to the valve assembly for selecting and providing a connection between one of the actuators and the pump in order to be able to selectively move a movable member by supplying pressurized hydraulic liquid to the associated actuator upon activation of the pump.
US09003571B1	Panties with storage covers The present invention features a panties system with built-in storage covers for sanitary pad. The panties include an elastic waistband, a front panel and a back panel, a crotch panel to cover the genital area, a pair of leg openings. The crotch panel has a first crotch cover and a second crotch cover. The covers are adjacent to each other and sewed to the leg openings. The covers have optional elastic edges to hold sanitary pads on position securely between the crotch panel and crotch covers.
US09003569B2	Partial-fingered gloves According to the various features characteristics and embodiments of the present invention which will become apparent as the description thereof proceeds, the present invention provides partially fingered gloves and the use of said gloves, intended to increase the overall performance in sports activities including but limited to football and golf. Because of its unique finger configurations, grip enhancers, and/or its hand protective properties, the present invention makes a glove now operable on for football quarterback's throwing hand and golfers, for example.
US09009859B2	Address exchange system and methods The present disclosure provides systems and methods for an address exchange system including a controller configured to provide an API configured to receive an identifier from a user and further configured not to receive a physical address from the user, wherein the user provides an item for shipment to the physical address. In response to receiving the identifier, the controller is further adapted to request the physical address from a data storage system wherein the data storage system stores an association between the identifier and the physical address and further stores one or more permission settings defining situations in which the physical address is to be provided in response to receipt of the identifier. In response to receipt of the identifier, the data storage system tests the permission settings to determine whether or not to provide the associated physical address.
US09009858B2	Systems and methods for providing and managing distributed enclaves A method for operating a distributed data management and control enclave comprises providing a policy that identifies a set of data to be managed and controlled. The policy further identifies devices upon which the data may be transferred and the conditions under which that data may be transferred to the identified devices. A first data management and control system to be used on a first device is then defined in the policy. A second management and control system to be used on a second device is then defined in the policy. The second data management and control system can be distinct from the first data management and control system. The specified data management and control system is then instantiated on a device. The specified data management and control system is then used to manage and control data on the device in accordance with the policy.
US09009851B2	Virtual machine for processing medical data The present invention relates to a virtual machine (VM) for processing digital data, in particular medical data, by executing a digital data processing application program, in particular a medical data processing application program (MeDPAP), the virtual machine (VM) being a simulation of a computer, a) the virtual machine (VM) comprising a volatile memory (ViMStor) configured to comprise a storage space for temporary data (TEMP) for temporarily storing the digital data; b) the virtual machine (VM) being configured to be accessed by any virtual machine user activated on a virtual machine user list, wherein any activated maintenance virtual machine user is denied any permission regarding the storage space for temporary data (TEMP), wherein denying any permissions is performed by logging into the virtual machine (VM) as an administrator and setting corresponding options; c) wherein any administrator has been deactivated on the virtual machine user list, wherein deactivating any administrator has been performed by logging into the virtual machine (VM) as an administrator and setting corresponding options for each administrator in the virtual machine user list; d) wherein the virtual machine (VM) is in a state in which the administrator has been logged off after deactivating the administrator on the virtual machine user list.
US09009845B2	Distributing advertisement-supported software while ensuring certain software freedoms by license Embodiments related generally to a method of delivering software. The method includes providing the software that includes an advertising module. The software is distributed under a license, which requires the advertising module to be distributed and active with the software. The license may also permit modification of the software and/or redistribution of the software under similar licensing terms.
US09009838B2	Method and apparatus for effecting an internet user's privacy directive Disclosed is a method for effecting an internet user's privacy directive. In the method, copied packets, that are based on original packets sent from a user client, are monitored for a web content request including state information that is not in compliance with a user's privacy directive. Upon detection of a copied packet having a web content request including noncompliant state information, the state information is modified to comply with the user's privacy directive. A replacement packet is forwarded to the user client such that the user client receives the replacement packet before receiving a response packet from a target server of the corresponding original packet. The replacement packet has a redirection with a renewed web content request including the modified state information.
US09009835B2	Smart card, anti-virus system and scanning method using the same A smart card installed in a device receives from the device data to be scanned and determines whether a virus exists in the data. Accordingly, security of the device may be enhanced without using substantial resources of the device.
US09009828B1	System and method for identification and blocking of unwanted network traffic Network traffic can be prevented from entering a protected network. An alert can be received that can be triggered by network traffic that matches at least one signature that is associated with undesired network behavior. A source of the network traffic that triggered the alert can be determined, and network traffic that originates from the source can be blocked. Blocking the source can include assigning a determination to the alert. It can then be determined whether network traffic from the source should be blocked based on the determination. The source can then be provided to the protected network such that a network device coupled to the protected network can be configured to block network traffic that originates from the source.
US09009826B1	Image size communication A single origin policy of a web browser includes an exception for images, such as markup language image files. Data may be encoded using the height and width dimensions, pixel colors or transparencies, or other parameters defining one or more images. Such images may be sent to device and accepted by the web browser, and decoded to construct the underlying data. A single origin policy may be circumvented during authenticated access sessions so that information from various sources may be received by a requesting device.
US09009821B2	Injection attack mitigation using context sensitive encoding of injected input A method for preventing malicious code being embedded within a scripting language of a web application accessed by a web browser (308), the method comprising: monitoring all incoming traffic (310), generated by the web browser, and outgoing traffic (326) generated by a server (318) to form monitored traffic; determining whether a unique element, defined in a configuration file, is matched with an input value of the monitored traffic to form a matched input value; responsive to a determination that the unique element is matched with an input value of the monitored traffic, saving the matched input value, determining whether an output contains the matched input value in an expected location; responsive to a determination that the output contains the matched input value in an expected location, encoding the matched input value using a respective definition from the configuration file; and returning the output (330) to the requester.
US09009816B2	Removable memory storage device with multiple authentication processes A method comprises providing first user authentication data of a user and comparing the first user authentication data to first stored template data. When the comparison is indicative of a match, a first session is provided, which supports one of user access for retrieving first data that are stored within a peripheral memory storage device and user access for modifying a data content of the peripheral memory storage device. The first session does not support the other one of user access for retrieving first data that are stored within the peripheral memory storage device and user access for modifying a data content of the peripheral memory storage device. During the first session, second user authentication data of the same user is provided and compared to second stored template data. When the comparison is indicative of a match, a second session is provided, which does support the other one of user access for retrieving first data that are stored within the peripheral memory storage device and user access for modifying the data content of the peripheral memory storage device.
US09009815B2	Increasing chosen password strength An approach is provided to increase password strength in a group of users. The approach detects a password event corresponding to one of the users. In response to the detected password event, the approach identifies a strength of the user's password and compares it to one or more password strength metrics that correspond to the group of users. The password strength comparison data is then transmitted as feedback back to the user.
US09009809B2	Computer or microchip with a secure system BIOS and a secure control bus connecting a central controller to many network-connected microprocessors and volatile RAM A computer or microchip including a system BIOS located in flash memory which is located in a portion of the computer or microchip protected by an inner hardware-based access barrier or firewall, a central controller of the computer or microchip having a connection by a secure control bus with other parts of the computer or microchip, and a volatile random access memory located in a portion of the computer or microchip that has a connection for a network. The secure control bus is isolated from input from the network, and provides and ensures direct preemptive control by the central controller over the volatile random access memory, the control including transmission to or erasure of data and/or code in the volatile random access memory and control of a connection between the central controller, the volatile random access memory and at least one microprocessor having a connection for the network.
US09009803B2	Method and system for planning and management of digital events A method and system is provided that manages events involving an individual's digital assets and/or external services that the individual interfaces with using external service credentials. The method and system allow the individual to securely store digital assets and external service credentials used to login to external services. The method and system further allow the individual to create a plan of actions to be executed on specified dates, where the actions involve one or more of the individual's digital assets and/or involve one or more external services that the individual interfaces with using one or more external service credentials. The plan of actions takes the format of a timeline that includes one or more timeline events, where an action and a date are associated with a timeline event.
US09009802B2	Automatic PIN creation using password A PIN is automatically generated based on at least one rule when the user enters a password through a user device. In one example, the PIN is a truncated version of the password where each character in the truncated version is mapped onto a number. The mapping can be a truncation at the beginning or end of the password, or the mapping can be with any pattern or sequence of characters in the password. This PIN generation may be transparent to the user, such that the user may not even know the PIN was generated when the password was entered. When the user attempts to access restricted content, the user may enter the PIN instead of the password, where the user may be notified of the rule used to generate the PIN so that the user will know the PIN by knowing the password.
US09009801B2	Authentication and secure channel setup for communication handoff scenarios Persistent communication layer credentials generated on a persistent communication layer at one network may be leveraged to perform authentication on another. For example, the persistent communication layer credentials may include application-layer credentials derived on an application layer. The application-layer credentials may be used to establish authentication credentials for authenticating a mobile device for access to services at a network server. The authentication credentials may be derived from the application-layer credentials of another network to enable a seamless handoff from one network to another. The authentication credentials may be derived from the application-layer credentials using reverse bootstrapping or other key derivation functions. The mobile device and/or network entity to which the mobile device is being authenticated may enable communication of authentication information between the communication layers to enable authentication of a device using multiple communication layers.
US09009793B2	Dynamic pin dual factor authentication using mobile device The present invention provides cost efficient two way authentication method in which the authentication module can be provided as a Plug and Play (PnP) architecture enabling dual layer security with reduced cost where the actions are initiated by a server and user input is received through an audio session for added security. The second level authentication can be carried out with mobile as client device making it cost efficient. The invention can be hosted as an independent service or can be integrated with existing authentication mechanisms, making it elegant for usage.
US09009786B1	Systems and methods for providing a persistent state Systems and methods for providing persistent state are described herein. One or more embodiments include verifying access information provided by a user of a first device in connection with a user initiated transaction session, maintaining a current state of the transaction session in a persistent store, establishing a session key corresponding to the transaction session, providing the session key to the user, and providing the user access to the current state of the transaction session via a second device in response to validation of the session key received from the second device.
US09009784B2	Automated correction and reporting for dynamic web applications A run-time application-generated change to dynamic web content, generated during an application run-time by a dynamic web application, is detected in response to user run-time interactions with the dynamic web content rendered by the dynamic web application that changed the dynamic web content during the run-time. The detected run-time application-generated change to the dynamic web content is parsed. The parsed run-time application-generated change to the dynamic web content is compared with web content compliance rules that define specifications for web content representation. A noncompliant element associated with the parsed run-time application-generated change is identified based upon the comparison with the web content compliance rules. A run-time correction of the identified noncompliant element within the dynamic web content changed by the dynamic web application is performed to cause the identified noncompliant element to comply with the web content compliance rules.
US09009782B2	Steering traffic among multiple network services using a centralized dispatcher A network service dispatcher is provided that transparently navigates network traffic through network service appliances utilizing sub-session connection information generated in accordance with policies pertaining to a client-server session. The network service dispatcher intercepts a first data packet of a new session between two computer systems and generates sub-session connection information that navigates the data packet through one or more network service appliances in a manner transparent to the client or server. In turn, the network service dispatcher utilizes the sub-session connection information to navigate subsequent forward or reverse data packets in the session without performing a policy-based search for each data packet.
US09009781B2	Cloud based firewall system and service A cloud-based firewall system and service is provided to protect customer sites from attacks, leakage of confidential information, and other security threats. In various embodiments, such a firewall system and service can be implemented in conjunction with a content delivery network (CDN) having a plurality of distributed content servers. The CDN servers receive requests for content identified by the customer for delivery via the CDN. The CDN servers include firewalls that examine those requests and take action against security threats, so as to prevent them from reaching the customer site. The CDN provider implements the firewall system as a managed firewall service, with the operation of the firewalls for given customer content being defined by that customer, independently of other customers. In some embodiments, a customer may define different firewall configurations for different categories of that customer's content identified for delivery via the CDN.
US09009768B2	Media playback control through remote device control Methods and systems are provided for establishing a connection with a first processor-based device at a second processor-based device, receiving through the connection a control command from the first processor-based device implemented according to a first protocol, wherein the command corresponds to a remote control command received through a remote control device at the first processor-based device, translating the control command from the first protocol to a second protocol executable at the second processor-based device, and executing an event in response to the control command having been translated into the second protocol.
US09009761B2	Wireless transport framework with variable frequency domain training A system and method for wirelessly transmitting audiovisual information. Training information may be stored in a memory. A plurality of packets may be generated, including the training information. The plurality of packets may also include audiovisual information. The plurality of packets may include first information identifying a first training pattern of a plurality of possible training patterns. The first training pattern may specify one or more locations of the training information in the plurality of packets. The first information may be usable by a receiver to determine the first training pattern of the plurality of possible training patterns. The plurality of packets may be transmitted in a wireless manner.
US09009758B2	System and method for searching an internet networking client on a video device A system and method for enabling a user to display and interact with a social networking structure on a video device connected to a network enabled host device is provided. A user interface (UI) 700 is also provided for displaying content (e.g. messages or tweets) that is output in an overlay for display on a display while program video is playing. The method provides for accessing a social networking site in response to a user input, the user input initiated while outputting a program for display, generating at least one keyword for searching the social networking site based on at least one characteristic associated with the program, retrieving content from the social networking site based the at least one keyword and outputting the retrieved content in an overlay for display simultaneous with the program.
US09009757B2	Program guide apparatus A method acquires program guide information in an image signal receiver, and program guide method and apparatus using the same. In the program guide apparatus, information immediately required by a user is obtained first, and information of less preferential channels is obtained next, thus presenting a smooth interface to the user. The method of acquiring program guide information for channels includes acquiring the program guide information for each channel by scanning accessible channels while a received program is not displayed. The program guide apparatus includes a tuner tuning a channel, a program guide information detector, a memory, a key input, a microprocessor, and a character signal generator.
US09009756B2	Virtual channel map masking Aspects of the disclosure relate to methods and systems for adding or removing virtual channels from a terminal. A controller may send a virtual channel map to one or more terminals. The controller may also send a bitmask to one or more terminals. Each bit of the bitmask may indicate whether a virtual channel should be ignored. The channels that a terminal is permitted to receive may be altered by updating the bitmask.
US09009750B2	Post processing video to identify interests based on clustered user interactions Methods and systems for post-processing video to identify interests based on clustered user interactions are provided. A client application program running on a set-top box is provided to enable a user to interactively select a point of interest within video content being played via the set-top box. The selected points of interest of multiple users is aggregated, and clusters of the points of interest are determined. Objects associated with the clusters are determined by analyzing video segments containing the clustered points of interest. Messages related to the objects are created and sent to the relevant users that indicated selection of points of interest which correlate to the objects.
US09009743B2	Disk device and method of driving tray of disk device A disk device and a method of driving a tray of the disk device. The method includes outputting a tray driving control signal in response to a tray opening instruction, and maximizing an output voltage of the tray driving control signal during a time period in which the tray is expected to be stalled.
US09009741B2	Mechanism to initiate calls between browsers without predefined call signaling protocol An apparatus comprising a processor configured to receive an instruction to place a call to a remote user, load a communications application, wherein the communications application comprises an isolated security context, request a list of one or more supported communications protocols from a server, receive the list of one or more supported communications protocols from the server, select a protocol from the list of one or more supported communications protocols, load the selected communications protocol in the isolated security context, and initiate the call through the communications application with the remote server using the selected communications protocol.
US09009739B2	Safe browser plugins using native code modules Some embodiments provide a system that executes plugin for a web browser. During operation, the system obtains the plugin as a native code module and executes the native code module in a secure runtime environment. Next, the system enables communication between the native code module and the web browser by providing an interface bridge between the native code module and the web browser.
US09009731B2	Conversion of lightweight object to a heavyweight object Processing an object that shares a parent with another object is disclosed. An indication is received with respect to an object that shares a parent object instance with one or more other objects that a change associated with the object is to be made to a data comprising the shared parent object instance. The parent object instance is cloned to create a new parent object instance. The new parent object instance is designated as the parent of the object instance.
US09009728B2	Method and apparatus for widget and widget-container distribution control based on content rules A method includes receiving an instruction used to define a widget-container containing a service module associated with a widget. The widget-container is a procedural software framework configured to be executed at a widget-container processing device in response to a reference to the widget-container being accessed from a content aggregation point. The widget-container has a portion configured for receiving the widget. The method also includes determining whether processing of the widget within the portion of the widget-container is restricted and/or allowed.
US09009719B2	Computer workload capacity estimation using proximity tables A proximity table is generated for a first of a group of hosts for one or more computer workloads. Workloads are assigned to the host by applying proximity rules to the proximity table. The generating of proximity tables and the assignment of workloads is iterated for other hosts until all workloads have been assigned. Once all workloads have been assigned, an opportunity estimate is calculated.
US09009716B2	Creating a thread of execution in a computer processor Creating a thread of execution in a computer processor, including copying, as indicated by a hardware processor opcode having been specified by a user-level process, data from a first set of registers to a second set of registers, wherein the first set of registers is associated with a parent hardware thread, wherein the second set of registers is associated with a child hardware thread, wherein the child hardware thread is in a wait state, and changing, as indicated by the hardware processor opcode, the child hardware thread from the wait state to an ephemeral run state.
US09009714B2	Method, medium and apparatus scheduling tasks in a real time operating system A scheduling method, medium and apparatus are provided. In the scheduling method, medium and apparatus, it is possible to prevent the possibility that the order between the priorities of the tasks represented by the expired timers and the tasks requested by the interrupt is reversed while also not deteriorating the performance of a real time operating system (RTOS), even though the number of timers expired when the interrupt occurs or that are already expired before the interrupt occurs is large, by selecting a timer for representing a point of time corresponding to a point of time when an interrupt occurs from among one or more timers each of which representing a task, a point of time assigned to the tasks, and a priority assigned to the task and executing a task represented by the selected timer and one or more tasks requested by the interrupt in order of priority.
US09009693B2	Out-of-band framework libraries within applications An enhanced binder provides flexibility and certainty when selecting a version of a software library to load, and an enhanced loader prevents a library version vulnerable to a security flaw from being loaded. The binder can perform unification, implicit override, and/or redirection. Implicit override searches assembly-specific locations for an implicit_version, and override the previously chosen unification or other version with the implicit_version when the implicit_version is greater. The implicit_version gets updated with the individual assembly, whereas the unification_version gets updated with the framework. Redirection may override the implicit_version. Unlike redirection, an implicit_version does not recite an explicit range and is found outside application configuration files. The implicit_version is specified implicitly by the assembly without an XML declaration. Vulnerable libraries are not loaded, based on out-of-band metadata placed in response to a list of known out-of-band assemblies, an out-of-band-servicing attribute, or a custom servicing library.
US09009683B2	Systems and/or methods for testing client reactions to simulated disruptions Certain example embodiments described herein relate to approaches for testing client reactions to simulated disruptions in a real production environment that leverages the publish/subscribe messaging model (or one of its variants), optionally in connection with JMS messages and/or triggers. In certain example embodiments, a test driver reads a script that includes an instruction flow that brings down brokers in a broker cluster similar to (or in a manner as inflicted by) broker crashes (e.g., where a process or application does not have a chance to save its state or data before it is terminated), and/or broker stop/start events, e.g., to simulate the problems and determine whether the client application remains intact in the presence of errors. The simulations may leverage hardware and/or software means for intentionally causing disruptions in a live production environment. Thus, it advantageously becomes possible to test an application integration's client-side failover and/or load-balancing implementations.
US09009681B2	Obtaining profile data for use in optimizing computer programming code Program execution profile data is collected by direct measurement of some code paths, and by inferring data for unmeasured paths. The data collection process may cause errors, which are propagated by the inferencing process. The profile data thus constructed is further enhanced by detecting certain data mismatches, and adjusting inferred data to reduce the scope of errors propagated during the inferencing process. Preferably, a control flow graph of the program being measured is constructed. Mismatches in the total weights of input arcs versus output arcs are detected. For certain specific types of mismatches, it can be known or guessed which count is incorrect, and this count is accordingly corrected. Correction of arc counts proceeds recursively until it is no longer possible to correct mismatches. Additionally, certain other conditions are adjusted as presumed inaccuracies.
US09009672B2	Assessment system for choosing maintenance approaches for GUI-directed test scripts A graphical user interface (GUI) tool analysis system helps determine whether to purchase or license automated testing tools. The system provides guidance, e.g., to test managers, for making decisions on expenditures for the automated test tools. As a result, the test managers need not make purchasing decisions ad hoc, based on their own personal experience and perceived benefits of implementing a tool based automatic testing approach versus a manual testing approach.
US09009670B2	Automated testing of application program interfaces using genetic algorithms Various embodiments enable automated testing of Application Program Interfaces (APIs) by abstracting API call signatures and processing the abstracted API call signatures utilizing one or more genetic algorithms. Utilizing the inventive approach, test cases are built and then analyzed using a genetic algorithm. This can be done to both identify problems, such as bugs, associated with the APIs, and/or to identify quality improvements.
US09009649B2	Application search tool for rapid prototyping and development of new applications A code search tool greatly reduces time, cost, and other resource expenditures associated with implementing a new application. The tool is a search, navigation and visualization tool that accepts high-level processing concepts as inputs to identify, rank, and return the code of relevant existing applications. A software developer may use the relevant applications to rapidly build prototypes, identify requirements, and develop new applications. The tool provides an efficient way to improve the reuse of application logic to realize the high-level processing concepts, and more efficiently deliver proof of concept.
US09009640B1	Automatic computation of transfer functions Technologies pertaining to the automatic computation of transfer functions for a physical system are described herein. The physical system is one of an electrical system, a mechanical system, an electromechanical system, an electrochemical system, or an electromagnetic system. A netlist in the form of a matrix comprises data that is indicative of elements in the physical system, values for the elements in the physical system, and structure of the physical system. Transfer functions for the physical system are computed based upon the netlist.
US09009639B2	Method and system for enhanced integrated circuit layout An integrated circuit (IC) design method includes providing a design layout of the IC and placing a first cell and a second cell into the design layout. The second cell is a mirror of the first cell. The method further includes dividing the first cell into a first plurality of segments and dividing the second cell into a second plurality of segments. A third cell is formed by connecting a first portion of the first plurality of segments with a first portion of the second plurality of segments. A fourth cell is formed by connecting a second portion of the first plurality of segments with a second portion of the second plurality of segments. The first, second, third and fourth cells each have substantially the same function.
US09009633B2	Method of correcting assist feature A method of correcting assist features includes the following steps. At first, a first layout pattern is received by a computer system, and the first layout pattern is split into a plurality of first regions. Subsequently, a plurality of assist features are added into the first layout pattern to form a second layout pattern, wherein at least one of the assist features neighboring any one of the edges of the first regions is defined as a selected pattern. Then, the second layout pattern is split into a plurality of second regions. Afterwards, a check step is performed on the second region including the selected pattern, and the second layout pattern is corrected to form a corrected second layout pattern.
US09009628B2	Method and system for processing information fed via an inputting means A method for processing information fed by a user via an inputting means is provided. The method enables, firstly, receiving a set of directional elements via a user interface. The set of directional elements represent textual or non-textual information fed by the user. Secondly, the method enables interpreting the set of directional elements. The set of directional elements are identified as a combination of motion of the inputting means on the user interface and one or more inputs from the inputting means. Further, the method enables converting the directional elements into a sequence and translating the sequence into the textual or non-textual information using a mapping format. The mapping format corresponds to a predetermined mapping format or a new mapping format. Finally, the method enables rendering the textual or non-textual information on the user interface in the form of one or more symbols.
US09009622B2	Media content instance search methods and systems An exemplary method includes maintaining data representative of a plurality of media content instances, displaying within a graphical user interface a plurality of graphical objects positioned along a viewing axis, each of the graphical objects representing a metadata value within a metadata category associated with the media content instances, shifting a graphical object included within the plurality of graphical objects into a center focus portion of the viewing axis in response to a user input command, and transforming the graphical object from a book end depiction into a cover art depiction when the graphical object enters the center focus portion. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed.
US09009620B2	Interactive scrollbars for unknown data size Scrollbar control is utilized for manually scanning for displayed/available information while controlling the amount of information that is actually materialized. In response to a drag and hold of the “thumb” to a beginning or end location of the scrollbar, additional records may be retrieved depending on a display order of data on the user interface. If the location corresponds to an end of records (whether at the beginning or at the end of the order), that may be indicated. Upon release, the thumb may be moved automatically to a predefined location to indicate additional available records at the source if that is the case.
US09009613B2	System to overlay application help on a mobile device A method, system, and computer program product for displaying help information on a mobile device is provided. The method can include receiving from a mobile device an image of a GUI for a computing application displayed in a separate computer. The method additionally can include determining from the image a subject portion of the computing application and retrieving help information from the computing application corresponding to the subject portion of the computing application. Finally, the method can include returning the help information to the mobile device for display in the mobile device.
US09009605B2	Temporal control of a virtual environment Temporal control of a virtual environment may be provided. Content may be provided for presentation to a user. The content may be provided in a forward sequence. The content may include views of the virtual environment. A signal may be received from a user input device responsive to a manipulation of the user input device by the user. The signal may include manipulation information related to the manipulation of the user input device by the user. A determination may be made as to whether the manipulation of the user input device satisfies a condition based on the manipulation information. The content may be provided for presentation to the user in a reverse sequence starting with the most recently provided content responsive to a determination that the manipulation of the user input device satisfies the condition.
US09009595B2	User manipulation of video feed to computer screen regions A process for dividing an electronic screen, such as a television or computer screen, into discrete, independently operating sub-screens includes the step of electronically linking the screen to a screen operating system. This operating system is capable of selectively dividing the screen into two or more sub-screens which support audio or visual data in an active mode simultaneously and independently. This is performed through the use of a plurality of data access lines which provide data simultaneously to the two or more sub-screens such that the data can be simultaneously accessed and manipulated in more than one sub-screen such that each sub-screen actively supports data generated from a dedicated software program. Such invention may be implemented in customized encoded hardware or a combination of hardware and software.
US09009592B2	Population of lists and tasks from captured voice and audio content Automatic capture and population of task and list items in an electronic task or list surface via voice or audio input through an audio recording-capable mobile computing device is provided. A voice or audio task or list item may be captured for entry into a task application interface or into a list authoring surface interface for subsequent use as task items, reminders, “to do” items, list items, agenda items, work organization outlines, and the like. Captured voice or audio content may be transcribed locally or remotely, and transcribed content may be populated into a task or list authoring surface user interface that may be displayed on the capturing device (e.g., mobile telephone), or that may be stored remotely and subsequently displayed in association with a number of applications on a number of different computing devices.
US09009589B2	Conversion of portable program modules for constrained displays A computer-implemented method includes identifying a computer-based portable program module, automatically altering code in the portable program module to permit display of the module on a television-based display so that the displayed module has a substantially similar appearance on the television-based display as on a computer display, and providing the altered code for execution on a processor connected to a television-based display.
US09009587B2	Browser locking tool to control navigation away from a current webpage to a target webpage A browser locking tool for an information handling system (IHS) may prevent data loss on a webpage. The browser locking tool may prevent navigation away from the webpage by both browser level navigation controls and webpage level navigation controls. Alternatively, the browser locking tool may allow navigation away from the webpage when the navigation should not cause data loss.
US09009586B2	Knowledgebase article authoring system, apparatus and method A method and apparatus for authoring an article entry comprising a plurality of data fields from at least one electronic document and storing the article in a knowledgebase. The apparatus comprises an authoring applet displayed on an electronic display, the applet comprising a plurality of panes, one of each of the panes associated with a respective one of the plurality of article data fields, wherein the selection device is used to highlight a text snippet from the at least one electronic document by moving a cursor to a start of the text snippet, depressing and holding a user operable selection device button while moving the cursor to an end of the text snippet wherein on release of the button the highlighted text snippet is copied to an active pane as a pane content and for subsequent editing and publishing to the knowledgebase.
US09009568B2	Sensing parameter management in non-volatile memory storage system to compensate for broken word lines Disclosed is a technology to change the parameters by which a read operation is performed in a block with a broken word line. The first method is for reading a broken word line, which may involve changing the voltage on word lines neighboring the broken word line to let the voltage on the broken word line reach the appropriate magnitude through capacitive coupling between word lines. The first method may also involve increasing the time delay before memory cells connected to the broken word line are sensed to allow the voltage on the word line to settle due to increased RC delay. The second method is for reading an unbroken word line in a block with a broken word line, which involves increasing the time delay before memory cells connected to the unbroken word line are sensed while raising the voltages on the word lines neighboring the broken word line.
US09009558B2	Channel coding method of variable length information using block code A method for channel-coding information bits using a code generation matrix including 32 rows and A columns corresponding to length of the information bits includes, channel-coding the information bits having “A” length using basis sequences having 32-bit length corresponding to columns of the code generation matrix, and outputting the channel-coded result as an output sequence. If “A” is higher than 10, the code generation matrix is generated when (A-10) additional basis sequences were added as column-directional sequences to a first or second matrix. The first matrix is a TFCI code generation matrix composed of 32 rows and 10 columns used for TFCI coding. The second matrix is made when at least one of an inter-row location or an inter-column location of the first matrix was changed. The additional basis sequences satisfy a value 10 of a minimum Hamming distance.
US09009553B2	Scan chain configuration for test-per-clock based on circuit topology Aspects of the invention relate to generating scan chain configurations for test-per-clock based on circuit topology. With various implementations of the invention, weight vectors between scan chains in a circuit are first determined. Based on the weight vectors, a scan chain configuration is generated by assigning some scan chains in the scan chains to a stimuli group and some other scan chains in the scan chains to a compacting group. Here, the stimuli group comprises scan chains to operate in a shifting-launching mode, and the compacting group comprises scan chains to operate in a capturing-compacting-shifting mode.
US09009551B2	Adapter circuitry resetting scan test logic to mandatory feature set A method comprises a system comprising a host device coupled to a first remote device actively operating according to a state diagram that the host device and all remote devices follow during operation of the system. The method further comprises powering up a second remote device while the host device and first remote device are actively operating according to the state diagram. The second remote device waits for a synchronization point sequence. Upon detecting the synchronization point sequence, the second remote device implements a predetermined feature set and synchronizes itself to the state diagram at a common point as the host device and first remote device.
US09009547B2	Advanced programming verification schemes for analog memory cells A method for data storage includes receiving in a memory device data for storage in a group of analog memory cells. The data is stored in the group by performing a Program and Verify (P&V) process, which applies to the memory cells in the group a sequence of programming pulses and compares respective analog values of the memory cells in the group to respective verification thresholds. Immediately following successful completion of the P&V process, a mismatch between the stored data and the received data is detected in the memory device. An error in storage of the data is reported responsively to the mismatch.
US09009542B1	Automatic testing and remediation based on confidence indicators An asset health monitoring system (AHMS) can assign a confidence indicator to some or all the monitored computing asset in a data center, such as computing systems or networking devices. In response to drops in the confidence indicators, the AHMS can automatically initiate testing of computing assets in order to raise confidence that the asset will perform correctly. Further, the AHMS can automatically initiate remediation procedures for computing assets that fail the confidence testing. By automatically triggering testing of assets and/or remediation procedures, the AHMS can increase reliability for the data center by preemptively identifying problems.
US09009541B2	Efficient trace capture buffer management A system and method for efficiently storing traces of multiple components in an embedded system. A system-on-a-chip (SOC) includes a trace unit for collecting and storing trace history, bus event statistics, or both. The SOC may transfer cache coherent messages across multiple buses between a shared memory and a cache coherent controller. The trace unit includes a trace buffer with multiple physical partitions assigned to subsets of the multiple buses. The number of partitions is less than the number of multiple buses. One or more trace instructions may cause a trace history, trace bus event statistics, local time stamps and a global time-base value to be stored in a physical partition within the trace buffer.
US09009534B2	Runtime configuration checks for composite applications The embodiments provide a data processing apparatus including a runtime check identifier configured to determine, in response to a request to execute a function of the application, whether a runtime check descriptor corresponding to the function is stored in a database and select the runtime check descriptor if the runtime check descriptor is determined as stored in the database. The selected runtime check descriptor provides, in part, at least one configuration check of a component related to an execution of the function. The data processing apparatus also includes a system component configured to invoke a system management tool to perform the at least one configuration check, and a runtime check controller configured to receive results of the at least one configuration check and perform at least one action specified in the selected runtime check descriptor based on the received results.
US09009531B2	Memory subsystem data bus stress testing A memory subsystem includes a test signal generator of a memory controller that generates a test data signal in response to the memory controller receiving a test transaction. The test transaction indicates one or more I/O operations to perform on an associated memory device. The test signal generator can generate data signals from various different pattern generators. The memory controller scheduler schedules the test data signal pattern, and sends it to the memory device. The memory device can then execute I/O operation(s) to implement the test transaction. The memory controller can read back data written to a specific address of the memory device and compare the read back data with expected data. When the read back data and the expected data do not match, the memory controller can record an error. The error can include the specific address of the error, the specific data, and/or encoded data.
US09009530B1	Interactive, constraint-network prognostics and diagnostics to control errors and conflicts (IPDN) Methods for interactively preventing and detecting conflicts and errors (CEs) through prognostics and diagnostics. Centralized and Decentralized Conflict and Error Prevention and Detection (CEPD) Logic is developed for prognostics and diagnostics over three types of real-world constraint networks: random networks (RN), scale-free networks (SFN), and Bose-Einstein condensation networks (BECN). A method is provided for selecting an appropriate CEPD algorithm from a plurality of algorithms having either centralized or decentralized CEPD logic, based on analysis of the characteristics of the CEPD algorithms and the characteristics of the constraint network.
US09009510B2	Method for power saving during standby mode in the physical layer block for the serial data communication interface A semiconductor device includes a detector that receives an input signal whose characteristics fluctuate depend on the standby mode state, compares the input signal amplitude with a specific threshold amplitude, and outputs a detector output signal that shows whether or not the amplitude of the applicable input signal is above the specified threshold amplitude; and an intermittent operation control circuit that along with receiving the detector output, also receives a first signal showing which mode among the multiple standby mode states is in, and sets the detector to the continuously on (enable) mode state when the input signal is above the specified threshold amplitude, and in all other cases intermittently operates the detector depend on the characteristics of the input signal in the mode shown by the first signal.
US09009503B2	Branch circuit determination without external synchronization A method, system, and computer program product for relating a data processing system with a power branch circuit are provided in the illustrative embodiments. Each signal in a set of signals is combined with a power signal to form a set of combination signals, the power signal including a first power usage by the data processing system and a second power usage by a modulating signal. An amplitude of a corresponding signal in each combined signal in the set of combined signals is determined over a period. Using a discriminating logic, a determination is made whether the modulating signal is present in the power signal. Responsive to the discriminating logic producing an affirmative result, the data processing system is related with the power branch circuit.
US09009492B2	Prevention of playback attacks using OTP memory A method for data security includes receiving, in a processor having a one-time programmable (OTP) memory, which includes multiple bits and has a current state defined by the bits of the OTP that have been programmed, new information to be written to a data memory. Based on the new information and the current state, at least one further bit of the OTP memory is selected to be programmed, thereby defining a new state of the OTP memory. A new digital signature is computed over the new information and the new state. The new information and the new digital signature are saved in the data memory. After saving the new information and the new digital signature in the data memory, the at least one further bit of the OTP memory is programmed, whereby the new state becomes the current state. Related apparatus and methods are also disclosed.
US09009486B2	Biometric authentication apparatus, biometric authentication method, and computer readable storage medium An authentication processing device receives biometric data to be checked from a biometric measuring device; transforms the biometric data that is input from the biometric measuring device by using a checking transformation parameter that is different from a registration transformation parameter; and creates checking biometric data. Then, the authentication processing device performs a differential transformation process on the created checking biometric data by using a differential parameter by which a transformation state transformed by the checking transformation parameter and a transformation state transformed by the registration transformation parameter have the same state. Thereafter, the authentication processing device checks the transformed checking biometric data against the registration biometric data stored in a transformation registration data DB and performs authentication.
US09009482B2	Forensic marking using a common customization function Methods, systems, and apparatus are disclosed which enable flexible insertion of forensic watermarks into a digital content signal using a common customization function. The common customization function flexibly employs a range of different marking techniques that are applicable to a wide range of forensic marking schemes. These customization functions are also applicable to pre-processing and post-processing operations that may be necessary for enhancing the security and transparency of the embedded marks, as well as improving the computational efficiency of the marking process. The common customization function supports a well-defined set of operations specific to the task of forensic mark customization that can be carried out with a modest and preferably bounded effort on a wide range of devices. This is accomplished through the use of a generic transformation technique for use as a “customization” step for producing versions of content forensically marked with any of a multiplicity of mark messages.
US09009480B1	Techniques for handshake-free encrypted communication using public key bootstrapping Techniques for handshake-free encrypted communication using public key bootstrapping are described. An apparatus may comprise a key component, a message component, and a network component. The key component may be operative to generate a symmetric encryption key. The message component operative to construct a message, the constructed message comprising a key section and a data section, the key section encrypted using an asymmetric encryption key and comprising the symmetric encryption key, the data section encrypted using the symmetric encryption key. The network component may be operative to transmit the message to a device. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US09009479B2	Cryptographic techniques for a communications network Techniques are described for enabling authentication and/or key agreement between communications network stations and service networks. The techniques described include the negotiation and use of a cryptographic primitive shared between a service network and a home environment of a station. The techniques described also feature a key usage indicator, such as a sequence number, maintained by the service network and a station. Comparison of the key usage indicators can, for example, permit efficient authentication of the service network.
US09009478B2	Mutual mobile authentication using a key management center A system, method, and server computer configured to authenticate a consumer device. The consumer device is authenticated via a mobile gateway using challenge-response authentication. If the consumer device is successfully authenticated, a secure channel is established between the consumer device and a first entity. The secure channel allows for secure communication between the consumer device and the first entity.
US09009475B2	Apparatus and methods for storing electronic access clients Apparatus and methods for storing and controlling access control clients. In one embodiment, transmitting and receiving devices ensure that only one copy of an eSIM is active at any time. Specifically, each transferred eSIM is encrypted for the destination device; the eSIM from the source device is deleted, deactivated, or otherwise rendered unusable. Various aspects of network infrastructure are also described, including electronic Universal Integrated Circuit Card (eUICC) appliances, and mobile devices. Various scenarios for transfer of eSIMs are also disclosed.
US09009474B2	Method and system for detecting data modification within computing device A method and apparatus for detecting data modification in a layered operating system is disclosed. Outbound content indicators at different layers are compared to detect potential outbound data modifications. Likewise, inbound content indicators at different layers are compared to detect potential inbound data modifications. Content indicators include checksum, cryptographic hash, signature, and fingerprint indicators. Embodiments of the present invention enable detection of data modifications across an operating system's kernel and user mode spaces, prevention of modified outbound data from reaching a network, prevention of modified input data from reaching a user application, and detection of malware and faults within an operating system.
US09009468B1	System for transaction authentication Systems and methods for secure transaction authorization are provided. An emulator is instantiated on a host device and configured to emulate an integrated circuit having a different instruction set than an integrated circuit of the host device, and a guest operating system executing on the emulated integrated circuit is configured to communicate with a host operating system of the host device through an emulated network interface of the emulator. Under control of one or more guest operating system processes executing on the emulated integrated circuit, a request is received over a first secure communication channel from an application executing on the host operating system to authorize a transaction. Further, based on the received request, user input is obtained from an input device of the host device and transformed into verification data. A different second secure communication channel is established to a remote system through the emulated network interface, and a request is sent over the second channel to the remote system to authorize the transaction based on the verification data. An authorization result is received from the remote system over the second secure communication channel, and a response is sent to the application over the first secure communication channel indicating the authorization result.
US09009465B2	Augmenting name/prefix based routing protocols with trust anchor in information-centric networks An apparatus comprising a memory, a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the memory contains instructions that when executed by the processor cause the apparatus to receive an information centric network (ICN) name prefix announcement message comprising a message prefix specific to a publisher, a public key certificate specific to the content publisher, and a signature specific to the content publisher, verify the signature with a name registration service (NRS), and update internal data indicating that the content publisher is a trusted publisher, wherein the internal data comprises the prefix, the public key, and the signature.
US09009463B2	Secure delivery of trust credentials A system is configured to receive, by one or more servers, a request for a certificate from a user device. The request may include a first parameter, a second parameter, and a third parameter. The system is further configured to identify a key based on the first parameter, generate a fourth parameter based on the key and the third parameter, authenticate the user device based on the fourth parameter and the second parameter, generate the certificate based on authenticating the user device, store information associated with the certificate, and send the certificate to the user device. The user device may use the certificate to establish a session to interact with an application server.
US09009462B2	Differential client-side encryption of information originating from a client A method may include allocating a number of public keys, where each respective public key is allocated to a respective entity of a number of entities; storing a number of private keys, where each respective private corresponds to a respective public key; storing one or more decryption algorithms, where each respective decryption algorithm is configured to decrypt data previously encrypted using at least one encryption algorithm of the encryption algorithms. Each respective encryption algorithm may be configured to encrypt data using at least one public key. Each respective decryption algorithm may be configured to decrypt data using at least one private key. The method may include receiving encrypted data, where the encrypted data is encrypted using a first public key and a first encryption algorithm, and the encrypted data is provided over a network.
US09009460B2	Node computing data encryption method A data encryption method, adapted to a node computing device in a cloud server system comprises following steps. A primary data is received. A dimension of an encrypted matrix is computed. An encryption length is computed, and data segments matching the encryption length are extracted from the primary data sequentially according to the encryption length. A plurality of encrypted segments is obtained by encrypting the extracted data segments respectively through the encrypted matrix.
US09009459B1	Systems and methods for neutralizing file-format-specific exploits included within files contained within electronic communications A computer-implemented method for neutralizing file-format-specific exploits contained within electronic communications may include (1) identifying an electronic communication, (2) identifying at least one file contained within the electronic communication, and then (3) neutralizing any file-format-specific exploits contained within the file. In one example, neutralizing any file-format-specific exploits contained within the file may include applying at least one file-format-conversion operation to the file. Additionally or alternatively, neutralizing any file-format-specific exploits contained within the file may include constructing a sterile version of the file that selectively omits at least a portion of any exploitable content contained within the file. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US09009458B2	Systems, methods, and media for managing an entertainment system Systems, methods, and media for managing an entertainment system are provided. In some implementations, systems for managing an entertainment system are provided, the systems comprising: at least one hardware processor configured to: detect a first instruction; select a component of the entertainment system; determine a first state of the component; store an indication of the first state; detect a second instruction; retrieve the indication of the first state; generate a third instruction based on the indication of the first state; and transmit the third instruction to the component of the entertainment system.
US09009457B2	Integrated circuit boot code and fuse storage implemented on interposer-mounted non-volatile memory A method and apparatus for replacing a boot ROM and programmable fuses using a non-volatile memory and an interposer is disclosed. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes an integrated circuit (IC) implementing one or more processor cores. The apparatus further includes a non-volatile memory configured to store configuration settings and boot code for the IC. The apparatus further includes an interposer. Both of the IC and the non-volatile memory are mounted on a substrate of the interposer. The IC and the non-volatile memory are electrically coupled to one another through the substrate. During a system boot, the IC may access boot code and configuration settings from the non-volatile memory via electrical connections in the substrate that are externally inaccessible.
US09009456B2	Automatic update of persistent boot parameter storage A method for automatically updating persistent boot parameter storage in a computer system includes storing updated boot parameters for an operating system in the computer system in a hardware boot parameter storage area in a memory of the computer system; performing a reboot of the operating system with the updated boot parameters; determining whether the reboot of the operating system is successful; and, in the event the reboot of the operating system is successful, automatically propagating the updated boot parameters from the hardware boot parameter storage area to a persistent boot parameter storage area.
US09009455B2	Booting from a secondary storage device in order to accumulate disk drive performance data A computer system is disclosed comprising a disk drive comprising a head stack assembly (HSA), the HSA comprising a spindle motor for rotating at least one disk, and at least one head actuated over the disk. The computer system further comprises a host coupled to the disk drive, wherein the host comprises a microprocessor operable to first boot the host by reading boot data from a secondary storage device. After first booting the host, the microprocessor commands the disk drive to accumulate performance data for the HSA, and after accumulating the performance data, the microprocessor second boots the host by reading boot data from the HSA.
US09009454B2	Secure operating system loader In one embodiment a computing device comprises a processor, a memory module coupled to the process and comprising logic instructions stored in a computer readable medium which, when executed, configure the processor to initiate boot operations in a computing device, present an authentication challenge when authentication is required to boot the computing device, continue boot operations in response to a successful response to the authentication challenge, and invoke an error routine in response to an unsuccessful response to the authentication challenge.
US09009447B2	Acceleration of string comparisons using vector instructions A processor, method, and medium for using vector instructions to perform string comparisons. A single instruction compares the elements of two vectors and simultaneously checks for the null character. If an inequality or the null character is found, then the string comparison loop terminates, and a further check is performed to determine if the strings are equal. If all elements are equal and the null character is not found, then another iteration of the string comparison loop is executed. The vectors are loaded with the next portions of the strings, and then the next comparison is performed. The loop continues until either an inequality or the null character is found.
US09009444B1	System and method for LUN control management A method, computer program product, and computing system for receiving a reservation for a LUN from Host A, wherein the LUN is defined within a data array. A lock for the LUN is defined as Host A. A write request is received for the LUN from Host B. The lock for the LUN is defined as Transitioning A to B. The write request is delayed for a defined period of time.
US09009443B2	System and method for optimized reclamation processing in a virtual tape library system A storage management application determines that a source virtual tape requires reclamation, identifies all block addresses for active data of a source virtual tape and sorts the block addresses in an ascending order, identifies a target virtual tape which has sufficient free capacity to store the active data of said source virtual tape and the last written block address on said target virtual tape, and sends a command to the VTL-system instructing it to perform reclamation including information about said source and said target virtual tape, the sorted list of block addresses denoting active data on the source virtual tape and the starting block address on the target virtual tape. The reclamation logic references the active data host blocks of said source volume to said target virtual tape starting at said starting block address by just updating the host block to disk block mapping table.
US09009441B2	Memory channel selection in a multi-channel memory In general, this disclosure describes techniques for selecting a memory channel in a multi-channel memory system for storing data, so that usage of the memory channels is well-balanced. A request to write data to a logical memory address of a memory system may be received. The logical memory address may include a logical page number and a page offset, where the logical page number maps to a physical page number and the logical memory address maps to a physical memory address. A memory unit out of a plurality of memory units in the memory system may be determined by performing a logical operation on one or more bits of the page offset and one or more bits of the physical page number. The data may be written to a physical memory address in the determined memory unit in the memory system.
US09009439B2	On-disk operations on fragments to support huge data sizes Data records of a data set can be stored in a plurality of main part fragments retained in on-disk storage. A size of the data set can be compared to an available size of main system memory. All of the plurality of main part fragments can be fully loaded into the main system memory when the available size of the main system memory is larger than the size of the data set. Alternatively, one or more of the of main part fragments can be paged into the main system memory on demand in response to a data access request when the available size of the main system memory is smaller than the size of the data set and the data access request can be satisfied by providing access to a subset of the main part fragments, or access can be provided directly to the on-disk main part fragments when the data access request involves random access for projection in the data set and the available size of the main system memory is smaller than the size of the data set.
US09009426B1	Methods, computer readable media, and systems for optimizing cache utilization A method of storing data on a data storage device having a cache, includes receiving, by the data storage device, a write command indicating a data portion and a range of addresses on the data storage device, the write command instructing the data storage device to write the data portion to each address in the range of addresses; and storing, in the cache, indicia that each address in the range of addresses comprises the data portion.
US09009413B2	Method and apparatus to implement lazy flush in a virtually tagged cache memory A processor includes a processor core including an execution unit to execute instructions, and a cache memory. The cache memory includes a controller to update each of a plurality of stale indicators in response to a lazy flush instruction. Each stale indicator is associated with respective data, and each updated stale indicator is to indicate that the respective data is stale. The cache memory also includes a plurality of cache lines. Each cache line is to store corresponding data and a foreground tag that includes a respective virtual address associated with the corresponding data, and that includes the associated stale indicator. Other embodiments are described as claimed.
US09009412B2	Information processing apparatus and control method of information processing apparatus An information processing apparatus includes a first arithmetic processing unit, a second arithmetic processing unit that is connected to a main storage, and a third arithmetic processing unit. The first arithmetic processing unit includes a cache memory that retains therein data. The second arithmetic processing unit includes a processing unit that notifies, when a read request for the data from the third arithmetic processing unit is not being executed when the replacement request is received, the first arithmetic processing unit of a completion notification indicating that the data has been written back to the main storage and the replacement process is completed and that notifies, when the read request is being executed when the replacement request is received, the first arithmetic processing unit of the completion notification after the read request has ended.
US09009411B2	Flexible control mechanism for store gathering in a write buffer A store gathering policy is enabled or disabled at a data processing device. A store gathering policy to be implemented by a store buffer can be selected from a plurality of store gathering polices. For example, the plurality of store gathering policies can be constrained or unconstrained. A store gathering policy can be enabled by a user programmable storage location. A specific store gathering policy can be specified by a user programmable storage location. A store gathering policy can be determined based upon an attribute of a store request, such as based upon a destination address.
US09009400B2	Semiconductor memory systems with on-die data buffering A semiconductor memory system includes a first semiconductor memory die and a second semiconductor memory die. The first semiconductor memory die includes a primary data interface to receive an input data stream during write operations and to deserialize the input data stream into a first plurality of data streams, and also includes a secondary data interface, coupled to the primary data interface, to transmit the first plurality of data streams. The second semiconductor memory die includes a secondary data interface, coupled to the secondary data interface of the first semiconductor memory die, to receive the first plurality of data streams.
US09009399B2	Flash memory storage system and controller and data writing method thereof A flash memory storage system having a flash memory controller and a flash memory chip is provided. The flash memory controller configures a second physical unit of the flash memory chip as a midway cache physical unit corresponding to a first physical unit and temporarily stores first data corresponding to a first host write command and second data corresponding to a second host write command in the midway cache physical unit, wherein the first and second data corresponding to slow physical addresses of the first physical unit. Then, the flash memory controller synchronously copies the first and second data from the midway cache physical unit into the first physical unit, thereby shortening time for writing data into the flash memory chip.
US09009396B2	Physically addressed solid state disk employing magnetic random access memory (MRAM) A computer system includes a central processing unit (CPU), a system memory coupled to the CPU and including flash tables, and a physically-addressable solid state disk (SSD) coupled to the CPU. The physically-addressable SSD includes a flash subsystem and a non-volatile memory and is addressable using physical addresses. The flash subsystem includes one or more copies of the flash tables and the non-volatile memory includes updates to the copy of the flash tables. The flash tables include tables used to map logical to physical blocks for identifying the location of stored data in the physically addressable SSD, wherein the updates to the copy of the flash tables and the one or more copies of the flash tables are used to reconstruct the flash tables upon power interruption.
US09009391B2	Solid state drive architecture Embodiments of apparatuses, methods and systems of solid state drive are disclosed. One embodiment of a solid state drive includes a non-blocking fabric, wherein the non-blocking fabric comprises a plurality of ports, wherein a subset of the plurality of ports are each connected to a flash controller that is connected to at least one array of flash memory. Further, this embodiment includes a flash scheduler for scheduling data traffic through the non-blocking fabric, wherein the data traffic comprises a plurality of data packets, wherein the flash scheduler extracts flash fabric header information from each of the data packets and schedules the data traffic through the non-blocking fabric based on the extracted flash fabric header information. The scheduled data traffic provides transfer of data packets through the non-blocking fabric from at least one array of flash memory to at least one other array of flash memory.
US09009385B1	Co-residency detection in a cloud-based system At least one virtual machine implemented on a given physical machine in an information processing system is able to detect the presence of one or more other virtual machines that are also co-resident on that same physical machine. More particularly, at least one virtual machine is configured to avoid usage of a selected portion of a memory resource of the physical machine for a period of time, and to monitor the selected portion of the memory resource for activity during the period of time. Detection of a sufficient level of such activity indicates that the physical machine is also being shared by at least one other virtual machine. The memory resource of the physical machine may comprise, for example, a cache memory, and the selected portion of the memory resource may comprise one or more randomly selected sets of the cache memory.
US09009374B2	Portable, computer-peripheral apparatus including a universal serial bus (USB) connector A portable computer-peripheral apparatus comprises a Universal Serial Bus (USB) connector. The apparatus is operable to communicate with a computer terminal (e.g. a ‘PC’). Following connection to the PC, the apparatus initializes (i.e. presents or enumerates itself) as a HID keyboard and then sends to the terminal a first predefined sequence of keycodes automatically without manual interaction; the keycodes complying with the human interface device (HID) keyboard standard protocol. Each keycode represents and simulates a keystroke, such as those performed when a user strikes a key on the PC keyboard. The keycode sequence automates the direct access to content, and/or the initiation of a task or other process.
US09009371B1	Full-duplex communications device A device is described for establishing communication between a first device and a second device. In one implementation, a first internal interface of the first device couples to a first external interface of the second device while a second internal interface of the first device couples to a second external interface of the second device. A first unidirectional data channel may be opened for incoming data using the first internal interface. A second unidirectional data channel may be opened for outgoing data using the second internal interface. The pair of unidirectional data channels is established, allowing data transfer between the devices. These channels allow for asynchronous-like transmission of data, in that transmission and corresponding receipt of data may take place at irregular intervals.
US09009370B2	Intelligent data buffering between interfaces A dynamically controllable buffering system includes a data buffer that is communicatively coupled between first and second data interfaces and operable to perform as an elasticity first-in-first-out buffer in a first mode and to perform as a store-and-forward buffer in a second mode. The system also includes a controller that is operable to detect data rates of the first and second data interfaces, to operate the data buffer in the first mode when the first data interface has a data transfer rate that is faster than a data transfer rate of the second data interface, and to operate the data buffer in the second mode when the second data interface has a data transfer rate that is faster than the data transfer rate of the first data interface.
US09009367B2	Adaptive interrupt moderation Generally, this disclosure relates to adaptive interrupt moderation. A method may include determining, by a host device, a number of connections between the host device and one or more link partners based, at least in part, on a connection identifier associated with each connection; determining, by the host device, a new interrupt rate based at least in part on a number of connections; updating, by the host device, an interrupt moderation timer with a value related to the new interrupt rate; and configuring the interrupt moderation timer to allow interrupts to occur at the new interrupt rate.
US09009364B1	Apparatus and method for accelerated page link list processing in a packet processor operating at wirespeed A packet processor has a packet memory manager configured to store a page walk link list, receive a descriptor and initiate a page walk through the page walk link list in response to the descriptor and without a prompt from transmit direct memory access circuitry. The packet memory manager is configured to receive an indicator of a single page packet and read a new packet in response to the indicator without waiting to obtain page state associated with the page of the single page packet.
US09009359B2	Emulating multiple universal serial bus (USB) keys so as to efficiently configure different types of hardware A method, system and computer program product for efficiently configuring different types of hardware components. A computing device is connected to a hardware component to be configured. The computing device detects the type of the hardware component upon being connected to the hardware component. The computing device then identifies a profile from among multiple profiles associated with the detected type of hardware component, where each profile contains a configuration file(s) for configuring its associated type of hardware component. Upon identifying the profile associated with the connected hardware component, the computing device emulates a Universal Serial Bus (USB) key presenting the configuration file(s) contained in the identified profile to the detected hardware component. Such a process may be repeated for configuring another type of hardware component. In this manner, the user is able to efficiently configure different types of hardware by having the computing device emulate multiple USB keys.
US09009357B2	Method and apparatus for field firmware updates in data storage systems Data storage devices and methods for updating firmware are disclosed. For example, one such data storage device includes a device firmware and a controller, where the controller operates in accordance with the device firmware. The controller determines whether or not the device firmware can be updated with new firmware at least partially based on whether or not the new firmware meets a criterion related to a configuration profile of the device firmware.
US09009356B2	Data output method and apparatus A data output method and apparatus according to the present invention, which are applicable in a data processing device comprising an output unit, a computer system and an embedded system, generate a control command for enabling an establishment of a channel for outputting data when it is determined that the computer system stays in a non-operating state, establish a data transmission channel between the embedded system and the output unit based on the control command, determine data to be outputted, and transfer the data to be outputted from the embedded system to the output unit through the data transmission channel. In this way, the method and apparatus according to the present invention can ensure that a user need not wait a long time for the computer's start-up, and can carry out an operation on local data for the computer in time, which improves the user satisfaction.
US09009354B2	Services and management layer for diverse data connections A method relates to quality of services and management of diverse data connections to and from an application launched on a computing platform. The diverse types of data connections to and from the application may include, for example, one or more of HTTP, Web Services, OData/REST, OData/HTTP, SAP RFC, and SAP ALE types of data connections. The method includes providing a layer, in the computing platform, for quality of services and management of diverse types of data connections to and from the application and providing a common entry point to receive data destined for external receivers over the diverse types of data connections to and from the application.
US09009353B1	Split network address translation Network address translation of messages transported over an autonomous system between multiple network elements is contemplated. The network address translation may be performed by instructing one network element to translate upstream messages for a particular messaging paths and a different network element to translate downstream messages for the same messaging path, thereby providing split network address translation.
US09009352B1	Transformation of common information model messages A common information model (CIM) message received in a processing device of an information processing system is transformed to a message in a designated message queuing protocol format, such as an advanced message queuing protocol (AMQP) message format. The transformed message is then posted or otherwise provided to a message queuing protocol server. The CIM message may comprise, for example, a CIM notification received in a CIM client from a CIM server, responsive to an indication subscription from the CIM client. The transformation of the CIM message to the message in the designated message queuing protocol format may more particularly involve, for example, transforming a CIM notification associated with the CIM message to a CIM instance object, transforming the CIM instance object to an alerting object, and transforming the alerting object to an AMQP message. One or more of these operations may be performed in a CIM transform module.
US09009350B2	Determining a path for network traffic between nodes in a parallel computer Determining a path for network traffic between a source compute node and a destination compute node in a parallel computer including: beginning with an identified group of compute nodes that includes the source compute node and iteratively until an identified group of compute nodes includes the destination compute node: identifying a group of compute nodes, the group of compute nodes having topological network locations included in a predefined topological shape; selecting a path for network traffic between compute nodes having topological network locations included in the predefined topological shape, and when an identified group of compute nodes includes the destination compute node: selecting a final path for network traffic; and sending a data communications message along the path for network traffic between the source compute node and the destination compute node, the path including, in order of selection, the selected paths and the selected final path.
US09009349B2	System and method for dataplane extensibility in a flow-based switching device A network switching device includes a macroflow sub-plane that performs packet-based routing, a microflow routing module that performs flow-based routing, and a software defined network (SDN) agent. The microflow routing module includes a packet processing module and a virtual port, and is operable to determine that the packet processing module is to be utilized to process a flow, direct the flow to the packet processing module via the virtual port in response to determine that the packet processing module is to be utilized to process the flow, process the flow using the packet processing module, and direct the flow to a destination associated with the flow. The SDN agent sends a port status message to a SDN controller indicating that the microflow routing module includes the virtual port and that the virtual port is associated with the packet processing module.
US09009338B2	Space shifting over return satellite communication channels A method for providing content from a first node to a second node using a satellite communications system includes receiving side information at a gateway in the satellite communications system. The side information may be transmitted from a subscriber terminal to the gateway via a first communication path that includes a satellite link. The method also includes determining at the gateway that the side information is associated with first content available at the first node, and determining at the gateway that second content is available from a source other than the first node. The method also includes generating output content using the second content and the side information. The output content may be substantially the same as the first content. The method also includes providing the output content to the second node via a second communication path that does not include the satellite link.
US09009337B2	On-device multiplexing of streaming media content Techniques are disclosed for multiplexing a dynamic bit-rate video stream with an audio stream received by a client device in a manner that allows the resulting multiplexed stream to be played back without disruption, despite dynamic changes in the bit rate of the video stream that may occur. A content server may stream both a video stream and an audio stream to a client device for playback. The client device may multiplex the video and audio streams prior to them being presented to a playback engine for decoding and playback to a user.
US09009333B2	Method and device for transmitting network resource information data A method and device for transmitting network resource information data are provided by the present invention. The method for transmitting network resource information data includes: step 1, transmitting, by a transport layer function entity, the network resource information data including network topology and variation status information, network link bandwidth utilization status information to a transport control layer function entity; and step 2, the transport control layer function entity creating network resource status data according to the collected network resource information data, and performing resource admission control and path selection to a session according to the network resource status data, wherein, the network resource information data further comprises a traffic class and service mode information of the traffic class, resource and utilization status information of the traffic class. Therefore by using the present invention, the manner for performing resource admission control according to a single bandwidth parameter is changed and the admission control of the network resource and the resource distribution can be performed more comprehensively and exactly.
US09009329B2	Platform for enabling terminal services virtualization Disclosed are techniques for providing a platform and application program interface (API) that leverages a terminal services session broker infrastructure to support third party plug-in applications. In a typical scenario, when a user requests for a connection to access third party plug-in applications, the application program interface may interact with the session broker process to identify sessions or suitable servers to which the user can be connected. The user may access the third party plug-in applications through the identified sessions or suitable servers.
US09009328B2	System and method for dynamic negotiation of device name with wildcard character A method and system for dynamically negotiating a device name for establishing a communications session between a host computer and a client computer are provided. A host computer receives from a client computer, a device name that includes as part of the device name at least a wildcard character. The host computer replaces the wildcard character with one or more characters that can be used in device names, to generate a unique device name that is not already being used by the host computer.
US09009321B2	Multi-dimensional reputation scoring Methods and systems for assigning reputation to communications entities include collecting communications data from distributed agents, aggregating the communications data, analyzing the communications data and identifying relationships between communications entities based upon the communications data.
US09009319B2	Optimizing allocation of on-demand resources using performance In one embodiment, the present invention can be used to efficiently allocate on-demand resources to a customer of a data center such as a multi-tenant data center having resources dedicated to given customers, as well as on-demand resources that can be flexibly provisioned to customers using a performance zone concept realized via logical switches to present a single logical network to the customer.
US09009318B2	Offline resource allocation algorithms Various embodiments provide offline algorithms for resource allocation. A known set of “offline” requests may be matched to available resources using an online resource allocation algorithm that models the offline resource allocation problem as though the requests were received stochastically. Requests may be scaled and then sampled to provide random, stochastic input for the online resource allocation algorithm. For each request, resources are allocated to the request by evaluating multiple options based upon shadow costs assigned to resources associated with the different options. After each request is processed, an adjustment is made to the shadow costs for remaining resources to reflect differences in rates for allocation and/or consumption of the resources and the updated shadow costs are used for a subsequent request. A scaled resource allocation determined using sampled requests in this manner may be scaled back up to obtain a solution for the offline resource allocation problem.
US09009311B2	Initiator zoning in progress command An initiator zoning in progress command is provided. In one aspect the zoning in progress command includes target devices. Upon completion of the zoning operation, a zoning complete command is provided. In another aspect, receipt of a zoning in progress command causes broadcast change commands to be ignored until the zoning complete command is received.
US09009308B2	Hybrid device and person based authorized domain architecture This invention relates to a system and a method of generating an Authorized Domain (AD) by selecting a domain identifier, and binding at least one person (P1, P, PN1), at least one device (D1, D2, . . . , DM), and at least one content item (C1, C2, . . . , CNZ) to the Authorized Domain (AD) given by the domain identifier (Domain ID). Hereby, a number of verified devices (D1, D2, . . . , DM) and a number of verified persons (P1, P2, . . . , PN1) that is authorized to access a content item of the Authorized Domain (100) is obtained. In this way, access to a content item of an authorized domain by a person operating a device is obtained either by verifying that the content item and the person are linked to the same domain or by verifying that the device and the content item are linked to the same domain. Thereby, enhanced flexibility for one or more persons when accessing content in an authorized domain is obtained while security of the content is still maintaining. This is further done in a simple, secure and reliable way.
US09009307B2	Automated alert management Alerts may be received from an event monitoring system that monitors computing resources of a computer system. Based on an alert ruleset, an alert management module may determine whether to provide notification of the alert. If the alert management module decides to provide notification of the alert, then the alert management module may initiate the creation of an issue ticket corresponding to the alert in an issue tracking system. If the alert management module decides not to provide notification of the alert, then the alert management module may discard the alert.
US09009303B2	Correlating event streams from independent processes in a complex business system using metadata associated with the transport interconnections A method for correlating business events in a complex business system. A flow diagram containing a collection of nodes (representing processes) and links (representing the transport connections) between these nodes is generated. An instance of an event stream from a node that is to be connected to an instance of an event stream from a neighboring node is identified when a node transports a transaction across a link. The metadata associated with the utilized link that was used to transport the transaction between the nodes is obtained. The instances of the event streams are then correlated using the obtained metadata. Further, each instance of the event streams is assigned an identification. In this manner, business events are correlated without the requirement of users providing a common key as well as without the requirement of monitoring each user of the system throughout the entire transaction.
US09009295B2	System for indicating to network user the cost of service provided to each device on network Managing printer and copier server units connected to a network by enabling the user of a personal computer connected to the network to know print costs depending on the environmental load. Server units provide document print and copy services to each network connected client unit, typically personal computers. The server units can operate in any of several operational states, including for example, a standby state, a sleep state and a run state. Upon receiving a service request from the client unit, a management unit estimates the change in operational state for each connected server unit, assigns a priority to the various server units based on the estimated operational state changes, and provides the information for selection by the user requesting the print or copy service.
US09009291B2	System and method for directing attention to web site functionality A system determines if functionality offered via a Web site is being underutilizing by a user, e.g., not being using at all or not being using with some desired degree of regularity. When it is determined that the functionality offered via the Web site is being underutilized by the user, the system provides to content of the Web site a cue, e.g., audio and/or visual, for directing the attention of the user to the functionality offered via the Web site.
US09009289B1	Systems and methods for assessing application usage Various of the disclosed embodiments disclose systems and methods for assessing usage of a resource, such as hardware, software, or firmware, in a computer system. For example, some embodiments contemplate a model in which an enterprise application derives its license cost based upon the actual business value provided by the licensed resource to the enterprise. If an enterprise has purchased software that it uses very heavily, then the license cost may increase. Conversely, if the enterprise uses the software rarely, then the license cost may decrease. This usage granularity may allow an enterprise executive to purchase a software license without fear that the software will be inefficiently utilized. A licensor may similarly use the system to charge more accurate fees.
US09009285B2	Network system and management method therefor The network system includes a command transmitting unit that transmits a command for requesting information required by the representative device for network management from the non-representative device, when the non-representative device has joined a network or when there is a change in a state of the non-representative device, and a command receiving unit that receives a command including the information sent from the non-representative device that has received the command.
US09009282B2	Method for synchronizing a client clock frequency with a server clock frequency A method for synchronizing the frequency of a client clock with a server clock frequency, such synchronization being performed through timing packets transmitted by the server towards the client through a telecommunication network wherein the method includes the transmission, by the server, of groups of timing packets such that an emission timing packet period (τ1), measured between successive timing packets of a same group, is smaller than an emission group period (τ3), measured between first timing packets of successive groups. Emission timing packet period (τ1) is such that transmission delays of timing packets within a same group are practically correlated, and emission group period (τ3) is such that transmission delays of timing packets from different groups are practically uncorrelated.
US09009271B2	Four dimensional (4D) information distribution system and method The present invention provides for a four dimensional (4D) information distribution system and method which allows on-demand and real-time transmission of time-sensitive and useful self-help data or instructional materials to user. The transmission of the 4D information can be initiated at the user's request or it can be automatically carried out based on a set of established rules, such as a schedule of events. The 4D information distribution system includes a processing device for generating the 4D information, a distribution device for transmission of the 4D information, a receiving device for accepting the 4D information, and a display device for outputting the received 4D information.
US09009270B2	Scalable, high performance and highly available distributed storage system for internet content A method for content storage on behalf of participating content providers begins by having a given content provider identify content for storage. The content provider then uploads the content to a given storage site selected from a set of storage sites. Following upload, the content is replicated from the given storage site to at least one other storage site in the set. Upon request from a given entity, a given storage site from which the given entity may retrieve the content is then identified. The content is then downloaded from the identified given storage site to the given entity. In an illustrative embodiment, the given entity is an edge server of a content delivery network (CDN).
US09009264B2	Instant messaging device/server protocol A generic IM device/server protocol permits a single implementation of a IM application on client devices for communicating with different enterprise IM servers types. The protocol defines a server maintained tag to identify the currency of a contact list it is managing for a client device. The client device receives and persists the tag and provides it at login. The server automatically sends a contact list update only if the tag indicates the client devices contact list instance is not current. Presence updates may also be sent automatically at login and the client device need not separately request contact list or presence updates at login. The client device may be pre-provisioned with respective graphics, text and server capabilities for multiple server types. A specific IM configuration may be selected in response to service information.
US09009249B2	Systems and methods for delivering content to a mobile device based on geo-location Described herein are a system and method for delivering content to a mobile computing device, where the content is selected for presentation to a member of a social network service based on the current geo-location of the member (device) and one or more associations and/or relationships between entities represented in a social graph of the social network service. A particular embodiment includes providing, by use of a data processor, a user interface to notify a member of a social network service of his or her proximity to another entity that is represented in the social graph of the social network service. In some embodiments, in response to determining that a member is in geographical proximity of a company that has a presence in the social graph of the social network service, a job recommendation/matching engine may cause information to be presented relating to a job listing posted to a job listing service by an authorized representative of the company.
US09009248B2	Apparatus and method of performing discovery based on priority level in distributed network, and method of determining discovery back-off time Provided are a network node and a method of performing discovery, which may stably perform discovery without delay or crash of a network at the time of initial discovery in a large-scale network. The network node operated in a distributed network includes a discovery performing unit that determines a discovery back-off time that is a transmission wait time of a discovery message based on levels of priority of the network node, and a communication unit that transmits the discovery message using the discovery back-off time.
US09009245B2	Messenger client and method for updating messages in messenger client Updating messages in a messenger client includes a messenger client judging whether it is necessary to pull a new message or a new message notification from a messenger server according to a state of the messenger client; performing an action of pulling a new message notification from the messenger server in response to a determination that it is necessary to pull a new message notification; and performing an action of pulling new messages from the messenger server in response to a determination that it is necessary to pull a new message. The messenger client includes a state judging module and a pulling module. A new message notification is pulled when it is determined it is only necessary to pull a new message notification.
US09009241B2	Determining crowd topics from communications in a focus area An embodiment of the invention provides a system and method for managing computing resources, wherein a data analyzer analyzes communications from electronic devices to identify a common topic among the communications in a predetermined area. In at least one embodiment, only communications that have been created within a predetermined time period are analyzed. A processor connected to said data analyzer generates a title based on the common topic. A communications module connected to the processor sends an electronic message to a user, wherein the electronic message includes the title and the predetermined area. In at least one embodiment, the title and the predetermined area are displayed on a graphical user interface.
US09009239B1	System, method, and computer program for providing access to a plurality of services through a unified application A system, method, and computer program product are provided for providing access to a plurality of services through a unified application. In use, a plurality of services is associated with a unified application of an entity. Additionally, the unified application is installed within a landing page of the entity. Further, access to the plurality of services is provided to a plurality of users through the unified application of the landing page.
US09009237B2	Propagating instant message status change A method and computer program product for propagating instant message status change is described. A method may comprise receiving, via at least one of a client electronic device and a server computer, an instant message request associated with an instant message request target. The method may further comprise determining, via at least one of the client electronic device and the server computer, an instant message status based upon, at least in part, the instant message request and the instant message request target. The method may also comprise in response to the determination, providing, via at least one of the client electronic device and the server computer, an indication of the instant message status.
US09009232B2	Method and apparatus for processing authentication request message in a social network A method and an apparatus for processing an authentication request message in a social network are provided. To improve the inefficiency of existing technology in processing user authentication and request to establish social relationship as well as inadequacy of parameters available for said authentication, the disclosed method includes a social network server detecting an authentication request message sent by a first client to a second client requesting to establish a social relationship with the second client. The social network server obtains information social attributes that are common to the first client and the second client, forwards the authentication request message, and sends the obtained information of common social attributes to the second client. The social attribute information is used by the second client to decide whether or not to authenticate the authentication request message.
US09009230B1	Machine-to-machine instant messaging Techniques and systems for interfacing Internet Things (IoT) devices using different connection protocols are provided. For example, computing device, a method, and a computer-program product may be provided, and may include one or more data processors and a receiver for receiving a communication from a first IoT device communicatively connected to the computing device using a first connection protocol. The communication is received using the first connection protocol. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium may contain instructions which when executed on the one or more data processors, cause the one or more processors to determine a second IoT device to which the communication is intended to be transmitted, determine a second connection protocol used by the second IoT device, and translate the communication to the second connection protocol. A transmitter may transmit the communication to the second IoT device that is communicatively connected to the computing device using the second connection protocol. The communication is transmitted using the second connection protocol.
US09009229B2	Device, system, and method of sharing social network information Device, system, and method of sharing social network information. A method of sharing social information includes: obtaining from a social network social information of passengers associated with a flight; and presenting the social information to a prospective passenger of said flight. The obtaining includes obtaining from the social network in bulk social information of at least two passengers associated with a flight, by sending a query which includes an identifier of said flight, and which excludes any identifier of any passenger on said flight.
US09009227B2	Facilitating meeting invitation extension Enabling meeting extensions using an electronic meeting scheduling system may include enabling a second user invited to a meeting by a first user via an electronic meeting scheduling system to invite one or more third users to the meeting; and applying one or more meeting attributes set by the second user to said one or more third users.
US09009226B2	Generating activities based upon social data A method described herein includes acts of receiving data from a social networking application, wherein the data is generated by a first individual, and executing an entity extraction algorithm to extract at least one entity from the received data. The method also includes automatically causing a hyperlink to be displayed on a computing device utilized by a second individual, wherein the hyperlink is based at least in part upon the at least one entity, wherein the hyperlink is configured to direct the first individual to a search engine and is further configured to cause the search engine to execute a search that pertains to the at least one entity.
US09009225B2	System and method for conference management A method in a mobile communication device for communication over a wireless network for managing conference equipment, including: establishing a connection with a video conferencing management server via the wireless network; receiving information from the video conferencing management server, the information including one or more lists of entries from one or more phone books or personal information of a user of the mobile device; generating a user interface to allow the user to select one or more of the entries from the one or more phone books or personal information; and creating a control message, based on at least a selected one or more of the entries from the one or more phone books or personal information, that instructs the video conferencing management server to initiate or schedule a videoconference.
US09009224B2	Apparatus and method for synchronizing E-book content with video content and system thereof A method of synchronizing a first device capable of displaying video content and including the video content, and a second device capable of displaying E-book content associated with the video content and including the E-book content. The first device is connected to the second device according to a specific protocol. In response to a specific event for the video content or the E-book content occurring in one of the first and second devices, the device in which the specific event occurs generates event information about the specific event and transmits it to the other of the first and second devices, and performs the specific event according to the event information. Upon receiving the event information, the other of the first and second devices performs the specific event according to the received event information in synchronization with the device in which the specific event occurred, using synchronization information between the video content and the E-book content.
US09009218B2	Cloud server/thin client/gateway selective browser instantiation A gateway having at least one communications interface and processing circuitry establishes communications with at least one service provider device and at least one serviced client device. The gateway then determines that a serviced client device is to establish an Internet browsing session. Based upon characteristics of the serviced client device, the gateway determines where to instantiate a web browser to service the Internet browsing session. Based upon the determination, in a first operation, instantiates the web browser to service the Internet browsing session at the gateway or client device. In a second operation, the gateway instantiates the web browser to service the Internet browsing session at a service provider server. In other operations, the gateway may determine to instantiate a browser for a first client device at a cloud server and to instantiate a browser for a second client device either locally or at the second client device.
US09009210B2	Distribution of multimedia files using a transportation provider wireless device Methods and apparatus for distributing multimedia files units are disclosed. In an exemplary method, a plurality of multimedia files are downloaded using a transportation provider wireless device associated with a fare-based transport vehicle, such as a taxi, bus, ferry, or airplane. The downloaded multimedia files are stored in a data storage unit operatively connected to the transportation provider wireless device. In response to passenger input data received from a passenger wireless device, a desired multimedia file selected by the passenger is transferred to the passenger wireless device or played back using local speakers and/or video displays. In some embodiments, a selected multimedia file is associated with digital rights management information regulating authorized uses of the file.
US09009200B1	Method of searching text based on two computer hardware processing properties: indirect memory addressing and ASCII encoding A method and process for searching and inserting a word or set of words in a large data set for real-time data intensive search applications using memory banks is disclosed. Traditional search methods optimize time and space by pre-sorting the data so that fast search can be accomplished. Unfortunately, in real-time search intensive applications, it is almost impossible to take a snapshot of the data set during real-time while the transactions are happening to sort and search for a word or set of words. The instant method and process is an innovative way to use unordered list for searching the data real-time without the requirement to pre-sort the data. The time complexity of the proposed method is very fast. In addition, the proposed method does both insertion and searching reducing the code complexity and time using indirect addressing in memory banks.
US09009198B2	Processing the results of multiple search queries in a mapping application In general, the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in methods, systems, and program products. Information that is responsive to each of multiple distinct search queries is received from a server system. The information for each of the search queries identifies a geographical context or includes search results. One or more visual indications of the information for each of the search queries are displayed on a geographical map. A user interface element for each of the search queries is displayed. The user interface element for each of the search queries, when selected by a user, causes removal from the display of the one or more visual indications of the information for the search query that corresponds to the selected user interface element.
US09009194B2	Real time and dynamic voting Embodiments of the present invention facilitate the solicitation of user input while allowing for dynamic changes to that input while concurrently ranking the same. Ranking occurs in real-time and allows for a user to alter their contribution or vote until the close of a contribution period allowing real-time influences to be taken into account. Contributions may be provided in response to or as a part of a template driven nomination process. Solicitations of input may occur in the context of a pre-defined slate of options for voting, nominating certain options for a subsequent or concurrent voting process, or choosing/suggest more than one option such as the best of a slate of options or the individual ranking of a slate of options. Embodiments of the present invention capture all user nominations or suggestions while simultaneously providing the real-time ranking and dynamic re-ranking of those nominations or suggestions.
US09009181B2	Accessing objects in a service registry and repository This invention relates to a service registry and repository system, method and computer program product for accessing objects in an object repository. A method of managing an object database for objects comprising: receiving a database XPATH query; translating the database path query into an object query; and querying the object database using the object query. The translating comprises: breaking the path query into nodes; examining each node to identify objects for selection and objects from which selection is made; consolidating objects for selection from each node; consolidating objects from which selection is made; and forming the object query from a SELECT clause made up of the consolidated objects for selection from each node and from a FROM clause made up of the consolidated objects from which selection is made.
US09009180B2	System and method for providing extending searches The present invention generally relates to computer and web-based contact searches. Specifically, this invention relates to systems and methods for extending contact searches to include contacts beyond those of the user initiating the search. Embodiments of the present invention allow users to search for indirect contacts beyond their direct contacts by providing the user results that include the contacts of their contacts and so on to a specified depth level and restricted by security implementations selectable by the indirect contacts.
US09009177B2	Recommending points of interests in a region Techniques for searching and providing geographical regions are described. The process searches and recommends points of interests based on a user-specified region. Points of interests include spatial objects (e.g., buildings, landmarks, rivers, parks) and their distributions in a geographical region. The process searches and recommends points of interests by partitioning a spatial map into grids to identify representative categories located in each of the grids. In response to the user-specified region, a set of geographical candidates containing the representative categories is retrieved. The process determines whether the user-specified region and the set of geographical candidates include similar or common representative categories and similar or common spatial distributions of the representative categories. Then the process provides the top ranked set of geographical candidates that have similar content information.
US09009176B2	System and method for indexing weighted-sequences in large databases The present invention provides an index structure for managing weighted-sequences in large databases. A weighted-sequence is defined as a two-dimensional structure in which each element in the sequence is associated with a weight. A series of network events, for instance, is a weighted-sequence because each event is associated with a timestamp. Querying a large sequence database by events' occurrence patterns is a first step towards understanding the temporal causal relationships among the events. The index structure proposed herein enables the efficient retrieval from the database of all subsequences (contiguous and non-contiguous) that match a given query sequence both by events and by weights. The index structure also takes into consideration the nonuniform frequency distribution of events in the sequence data.
US09009174B1	Consumer action mining A methodology infers latent or unobserved structure in relational datasets, and is used to analyze user behaviors and patterns. The data for user behaviors and patterns can be gathered from off-line activity or interactions, such as, but not limited to, retail statistics, statistical research, scientific analysis, off-line interaction between, for example, customers or users. And the analysis can be applied to, but not limited to, the analysis of credit card data, club card data, telephone data, research data, financial market data, insurance data, warehouse data, travel data, traffic data, health care system data, public administration and authorities data, logistics data, education based data, as well as behavioral pattern data.
US09009170B1	Book content item search Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products are provided for ranking distinct book content items based on implicit links to other distinct book content items. The implicit links are defined based on the identification of matching features in the distinct book content items. In some implementations, the matching features are uncommon phrases in textual content of the distinct book content items. Edges representing implicit links are generated between distinct nodes representing distinct book content items in a weighted graph. Search results for distinct book content items can be ordered based on the edges connected to the distinct nodes in the weighted graph that represent the distinct book content items.
US09009169B2	Disambiguation framework for information searching Methods, software and devices for responding to a user query are disclosed. A user query received from a user is matched to stored responses to obtain initial matched responses. A confidence metric indicating the likelihood of the initial matched responses satisfying the user query is calculated. Upon determining the confidence metric to be below a specified threshold, the user query is supplemented with contextual data. The user query, supplemented by contextual data, is further matched to stored responses by applying disparate matching techniques to obtain further matched responses, where at least one of the disparate matching techniques differs from techniques used to obtain the initial matched responses. Degree-of-match metrics are calculated taking into account the contextual data, where each degree-of-match metric indicates a quality of match between the user query and a matched response. At least one of the matched responses is presented to the user.
US09009168B2	Technique for increasing the number of persistent consistency point images in a file system An on-disk storage arrangement increases the number of persistent consistency point images (PCPIs) that may be maintained for a volume of a storage system. The on-disk storage arrangement comprises a novel volume information (volinfo) block representing a root of the volume; the volinfo block is stored at predefined locations on disk and comprises various system wide configuration data. The volinfo block further comprises a data structure configured to provide a level of indirection that increases the number of PCPIs maintainable by a file system executing on the storage system. To that end, the data structure may be organized as an array of pointers, wherein each pointer references a block containing a snapshot root, thereby enabling efficient access to each PCPI maintained by the file system.
US09009161B2	Data processing A system for processing arbitrary time-series datasets, the time-series datasets comprising a set of data points, each data point having: i) a time value; ii) a first data value representing the magnitude of a first parameter; and iii) one or more further data values each representing the state of a respective further parameter, and the system comprising: an input configured to receive first and second time-series datasets; a data point analyzer configured to store the content of each data point in a record, each record having: a first field for holding a time value; a second field for holding one or more values of a descriptor; a third field for holding a descriptor; and a fourth field for holding a value, the data point analyzer being configured to store the content of each data point received by the input in a respective record by storing: said time value in the first field; said one or more further data values in the second field; a descriptor of the first value in the third field; and said first value in the fourth field; a storage device comprising a data structure configured to store a plurality of the said records; and a data structure analyzer configured to access the data structure based on the stored time values so as to enable the comparison of data from the first and second datasets.
US09009147B2	Finding a top-K diversified ranking list on graphs A method, system and computer program product for finding a diversified ranking list for a given query. In one embodiment, a multitude of date items responsive to the query are identified, a marginal score is established for each data item; and a set, or ranking list, of the data items is formed based on these scores. This ranking list is formed by forming an initial set, and one or more data items are added to the ranking list based on the marginal scores of the data items. In one embodiment, each of the data items has a measured relevance and a measured diversity value, and the marginal scores for the data items are based on the measured relevance and the measured diversity values of the data items.
US09009130B2	Topic and time based media affinity estimation An affinity server estimates an affinity between two different time based media events (e.g., TV, radio, social media content stream), between a time based media event and a specific topic, or between two different topics, where the affinity score represents an intersection between the populations of social media users who have authored social media content items regarding the two different events and/or topics. The affinity score represents an estimation of the real world affinity between the real world population of people who have an interest in both time based media events, both topics, or in a time based media event and a topic. One possible threshold for including a social media user in a population may be based on a confidence score that indicates the confidence that one or more social media content items authored by the social media user are relevant to the topic or event in question.
US09009126B2	Discovering and ranking trending links about topics A system and a method for discovering and ranking trending links about topics are presented. The method comprises steps of receiving a plurality of messages from a social networking server, identifying a plurality of trending objects from the plurality of messages, generating at least one trending score for each trending object of the trending objects, and presenting a list of the trending objects based on the trending scores.
US09009115B2	Restoring electronic information Systems and methods are provided for automatic detection of data loss to system or a particular application. In one implementation a method is provided. The method includes identifying a loss of data associated with a current view. An alert is generated identifying the loss of data. A user is prompted to initiate a history view to restore the lost data, the history view including at least a first visual representation of an earlier version of the current view.
US09009112B2	Reorganization of data under continuous workload Architecture that provides the capability to automatically (e.g., dynamically) reorganize (repartition) an existing partition by dividing (splitting) or recombining (merging) logical databases. This reorganization can be performed to logical databases belonging to the same customer, and based on the partitioning of the tables in these databases. This can include not only splitting secondary replicas of a partition or merging secondary replicas of the partition, but also splitting off secondary replicas of the partition to create a new partition and merging two partitions into one partition. Moreover, these operations can occur while the logical databases are accepting workload (online).
US09009109B2	Profile exchange method and system In accordance with a first aspect of the invention, there is disclosed a profile exchange method comprising providing first profile data comprising a first plurality of data elements; receiving exchange signals from a device, the exchange signals carrying exchange data, the exchange data comprising an exchange property; identifying the exchange property as one of an approved property and an unapproved property; and at least one of transmitting first profile signals to and receiving second profile signals from the device in response to the exchange property being an approved property, the first profile signals containing the first profile data and the second profile signals containing a second profile data, the second profile data comprising a second plurality of data elements. More specifically, the exchange property is one of an identifier of the device, a characteristic of the second profile data and one of the second plurality of data elements.
US09009106B1	Method and system for implementing writable snapshots in a virtualized storage environment Disclosed is an improved approach for implementing and maintaining writable snapshots. An efficient approach is provided for implementing snapshots that can be used to immediately create snapshots without incurring any detectable delays in providing access to the new snapshots. Also described are improved metadata structures that can be used to implement and maintain the writable snapshots.
US09009104B2	Checkpoint-free in log mining for distributed information sharing Techniques for replicating data between database systems without taking checkpoints are provided. In an embodiment, a capture process restarts. Upon restarting, the capture process reestablishes an association with an apply process. A particular logical time maintained by the apply process is then communicated to the capture process. Upon receiving the particular logical time, the capture process restarts mining from this particular logical time.
US09009099B1	Method and system for reconstruction of object model data in a relational database Methods, systems and articles of manufacture are provided for migrating entity relationship data residing in an object oriented program environment to a relational database schema. Further, functionality is provided to facilitate more efficient searching and reconstruction of the entity relationship data in the relational database.
US09009094B2	Knowledge based method and system for local commerce A system and method that utilizes knowledge representation system to express relationships among consumers, between consumers and businesses, within a specific business, and across businesses. The system and method supports defining which businesses consumers patronize, which locations they prefer, and what products and services they intend to secure from what businesses. The system can supports defining how businesses are structured, what businesses are similar, and how businesses relate both to consumers and to other businesses. By combining this consumer knowledge and business knowledge the system enables a number of mutually compatible applications across a matrix of consumer and business interactions (consumer-to-consumer, consumer-to-business, and business-to-business).
US09009089B1	Secure pattern matching Described is a system for allowing sets of processors to engage in a secure pattern matching protocol. An input pattern is received from a first set of processors, while a text is received from a second set of processors. A matrix is constructed based on values computed for each character determined by each character's position in the pattern. The first set of processors sends an encrypted matrix to the second set of processors. The second set of processors processes each character in the text and creates a set of vectors. A final activation vector is created based on processing the set of vectors and an encrypted activation vector. The second set of processors sends the final activation vector to the first set of processors. The second set of processors decrypts the final activation vector. The system provides to the first set of processors where the pattern matches the text.
US09009086B2	Method for unsupervised clustering of multimedia data using a large-scale matching system A method and system for unsupervised clustering of multimedia content are provided. The method includes generating a plurality of clusters, each cluster containing at least a data element; generating for each of the plurality of clusters a corresponding signature; matching each of the signatures to all other signatures; determining a clustering score for each match; clustering multimedia data elements of each pair of clusters of the plurality of clusters that are determined to have a clustering score above a threshold value to create at least a first cluster; and storing the at least a first cluster in a storage unit.
US09009078B2	Optical character recognition technique for protected viewing of digital files Unlocking digital content embodied in digital readable form on a digital media carrier includes receiving a scanned image of a page from scanning a physical copy of content, evaluating the scanned image; and if the scanned image corresponds to a selected page of the digital content, unlocking the digital content.
US09009076B2	Systems and methods for dynamic digital asset resource management A system and method for providing a flexible licensing system for digital content is described. In some cases, the system utilizes tokens or other valuations to facilitate the purchase or exchange of content.
US09009067B1	System, method and apparatus for managing made-to-order food tickets for a restaurant service A customer service system operated by a restaurant service provides a restaurant service server. From a database, the restaurant service server retrieves a ticket that is generated by a restaurant service server application. The restaurant service server applies a diner credit policy to the ticket, and issues a diner credit for the diner associated with the ticket.
US09009061B2	Cooling resource capacity allocation based on optimization of cost function with lagrange multipliers In a method of determining cooling resource capacity allocations for resource units in a shared environment for optimized operations, cost parameters associated with operating the resource units in at least one of delivering and receiving cooling resources are identified, one or more constraints associated with operating the resource units are identified, in which at least one of the one or more constraints comprises meeting at least a total cooling demand of components in the shared environment, a cost function that correlates the plurality of identified cost parameters is developed, a minimized cost function is solved for through application of a Lagrange multiplier subject to the identified one or more constraints, and cooling resource capacity allocations for the resource units that result in optimized operations in the shared environment based upon the minimized cost function solution are determined.
US09009057B2	Audio encoding and decoding to generate binaural virtual spatial signals An audio encoder comprises a multi-channel receiver (401) which receives an M-channel audio signal where M>2. A down-mix processor (403) down-mixes the M-channel audio signal to a first stereo signal and associated parametric data and a spatial processor (407) modifies the first stereo signal to generate a second stereo signal in response to the associated parametric data and spatial parameter data for a binaural perceptual transfer function, such as a Head Related Transfer Function (HRTF). The second stereo signal is a binaural signal and may specifically be a (3D) virtual spatial signal. An output data stream comprising the encoded data and the associated parametric data is generated by an encode processor (411) and an output processor (413). The HRTF processing may allow the generation of a (3D) virtual spatial signal by conventional stereo decoders. A multi-channel decoder may reverse the process of the spatial processor (407) to generate an improved quality multi-channel signal.
US09009055B1	Hosted voice recognition system for wireless devices Methods, systems, and software for converting the audio input of a user of a hand-held client device or mobile phone into a textual representation by means of a backend server accessed by the device through a communications network. The text is then inserted into or used by an application of the client device to send a text message, instant message, email, or to insert a request into a web-based application or service. In one embodiment, the method includes the steps of initializing or launching the application on the device; recording and transmitting the recorded audio message from the client device to the backend server through a client-server communication protocol; converting the transmitted audio message into the textual representation in the backend server; and sending the converted text message back to the client device or forwarding it on to an alternate destination directly from the server.
US09009054B2	Program endpoint time detection apparatus and method, and program information retrieval system This invention relates to retrieval for multimedia content, and provides a program endpoint time detection apparatus for detecting an endpoint time of a program by performing processing on audio signals of said program, comprising an audio classification unit for classifying said audio signals into a speech signal portion and a non-speech signal portion; a keyword retrieval unit for retrieving, as a candidate endpoint keyword, an endpoint keyword indicating start or end of the program from said speech signal portion; a content analysis unit for performing content analysis on context of the candidate endpoint keyword retrieved by the keyword retrieval unit to determine whether the candidate endpoint keyword is a valid endpoint keyword; and a program endpoint time determination unit for performing statistics analysis based on the retrieval result of said keyword retrieval unit and the determination result of said content analysis unit, and determining the endpoint time of the program. In addition, this invention also provides a program information retrieval system. With present invention, program information regarding a program attended by user can be rapidly obtained.
US09009048B2	Method, medium, and system detecting speech using energy levels of speech frames A speech recognition method, medium, and system. The method includes detecting an energy change of each frame making up signals including speech and non-speech signals, and identifying a speech segment corresponding to frames that include only speech signals from among the frames based on the detected energy change.
US09009043B2	Pattern processing system specific to a user group Methods and apparatus for identifying a user group in connection with user group-based speech recognition. An exemplary method comprises receiving, from a user, a user group identifier that identifies a user group to which the user was previously assigned based on training data. The user group comprises a plurality of individuals including the user. The method further comprises using the user group identifier, identifying a pattern processing data set corresponding to the user group, and receiving speech input from the user to be recognized using the pattern processing data set.
US09009041B2	Systems and methods for improving the accuracy of a transcription using auxiliary data such as personal data A method is described for improving the accuracy of a transcription generated by an automatic speech recognition (ASR) engine. A personal vocabulary is maintained that includes replacement words. The replacement words in the personal vocabulary are obtained from personal data associated with a user. A transcription is received of an audio recording. The transcription is generated by an ASR engine using an ASR vocabulary and includes a transcribed word that represents a spoken word in the audio recording. Data is received that is associated with the transcribed word. A replacement word from the personal vocabulary is identified, which is used to re-score the transcription and replace the transcribed word.
US09009040B2	Training a transcription system According to certain embodiments, training a transcription system includes accessing recorded voice data of a user from one or more sources. The recorded voice data comprises voice samples. A transcript of the recorded voice data is accessed. The transcript comprises text representing one or more words of each voice sample. The transcript and the recorded voice data are provided to a transcription system to generate a voice profile for the user. The voice profile comprises information used to convert a voice sample to corresponding text.
US09009035B2	Method for processing multichannel acoustic signal, system therefor, and program A method for processing multichannel acoustic signals which processes input signals of a plurality of channels including the voices of a plurality of speaking persons. The method is characterized by detecting the voice section of each speaking person or each channel, detecting overlapped sections wherein the detected voice sections are common between channels, determining a channel to be subjected to crosstalk removal and the section thereof by use of at least voice sections not including the detected overlapped sections, and removing crosstalk in the sections of the channel to be subjected to the crosstalk removal.
US09009032B2	Method and system for performing sample rate conversion A method and system for performing sample rate conversion is provided. The method may include configuring a system to convert a sample rate of a first audio channel of a plurality of audio channels to produce a first audio stream of samples. The system may be dynamically reconfigured to convert a sample rate of a second of the plurality of audio channels to produce a second audio stream of samples, wherein the first and second audio streams are output from the system at the same time. The method may further include arbitrating between request for additional data from the first and second audio stream of samples, where processing of the first channel is suspended when the request corresponds to a second channel that is of higher priority.
US09009019B2	Electrical optimization and component selection in an electrical grid Techniques for optimizing a distribution circuit (e.g., electric power grid) are described. Primary wiring of a distribution circuit may comprise a plurality of unique primary paths, from a source to an end (a transformer). Each primary path may include a plurality of primary segments, and each primary segment may be in one or more primary paths. A maximum voltage drop on any primary segment may be selected as a smallest of maximum allowed voltage drops across that segment in each of the primary paths. Because the voltage drop across each primary path must be less than a prescribed maximum, the sum of the voltage drops across each primary segment in that primary path is less than the prescribed maximum. The prescribed maximum may be adhered to if each primary segment is constructed of a conductor gauge chosen not to exceed the maximum voltage drop for that segment.
US09009018B2	Enabling reuse of unit-specific simulation irritation in multiple environments In the verification of an electronic design such as a microprocessor, a set of generic transaction types is applied to a unit in a unit simulation environment and then the same set of generic transaction types is applied to the unit in a larger (e.g., element) simulation environment using an abstraction layer which can interface with both a unit translation layer of the unit simulation environment and an element translation layer of the element simulation environment. The abstraction layer may comprise a generic driver interface which issues generic commands having command parameters including a command type, an address, and operand data. The invention can be extended to multiple units which make up the element, or to multiple elements in the element environment. The invention can further be extended in a hierarchical fashion to other levels of simulation environments, e.g., unit-element-system.
US09009015B2	Free energy difference estimation method and simulation apparatus In a free energy difference estimation method, the partial free energy difference indicates a bound state between a target compound and a first candidate compound bindable to the target compound, and is stored in a storage part for each value of a binding constant. A change region, in which a partial free energy difference is equal to or greater than a predetermined change value, is specified in a region of the binding constant. The partial free energy difference of a second candidate compound in the change region is interpolated based on the partial free energy difference acquired in each of a previous region and a following region by using an approximation function.
US09008994B2	Portable electronic device, storage medium and method for reporting location of the portable electronic device In a method for reporting a location of a portable electronic device, an acceleration of the portable electronic device is detected via an accelerometer of the portable electronic device. The portable electronic device is determined as falling when a difference between the acceleration of the portable electronic device and an acceleration of gravity is in a predetermined range. An angular velocity of the portable electronic device is detected via a gyroscope of the portable electronic device when the portable electronic device is determined as falling. The portable electronic device is determined as static when the angular velocity of the portable electronic device equals zero. If the portable electronic device is static for a predetermined time period, location information of the portable electronic device is collected from a global position system receiver of the portable electronic device. The location information is sent to a target electronic device.
US09008993B2	Methods and apparatus for detecting unauthorized batteries or tampering by monitoring a thermal profile According to one aspect, a portable electronic device having a heat generating component, a thermal sensor, an energy storage device for powering the portable electronic device, a thermal element thermally coupled to the heat generating component, the energy storage device, and the thermal sensor. The thermal element is sized and shaped so that heat generated by the heat generating component flows through the thermal element towards the thermal sensor and interacts with the energy storage device. The thermal sensor is used to monitor a thermal profile for the thermal element, and the monitored thermal profile is compared with an expected thermal profile to determine if the integrity of the portable electronic device has been compromised.
US09008986B2	Variable tool calibration The present disclosure relates to a method to calibrate logging measurements from a logging tool for which one or more attributes vary over the course of logging. A logging tool is provided and a pre-logging calibration function for the logging tool is obtained. Logging measurements are made using the logging tool, and a post-logging calibration function for the logging tool is obtained. A variable calibration function using the pre-logging calibration function and the post-logging calibration function is determined, and the logging measurements are calibrated using the variable calibration function. The variable calibration function may be discrete or continuous and linear or non-linear. A non-linear calibration function may be based on measurements of one or more of the varying attributes of the logging tool. A discrete calibration function may have three or more calibration factors.
US09008985B2	Automatic test method for an inspection device The invention relates to a test method for examining an inspection device, which is associated with a functional unit of a master unit, comprising at least the following steps: producing a specified number of faulty and/or correct containers or test containers by means of the functional unit itself in that a control signal for producing a distinctive element is fed to the functional unit; leading the faulty containers or test containers past the inspection device, which detects the faulty containers or test containers and produces a signal to discharge the faulty containers or test containers, or indicates a value regarding the expected and the measured faulty and/or correct containers. The test method is automatically started or performed and is suitable, for example, for examining a label position checking device, the filling amount checking unit, and the closure seating checking unit in order to be able to determine the fault-free functioning thereof or optionally the faulty functioning thereof. The test method is characterized in that operation is not required. The test method is characterized in that the test method allows clear and documented rules for the procedure and the test results, which ensure quality control in terms of product liability.
US09008984B2	Device for predicting gloss of low gloss coating by wet color measurement The present invention is directed to a device for process for predicting gloss of a coating resulting from a wet layer of a low gloss coating composition, such as automotive OEM or refinish paint. The device includes measuring reflectance of the layer of the coating composition applied over a test substrate and then allowing the layer to dry and/or cure into a coating. Thereafter, its gloss is measured with a gloss meter. The device is repeated with varying amounts of one or flatting agents added to the composition and the reflectance vs. gloss is plotted on a graph and by using a curve fitting equation a gloss prediction curve is obtained. By measuring the reflectance of a wet layer of a target low gloss coating composition the gloss of a coating that would result from such a layer is then predicted by using the gloss prediction curve. The device is most useful during the manufacture of coating compositions, such as automotive OEM and refinishes paints.
US09008967B2	Computer-aided route selection In some aspects, a processor may receive a starting point and an ending point from a runner. The processor may receive calorie information from the runner. The processor may receive pace information from the runner. The processor may receive a mile marker input from the runner. The processor may display a he route based on the starting point and the ending point. The processor may display the number of calories burned based on the route and the calorie information. The processor may display a pace of running the route based on the route and the calorie information. The processor may display a mile marker on the route in response to the first mile marker input.
US09008965B2	Position measurement device, method for generating locational information, and storage medium In position measurement device, a positional data acquirer measures a present position to acquire positional data. A positional data storage sequentially stores the positional data acquired by the positional data acquirer. A determiner determines, on the basis of the positional data sequentially stored by the positional data storage and a predetermined criterion, whether a position of a user at a present time is a position of a location to be recorded. And, a locational information storage stores, if the determiner determines that the position of the user at the present time is the position of the location to be recorded, the positional data of the position as locational information.
US09008957B2	Method and device for avoiding and/or reducing the consequences of collisions A device for avoiding or reducing the consequences of collisions, an obstacle being recognized by a surroundings sensor and data of the obstacle are ascertained. The brakes are automatically actuated. Furthermore, an intervention in the steering system to evade the obstacle is performed only if the risk potential for the vehicle and that of other traffic participants is less than without an evasion maneuver.
US09008951B2	Fuel admission control unit to control a diesel engine A fuel admission control unit controls a diesel engine and ensures compatibility between exhaust gas performance and engine speed response performance by considering residual oxygen in EGR gas. The control unit includes an estimation excess air ratio λs computing unit that is an arithmetic section to compute an estimation excess air ratio λs, from the quantity of the fuel injected by a fuel injection valve into a cylinder, the intake air flow rate, and the flow rate of the residual oxygen in the EGR gas that returns back into the intake air system. The control unit also includes a fuel admission control unit that controls the fuel flow rate under hard acceleration, based on the estimation excess air ratio λs that is computed by the estimation excess air ratio λs computing unit.
US09008945B2	Turbosupercharged internal combustion engine control method A method of controlling an internal combustion engine supercharged by a turbosupercharger having a turbine and a compressor; the control method including the steps of: determining, in a reduced mass flow/compression ratio graph, at least one limit operation curve of the compressor representing a limit of the operating range of the compressor; controlling the turbosupercharger to keep the actual reduced mass flow and actual compression ratio of the compressor within the limit defined by the limit operation curve of the compressor; determining an index as a function of the dynamics of the reduced mass flow of the compressor; and modifying the limit operation curve of the compressor as a function of the index.
US09008942B2	Method of managing an engine failure on a multi-engined aircraft having a hybrid power plant A method of managing an engine failure on a rotary wing aircraft (1) having a hybrid power plant (5) with at least two fuel-burning engines (13, 13′), at least one electric machine (12), and a main gearbox (11). Said aircraft (1) also has electrical energy storage means (14) and a main rotor (2) mechanically connected to said hybrid power plant (5). In said method, during each flight, the operation of said engines (13, 13′) is monitored in order to detect a failure of any one of them, and then once a failure of one of said engines (13, 13′) has been detected, said electric machine (12) is controlled, if necessary, to deliver auxiliary power We in order to avoid a deficit appearing in the total power WT of said hybrid power plant (5), thereby enabling the pilot of said aircraft (1) to fly said aircraft (1) safely without degrading said hybrid power plant (5).
US09008938B2	Control system in vehicle A control system for controlling a driving power source in a vehicle, includes a driving state detector for detecting a driving state of the vehicle; a first determiner for determining whether or not the driving state detected by the driving state detector is a first state; a second determiner for determining whether or not the driving state detected by the driving state detector is a second state; a rotational speed limiter for executing rotational speed limiting control for limiting a driving power source rotational speed to a predetermined upper limit value or less when the first determiner determines that the driving state is the first state, during an operation of the driving power source; and a rotational speed limiting termination unit for terminating the rotational speed limiting control, when the second determiner determines that the driving state is the second state, during the operation of the driving power source.
US09008935B2	Speed control device and program for speed control device In the case where a first condition that a first future demand acceleration which is a demand acceleration when a predetermined first time has elapsed from the present time is lower than a value obtained by subtracting a first allowable value from the accelerator-fully-closed acceleration is satisfied, an accelerator feedback control is stopped while directing an accelerator toward a fully closed position and a brake feedback control is started at the same time to thereby improve followability of an actual vehicle speed to a demand vehicle speed.
US09008932B2	Vehicle with cruise control device A vehicle includes a cruise control section arranged and programmed to perform control to maintain the vehicle speed at a prescribed vehicle speed while a clutch is engaged. A clutch actuator control section performs control to disengage the clutch when the value of a parameter becomes equal to or lower than a first threshold value, in the case where the cruise control section is determined to not be performing the control to maintain the vehicle speed at a prescribed vehicle speed; and performs the control to disengage the clutch when the value of the parameter becomes equal to or lower than a second threshold value, which is lower than the first threshold value, in the case where the cruise control section is determined to be performing the control to maintain the vehicle speed at a prescribed vehicle speed.
US09008920B1	Baler automatic stopping sequence A system is provided that automatically stops a tractor as a function of a status of a round baler. This may include a controller such as a baler controller directly or indirectly detecting initial movement of an actuator that moves a wrapper assembly. Based on this detection, conditions for starting a wrap procedure may be determined either by actuator position or by a time period required for moving the wrapper assembly from a home position to a wrap start position. A time period required to bring the tractor to stop may be determined and compared with the time period required for the wrapper assembly to move from the home position to the wrap start position. The baler controller may send a tractor halt command signal for stopping the tractor to coordinate and synchronize bringing the tractor to a complete stop at the same time that the wrapping material is inserted and applied onto the bale at the beginning of a wrapping procedure.
US09008911B2	Electrical limitation of a steering gear travel path A method for an electrical limitation of the travel path of a steering gear in a wheeled vehicle, in particular a passenger car, which exhibits a steering drive, is provided. The method includes adjusting the steering gear in a first direction and acquiring a first maximum travel path in the first direction. The method includes prescribing a first limiting value based upon this acquired first maximum travel path and electrically limiting the travel path of the steering gear in the first direction based upon the first limiting value. The first maximum travel path is acquired by the steering drive.
US09008904B2	Graphical vehicle command system for autonomous vehicles on full windshield head-up display A method to control operation of a vehicle based upon a user input from a user of the vehicle to a graphic projection display representing a registered graphic to a view in front of the vehicle includes projecting the registered graphic to the view in front of the vehicle upon the graphic projection display, monitoring the user input to the graphic projection display, and controlling the operation of the vehicle based upon the user input to the graphic projection display.
US09008901B2	Brake fade determination device, brake fade determination method and braking system A brake fade determination device determines whether a fade state of a brake device that brakes a wheel of a vehicle is occurring on the basis of the deceleration of the vehicle and the slip amount of the wheel. A braking system includes: the brake device that is able to adjust a braking force that acts on the wheel of the vehicle; and a controller that controls the braking force to control the slip condition of the wheel. The controller determines whether a fade state of the brake device is occurring on the basis of the deceleration of the vehicle and the slip amount of the wheel, and adjusts the amount of increase or decrease in braking force on the basis of whether the fade state is occurring.
US09008898B2	In-vehicle electronic control unit, diagnosis tool and diagnosis system An in-vehicle electronic control unit (ECU), stores behavior information, when a specific vehicle behavior (i.e. a vehicle behavior that does not correspond to the driver's driving operation) is detected. The in-vehicle electronic control unit (ECU) stores, as the behavior information, vehicle travel information, a storage time of the vehicle travel information, and storage execution information that indicates that the vehicle travel information is stored. When the engine of the vehicle stops, the ECU first executes an abnormality check of a CPU operation, when, based on the storage execution information of the behavior information, the vehicle travel information is stored. The ECU stores, as abnormality check information, an abnormality check result, an execution time of the abnormality check, and check execution information indicating that the abnormality check has been executed, and after the storage of the abnormality check information, the ECU stops power supply to the CPU.
US09008894B2	Automobile mileage notification system The application describes a system for notifying a vehicle owner regarding service due for a vehicle based on the vehicle's accumulated mileage. The system determines vehicle mileage based on GPS data, determines whether the mileage has exceeded a threshold, transmits a wireless signal from the vehicle to a notification service provider computer when the threshold is exceeded, and sends a notice from the notification service provider to the dealer and/or customer to indicate that vehicle service is due.
US09008884B2	Bot position sensing A storage and retrieval system including a storage structure having storage shelves, each storage shelf having slats for supporting stored items where the slats are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance, an autonomous transport vehicle including at least one sensor configured to sense each of the slats and output a signal indicating when a slat is sensed, and a controller for verifying a location of the autonomous transport vehicle within the storage structure based on at least the output signal.
US09008883B2	Control device and control method for hybrid vehicle A hybrid vehicle has a first running mode with an engine stopped and a second running mode with the engine operating. An ECU monitors information related to the frequency of intermittent startup of the engine in response to the startup and stoppage of the engine during vehicle running. The ECU executes running control such that startup of the engine is suppressed during the first running mode when in an operation pattern in which the frequency of intermittent startup is high. Accordingly, discomfort to the driver and degradation in fuel efficiency caused by repeating stoppage and startup of the engine frequently in a short period of time can be prevented.
US09008882B2	Vehicle and control method of vehicle A vehicle capable of traveling using electric power from a power storage device mounted thereon has an ECU executing, when traveling by electric power from the power storage device: the step of calculating a reference electric consumption based on an average operating point determined by an average vehicle speed and average driving force for every predetermined period; the step of calculating an actual electric consumption based on power consumption and travel distance during the period; the step of calculating a predicted electric consumption by a smoothing processing based on the reference electric consumption and actual electric consumption; and the step of calculating an allowed travel distance RMD that the vehicle can travel by the electric power remaining in the power storage device, based on the predicted electric consumption and the SOC of the power storage device.
US09008869B2	Low-altitude altimeter and method A low-altitude altimeter (10) and a method of determining low altitudes for unmanned aerial vehicles (24). The altimeter includes at least two illuminators (12, 14), at least one sensor (16), and a computing device (18). The illuminators (12, 14) emit signals which are received by the sensor (16) in such a way that an angle at which they are received is determinable by the computing device (18). The computing device (18) processes each signal received by the sensor (16), determines the angle at which the sensor (16) received the signal, and, based thereon, determines the altitude of the unmanned aerial vehicle (24). When a first pair of illuminators are arranged along a fuselage axis, and a second pair of illuminators are arranged orthogonally to that axis, the computing device can combine first and second altitude, pitch angle, and roll angle measurements to provide a more refined altitude determination.
US09008867B2	Method and device for automatically monitoring the ability of an aircraft to follow a flight trajectory with at least one turn A monitoring device for automatically monitoring the ability of an aircraft to follow a flight trajectory with at least one turn includes a series of elements that estimate the ability of the aircraft to follow at least one turn of the flight trajectory. For example, a turn radius and limit speed for each of the upcoming turns in a flight plan (or a partial portion of the upcoming turns) are analyzed by comparing to a current speed of the aircraft to determine if there will be any risk of excursion outside the flight plan path, such that warnings can be emitted to a crew of the aircraft to take corrective action before the turns are performed. Consequently, required navigational performance maneuvers can be assured before the beginning of the turns in the flight plan.
US09008861B2	Vehicle device control system with a disabling feature A vehicle-side unit transmits a first request signal WAKE periodically toward a portable unit, and transmits a second request signal CHLG at every predetermined transmission interval specific to the vehicle-side unit upon reception of a first response signal ACK from the portable unit in response to the transmitted WAKE. The portable unit is operable with power supplied from a battery. The portable unit transmits ACK upon reception of WAKE and becomes ready for reception of CHLG at a timing CHLG is transmitted in accordance with the transmission interval specific to the vehicle-side unit.
US09008843B2	Positioning apparatus for actuator with wave gear device In a positioning apparatus for an actuator, a sliding mode controller for compensating for nonlinear characteristics of a wave gear device of the actuator generates a control input u to a controlled object, based on a position command θl* and a state variable x for expressing the controlled object. The controlled object is defined in the following formula. {dot over (x)}=Ax+Bu+Eθl* y=Cx The switching surfaces of the sliding mode control system are defined by a variable S expressed in the following formula. S=BTP The control input u is the sum of the linear-state feedback control term ul and the nonlinear control input unl u = u l + u nl = - ( SB ) - 1 ⁢ ( SAx + SE ⁢ ⁢ θ l * ) - k ⁡ ( SB ) - 1 ⁢ σ  σ  σ = Sx , where σ is the switching function, and k is the switching gain.
US09008834B2	Control device and method for controlling the speed of a conveyor An object of the present invention is to propose a computerized control device and a computer-implemented method for speed regulation during delivery of printed products to stacking devices which do not have at least some of the disadvantages of the known systems. It is in particular an object of the present invention to propose a computerized control device and a computer-implemented method for regulating the speed of a conveyor for delivering printed products to stacking devices which enable flexible production of stacks of different sizes.
US09008829B2	Inventory system with connectable inventory holders A system includes a first mobile drive unit and a second mobile drive unit. The first mobile drive unit is operable to dock with a first item holder at a first end of a column of connected item holders. The second mobile drive unit is operable to dock with a second item holder at a second end of the column of connected item holders. The system also includes a management module that is operable to instruct the first mobile drive unit and the second mobile drive units to transport the column of connected item holders from a first location to a second location.
US09008819B2	Automatic pouring method and facility therefor Provided herein is an automatic pouring method and equipment for the same that enable to inhibit the generation of residual molten metal in a ladle and thus the molten metal to be discharged therefrom can be eliminated. The method includes the steps of determining a set weight of the molten metal to be received in the ladle and number of pieces of the molds that could be poured with the ladle based on data on assigned numbers of respective molds to be poured, types of products to be cast, and set weights of the molten metal to be poured, receiving a weight of the molten metal that is greater than the set weight of the molten metal in the ladle, deriving a difference in weight between the actual weight of the molten metal that is received in the ladle and the set weight of the molten metal in the ladle, deriving a target weight of the molten metal to be poured by adding a part of the derived difference in weight to the set weight of the molten metal to be poured into the mold to be poured, and pouring the molten metal into the mold to be poured to target the target weight of the molten metal to be poured. The pouring of the molten metal is repeated by number of times that equals to the number of pieces of the molds that could be poured with the ladle such that the ladle would be emptied when the last mold in the number of pieces of the molds that could be poured with the ladle is poured.
US09008818B2	Embroidery data generating device and non-transitory computer-readable medium An embroidery data generating device includes a first storage device, a processor, and memory. The first storage device stores a plurality of stitch data used to sew a unit pattern that includes special stitches causing the sewing workpiece to be locally puckered. The memory is configured to store computer-readable instructions. The computer-readable instructions cause the processor to perform processes that include acquiring an area in which the unit pattern is to be arranged, first identifying a selected unit pattern from among a plurality of the unit patterns, based on the plurality of stitch data stored in the first storage device, arranging the identified unit pattern in the acquired area, and generating embroidery data used to sew, on the sewing workpiece held by an embroidery frame, the unit pattern arranged in the plurality in the area, using the sewing machine, based on the stitch data of the identified unit pattern.
US09008817B2	Substrate positioning apparatus, substrate processing apparatus, substrate positioning method, and computer readable medium having a program stored thereon Disclosed is a substrate positioning apparatus capable of accurately performing positioning of a center of a circular-shape substrate with respect to a rotating shaft. The substrate positioning apparatus includes: a substrate disposing part; a first positioning mechanism including a first reference part contacting a side of the substrate; a second positioning mechanism including a second reference part contacting the side of the substrate; a first driver configured to drive the first positioning mechanism; a controller configured to control the drive of the first positioning mechanism. In particular, the second reference part contacts the substrate at a contact part and includes an elastic part that applies force in a moving direction of the first driver to the contact part and a detector that detects position information of the second positioning mechanism.
US09008816B2	Build up edge monitoring method A build up edge monitoring method is provided for performing online real-time detection and suppression of abnormal build up edges of cutters occurred in a CNC manufacturing process. Signal variation analysis and fast Fourier transform are used for analyzing signals and establishing an algorithm of diagnosing build up edges to improve the efficiency and reliability of the cutting abnormality diagnostics. A vibration acceleration signal is captured and filtered to a frequency exceeding 1.1 times of a blade passing frequency, and an occurrence of accumulated chips is determined according to a sudden increase of the vibration acceleration and whether the main vibration frequency of the current vibration signal determined by a fast Fourier transform analysis matches with the frequency of the build up edge characteristic, and a shutdown instruction is issued to a CNC controller to shut down a cutting machine.
US09008808B2	Control system for safely operating at least one functional component A system includes a functional control unit and a controller. The functional control unit is configured to enable and disable operation of a functional component. The controller is configured to receive a sensor signal, evaluate safety quality of the sensor signal, generate an evaluation parameter representing the safety quality of the sensor signal, and output the sensor signal with the evaluation parameter as a pair for receipt by the functional control unit. The functional control unit is configured to control operation of the functional component depending on the safety quality indicated by the evaluation parameter.
US09008801B2	Wearable therapeutic device A wearable therapeutic device that includes a garment configured to contain an external defibrillator. The garment is configured to house at least one of an alarm module and a monitor and to house a first therapy electrode and a second therapy electrode. The garment is also configured to releasably receive a receptacle that contains a conductive fluid proximate to at least one of the first therapy electrode and the second therapy electrode, and to electrically couple the receptacle with the garment.
US09008786B2	Determining stimulation signals for neural stimulation A tissue-stimulating prosthesis receives an input signal and determines a set of stimulation signals for use in generating electrical stimulation that will cause the recipient to perceive the input signal. The prosthesis determines a set of stimulation signals based on the perceptual power of at least one of the frequency components of the input signal or the perceptual power of one or more stimulation signals within the set.
US09008782B2	Occipital nerve stimulation An implantable medical device comprises one or more electrical stimulation generators, and a housing that contains the one or more electrical stimulation generators. The implantable medical device also includes a first medical lead no greater than about 6 inches in length, and a second medical lead no greater than about 6 inches in length. The housing includes a first connector block that electrically connects the first medical lead to at least one of the one or more electrical stimulation generators, and a second connector block that electrically connects the second medical lead to at least one of the one or more electrical stimulation generators. The implantable medical device may be part of an electrical stimulation system implanted beneath the skin and inferior to the inion of a patient to deliver stimulation therapy to at least one of an occipital nerve and a branch of the occipital nerve.
US09008778B2	Implantable electrical stimulation systems with shielded control module and methods for making and using An implantable control module for an electrical stimulation system includes a header coupled a sealed body. The header includes at least one connector assembly. The control module also includes a conductive shield disposed over at least a portion of the connector assembly or connector assemblies of the header. The conductive shield is provided to hinder generation of current in the header or in a portion of a lead received in the header in response to application of an external radiofrequency (RF) or magnetic field. A similar shield can also be used to shield a connector assembly disposed on the end of a lead extension or any other component of the electrical stimulation system.
US09008770B2	Prophylactic bactericidal medical device A medical implant system is described for inhibiting infection associated with a joint prosthesis implant. An inventive system includes an implant body made of a biocompatible material which has a metal component disposed on an external surface of the implant body. A current is allowed to flow to the metal component, stimulating release of metal ions toxic to microbes, such as bacteria, protozoa, fungi, and viruses. One detailed system is completely surgically implantable in the patient such that no part of the system is external to the patient while the system is in use. In addition, externally controlled devices are provided which allow for modulation of implanted components.
US09008756B2	Mapping system and method for mapping a target containing tissue A mapping system (200) including: (a) at least one external marker (210,212,214,216) adapted for positioning outside a target (520) to define a target context; (b) at least one target marker (230) adapted for positioning with the target; (c) a data acquisition tool (221) configured to provide position coordinates for at least one data point (220) at the target (520); and (d) a registration module (300) adapted to output position coordinates of said at least one data point relative to at least a portion of the target context.
US09008753B2	Look-locker IR-SSFP for cardiac MR imaging with simultaneous generation of cardiac T1 maps, cine images and IR-prepared images The present invention is directed to a method for use in conducting cardiac MR imaging which allows for reconstruction of T1 maps, cine images and IR-prepared images from one raw data set, wherein the method comprises the following steps: a) acquisition of raw data by use of an ECG-triggered, segmented, inversion recovery (IR) -prepared Look-Locker type pulse sequence for data acquisition, wherein the pulse sequence encompasses more than one shot, wherein each shot comprises: i) an ECG-triggered inversion pulse; ii) SSFP cine data acquisition of radial segmented profiles over more than one RR-interval for a predefined acquisition duration AD; and iii) a relaxation duration RD, during which no data is acquired; b) retrospective gating of raw data by sorting acquired raw data for each RR-interval into a pre-determined number of heart phases by definition of specific time windows within the RR-intervals and sampling of raw data acquired during the time windows respectively; c) image reconstruction, wherein the retrospectively gated raw data is used for reconstruction of T1 maps, cine images and/or IR-prepared images.
US09008746B2	Method and apparatus for localizing myocardial infarction during catheterization A catheter with a tissue property sensor provides for localization of myocardial infarction (MI) by utilizing one or more differences between properties of infarcted myocardial tissue and properties of normal myocardial tissue. The tissue property sensor is to be placed on endocardial wall or epicardial wall during catheterization to sense at least one tissue property allowing for detection of MI. In one embodiment, the tissue property sensor includes a contractility sensor and senses a tissue property in various locations on endocardial wall or epicardial wall and detects substantial changes in the tissue property that indicate a boundary between infarcted tissue and normal tissue.
US09008744B2	Method and apparatus for continuous analyte monitoring Embodiments of the invention provide analyte sensors and sensor systems such as amperometric glucose sensors used in the management of diabetes as well as optimized methods for monitoring analytes using such sensors and sensor systems.
US09008740B2	Techniques for protecting a superconducting (SC) tape Techniques for protecting a superconducting (SC) article are disclosed. The techniques may be realized as an apparatus for protecting a superconducting (SC) article. The apparatus may comprise a porous sleeve configured to fit around the superconducting (SC) article. The porous sleeve may be made of non-conductive, dielectric material.
US09008734B2	Wireless communication device having reduced power consumption A wireless communication device is disclosed that is capable of reduced power consumption. Uplink and downlink sub-frames in a WiMAX, 802.16m or LTE environment often include several vacant symbols during which power-hungry hardware and software components need not operate at full power. By analyzing a physical layer beacon and control information of a received signal, the specific locations of data bursts can be determined, as well as periods of needed operation of a receiver module to effectively decode those data bursts. The receiver module can otherwise be controlled to operate in a LOW power state during remaining periods of vacant time, thereby conserving power consumption and extending battery life.
US09008733B2	Mobile terminal and shutdown device and method thereof The present invention relates to mobile terminal technologies and describes a mobile terminal and shutdown device and a method thereof, the shutdown device comprising a power on-off key and a time delay circuit, and the shutdown device further comprising a first inductor and a first MOS tube that is connected with the main control chip; wherein the time delay circuit is used to adjust device parameters by setting a delay time. If the power on-off key is pressed for longer than the delay time, the first inductor controls the first MOS tube to cut off the connection with the main control chip, thereby shutting down.
US09008726B2	Base station apparatus, mobile station apparatus, communication system, base station apparatus control method, mobile station apparatus control method, and recording medium storing program To enable a mobile station, when a base station carries out a measurement of a radio signal coming from an adjacent cell while suspending at least one of radio transmission to and radio reception from the mobile station when a base station's own cell is in operation, to recognize that the adjacent cell is being measured. A home base station 1 carries out a measurement of a radio signal coming from an adjacent cell while suspending at least one of radio transmission to and radio reception from a mobile station 3-1 when a base station's own cell (home cell) is in operation. Further, the home base station 1 notifies, prior to beginning the measurement, advance notice information indicating an execution of the measurement to the mobile station 3-1.
US09008723B2	Wireless adapter The present embodiments relates to wireless adaptors. In one embodiment, a method is provided. The method may include obtaining an adaptor-device identification that identifies both a wireless adaptor and a wired device coupled with the wireless adaptor; and communicating with a network device via a wireless network using the adaptor-device identification, the wired device being distinguishable from other wired devices using the adaptor-device identification.
US09008720B2	Method and system for small cell discovery in heterogeneous cellular networks A method and a user equipment in a network having a macro cell and at least one small cell, the method in one embodiment receiving a measurement restriction over a broadcast channel from the macro cell; and applying the restriction for a corresponding measurement at the user equipment. In one embodiment the method includes receiving a small cell list from the macro cell; and measuring at least one of a reference signal receive power and a reference signal received quality based on the received small cell list. The method includes, in one embodiment, receiving a neighboring small cell configurations from the macro cell; and utilizing the received small cell configurations to attach to a small cell. The method includes, in one embodiment, receiving an s-measure offset value over a broadcast channel from the macro cell; and applying the s-measure offset value to an s-measure for neighbor cell discovery.
US09008716B2	Mobile station In a mobile station UE, a PHR transmission unit transmits a PHR to a RAT#1 when “prohibitPHR-Timer_up” is interrupted and when an increment in transmission power or P-MPR in second communication exceeds “dl-PathlossChange” compared with a value in finally transmitting the PHR. When “prohibitPHR-Timer_down” is interrupted and when a decrement in transmission power or a decrement in transmission power or P-MPR in the second communication exceeds “dl_PathlossChange”, the PHR transmission unit transmits the PHR to the RAT#1, and “prohibitPHR-Timer_up” is ended in a period shorter than that of “prohibitPHR-Timer_down”.
US09008709B2	Method and apparatus for providing a WiFi network information service An approach is provided for providing a WiFi network information service. A configuration client processes and/or facilitates a processing, by at least one module of at least one access point, of configuration data stored at the at least one access point to determine network information. The configuration client then causes a transmission of the network information by the at least one module to at least one server. A location client also determines at least one request, from at least one client, for network information associated with at least one access point, at least one location, or a combination thereof. The location client then processes and/or facilitates a processing of the at least one request to cause a generation of at least one query for the network information from at least one server, wherein the network information is determined from at least one module of the at least one access point.
US09008703B1	Ubiquitous voice messaging Methods and apparatus for providing ubiquitous and configurable communications between users is provided. Ubiquity and other features are provided using a common identifier linking two or more users. In one embodiment, a common identifier is automatically provided when call forwarding is directed to a designated phone number. In another embodiment, a user can cause a common identifier to be created linking the user with a user of their choice by sending an SMS text message to a designated address. This Abstract is provided for the sole purpose of complying with the Abstract requirement rules that allow a reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the disclosure contained herein. This Abstract is submitted with the explicit understanding that it will not be used to interpret or to limit the scope or the meaning of the claims.
US09008701B2	Multimedia broadcast and multicast service notification in long term evolution Methods, devices, and systems have various user equipment (UE) for reading multimedia broadcast and multicast service (MBMS) notifications via one or more paging indicators of a Paging Indication Channel (PICH). The paging indicators of the PICH functions as MBMS notification indicators, signaling the relevant UE to read the MBMS point-to-multipoint control channel (MCCH) for MBMS information, and thereby enabling the affected UE to configure themselves to receive the associated multimedia broadcast and/or multicast service.
US09008698B2	Location analytics employing timed fingerprint location information The disclosed subject matter provides for employing timed fingerprint location information in location analytics. Timed fingerprint location information can provide a location for a user equipment. The location of the user equipment can be compared to a location analytics rule related to the location of a user equipment. Where the location satisfies a condition of the location analytics rule, the user equipment can be associated with a compliance status. Compliance, or noncompliance, can initiate further action. Further action can include reporting the compliance status, verifying the identity of a user associated with the user equipment, enforcing the location analytics rule, etc. Enforcing the location analytics rule can include alerts, fines, reporting to an authority figure or agency, etc.
US09008689B2	Dynamic guidance to a target conversation area with a communication device Embodiments disclosed herein provide systems and methods for dynamically guiding a user to a target conversation area with a communication device. In a particular embodiment, a method provides receiving a call request to establish a call with a communication device and determining a location of the communication device. The method further provides determining a target conversation area for a user of the communication device to participate in the call based on the location of the communication device. The method also provides directing the user to the target conversation area.
US09008684B2	Sharing timed fingerprint location information The disclosed subject matter provides for sharing timed fingerprint location information. In an aspect, timed fingerprint location information can be associated with a location of a user equipment. This timed fingerprint location information can be shared with other devices. As such, with proper analysis, these other devices can employ the shared timed fingerprint location information to determine their location. In an aspect, the other devices can determine that they are located at the same location as the user equipment. However, a level of error can be inherent in the location determined from shared timed fingerprint location information. In some embodiments, this error can be compensated for.
US09008675B2	Method and device for measuring a downlink in a wireless communication system The present invention relates to a wireless communication system, and more particularly, to a method and device for measuring a downlink in a wireless communication system. According to the present invention, provided is a method for properly and accurately measuring a downlink when an inter-cell interference adjustment is applied.
US09008671B2	Integrated multi-radio access technology multi-frequency admission control A node of a multiple radio access technology (multi-RAT) system acquires resource status information associated with each RAT of the multi-RAT system. The resource status information of the RATs of the multi-RAT system can be acquired by sniffing higher layer protocol information pertaining to call setup requests and/or call terminated messages. The node further maintains a flag representing overall resource availability associated with the RATs of the multi-RAT system, based on the acquired resource status information, for use in admission control and/or load balancing. The flag is associated with a pre-defined set of overall resource availability states of the multi-RAT system, where the availability states are defined in terms of admission control decisions.
US09008669B2	Wedge shaped cells in a wireless communication system Aspects described herein relate to a network for providing air-to-ground wireless communication in various cells. The network includes a first base station array, each base station of which includes a respective first antenna array defining a directional radiation pattern that is oriented in a first direction, wherein each base station of the first base station array is disposed spaced apart from another base station of the first base station array along the first direction by a first distance. The network also includes a similar second base station array where the second base station array extends substantially parallel to the first base station array and is spaced apart from the first base station array by a second distance to form continuous and at least partially overlapping cell coverage areas between respective base stations of the first and second base station arrays.
US09008656B2	Method and apparatus of searching for operator network in a multi-radio access technology environment A method and apparatus of searching for an operator network in a multi-Radio Access Technology (RAT) environment are provided. The method, calculating a length of a sleep interval to perform background Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) searching, comparing the length of the sleep interval with a predetermined reference parameter, if the length of the sleep interval is larger than the reference parameter, performing background PLMN searching of a passive RAT during the sleep interval, and if the length of the sleep interval is equal to or smaller than the reference parameter, performing background PLMN searching of an active RAT during the sleep interval.
US09008652B2	Method and system integrating geographical location information and bluetooth technology for relaying electronic business card Provided in the present invention are method and system for delivering an electronic business card by combining geographical location information and Bluetooth technology. The method comprises: a requesting user submitting the current geographical location information, the name of a Bluetooth communication device, and a list of the names of other detected Bluetooth communication devices to an electronic business card delivery server by using a mobile client, acquiring a list of users corresponding to neighboring mobile clients as well as the user's condensed identity information, the neighboring mobile clients being located within a predetermined distance range and located within a detection range of the Bluetooth communication device; selecting a user from the user list, sending an electronic business card delivery request to the electronic business card delivery server; the electronic business card delivery server transmitting the request to the mobile client corresponding to the selected user, and when receiving corresponding confirmation information, responding to the request so as to deliver the electronic business card. Compared with the prior art, the present invention allows for the delivery of large quantity of electronic business cards, simplified operations, and ensured accuracy and security of electronic business card contents.
US09008649B2	Radio terminal and radio communication method A radio terminal according to a present invention comprising a communication judgment unit (131) configured to judge whether or not the direct communication with the radio base station is possible to continue; a message processor (132) configured to transmit an inquiry message inquiring whether or not a direct communication with the radio base station is possible, to a lower-level radio terminal in the tree structure network, when the continuation judgment unit judges that the direct communication with the radio base station is not possible to continue; and a master manager configured to register the lower-level radio terminal as an upper-level radio terminal in the tree structure network, upon receipt of a response message indicating that a direct communication with the radio base station is possible, from the lower-level radio terminal.
US09008641B2	Detecting a user-to-wireless device association in a vehicle A location of a wireless device relative to a vehicle is determined using received data. Data may be received from the vehicle sensors. Data may also be received from the wireless device sensors of a wireless device. The presence of one or more persons may be determined using received data. A user-to-wireless device association may be detected based, at least in part, upon the presence of one or more persons in the vehicle and the location of the wireless device relative to the vehicle.
US09008635B2	Method of displaying a map on a phone screen A wireless communications device includes a radiofrequency transceiver having a wireless voice channel for transmitting and receiving voice communications and a separate wireless data channel for concurrently transmitting and receiving other data. The wireless communications device also includes a memory operatively connected to a processor for processing current location data received over the data channel from another communications device with which the wireless communications device is simultaneously communicating on the voice channel. The wireless communications further includes a display for displaying a phone screen during a voice call, the phone screen presenting call-related information. A map is displayed on the phone screen during the voice call, the map presenting a location current of the other communications device based on the current location data received over the data channel. Optionally, the map can also show the current location of the wireless communications device.
US09008628B2	Interactive voice access and notification system An interactive voice access and notification method includes monitoring one or more notification events associated with one or more recipients identified by a user to detect a trigger of the notification event(s). The method also includes initiating a call to the recipient(s) in response to detecting the trigger of the notification event(s). The method also includes playing back an interactive audible notification message received from the user in response to confirming the recipient(s) are on the call. The method further includes sending a confirmation response to the user when a response from the recipient(s) to the interactive audible notification message triggers a confirmation response.
US09008626B2	Interest-based intelligent mobile messaging service alerts subscription model A unified alerts message service delivers an alerts message, including content of interest to a user, to a mobile station of the user. Interest information of the user, which defines user's preferences or interests, is inputted by the user to an interface provided by a platform for providing the alerts message service. The platform receives various alerts contents from a number of content providers, and performs a logical matching to find alerts contents that logically match the user's interest information among the received alerts contents. The alerts contents found from the logical matching are sent in one or more mobile messaging service messages including combined alerts contents are sent to a mobile station of the user via a mobile network.
US09008622B2	Information processing apparatus and wireless communication module setting method According to one embodiment, an information processing apparatus includes a wireless communication module including an event notifier, an embedded controller and a setting module. The embedded controller registers event information configured to indicate that supply of electrical power to the wireless communication module was cut in a register and turns on the apparatus, when the embedded controller is started or reset. The setting module sets the wireless communication module to enable the event notifier, if the event information is registered in the register of the embedded controller when the apparatus is turned on.
US09008619B2	Mobile terminal and control method of the same A mobile terminal that may be able to access a wireless communication network and a control method thereof are provided. The mobile terminal includes: a wireless communication unit configured to access a wireless communication network; a detection unit configured to detect a connectable wireless communication network through the wireless communication unit; and a controller outputting icons each corresponding to one or more wireless communication networks detected by the detection unit to a locked screen displayed in a locked state in which inputting of a control command with respect to an application is limited, releasing the locked state when selecting of any one of the output icons is detected, and controlling the wireless communication unit to access a wireless communication network corresponding to the selected icon.
US09008616B2	Point of sale processing initiated by a single tap Point of sale processing of multiple options is possible with a single tap of a contactless device. The user taps the contactless device in the device reader's radio frequency field. The device reader and the contactless device establish a secure communication channel. Once a secure communication channel is established, the device reader communicates the purchase to the contactless device. The contactless device presents value-added services available to the user. The contactless device communicates the user's selected value-added service(s) to the device reader, and the reader communicates the purchase price of the transaction. The contactless device communicates payment options to the user and then communicates the user-selected payment options to the device reader. The device reader communicates a digital receipt to the contactless device, and the secure communication is terminated.
US09008611B2	System and method for providing prepaid billing for instant messaging users A system and method for providing prepaid billing for users of an instant messaging system. A method includes determining whether a prepaid account balance associated with an IM client request satisfies a pre-determined criteria, establishing a regular IM session if the prepaid account satisfies the criteria, and establishing a limited IM session if the prepaid account does not satisfy the criteria. The system includes a prepaid account screener operable to determine whether a prepaid account balance satisfies the criteria, establish a regular IM session if the prepaid account satisfies the criteria, and establish a limited IM session if the prepaid account does not satisfy the criteria.
US09008609B2	Usage recommendation for mobile device Technologies are generally described for usage recommendation for mobile device. In some examples, a method performed under control of a mobile device includes determining whether to recommend using a right ear or a left ear of a user of the mobile device based at least in part on usage information of the right ear and the left ear and notifying the determination of whether to use the right ear or the left ear to the user.
US09008595B2	Testing method detecting incorrectly connected antenna contacts The invention concerns a testing method detecting misconnected mechanical contacts between off-chip antenna and on-chip antenna circuit, wherein the testing method is a Built-In Self-Test method including a step of measuring at least one electrical parameter of on-chip antenna circuit connected to off-chip antenna which is representative of state of connection of said mechanical contacts.
US09008590B2	Liquid MEMS component and RF applications thereof A radio circuit includes a front-end module, a board, a liquid MEMS component, and a coupling component. The front-end module is implemented on at least one integrated circuit (IC) die and includes a variable circuit. The variable circuit is adjustable to facilitate an operational adjustment of the front-end module for a given operational condition of the radio circuit. The board supports the liquid MEMS component and supports, at least indirectly, the at least one IC. The coupling component electrical couples the liquid MEMS component to the variable circuit, wherein, based on a control signal, one or more characteristics of the liquid MEMS component is changed, which adjusts the variable circuit.
US09008587B2	Systems, methods, and devices having databases for electronic spectrum management Systems, methods, and apparatus are provided for automated identification of baseline data and changes in state in a wireless communications spectrum, by identifying sources of signal emission in the spectrum by automatically detecting signals, analyzing signals, comparing signal data to historical and reference data, creating corresponding signal profiles, and determining information about the baseline data and changes in state based upon the measured and analyzed data in near real time, which is stored on each apparatus or device and/or on a remote server computer that aggregates data from each apparatus or device.
US09008585B2	System and method for wireless communications measurements and CSI feedback Measurements and Channel State Information (CSI) feedback are configured using communications between a network and user equipment (UE). The communications includes a first signaling from a network component to the UE indicating one or more reference signal (RS) resource configurations, a second signaling indicating one or more interference measurement (IM) resource configurations, and a third signaling indicating a CSI report configuration, wherein the CSI report configuration indicates a subset of the one or more RS resource configurations and a subset of the one or more IM resource configurations. The UE establishes a RS based measurement according to the subset of the one or more RS resource configurations and an IM according to the subset of the one or more IM resource configurations. The UE then generates and sends to the network a CSI report in accordance with the CSI report configuration and using the RS based measurement and the IM.
US09008583B2	Method for reporting measurement results in carrier aggregation and user equipment A method and user equipment for reporting a measurement result in carrier aggregation are provided. The method for reporting the measurement result of carrier aggregation includes: the user equipment reporting a measurement report which carries measurement results of part of or all of component carriers in a same carrier-aggregation cell. With the invention, the problem that a network cannot correctly evaluate the channel quality of a carrier-aggregation cell because the network can only acquire the measurement result on a single component carrier is resolved. The present invention further can assure a service quality when the UE performs handover between cells of carrier aggregation, and satisfy good performance of UE mobility between carrier-aggregation cells.
US09008579B2	System and method for transmitting data between communication terminals A system and method for transmitting data between at least two communication terminals includes handling useful address data by a switching unit and handling useful data records by a data exchange node. A spatial distance of the at least two communication terminals is calculated. A time interval of communication inquiries to the switching unit in order to initiate a data transmission between the at least two communication terminals is determined. The data transmission is controlled depending on predeterminable threshold values of the spatial distance of the at least two communication terminals and the at least one time interval between the communication inquiries.
US09008577B2	Information processing apparatus, information processing system, and program Provided is an information processing apparatus including a transmission processing unit (106) that performs near-field one-to-one communication with a communication counterpart device, a reception processing unit (108), a reception signal intensity detection section (114) that acquires communication a communication situation with the communication counterpart device, a display processing unit (118) that performs a display process for performing guidance in a direction in which the communication situation is favorable based on the acquired communication situation, and a display unit (302) that performs display for the guidance.
US09008576B2	Mobile communications device providing NFC applet compatibility features and related methods A mobile communications device may include a near field communication (NFC) device, and a processor coupled with the NFC device. The processor may be configured to operate a first NFC applet and a second NFC applet, determine whether concurrent enabling of the first NFC applet and the second NFC applet will cause a compatibility conflict, and concurrently enable the first NFC applet and the second NFC applet for communicating data via the NFC device based upon a determination that concurrent enabling of the first NFC applet and the second NFC applet will not cause the compatibility conflict.
US09008574B2	Focused antenna, multi-purpose antenna, and methods related thereto Exemplary embodiments are directed to a device including a focused antenna. A device may include a minor plane surface and an antenna positioned proximate the minor plane surface. The antenna may be configured for generating a field focused around the minor plane surface. The antenna may further include an element extending from the minor plane surface toward another minor plane surface of the device.
US09008555B2	Image forming apparatus including toner case, driving mechanism, and installed part and toner case therefor An image forming apparatus includes a toner case, a driving mechanism and an installed part. The toner case includes a container main body, a rotating member and a transmission coupling. The container main body is provided with a discharge port configured to discharge a toner. The rotating member is installed into the container main body. The transmission coupling is connected with the rotating member. The driving mechanism includes a drive coupling and a drive unit. The drive coupling is detachably connected with the transmission coupling. The toner case has a lever supported onto the container main body. The driving mechanism has a movement mechanism which works in accordance with the operation of the lever, in a state of installing the toner case into the installed part, to move the drive coupling from a disconnecting position to a connecting position with the transmission coupling.
US09008553B2	Developer conveying device, and developing device and image forming apparatus provided with same A developer conveying device includes a housing, a developer conveyance path and a conveying member. The developer conveyance path extends between the pair of wall portions of the housing. The conveying member conveys developer from one wall portion toward the other. The conveying member includes a spiral member, shaft portions, a rib member, a supporting member and a projecting portion. The spiral member is formed by connecting spiral pieces in a conveying direction of the developer and includes a hollow interior formed by the connected spiral pieces. The rib member extends in the conveying direction and bridges adjacent ones of the spiral pieces of the spiral member. The supporting member connects an end part of the rib member in the conveying direction and the shaft portion. The projecting portion projects from the end part of the rib member more toward the wall portion than the supporting member.
US09008548B2	Fixing device provided with reinforced nip member A fixing device includes a metal plate, an endless belt, a rotating body, and a stay. The metal plate has a main part comprising a first end portion, a second end portion, and a center portion positioned therebetween and having rigidity higher than that of the first end portion and the second end portion. The endless belt has an inner peripheral surface configured to be in sliding contact with the metal plate. The main part is aligned with the rotating body in a direction from the metal plate to the rotating body. The stay is disposed opposite to the nip region with respect to the metal plate. The stay and the main part of the metal plate are deformable upon application of the load to the stay such that the main part provides a convex shape protruding toward the rotating body.
US09008533B2	Processing apparatus, image forming apparatus, processing method and computer readable information recording medium A processing apparatus that an uninterruptible power supply system supplies power to and carries out a process. The processing apparatus includes an electric energy amount determination part that determines, based on a charged amount of electric energy in the uninterruptible power supply system, an amount of maximum electric energy that the uninterruptible power supply system can supply; and a function selection part that selects, depending on the amount of maximum electric energy, functions that can be used for carrying out the process.
US09008532B2	Image processing apparatus operable by AC power and DC power, method of controlling the apparatus, and storage medium An image processing apparatus that is operable by AC power and DC power. The image processing apparatus includes a fixing heater section for heating a recording sheet having toner transferred thereon so as to fuse the toner onto the sheet and a plurality of electronic circuits. An AC power supply circuit section receives AC power from an AC power supply line. A DC power supply circuit section receives DC power from a DC power supply line. A power supply unit supplies the AC power received by the AC power supply circuit section to the fixing heater section, and the DC power received by the DC power supply circuit section to the plurality of electronic circuits.
US09008528B2	Induction heating fusing device and image forming apparatus An induction heating fusing device and an image forming apparatuses that may control even a very small current region by tracking a resonance frequency to perform PWM control and phase control without considering a deviation of a part constant or a temperature change are provided. The induction heating fusing device includes: a serial resonance circuit having an induction coil and a condenser; a phase comparator, a phase controller, a resonance frequency tracking oscillator, and a PWM (pulse width modulation) signal generator. The phase comparator compares a phase of a pulse outputted by the PWM signal generator with a phase of current flowing through the induction coil, outputs a comparison result obtained by the comparing to the phase controller when controlling the phase, and outputs the comparison result to the resonance frequency tracking oscillator when performing PWM control.
US09008526B2	Method of measuring total amount of latent image charge, apparatus measuring total amount of latent image charge, image forming method and image forming apparatus A method of measuring a total amount of latent image charge includes: scanning a sample with a charged particle beam, the sample having a charge distribution on a surface of the sample, the charge distribution being caused by forming an electrostatic latent image by exposure; measuring a state of a surface charge distribution on the sample based on a detection signal obtained by the scanning; obtaining an electric potential at a potential saddle point, the potential saddle point being formed by the surface charge distribution of the sample; obtaining an electrostatic latent image area, the electrostatic latent image being formed by the surface charge distribution of the sample; and performing a calculation using the electric potential at the potential saddle point and the electrostatic latent image area to measure a total amount of electric charge of the electrostatic latent image.
US09008515B2	Direct laser modulation An apparatus includes an array of lasers, an array of electrical drivers, and optical filter. Each laser is configured to produce light in a corresponding wavelength-channel, wherein the wavelength-channels of different ones of the lasers are different. The electrical drivers are connected to directly modulate the lasers. Each driver produces a first driving current or voltage to cause a corresponding one of the lasers to be in a first lasing state and produces a different second driving current or voltage to cause the corresponding one of the lasers to be in a different second lasing state. The optical filter is connected to receive light output by the lasers. The optical filter selectively attenuates light from each of the lasers in the first lasing states thereof and to selectively pass light from each of the lasers in second lasing states thereof.
US09008512B2	Optical network unit, optical access network and a method for exchanging information An Optical Access Network, a Optical Network Unit (ONU) and various methods for exchanging information are provided. The method may include: receiving, by the ONU, a pilot signal and down-stream information signals; wherein the pilot signal is received at a pilot frequency slot and the downstream information signals are received at a downstream information frequency slot; wherein the ONU is allocated with a spectral slice that comprises the pilot frequency slot, the downstream information frequency slot, a guard frequency slot and an upstream information frequency slot; wherein at least one other spectral slice is allocated for exchanging information with at least one other group of ONUs; splitting the downstream information signals to downstream information signals portions; splitting the pilot signals to pilot signals portions; detecting downstream information, in response to at least a first portion of downstream information signals; modulating a portion of the pilot signal by upstream information signals to provide upstream information signals that are within the upstream information frequency slot; modulating a second portion of the downstream information signals by the upstream information signals to provide upstream secondary signals that are outside the pilot frequency slot, the downstream information frequency slot and the upstream information frequency slot; and upstream transmitting the upstream information signals and the upstream secondary signals.
US09008502B2	Method and system for protecting traffic of a plurality of work ODUs over a protect ODU The various embodiments herein provide a method and system for protecting multiple work ODU failures using a higher capacity protect ODU in an Optical Transport Network. The method for protecting multiple work ODU failures in an Optical Transport Network comprising steps of detecting signal failures in at least one of a plurality of work ODUs, requesting for release of one or more time-slots for a defective work ODU and allocating the one or more time-slots of a low priority traffic from the protect ODU in an incremental manner of priority. The method apply a TPN based policy for defining lower ODUs, performs handshaking between the transmit and downstream ends using the protocol provided, defines the role and behavior of the various system components and the service requests and performs an automatic lockout of protection for the work ODU in which an UDI alarm is present.
US09008498B2	Thread fixing mechanism A viewfinder fixing device comprises a holder, a ring, a washer, a dowel, and a plurality of inner peripheral concave-convex portions. The holder has a male thread portion. The ring has a female thread portion that meshes with the male thread portion. The washer is provided between the holder and the ring. The dowel is provided to the washer. The inner peripheral concave-convex portions are provided in the peripheral direction to the ring, and when the ring is turned, the male thread portion and the inner peripheral concave-convex portions cause the holder and the ring to move closer together, which is accompanied by the washer and the ring moving closer together, and the inner peripheral concave-convex portions come into contact with the dowel when the washer and the ring have moved closer together up to a specific distance.
US09008496B2	Probe A probe including a liquid sample channel through which a liquid sample flows in a specified direction; a nebulizer gas channel through which a nebulizer gas flows in a specified direction, formed at the outer circumference of the liquid sample channel so as to have a round annular outer circumference and be coaxial with the liquid sample channel; a heating gas channel for injecting an assist gas in a specified direction, wherein a heating gas injection port is formed around the outlet end of the nebulizer gas channel so as to have a round annular outer circumference and be coaxial with the nebulizer gas channel; and a heating element which is arranged inside the heating gas channel and heats the assist gas for injecting through the heating gas injection port.
US09008491B2	Snapshot feature for tagged video A method takes a snapshot of a video sequence containing a video tag. The method comprises causing a display device to present a video sequence for a period of time and causing the display device to display at least one video tag contemporaneously with the video sequence. The method further comprises accepting, at a moment during the period of time, an input associated with a user action signifying taking a snapshot of the video sequence with a video tag of interest displayed with the video sequence at the moment. The method further comprises storing, in response to acceptance of the input, data sufficient to reproduce a still image from the video sequence with video tag of interest at approximately the moment. Optionally, the method may further comprise causing the display device to display the still image at a later time or including the still image in an email message.
US09008490B1	Melody recognition systems Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for selecting, from among a collection of videos, a set of candidate videos that (i) are identified as being associated with a particular song, and (ii) are classified as a cappella video recordings; extracting, from each of the candidate videos of the set, a monophonic melody line from an audio channel of the candidate video; selecting, from among the set of candidate videos, a subset of the candidate videos based on a similarity of the monophonic melody line of the candidate videos of the subset with each other; and providing, to a recognizer that recognizes songs from sounds produced by a human voice, (i) an identifier of the particular song, and (ii) one or more of the monophonic melody lines of the candidate videos of the subset.
US09008481B2	Arrangement for processing optical waveguides An arrangement for processing at least one optical fiber that includes a first processing element and a second processing element for processing at least one optical waveguide. The first and second processing elements have a common base element and a common actuating element for simultaneously actuating the first and second processing elements. The actuating element is capable of moving relative to the base element.
US09008473B2	Optical transmission-reception system and light-receiving unit An optical transmission-reception system includes: a light-emitting element having a first semiconductor multilayer structure with a ring- or disk-like shape and generating a first optical signal and a second optical signal rotating in a direction opposite to the first optical signal; a first optical waveguide optically coupled with the light-emitting element and propagating the first optical signal; a second optical waveguide optically coupled with the light-emitting element and propagating the second optical signal; and a light-receiving element having a second semiconductor multilayer structure with a ring- or disk-like shape, optically coupled with the first and second optical waveguides, and optically receiving the first and second optical signals. The first optical waveguide has a spiral shape at a coupling part with the light-receiving element, and the second optical waveguide has a spiral shape winding in the same direction as the first optical waveguide at a coupling part with the light-receiving element.
US09008470B2	Method and apparatus for wavelength selective switch Apparatus and method embodiments are provided for implementing a wavelength selective switch (WSS). The embodiments use combinations of switchable polarization grating (SPG) and LC cells and combinations of polymer polarization grating (PPG) and LC cells to achieve 1×N WSS systems. An embodiment optical switch includes a liquid crystal cell and a SPG cell adjacent to the liquid crystal cell. The SPG includes liquid crystal material between two photo-alignment layers, an electrode layer overlying each photo-alignment layer, and a glass substrate overlying each electrode layer. An embodiment method includes polarizing an incident light beam at a circular polarization before diffracting, at a polarization grating, the polarized incident light beam in a determined angle that corresponds to a diffraction order in accordance to the circular polarization of the incident light beam and a hologram pattern direction formed inside the polarization grating.
US09008466B2	Sharing or applying digital image editing operations The disclosed subject matter relates to computer implemented methods for sharing digital image edit operations. In one aspect, a method includes storing a first digital image edit stack, which includes at least one digital image edit operation performed by a first user of a social network upon a first digital image hosted on the social network. The method further includes receiving indication of a first request for the first digital image edit stack, based upon an operation performed by a second user of the social network. The method further includes providing the digital image edit stack for the second user, in response to the received indication.
US09008464B2	Media data customization Techniques and systems for media data customization system are provided. In one embodiment, a media data customization system includes a resource allocator that receives media data and a media data customization request and that allocates customization resources for a service of the media data customization request, a pipe repository that stores pipe filter modules, and a pipe manager that retrieves pipe filter modules stored in the pipe repository based on the media data customization request, that integrates the retrieved pipe filter modules to form a pipe group, and that applies the pipe group to the media data using the customization resources to generate customized media data.
US09008462B2	Methods and systems for registration of radiological images Featured are methods and systems for reslicing-based nonrigid registration of multiparametric and modality images or objects. In such registration methods, global motion is modeled by multiple affine transforms (rigid), while local motion and slices matching is estimated using non-uniform radial reslicing of RTV to search for best match between reference volume slices and resampled target volume (RTV), orthogonally re-sliced to higher spatial resolution compared to the spatial resolution of the reference volume. The reference and target volumes can be in any plane and the method presented in this invention transfers them to target plane which can be any of axial, coronal, or sagittal and there is no need for the original and target scanning planes to be the same.
US09008454B2	Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and tangible computer readable medium for processing image An image processing apparatus includes: an image obtaining device; an image dividing device that divides the image through a fine structure retrieving filter and a basic structure retrieving filter into a detail signal component and a basic signal component, the detail signal component including an edge component, a texture component, and a noise component, and the basic signal component being other than the detail signal component; an image correcting device that retrieves a focused picture cell, determines whether the focused picture cell represents the noise, corrects the detail signal component to reduce the noise component in the focused picture cell when the focused picture cell represents the noise; and an image synthesizing device that synthesizes a basic structure image provided by the basic signal component and a corrected fine structure image provided by the corrected detail signal component.
US09008453B2	Blur-kernel estimation from spectral irregularities A method for deriving a blur kernel from a blurred image is provided herein. The method may include the following steps: obtaining a blurred image B, being a product of a blur kernel k applied to an original image I; calculating fθ(x)=Rd*Pθ(B)(x) for every angle θ, wherein R denotes an autocorrelation operator, Pθ denotes a projection operator of based on angle θ, and d denotes a one dimensional differentiation filter; estimating spectral power of the blur kernel based on a given support parameter; estimating the blur kernel k using a phase retrieval algorithm, based on the estimated spectral power of the blur kernel; updating the support parameters; and repeating the estimating of the spectral power, the estimating of the kernel and the updating of the support parameters in an iterative, to yield the blur kernel.
US09008449B2	Image processing apparatus and method An image processing apparatus samples an image signal to thin out pixel values used as adjacent pixels in intra-frame prediction according a size in a horizontal direction of an image to be coded or a size in a vertical direction of regions in a matrix into which the image is divided then performs interpolation using the sampled pixel values to reconstruct the adjacent pixels. A predicted image generation unit within the image processing apparatus performs intra-frame prediction using the reconstructed adjacent pixels and codes the resulting image thus reducing the amount of memory required for intra-frame prediction.
US09008448B2	Method and apparatus for successively encoding/decoding image Provided is a method and apparatus for compression encoding/decoding an image based on the repetition of an access unit and the repetition of a residual value.
US09008447B2	Method and system for character recognition A method and system for character recognition are described. In one embodiment, it may use matched sequences rather than character shape to determine a computer legible result.
US09008445B2	Solid-state image capturing element and method for driving solid-state image capturing element A solid-state image capturing element includes: a plurality of pixels arranged in rows and columns, each of which outputs an electric signal corresponding to an amount of received light; a plurality of column signal lines each of which is disposed for a corresponding one of columns of the pixels and sequentially transfers the electric signal provided from the corresponding one of the columns of the pixels; and a plurality of holding circuits each of which is disposed for a corresponding one of the column signal lines and holds the electric signal transferred via the corresponding one of the column signal lines. Each of the holding circuits includes a circuit element including an input capacitance, and holds the electric signal in the input capacitance.
US09008444B2	Image rectification using sparsely-distributed local features This invention is a method for rectifying an input digital image including warped textual information. The method includes analyzing the input digital image to locate a plurality of local features, at least some of the local features including textual features. A sparse set of local image regions are located corresponding to reliable combinations of spatially-consecutive local features, and corresponding local orientations are determined. A global deformation function is formed by interpolating between the determined local orientations and is used to form a rectified image.
US09008441B2	Boundary extraction method A computer-implemented method for creating an ordered set of boundary data by transforming data from remotely sensed imagery of shorelines is provided. A feature data set and an edge data set are transformed into a set of 3-point boundary segments having a specific head and tail point and the segments are ordered from tail to head in a clockwise or counterclockwise manner relative to the water. Once the 3-point segments are created they are easily linked together into larger segments. These large multi-point segments in turn are linked together to create a closed loop in a predetermined direction, for example, but not limited to, the shorelines for rivers or coastal areas.
US09008435B2	System and method for search portions of objects in images and features thereof Embodiments enable searching of portions of objects in images, including programmatically analyzing each image in a collection in order to determine image data that, for individual images in the collection, represents one or more visual characteristics of a portion of an object shown in that image. A user is enabled to specify one or more search criteria that includes image data, and a search result may be determined based on one or more images in the collection that show a corresponding object that has a portion that satisfies a threshold. The threshold is defined at least in part by the one or more search criteria.
US09008431B2	Character string extraction method and character string extraction device In a character string extraction method, a character portion, a rim portion, a character frame, and a character string frame are set, a feature value of each image in the character portion and the rim portion is calculated for each character frame, a character string frame evaluation value is calculated based on the feature value for the character string frame, a position of the character string frame is moved on the paper sheet image, and the image in the character portion is extracted by using the character string frame at a position at which the character string frame evaluation value reaches a maximum.
US09008430B2	Identification method and apparatus of confusable character An identification method and apparatus of confusable character are provided. The method involves: the detected character image is identified to gain the initial character information which is corresponding to the character image; the step change times of the corresponding external outline of the character image are counted if the initial character information is the confusable character; the final character information corresponding to the character image is confirmed according to the step change times; The final character information of the character image can be known conveniently according to the step change times, therefore the corresponding correct character information of the character image can be identified more precisely. The possibility of wrong identification of the character image because of the appearing confusable character can be reduced, and the identification precision rate of the confusable character can be improved.
US09008421B2	Image processing apparatus for performing color interpolation upon captured images and related method thereof An image processing method includes: receiving image data from a frame buffer, wherein each pixel of the image data has only one color information; estimating four second color information corresponding to up, down, left, and right sides of the target pixel respectively according to a first color information of the target pixel per se and color information of the neighboring pixels for a target pixel of the image data; calculating four color difference gradients corresponding to up, down, left, and right sides of the target pixel respectively according to the four second color information of the target pixel; determining an edge texture characteristic of the target pixel according to the four color difference gradients of the target pixel; and determining whether to modify the bit value of the first color information of the target pixel stored in a frame buffer according to an edge texture characteristic of the target pixel.
US09008409B2	Method and system for digital image analysis of ear traits A method of evaluating one or more kernels of an ear of maize using digital imagery includes acquiring a digital image of the one or more kernels of the ear of maize, processing the digital image to estimate at least one physical property of the one or more kernels of the ear of maize from the digital image, and evaluating the at least one kernel of maize using the estimate of the at least one physical property of the at least one kernel of maize.
US09008399B2	System and method for joint reconstruction of spatial and spectral imaging data A system and method for simultaneously generating spectral images and spatial images of a subject using a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system includes acquiring MR image data using a k-space sampling trajectory. The k-space sampling trajectory is designed to spatially oversample to elicit phase differences between oversampled points. The MR image data is jointly reconstructed into spatial and spectral images by resolving spatial information from spatial encoding associated with each of the oversampled points and resolving spectral information from the phase differences between the oversampled points.
US09008384B2	Method, server, and user device for providing user's personal medicine information management service between the server and the user device A method of managing a personal medicine information management service by a user device and a server includes obtaining a medicine image captured by photographing appearance of a user medicine; transmitting the obtained medicine image to the server as a request for recognition of the user medicine; and receiving medicine quantity information and personal medicine information from the server based on a result of the recognition of the user medicine. The personal medicine information includes an image of the user medicine of which recognition training is performed by the server.
US09008383B2	Enhancing quality of ultrasound image in ultrasound system There are provided embodiments for enhancing the quality of an ultrasound image are disclosed. In one embodiment, by way of non-limiting example, an ultrasound system comprises: an ultrasound data acquisition unit configured to acquire ultrasound data corresponding to at least one ultrasound image; a storage unit for storing at least one beam profile indicating a spreading degree of an ultrasound beam according to depth based on at least one focusing point; and a processing unit configured to set an amount of blurring corresponding to spreading of the ultrasound beam according to the depth based on the at least one beam profile, and perform a filtering process for compensating the blurring by the spreading of the ultrasound beam based on the ultrasound data and the amount of blurring to enhance quality of the at least one ultrasound image.
US09008377B2	System and method for identifying an individual The present invention provides a system for identifying an individual provided with a portable communication device. In a system for identifying an individual using a portable communication device with a display, the display is a sensor-incorporated display, the sensor-incorporated display reads the biological information of a user, and, based on the read information, identifies an individual.
US09008376B2	Ultra-thin sensing device with flat contact surface An ultra-thin sensing device with a flat contact surface comprises a package substrate, an interposer structure, a vertical electrical connection structure and a sensing chip. The interposer structure disposed on the package substrate comprises connection pads and second bonding pads electrically connected to the connection pads and first bonding pads of the package substrate. The vertical electrical connection structure disposed on the interposer structure comprises vertical conductors electrically connected to the connection pads. The sensing chip disposed on the vertical electrical connection structure comprises a chip substrate, and sensing members, sensing circuit cells and vertical through electrodes, which are formed on the chip substrate. The sensing member senses specific features of an organism to obtain sensing signals, processed by the sensing circuit cells into biometrics feature signals transmitted to the first bonding pad through the vertical through electrode, the vertical conductor and the second bonding pad.
US09008374B2	Method of improving orientation and color balance of digital images using face detection information A method of generating one or more new spatial and chromatic variation digital images uses an original digitally-acquired image which including a face or portions of a face. A group of pixels that correspond to a face within the original digitally-acquired image is identified. A portion of the original image is selected to include the group of pixels. Values of pixels of one or more new images based on the selected portion are automatically generated, or an option to generate them is provided, in a manner which always includes the face within the one or more new images. Such method may be implemented to automatically establish the correct orientation and color balance of an image. Such method can be implemented as an automated method or a semi automatic method to guide users in viewing, capturing or printing of images.
US09008373B2	Device, system and method for transit testing of samples Disclosed herein is a method and device for testing an agricultural product for the presence of an unwanted residue including a reader-incubator combination that can utilize onboard motor vehicle systems, such as an onboard microprocessor and onboard power supply.
US09008371B2	Method and system for ascertaining the position and orientation of a camera relative to a real object The invention relates to a method for ascertaining the position and orientation of a camera (11) relative to a real object (12) for use in merging a virtual data model (13) with an image generated by the camera (11), said image comprising at least one part of the real object (12). The method comprises the following steps: disposing the camera (11) on a movable part (22) of a sensor system (20) which is coupleable to at least one probe (23) which is suitable to come in contact with at least one part of the real object (12), positioning the movable part (22) of the sensor system, with the camera (11) applied, in such a manner that the image is generatable by the camera, and generating position data (31) of the sensor system (20) with respect to the real object (12), and determining the position and orientation of the camera (11) on the basis of the position data (31, 32) of the sensor system (20).
US09008368B2	Method for identifying and defining basic patterns forming the tread pattern of a tyre A method for inspecting tire tread, having circumferentially juxtaposed elements separated by identically shaped boundaries and having patterns arranged in a predetermined sequence, includes: acquiring an image of a surface of the tire tread, the image including pixels associated with a light-intensity level; transforming the image by circumferentially offsetting pixels located axially at a same distance (x1, x2) from a given circumferential reference (OY), by an inverse (−y1, −y2) of a circumferential offset (y1, y2) with respect to an axial line (OX) of a point (P1, P2) located on a boundary line of known shape at the same axial distance (x1, x2) from the circumferential reference (OY), such that boundaries between elements appear as straight traces orientated in an axial direction; and analyzing the image to identify points located on an axially orientated straight line, the points being treated as points located on a boundary line between two elements.
US09008365B2	Systems and methods for pedestrian detection in images System, apparatus, and method embodiments are provided for detecting the presence of a pedestrian in an image. In an embodiment, a method for determining whether a person is present in an image includes receiving a plurality of images, wherein each image comprises a plurality of pixels and determining a modified center symmetric local binary pattern (MS-LBP) for the plurality of pixels for each image, wherein the MS-LBP is calculated on a gradient magnitude map without using an interpolation process, and wherein a value for each pixel is a gradient magnitude.
US09008362B1	Correlation of 3-D point images A method and system is disclosed for tracking object clusters. The method comprises obtaining a first sensor image and a second sensor image. Angular measurements between objects of the first sensor image are determined. Angular measurements between objects of the second sensor image are also determined. Angular measurements from the first sensor image are compared to angular measurements of the second image, and correlated object clusters are identified. The sensor system includes a command and decision unit that receives a first sensor image and a second sensor image. The command and decision unit determines angular measurements for the first sensor image, and determines angular measurements for the second sensor image. The command and decision unit compares the angular measurements for the first sensor image to the angular measurements for the second sensor image, and identifies correlated object clusters based on the comparison.
US09008357B2	Target detection method and apparatus and image acquisition device A target detection method including the following steps controlling a modulated light emitting device to emit optical pulse signals with a first light intensity and a second light intensity to a target to be detected and a background, controlling an image sensor to acquire images of the target to be detected and the background, and distinguishing the target to be detected and the background, using the first frame image and the second frame image.
US09008354B2	Video camera tracking system based on geoposition data feedback The present invention discloses systems for tracking objects. A system in accordance with the present invention comprises a positioning mechanism, a camera, coupled to the positioning mechanism, a controller, coupled to the positioning mechanism, and a position sensor, coupled to the controller, wherein the position sensor sends data related to a geolocation of the position sensor to the controller, and the controller moves the positioning mechanism based on the data related to the geolocation of the position sensor.
US09008351B2	Method and apparatus for processing image, and medical imaging system employing the apparatus A method of processing an image is provided. The method includes estimating a thickness of an object that includes at least two materials, from a radiation image taken with radiations of at least two energy bands; and generating an image by comparing the estimated thickness to a thickness of a local region and extracting a region of interest.
US09008350B2	Loudspeaker, electronic device and mobile device both including the same, and method of producing the same A magnetic circuit includes an upper plate, a magnet, a lower plate, and a center pole. The outer circumference of a frame is coupled with a diaphragm. One end of a voice coil is coupled with the diaphragm, and the other end is inserted into a magnetic gap formed between the upper plate and the center pole. The frame is provided with a through hole. An insertion part provided on the outer circumference of the upper plate is inserted into the through hole. The frame is coupled with the upper plate by bending the insertion part.
US09008349B2	Speaker diaphragm, speaker, and electronic equipment and mobile device using the speaker A speaker diaphragm of the present invention is formed by mixing polylactic acid as a plant-derived resin, bamboo fibers and a natural binder. It is thereby possible to realize a speaker diaphragm capable of obtaining sufficient sound velocity, while having low environmental load and high sound quality.
US09008343B2	Annular diaphragm compression driver An annular diaphragm compression driver for electro-acoustic conversion has an annular diaphragm, which bears a moving coil, and a compression driver housing with a closed housing base. Opposite the housing base is a sound wave routing element having a sound discharge channel. The compression driver also has an annular magnet system unit, which has an annular magnet gap (M) and a compression chamber, adjoining the magnet gap (M), for the annular diaphragm. The open exit end of the sound discharge channel is in slot form and its entry start is annular. The sound path between the compression chamber and the entry start contains an annular collecting space. The collecting space and the sound discharge channel contain a central sound guidance body having a portion which merges to match the slot-like exit end. The sound discharge channel is formed between the sound guidance body and the sound wave routing element.
US09008342B1	Waterproof speaker system Disclosed herein is a waterproof speaker system for use in residential and commercial applications. The disclosed speaker system is particularly applicable to wet conditions such as greenhouses, gardens, boats, and other outdoor installations or where traditional speakers are negatively affected by water and humidity. The waterproof speaker system generally comprises a solid water impermeable cast rear and side casing, and internal front frame member housing the speaker drivers and in some cases a simple electronics or amplification circuit, and a water impermeable front face panel sealed to the front frame member and/or the rear casing to completely enclose the speaker driver from contact with moisture.

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