| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US07665755B2 |
Kingpin locking system for trailers
An improved kingpin locking system includes a kingpin lock body having upper and lower sections, the lower and upper section each having a truncated generally pyramidal shape, with the lower one being inverted, a central kingpin-receiving chamber formed in the kingpin lock body, a kingpin engagement bar movably mounted in the kingpin lock body adjacent the kingpin-receiving chamber which releasably engages the kingpin when positioned within the chamber, and a kingpin engagement bar locking device which releasably locks the kingpin engagement bar in the engagement position thereby releasably securing the kingpin lock body on a kingpin to prevent unauthorized engagement of the kingpin and thereby preventing unauthorized use of the trailer. |
| US07665752B2 |
Torsion beam of suspension
There is provided a torsion beam of a vehicle suspension in which a upper portion and the lower portion of the torsion beam are bent in the front-to-rear direction alone of the vehicle along the longitudinal axis of the torsion beam, and a pair of tails is rounded at both front and rear ends of the torsion beam of the vehicle and formed different from each other in size, a rear tail of the pair of tails which is formed at the rear portion of the vehicle is larger than a front tail formed in the front portion of the torsion beam, the upper and lower portions of the torsion beam are gradually apart from each other with at least two predetermined slopes as they goes from the middle portion to both distal end of the torsion beam. Therefore, roll stiffness is increased and durability is improved. |
| US07665750B2 |
Trunnion air ride suspension system
A trunnion air ride suspension system. In one example, a trunnion suspension system includes a trunnion beam pivotably mounted to a hanger bracket, and an axle pivotably mounted to the trunnion beam. A brake actuator is secured to the axle and pivotably mounted to the trunnion beam, so that the brake actuator pivots with the axle relative to the trunnion beam. In another example, a trunnion suspension system includes a trunnion beam pivotably mounted to a hanger bracket, the trunnion beam having a longitudinally extending cylindrical portion positioned between two generally vertical plate portions. An axle is pivotably mounted to the cylindrical portion by a bushed connection, the bushed connection being retained longitudinally between the plate portions. |
| US07665748B2 |
Driving mode switching apparatus and control method therefor
A driving form switching apparatus enabling even a user of wheelchair who cannot freely use limb to easily change over a driving form by single hand self-operation. By using a differential gear mechanism or a combination mechanism comprising pinions and racks, the rotating, tilting and shifting motions of a steering lever are transmitted to two rotating shafts. Drums are directly coupled to the two rotating shafts, and the rotations of the two rotating shafts are transmitted to steering shafts through flexible wires as first connecting means. Also, the steering shafts for wheels are parallel- or cross-connected by second connecting means. Thus, the driving forms of a four-wheel drive vehicle such as back and forth traveling, counter-clockwise turning, clockwise turning, turning on the spot, parallel traveling, stopping and braking, etc, can be switched by a single-hand simple operation. |
| US07665747B2 |
Steering gear assembly having rack bushing
A rack and pinion steering gear assembly including a housing, a rack that is translatably moveable relative to the housing along an axis and a bushing operably disposed between the rack and housing. The bushing defines a gap which extends the entire axial length of the bushing. At least one compressible member may be disposed between the bushing and the housing with the compressible member extending across the gap in the bushing and fully encircling the bushing. The bushing may also include a radial flange that acts as a travel stop. The bushing may also be formed of an acetal material wherein the flange and a tubular portion of the bushing are axially separated by an intermediate portion having a relatively thin radial thickness. Axially extending recesses may be provided to enhance the flexibility of the bushing. |
| US07665745B2 |
Device for connecting a wheel axle housing with the chassis of a vehicle
A device for the connection of a wheel axle housing with a chassis of a vehicle, comprising a stabilizer with a torsion element that is mounted in the chassis, to first arms, the rigidly attached to corresponding end portions of torsion element, to second arms, that are articulatedly connected with the first arms, and at least two spring/suspension elements with a first member, that is connected with the wheel axle housing, and a second member that is connected with the chassis. According to the invention, torsion element is mounted in the chassis, in the second arms is connected with the wheel axle housing and extend essentially vertically upwardly therefrom. The spring/suspension elements have third arms that are rigidly attached with the corresponding end portions of torsion element, and with the first member. |
| US07665739B2 |
Pressure-actuated seals for rotating members
An air swivel ring includes a non-rotating member having an air inlet, a rotating member having an air outlet, and a split seal having a first sealing surface and coupled to one of the non-rotating member and the rotating member so that the first sealing surface on the seal is disposed proximate a second sealing surface on the other of the non-rotating member and the rotating member. |
| US07665734B2 |
Game and the method of playing the game
A board game which represents a predetermined geographic area including a plurality of cites which a plurality of players may visit. The players may enter and exit the predetermined area through various entrances and exits and a plurality of travel routes are designated within the area along which a player may move. A player receives points determined by which area of interest and which themes related thereto exist. Various cards are provided for each player which may be used by the player during the play of the games which the cards determining the manner in which the player may move or be restricted from motion. |
| US07665732B2 |
Lottery game card with thermal ink to highlight game indicia
A scratch off lottery game card including a substrate on which a plurality of game indicia are printed on the substrate and a layer of translucent thermal ink coating is placed upon the lottery game card covering the game indicia. The translucent thermal ink coating changes its color when heat is applied, typically from the player scratching the game indicia. |
| US07665731B2 |
Sheet conveying device
A sheet conveying device of an aspect of the invention includes: a conveying path that allows a sheet to be conveyed and includes a first guide face and a second guide face opposing and apart from each other at a predetermined interval; a sheet conveying unit disposed on the conveying path; and a first detecting unit and a second detecting unit arranged opposing each other across the conveying path. Each of the first and second detecting unit includes: an arm member rotatably supported to take a posture where the arm member projected from the guide face to the conveying path and a posture where the arm member is retracted from the conveying path by rotating toward the guide face; and a first sensor that outputs a signal depending on the posture of the arm member. |
| US07665726B2 |
Paper feeder cassette and image forming device
A paper feeder cassette includes a bottom part, a pair of support plates that moves relative to the bottom part and supports the both lateral sides of the sheets of paper in a paper width direction perpendicular to a paper transporting direction, and a paper disposition plate that is disposed above the bottom part and disposes the sheet of paper thereon and includes an edge portion provided along a direction approximately perpendicular to the paper transporting direction on the downstream side of the pair of the support plates in the paper transporting direction and a contact avoidance portion for preventing the sheets of paper from making contact with the edge portion when disposition of the sheets of paper are performed by sliding the sheets of paper along the paper transporting direction. |
| US07665725B2 |
Registration gate for multi sheet inserter tray
A registration gate is mounted in a sheet feeding mechanism for rotation about an axis at about right angles to the direction of sheet feed into a feeder mechanism. The gate includes a plurality of fingers extending upwardly through slots in the tray. A motorized sequencing cam moves followers to rotate the gate to an open position to retract the fingers below the tray, to raise and lower a nudger in and to move a lever for locking and unlocking the gate into the closed position with the fingers upright for registering the leading edge of the sheets during user loading of the tray. The cam may be detented or locked by a pawl engaging a notch in the cam. |
| US07665723B2 |
Sheet feeding apparatus and method
A sheet feeder (20) and method of operation thereof feeds sheets in a conveyance direction (30). The sheet feeder (20) comprises a sheet hopper (22); a sheet deflector (24); and a sheet extractor (26). The sheet deflector (24) is arranged for deflecting a top sheet-to-be-fed (32) from a sheet stack (28) from a sheet undeflected acquisition position to a sheet deflected position. The sheet deflector (24) has a major axis (34) oriented essentially parallel to a trailing edge the top sheet-to-be-fed from the sheet stack (28). The sheet deflector (24) is arranged to undergo three degrees of motion including selective rotation about its major axis for moving the top sheet-to-be-fed from the sheet undeflected acquisition position to the sheet deflected position. |
| US07665718B1 |
Hose fitting inserter
A powered or hand-activated stationary and/or portable hose fitting insertion apparatus and method. A hose is preferably held in place with a clamp, strap or other apparatus on a platform or in a trough and a fitting is caused to be inserted into an end of the hose by a force applied to the fitting from a pad. |
| US07665717B2 |
Vacuum hold-down
A vacuum hold-down device comprising a base member (1) and a separate workpiece support (8) which co-operate to define a vacuum chamber. The device further comprises a venturi (15) having an inlet port (7) for connection to a source of pressurized fluid, an outlet (9) for fluid from the venturi, and a fluid connection (19, 5) from a low pressure region of the venturi (15) to the inside of the vacuum chamber, for providing a partial vacuum therein. The partial vacuum will hold the base member (1) and the workpiece support (8) together to maintain a peripheral seal therebetween. The workpiece support (8) is provided with securing means (16) for securing a workpiece (10) thereon. The invention also provides a vacuum hold-down system comprising the base member (1) and a plurality of interchangeable workpiece supports (8). |
| US07665716B2 |
Anti-roll leaf spring suspension
Vehicle suspension comprising a pair of leaf springs (1) located or locatable on respective opposed side of a vehicle chassis (3) and extending longitudinally thereof, and an anti-roll device (12) which is arranged to extend transversely of the vehicle chassis (3), and means (41, 42, 46) mounting opposed ends (22, 23) of the anti roll device (12) rigidly to respective ones of the pair of opposed leaf springs (1). |
| US07665714B2 |
Fail safe mechanism for valve using a cock and lock return spring
A fail safe mechanism having a return member, valve stem extension, energy storage member, and locking assembly. The valve stem extension is driven by an electrical actuator and configured to drive the return member in a first direction and to be driven by the return member in a second direction. The energy storage member is configured to store energy when the electrical actuator causes the valve stem extension to drive the return member in the first direction and to release the energy stored therein when a disruption of power causes the return member to drive the valve stem extension in the second direction. The locking assembly is configured to hold the return member in a cocked position such that the valve stem extension rotates with the valve independently of the return member and free of influence from the energy storage member while the power is applied to the electrical actuator. |
| US07665712B2 |
Apparatus for pre-casting concrete structures
An apparatus for producing one or more pre-cast concrete structures. The apparatus may include partitions that may be positioned in a side by side arrangement. The partitions may be moveable with respect to each other to facilitate installation of reinforcing material and removal of the concrete structures from the apparatus after the concrete has hardened. Cavities may be defined by the partitions for receiving concrete to form structures having panels with integral columns. The columns may include slots for receiving an adjacent panel such that adjacent concrete structures may be joined together to form a continuous wall. The partitions may also include interchangeable liners such that different textures or finishes may be applied to the concrete structures. |
| US07665708B2 |
Vibration isolation mount and method
The present invention provides an apparatus and method for vibration isolation. The invention may be conceptualized as a vibration isolation mount. The vibration isolation mount mounts a first member to a second member for reducing the transmission of vibrations from the first member to the second member. The vibration isolation mount comprises a first mounting means for mounting to the first member, and a second mounting means for mounting to the second member. A spring means is arranged between the first and second mounting means, wherein said spring means is coupled to the first mounting means and provides a spring force between said first and second mounting means. The invention may also be conceptualized as a vibration isolation method. The method controls vibrations transmitted from a first member to a second member when the second member is mounted on the first member using a spring arrangement. The spring arrangement provides a delay in transmission of an impulse between the first and second members. The method comprising the steps of (1) sensing vibrations in a first member; (2) applying a force on a second member in response to the sensed vibrations to reduce vibrations in the second member; and (3) wherein the spring arrangement provides a delay equal to or greater than a delay in the provision of said force in response to the vibrations in said first member. |
| US07665704B2 |
Seat rail apparatus
An object of the invention is to provide a seat rail apparatus, which is capable of locking/unlocking forward/backward sliding of a seat for vehicle in a stepless manner with a simple structure, at an inexpensive cost. A brake disk 51 is attached to the front end of a slide screw 5, which is screwed with a nut 4 disposed within a lower rail 2 and an upper rail 3. A lock mechanism 6 comprises rollers 63 and 64, springs 65 for imparting a force to the rollers in the peripheral direction and a supporting member 61 disposed with the rollers and the springs therein. The springs 65 impart a force to the brake disk 51 and the supporting member 61 to bring the rollers 63 and 64 into a friction engagement; thus the rotation of the slide screw 5 can be locked. Owing to first and second engagement plates 81 and 82, the rollers 63 and 64 are caused to roll against the force imparted by the springs 65, and are released from the friction engagement; thus the slide screw 5 can be unlocked. |
| US07665697B1 |
In scissor type clamp
An improved scissor-type clamp includes two opposing clam shell type members, one male and one female, that pivot together, are biased outwardly by coil springs and are held together by a thumbscrew. Embodiments feature rectangular and tapered opposed clam shell portions and one embodiment includes identical clam shell members. |
| US07665693B2 |
Aircraft seat
An aircraft seat, which is convertible into a bed, is divided from adjacent seats by partitions 2 and has a movable squab 11, a movable leg rest 12, a fixed foot rest 14 and a movable backrest 15 to which a headrest 17 is pivotally connected. A control panel 21 is provided on a partition 2 for controlling the disposition of the seat. The seat has front legs 29 and rear legs 28 pivoted to aircraft deck 27 and is actuated by slide actuator 29 and recline actuator 30 (which extends or retracts rear legs 28).In the normally sitting up position of the seat, the squab back is held towards cabin wall 48 with a slide actuator 29 and a recline actuator 30 extended. When the seat is partially reclined the headrest 17 is pivoted forward to lie at an obtuse angle with respect to the front face of backrest 15 to keep headrest 17 clear of cabin wall 48. In the fully reclined position of the seat, the headrest 17 is lowered into recess 51 in shelving 52 at the rear of the seat unit along cabin wall 48. |
| US07665691B2 |
Aerial vehicle launching system and method
An aerial vehicle launching system includes a launch platform and a restraint system coupled to the launch platform. The restraint system has at least one passive restraint suitably adapted to indirectly restrain an aerial vehicle. The restraint system is configured to coordinate the uniform retention and release of the passive restraint in order to launch the aerial vehicle. |
| US07665685B2 |
Modular carousel assembly and method
A modular rotating carousel assembly for storage and unspooling of pipe or cable is provided that comprises a plurality of triangular subassemblies; each triangular subassembly comprises a base member and at least one pair of connecting members; the connecting members are connected together at one end to form an apex and are connected at the other end to the base member; the base members of the plurality of triangular subassemblies are rotatably connected together to form a first circle; wherein the apexes of the connecting members extend outwardly from said first circle; and a plurality of rotating caster members is positioned beneath the rotatable connection of a plurality of said base members. Additional sets of triangular subassemblies are built up on concentric circles until the desired size of carousel is formed. A drive mechanism is provided that includes a motor that rotates a perimeter drive chain that engages sprocket pads spaced about the circumference of the carousel. A modular hub is provided that includes a set of fixed plates arranged in a circle and a set of adjustable plates that are connected to the fixed plates. A set of segments forming a uniform circular shape is attached to the outside surface of the moveable plates and vertically oriented curved plates are positioned about the outer surface of the set of segments to provide a uniform surface for casters to rotate about. |
| US07665680B2 |
Food waste disposer clean-out mechanism
A shredder plate assembly for a food waste disposer includes a disk with one or more water slinging devices attached, so that water flowing into the disposer flows over the water slinging device and against the inside of the disposer housing as the disk rotates. |
| US07665678B2 |
Method for producing fine denitrided metal particles using grinding media
Grinding media, including shaped media such as spheres or rods ranging in size from about 0.5 micron to 100 mm in diameter, are formed from a multi-carbide material consisting essentially of two or more carbide-forming elements and carbon, with or without carbide-forming elements in their free elemental state. The media have extremely high mass density, extreme hardness, and extreme mechanical toughness. |
| US07665675B2 |
Rolling watering system
A watering system includes a watering can and a dispensing system. The dispensing system includes a cart for supporting the watering can, wheels coupled to a bottom of the cart and adapted to facilitate movement of the dispensing system on a surface, and a lever movably coupled to the cart and adapted to allow for manual movement of the watering can between a lowered position in which water held in the watering can's bucket is not dispensed and a raised position in which water held in the buck is dispensed through the watering can's spout. The lever has an exposed end adapted to be lowered by a user to move the watering can from the lowered position to the raised position. |
| US07665669B2 |
Method and apparatus for making RFID labels
Methods of cutting and applying RFID straps including microchips, by means of rotating vacuum and cutting cylinders to vary the feed rate of the strap web and/or the angular velocity of the cutting cylinder to avoid contact between the cutting blade and the superposed element on the strap web while severing the strap web at the desired cutting position. In one embodiment, the feed rate of the strap web is controlled. In a second embodiment, the strap web is fed at a substantially constant rate while the angular velocity of the cutting cylinder is controlled to avoid damage to the microchips. In a third embodiment, the feed rate of the strap web adjacent the desired cutting position is reduced and then accelerated and returned to normal by a deflecting arm. |
| US07665665B2 |
Digital illumination and imaging subsystem employing despeckling mechanism employing high-frequency modulation of laser diode drive current and optical beam multiplexing techniques
A digital illumination and imaging system employing one or more planar laser illumination modules (PLIMs) each including: (i) a laser illumination source driven preferably by high frequency modulated (HFM) diode current drive circuitry; (ii) a beam collimating optics disposed beyond the laser source; (ii) an optical beam multiplexer (OMUX) device disposed beyond the collimating optics; and (iv) a planarizing-type illumination lens array disposed beyond the OMUX device, and arranged for generating a plurality of substantially planar coherence-reduced laser illumination beams (PLIBs) that form a composite substantially planar laser illumination beam (PLIB) having substantially reduced spatial/temporal coherence. A digital image detection array for detecting digital images of an object illuminated by the composite substantially planar laser illumination beam. By virtue of the present invention, the power of speckle pattern noise, observed in a digital image of an object detected at the digital image detection array, is substantially reduced when the digital image is formed using the substantially planar laser illumination beam. |
| US07665661B2 |
Secure system for tracking elements using tags
A system for tracking elements employing fixed tags that are permanently attached internally or externally to elements. The tags include radio-frequency (RF) communication units that have wireless communication with RF communicators. The wireless communications between the RF tags and the RF communicators operate with a tag communication protocol that defines the operations and sequences for storing information into and retrieval of information from tags. Each communicator has a processor for controlling a security routine with the tag. Each tag has a tag memory having storage locations for storing security information, a controller for accessing the tag memory to access security information in response to the security routine and an I/O unit for electronic communication with the controller and for RF communication with the communicator. |
| US07665658B2 |
Dynamic aggregation of payment transactions
A transaction aggregation method that includes the steps of receiving user data and a current transaction amount associated with a current transaction, and retrieving a reliability score for the user with the user data, and calculating an aggregation threshold based on the reliability score. The method also includes updating an aggregated transaction amount by adding the current transaction amount to a previously aggregated transaction amount from previous transactions, and comparing the updated aggregated amount with the aggregation threshold, where the current transaction is aggregated with the previous transactions when the updated aggregated amount is less than the aggregation threshold. |
| US07665654B2 |
Shipping containers with stacking support structures
Shipping containers having stacking support structures are provided. The shipping containers or cartons, are provided with three-panel inner support structures, in which the three panels form either triangular- (delta-) shaped cross-sections or L shaped cross-sections. In addition, the shipping containers or cartons, are provided with first outer support panels, and one or two second outer support panels. The shipping containers or cartons may be provided with no lid, one lid panel with closure panels for affixation to the end panels, or two lid panels, each with closure panels for affixation to the end panels. |
| US07665653B2 |
Twisted carton
A carton has a plurality of panel strips that extend around the periphery of the carton as well as along a length or height of the carton. The panel strips are defined by oblique fold lines extending along the height of the carton. The panel strips provide the carton with a rotated or “twisted” shape. |
| US07665651B2 |
Method of joining two members by friction stir welding
This invention provides a configuration of a joint that allows a satisfactory welded joint to be formed with reduced deformation of the joint region when two-face structures (panels) are friction-welded end to end. The panels 31, 32 each have two substantially parallel plates 33, 34 and a third member 35 connecting the two plates 33, 34. The end portions of the plates 33, 34 of one panel 32 are friction-welded to the end portions of the plates 33, 34 of the other panel 32. At least one of the panels has a plate 36 at its end for connecting the plates 33 and 34 and has a rigidity to support a pressing force produced during the friction welding. |
| US07665647B2 |
Surgical cutting and stapling device with closure apparatus for limiting maximum tissue compression force
A surgical instrument for being endoscopically or laparoscopically inserted into a surgical site for simultaneous stapling and severing of tissue includes an elongate channel that is configured to operably support a staple cartridge therein. An anvil is operably coupled to the elongate channel and is selectively movable between open and closed positions. A closure tube assembly interfaces with the anvil to selectively apply a closing force thereto in response to a closing motion applied to the closure tube assembly. At least one force limiting member interacts with the closure tube assembly to limit an amount of the closing force applied to the anvil by the closure tube assembly in response to a resistive force experienced by the anvil when clamping tissue between the anvil and the elongate channel. The force limiting member may comprise one or more spring sections in the closure tube assembly or at least one leaf spring in the distal end of the closure tube assembly. Other embodiments may include steps formed in a ramp portion of the anvil for engaging the distal end of the closure tube assembly. |
| US07665642B2 |
Portable activity case with fold-out table
A portable activity case for use in an automobile has an attachment mechanism that secures the activity case to most automobile seatbacks. The case is provided with an ergonomic fold-out table with a support that extends over the child's lap. The table also has two legs which extend down to provide support for the activity table to make the case self-standing for use on any flat surface. The case is large enough to contain coloring books, notebooks, and related writing supplies while maintaining a lightweight, yet strong and safe case structure. |
| US07665639B2 |
Tank truck for delivering liquefied gas
A high-speed bulk filling tank truck is provided, which permits reduction of the filling time. The high-speed bulk filling tank truck delivers a liquefied gas in a truck tank to a bulk storage tank, and recovers a gas-phase gas in the bulk storage tank into the truck tank, thereby filling the bulk storage tank with the liquefied gas. The high-speed bulk filling tank truck includes a liquid feed pump, provided on a liquid line through which the liquefied gas flows, for feeding the liquefied gas in the truck tank to the bulk storage tank, and a gas compressor, provided on the gas line through which a gas-phase gas flows, for compressing the gas-phase gas in the bulk storage tank and delivering the same into the truck tank. |
| US07665626B2 |
Removable lid of a paint container
A paint container, comprising a body (10) with a polygonal cross section, presenting upper edge portions (13) and a lid (20) having lateral edge portions (21) which are removably seated and tightly retained in a seat (15) defined along the upper edge portions (13) of the body (10). The lid (20) presents a lower face (20a) incorporating a downwardly projecting support means (22) which is engaged with an adjacent upper edge portion (13) of the body (10) after the opening of the lid (20), in order to maintain the latter with its adjacent lateral edge portion (21) externally seated against the lateral wall (11) of the body (10) and in an inclined position with its lower face (20a) forming a paint drip tray, said support means (22) defining a deflecting chute (25) for directing, to the interior of the body (10), the paint that is gravitationally dripping down the internal face (20a) of the lid (20). |
| US07665623B2 |
Container tab having flexible operating portion
A tab for use with a container includes a rigid lever part, wherein the rigid lever is connectable to a tear part of the container and an operating part for operating the lever part. The operating part is movably connected to the lever part, such that the operating part can be moved out of the plane of the rigid lever part. |
| US07665620B2 |
Crane
The present invention relates to a crane, preferably a truck crane, comprising a plurality of crane elements which are movable by actuators, a crane control unit for controlling and/or monitoring the movement of the crane elements, and at least one actuating switch for actuating the actuators. In accordance with the invention, the crane is characterized in that in the at least one actuating switch a logic module is integrated, by which the actuators can be driven directly corresponding to a respective switch movement, and the crane control unit can be connected with the logic module by a data transmission connection. |
| US07665619B2 |
Modular shelf system
A shelf system having stable shelf supports and a reduced profile when installed. The invention also allows various configurations to be achieved without the need of tools. A modular shelf unit according to an embodiment of the invention includes upright supports and support brackets configured to attach to the back portion of each upright support. The support brackets may mimic the outer surface of the upright support. The support brackets may also comprise a clip, opening, or other structure configured to support or connect to an additional component, such as a garment rod. The shelves may include openings at either end configured to receive the upright supports. Various lengths and depths of shelves may be used, allowing for customization of the shelving unit or system. |
| US07665616B1 |
Holder and display device
A cap holder and display device for caps having a bill. The base of the device has a display surface and, attached thereto, a plurality of arcuately formed spaced apart bands, each of which is connected at each end thereof to, and extending generally orthogonally from, the display surface. Each of the bands preferably include two symmetrically spaced apart slots formed into a top edge thereof. Each band is arcuately configured and, in conjunction with the display surface, supportively receives, establishes and retains, the curved shape of the bill of one cap. The slots are arranged to receive, establish and retain the substantially straight distal edge of the bill of another cap. An elongated groove is preferably formed into the display surface beneath one of the bands to receive and retain the squeezed together side edges of a bill of one cap which has been folded in half lengthwise. |
| US07665613B2 |
Multi-piece access gate kit with container
A multi-piece access gate kit and methods for packaging and assembling multi-piece access gates, such as driveway gates. An access gate having proximal and distal portions allowing for packaging, distribution, and retail display in a reduced footprint container. An exemplary access gate may have a distal portion that may be uncoupled from a proximal portion and placed in a substantially overlapping arrangement to facilitate placement in a reduced footprint container small enough for placement in a retail display and/or in a consumer's vehicle for transportation. |
| US07665606B2 |
Clamp-on tray for neurosurgical patties
In accordance with the present invention, a Clamp-On Tray for Neurosurgical Patties comprises a rectangular tray having a well at each end, parallel individual channels for the patty strings running between the wells and c-clamps mounted on one side for attaching to a MAYO stand encased in sterilized covering material. |
| US07665605B2 |
Sharps container for (I) safe disposal and storage of a single used medical pen needle and/or (II) safe storage and dispensing of a single unused medical pen needle
A sharps container for only one medical pen needle is configured with an elongated, hollow shield having an axially extending recess at a first end thereof. The recess is sized to receive the outer diameter of a pen needle hub. A cover member, sized for closing off the first end of the shield, is connected to the shield by means facilitating movement of the cover member between (i) a first position adjacent to a side of the shield and (ii) a second position abutting the first end of the shield. Locking means may be used for locking the cover member in the second position. The container has dual utilizations, first as a container for only one used medical pen needle and alternatively as a container for only one unused medical pen needle. |
| US07665604B2 |
Tambourine display/protective case
A protective case for a product, such as a tambourine, having a predetermined configuration includes a clam shell housing generally configured to conform to the shape of the product. The housing is dimensioned to receive the product with clearance. The clam shell housing is formed of two clam shell members that are hinged to each other so that the clam shell members may be separated to allow the product to be inserted into or removed from the case. A suitable lock is provided for selectively locking the clam shell members to each other to prevent a separation of the clam shell members. A handle suitable for gripping is provided on the housing for carrying the case. Positioning members in the form of stabilizing walls are provided within the clam shell housing for positioning the product and stabilizing it against excessive movements within the clam shell housing when the clam shell members are juxtaposed in a closed condition of the clam shell housing. The product is preferably maintained in a generally fixed design position within the clam shell housing where the protection of the product is enhanced. By making the clam shell housing from a transparent molded plastic material the protective case can also serve as a display case through which the product may be viewed. |
| US07665602B2 |
Ready-made dish disposable packaging, equipped of vent device for inner vapors
Ready made dish disposable packaging comprising a container (1) which defines a first compartment (2) and at least one second compartment (3). The container (1) can have a bowl form and is closed in its upper part by a superior sealing film (21) which is also an integral and substantial part of a vent device of inner vapors. The second compartment (3) is, on the contrary, closed by means of a sliding sealing system comprising a plug (14), In the closure position of the plug (14), it is impossible that the component contained in the second compartment (3) enters in contact with the component contained in the first compartment (2), while in the opening position of the plug (14), the component contained in the second compartment (3) can spill out through the lateral openings of the plug (14). |
| US07665601B2 |
Dehydrating container comprising a humidity state indicator
A dehydrating container made of a thermoplastic polymer suitable for packaging products sensitive to ambient humidity, said containing comprising: a visual humidity state indicator, a container body forming a casing, closed at one of its ends by a base and open at another end thereof, a reclosable closure capable of cooperatively fitting on the open end of said casing, optionally, a connector placed between the closure and the casing, and a humidity absorber inside the containing for absorbing humidity from the atmosphere inside the container. The absorber comprises a dehydrating agent and the reclosable closure comprises a visual humidity state indicator that changes color according to the existing humidity level and/or to a maximum humidity level. The visual indicator is advantageously located on an internal surface of the closure. |
| US07665599B2 |
Block orientation cylinder
A rotating cylinder is used to orient wood material, such as but not limited to blocks (e.g., finger joint blocks), preparatory to further processing. The rotating cylinder uses gravity and a tumbling action of the blocks to orient the blocks and move them through the cylinder. Unlike known apparatus such as vibrating conveyors, embodiments of the invention are relatively simple, vibration free, not prone to mechanical stress failures, are quiet, and use minimal horsepower to operate. Furthermore, embodiments of invention may advantageously reduce noise-caused fatigue amongst lumber workers, as well as reduce maintenance and power costs. The rotating cylinder may be part of a larger system for orienting wood material, such as blocks, for further lumber processing. |
| US07665598B2 |
Arrangement for assembling products in batches on high-speed conveyor belt
An arrangement (10) for assembling into batches (Ln), via a phasing device (23), a plurality of products (Pn) traveling on a conveyor belt (16) from an intake zone upstream to an exit zone downstream. The phasing device (23) is placed between the intake zone and the exit zone. The arrangement has at least one retractable catch (60, 62, 64), and the catch (60, 62, 64) is moved successively into an engaged position, causing a first product (Pn) to be slowed down until a second product (Pn) located immediately upstream moves up to it, so as to form a batch (Ln), and into a retracted position which enables the previously formed batch (Ln) to continue its downstream movement at the running speed of the belt. |
| US07665595B2 |
Drive system with step chain or pallet chain for a transportation device and transportation device with a corresponding drive system
A transportation system for a transportation device has a transportation chain having a plurality of chain links joined to form an articulated endless chain and with a sprocket to reverse the chain. The transportation chain has several equally-spaced guide elements which, in a transportation area of the transportation device are guided along a guide rail. The guide elements are formed of sliding elements that are mechanically linked to the transportation chain and slide along the guide rail when the transportation system is in motion. An outer circumference of the sprocket has recesses which at least partly accommodate the sliding elements. |
| US07665593B2 |
Cash-handling device
The present invention relates to an arrangement (1) for packing banknotes (2) that are received in a closed cassette (3) which is capable of detachable attachment to an emptying machine (5). In accordance with the invention, a path leads from the emptying machine (5) for the transfer of banknotes (2)to a packing machine (6) for banknotes (2). The aforementioned packing machine (6) comprises a holder for supporting security bags and a banknote conveyor which comprises a casing capable of displacement relative to the bag holder and extending internally in the bag in question prepared for receiving. In order among other things to force out air from the bag, movable jaws arranged relative to one another are present, situated to either side of a bag receiving space, and the aforementioned jaws are so arranged as to drive a bag threaded around the case in a downwards direction. |
| US07665590B2 |
Coupling system
A coupling system including at least two sub-units, one of which is pre-assembled on the engine side of a motor vehicle drive train, namely on the output shaft of the engine, and the other sub-unit is pre-assembled on the transmission side of the drive train. The pre-assembled sub-units each include respective interengaging teeth to provide a positive drive connection, and the teeth are biased toward each other to reduce circumferential play and thereby reduce noise that would be generated during operation of the drive train. |
| US07665588B2 |
Starting unit
The invention relates to a starting unit (1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6) comprising a starting element in the form of a hydrodynamic component (5, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.5, 5.6) and a housing (17, 18) that is coupled with the primary impeller (6) in a static or rotationally fixed manner and that encloses at least one impeller (7, 8) in the axial direction, thereby defining at least one working fluid guide channel or compartment (19). The invention is characterized in that the unit is provided with means (2) for influencing the transmission behavior of the hydrodynamic component (5). Said means comprise pressure medium-actuated integrated mechanical components (3) that have an at least indirect effect on the working cycle ensuing in the working compartment (8, 8.2, 8.3, 8.4, 8.5, 8.6). The pressure medium-actuated integrated mechanical components (3) are impinged upon by a pressure medium from the supply channel (20) or the first working medium guide channel or compartment (19), the position of the pressure medium-actuated integrated mechanical components (3) relative to the working compartment (8) being a function of the differential pressure of the pressure medium branched off from the first supply channel (20) or the first working medium guide channel or compartment (19) and the pressure in the interior of the housing (17, 18) in the area of the regulating device (26, 31). |
| US07665587B2 |
Torque transmission device
The invention relates to a torque transmission device with a clutch disk or friction plate that is connected by way of positive locking sections to an input part of a torsional vibration damping device so that they turn together but it can be slid axially. In order to produce a torque transmission device, by which the shifting quality of a converter bridge clutch in a hydrodynamic torque converter can be improved, the input part of the torsional vibration damping device has, in the circumferential direction between two positive locking sections, a seat area for one end of a spring shackle that extends from the clutch disk. |
| US07665583B2 |
Elevator installation and use of such elevator installation for high-speed elevators
An elevator installation with an elevator shaft and an elevator car which is connected with a counterweight such that on movement of the elevator car the counterweight executes an opposite movement and the elevator car moves past the counterweight in a proximity region in the elevator shaft. Provided in the proximity region is an enlargement of the cross-section of the elevator shaft so as to reduce a pressure shock which builds up in the proximity region when the elevator car moves past the counterweight. Noise and vibrations can thereby be prevented. |
| US07665581B2 |
Method and device for automatic checking of the availability of technical equipment in or at a building
The method serves for automatic checking of the availability of technical equipment which is arranged in or at a building and executes at least one repeatable procedure, and comprises the following steps. There is determined at least one estimated value (NS(i,t)) for the frequency of the performance of the procedure for a first time period and/or second estimated value (NS(i,t+Δt)) for the frequency of the performance of the procedure for a second time period. A measured value Nm(i,t)) for the frequency of the performance of the procedure for the first time period is determined and the measured value is compared with at least one of the estimated values (NS(i,t), NS(i,t+Δt)). If the measured value (Nm(i,t)) is smaller by a predetermined amount (NS(i,t)−Nmin(i,t), ΔNs) than the respective estimated value (NS(i,t), NS(i,t+Δt)) at least one test of the technical equipment is carried out, in which test at least one reaction of the technical equipment is registered and compared with a target reaction, wherein in the case of availability of the technical equipment the reaction corresponds with the target reaction. |
| US07665580B2 |
Equipment for suspension of a car or counter weight in an elevator installation and methods for mounting and for maintenance of suspension means
Equipment for suspension of a car or a counterweight in an elevator installation and methods for mounting and for maintenance of the suspension apparatus includes deflecting roller units. The car or the counterweight hangs at support belts that are each connected with the car or the counterweight by an associated one of the deflecting roller units. Each roller unit provides space for one of the support belts. The roller unit provides compensation for different elongations of the several support belts and it enables simple mounting of the support belts. |
| US07665579B2 |
Flow control valve having pressure compensating valve
A flow control valve includes a pressure compensating valve and a first switching valve. The pressure compensating valve is configured to enlarge an opening area of a variable orifice between a load pressure line and a compensating pressure line when a pressure of working fluid of the compensating pressure line is smaller than a first set pressure, and narrow the opening area of the variable orifice when the pressure of the working fluid of the compensating pressure line is larger than the first set pressure. The first switching valve is configured to switch between a meter-out operation and a neutral operation by an external operation, wherein the working fluid of the compensating pressure line is drained in the meter-out operation, the working fluid of the compensating pressure line is not drained in the neutral operation. The load pressure line guides the working fluid to be supplied to an actuator. |
| US07665561B2 |
Power unit for a motorcycle, and motorcycle incorporating same
A motorcycle is provided with a compact, lightweight power unit that allows for increased maneuverability and increased bank angles while turning. The power unit includes an engine and transmission integrated into a single unit. Often, the balance and maneuverability of a motorcycle are influenced by the heaviest components of the vehicle, such as the engine or power unit. The present advantage is accomplished by providing the power unit with a water pump, oil pump and transmission which are balanced on the motorcycle, limiting the weight variations and protrusions from the motorcycle. This results in allowing the motorcycle to achieve greater bank angles for better turning speeds and maneuverability. It desirable to keep the vehicle center of gravity as low as possible in a motorcycle which is likely to lean steeply around corners. The present arrangement provides the vehicle with a lower center of gravity thereby increasing maneuverability. |
| US07665558B2 |
Engine misfire detection apparatus, hybrid vehicle equipped with the same, and engine misfire detection method
Engine misfire is detected by using threshold values that vary depending on whether damping control is executed. First threshold values are adopted at the setting of a gearshift position to a drive position or a park position where damping control is performed to reduce the vibration of an engine. Second threshold values are adopted at the setting of the gearshift position to a neutral position where the damping control is not performed, the second threshold values being greater than the first threshold values. Engine misfire detection is carried out by processing using the first and second threshold values. |
| US07665557B2 |
Hybrid electric powertrain with anti-idle function
A method is provided for reducing engine idling time in a hybrid vehicle that includes a vehicle accessory and a hybrid powertrain having an engine, a generator operatively coupled to the engine, and an energy source. The method includes selectively powering the vehicle accessory using the energy source while the engine is not running, monitoring the energy source state of charge, selectively starting the engine when the energy source state of charge is less than or equal to a predetermined minimum state of charge, operating the engine driven generator to recharge the energy source to a predetermined maximum state of charge, and turning off the engine when the energy source state of charge is greater than or equal to the predetermined maximum state of charge. A hybrid electric vehicle power delivery system is also provided. |
| US07665553B2 |
Renewable energy system for electric vehicles
Renewable Energy Advanced Device Solution is at least wind powered and comprises at least a motor, a battery cell, a clutch means, a generator armature, a communication means configured with a capacitance means and operatively connected to an accelerator pedal. The communication means is configured for directing the flow of energy from the capacitance means to the battery cell means and from the battery cell means to the motor. The motor of the vehicle is configured with harnesses communicatively connecting the generator armature with the capacitance means, the capacitance means with the communication means, and the communication means with the battery cell means responsive for supplying electrical energy to the motor and other electrical appliances for the vehicle. The communication means transfers electrical energy to kinetic energy that propels the vehicle and comprises means to connect the motor to enable the flow of electricity. The motor is configured with regenerative braking means responsive for conservation of energy by means of transferring the kinetic energy back to electrical energy when pressure on the accelerator pedal is released to enable the conversion energy to initially slow down vehicle. |
| US07665551B2 |
Flush mounted spider
A gripping apparatus for supporting a tubular includes a longitudinal opening extending therethrough. A bowl is formed on an inner wall of the housing to provide an incline surface for one or more gripping members. As the gripping members are move down along the incline, the incline causes the gripping members to move radially toward the tubular and contact the tubular. In one embodiment, the housing comprises two body portions coupled together using one or mores hinges. In one aspect, the bowl is formed as a recess in the inner wall of the housing. The hinges of the housing are progressively curved to accommodate the recess bowl, thereby increasing the tubular size handling capacity of the gripping apparatus. In another embodiment, the apparatus may include guide keys that mate with guide slots formed on an outer surface of the gripping members to minimize the rotational movement of the gripping members relative to the housing. In another embodiment, the apparatus may include a leveling ring connected to the one or more gripping members for synchronizing the movement of the one or more gripping members. In another embodiment still, the flange may include one or more blocks for mating with a rotary table. In another embodiment still, the apparatus may include one or more adjustable guide rollers to facilitate movement of the tubular within the housing. |
| US07665548B2 |
Secondary retainer for a downhole hammer bit
A bit retainer system includes a bit having a head and a shank, a driver sub disposed around the shank of the bit and adapted to engage a hammer case, a bit retainer including a segmented retainer ring configured with a circumferential groove on an outside diameter of the segmented ring, the bit retainer disposed around the shank of the bit and abutting an upper end of the driver sub. The bit retainer system further includes a secondary retainer disposed around the bit retainer, wherein the secondary retainer includes a plurality of webs disposed at selected locations along the secondary retainer configured to engage the circumferential groove of the segmented retainer ring. |
| US07665546B2 |
Metal debris cleanout system and method
A cleanout system and method for removal of metal debris from a fluid flow, such a flow of re-circulated drilling mud employs one or more magnetic unit positioned in the path of the fluid for collecting metal particles from the flow. The magnetic unit has a removable magnet core positioned in a non-magnetic sleeve. When the core is removed from the sleeve the attracted metal particles are allowed to drop from the sleeve under gravity to facilitate their collection and disposal. A fluid deflector is positioned upstream from each magnetic unit, protecting the magnetic unit from direct impact by the strong flow. The magnetic units are allowed to pivot from side-to-side and adjust their position in the flow. |
| US07665545B2 |
Pressure controlled downhole operations
A method and apparatus for temporarily increasing fluid pressure at a specific location in a work string to perform an operation in an oil or gas well bore. Apparatus is provided which, in a first position provides fluid flow through the work string; in a second position provides the desired increase in fluid pressure to perform the operation in the well bore by dropping a ball (62) into the apparatus; and, by shearing pins (52) to move a sleeve (50) within the apparatus, provides a third position which returns fluid flow through the work string via bypass channels (26) created in the apparatus around the ball. Operation of a pressure activated near bit reamer in conjunction with the apparatus is also described. |
| US07665544B2 |
Method to improve downhole instruments
Measurements are made using a plurality of measure electrodes on a pad of a logging tool. The bias and gain of the measurements prior to A/D conversion are altered using measurements made by an additional electrode that is ahead of the measure electrodes. |
| US07665543B2 |
Permanent downhole deployment of optical sensors
The present invention involves methods and apparatus for permanent downhole deployment of optical sensors. Specifically, optical sensors may be permanently deployed within a wellbore using a casing string. In one aspect, one or more optical sensors are disposed on, in, or within the casing string. The optical sensors may be attached to an outer surface of the casing string or to an inner surface of the casing string, as well as embedded within a wall of the casing string. The optical sensors are capable of measuring wellbore parameters during wellbore operations, including completion, production, and intervention operations. |
| US07665542B2 |
Core barrel capacity gauge and method
A core barrel capacity gauge for use on a core barrel assembly having a barrel for receiving a core sample. The core barrel capacity gauge includes a core sample marker located within the barrel such that the core sample marker rests against the top of the drilled core sample and a marker location sensor. The marker location sensor is arranged to detect the location of the core sample marker within the barrel. |
| US07665535B2 |
Rigless one-trip system and method
A one-trip system for use in a subterranean well includes a tubing hanger, a production tubing, a perforating gun assembly and a screen assembly. The tubing hanger is adapted to be mounted to one of a well in the well casing near the earth's surface. The production tubing is sealingly attached to the tubing hanger, and the perforating gun assembly is coupled to the production tubing. The tubing hanger, production tubing, perforating gun assembly and screen assembly are adapted to be run downhole as a unit. Once the unit is positioned downhole the screen assembly is adapted to be moved relative to the production tubing by a riglessly-deployed continuous medium that is deployed through the production tubing from the surface of the well. |
| US07665526B2 |
System and method for downhole operation using pressure activated and sleeve valve assembly
An isolation system for producing oil and gas from one or more formation zones and methods of use are provided comprising one or more pressure activated and tool shiftable valve assemblies. The tool shiftable valve may be actuated before or after actuation of the pressure activated valve. |
| US07665523B2 |
Compositions and methods for treatment of well bore tar
Of the many compositions and methods provided herein, one method includes a method comprising: contacting tar resident in a well bore with a treatment fluid comprising a styrene-acrylate polymer; and allowing the styrene-acrylate polymer to interact with the tar to at least partially reduce the tendency of the tar to adhere to a surface. Another method provided herein includes a method for treating tar sand comprising: contacting the tar sand with a treatment fluid comprising an aqueous fluid and a styrene-acrylate polymer, the tar sand comprising tar and sand; and allowing the styrene-acrylate polymers to interact with the tar to at least partially separate the tar from the sand. |
| US07665522B2 |
Fiber laden energized fluids and methods of use
The present invention relates to aqueous oilfield treatment fluids containing a gas component and fibers, wherein the fluids may further include a viscosifying agent and/or proppant. The fluids have good proppant suspension and transport properties as well as excellent gas phase stability. Use of fluids comprising an aqueous medium, a gas component, viscosifying agent, and fibers for hydraulically fracturing a subterranean formation, cleanup operations, and gravel packing a wellbore, are also disclosed. |
| US07665520B2 |
Multiple bottom plugs for cementing operations
Methods and devices useful in stage cementing operations are provided. One example of an apparatus may comprise a catcher tube assembly and a deformable device. One example of a method is a method of stage cementing a casing string comprising: positioning a catcher tube on top of a float collar; pumping a first fluid through the casing string; placing a first deformable device in the casing string; and pumping a second fluid through the casing string, thereby causing the first deformable device to translate downward in the casing string and into the catcher tube. |
| US07665517B2 |
Methods of cleaning sand control screens and gravel packs
Methods for remediating a subterranean environment. Methods comprising introducing a cleanup fluid through a well bore and into a portion of a subterranean formation penetrated by the well bore, applying a pressure pulse to the cleanup fluid, and introducing a consolidating agent through the well bore and into the portion of the subterranean formation. Methods of cleaning a sand control screen comprises introducing a cleanup fluid through a sand control screen and into a portion of a subterranean formation, the sand control screen located in a well bore that penetrates the subterranean formation; applying a pressure pulse to the cleanup fluid; and introducing a consolidating agent through the sand control screen and into the portion of the subterranean formation. |
| US07665516B2 |
Permanent anchoring device
An anchoring device to secure a packer assembly within a casing, including a frangible ring having a plurality of grips on an outer circumference, wherein a first end of the frangible ring includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced slots, and an expansion ring having a plurality of castellations configured to engage the slots of the first end of the frangible ring is disclosed. A method to secure a packer assembly in a casing, including engaging a plurality of arcuate segments of a segmented ring with a plurality of slots in a first end of a frangible ring, engaging a plurality of castellations of an expansion ring with the plurality of slots on a second end of the frangible ring, and moving the expansion ring in an axial direction towards the frangible ring and splitting the frangible ring into a plurality of slip segments, thereby radially extending the plurality of slip segments and segmented ring into the casing is also disclosed. |
| US07665515B2 |
Casing and drill pipe filling and circulating method
An apparatus is disclosed for adapting a combination of well tubulars in a string to accept a single filling and circulation apparatus and to eliminate the need for bails and elevators. In addition an adapter and a new filling and circulation apparatus are disclosed. |
| US07665510B2 |
Fluid drive unit and heat transport system
The fluid drive unit includes a cylinder communicating with both end portions of a meandering passage formed in the heat transport device. In the cylinder, the piston is slidably arranged being capable of sliding in the axial direction. Fluid is charged in the spaces, which are provided on both sides of the piston, connected to the meandering passage. The solenoid coil, which is provided in the periphery of the side of the cylinder, periodically inverts the magnetic poles and reciprocates the piston in the cylinder. To drive the piston smoothly and reduce the amount of eccentricity, a pair of sliding members are provided at the end portions of the piston. When the fluid in the passage is vibrated by the movement of the piston, the apparent heat conductivity of the heat transport device is enhanced, and heat is quickly diffused from the heating body to the radiating portion. |
| US07665508B2 |
Heat pipe
A heat pipe includes a pipe containing phase changeable working media therein. A wick structure is located on an inner face of the pipe. A space is surrounded by the wick structure in the pipe. At least one muzzle with an inlet and an outlet is positioned inside the pipe; the inlet and the outlet are deferent in radius thereof. |
| US07665505B2 |
Controlling a position of a flexible covering
A control apparatus for positioning and counterbalancing an amount of flexible blind material wound onto or unwound from a rotatable shaft of a windable covering such as a blind. The apparatus includes a main body and a variable torque device, at least partially fitted within the main body, having means of achieving a variable torque to prevent rotation of the shaft due to a variable weight of blind material hanging from the shaft in any position between a wound position and an unwound position of the blind material defining full travel of the windable covering. |
| US07665498B2 |
Tape monitoring system
The invention provides a tape monitoring system for use with a taping machine that is mounted independent of a taping head. The tape monitoring system includes a tape dispensing sensor for determining whether tape is being dispensed from the tape supply and capable of providing a signal relating to a tape dispensing velocity, an object presence sensor for determining whether an object is present for taping and capable of providing a response when the object is present, and a control system operatively connected to the tape dispensing sensor and the object presence sensor for determining a potential error condition. |
| US07665495B2 |
Pneumatic tire
Disclosed is a pneumatic tire enabling to even a weight balance thereof in a tire circumferential direction in realizing reduction of cavity resonance noise by using an annular object having cross-sectional areas which vary depending on locations in the tire circumferential direction. The pneumatic tire of the present invention is one in which an annular object having cross-sectional areas which vary depending on locations in the tire circumferential direction is mounted on an inner surface of a tread portion. In the pneumatic tire, the annular object is formed by partially applying compression forming to a porous material member having a density of 5 to 70 kg/m3 and having an uniform cross-sectional shape in the tire circumferential direction. |
| US07665489B1 |
Sandbag filling apparatus
A sandbag filling apparatus includes a head portion with a bottom wall having a front edge, a rear edge, a first side edge and a second side edge. A first side wall is attached to the first side edge. A second side wall is attached to the second side edge. A rear wall is attached to the first and second side walls. A fill opening is defined between the rear edge and the rear wall. An elongated member is attached to and extends away from the rear wall. A handle is attached to the elongated member opposite of the elongated member opposite of the head portion. A retaining apparatus is mounted on the head portion and releasably retains a sandbag in an open position and aligned with the fill opening. Sand may be scooped with the bottom wall and dumped into the sandbag through the fill opening. |
| US07665488B2 |
Continuity-detecting method of dispensing particles, a particle filling line and apparatus for dispensing particles
A particle filling line comprises a vertically-oriented conduit that includes a conduit hollow. The conduit includes a conduit top and a conduit bottom. The conduit bottom defines an outlet. The conduit is arranged so that particles supplied to the conduit top flow through the outlet to be received by one or more containers disposed on a movable conveyor belt. The conduit hollow includes one or more conduit hollow elements disposed therein. The one or more conduit hollow elements include any of a plurality of agitators and an auger. The particle filling line is arranged for determining a resistance that is based on the spacing between the one or more conduit hollow elements and the conduit inner walls. When the resistance is determined to be less than a threshold resistance value, the particle filling process ceases. |
| US07665486B2 |
Tear out test plug for plumbing installations
A tear out test plug for plumbing installations includes a cylindrical body having a peripheral sidewall, a closed end and an open end. A positioning flange extends outwardly from the peripheral sidewall at the open end. An end wall closes the closed end. A frangible strip extends from the open end, down the peripheral sidewall, and across at least a portion of the end wall. |
| US07665484B2 |
Fluid coupling
A pulsation absorber is provided in a fluid channel formed in a body of a fluid coupling. Fluid flows through the fluid channel in an assembled state. The pulsation absorber is arranged to deform in a same direction as the fluid to flow in the fluid channel pulsates. The pulsation absorber thereby absorbs pulsation of the fluid. |
| US07665483B1 |
Motorized shower diverter system
A motorized shower water diverter valve for a handheld shower is connected to a shower water inlet pipe in lieu of a conventional showerhead. A conventional showerhead is then connected to one of two valve outlets and a hose for the handheld shower is connected to the other valve outlet. The valve may be constructed as a rotary or linear type. A motor output shaft is coupled to a gear assembly to either rotate a valve core of a rotary valve or laterally displace the core of a linear valve. The gear assembly may include a slip clutch. There is also provided a control circuit for operating the motor, a wireless remote control and a sensor for enabling the control circuit to detect the position of the valve core. |
| US07665481B2 |
Pressurized fluid line servicing tool
A pressurized fluid line servicing tool assembly consists of a tool insertion adaptor, a cap removal tool and a plug setting tool. The tool insertion adaptor connects to a pipe of a pressurized fluid line and enables tools to be inserted and removed without releasing pressurized fluids, such as natural gas, to atmosphere. It has a tool insertion chamber which is divided into an upstream portion and a downstream portion by a valve. The cap removal tool connects to the tool insertion adaptor to enable service personnel to pass a cap removal wrench through the valve to remove a cap from an end of the pipe of the pressurized fluid line. The plug setting tool connects to the tool insertion adaptor to enable service personnel to pass a torque settable plug through the valve to set a plug into the end of the pipe. |
| US07665479B2 |
Aerial refueling system
A method for operating an aircraft refueling system, where the aircraft refueling system has a computer system, a plurality of fuel tanks containing a fuel, a plurality of fuel pumps, a plurality of motor operated valves, and at least one refueling connection. The method may involve using the computer system to signal at least one of the motor operated valves to open; initiating a flow of the fuel to the at least one of the refueling connections using at least one of the pumps; sensing a flow condition of the fuel; signaling the flow condition to the computer system; and varying an operating quantity of the pumps in response to the flow condition. |
| US07665478B2 |
Collapsible greenhouse
The specification discloses a collapsible structure comprising at least one foldable frame element defining at least three corners of at least one wall element. A flexible material is connected to and extends about the at least one foldable frame element to define an interior space. The flexible material has integral fibers and at least a portion of the material allows the transmission of at least infrared and visible wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation. |
| US07665477B1 |
Self closing stationary umbrella
An outdoor umbrella that closes automatically in high wind is disclosed. The wind causes the main support post of the umbrella to flex from the vertical dislodging a plunger from its weight bearing mounting on a rigid rod. The plunger is attached to an actuator rod extending upward within the support post. When the plunger is displaced the actuator rod is caused to move downward thereby activating a releasing ratchet which frees a shaft to rotate and the cable which holds the canopy to unwind. A hydraulic cylinder attached to one of the canopy ribs presses on the rib to close the canopy and maintain the canopy in closed orientation. As the canopy closes a reset mechanism is activated which resets the plunger onto the rigid rod. Once closed the canopy will remain closed until raised by manually rewinding the cable onto the shaft using a hand crank attached to the end of the shaft. A second ratchet assembly incorporated into the hand crank prevents the hand crank from spinning when the umbrella closes. |
| US07665476B2 |
Asymmetric umbrella
An asymmetric umbrella includes a canopy, a shaft eccentrically disposed beneath the canopy, and a runner slidably mounted on the shaft and slidable between a first position, in which the canopy is collapsed, and a second position in which the canopy is extended. A canopy supporting frame includes rib assemblies each of which has a first end coupled to an apex of the shaft and a second end coupled to the canopy, wherein each of the rib assemblies further comprises a short rib assembly and a long rib assembly. |
| US07665475B2 |
Utility shelf for a dishwasher dish rack
A utility shelf includes a retaining frame pivotally connected to a support frame. The support frame is pivotally connected to a side portion of a dish rack through a plurality of hinge elements. Similarly, the retaining frame is pivotally connected to the support frame through a corresponding plurality of hinge members. The hinge members on the retaining frame are adapted to abut a stop member that positions the retaining frame at an angle relative to the support frame. With this arrangement, the retaining frame can be extended from the support frame to support objects during a washing operation. |
| US07665470B2 |
Tobacco cultivar AOB 176 and products therefrom
The present invention relates to a novel tobacco cultivar designated AOB 176, which has low to intermediate nicotine content. The invention provides seeds of the cultivar AOB 176, plants and parts thereof of the cultivar AOB 176, a tissue culture derived from the cultivar AOB 176, hybrids produced from cultivar AOB 176 and lines derived from cultivar AOB 176, as well as genetically modified forms of the foregoing plants and tissue culture. Also provided are methods of producing cultivar AOB 176 plants, cultivar AOB 176 hybrid plants, and tobacco lines derived from cultivar AOB 176. In addition, products produced from the plants of the present invention are provided. |
| US07665463B2 |
Large animal hyperbaric oxygen chamber
A hyperbaric oxygen chamber for treatment of large animals such as horses is disclosed. The chamber is large enough for a horse to fit inside and comfortably move around. A specially designed davit door, though quite heavy, is easily manipulated and may be used to corral the horse during ingress or egress, and is serviceable using fluorocarbon lubricants. The door, sidewalls, and floor of the hyperbaric chamber are coated with a static dissipative polyurethane material suitable for oxygen environments and may protect the horse from injury and prevent sparks. The flooring is specially designed to allow the horse to eliminate during treatment, and may be cleaned easily and thoroughly without disassembly. The control mechanisms of the hyperbaric chamber include electro-pneumatic controls, for avoiding a fire hazard. |
| US07665461B2 |
Nebulizer
A nebulizer for a fluid and a container holding the fluid which is insertable in the nebulizer are proposed. To improve safety in use it is proposed that the nebulizer comprises first coding means and the container is associated with second coding means, so that the container can only be inserted in the nebulizer or used therewith if the codes match. Preferably, the code associated with the container comprises clear identification of the fluid contained in the container. |
| US07665457B2 |
Wall thimble with outside air inlet
An improved wall thimble is useful as part of a venting apparatus for a direct vent heating appliance. Dual functionality is provided in a single wall thimble device by having a vent path for exhausting combustion by-products, and a separate air inlet path to draw in outside combustion air for use by the heating appliance. The wall thimble is formed as a two-part housing such that a first cylindrical portion can be inserted into a second cylindrical portion. When a smaller diameter exhaust pipe is routed through the cylindrical portions, an annular region is formed between the exhaust pipe and the cylindrical portions. A first air vent is formed in the first cylindrical portion to draw combustion air into the annular region from outside. A second air vent is formed in the second cylindrical portion to route the combustion air from the annular region to an opening in the housing where a combustion air inlet pipe is connected. |
| US07665452B2 |
First and second spark plugs for improved combustion control
An engine system, comprising of a combustion chamber; a first spark plug configured to perform a spark within the combustion chamber, said first plug configured to have a first heat range; a second spark plug configured to produce a spark within the combustion chamber, said second plug configured to have a second heat range different from said first heat range of said first plug; and a delivery system configured to deliver a hydrocarbon fuel and a fluid including an alcohol to the combustion chamber in varying resulting ratios. |
| US07665451B2 |
Ignition apparatus
Ignition apparatus 10 includes high tension ignition cable 56. The cable 56 is of low electrical resistance per unit length. A central core 100 of the cable 56 is formed of carbon fiber filaments. An insulating layer 110 is provided around the core 100. A semiconductor layer 120 is provided around the insulating layer 110. Another insulating layer 130 is provided around the semiconductor layer 120. A layer of yarn around the other insulating layer 130 forms a protecting layer 140. A protective layer 150 of a flame retardant material forms an outer layer of the cable 56. The ignition apparatus 10 also includes one or more of: a field stabilizer device 30 for stabilizing and regulating high tension voltage in the cable 56; resistor spark plugs 60; connectors fitted to ends of the cable 56 that include resistors therein, such as resistor spark plug boots. |
| US07665448B2 |
Method for determining the exhaust pressure of a turbocharged internal combustion engine
A method for determining the exhaust pressure (Pr) of a turbocharged internal combustion engine, including a solenoid by-pass valve for the exhaust gas, characterized in that an exhaust pressure (Pi) is determined as a function of the inlet air flow to the engine, (Ar), the engine speed (Rr) and the degree of opening of the solenoid exhaust by-pass valve (Tr), by interpolation from a reference map having exhaust gas pressure values (Pc) for given inlet air flow values (Ac), the engine speed (Rc) and the degree of opening of the solenoid exhaust by-pass valve (Tc), and the exhaust pressure determined by the interpolation (Pi) is corrected as a function of ambient pressure values (Pa, Po). |
| US07665445B2 |
Motion coupler for a piezoelectric actuator
The present disclosure is directed to a fuel injector. The fuel injector may include a casing substantially aligned along a central axis of the fuel injector. The fuel injector may also include a control valve configured to control a flow of fuel through the fuel injector. The fuel injector may also include a piezoelectric element disposed within the casing and associated with the control valve. The fuel injector may further include a motion coupler disposed between the control valve and the piezoelectric element the motion coupler configured to affect shock to reduce microscopic fractures within the piezoelectric element. |
| US07665443B2 |
Control system of a fuel injection apparatus of an internal combustion engine
A control arrangement for a fuel injection apparatus of an internal combustion engine, the fuel injection apparatus comprising at lest two fuel injector nozzles, the injection action of which is controllable via a solenoid, and at least two control units arranged to control the solenoids controlling the injection action. According to the invention, each injector nozzle is provided with a first and second solenoid and the first and second solenoid are in connection with a different control unit. |
| US07665441B2 |
Integrated power transmission drive and method
The invention is an improved power transmission drive, for an internal combustion engine. The drive is of the type having a flexible link medium for transmitting power between a crankshaft of said internal combustion engine and drive components not associated with a primary purpose of the internal combustion engine. The drive is improved by the inclusion of a drive frame, a camshaft sprocket releasably mounted upon the drive frame, a crankshaft drive-wheel releasably mounted upon the drive frame, an engine accessory mounted upon the drive frame, an accessory drive-wheel mounted upon a shaft of the engine accessory, and the camshaft sprocket, the crankshaft drive-wheel, and the accessory drive-wheel each entrained by the flexible link medium. |
| US07665438B2 |
Starter device for an internal combustion engine having separate engaging process and starting process
A device for starting an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle includes a starter motor having an actuator for engaging a pinion, drivable by the starter motor, with a ring gear, and a control unit which activates a switching output stage associated with the actuator and a switching output stage associated with the starter motor. The starting time of the internal combustion engine is substantially reduced by providing the starter device with a control unit. |
| US07665437B2 |
Oil passage structure of valve operating system
In a cam journal (12A) in which a timing-advance oil passage (12a) and a timing-retard oil passage (12b) are provided as a first oil passage for VVT, an oil passage (102c) for HLA is provided as the second oil passage. The timing-advance oil passage (12a) and the timing-retard oil passage (12b), which are formed on the surface of the intake camshaft (12), are separated from the oil passage (102c) for HLA by a lower cam bearing (202). Thus, it is possible to provide the control oil passages for VVT and the oil supply passage for HLA in one cam journal (12A). |
| US07665436B2 |
Air cooled Twin Cam V-Twin motorcycle engine timing belt system
A timing belt system for an air cooled Twin Cam V-Twin motorcycle engine is provided. The timing belt system includes a crankshaft pulley assembly including a crankshaft pulley affixed to the crankshaft and a pulley flange affixed to the crankshaft pulley. The timing belt system also includes a camshaft pulley assembly including a spider gear having spindle affixed to the rear cam end of the Twin Cam engine and a hub having slotted apertures fastened to a camshaft pulley fastened. A timing belt having teeth is connects the crankshaft pulley to the camshaft pulley to turn the camshafts in synchronized rotation with the crankshaft. The spider can be rotated relative to the camshaft pulley and fastened thereto using bolts extending through the slotted apertures to Advance or Retard the timing of the camshafts relative to the crankshaft. |
| US07665435B2 |
Internal combustion engine provided with camshaft-driven accessory
An internal combustion engine has a camshaft holder 20 attached to a cylinder head 1, and two camshafts 11 and 12 are rotatably supported by the camshaft holder 20. A high-pressure pump 60 has a driving shaft 63 rotatively driven by the camshaft. An accessory holder 30 provided with a mounting seat 40 to which the high-pressure fuel pump 60 is attached is formed integrally with a lower camshaft holder 21 included in the camshaft holder 20. The mounting seat 40 is formed integrally with the accessory holder 30 and is provided with a through hole 41 in which the driving shaft 63 is received. Thus the cylinder head 1 is formed in a small size and a light weight. The accessory holder 30 can be formed with a high rigidity in a small size. |
| US07665434B2 |
Internal combustion engine with continuous variable valve lift system
An internal combustion engine has an electronically controlled variable mechanical transmission for varying the maximum lift of intake and/or exhaust poppet valves. The mechanical transmission includes a regulator mechanism with one or more slotted holes, and an actuation mechanism. The actuation mechanism includes a primary oscillating lever in contact with a cam actuating the lift of the valve, a secondary oscillating lever directly acting on the poppet valve, and a wedge-shaped slider device. The slider device includes a bore fitted with a roller free to rotate and having its ends protruding from it. The slider is interposed between the two oscillating levers and transmits the movement from the primary oscillating lever to the secondary one. The slider actuates the variation of the poppet valve's maximum lift. The regulator mechanism modifies the angular position of the slotted holes and actuates the variation of the transmission from the cam to the poppet valve. |
| US07665433B2 |
Method for controlling actuation of valves in engine with turbocharger
Surging is reliably prevented from occurring even when an engine with a turbocharger is operated with reduced number of cylinders and at a low speed range.Concerned is a method for controlling actuation of valves in an engine with a turbocharger, a variable valve mechanism 18 being arranged for controlling opening/closing timing and lifts of suction and exhaust valves (only exhaust valves 17 being shown in the figure) of each of cylinders 8, an operation with reduced number of cylinders being made possible by the variable valve mechanism 18 such that valve-opening action of suction and exhaust valves in part of the cylinders 8 is disabled to conduct the operation with the remaining cylinders 8. The exhaust valves 17 are opened substantially when a suction pressure is higher than an exhaust pressure in a suction stroke during the operation with the reduced number of cylinders at a low speed range, so that blown out amount of fresh air (suction air 4) to the exhaust side is increased to increase apparent exhaust flow rate and raise the level of the suction characteristic of the engine. |
| US07665429B2 |
Swirl-injection type eight-stroke engine
The present invention provides a swirl-injection type eight-stroke engine capable of constantly varying the injection-direction of the high-density-air from the slave cylinder, thereby effectively circulating the high-density-air around the master cylinder wall and master cylinder head during the injection process to speed up the mixing of the high-density-air and the hot combustion medium in the master cylinder, furthermore the hot spots in the master cylinder head and the master cylinder wall are eliminated with the two-direction swirling effect during the cold-expansion process. |
| US07665428B2 |
Apparatus with mixed fuel separator and method of separating a mixed fuel
In an apparatus having an internal combustion engine, a method of operating the engine is disclosed, comprising providing a mixed fuel from a fuel tank to a separator, separating at least a portion of the hydrocarbon fuel component from the mixed fuel by transporting a hydrocarbon fuel component through a material in the separator that selectively transports the hydrocarbon fuel component, thereby forming a first oxygenated fuel component-enriched fuel fraction and a second hydrocarbon-enriched fuel fraction, and providing fuel from the first fuel fraction and fuel from the second fuel fraction to the engine in a ratio based on an engine operating condition. |
| US07665427B2 |
Heat exchange system with steam trap protection
An improved shell-and-tube steam instantaneous heat exchange system of a closely coupled feedback design which overheats water in the heat exchanger portion of the system and then blends the water, as needed, with proportional amounts of cold water to achieve the correct outlet temperature for a wide range of flow rates. The system uses at least two primary heat exchangers to provide redundancy in the case of failure of a major component of the system. Steam flow through the heat exchangers is controlled by the use of steam traps, rather than using a thermostatically controlled valve to vary the supply of steam. To obtain precise temperature control during varying water volume use, water is directed from the blended outlet of a first water tempering valve into the hot inlet port of a second water tempering valve. The first valve is designed to blend cold and hot water to a predetermined temperature which is higher than the second water tempering valve, so as to bias the second tempering valve, thereby minimizing thermal hunting and providing tighter temperature control from the second tempering valve. |
| US07665426B2 |
Burner
A gas burner for a gas fired heating appliance, such as a water heater. The gas burner is located within a combustion chamber and includes an inlet conduit through which combustible gas and primary air are received. An air scoop shrouds the inlet conduit and at least partially defines a flow path of primary air, substantially isolated from the combustion chamber and which extends from the inlet end of the inlet conduit to a primary air port that communicates with a source of primary air located outside the combustion chamber. The combustion chamber also includes at least one port through which secondary combustion air is admitted into the combustion chamber. A flow path transition member is located within the combustion chamber and is in fluid communication with the primary air port. The transition member also forms part of the isolated primary air flow path and sealingly engages the air scoop when the burner is installed into the combustion chamber. The transition member is provided with at least one flange that is engaged by a complementally shaped lip defined by the air scoop, as the burner is moved into its operative position through an access opening. A door or bulkhead closes off the opening through which the burner is installed and the door is adapted to mount a gas orifice through which combustible gas is discharged into the air scoop. The transition member is mounted to a base plate of the water heater and overlies a port communicating with a region below the water heater which serves as the source of primary air. The air scoop is mounted to the bulkhead/access door in a region having a predetermined profile that is unrelated to the radius of the access opening. |
| US07665424B2 |
Harness interface conduit, tether line, and swivel for use in animals
A harness for use in coupling with an animal interface, the animal interface comprising one or more of conduits for transmitting fluid, electrical signals, or optical signals. Swivel extension tether for quick connect to harness, dual-ended swivel, an extension line, and connection to upstream monitoring equipment. Method for using the harness in an animal for fluid communication access, an electrical signal interface, and an optical interface. |
| US07665420B2 |
Bird cage
A bird cage having a wire grille upper portion and a base assembly. A portion of the base assembly may be made of a light impervious material such as a transparent or translucent material. A plurality of connectors may be used to secure the wire grille panels together. In one embodiment, the footprint of the base assembly is larger than the footprint of the wire grille upper portion of the cage. One or more feeding stations may be provided inside of the cage with a door located on the cage to access the feeding stations. The feeding stations may be arranged in a locked position such that a bird inside the cage cannot tip over or spill the contents of a feeding station. |
| US07665419B2 |
Containment systems and components for animal husbandry: cover with air supply apertures
Provided are animal containment systems and components, including single-use animal containment cages and modular rack units. Also provided are methods for assembling and using components of the animal containment systems. |
| US07665418B2 |
Non color-transferable animal litter
A non-color transferable animal litter that employs painted particles and non-painted water absorbent material. The painted particles are colorfast once dry. Upon wetting the dried painted particles do not bleed. The water absorbent material may be a clumping or non-clumping material. |
| US07665415B2 |
Substrate processing apparatus
LEDs in an LED display part are arranged so as to have approximately the same placing form as containers. When a chemical solution in a container is exhausted, a corresponding LED of the LED display part lights up. Prior to an operation of replacing the container, an operator allows a bar code reader to read a bar code of an unused container. A bar code reader collator collates the bar code data of the unused container with the bar code data of a container corresponding to the lighting LED, which is already registered in a data base. When the bar code reader collator judges that the chemical solutions in the both containers are identical, the display of the LED is changed from a lighting-up display to a flashing display. This makes it easy to recognize the disposing position of the empty container to be replaced, thereby effectively preventing incorrect replacement of the container. |
| US07665414B2 |
Powder coating booth
A powder spray for lengthy parts includes a booth wall structure comprised primarily of doors. A moveable roof may be raised and lowered to clean powder overspray from the interior surfaces of the booth. A cleaning process may be performed with a sideways extraction mode and a downward extraction mode. The mode change occurs when a bulkhead that travels with the moveable roof blocks the inlet duct to the recovery system. The recovery system may be a cyclone system for example. The doors of the booth are hinged so that they can be positioned for spraying operations and cleaning operations. Live hinge designs are provided and hose stress relief designs are also provided. The roof may carry accumulators for pressurized air that feed cleaning nozzles as the roof descends. In addition, exhaust air may be used to assist cleaning the interior surfaces as the roof descends. All of the energy provided for cleaning and color change may be provided by accumulators. |
| US07665411B2 |
System and method for a tow-rope retraction device for watercraft
A device used when towing a user with a watercraft includes a tow-rope and a tow-rope retraction device receiving the tow-rope. The tow-rope retraction device is configured to selectively retract the tow-rope so as to accelerate a user being towed by the watercraft on the tow-rope. A method of towing a user with a watercraft includes selectively retracting a tow-rope while towing the user to accelerate the user. |
| US07665408B2 |
Solid fuel burner, burning method using the same, combustion apparatus and method of operating the combustion apparatus
A solid fuel burner using a low oxygen concentration gas as a transporting gas of a low grade solid fuel such as brown coal or the like and a combustion method using the solid fuel burner are provided. The solid fuel burner comprises a means for accelerating ignition of the fuel and a means for preventing slugging caused by combustion ash from occurring. Mixing of fuel and air inside a fuel nozzle 11 is accelerated by that an additional air nozzle 12 and a separator 35 for separating a flow passage are arranged in the fuel nozzle 11, and the exit of the additional air nozzle 12 is set at a position so as to overlap with the separator 35 when seeing from a direction perpendicular to a burner axis, and additional air is ejected in a direction nearly perpendicular to a flow direction of a fuel jet flowing through the fuel nozzle 11. An amount of air from the additional air nozzle 12 is varied corresponding to a combustion load. By increasing the amount of air from the additional air nozzle 12 at a low load operation, an oxygen concentration of a circulation flow 19 formed in a downstream portion outside the exit of the fuel nozzle 11 is increased to stably burn the fuel. By decreasing the amount of air from the additional air nozzle 12 at a high load operation, a flame is formed at a position distant from the fuel nozzle 11 to suppress radiant heat received by structures of the solid fuel burner and walls of the furnace. |
| US07665405B2 |
Force deflector
Disclosed herein are various exemplary mechanisms by which external forces applied to doors and their locking mechanisms are deflected or directed away from the critical components of the locking system thereby preserving the integrity of the locking system and preventing unauthorized entry. Detailed information on various example embodiments of the inventions are provided in the Detailed Description below, and the inventions are defined by the appended claims. |
| US07665404B2 |
Foldable floral table
A foldable floral table has a foldable stand and a tabletop. The foldable stand has two leg assemblies and two articulated brackets. The leg assemblies connect pivotally to each other and each leg assembly has two legs and at least one crossbar. Each leg has a top support. The articulated brackets pivotally connect adjacent legs in different leg assemblies and selectively hold the leg assemblies in an expanded configuration or allow the leg assemblies to be folded. Each articulated bracket has two ends and a central joint. The tabletop is pivotally connected to the central joint of the articulated bracket and is held in place by the top supports of the legs when the leg assemblies are unfolded. With the pivotal connections between the leg assemblies, the articulated brackets and the tabletop, the floral table is folded to a minimum volume for convenient storage and transportation. |
| US07665403B2 |
Carrying system
The present invention prevents an obstacle from entering a running route of an overhead carriage to allow the carriage to run smoothly, increasing carrying efficiency. The present invention provides a carrying system including a carriage 1 having a hoist 7 that elevates and lowers an article in a vertical direction and a running portion 2, and a track 12 which internally houses the running portion 2 and which is suspended from a ceiling. The carrying system has a cover 13 placed parallel to the track 12 to prevent entry of an obstacle into the track; the cover 13 is provided below the track 12 so as not to hinder the elevation and lowering of the article executed by the hoist 7. |
| US07665402B2 |
Method of manufacturing ammunition
A method of manufacturing ammunition 10 for firing from the barrel of a weapon comprises forming a mould 32 having an interior surface, placing a core 42 in the mould 32 to produce a casting void 43 and pouring a liquefied solidifiable material into the casting void 43. Upon solidification of the material, the core 42 is removed to produce a projectile body 12 having a closed end and an opposite end. The removal of the core 42 also creates the cavity 18 in the projectile body 12 that opens onto the opposite end. The projectile body 12 is removed from the mould 32 and a quantity of propellant 22 is deposited into the cavity 18 through the opposite end. A seal 26 which incorporates a primer is pressed into the opposite end. Circumferential flanges 30a and 30b are integrally moulded with the projectile body 12. |
| US07665395B2 |
Lateral support device system for canister-launched missile
A lateral support device system of a canister-launched missile of the present invention is provided for eliminating the clearances between missile and the canister in 4 places by 90 degrees interval, and therefore no relative movement occurs between the missile and the canister. Therefore, the missile and the detent is free from shocks and vibrations that occurs during the handling, transportation and operation. In addition, when the missile is fired, those lateral lock become free with a little energy loss. |
| US07665391B2 |
Multi-bit screwdriver
A multi-bit screwdriver comprises a housing with a bit chuck at the front end and bit assemblies retained within the housing. Each bit assembly has a tool bit at a front end and a contact surface at a back end. An actuator extends from each bit assembly for operative engagement by a user, for movement of the actuator and bit assembly between a forwardly extended in-use configuration whereat the bit assembly is positioned such that the tool bit extends outwardly from the housing, and the contact surface of the bit assembly is disposed in longitudinal force transmitting engagement against a forward facing abutment surface to preclude rearward movement of the bit assembly due to substantially longitudinally directed forces transmitted from the tool bit, and a retracted configuration whereat the contact surface of the bit assembly is removed in a lateral direction from the longitudinal force transmitting engagement with the forward facing abutment surface. |
| US07665386B2 |
Vehicular brake pedal structure for preventing injury
A simply configured brake pedal is restricted in regression and pivot thereof in the event of a vehicle collision, thereby preventing or minimizing injury to a driver. The brake pedal structure for preventing injury includes a brake pedal mounting bracket, a blocking piece, a support bracket, and a blocking panel. A blocking piece is installed at a pedal arm of the brake pedal and protrudes out towards the rear of the vehicle. A recession limit means is equipped at a steering column mounting bracket connected to a cowl cross bar to restrict a backward shift of the blocking piece. |
| US07665385B2 |
Braking force input system
To reduce moment generated at the proximal portion and the supporting portion of a brake pedal and to prevent an increase in weight even when the brake pedal is disposed outside a vehicle body and an operating unit is disposed away from the brake pedal within the vehicle body. A supporting shaft rotates integrally with the brake pedal by being connected with the brake pedal at one end with a supporting member for supporting both ends of the supporting shaft. An operating member is provided for operating an operating unit by rotation of the brake pedal and the supporting shaft by being connected to the other end of the supporting shaft at the position away from the brake pedal are provided. A pedal pad unit includes a flat depressing surface forming portion to be covered by a cover on the front face on which the driver depresses and a mounting portion extending from the depressing surface forming portion in the direction opposite from the cover for being pivotally mounted on the pedal lever unit. The depressing surface forming portion and the mounting portion are integrally formed. |
| US07665384B2 |
Bicycle control device
A bicycle control device is basically provided with a base member, a shift control unit, a control member and a first shift operating lever. The shift control unit is mounted to the base member. The control member includes a first portion operatively coupled to the shift control unit and a second portion spaced from the first portion. The first shift operating lever is movably coupled relative to the base member to move along a first shift operating path and movably coupled relative to the base member to move along a non-shift operating path that is non-coincident with the first shift operating path. The first shift operating lever is slidably engaged with the second portion of the control member such that the second portion of the control member is moved when the first shift operating lever is moved along the non-shift operating path with sliding contact therebetween. |
| US07665381B2 |
Control device for marine propulsion system
A control device for a marine propulsion system includes a base and at least two levers. Each one of the levers is supported by the base at a first end for pivotal movement about a common pivot axis and extending generally normal to the pivot axis to have a second end. The second end has a grip. The grip of one of the levers extends toward the second end of the other one of the levers. The respective grips are nested with each other when the levers extend generally parallel to each other. |
| US07665377B2 |
Cone and idler continuously variable transmission
A continuously variable transmission system comprising an input and output rotational member each with a first circular end and a second circular end is disclosed. The output rotational member is located such that the second circular input member end faces the first output member end and the input and output rotational members share a tangential plane. A first and second idler wheel, attached to an idler shaft, contact the input and output rotational members. The first and second idler wheels and idler shaft are configured to translate rotation from the input rotational member to the output rotational member. |
| US07665372B2 |
Rolling bearing device with sensor and strain sensor
In the rolling bearing device with a sensor in this invention, a band-shaped film 111 having insulation property is affixed to an outer circumferential surface of an outer ring 101 so as to extend in the circumferential direction. On the film 111 is affixed a foil 112 composed of identical four portions and having electrical conductivity which are placed at generally equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the outer ring 101. A resistance between a first place and a second place of the foil 112 is measured by a resistance measurement section of a microcomputer. A preload calculation section of the microcomputer, upon reception of an output from the resistance measurement section, calculates a preload of the outer ring 101 based on the measured resistance. |
| US07665369B2 |
Measuring transducer of vibration-type
The measuring transducer includes: a measuring tube vibrating, at least at times, and serving for conveying medium to be measured; a counteroscillator, which is affixed to the measuring tube on an inlet-side, to form a first coupling zone, and to the measuring tube on an outlet-side, to form a second coupling zone; at least one oscillation exciter for driving at least the measuring tube; as well as at least one oscillation sensor for registering oscillations at least of the measuring tube. During operation, the measuring tube executes, at least at times and/or at least in part, bending oscillations about an imaginary bending oscillation axis, which imaginarily connects the two coupling zones with one another. The oscillation sensor includes a coil, especially a coil affixed to the counteroscillator, as well as, magnetically coupled with the coil, a permanent magnet, which is placed within a magnet cup composed at least partially of magnetically conductive material and which is held to a cup base, especially a cup base secured to the measuring tube. Additionally, it is provided in the measuring transducer of the invention that a cup wall of the magnet cup, especially an essentially circular-cylindrical and/or tubular, cup wall, especially a cup wall extending essentially in the direction of the counteroscillator, has at least one slit, especially a slit extending at least sectionally in the direction of oscillations of the measuring tube relative to the counteroscillator. |
| US07665364B2 |
Method and apparatus for remote sensing of molecular species at nanoscale utilizing a reverse photoacoustic effect
A method and apparatus for identifying a sample, involves illuminating the sample with light of varying wavelengths, transmitting an acoustic signal against the sample from one portion and receiving a resulting acoustic signal on another portion, detecting a change of phase in the acoustic signal corresponding to the light of varying wavelengths, and analyzing the change of phase in the acoustic signal for the varying wavelengths of illumination to identify the sample. The apparatus has a controlled source for illuminating the sample with light of varying wavelengths, a transmitter for transmitting an acoustic wave, a receiver for receiving the acoustic wave and converting the acoustic wave to an electronic signal, and an electronic circuit for detecting a change of phase in the acoustic wave corresponding to respective ones of the varying wavelengths and outputting the change of phase for the varying wavelengths to allow identification of the sample. The method and apparatus can be used to detect chemical composition or visual features. A transmission mode and a reflection mode of operation are disclosed. The method and apparatus can be applied at nanoscale to detect molecules in a biological sample. |
| US07665363B2 |
Ultrasonic head for pulse-echo multichannel inspection
Ultrasonic head for pulse-echo multichannel inspection applied to flat and curved surfaces, which is connected to a displacement system (3), and which comprises a chassis (1) housing a tilting frame (4) joined to said chassis via a first point of rotation (1a) and a second point of rotation (1b) which define a main tilting axis (1c) around which the tilting frame (4) rotates, said tilting frame (4) presenting a set of feeler-carriers (2) in its central opening (4h) which carry an array of ultrasonic feelers (12), said array of feel-carriers (2) being able to rotate around at least one axis of rotation (5, 5a, 5b) transverse to the main tilting axis (1c) in an independent movement to that made by the tilting frame (4), the tilting frame (4) being able to be divided into two secondary frames (6, 8) which rotate independently of the rotation of the tilting frame (4). |
| US07665361B2 |
Method and apparatus for closed loop offset cancellation
An apparatus (100, 200) and method (300) for sensing acceleration are provided. The method includes producing (305) a first signal in response to an acceleration sensed by a transducer, producing (310) a second signal based on the first signal, and actuating (315) the transducer in response to the second signal to remove offset in the transducer. The first signal represents the acceleration, and the second signal represents a low frequency component associated with an offset in the transducer. The apparatus (100) includes a transducer (102) producing a capacitance in response to the acceleration, a sensing system (104, 106, 108) producing a first signal from the capacitance representing the acceleration, and a compensation system (112, 110) coupled between the sensing system and transducer. The compensation system produces a second signal based on the first signal for substantially removing an offset of the transducer. |
| US07665360B2 |
Vibration gyro circuitry, vibration gyro unit, and method for detecting vibration gyro output
Vibration gyro circuitry, a vibration gyro unit, and a method for detecting a vibration gyro output, which enable detection of a rotational angular velocity with high sensitivity, are provided. The circuitry and the unit includes a differential amplifier circuit (4) for outputting a signal Vda corresponding to a difference (Vgl−Vgr) between output signals of two detection pieces of a vibration gyro (31), a synchronous detection circuit (5) for synchronously detecting the output signal Vda of the differential amplifier circuit (4), and a phase shift circuit for supplying to the synchronous detection circuit (5) a signal, as a timing signal Vck for the synchronous detection, which is phase-shifted with respect to a drive signal (an output signal of an adding circuit 1) Vsa supplied to the vibration gyro (31). The phase difference θps between the drive signal Vsa and the timing signal Vck is set on the basis of a phase difference characteristic of a detection sensitivity S for the output signal Vda of the differential amplifier circuit (4), which is obtained in advance under a condition where a rotational angular velocity is applied to the vibration gyro (31) in a driving state. |
| US07665354B2 |
Method and apparatus for an optimal pumping rate based on a downhole dew point pressure determination
The present invention provides a downhole spectrometer for determination of dew point pressure to determine an associated optimal pumping rate during sampling to avoid precipitation of asphaltenes in a formation sample. A sample is captured at formation pressure in a controlled volume. The pressure in the controlled volume is reduced. Initially the formation fluid sample appears dark and allows less light energy to pass through a sample under test. The sample under test, however, becomes lighter and allows more light energy to pass through the sample as the pressure is reduced and the formation fluid sample becomes thinner or less dense under the reduced pressure. At the dew point pressure, however, the sample begins to darken and allows less light energy to pass through it as asphaltenes begin to precipitate out of the sample. Thus, the dew point is that pressure at which peak light energy passes through the sample. The dew point pressure is plugged into an equation to determine the optimum pumping rate for a known mobility, during sampling to avoid dropping the pressure down to the dew point pressure to avoid asphaltene precipitation or dew forming in the sample. The bubble point can be plugged into an equation to determine the optimum pumping rate for a known mobility, during sampling to avoid dropping the pressure down to the bubble point pressure to avoid bubbles forming in the sample. |
| US07665352B2 |
Adaptive oil pressure fault detection
A method of monitoring pressure of oil that is implemented within an internal combustion engine includes determining an expected oil pressure value based on engine operating conditions and monitoring an actual oil pressure value based on a signal generated by an oil pressure sensor. A difference between the expected oil pressure value and the actual oil pressure value is calculated and is compared to a threshold difference. A diagnostic trouble code is generated when the difference exceeds the threshold difference. |
| US07665348B2 |
System and method for determining atomization characteristics of spray liquids
A system and method for determining the atomization characteristics of fluids being emitted by a nozzle is disclosed. In one embodiment, a fluid is emitted through a nozzle while simultaneously sensing vibrations occurring within the nozzle. The vibrations provide information about the atomization characteristics of the fluid. By comparing the sensed vibrations to vibration patterns produced by known fluids through the same or a similar nozzle, the atomization characteristics of the fluid being tested can be predicted. In one embodiment, for instance, the atomization characteristics of a fluid may be determined as a function of velocity or flow rate through the nozzle. |
| US07665345B2 |
Gaseous product detecting device
A gaseous product detecting device (1; 20; 30; 40; 70) has a measuring cell (6; 59; 60), a filtering element (3; 45) for retaining particulate present in the air entering the measuring cell (6; 59, 60), and a detecting element (13; 50, 56) housed inside the measuring cell (6; 59, 60). A wall (9; 49, 61; 79, 82) of the measuring cell (6; 59, 60) is movable in fluidtight manner between a withdrawn position, in which the measuring cell (6; 59, 60) has a maximum volume, and a forward position, in which the measuring cell (6; 59, 60) has a minimum volume and the detecting element (13; 50, 56) is prevented from being impressed by resting against a shutter surface (5a; 43a, 49b; 82a) of the measuring cell (6; 59, 60). |
| US07665344B2 |
Test device for internal combustion engine
A device for testing exhaust emissions of an internal combustion engine utilizing wireless real time data transfer to permit outdoor testing via an indoor base station. A hand portable display device provides instructions to an operator, and a gas sensor/analyzer detects combustion gas content. The base station, display device and sensor/analyzer preferably communicate by radio. |
| US07665339B2 |
Method for increasing the range of production of a metal product rolling installation and installation therefor
The invention relates to a process for increasing the range of production of an installation for cold rolling of metallic strip, consisting of at least two rolling stands (L1, L2) operating in tandem.According to the invention, at least one (L1) of the rolling stands is equipped with means of converting the stand configuration, while keeping the same means (15, 16, 3, 3′) of applying the rolling force, in order to have at least two configurations available, each corresponding to one production range, and the configuration of said convertible stand L1 is selected to match the data of the product (M) to be rolled, thus allowing the production range to be increased. |
| US07665337B1 |
Profiled key for cylinder locks
A key for use in a cylinder lock with a rotatable key plug having a profiled keyway including a longitudinal profile rib at a side wall of the keyway. The key has an elongated, substantially flat key blade (120; 120′) having a longitudinal profile groove (122; 122′) extending along at least a portion of the length of the key blade. The groove has an undercut portion (129) adjacent to a ridge portion (128, 128′), the outside of which forms part of a side surface (123; 123′) of the key blade and the inside of which comprises a side wall portion (126; 126′) being inclined and facing the bottom wall (124; 124′) of the groove. The undercut portion (129; 129′) of the groove is expanded, at its innermost part adjacent to the inclined side wall portion (126; 126′), into a longitudinally extending pocket (135; 135′). |
| US07665334B2 |
Outboard motor lower-unit lock
An outboard motor lower-unit lock has a key, a locking pin assembly and a shaft. To install the lock, a user drills a shaft hole the same diameter as the shaft through both sides of a housing unit below an access hole of the housing unit. The shaft is inserted in the shaft hole, and oriented so that a threaded hole in the center of the shaft can receive a threaded pin section of the locking pin. The locking pin receives the key. The key is tightened. Finally, the user removes the key allowing the locking pin to rotate around and below the shaft, thereby obstructing a bolt securing the lower-unit to the housing unit, and preventing the unauthorized removal of the lower-unit. |
| US07665332B2 |
Steam fabric treatment appliance with exhaust
A fabric treating appliance using steam to treat the fabrics and having an exhaust system for removing the steam from the appliance. |
| US07665329B2 |
Cryogenic air separation process with excess turbine refrigeration
A process for carrying out cryogenic air separation wherein liquid oxygen is pressurized and vaporized against condensing feed air to produce oxygen gas product wherein excess plant refrigeration is generated such that the aggregate warm end temperature difference of the process exceeds the minimum internal temperature difference of the primary heat exchanger by at least 2K. |
| US07665327B2 |
Chilled food storage area for refrigerated appliance
An appliance with a separately chilled storage area is disclosed. The appliance comprises a refrigerated compartment; a refrigeration system for cooling air; an air circulation system for circulating the cooled air about the refrigerated compartment; and a secondary air circulation system for circulating a portion of the cooled air in the storage assembly. |
| US07665323B2 |
Air conditioning unit for vehicles
A first casing includes a first baffle plate, and a second casing includes a second baffle plate. The second baffle plate is contiguous to a guide rib, which is disposed underneath the second baffle plate, having a horizontal side wall and a slanted side wall. A slit is defined between the horizontal side wall and the slanted side wall, wherein the slit extends to an end face of a partition wall. When the first casing and the second casing are connected to each other, the first baffle plate is slidably inserted in the slit. The first baffle plate projects slightly from the slit into a liquid reservoir chamber, by a distance that is not large enough to increase air resistance with respect to air flowing in the vehicular air conditioning unit. An expansion valve is sandwiched between the first baffle plate and the second baffle plate. |
| US07665321B2 |
Evaporation process control used in refrigeration
The invention relates to an evaporator control by use of an expansion valve and an internal heat exchanger IHE. The evaporator control is controlled after the start of the evaporation process and the temperature of the compressor suction vapor, oil and hot gas as well as coolant liquid is controlled and regulated upstream of the expansion valve. |
| US07665318B2 |
Compressor controlling apparatus and method
A compressor controlling apparatus including a bypass unit connected between an outlet and an inlet of the compressor and a control unit. The control unit reduces pressure difference between the outlet and the inlet of the compressor by the bypass unit to start the compressor when the compressor is to be started. The compressor is started while pressure equilibrium is achieved by the bypass unit, thereby preventing poor start-up of the compressor caused due to excessive pressure difference, and thus improving reliability of the compressor. |
| US07665308B2 |
Methods and apparatus for injecting fluids into a turbine engine
A method facilitates operating a gas turbine engine. The method comprises supplying steam to a nozzle, supplying primary fuel to the nozzle, discharging the steam into a combustor from a plurality of circumferentially-spaced steam outlets defined in a tip of the nozzle, and discharging the primary fuel into the combustor from at least one outlet that is spaced circumferentially between the steam outlets. |
| US07665303B2 |
Method of segregating a bolus of fluid using a pneumatic actuator in a fluid handling circuit
The invention described is a method of segregating a bolus of fluid using a pneumatic actuator in a fluid handling circuit. The described invention further includes a method of segregating a bolus of fluid using a pneumatic actuator in a fluid handling circuit wherein the method includes the step of injecting an air pocket into the fluid stream to create the bolus. In addition, the described invention includes a method of measuring the analyte concentration in a bolus of fluid using a pneumatic actuator in a fluid handling circuit. The described invention further includes a method of measuring the analyte concentration in a bolus of fluid using a pneumatic actuator in a fluid handling circuit wherein the method includes the step of injecting an air pocket into the fluid stream to create the bolus. |
| US07665300B2 |
Thin, flexible actuator array to produce complex shapes and force distributions
An actuator includes a bistable mechanism having a tension beam and a compression beam defined by a relief slit in a flexible substrate; and a first shape memory element that upon heating actuates the actuator from a first position to a second position. A heat source can be thermally coupled to actuate the first shape memory element, or the first shape memory element can be heated by passing current through the element. The actuators can be formed in an array. Such arrays can be useful for tactile displays, massagers, and the like. Also included are methods of operation and manufacturing. |
| US07665299B2 |
Hydraulic power management system
A machine having a hydraulic power management system. The machine includes an internal combustion engine driving first and second fixed displacement pumps to produce a combined flow of pressurized fluid. Main and auxiliary implements are operable in response to a flow of pressurized fluid, and a control valve selectively directs the combined flow to the main and auxiliary implements. A power management system is operable to stop the flow of pressurized fluid to the main implement from the second pump when the pressure of the combined flow exceeds a pressure indicative of the impending engine stall. A means for providing the combined flow to the auxiliary implement without regard to the pressure of the combined flow is also provided, and may take the form of a power management override or bypass mechanism. |
| US07665298B2 |
Low voltage hydraulic system with electronic control for moving automatic closing apparatuses
The invention concerns a hydraulic system for moving automatic closing apparatuses, comprising hydraulic actuating means capable to move at least one movable member coupled to at least one closing apparatus, wherein said hydraulic actuating means is operated by at least one low voltage dc motor. Preferably, the electronic unit controls, through an encoder and microswitches, the position of a piston or a rotating shaft that operates the automatic closing apparatus during closing and opening phase, favouring an automatic learning of operation times. |
| US07665295B2 |
Method for operating an internal combustion engine and device for implementing the method
A method is provided for operating an internal combustion engine in whose exhaust-gas region an exhaust-gas treatment device is situated, and in which a reagent is introduced into the exhaust-gas region of the internal combustion engine. in addition, a device is provided for implementing the method. The reagent pressure occurring between a reagent safety valve and a reagent dosing valve, disposed directly in the exhaust-gas region is recorded during different states of the reagent safety valve and/or the reagent dosing valve and compared to at least one threshold value. If the threshold is exceeded, a fault signal is provided. This may offer high safety which may be of particular importance when fuel is used as reagent. |
| US07665292B2 |
Thruster with electro-thermal thrust augmentation
A thruster for exo-atmospheric vehicles with electro-thermal thrust augmentation and having internally embedded heating elements for direct contact heating of gaseous products released by a propellant, particularly hydrazine, so as to increase the Specific Impulse (Isp) of the thruster. The electrical heating elements are resistant to hydrazine products. The thruster is configured as a closed sealed chamber divided into a decomposition section upstream and a heating section downstream. At least one heating element is disposed in the heating section, directly in a mixture catalyst forming a porous bed, or within a concentric ceramic tube operative as a heat exchanger, to heat the gaseous products by direct contact. The heater indirectly heats the catalyst in the decomposition section and directly heats the heating section. The thruster is operable both in space and at sea-level gravity and barometric pressure. |
| US07665281B2 |
Machine for making packaging with form-fit connection
The present invention relates to a packaging with a packaging tray, into which a product for packing can be filled and which is closed with a lid, whereby at least one form-fit connection connects the packaging tray with the lid and the connection includes first and second connection elements. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a method for the production of a packaging as well as a packaging machine. |
| US07665278B2 |
Methods for automatically packaging objects
Methods of automatically packaging an object in netting include: (a) automatically extending a product pusher having a pusher head through a product chute; (b) pushing at least one object from a location upstream of the product chute, through a product chute to a location downstream of the product chute in response to the extending step; (c) pulling netting material upstream of the product chute off an exterior surface of the product chute to automatically enclose the object in the netting material as the object exits the product chute; (d) automatically retracting the pusher head after the pushing step extends the pusher head outside the product chute; then (e) automatically directing a clipper to pivot into position when the pusher head is partially retracted a distance sufficient to position the pusher head inside the product chute; and (f) applying at least one clip to the netting material using the clipper to secure the object in the netting material. |
| US07665277B2 |
Optical disc receptacle
An optical disc receptacle adapted for storing an optical disc is provided. The optical disc receptacle includes a body configured for disposal about the optical disc. The body includes an end portion arcuately disposed about the optical disc and extending to a perimeter. The perimeter forms a window configured to visually display the optical disc. The body includes a pliable first layer and a second soft fabric layer configured to engage digital data readable portions of the optical disc. The optical disc can include a first side having digital data readable portion and a second side having digital data readable portions. |
| US07665275B2 |
Packaging system with dunnage delivery assembly
A packaging system (10) and method for supplying and distributing dunnage products to multiple packing stations (14, 16) is characterized by a supply of dunnage products (12), a plurality of packing stations (14, 16), and a distribution assembly (20) that selectively distributes the dunnage products from the supply (12) to selected ones of the packing stations (14, 16). The supply of dunnage (12) may include a converter (22) that converts sheet stock material into a relatively less dense dunnage product. The distribution assembly (20) includes a conveyor (40), an alignment device (50) downstream of the conveyor (40), and a tiltable dunnage product support surface (60) below the alignment device (50). The alignment device (50) controls the descent of a dunnage product therethrough to the support surface (60). The support surface (60) is tiltable to selectively direct the dunnage product toward respective packing stations (14, 16). |
| US07665271B2 |
Joint fitting between members, joint structure of upper and lower floor vertical frame members, and method of joining
A metal connection member having joining parts on the upper and lower stories vertical frame members' side surfaces. |
| US07665269B2 |
Interlocking block
A construction block includes rectangular front and rear panels and at least one web connecting the front and rear panels. Each of the front and rear panels has top, bottom, and right and left edge surfaces. At least one web having top and bottom surfaces co-extensive with the top and bottom of the front and rear panels is provided to define top and bottom surfaces of the block. The top surface of the block has a shallow rectangular ridge along its length, flanked by outer support surfaces. The lower surface of the block has a shallow rectangular channel along its length, flanked by flat outer feet corresponding to the outer support surfaces. The right and left edge surfaces of the front and rear panels are profiled to interfit with one another. |
| US07665267B2 |
Floor panels with edge connectors
Floor covering, including hard floor panels which, at least at the edges of two opposite sides, are provided with coupling parts, cooperating which each other, substantially in the form of a tongue and a groove, wherein the coupling parts are provided with integrated mechanical locking elements which prevent the drifting apart of two coupled floor panels in a direction (R) perpendicular to the related edges and parallel to the underside of the coupled floor panels, and provide a snap-action coupling. |
| US07665257B2 |
Wind resistant structure for buildings
Certain embodiments of the invention disclosed herein include an apparatus and method for securing a wall system together in a vertical direction. More specifically, an apparatus is disclosed that includes a first floor lower linkage beam attached to a foundation of a structure. In another embodiment, a method is disclosed including attaching a first floor lower linkage beam to a foundation of a structure. |
| US07665256B2 |
Method and apparatus for firestopping a through-penetration
A method and apparatus for creating firestopping barrier in a partition, such as a wall, floor, or ceiling, that is mounted adjacent the opening includes a housing containing a central opening. The cross-sectional area of the housing is greater than the cross-sectional area of the through-penetration opening, and the housing is arranged external to the through-penetration opening with at least a portion thereof extending along a surface of the partition thereby to allow the housing to be installed adjacent the through-penetration opening. Firestop material is arranged within the housing. |
| US07665255B2 |
Cable distribution and management system
A cable management and distribution system comprises posts and beams. The posts may be one of several heights to accommodate various office layouts. The beams run between the posts and a cable entry slot runs the length of each beam to allow cable entry at any point along the beam. The beams further provide space for running and storing cables and fixed power outlets may be attached to the beam interior for plugging power cords. A lift off cap may be positioned over the beam, or a bridge may be positioned above the beam to provide a separate path for data cables. The bridge includes an upper face with a mounting surface for a privacy panel or the like, and accepts plain vertical side covers, or vertical side covers with accessory tracks. The posts include lower mounting points and the beams include upper mounting points for modesty panels. |
| US07665254B2 |
Wall cladding panel for the outside wall of a building with a solar generator
A wall cladding panel for the outside wall of a building having a solar generator and a frame which surrounds the panel. To produce a wall cladding panel which can be easily produced and installed, it is provided that the frame is made as an injected or foamed plastic frame (12, 17) into which elements (11A, 15A) for attachment of the wall cladding panel (7, 8) are integrated. |
| US07665253B1 |
Retrofit hurricane-earthquake connector
A true retrofit hurricane and earthquake clip for connecting the roof to the outside wall. The metal connector includes a base member with formed pockets that form tunnels. The base member has attaching means to outside sheathing and the underlying top plate of a wall. Threaded rods from the roof are inserted through the tunnels of the base member and tightened together. The invention can be installed on different structural members of a house including a rafter, hip rafter, valley rafter, and facia board. The connector inhibits uplift, detachment, outward thrusting, twisting, and lateral movement, thereby preventing wind and seismic damage to a building. |
| US07665252B2 |
Wall bracing apparatus
A wall bracing apparatus for mounting between a wall and the floor during construction. The wall bracing apparatus includes a tube that is mounted to a wall-mounted device and a floor-mounted device. The wall-mounted device has a backing plate and a front plate on opposite sides of the wall. A t-bar having a head at one end and a shaft through which a hole is formed extends through aligned central apertures in the plates and a wedge is inserted in the hole near the front plate end of the t-bar. A pair of ears on the front plate has aligned holes through which a pin extends that is also inserted through the tube. A duplicate of the front plate can be mounted to the floor and the opposite end of the tube can pivotably mount to the ears thereof. |
| US07665250B2 |
System for construction of a compression structure with corner blocks, key blocks, and corner block supports
A structure assembled from a combination of stackable modules, each module assembled from multiple prefabricated, transportable blocks. The blocks are typically reinforced cast concrete formed in reusable molds. Module framing blocks may include arched corner blocks, key blocks that interlock with a pair of corner blocks, and optional center blocks. Other structural elements include roof, floor, and wall components that interlock with the framing modules. Modules may be stacked or nested to form structures including buildings, elevated roadways, and parking garages. Utilities may be provided through optional conduits formed in the corner elements. The framing supports raised floor modules for ease in mechanical system installation and modification. The roof elements support usable terraces and rainwater collection. The blocks are demountable and reusable. The modules are self-supporting during erection, and may be assembled without fasteners. |
| US07665241B2 |
Firearm handgrip with a horizontal angle tracking bipod
A firearm handgrip includes a housing and a bipod movable between stored and deployed positions. The bipod is adapted for panning (horizontal rotation), tilting (up-down) and canting (right-left) movements when deployed and includes a torsion spring enabling tracking a horizontal angle for quick leg realignment. The bipod includes a piston, a deployment spring between the piston and the housing, and a locking assembly for holding the bipod in the stored position. The locking mechanism preferably first and second magnet pieces respectively located on a release ram near the top of the housing and on the piston. Alignment between the magnet pieces in a first ram position holds the bipod in the stored position while movement to a second ram position creates magnet misalignment for bipod release. |
| US07665240B1 |
Modular system rifle stock
An elongated forend member is the principal component of the modular system rifle stock. The forend member can be injection molded or milled from an aluminum billet. The forend member has laterally spaced left and right side walls whose bottom edges are connected to a bottom wall to form an elongated chamber that extends substantially the length of the forend member. The elongated chamber can accommodate most of the receivers/actions of existing rifles and shotguns. The rear wall of the forend member has a protruding boss member or specifically shaped recess that allows either a slider or firearm stock to be secured thereto. |
| US07665237B2 |
Illuminated sign and light source for use with said sign
An illuminable sign (20) has a base (22); a trough (24) having a configuration C formed in the base (22); a light dispensing medium (26) having the configuration C fitted in the trough (24) and including a pair of light-entering ports (28, 30); a light generator (32) fixed in operative relation between the pair of light-entering ports (28, 30), the light generator (32) including at least one light source (34); and a cover (36) fitted to the base. |
| US07665233B2 |
Self powered landscaping attachment for vehicle
A snowplow or other landscaping implement for mounting by a single point attachment such as a trailer hitch receiver on a host platform or the rear of a vehicle. The implement includes a main battery for intermittently powering a mechanical actuator or blade lifting mechanism where the functions are remotely controlled by the vehicle or host platform operator controlling at least one solenoid for switching on main battery power when needed. There is also a main battery trickle charging system connectible for power to an electrical circuit on the host platform or vehicle through a connector, and configured to draw only a limited level of current only when the main battery needs it and the source electrical circuit can readily provide it. |
| US07665231B2 |
Skateboard shoe
A skateboard shoe comprising a plurality of fluid chambers able to move and flex independently from one another along the bottom portion of the midsole is shown and described. The midsole acts as both a stabilizing midsole and an impact cushioning midsole while improving the fit of the shoe so it moves with the foot. |
| US07665230B2 |
Article of footwear having a fluid-filled bladder with a reinforcing structure
A sole component and a method of manufacturing the sole component are disclosed. In general, the sole component includes a fluid-filled bladder and a reinforcing structure extending around the bladder. The reinforcing structure is bonded to the exterior of the bladder, and may be recessed into the bladder. In some embodiments, the reinforcing structure extends along the side surfaces of the bladder and between upper and lower surfaces of bladder. In manufacturing the sole component, the reinforcing structure may be located within a mold, and the polymer material forming the bladder may be bonded to the reinforcing structure during the molding process. |
| US07665229B2 |
Foot-supporting structures for articles of footwear and other foot-receiving devices
Support structures for foot-receiving devices (such as midsole and/or outsole structures for articles of footwear) include one or more of the following: (a) a base member (e.g., including an impact-attenuating material); (b) a generally U-shaped moderator element engaged with the base member; (c) an edge element extending from a surface of the base member for engaging a lateral side of a foot in use; (d) an outsole member including a herringbone or zig-zag tread structure on both surfaces; and/or (e) an outsole member including a perimeter element for engaging a lateral side of a foot and/or the edge element of the base member. Such support structures may be incorporated into various foot-receiving device products, such as athletic footwear for basketball, etc. |
| US07665225B2 |
Heat pump clothes dryer
A drying apparatus for drying articles such as clothing is provided. The drying apparatus includes a chamber for containing articles to be dried and a system for supplying heated dry air at a first temperature to the chamber. The air supplying system comprises an air flow pathway having an evaporator for removing moisture from air exiting the chamber and for decreasing the temperature of the air to below dew point temperature. The air supply system further has a condenser for increasing the temperature of the air exiting the evaporator to the first temperature. The drying apparatus further has a heat pump system having a refrigerant loop which includes a compressor, the condenser, a TEV valve, and the evaporator. |
| US07665223B2 |
Measuring device with extensible cord and method
A measuring device generally comprises a base unit housing an extensible cable; the cable including a free end for placement by a user at a point being measured. The base unit, placed in line of sight of the point, includes: a base; a first carriage rotationally attached to the base about a turn axis; and a second carriage rotationally attached to the first carriage about a pitch axis. Servoed motors rotate the carriages to align them with cable path to the point. The turn angle, the pitch angle and the cable length are measured to determine the point's location. A plurality of points determines a surface. The user uses a programmed PDA with a radio to communicate with the base unit. |
| US07665220B1 |
Flexible, sheetlike fish measuring device
The present invention is a towel or absorbent cloth adapted for use by a fisherman for grasping a freshly caught fish with measurement means visible on a surface of the towel or absorbent cloth. In a preferred embodiment, attaching means provide for attachment of the towel to a belt or pants top of a user so that it can be easily reached upon catching a fish. In another embodiment, a grasping part of the towel or cloth is adapted to minimize absorbency to preserve the protective slime coat of a freshly caught fish so that it can be safely released after measurement. |
| US07665217B2 |
Laser level assembly
This invention relates to a pendulum assembly within a laser levelling apparatus. In use, the assembly is rotatably mounted with the levelling device to hang under the effect of gravity such that opposed light emitting devices produce light on a horizontal plane. The assembly includes a main body rotatably mountable in the levelling apparatus and at least two light emitting devices mounted in or on light emitting mounting portions. At least one of the light emitting mounting positions is rotatably mounted to the main body and adjustable in its orientation with respect to the main body by an threaded adjustment means. Once one light emitting device is mounted, the adjustable one can be brought into a substantially co-linear position by movement of the threaded adjustment means. A further embodiment includes a further light emitter acting on a reflective surface to provide a substantially vertical light. Such a further embodiment fixes the position of the further emitter and reflective surface and provides adjustment mean on both other light emitting device mounting portions to arrange these co-linear to each other and transverse to the reflected light beam. |
| US07665215B2 |
Fixed line trimmer head with ease of loading
A head for string trimmer machines uses fixed length segments of line including at least two line segments. The head includes a generally cylindrically shaped main housing member with at least two sets of first and second line entry holes on the housing member intermediate the first and second ends. At least two sets of first and second line exit openings also are found on the main housing member intermediate the first and second ends and spaced apart a greater distance than the distance between the first and second line entry holes. Arcuate guide channels are located between the respective entry holes and exit openings where the corresponding entry openings and exit openings of corresponding sets are located at different distances measured axially on the main housing member from the first end thereof. |
| US07665208B2 |
Through hole forming method
A first through hole is formed in a laminate by trepanning machining using laser light, for example. The trepanning machining refers to a process for irradiating laser light along such a trajectory that the laser light is first irradiated onto a substantially central area of a first through hole to be formed, the laser light is irradiated along a circumference corresponding to the bore diameter of the first through hole to be formed, and the laser light is finally irradiated onto the substantially central area of the first through hole to be formed again. A second through hole being substantially concentric with and having a larger bore diameter than the first through hole is formed by irradiating the laser light, similarly to the first through hole. |
| US07665206B2 |
Printed circuit board and manufacturing method thereof
A printed circuit board and a method of manufacturing a printed circuit board are disclosed. Using a method of manufacturing a printed circuit board, which includes: forming a multilayer board by alternately stacking circuit pattern layers and insulation layers such that a predetermined thickness of a partial area has only insulation layers stacked therein; and removing insulation layers from the partial area of the multilayer board, a printed circuit board can be manufactured that is suitable for a slim module. |
| US07665204B2 |
Die detachment apparatus comprising pre-peeling structure
An apparatus and method are provided for detaching a die from an adhesive film, the apparatus comprising a vacuum platform having a surface configured to support a part of the adhesive film on which the die is attached. A plurality of pre-peeling columns having substantially flat contact surfaces are projectable relative to the surface of the vacuum platform to push against the adhesive film at the position of the die to generate initial peeling between the die and the adhesive film. Thereafter, a plurality of ejector pins that are positionable relative to the pre-peeling columns are operative to push against the adhesive film at the position of the die to generate further peeling between the die and the adhesive film. The die is then removed from the adhesive film. |
| US07665196B2 |
Method for forming a multi-frequency surface acoustic wave device
Provided is a method of manufacturing a multi-frequency surface acoustic wave (SAW) device on a common piezoelectric substrate. The method features varying the resonant frequency of waveguide elements of the SAW device using a single etch step. The etch step removes a sub-portion of multiple layers of conductive film disposed on the substrate. |
| US07665194B2 |
Slide fastener
A slide fastener with a slider locking mechanism comprising a slider body, a tab attached to the slider body rotatably, and a slider having a locking pawl formed integrally with the tab, wherein the locking pawl has a pawl portion fitted into between the elements, and the pawl portion comprises: a first contact surface which, when the tab is rotated after sliding operation of the slider is ended, contacts with a first element of an element row attached to a fastener stringer to stop the tab's rotation temporarily; and a second contact surface which, when the slider starts a forced movement in an element separating direction with the tab's rotation stopped, contacts with a second element to stop the slider's forced movement in a state where the tab restarts to rotate and the pawl portion is fitted into between the elements. |
| US07665191B2 |
Integral fastening system
A fastening system includes a grommet having a grommet shank and two grommet cap ends secured to opposing ends of the grommet shank; a planar border having a base and integrally formed substantially parallel planar flexible peripheral first and second legs of substantially like length, the first leg having a first leg distal end with a first aperture and the second leg having a second leg distal end with a second aperture and an integral and peripheral first spike having a first spike pointed end, each of the first and second apertures being proportioned for slidable receipt of the grommet when the first and second apertures are aligned with each other; and an elongate securement leg integrally dependant from the base in a direction of the distal ends of the flexible legs, and including a securement leg distal end having a receiving surface for receiving first spike pointed end. |
| US07665186B2 |
Hinge with anti-skew features
A hinge for a clamshell-type phone includes first and second hinge sections with cooperative anti-skewing features to prevent skewing of the hinge in the open and/or closed positions. The first hinge section includes at least one anti-skew tab extending normal to the pivot axis of the hinge and a second hinge section includes at least one U-shaped anti-skew member to engage the anti-skew tab on the first hinge section in an open or closed position. |
| US07665183B2 |
Hinge apparatus for cover of image forming apparatus
A hinge apparatus for a cover of an image forming apparatus has a hinge body with supporting brackets, movably inserted into a coupling hole positioned in a main body of the image forming apparatus, a hinge cam connected to the cover and pivotably connected to the supporting brackets, and a pressure device disposed at the hinge body to press the hinge cam. Accordingly, the hinge apparatus can be implemented with a simple and easy assembly operation, since it is not a complicated structural connection among the component parts of the hinge apparatus. |
| US07665179B2 |
Adjustable wire rope cleaning device
An adjustable wire rope cleaning device comprising a first base plate and a second base plate, each having opposite ends and two longitudinal sides. Side bars are at the longitudinal sides of at least one of the first base plate and the second base plate and are aligned along an axis of the first base plate, such that a guide channel is defined and partially enclosed by the side bars. The second base plate is slidably attached to the first base plate and within the guide channel. A lateral bar at one end of the first base plate and between the two side bars, and the lateral bar is transverse to the side bars. An adjustment device positioned between the lateral bar and the second base plate, the adjustment device is operable to move the second base plate relative to the first base plate along the axis defined by the guide channel. A brush is coupled to the second base plate, and the brush is adjusted by movement of the second base plate within the guide channel. |
| US07665178B2 |
Scraper blade mounting device
The invention relates to a scraper blade holding device which comprises a cover plate and a base plate. The cover plate and the base plate are pivotable relative to one another about an axis. The axis is formed by a bearing tube, which is a component of the base plate and is arranged in an end region of the base plate. |
| US07665177B2 |
Cleaning swab, integrated handle system and method of making same
A cleaning swab has an elongated handle defining a longitudinal axis and having a diameter. The handle has a cleaning head end. A cleaning head is formed from a sheet of non-linting material having a predetermined thickness so as to form a predetermined cleaning head diameter. The material forms a seal-less tip and a pair of longitudinal side seals extending along longitudinal sides of the cleaning head. Excess material forms a cleaning surface suitable for standard polish and angle physical connector polished end faces. A sleeve has a central opening for receiving the handle such that the cleaning head extends beyond an open end of the sleeve. Use of a first predetermined thickness of material forms a first swab having a cleaning head having a first diameter cleaning head and use of a second different predetermined thickness of material forms a second swab having a second different diameter. The sleeve is configured to interchangeably receive the first swab and the second swab. |
| US07665175B2 |
Roller holder
A lint roller holder having a pair of elongated housing parts which are substantially identical to each other. Each housing part includes an elongated handle section and semi-cylindrical lint roller support section which is longitudinally adjacent the handle section. The housing parts are secured together in a facing relationship, such that an outer peripheral edge of both of said semi-cylindrical lint roller support and said handle sections abut against each other to form both a cylindrical lint roller support and a handle. The outer peripheral edges of the housing parts are then secured together by ultrasonic welding. Each housing part also includes at least one cut-out in the semi-cylindrical lint roller support section to reduce raw material usage requirements. |
| US07665174B2 |
Cleaning head for use in a floor cleaning machine
A cleaning head for use with a floor cleaning machine comprises first and second cleaning tools, at least one motor and a cleaning tool support. The at least one motor is configured to respectively drive rotation of the first and second cleaning tools about first and second horizontal axes. The first and second cleaning tools each have an exterior cleaning surface configured to engage the floor during floor cleaning operations. The cleaning tool support is configured to support the first and second cleaning tools for movement of the first and second horizontal axes relative to each other in a plane that is transverse to the first and second horizontal axes. Another embodiment of the invention is directed to a floor cleaning machine that includes embodiments of the cleaning head. |
| US07665171B2 |
Water-operated wash brush with removable brush head
A fluid operated wash brush is provided. The wash brush includes a casing having a downwardly opening top cover. The casing includes a liquid inlet for connection to a fluid supply. The wash brush also includes a rotary wash brush and a mounting shaft supported by the casing for relative rotation on which the rotary wash brush is carried. A retention mechanism is carried on a distal end of the mounting shaft for releasable engagement and disengagement with the rotary wash brush. |
| US07665168B2 |
Cap for securing interconnected linear members of a frame structure
Described herein is a cap for securing the interlocking members of a bed frame with flush rail support surfaces which includes a main body portion and a connection piece protruding from the main body portion of the cap. Also described herein is a method for securing the interlocking members of a bed frame with interlocking members and flush rail support surfaces. |
| US07665166B2 |
Patient examination system
A wheelchair and an examination table is provided wherein there is provided a connector or connector assembly for connecting the wheelchair to the examination table. Once connected to the examination table, the wheelchair and patient sitting therein can be elevated, after which side frames of the wheelchair can be removed in order to facilitate examination of the patient. In addition, once elevated and the side frames removed, with the aid of a movable back that forms a part of the examination table, the back of the wheelchair can be reclined or positioned in various positions to facilitate examination and procedures. |
| US07665164B2 |
Frame member and attached membranes
A collapsible apparatus includes a frame member being formed from a flexible twistable material, a first membrane and a second membrane, and an inflatable bladder. The second membrane is removably attachable to the first membrane. |
| US07665152B2 |
Drag harness and garment combination
As combined with a protective garment having a generally tubular portion, such as a protective coat having a sleeve, or such as a pair of protective pants having a pants leg, which may be regarded as being generally tubular, and a drag harness, which is assembled to the generally tubular portion and which facilitates dragging a wear from a hazardous situation. The drag harness includes a loop, which is assembled to and within the generally tubular portion, and a grip, which extends through an aperture in the generally tubular portion. The loop and the grip may be made from a single length of strapping or, alternatively, the loop and the grip may be made from separate lengths of strapping. The loop may have a fixed length or, alternatively, the drag harness may have a running noose, by which the loop is adapted to tighten when the grip is pulled. |
| US07665149B2 |
Ballistic resistant body armor articles
The present invention relates to body armor articles for resisting ballistic objects. The articles comprise woven fabric layers and sheet layers. The woven fabric layers are made from yarns having a tenacity of at least 7.3 grams per dtex and a modulus of at least 100 grams per dtex. The sheet layers comprise nonwoven random oriented fibrous sheets, each of the sheet layers comprising a uniform mixture of 3 to 60 weight percent polymeric binder and 40 to 97 weight percent non-fibrillated fibers. The woven fabric layers and the sheet layers are stacked together comprising a first core section which includes at least two repeating units of, in order, at least one of the woven fabric layers then at least one of the sheet layers. The sheet layers comprise 0.5 to 30 wt % of the total weight of the article. |
| US07669244B2 |
Method and system for generating user group permission lists
A method and apparatus for generating user group identifiers using a permissions matrix is disclosed. The permissions matrix includes an entry that is associated with a row and a column of the permissions matrix. The row of the permissions matrix is indexed with a first role and the column of the permissions matrix is indexed with a second role. A data structure implementing such a method can include, for example, a user group identifier matrix. Alternatively, a method is disclosed in which the expiration of a user group identifier is detected. In such a case, the user group identifier is updated by accessing a user group identifier matrix. |
| US07669238B2 |
Evidence-based application security
Evidence-based application security may be implemented at the application and/or application group levels. A manifest may be provided defining at least one trust condition for the application or application group. A policy manager evaluates application evidence (e.g., an XrML license) for an application or group of applications relative to the manifest. The application is only granted permissions on the computer system if the application evidence indicates that the application is trusted. Similarly, a group of applications are only granted permissions on the computer system if the evidence indicates that the group of applications is trusted. If the application evidence satisfies the at least one trust condition defined by the manifest, the policy manager generates a permission grant set for each code assembly that is a member of the at least one application. Evidence may be further evaluated for code assemblies that are members of the trusted application or application group. |
| US07669234B2 |
Data processing hash algorithm and policy management
Methods and associated systems for processing data are disclosed. A hashing function sequentially processes a hash key to generate a hash value. A policy management system processes packets according to defined policies. |
| US07669228B2 |
System and method for changing network behavior based on presence information
A system and method for changing network behavior based on presence information includes detecting one or more presence indicators. The one or more presence indicators indicate presence information. An electronic persistent presence (EPP) is formed based on the one or more presence indicators. It is determined whether to change the network behavior from a first user policy to a second user policy according to the EPP. The second user policy associated with the EPP is implemented according to a determination that the network behavior is to be changed. |
| US07669227B2 |
Information management system
An information management system is described comprising one or more workstations running applications to allow a user of the workstation to connect to a network, such as the Internet. Each application has an analyzer, which monitors transmission data that the application is about to transmit to the network or about to receive from the network and which determines an appropriate action to take regarding that transmission data. Such actions may be extracting data from the transmission data, such as passwords and usernames, digital certificates or eCommerce transaction details for storage in a database; ensuring that the transmission data is transmitted at an encryption strength appropriate to the contents of the transmission data; determining whether a check needs to be made as to whether a digital certificate received in transmission data is in force, and determining whether a transaction about to be made by a user of one of the workstations needs third party approval before it is made. The analyzer may consult a policy data containing a policy to govern the workstations in order to make its determination. The information management system provides many advantages in the eCommerce environment to on-line trading companies, who may benefit by being able to regulate the transactions made by their staff according to their instructions in a policy data, automatically maintain records of passwords and business conducted on-line, avoid paying for unnecessary checks on the validity of digital certificates and ensure that transmissions of data made by their staff are always protected at an agreed strength of encryption. |
| US07669226B2 |
Generic declarative authorization scheme for Java
A method, system, and program storage device for establishing security and authorization policies for users accessing a software application, wherein the method comprises generating at least one application object group from an application object description document comprising an XML format run on a data processor; creating an authorization policy for each application object; sending a selected application object group to an access controller; and establishing access control parameters at a time of deployment of the software application for users attempting to access the selected application object group based on the authorization policy. The method further comprises specifying environmental variables for the authorization policy; changing the authorization policy by modifying a declarative specification of the environmental variables and modifying constraints defined on attributes of an application object; implementing varied classes of authorization policies using a same authorization policy classifier; and specifying the application object group using grouping parameters. |
| US07669221B2 |
TV broadcast cooperative type data perusal apparatus, TV broadcast cooperative type data perusal method, and storage medium
A TV broadcast cooperative type data perusal apparatus is provided that can establish connection to websites in which is provided information related to the subject matter of a program that is being broadcast, and can simply peruse the information related to the subject matter from these websites, even when no website address information is appended as descriptor information for searching to the program being broadcast, provided that the information related to the subject matter in the program being broadcast is appended to the program as the descriptor information for searching. |
| US07669214B2 |
Display apparatus for displaying content data, display method, and program
A display apparatus has a display unit which displays a list of information on a first program content stored in a storage unit and information on a second program content to be broadcast. In a case in which the first and second program contents are program contents of the same title broadcast in series and the second program content is broadcast after the first program content, when the necessary playback time of at least part of the first program content that has not been played back is longer than the time interval between the current time point and the broadcast start time point of the second program content, the information on the first program content is excluded from the list display. |
| US07669213B1 |
Dynamic identification of other viewers of a television program to an online viewer
Informing a viewer of a television program of the identity of other online identities that represent users concurrently viewing that same television program includes determining dynamically a first television program to which a television viewing device associated with a viewer is tuned and identifying one or more other viewers associated with television viewing devices that are presently tuned to the first television program. Trait information related to the viewer or to the other viewers is stored in a data store related to the first television program. A subset of the other viewers that have similar traits is determined based on the stored trait information. The viewer is graphically informed of the subset of other viewers. |
| US07669212B2 |
Service platform suite management system
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for managing the presentation and regulation of E-Commerce, content and service providers access in an interactive television environment comprising interactions between a server, a client, and a service provider. Components are provided for managing and completing a purchase or delivery of an item offered by a service provider. A purchase transaction uses client information comprising partial client information from the client and a list of purchased items. Upon receiving partial information from the client, the server retrieves corresponding additional related information within its database and transmits this retrieved data from the server, along with the list of purchased items to complete the transaction. Business Agents are provided for logging the transaction, creating an electronic receipt, logging patches, logging error events, and viewer logging. The invention further comprises a method for measuring audience behavior and response to particular events or programs and advertisements; and a method for adaptive delivery of advertisements to a client. Advertisements are scheduled according to an agreement and manifested into campaign rules and desired run times. A profile of a viewer that resides on the client device is used as the criteria for selection of a particular advertisement from a broadcast and for polling of audience viewing habits. The present invention further monitors the integrity and connectivity of the interactive television network and service providers. |
| US07669209B2 |
Method for optimizing remote procedure call (RPC) and program execution method by use of the optimized RPC
A method for rapidly executing a series of remote procedure calls between a client and a server, comprising an RPC optimizer (101) that inputs an IDL source code (103) and client source codes (102, 102′, . . . ) so as to define as a new remote procedure a group of remote procedures to be performed by the client in an additional server source code (107). In turn, the RPC optimizer outputs a new IDL source code (106) to which an interface of the remote procedure is added, and new client source codes (105, 105′, . . . ) modified so as to use the remote procedure. This reduces communications involving a plurality of remote procedures to a single communication pass, thereby implementing high-speed communication between the client and the server. |
| US07669207B2 |
Method for detecting, reporting and responding to network node-level events and a system thereof
A system for detecting, reporting and responding to network node-level occurrences on a network-wide level includes one or more first mobile agents, each of the one or more first mobile agents is hosted by one of a plurality of nodes in the network. An event detection system communicates network event information associated with an event detected at one or more of the nodes in the network to the one or more first mobile agents, and a reporting system disseminates from the one or more first mobile agents information describing the detected event to one or more other nodes. |
| US07669206B2 |
Dynamic redirection of streaming media between computing devices
Dynamic redirection of streaming media between computing devices is described. In an implementation, a method listening at an application programming interface for a notification indicating that a change is to be made in a topology of streaming media software components. When the notification is received, a media engine that is capable of reconfiguring the topology in accordance with the indicated change is notified. At least one of the topology or the reconfigured topology have one of the streaming media software components located on a comprising device and another one of the streaming media software components located on another computing device. |
| US07669205B2 |
Using messages to extend CRM functionality
A method of extending the functionality of an API in a CRM program and system to implement the method is disclosed. The method may allow a user to use request and response messages to be communicated with a single interface that may be exposed as a CRM web service module to create new business logic and operations by extending previously defined classes. |
| US07669202B1 |
Resource management
A technique for executing a segmented virtual machine (VM) is disclosed. A plurality of core VM's are implemented in a common core space. Each core VM is associated with a shell VM. Resources of the core space are allocated among the core VM's. A core VM is associated with a shell VM configured to perform shell VM functions and communicate with the core VM. VM internal execution functionality is performed on the core VM. The shell VM may be bypassed to communicate with an external application. |
| US07669199B2 |
Installation of software stacks including uncoordinated projects
A tool is provided for addressing a number of issues related to installing software stacks including multiple uncoordinated components such as open source projects. The tool selects a plurality of software projects, addresses dependency and resource issues and installs the projects on a computer as a functional stack. A test procedure is also created to verify proper installation. A project filter is also provided for controlling access to or installation of projects in accordance with filter criteria. In this manner, compliance with internal policies regarding the use of open source or other software is facilitated. |
| US07669198B2 |
On-demand translator for localized operating systems
A method of testing a computer program written for use in a foreign language can include identifying text presented upon a display screen, wherein the text is in a first language, and automatically acquiring the text from the display screen. The text can be translated from the first language to a second language. The translated text can be presented in the second language upon the display screen. |
| US07669193B1 |
Program transformation using flow-sensitive type constraint analysis
A method for analyzing a program is provided. The method includes, determining an object type that may exist at an execution point of the program, wherein this enables determination of possible virtual functions that may be called; creating a call graph at a main entry point of the program; and recording an outgoing function call within a main function. The method also includes analyzing possible object types that may occur at any given instruction from any call path for virtual calls, wherein possible object types are determined by tracking object types as they pass through plural constructs; and calling into functions generically for handling specialized native runtime type information. |
| US07669192B2 |
Method to find a violation of a coding rule in program
An apparatus for determining whether or not a program violates a convention, including an input unit for receiving an input of a target program to be an object of a determination on whether to violate the convention; a violation storing unit for beforehand storing any one of an abstract syntax tree and a pattern which indicate a structure of a program violating the convention; a converter for converting the abstract syntax tree of the target program to a conversion tree with a predetermined conversion rule; and a determination unit for determining that the target program violates the convention on condition that at least a part of the conversion tree agrees with an abstract syntax tree violating the convention. |
| US07669191B1 |
Compile-time dispatch of operations on type-safe heterogeneous containers
Implementing a type-safe heterogeneous containers in a memory arrangement of a computing system. In one embodiment, a main object of a class is specified in program source code. The class has a variant type, and the variant type provides at least two different data types, at least one of which is a linear array of objects of one of the data types. The class includes methods for putting and getting a variant object of the variant type in and from the main object. An application of a visitor method, which includes a respective operator for each of the different data types, is specified in the program source code for each method for getting a variant object from the main object. Compilation of the source code results in code that executes the one of the operators corresponding to the data type of a referenced variant object of the main object. |
| US07669188B2 |
System and method for identifying viable refactorings of program code using a comprehensive test suite
A system and method for identifying viable refactorings of program code using a comprehensive test suite is presented. Program code is maintained, including program statements written in accordance with a programming language and defining operations executed following transformation into machine code. A test suite associated with the program code is specified and includes one or more additional program operations to determine satisfactory generation of expected results during the operations execution. A plurality of refactorings are speculatively applied to the program code by evaluating one or more of the program statements against a set of refactoring rules and restructuring the program statements pursuant to at least one refactoring rule. The test suite is executed against the program code following each restructuring of the program statements and each refactoring that passes the test suite is determined. |
| US07669187B2 |
Pluggable debugging interface for graphical notation diagrams
A low-level process, which was mapped from a high-level graphical notation diagram, is debugged using the high-level graphical notation diagram. To debug the low-level process, a debugging interface allows a user to set and track breakpoints and other debug events from the high-level graphical notation diagram. When a breakpoint or other debug event is encountered during low-level processing, the high-level graphical notation diagram is updated to show the status of the low-level process. |
| US07669185B2 |
Graphical program having a hierarchy of timed loops
A system and method for executing a graphical program which has a plurality of timed loops, wherein the timed loops utilize timing sources that are related to or derived from each other. According to one embodiment of the method, a graphical program having a plurality of timed loops may be created. In one embodiment the timing sources may be related to each other according to tree hierarchy. Each of the loops in the graphical program may be associated with one of the timing sources. Thus the plurality of loops may be viewed as a group of loops that are grouped together due to the relationships among their respective timing sources. Execution of the graphical program may then begin. Execution of the loops may be delayed until every loop in the group is ready to execute. After every loop in the group is ready to execute, the timing sources for the various loops may be started. To satisfy the defined relationships among the timing sources, the timing sources may be started in an order based on their hierarchical relationship. Once the timing sources have been started, execution of the loops may be begun such that each loop executes based on its respective timing source, i.e., iterations of each loop are timed by its respective timing source. |
| US07669180B2 |
Method and apparatus for automated risk assessment in software projects
A method, information processing system and computer readable medium for assessing risk in a software development project. The method includes receiving software project data for assessing risks in a software development project and identifying a plurality of focus areas for analysis. The method further includes defining a set of analysis tasks for each focus area and creating one or more rule sets for each analysis task, each rule set comprising one or more rules including software project data. The method further includes evaluating each rule set against the software project data summarizing results of evaluating each rule set corresponding to an analysis task. The method further includes providing a risk assessment value for each analysis task using the results of the summarizing element. |
| US07669176B2 |
System and method for semiconductor device fabrication using modeling
System and method for using adjustment patterns as well as physical parameters as targets to control mask structure dimensions using optical proximity correction. A method for correcting layer patterns comprises selecting optimum sacrificial patterns, defining virtual targets from the optimum sacrificial patterns, and executing an optical proximity correction process with the virtual targets to correct layer patterns. The selecting of the optimum sacrificial patterns may be performed in a separate processing stage, thereby reducing the number of targets to be investigated during a process window optical proximity correction, thereby reducing the runtime, processing, and memory requirements. |
| US07669175B2 |
Methodology to improve turnaround for integrated circuit design using geometrical hierarchy
A method of designing a layout for manufacturing an integrated circuit is provided, in which computationally intensive portions of the design process, such as simulation of an image transferred through a mask design, or simulation of electrical characteristics of a circuit, are performed more efficiently by only performing such computations on single instance of computational subunits that have an identical geometrical context. Thus, rather than performing such computations based on the functional layout, for which typical design process steps result in significant flattening of the functional hierarchy, and therefore increase the cost of computation, the invention performs simulations on computational subunits stored in a hierarchy based on geometrical context, which minimizes the cost of simulation. The resulting simulation results are subsequently assembled according to the functional layout. |
| US07669173B2 |
Semiconductor mask and method of making same
A method of making a semiconductor device is disclosed. A target mask pattern is provided which includes features to be exposed on the mask, and features to be non-exposed on the mask. The to be exposed features are fractured by searching for geometries on the target mask pattern that meet one or more conditions, identifying mask pattern structures to be fractured, fracturing the identified pattern structures according to a fracture instruction list, creating a set of mask exposure patterns, exposing the mask to the mask exposure pattern, and developing the mask. |
| US07669170B2 |
Circuit layout methodology using via shape process
A circuit layout methology is provided for eliminating the extra processing time and file-space requirements associated with the optical proximity correction (OPC) of a VLSI design. The methodology starts with the design rules for a given manufacturing technology and establishes a new set of layer-specific grid values. A layout obeying these new grid requirements leads to a significant reduction in data preparation time, cost, and file size. A layout-migration tool can be used to modify an existing layout in order to enforce the new grid requirements. |
| US07669168B1 |
Method and apparatus for dynamically connecting modules in a programmable device
Method and apparatus for dynamically connecting modules within a programmable device is described. In an example, a programmable device is programmed with modular circuits. A bitstream is obtained from a database. The bitstream includes a first portion associated with a module and a second portion associated with an interface to the module. The bitstream is then modified with configuration data to connect the interface to one or more of the modular circuits. The programmable device is then configured using the modified bitstream. |
| US07669162B2 |
Integrated power supply system analyzing system, integrated power supply system analyzing method, and multiplayer printed circuit board
Information related to a structure of a multilayer printed circuit board, a physical constant and a mesh is input (Step S701) to generate an equivalent circuit model of the multilayer printed circuit board (Step S702). A transfer matrix is generated with an LSI power source terminal mounting candidate point of the uppermost layer as an input and an LSI power source terminal mounting candidate point of the lowermost layer as an output (Step S703) and the transfer matrix is converted into an impedance matrix (Step S704). Here, a first LSI mounting point is input (Step S705) to select an optimum LSI mounting point (Step S706) and the optimum LSI mounting point and the remaining LSI mounting candidate points are sequentially output (Step S707). |
| US07669160B2 |
Methods and systems for placement
Simultaneous Dynamical Integration modeling techniques are applied to placement of elements of integrated circuits as described by netlists specifying interconnection of devices. Solutions to a system of coupled ordinary differential equations in accordance with Newtonian mechanics are approximated by numerical integration. A resultant time-evolving system of nodes moves through a continuous location space in continuous time, and is used to derive placements of the devices having one-to-one correspondences with the nodes. Nodes under the influence of net attractive forces, computed based on the interconnections between the morphable devices, tend to coalesce into well-organized topologies. Nodes are also affected by spreading forces determined by density fields that are developed based on local spatial node populations. The forces are optionally selectively modulated as a function of simulation time. The placements of the devices are compatible with various design flows, such as standard cell, structured array, gate array, and field-programmable gate array. |
| US07669159B2 |
IC tiling pattern method, IC so formed and analysis method
The invention provides a method for providing an integrated circuit (6) having a substantially uniform density between parts (10, 12, 14 and 16) of the IC that are non-orthogonally angled. In particular, the invention provides fill tiling patterns (32, 34) oriented substantially parallel to electrical structure regardless of their angle. A method of electrical analysis based on this provision is also provided as is a related program product. |
| US07669152B1 |
Three-dimensional hierarchical coupling extraction
Apparatus, systems, and methods are provided for processing integrated circuit chip design. A three-dimensional Monte Carlo random-walk process may be applied to a cell in a hierarchical description of the layout of the chip to extract information regarding the cell. The information may include coupling resistance, capacitance, inductance, or combinations thereof. A neighborhood of the cell may be built and data correlated to the neighborhood may be stored. Such a technique may be applied from a bottom level to a top level of the hierarchical description of the chip layout. |
| US07669151B1 |
Methods for reducing power supply simultaneous switching noise
Computer-aided design tools analyze a custom logic design for a programmable logic device integrated circuit. The tools identify distinct clock domains in the design. The tools also identify which of the clock domains are synchronous. The tools examine the synchronous clock domains to determine which of the clock domains have required fixed phase relationships. Clocks for clock domains that do not have required fixed relationships can be adjusted in phase to minimize power supply simultaneous switching noise. Noise may be minimized by making clock phase adjustments using a programmable phase-locked loop circuit. |
| US07669147B1 |
Reorienting navigation trees based on semantic grouping of repeating tree nodes
Non-hierarchical relationship UIs (“topology UIs”) are difficult to scale to hundreds or more items. An embodiment of this invention provides indicators and quick access controls for the nodes in navigation tree that appear more than once in a hierarchy—where a pure hierarchical navigational tree falls short. The navigational tree is structured by grouping all matching nodes together. The display area displays the most frequent and the concatenated labels of the semantically grouped redundant nodes. A set of contextual proximity and similarity information and an exception list are stored in a semantic database which is configurable by system administrators. These navigation area controls and indicators will preemptively handle non-hierarchies directly within the navigation tree. |
| US07669145B2 |
Multi-repository display system using separate presentation, adaption and access layers
A software object display system using an adaptation layer to obtain information concerning a number of software objects is described. The adaptation layer communicates to a presentation layer which produces a display for the software objects. The adaptation layer isolates the presentation layer from the details of the structures of the software objects to be displayed. The adaptation layer provides a standard set of data to the presentation layer for the presentation layer to display. |
| US07669140B2 |
System and method for providing rich minimized applications
The present invention is directed to a method and system for use in a computing environment to present and provide access to user information. The system may include a sidebar for hosting a plurality of tiles. Applications may be minimized and inserted into the sidebar upon minimization. Selected features of the application remain available through a tile when the application is represented by a tile in the sidebar. The system may also include user interface tools for allowing a user to command placement of a selected application into the sidebar. The application may include an available feature selection module for allowing an application to provide at least a sub-set of a full feature set upon minimization. An insertion module may be provided for inserting the tile into the user interface. |
| US07669137B2 |
Computer method and apparatus for representing a topic in a software modeling system
A computer method and apparatus for visual modeling software programs represents a topic by providing a respective topic diagram. The topic diagram is non-editable and has non-persisting notation data. The topic diagram demonstrates a respective set of relationships between one or more given elements representative of the subject topic. The topic diagram is derived based on a query which saves search criteria and information that enables an editor to generate the diagram notation data. There are different topic providers for different queries. A topic service manages the topic providers and processes client calls (requests) regarding specific context and query. Queries are end-user customizable and are extensible per topic. |
| US07669135B2 |
Using emoticons, such as for wireless devices
A method and system for generating a displayable icon or emoticon form that indicates the mood or emotion of a user of the mobile station. A user of a device, such as a mobile phone, is provided with a dedicated key or shared dedicated key option that the user may select to insert an emoticon onto a display or other medium. The selection of the key or shared dedicated key may result in the insertion of the emoticon, or may also result in the display of a collection of emoticons that the user may then select from using, for example, a key mapping or navigation technique. |
| US07669133B2 |
System and method for developing rules utilized in a knowledge management system
A system and method for developing rules for validating a process having one or more parameters. The system or method may be used with a knowledge management system to validate the process. In one example, one or more rules are created to be used to validate the process, and the one or more rules are stored in a repository. One or more parameters relating to the process are obtained, one or more rules associated with the process are obtained from the repository, and the one or more rules obtained are used to validate the one or more parameters of the process. If the one or more parameters comply with the one or more rules, an indication thereof may be provided. Or if the one or more parameters do not comply with the one or more rules, an indication thereof may be provided. |
| US07669124B2 |
System and method for managing resource loading in a multilingual user interface operating system
A system and method is provided to manage different UI language settings in a central place by merging different UI language settings and related dependency data to an integrated UI language preference list. A set of API functions is provided that enables each resource loader to gain consistent UI language support by interacting with the integrated UI language preference list. |
| US07669123B2 |
Dynamically providing a news feed about a user of a social network
A method for displaying a news feed in a social network environment is described. The method includes generating news items regarding activities associated with a user of a social network environment and attaching an informational link associated with at least one of the activities, to at least one of the news items, as well as limiting access to the news items to a predetermined set of viewers and assigning an order to the news items. The method further may further include displaying the news items in the assigned order to at least one viewing user of the predetermined set of viewers and dynamically limiting the number of news items displayed. |
| US07669121B2 |
Transcode matrix
A transcode architecture determines if a media source file needs to be transcoded for playback on a target playback device, and if so, the proper format needed for transcoding the source file. A transcode architecture includes a transcode manager, a transcode matrix, a transcode engine and a cache for storing transcoded media files. A media library stores media source files and device capabilities information. The transcode manager controls a transcode process in which the transcode matrix generates a profile for a media source file and accesses device capabilities that indicate playback capabilities for a target playback device. The transcode matrix compares parameters of the source profile with the device capabilities to decide whether the source file must be transcoded to enable playback of the file on the target playback device, and if so, the proper format needed for transcoding the source file. |
| US07669120B2 |
Method and system for encoding a mark-up language document
A method and system for encoding a mark-up language document is provided, in which, the structure of the mark-up language document is condensed by removing those parts of the structure that are fixed, and by expressing the variable parts of the structure in terms of whether or how often they occur. A template that specifies which parts of the structure are fixed and which parts are variable may be provided to both the device that is transmitting the mark-up language document and the device that is receiving the mark-up language document. |
| US07669113B1 |
Media stream synchronization using device and host clocks
A synchronization manager synchronizes multiple media streams. The synchronization manager queries a media stream output device associated with each media stream to synchronize, and in response receives the current device clock time of each device, each device's next available media stream output time, and each device's delta between available media stream output times. The synchronization manager uses this timing information to determine an earliest available media stream output time common to each media stream output device, and synchronizes the output of the media streams by providing each stream to its associated output device at the earliest available common output time. |
| US07669112B2 |
Automated spell analysis
An apparatus, program product and method utilize automated analysis techniques to assist in the determination of acceptable usages of linguistic terms (e.g., words, phrases, acronyms, etc.). In particular, an acceptable usage of a linguistic term in a document on the Internet may be determined by detecting a spell definition tag in the document. In response to detecting the spell definition tag, automatically adding the acceptable variant of the linguistic term to an electronic dictionary. |
| US07669110B2 |
Trace-ahead method and apparatus for determining survivor paths in a Viterbi detector
Methods and apparatus are provided for determining survivor paths in a Viterbi detector, using a trace-ahead algorithm. A trellis memory is maintained having a depth L that stores L trellis stages, each of the L stages having a plurality, N, of trellis states; and a status memory is maintained for each of the N states of the trellis, wherein each entry in the status memory identifies a least recent trellis state stored in the trellis memory of a survivor path that begins at a given state on a side of the trellis associated with most recent states. A bit sequence of one or more of the survivor paths in the trellis is determined in an order that the bits are received by examining least and most recent trellis stages of the trellis and the status memory. One or fork memories maintain an indicator of whether a given fork is active; a list of active forks; a trellis position of active forks in the trellis; and a fork type of one or more forks in the trellis. |
| US07669108B2 |
Coding system and decoding system
In a coding system wherein an error correction/detection coding is combined with a synchronization recovering technique using a synchronization code, the problems of a pseudo synchronization and a step out due to error detection are solved. There is provided a coding part 212 for coding an input multiplexed code string 201 to an error correcting/detecting code comprising an information bit and a check bit, and code string assembling part 213 for inserting a synchronization code into any one of a plurality of periodically predetermined synchronization code inserting positions in the code string 201, for arranging the information bit at an optional position in the code string, and for arranging the check bit at a position other than the synchronization code inserting positions in the code string 201 to assemble an output code string 205. |
| US07669104B2 |
Forward error correction method and communication method, and forward error correction code addition apparatus and communication apparatus
In a forward error correction method and a forward error correction addition apparatus, error correction is performed on the basis of data, to which forward error correction code is added, transmitted through a network to output decoded data. The data transmitted through the network includes information bits represented by an information bit matrix with n rows and m columns (n, m are natural numbers), and redundancy bits represented by an odd number of redundancy information bit rows and an odd number of redundancy information bit columns based on the information bit matrix, which are provided in the row direction and in the column direction of the information bit matrix respectively. The redundancy bits are the forward error correction code. |
| US07669099B2 |
Optimized JTAG interface
An optimized JTAG interface is used to access JTAG Tap Domains within an integrated circuit. The interface requires fewer pins than the conventional JTAG interface and is thus more applicable than conventional JTAG interfaces on an integrated circuit where the availability of pins is limited. The interface may be used for a variety of serial communication operations such as, but not limited to, serial communication related integrated circuit test, emulation, debug, and/or trace operations. |
| US07669095B2 |
Methods and apparatus for error injection
In a first aspect, a first method of injecting one or more errors in data flowing into or out of a chip is provided. The first method includes the steps of (1) generating an error injection pattern indicating one or more bits of data on which a pseudo-random error is to be inserted; and (2) generating an error injection trigger indicating when the pseudo-random error is to be inserted. Numerous other aspects are provided. |
| US07669092B2 |
Apparatus, method, and system of NAND defect management
Various embodiments comprise apparatus, methods, and systems that include an apparatus comprising a memory device configurable as a plurality of erase block groups including a base erase block group, wherein each of the plurality of erase block groups comprises a plurality of erase blocks each identified by a matching unique plurality of erase block numbers unique within the plurality of erase blocks and matching across the plurality of erase block groups; and a mapping table coupled to the plurality of erase block groups to store at least one group address number corresponding to one of the matching unique plurality of erase block numbers identifying a non-defective erase block in the base erase block group, and corresponding to several of the matching unique plurality of erase block numbers identifying a single non-defective erase block in each of the plurality of erase block groups other than the base erase block group. |
| US07669091B2 |
Apparatus and method for defect replacement
Apparatuses and methods for defect replacement when an optical storage medium is read are provided. When the defect management is LOW, a pick-up head retrieves a set of data from the optical storage medium; a defect detector detects whether there is a defect in the set; if yes, a processor determines whether a replacement for the defect is in the set; and if yes, an interface transmits the replacement from the set. When the defect management is CRD, a buffer temporarily stores data retrieved from the optical storage medium; a defect detector detects whether there is a set of defects in the data; if yes, a comparator compares a length of the set of defects with a defect threshold length; a pick-up head reads more data from the optical storage medium continuously until the buffer reaches a buffer threshold if the length is compared shorter than the defect threshold length; and the pick-up head reads a set of replacements for the set of defects directly if the length is compared longer than the defect threshold length. |
| US07669087B1 |
Method and apparatus for managing workload across multiple resources
A method for operating a system comprising multiple resources. The method comprises identifying for each resource a set of one or more failure risks for that resource. For each identified failure risk, a likelihood of failure is combined with an expected resolution time to provide a risk weight for the identified failure risk. For each resource, the risk weights for each failure risk are accumulated to provide an accumulated risk weight for the resource. A resource manager provisions workload across the multiple resources based on the accumulated risk weights for each resource. |
| US07669086B2 |
Systems and methods for providing collision detection in a memory system
Systems and methods for providing collision detection in a memory system including a memory system for storing and retrieving data for a processing system. The memory system includes resource scheduling conflict logic for monitoring one or more memory resources for detecting resource scheduling conflicts. The memory system also includes error reporting logic for generating an error signal in response to detecting a resource scheduling conflict at one or more of the memory resources. |
| US07669083B2 |
System and method for re-shuffling test case instruction orders for processor design verification and validation
A system and method for creating multiple test case scenarios from one test case by shuffling the test case instruction order while maintaining relative sub test case instruction order intact is presented. A test case generator generates and provides a test case that includes multiple sub test cases to a test case executor. In turn, the test case executor recursively schedules and dispatches the test case with different shuffled instruction orders to a processor in order to efficiently test the processor. In one embodiment, the test case generator provides multiple test cases to the test case executor. In another embodiment, the test case generator provides test cases to multiple test case executors that, in turn, shuffle the test cases and provide the shuffled test cases to their respective processor. |
| US07669078B2 |
Method and apparatus for debugging a program on a limited resource processor
The present invention provides for an apparatus employed to debug a program operating in a supplemental processor when the processor's registers are not readable directly by the debugging operation of a main processor. A program operating in main memory halts due to operational errors. The program code lines save to a cache. In the main processor, a pool of memory is reserved. A copy of the data from the nominally inaccessible supplementary processor registers also transfers to the reserved storage area for processing of the program needing debugging. After the program debugging is complete, a copy of the contents of the memory pool is restored to the memory of the target supplemental processor. A copy of the local store register state and remaining local store data returns to main memory. |
| US07669077B2 |
Volume and failure management method on a network having a storage device
A SAN manager acquires configuration information from devices constituting a SAN and produces a corresponding relationship between a host computer and a virtual volume (virtual volume mapping) and a corresponding relationship between the host computer and a real volume (real volume mapping). Based on those pieces of mapping information, the SAN manager outputs a corresponding relationship between virtual and real volumes. Meanwhile, the failure notification messages received from the in-SAN devices are construed to detect and output an influence of the failure upon the access to a real or virtual volume. Furthermore, when receiving a plurality of failure notifications from the devices connected to the SAN, the plurality of failure notifications are outputted with an association based on the corresponding relationship between real and virtual volumes. |
| US07669075B2 |
Row fault detection system
An apparatus and program product check for nodal faults in a row of nodes by causing each node in the row to concurrently communicate with its adjacent neighbor nodes in the row. The communications are analyzed to determine a presence of a faulty node or connection. |
| US07669073B2 |
Systems and methods for split mode operation of fault-tolerant computer systems
Methods and systems are provided by which a computer system, and in particular, a lockstep fault-tolerant computer system, may be split into a plurality of independently operational subsystems. Each subsystem may be examined, managed or upgraded by an administrator while the overall computer system continues to service end-users. Finally, the separate subsystems may be merged in an efficient fashion and fault-tolerant operation will resume upon the combined system. |
| US07669070B2 |
Efficient communication power usage
A media player may be adapted to organize and display nearby media device information between communicating media devices before a complete connection is established. In one embodiment, a sleep message is received telling the receiving device to turn off the receiving function for a period of time or until a point in the future to conserve energy. |
| US07669068B2 |
Circuit, system and method for selectively turning off internal clock drivers
The present invention includes a circuit, system and method for selectively turning off internal clock drivers to reduce operating current. The present invention may be used to reduce power consumption by reducing operating current in a memory device. Operating current may be reduced by turning off internal clock drivers that deliver a clock signal during selected periods of time. According to an embodiment of clock control circuitry of the present invention, an internal clock is disabled if a no operation command is detected during periods of time when no read or write burst operation is taking place. Methods, memory devices and computer systems including the clock control circuitry and its functionality are also disclosed. |
| US07669067B2 |
Method and device for setting the clock frequency of a processor
In order to set the clock frequency of a processor it is proposed that a processor load value be determined, representing a measure for the instructions carried out by the processor during a unit of time, and the clock frequency of a clock signal of the processor be set depending on the processor load value determined. To this end, an appropriately configured device has a clock signal source which provides the clock signal at a clock frequency which can be set depending on a clock frequency control signal. The processor load value is preferably determined by a time counter module which detects lengths of time during which the processor is in an inactive state. A control unit computes the value to which the clock frequency is set depending on a relative proportion of time TI during which the processor is in the inactive state. An input buffer memory co-operates with a data input of the processor and an output buffer memory co-operates with a data output of the processor, and allowance is preferably made for the degree to which they are full in order to adapt the clock frequency. |
| US07669061B2 |
System and method for providing for remote monitoring and controlling of voltage power transmission and distribution devices
The present invention provides a system and method for providing remote controlling of a power device. In architecture, the service device comprises a receiver circuitry that receives operating status data of the power device, and a data input circuitry accepts control information from a user. In addition, the transmitter circuitry transmits the control information to the power device. The present invention can also be viewed as a method for providing remote controlling of a power device. The method operates by acquiring an operating status data of the power device, and transmitting control information to the power device. |
| US07669056B2 |
Method and apparatus for measuring presentation data exposure
A method and apparatus for measuring data presentation is measured for authenticity and accuracy using a cryptographic capability. The data may include both presentation data and metadata related to measuring and reporting results of outputting the presentation data. After measurement, the presentation data may be presented to an output device. The output device may be a display, a sound device or other computer output. Related statistics may be collected, for example, user identity, computer identity, time, duration, and interference from other sources. In the case of displayed presentation data, unblocked viewing area, and presentation data area size may also be collected. In an exemplary embodiment, the presence of a user and/or user interaction with the presentation data may be recorded and reported. The recorded data may be securely reported to a participating host or server, by a secure channel and/or by signing and/or encrypting. |
| US07669055B2 |
Key transformation unit for a tamper resistant module
Methods, apparati, and computer-readable media for securely transporting a software application onto a tamper resistant module (TRM) (103) by using an individualized TRM key set. A method embodiment of the present invention comprises: storing a key pair unique to the TRM (103) in a memory located on the TRM (103), where the key pair comprises a TRM public key (150) and a TRM private key (190); retrieving the TRM public key from the TRM; encrypting a portion of the software application using the TRM public key (150); transmitting the encrypted software application to the TRM (103); and recovering and decrypting the encrypted software application using the TRM private key (190). |
| US07669054B2 |
Legacy access control security system modernization apparatus
A system is provided for upgrading a legacy security system having a legacy control panel and a legacy card reader, without interfering with legacy system operation. A new control panel is installed between the legacy card reader and the legacy control panel. Also, a new token reader is installed next to the legacy card reader and connected to the new control panel. The new control panel passes credentials it receives from the legacy card reader to the legacy control panel, avoiding interference with legacy system operation. When the new control panel receives credentials from the new token reader, it evaluates them against an access rights list administered independently of the legacy access rights list. When the new control panel determines that an access request should be granted, it sends a memorized legacy credential associated with full access rights to the legacy control panel, causing it to open the door. |
| US07669048B2 |
Computing device limiting mechanism
Described is a technology by which a computing device is booted into a normal mode of operation or a limited mode of operation, depending on whether the computing device was operating correctly (e.g., with respect to policy) prior to a reboot. The reboot may be forced. Examples of incorrect state include an overdue payment on a leased computer, or improper execution of certain important software. A metering mechanism evaluates the state of the computing device, and when an incorrect state is detected, configures the computing device for operation in the limited mode, by setting the computing device to boot via one boot path (e.g., a limited-mode BIOS) instead of another boot path (e.g., a normal-mode BIOS). A BIOS selector switches to the limited BIOS on the next reboot, wherein the computing device is restricted to the limited mode of operation (regardless of subsequent reboots) until the correct state is restored. |
| US07669047B2 |
Biometrics signal input device and computer system having the biometrics signal input device
A biometrics signal input device with a USB interface is connected to a computer apparatus to control BIOS booting procedures of the computer apparatus. The computer apparatus communicates with a USB controller of the input device through the USB interface according to a USB communication protocol and regards this device as a USB device. Then, the computer apparatus executes a program stored in a memory of the input device and enables a biometrics sensor to read biometrics data of a user. Then, to-be-identified biometrics data and biometrics template data pre-stored in the memory are transferred to a main memory of the computer apparatus. A CPU of the computer apparatus compares the to-be-identified biometrics data with the biometrics template data. After the comparison passes, the BIOS booting procedures are allowed to be continued until the CPU has completely loaded an operation system stored in a main storage device of the computer apparatus. |
| US07669046B2 |
Data processing apparatus and firmware update method
The data processing apparatus of the present invention includes a memory having a first firmware stored therein; a receiving section for receiving a second firmware; a processor for executing update processing for updating the first firmware in the memory into the second firmware; and a drive for writing the second firmware onto a removable storage medium. A successfully updated firmware is stored on the removable storage medium. Therefore, after the firmware is further updated and, however, the updated version of firmware needs to be recovered, such firmware can be promptly and easily recovered from the storage medium. |
| US07669041B2 |
Instruction-parallel processor with zero-performance-overhead operand copy
A processor having a zero-overhead operand copy capability. The processor includes multiple execution units to execute instructions in parallel and multiple register files each associated with one or more of the execution units. The processor further includes circuitry to select either an instruction execution result from a first one of the execution units or content of a register within a first one of the register files associated with the first one of the execution units to be stored within a register within a second one of the register files. |
| US07669034B2 |
System and method for memory array access with fast address decoder
A method and data processing system for accessing an entry in a memory array is provided using base and offset addresses without adding the base and offset addresses. PGZO encoding is performed on the address bits of the operands. The PGZO values are evaluated using wordline generators resulting in a plurality of possible memory array entry addresses. In parallel with the PGZO operations, a carry value is generated using other bits in the operands. The result of the carry operation determines which of the possible memory array entries is selected from the memory array. |
| US07669031B2 |
Computer system, storage area allocation method, and management computer
Disclosed is to prevent deterioration in I/O performance of a computer resulted from a use of the same physical disk among different logical volumes. A volume management server 1010 groups together logical volumes which use the same physical disk of a storage device 1020 as a volume group and allocates a storage area on the physical disk to be used on a priority basis by this volume group to the volume group, and thereby a physical arrangement according to a present physical arrangement of the logical volume can be performed when an automatic expansion of the logical volume is performed thereafter so that the I/O performance deterioration of the computer caused by a mutual interference is avoided at the time of access from the computer 1030 to the storage device 1020. |
| US07669026B2 |
Systems and methods for memory migration
Systems, methods and media for performing auto-migration of data among a plurality of memory devices are disclosed. In one embodiment, memory access of application program data is monitored for each of one or more application programs. The data may be stored in one or more of a plurality of memory storage devices, each with its own performance characteristics. Monitored access is evaluated to determine an optimal distribution of the application programs data, typically stored in files, among the plurality of memory storage devices. The evaluation takes into account service level requirements of each application program. Periodically, data may be automatically transferred from one memory storage device to another to achieve the determined optimal allocation among the available memory storage devices consistent with service level requirements. |
| US07669023B2 |
Power efficient storage with data de-duplication
Power consumption in a storage system is reduced by selectively controlling power supplied to the storage devices, while also incorporating a de-duplication function to reduce the amount of required storage capacity. First storage devices are initially in a powered on condition and second storage devices are in a powered off condition. Write data received by the controller is initially stored to a first volume allocated from the first storage devices. While the second storage devices are powered on, content of the write data stored in the first volume is compared with content of any existing data stored in a second volume allocated on the second storage devices. When results of the comparison show that the content of the write data does not match the content of the existing data, the write data is stored to the second volume. |
| US07669017B1 |
Method of and circuit for buffering data
A method of buffering data in a circuit processing data in both a natural address order and a modified address order is described. The method comprises the steps of storing a first block of data according to a first addressing order of a natural address order or a modified address order; reading the first block of data stored in a buffer according to the other addressing order of the natural address order and the modified address order; and simultaneously writing a second block of data to the buffer in the other addressing order while reading the first block of data stored in a buffer according to the other addressing order. |
| US07669014B2 |
Transpose memory and method thereof
A transpose memory circuit is provided which comprises a number of dual port memory blocks each having a plurality of storage cells each configured for storing one or more data word. The dual port memory blocks form a storage array for storing at least one input matrix and outputting the at least one input matrix in transposed form. A data input is provided to receive a plurality data words on each cycle and a data output is provided to output a plurality of data words on each cycle. A read address logic is provided to generate read addresses such that one cell of each dual port memory block can be read out on each cycle. A write address logic is provided to generate write addresses such that one cell k of each dual port memory block can be written on each cycle. In each cycle, one storage cell of each dual port memory block is addressed by the read address logic. The data words stored in the addressed storage cells are read out from one dual port memory block and outputted through the data output. In each cycle, one storage cell of each dual port memory block is addressed by the write address logic, where the addressed storage cells have been read out in a preceding cycle and into which storage cells data words received through the data input are written. The transpose memory circuit is provided to receive an input matrix in cycles and to output the transposed input matrix in next cycles without any dead cycles interposed between them. |
| US07669012B2 |
Insertion of coherence requests for debugging a multiprocessor
A method and system are disclosed to insert coherence events in a multiprocessor computer system, and to present those coherence events to the processors of the multiprocessor computer system for analysis and debugging purposes. The coherence events are inserted in the computer system by adding one or more special insert registers. By writing into the insert registers, coherence events are inserted in the multiprocessor system as if they were generated by the normal coherence protocol. Once these coherence events are processed, the processing of coherence events can continue in the normal operation mode. |
| US07669011B2 |
Method and apparatus for detecting and tracking private pages in a shared memory multiprocessor
A processor includes a processor core coupled to an address translation storage structure. The address translation storage structure includes a plurality of entries, each corresponding to a memory page. Each entry also includes a physical address of a memory page, and a private page indication that indicates whether any other processors have an entry, in either a respective address translation storage structure or a respective cache memory, that maps to the memory page. The processor also includes a memory controller that may inhibit issuance of a probe message to other processors in response to receiving a write memory request to a given memory page. The write request includes a private page attribute that is associated with the private page indication, and indicates that no other processor has an entry, in either the respective address translation storage structure or the respective cache memory, that maps to the memory page. |
| US07669010B2 |
Prefetch miss indicator for cache coherence directory misses on external caches
A system, method and article of manufacture for reducing latencies associated with cache coherence directory misses on external caches in a shared distributed memory data processing system. A cache coherence directory is evaluated for possible prefetching of a directory entry into a directory cache. A prefetch miss indicator is set if the prefetch evaluated results in a directory miss. The prefetch miss indicator is consulted during subsequent processing of a memory block request corresponding to the directory entry. An accelerated snoop response action is taken if the prefetch miss indicator is set. The latency of a second lookup into the cache coherence directory, which would otherwise be required, is thereby avoided. |
| US07669007B2 |
Mirrored redundant array of independent disks (RAID) random access performance enhancement
Provided are techniques for processing read and write request operations. Regions of a first storage device and a second storage device are designated as primary regions and secondary regions for read request operations and write request operations falling within the regions. At least one write request operation is processed. Upon determining that a write threshold has been reached, the designations of regions of the first storage device and the second storage device are switched. |
| US07669006B2 |
System and computer program product for synchronizing direct access storage volumes
A system and computer program product for synchronizing direct access storage volumes designated as managed by storage management software with direct access storage volumes available to a computer system. An identifier of a volume is provided. The volume is connected to and available to a computer system, and is not managed by storage management software. The identifier is matched with an identification pattern included in a record of a database accessible to the computer system. Management options that facilitate managing the volume by the storage management software, and that are included in the record are retrieved from the record. The volume is automatically added to a set of volumes being managed by the storage management software. The adding of the volume includes designating the volume as being managed by the storage management software and providing the management options to the storage management software. |
| US07669004B2 |
Flash storage system with write-erase abort detection mechanism
The present invention presents a non-volatile memory and method for its operation that ensures reliable mechanism for write and erase abort detection in the event of lost of power during non-volatile memory programming and erasing with minimized system performance penalty. During a multi-sector write process, an indication of a successful write in one sector is written into the overhead of the following sector at the same time as the following sector's data content is written. The last sector written will additionally have an indication of its own successful write written into its overhead. For erase, an erase abort flag in the first sector of the block can be marked after a successful erase operation. |
| US07669001B1 |
Method and system for using application specific integrated circuits
A method and system for processing received and transmit data by an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) from a network link. The method for received data includes swapping received data polarity if swap-polarity ability is set and swapping byte lanes for the received data if swap-lane ability is set. The method for transmit data includes swapping byte lanes for transmit data, if swap-byte lane ability is set and swapping data polarity if swap-polarity ability is set. The ASIC includes a network connector that receives and transmits data from the network link. |
| US07668998B2 |
Methods, systems, and devices for providing an interrupt scheme in automated pharmaceutical dispensing machines without centralized arbitration
In a method for communication between a master node and a plurality of slave nodes connected by a bus therebetween, a first interrupt request is asserted by one of the plurality of slave nodes via a primary interrupt line. The plurality of slave nodes are electrically connected by the primary interrupt line. A unique delay time for requesting an interrupt is associated with each of the plurality of slave nodes. A second interrupt request is asserted by the one of the plurality of slave nodes via a secondary interrupt line electrically connecting the plurality of slave nodes. The second interrupt request is asserted in response to successfully asserting the first interrupt request and after the unique delay time associated with the one of the plurality of slave nodes. A message is then transmitted from the one of the plurality of slave nodes to the master node via the bus. Related systems and devices are also discussed, including the use of the primary and secondary interrupt request lines to provide bus arbitration between the plurality of slave nodes for communication with the master node. |
| US07668997B2 |
High speed bus system that incorporates uni-directional point-to-point buses
An apparatus comprises a plurality of ports wherein each port is adapted to couple to a device. At least one port connects by way of first and second unidirectional, point-to-point communication links with a device. The first unidirectional, point-to-point communication link transfers data from the device to the central logic unit and the second unidirectional, point-to-point communication link transfers data from the central logic unit to the device. |
| US07668996B2 |
Method of piggybacking multiple data tenures on a single data bus grant to achieve higher bus utilization
An improved method, device and data processing system are presented. In one embodiment, the method includes a source device sending a request for a bus grant to deliver data to a data bus connecting a source device and a destination device. The device receives the bus grant and logic within the device determines whether the bandwidth of the data bus allocated to the bus grant will be filled by the data. If the bandwidth of the data bus allocated to the bus grant will not be filled by the data, the device appends additional data to the first data and delivers the combined data to the data bus during the bus grant for the first data. When the bandwidth of the data bus allocated to the bus grant will be filled by the first data, the device delivers only the first data to the data bus during the bus grant. |
| US07668994B2 |
Method for optimizing bandwidth utilization in bus systems
In accordance to one aspect, a method for optimizing the effective data transmission rate in a bus system, in particular in automation technology is provided. A data telegram used in higher-order data networks based on the Internet protocol, with at least one data telegram, at least one data segment and/or at least one data section being generated and/or modified and/or deleted by at least one slave. The topology of the bus system can hereby be selected according to the application and is taken into account in the configuration of the data contained in the data telegrams, without infringing the protocol characteristics of the higher-order data network. The number of data telegrams required is hereby significantly reduced, in particular on communication links with maximum loading. |
| US07668992B2 |
Context-based operation reconfigurable instruction set processor and method of operation
A reconfigurable context-based operation instruction set processor for use in a processing system capable of executing a first instruction set. The reconfigurable context-based operation instruction set processor comprises: 1) a reconfigurable data path comprising a plurality of reconfigurable functional blocks; and 2) a programmable finite state machine capable of controlling the reconfigurable data path. The programmable finite state machine is capable of executing a first plurality of context-related instructions that are a first subset of the first instruction set. |
| US07668989B2 |
Semiconductor device and electronic instrument
A semiconductor device includes a first semiconductor chip, and a second semiconductor chip which includes a high-speed serial I/F circuit which transfers serial data between the high-speed serial I/F circuit and an external device through a serial bus and is stacked on the first semiconductor chip. A pad region in which pads (electrodes) for connecting the external device and the high-speed serial I/F circuit are disposed is provided along a first side of the second semiconductor chip which is the short side. A pad region in which pads for connecting an internal circuit included in the first semiconductor chip and the high-speed serial I/F circuit are disposed is provided along a second side of the second semiconductor chip which is the long side. |
| US07668987B2 |
Method and apparatus for controlling a peripheral via different data ports
A peripheral such as a printer is controlled to receive data from different data ports. A first port receives data formatted according to a first protocol. A second port receives data formatted according to a second protocol. A first processor is associated with the peripheral. A second processor is associated with the second port. A switch is adapted to receive (i) first data from the first port and (ii) second data from the second port after processing by the second processor. The switch is controlled in response to a message received via the second port to couple either the first data or second data to the first processor for use in controlling the peripheral. New firmware can be downloaded to the peripheral via the second port in response to the message. The message can be communicated to the first processor via a separate port at the first processor and a memory shared with the second processor. |
| US07668986B2 |
Installing drivers
A peripheral device having: an interface for connection to a host device; a memory for storing software for use by the host device for operating with the peripheral device; and a processor for controlling the operation of the device such that the device has two operating modes over the interface: a first mode in which it operates as a storage device storing the said software and a second mode in which it operates as a device for providing other functionality to a device connected to it via the interface by means of the software; the peripheral device being configured so that on connection of the interface to a host device it operates in the first mode and so that it subsequently operates in the second mode. |
| US07668982B2 |
System and method for synchronous processing of media data on an asynchronous processor
The present invention provides a method and system for processing media data on a host processor. The method and system involve receiving media data, generating clocking signals, transferring media data to host processor buffers, generating media transfer done interrupts for each media data stream and generating an override interrupt to indicate to the host processor to process the media data. The override interrupt has high priority and effectively indicates to the host processor to forgo all other scheduled tasks and to start processing the media data. |
| US07668979B1 |
Buffering data in a parallel processing environment
An integrated circuit includes a plurality of tiles. Each tile comprises a processor; a switch including switching circuitry to forward data over data paths from other tiles to the processor and to switches of other tiles; a first buffer that stores data from the switch; a memory accessible to the processor; a second buffer that stores a plurality of data words retrieved from the memory; and a multiplexer that selectively provides data to the processor from the first buffer or the second buffer based on a refill signal. |
| US07668972B2 |
System and method for multi-layered network communications
A multi-layered network for transporting data comprises a first network layer that provides a first session topology, and a second network layer that provides a second session topology. The second network layer uses the first network layer to transport data. In one embodiment of the invention, the data sent by the second layer is real-time audio data, such as voice. Each session topology may be either peer-to-peer or client/server. The first and second layers may have different topologies and/or different session hosts. A deterministic algorithm is provided whereby a new session host is selected when the current host leaves the session. |
| US07668969B1 |
Rule structure for performing network switch functions
One or more rules for performing one or more network switch functions, the one or more rules conforming to an improved rule structure, are provided. The improved rule structure comprises a first specification defining one or more conditions to be met, the one or more conditions comprising or including one or more conditions to be met by one or more usage-derived packet statistics, and a second specification defining one or more actions to be taken by the network switch if the one or more specified conditions are met. |
| US07668966B2 |
Data network controller
The present invention provides for a system and method for data network control. Using a flow control system, embodiments of the present invention can analyze traffic flow volume and performance, incorporate usage, billing, and cost control data to yield an improved data network controller. Efficiency in data routing is improved while costs are decreased by enabling the selection of the optimal performance data route. Cost constraints and costs are minimized for an overall data load. Given a diverse set of cost structures for available transit providers, the overall system cost can be minimized by distributing traffic in a manner that takes advantage of the diverse billing structures and yet maintains acceptable performance levels. Systems and methods in accordance with embodiments of the present invention determine projected flow performance and projected flow volume in relation to the available bandwidth and marginal cost to a destination provider. |
| US07668965B2 |
Systems, methods, and media for managing an interactive streaming image system
Systems, methods and media for managing an interactive streaming image system are disclosed. More particularly, hardware and/or software for generating, encoding, and transmitting image frames to an interactive client are disclosed. One embodiment provides a method for streaming images from a server to a client. Embodiments may include receiving from the client via a network client information and generating a new image frame based on the received client information. Embodiments may also include comparing the new image frame and a previous image frame and setting a new compression level based on the comparison between the new image frame and the previous image frame. Embodiments may also include encoding the new image frame based on the new compression level and transmitting the encoded new image frame and an indication of the new compression level to the client via the network. |
| US07668962B2 |
System and method for connection failover using redirection
A system for connection failover using redirection includes a primary server comprising a primary connection failover driver (CFD), a shadow server comprising a shadow CFD, and a client. The primary and shadow servers and the client are coupled via a network. The primary server and the client are configured to cooperate to establish a network connection. The primary CFD is configured to redirect a first message packet, targeted for transmission to the client over the network connection, to the shadow server. The shadow CFD is configured to copy contents of the first message packet into a log, and forward the first message packet to the client after the contents have been copied. |
| US07668960B2 |
Territorial determination of remote computer location in a wide area network for conditional delivery of digitized products
Digital products are delivered to a client computer through a wide area network such as the Internet only upon determination that the client computer is located in a geopolitical territory, such as a country or state, for which delivery of the digital product is authorized. A server computer estimates the geopolitical location of the client computer from the client computer's network address through contact information in a network address allocation database. Alternatively, the server computer estimates the geopolitical location of the client computer from the client computer's custom name, e.g., domain name. The domain name itself can specify a country within which the client computer is located. Such can be conventional or can be parse according to ad hoc patterns developed by large, international organizations identified by a root domain name. In addition, contact information for the domain name can be retrieved and geopolitical territory information parsed from the contact information. A super-classification of the domain name can indicate a geopolitical territory. Records associating geopolitical territories with network address ranges are stored in such a manner that maximizes resolution within a cache of such records, perhaps at the expense of reduce efficiency but so as to maximum currency and accuracy. |
| US07668959B2 |
Link manager and link management method
There is disclosed a link manager comprises detecting unit for detecting what link is installed; managing unit for defining a plurality of link metrics indicating characteristics of each link detected and managing data corresponding to the respective link metrics on a table; and selecting unit for selecting a link having link metrics complying with a given condition. |
| US07668957B2 |
Partitioning social networks
The present invention provides a unique system and method that facilitates reducing network traffic between a plurality of servers located on a social-based network. The system and method involve identifying a plurality of vertices or service users on the network with respect to their server or network locations. The vertices' contacts or connections can be located or determined as well. In order to minimize communication traffic, the vertices and their connections with respect to their respective server locations can be analyzed to determine whether at least a subset of nodes should be moved or relocated to another server to facilitate mitigating network traffic while balancing user load among the various servers or parts of the network. Thus, an underlying social network can be effectively partitioned. In addition, the network can be parsed into a collection of nested layers, whereby each successively less dense layer can be partitioned with respect to the previous (partitioned) more dense layer. |
| US07668955B2 |
Method and apparatus for conducting a transaction between transaction processing systems
When investigating a failure occurring in a transaction between information processing apparatuses, it is possible to reduce the time required for the failure investigation. A first local ID for identifying a transaction processing of first information processing apparatus is related with a standard ID for relating transaction processing of the first and the second information processing apparatuses with each other the related IDs and are stored in a first mapping table. The standard ID and a transaction processing request are transmitted to the second information processing apparatus to request execution of a transaction processing therefor. If a failure occurs in the requested transaction processing, a standard ID of the transaction processing concerned is specified to inquire a second local ID for identifying the transaction processing. Mapping information for relating the first local ID corresponding to the specified standard ID with the transmitted second local ID is generated. |
| US07668954B1 |
Unique identifier validation
The ability to validate the identity of a specific machine connected to a computerized network is provided. This involves validating MAC addresses, or any other form of digital identification that should be uniquely associated with a computer or user. This take places through the use of an identification registrar and an identification valuator. Such an identification validation system can be used with MAC addresses and can be used in conjunction with a system that records other information necessary to associate activity on a computer network with the validated MAC address. In this way, the specific computer or user associated with network activity can be determined, and it can be guaranteed that the identification has not been tampered with. |
| US07668952B2 |
Apparatus, system, and method for controlling a processing system
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for controlling a processing system. The apparatus to control a processing system is provided with a plurality of modules configured to functionally execute the necessary steps of controlling a processing system. These modules in the described embodiments include a data acquisition module that acquires performance data for a processing system, a data analysis module that calculates the slope between adjacent data points, a data normalization module that normalizes the data and computes a second order difference between the calculated slopes, a performance analysis module that determines the performance value that corresponds to the maximum calculated slope, a performance comparison module that sets a preferred performance threshold, and a performance control module that controls the processing system to achieve the preferred performance threshold. |
| US07668945B2 |
Network booting using a platform management coprocessor
Embodiments of a system and method for enabling a target computer to download a boot image and operating system from a boot server computer over a network are described. The target computer system includes a host processor environment and a platform management coprocessor subsystem that includes a microcontroller for providing manageability of the target computer platform. During a network boot procedure, the platform management coprocessor code employs a network access channel to retrieve the boot server name and a network address for the target computer. The platform management coprocessor code implements security measures to help ensure secure interaction between the boot server and the target computer. Once the secure association is established, the network boot process uses the BIOS code for the successive bulk downloads of the operating system to be loaded onto the target computer. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US07668936B1 |
Continuous media playback system controlled over a distributed communication system
A continuous play broadcast system includes a distributed communications system and a playback control device that is connected to the distributed communications system. The playback control device includes an output device, memory that stores digital media files and a continuous play program, and a controller that outputs the digital media files to the output device according to the continuous play program. The media files include at least one of audio, video and announcements. A computer is connected to the distributed communications system. A web server is connected to the distributed communications system and to a master library of the digital media files. The computer accesses the web server via the distributed communications system to alter the continuous play program for the playback control device. The computer includes a browser module for accessing the web server and the web server transmits executable files to the computer for creating the continuous play program. The executable files are at least one of Active-X® components, Java Applets® and Java Script®. The continuous play broadcast system can also deliver video files and announcement files using the continuous play program. The computer and the playback control device can be integrated. |
| US07668933B2 |
Information processing apparatus and method and program
Disclosed herein is an information processing apparatus configured to distribute stored content to a client reproducing apparatus connected to the information processing apparatus via a network, which may include acquiring means; real item information generating means; extracting means; virtual item generating means; reproduction sequence list generating means; virtual item information generating means; collecting means; and distributing means. |
| US07668931B2 |
Context-aware systems and methods, location-aware systems and methods, context-aware vehicles and methods of operating the same, and location-aware vehicles and methods of operating the same
In various embodiments, a context or location service module, implemented in software, determines a vehicle context or a vehicle location based upon information that it receives from various context providers or location providers respectively. Software executing on a vehicle's computer can then cause one or more applications that are associated with a vehicle computer to be modified in a manner that changes their behavior. |
| US07668928B2 |
System and method for recording and playing back interactive content during a broadcast event
A system and method for interactive events relating to broadcast content, whether provided over the television, internet, or other means, provides messages that can be transmitted to different types of user devices, including personal computers, set top boxes, net top boxes, and wireless clients. The system can be used with personal recorders by recording interactive content for display with the broadcast when the recorder is used to play back the broadcast. |
| US07668924B1 |
Methods and system for integrating SAN servers
Multiple servers such as a main server as well as one or more corresponding sub-servers manage configuration information associated with a storage area network. A sub-server operates differently depending on whether the sub-server has been “integrated” with a main server in the storage area network. For example, in response to detecting a presence of a main server in the storage area network and that the corresponding sub-server has been integrated with the main server, a respective sub-server initiates execution of at least a portion of function calls associated with a respective service at the main server in lieu of executing the function calls locally at the respective sub-server. In the absence of the main server and/or integration, the sub-server operates independently and executes function calls locally rather than forward function calls associated with a respective service to the main server. |
| US07668922B2 |
Identifying and displaying relevant shared entities in an instant messaging system
An apparatus, program product and/or method identify relevant shared entities and/or display shared entities in an instant messaging system. In particular, entities such as files, images, videos, e-mails, links, bookmarks, databases, transcripts of other instant messages, etc. that are shared between users participating in an instant message session may be identified and highlighted to indicate that the shared entities are related to the instant message session. Furthermore, a link to an entity may be sent to a user when the entity is referenced in an instant message of the instant message session. Additionally, a display representation of entities that are shared with a user may be displayed in the user's buddy list to indicate that the shared entity is accessible to the user and whom shared the entity with the user. Furthermore, a transcript may be associated with an entity. |
| US07668921B2 |
Method and system for phishing detection
A method for detection of phishing attempts in received electronic mail messages includes retrieving the source code, displayed text, and a list of all specified addresses contained within the source code of a received electronic message. Visual character normalization is applied to each specified address to develop all possible address combinations and to form a normalized address list. The specified addresses are removed from the normalized address list to create a revised address list, upon which comparison tests are performed to determine if each address in the revised address list is from a valid source. The recipient of the electronic message is informed of any message found to be from an invalid source. |
| US07668917B2 |
Method and apparatus for ensuring accountability in the examination of a set of data elements by a user
A method for substantially assuring the examination of a set of data elements by a first user with a messaging device, the set of data elements further comprising a metadata portion. The method further includes determining a set of data elements, each data element of the set of data elements further comprising a state. The method also includes creating a first set of rules for monitoring a change to the state, creating a second of rules for transforming the set of data elements from a first representation to a second representation, based in part on the metadata, and creating a third set of rules for optimizing the delivery of a notification to the first user, based in part on the first set of rules, the notification further comprising a link to the second representation. The method further includes sending the notification to the first user based in part on the third set of rules. And, if the first user does not redeem the second representation, the method includes sending the notification to a second user. |
| US07668912B2 |
Real-time one-button integrated support for networked devices
A method and system for providing technical support for networked devices includes a first client component on a networked device having a conferencing application to enable communication exchange with a second client component. A server component is configured to distribute video and audio data streams to the first client component and the second client component in a conference session. A conference channel communication connection is established over which the video and audio data streams are carried between the first client component, the server component, and the second client component, and a back-channel communication connection is established for transmission of diagnostic and status information. A service call is managed by a service center dispatcher, who connects a technician client and a networked device client in a multi-party conference hosted on one of a plurality of load balanced servers. |
| US07668910B2 |
Provision of services in a network comprising coupled computers
The invention relates to a system and a method for simplified provision of services (1, 2) within a network (3) comprising coupled computers (4, 5), wherein the computers (4, 5) have storage means (20) for storing objects (7, 8), with the objects (7, 8) having first means (21) for loading, storing and processing descriptions (11) of groups (9, 10), with the objects (7, 8) having second means (22) for loading, storing and executing services (1, 2) assigned by the respective groups (9, 10), with a group (9, 10) having associated with it in each case the objects (7, 8) that have stored the description (11) of the respective group (9, 10), with the description (11) of a group (9, 10) determining the semantics of the services (1, 2) assigned to the respective group (9, 10), with the objects (7, 8) having search means (33) for conducting parallel searches within different groups (9, 10) for objects (7, 8) having the services (1, 2) assigned to the respective group (9, 10) and executable by the respective objects (7, 8), and with the objects (7, 8) having third means (23) for initiating the execution of the services (1, 2) which can be executed by another object (7, 8) of the group (9, 10) and are assigned to the respective group (9, 10). |
| US07668904B2 |
Session replication
Methods, apparatuses, and products are disclosed for session replication that include enqueueing sessions on a replication queue and flushing enqueued sessions, from the replication queue to a replication peer, in dependence upon flushing criteria, for storage on a replication medium. The replication medium may be non-volatile storage in a database or remote random access memory. Flushing may be carried out periodically or in dependence upon replication queue depth. Flushing may include aggregating sessions from the replication queue for transmission to the replication peer. |
| US07668901B2 |
Methods and system using a local proxy server to process media data for local area users
Methods and system are disclosed to minimize inefficiencies for local area users to share and access data. A local proxy server operates in conjunction with a central server. Local area users can post or store (“store”) data, e.g., media data, on the local proxy server in order for the data to be accessed locally. The local proxy server can also store the data from the local area users on a central server. Additionally, the local proxy server can copy data being stored on the central server for local access by the local area users. In this manner, local area users can utilize the benefits (e.g., higher bandwidth and faster download speed) of storing and accessing media data to and from a local area source (i.e., the local proxy server). |
| US07668899B2 |
Decoupled routing network method and system
A method and system in a routing network sends a request for the performance of a task from an originating node in a routing system to nodes having an interface connection with the originating node. Upon receiving a response to the request from the one or more nodes, one or more of the nodes is selected to perform the task. Any node included in the network can comprise an originating node, and the steps of sending and selecting are performed substantially automatically. A preferential order of nodes automatically and dynamically maintained in dependence on the performance of task(s) by the nodes. |
| US07668890B2 |
Prefix search circuitry and method
Prefix searches for directing internet data packets are performed in a prefix search integrated circuit. The integrated circuit includes an array of search engines, each of which accesses a prefix search tree data structure to process a prefix search. An SDRAM is dedicated to each search engine, and SDRAMs share address and control pins to plural search engines on the IC chip. Internal nodes of the tree data structure are duplicated across banks of the SDRAMs to increase bandwidth, and leaf nodes are stored across the SDRAM banks to reduce storage requirements. Within each search engine, data stored in a data register from an SDRAM is compared to a prefix search key stored in a key register. Based on that comparison, an address is calculated to access further tree structure data from the SDRAM. Packet descriptors containing search keys are forwarded to the search engines from an input queue and the search results are forwarded to an output queue, the same packet order being maintained in the two queues. |
| US07668887B2 |
Method, system and software product for locating documents of interest
A computer-implemented method of maintaining a list of documents of interest to a user within a corpus of documents includes associating an editable user document with the corpus and generating an initial list of documents based upon an initial content of the user document. The list is generated by cross-referencing the initial content with content of documents in the corpus, and each entry in the initial list is assigned a corresponding initial ranking value based upon the cross-referencing. The user is presented with an initial list of documents of interest from within the corpus on the basis of the initial ranking values. Responsive to one or more updates of the editable document by the user, one or more further lists of documents are generated based upon updated content of the document. The process may be repeated to provide the user with ongoing feedback of relevant documents within the corpus. |
| US07668884B2 |
Systems and methods for classifying and transferring information in a storage network
Systems and methods for data classification to facilitate and improve data management within an enterprise are described. The disclosed systems and methods evaluate and define data management operations based on data characteristics rather than data location, among other things. Also provided are methods for generating a data structure of metadata that describes system data and storage operations. This data structure may be consulted to determine changes in system data rather than scanning the data files themselves. |
| US07668881B1 |
System and method for associating NIS attributes with CIFS clients
A system and method for associating NIS attributes with CIFS client. Upon requesting attributes by a CIFS client, a CIFS security ID (SID) is generated for the owner and group from the NIS attributes associated with the NIS name. The generated SIDs are returned to the CIFS client. The SIDs are generated using the NIS UID or GID and a CIFS domain associated with the file server storing the referenced file. |
| US07668880B1 |
Offsite computer file backup system providing rapid recovery and method thereof
A computer file backup system and method are provided. An onsite backup device is in communication with the primary device and includes a first backup copy of the files. The primary device includes a first instance of file modification detection software. The onsite backup device includes a first instance of file modification software, as well as a second instance of the file modification detection software. A central backup device is provided in communication with the onsite backup device, and a second backup copy of the files resides there. The central backup device includes a second instance of the file modification software. The detection software detects respective changes to the files between i) the original files and the first copy, or ii) the first copy and the second copy, to determine which files have been updated or renamed. A fork is provided on the backup devices to preserve file metadata. |
| US07668879B2 |
Database system configured for automatic failover with no data loss
Techniques used in an automatic failover configuration having a primary database system, a standby database system, and an observer for preventing divergence among the primary and standby database systems while increasing the availability of the primary database system. In the automatic failover configuration, the primary database system remains available even in the absence of both the standby and the observer as long as the standby and the observer become absent sequentially. The failover configuration further permits automatic failover only when the observer is present and the standby and the primary are synchronized and inhibits state changes during failover. The database systems and the observer have copies of failover configuration state and the techniques include techniques for propagating the most recent version of the state among the databases and the observer and techniques for using carefully-ordered writes to ensure that state changes are propagated in a fashion which prevents divergence. |
| US07668870B1 |
Methods and systems for updating web pages via a web data instant update utility
A method for updating web pages on a web server without republishing the web pages involves providing on a production database server a live version of one or more business data tables containing information used to populate web pages on a production web server and storing in a quality assurance database server a quality assurance version of the business data tables that can be used to populate pages on a quality assurance web server. A maker at a business workstation can access the quality assurance database server from time to time and enter a change to data on the quality assurance version of the business data tables. Thereafter a checker at a business workstation accesses the quality assurance database server to review and approve or reject the changes to the data on the quality assurance version of the business data tables, and if the checker approves the changes, the changes to the data on the quality assurance version of the business data tables are replicated from the quality assurance database server to the live version of the business data tables on the production database server. |
| US07668865B2 |
Document analysis system and method
Documents having a structured nature such as contracts, legislation, etc. can be formatted to emphasize their logical structure. In a document formatting method, a set of document element classes each representing a logical operator may be defined. Each document element class may have a set of document section formatting rules and a defined set of document elements such as text strings that provide an expression of the logical operator of the class. Document elements within a document may be identified and used to classify a document section containing the document elements into one or more of the document element classes. The formatting rules of the classified class may then be used to re-format the particular document section so that a reformatted version of the document section accords with the formatting rules for document sections of that class. |
| US07668864B2 |
Digital library system with customizable workflow
A customizable workflow is specified in a script that is associated with an object that is to be processed by the workflow. Both the object and the script can be stored in a content management system, with the object and script associated with one another by way of identifying the script in metadata stored in the system for the object. The script can be located by locating the object. The script can specify a sequence of a plurality of workflow processes that are performed over the life of the object. |
| US07668863B2 |
Method and apparatus for management of court schedules
A method and apparatus for generating court calendars. A court date server is coupled to a database of court rules for generation of court dates. A user accesses the court date server via a communications network and submits event and jurisdiction data to the court date server. The court date server uses the event data and the jurisdiction data to generate a court calendar of event dates that is transmitted to the user. In one embodiment of a court date server, the court date server is coupled to a user database. The court date server stores the court calendar in the user database for later retrieval and use by the user. In addition, the court date server uses the stored court calendar to generate court date reminders that are sent to the user and to send notifications to the user when court rules are modified that affect the user's already calculated court dates. |
| US07668860B2 |
Apparatus and method for constructing and using a semantic abstraction for querying hierarchical data
A computer readable storage medium includes executable instructions to receive hierarchical data. A schema for the hierarchical data is also received. An entity relationship model for the hierarchical data is generated. A semantic abstraction associated with the entity relationship model is defined. An abstract term representing an underlying data element within the hierarchical data represented by the semantic abstraction is also defined. |
| US07668857B2 |
Meta-data tags used to describe data behaviors
A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program code to aggregate data. Data is parsed for a behavior tag assigned to a portion of the data. In response to detecting a behavior tag, a determination is made as to whether a policy is associated with the behavior tag. The policy associated with a behavior tag defines how the portion of the data assigned to the behavior tag is to be aggregated. The portion of the data is aggregated using the policy associated with the behavior tag. |
| US07668854B2 |
System and method of building proven search paths
A system and method associates a search term with a document accessible over a network. In one embodiment, the search term and an address to the document is received from a user. The system creates the association responsive to user input indicating that the association should be made, and presents the association to users responsive to a subsequent query that includes the search term. The address may be, for example, a URL or an IP address of a web page accessible over the Internet. |
| US07668844B2 |
Recording medium, and method and apparatus for reproducing data from the recording medium
A recording medium, and a method and apparatus for reproducing data from the recording medium are disclosed. A disc package for effectively reproducing data having different attributes recorded in the recording medium, and a method and apparatus for reproducing data of the recording medium and data downloaded from a content provider (CP) are disclosed. A first case in which the CP transmits an updated management file, and a second case in which a disc player forms an updated management file are disclosed. |
| US07668843B2 |
Identification of anomalous data records
Identifying anomalies or outliers in a set of data records employs a distance or similarity measure between features of record pairs that depends upon the frequencies of the feature values in the set. Feature distances may be combined for a total distance between record pairs. An outlier is indicated for a certain score that may be based upon the pairwise distances. Outliers may be employed to detect intrusions in computer networks. |
| US07668842B2 |
Playlist structure for large playlists
Enabling efficient navigation of a playlist of media files stored on a computer-readable medium. Aspects of the invention define a playlist structure to have one or more playlist units. Each playlist unit identifies one or more media files in the playlist and includes metadata for the media files. A consumer electronic device retrieves the playlist units and displays the metadata contained therein to a user to enable navigation of the playlist. Aspects of the invention reduce the memory requirements of the consumer electronic devices and reduce the quantity of disk seek operations needed for playlist navigation. |
| US07668839B2 |
Application management for utilizing a replication engine of a Web-AP server to execute SIP replication
An application management system includes a first application manager which manages one or more first applications based on a first network protocol and manages first unit processing related to an execution of each of the first applications; a first unit processing replica generator that generates a replica of the first unit processing; a second application manager which manages one or more second applications based on a second network protocol and manages second unit processing related to an execution of each of the second applications; and a second unit processing replica manager that converts the second unit processing to the first unit processing and causes the first unit processing replica generator to generate a replica of the converted first unit processing for generating a replica of the second unit processing. |
| US07668838B2 |
Providing event information to third party event applications
Techniques for accessing an events repository are provided. An event information repository contains event records defining real world events. A programmatic interface is exposed to third-party applications for accessing the event records within the repository. Specifically, the programmatic interface provides a set of routines that perform operations on the repository. Using the programmatic interface, third-party applications may call the set of routines to cause operations to be executed on the repository. Further, techniques are provided for controlling the display of private events within a first-party event application and also for associating user-defined tags with events using the events repository. |
| US07668835B2 |
Medical image management system
A method of managing medical information is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of receiving medical information in a format incompatible with the World Wide Web and converting the medical information to a format compatible with the World Wide Web. Further, the medical information is physically stored at a single location. |
| US07668834B2 |
Method for client-side personalization
A method or data processing system readable medium can be used for communications between a user and a network site. The method or medium may allow a user to determine what, if any, personal information should be transmitted to the network site. In one embodiment, the user may request personalization information including personalization rule(s) from the network site. The user can generate personalization logic based on the personalization information. In this manner, the user has better control over his or her personal information. The server computer at the network site may benefit because it does not have to generate the personalization logic for the user. Accordingly, the server computer at the network site may be able to accommodate more users or can respond to them faster. |
| US07668832B2 |
Determining and/or using location information in an ad system
The usefulness, and consequently the performance, of advertisements are improved by allowing businesses to better target their ads to a responsive audience. Location information is determined (or simply accepted) and used. For example, location information may be used in a relevancy determination of an ad. As another example, location information may be used in an attribute (e.g., position) arbitration. Such location information may be associated with price information, such as a maximum price bid. Such location information may be associated with ad performance information. Ad performance information may be tracked on the basis of location information. The content of an ad creative, and/or of a landing page may be selected and/or modified using location information. Finally, tools, such as user interfaces, may be provided to allow a business to enter and/or modify location information, such as location information used for targeting and location-dependent price information. The location information used to target and/or score ads may be, include, or define an area. The area may be defined by at least one geographic reference point (e.g., defined by latitude and longitude coordinates) and perhaps additional information. Thus, the area may be a circle defined by a geographic reference point and a radius, an ellipse defined by two geographic reference points and a distance sum, or a polygon defined by three or more geographic reference points, for example. |
| US07668830B2 |
Access rights
A device and method define an access right to a shared data item. The method includes defining a group of one or more contacts in a contact list, assigning an access right to the group of one or more contacts, and assigning the group of one or more contacts to a shared data item. A device and method also provide a service based on the access right to the shared data item. The method includes receiving a request for a service from a user at a second device, the request including a resource identifier, selecting a user identifier for the user, selecting an access group identifier from a contact list using the user identifier, selecting an access right for the user using the access group identifier, determining if the user has permission to access a data item identified by the resource identifier, if the user has permission to access the data item, determining if the access right allows performance of the service, and providing the service at the first device if the access right allows performance of the service. |
| US07668828B2 |
Computer-implemented electronic diary to enter locked notes for historical archival
A system for the entry of notes on a policy or claim, wherein the notes, after submission, are stored is non-editable form and are locked in a database for historical archival. In one scenario, the entered notes are editable and can be deleted for a pre-set time period, wherein, after the expiration of the pre-set time period, the entered notes are stored is non-editable form and are locked in a database for historical archival. Filters can be used to categorize and render the stored notes based on a set of categories. |
| US07668827B2 |
Display interface for navigating search results
Navigating a collection of nodes by selecting a first node, generating a context list, and displaying the first node and list are discussed. Each context of a context collection includes a second node essentially referencing the first node. Another aspect includes a method of generating an address from a collection of contexts containing steps of receiving a selected attribute collection and generating the address. Another aspect includes a method of navigating a hypergraph including at least one context list containing at least one context including a node. The method includes steps of selecting a first context list of the context lists, selecting a first context of the first context list, and displaying the node of the first context of the first context list. Aspects also include computer programs implemented on computer readable media. |
| US07668822B2 |
Method for assigning quality scores to documents in a linked database
Exemplary methods for assigning relative rank values to a plurality of linked documents are provided. In one embodiment, the method comprises constructing or modeling a nodal network according to a connectivity graph of a linked database and determining conductance of inter-nodal links based on a link structure of the nodal network and rank values of end-nodes. The method may further comprise computing rank values of nodes in the nodal network through an iterative process, and obtaining quality scores for documents from the rank values of the nodes. The method may also include obtaining the quality scores for groups of documents. |
| US07668814B2 |
Document management system
A document management system includes an image input unit that inputs a document as an electronic image; a character extraction unit that extracts character information from the input electronic image; a word extraction unit that extracts words from the character information; a document search unit that normalizes the extracted words, registers the normalized words in an index, and searches electronic images using the index; an attribute information generation unit that generates attribute information including the extracted words, positions and sizes of the extracted words, and the normalized words referring to the positions and sizes of corresponding extracted words; a search condition input unit that inputs a search keyword that is used by the document search unit when searching for a target electronic image; and a word highlighting unit that highlights the search keyword in the target electronic image found by the document search unit based on the attribute information. |
| US07668810B2 |
Controlling consistency of data storage copies
A data storage system which copies data from source data storage volumes to target data storage volumes restricts a write operation to at least one source data storage volume (FREEZE), to prevent the updating of a source while the data of a consistency group of interdependent data is being copied. Program logic selects a source data storage volume to which the restriction applies as a verification volume; and the program logic responds to a verification request to first employ the verification volume to verify that the restriction remains in place with respect to the verification volume, and to allow a reset of the restriction (THAW). |
| US07668809B1 |
Method and apparatus for dynamic information connection search engine
A method and apparatus are provided for a dynamic information connection engine. User actions may be detected on at least one client system. In response, a determination may be made whether the user is searching for supported information. When the user is searching for supported information, information may be extracted electronically from, for example, third party websites, direct supplier connections, and/or intermediate databases. Potential suppliers may be automatically selected in response to the detected user search. Queries may be formulated from the user search and transferred to one or more selected suppliers. Responses may be received from the suppliers, and used to generate a result list for the user. The result list may include information and/or query status information. Further, an electronic link may be provided to a website of one or more of the suppliers from which the information was derived. |
| US07668805B2 |
System and method for managing query access to information
A system, computer usable medium and computer-based method for supporting named memory variables in an information retrieval system including a relational database. PUBLIC and PRIVATE named memory variables can be created, referenced, modified or deleted using SQL statements. The information retrieval system allocates a memory area as a named variable storage space for storing named memory variables. System catalogs may be used for storing information about PUBLIC, SECURE PUBLIC, PRIVATE, SECURE PRIVATE and pre-defined named memory variables. PUBLIC and PRIVATE named memory variables can be used for transferring information between SQL statements of one or more sessions or for retrieving system information from the relational database. Both PUBLIC and PRIVATE types can be defined as SECURE named memory variables requiring specific authorization privileges to read or write to the variable. |
| US07668799B2 |
Information processing apparatus
An information processing apparatus includes a storing unit configured to store a past history storing table for storing information indicating operations performed on one or more electronic files. |
| US07668795B2 |
Data analyzer utilizing the spreading activation theory for stemming processing
A data analyzer stores data values at any one of N stages while associating the data values with a plurality of data elements respectively and stores association weighting information among the data elements, selects one of the data elements as a target data at random and computes an input stimulus value concerned with the target data on the basis of the association weighting information between the target data and the other data elements and the data values of the other data elements, and updates the data value of the target data on the basis of the computed input stimulus value in such a manner that a threshold decided in accordance with a current data value associated with the target data and varying according to each data value is compared with the input stimulus value to determine whether the data value needs to be changed or not, and that the data value is updated when a decision is made that the data value needs to be changed. |
| US07668790B2 |
System and method for fusing data from different information sources with shared-sampling distribution based boosting
A boosting—based method and system for fusing a set of classifiers that performs classification using weak learners trained on different views of the training data. The final ensemble contains learners that are trained on examples sampled with a shared sampling distribution. The combination weights for the final weighting rule are obtained at each iteration based on the lowest training error among the views. Weights are updated in each iteration based on the lowest training error among all views at that iteration to form the shared sampling distribution used at the next iteration. In each iteration, a weak learner is selected from the pool of weak learners trained on disjoint views based on the lowest training error among all views, resulting in a lower training and generalization error bound of the final hypothesis. |
| US07668788B2 |
Resource assignment optimization using direct encoding and genetic algorithms
This invention provides a means to minimize the costs of technical and business processes. These processes are comprised of resources and tasks requiring resources. The optimization consists of the best assignment of resources to tasks to minimize the costs. In the resource assignment optimization method disclosed herein, Genetically Adapted Search Agents (GASA) are employed to improve a population of possible assignments, each represented by a single variable length chromosome, where the chromosome upon which the GASA operates is a direct encoding of possible resource to task assignments and order. To manage the enlarged search space, this method uses the GASA with substring crossover to evolve the population towards better solutions. The assignments generated by this method satisfy all constraints. |
| US07668786B2 |
Method and system for estimating the robustness of algorithms for generating characterizing information descriptive of selected printed material such as a particular address block
A method and system for selecting a characterizing algorithm to be used to characterize blocks of printed material. A digital image of printed material, such as an address block, on an object is obtained, and the image is processed to extract characterizing information descriptive of aspects of the printed material. An indicium representative of the information is then printed on the object. The object's relationship to the indicium can be verified by regenerating the characterizing information from the printed material and comparing the regenerated characterizing information with characterizing information recovered from the indicium. A particular algorithm is selected from a predetermined group of characterizing algorithms by determining an estimate for the robustness of each algorithm. |
| US07668785B1 |
Notification social networking
A method. The method includes a) sending a first transaction notification message comprising an original payee identifier to a user. The original payee identifier may be part of original transaction information associated with a first transaction. At some point, the user sees this transaction information and wants to correct one or more items in the transaction information. For example, the user may not recognize that the original payee identifier is wrong or is otherwise unrecognizable. The user may then contact a central server (e.g., via a Web site) and may provide updated transaction information such as an updated merchant identifier to the central server computer. This updated transaction information may be stored so that subsequent transactions can be accurately conducted and reported to the user, and other uses. |
| US07668782B1 |
Electronic commerce system for offer and acceptance negotiation with encryption
An electronic commerce system includes a client computer and a server computer interconnected by a public packet switched communications network. The client computer is programmed to transmit to the server computer an order acceptance request that includes a plurality of terms or conditions of a proposed offer for a purchase, including multiple options of at least one of the terms or conditions of the offer. The server computer is programmed to process the order acceptance request based on pre-programmed criteria and, based on the processing of the order acceptance request, to transmit to the client computer an order acceptance response that includes a plurality of amendments to the proposed offer for the purchase, including selection of an option of the at least one of the terms or conditions. |
| US07668780B2 |
Integrated technology money transfer system
A money transfer system where a sender can authorize an escrow agent computer system electronically by touch-tone telephone, computer modem, P.O.S.(point of sale) terminal, live operators, and the like, to send a money transfer such as a cash transfer from their card account such as their credit card, debit card, bank card, ATM card, or a bank checking account, bank savings account, and the like, to a recipient that can access the money transfer at any remote ATM type location or P.O.S.(point of sale) terminal by using magnetic cards such as a specialized magnetic (Cash Magic) card, credit cards, debit cards, and automated teller machine(ATM) card, at anytime and anywhere that the ATM or P.O.S.(point of sale) terminal is located worldwide. The system can be used to quickly and easily send another party cash for pickup at any ATM location or P.O.S.(point of sale) terminal worldwide without having pre-existing relationships between the parties. A sending party can authorize, by touch-tone and PIN(personal identification number) secure codes to a central computer system which authorizes taking of funds from one type account (for example, a bank account, a credit account, and the like) and put credit for access by a recipient-user. The recipient-users can take the cards to withdrawal sites such as ATM machines, merchant machines, credit card machines, banks, and the like, to be used. The invention computer system can monitor the charging transaction and take surcharges based on the amount of cash being transferred and deposited into the escrow account accessible by the debit type cards. The system can be an alternative to wire money transfers, and Western Union type services. The system offers customers an easy method for sending cash, making it available at existing ATM type machine locations throughout the world, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The invention can also allow for having a universal specialized magnetic card permanently tethered to an ATM machine so that money transfer recipients do not need to possess any magnetic card, and/or be used with novel double magnetic sided cards. |
| US07668777B2 |
System and method for providing instant-decision, financial network-based payment cards
A system and method for issuance of a financial network-based payment card (generally known as a “credit card”) almost instantaneously after application, wherein an applicant applies for a credit card by entering data into a data entry system, advantageously by filling in a plurality of predefined forms in a computer-based data entry system. The applicant's data is sent via a data network to a central decision center, which approves or disapproves the application. If the application is approved, data is generated and delivered to a card production system, which embosses and magnetically encodes a card blank. The card is then delivered to the applicant. |
| US07668775B2 |
Calendar overlays
Implementing an electronic calendar can include accessing a first electronic calendar owned by a first party, accessing a second electronic calendar owned by a second party, and presenting a view that combines at least one existing entry from within each of the first and second electronic calendars. Source information for each of the first and second electronic calendars may be electronically maintained. The combined view may be updated electronically to reflect a change to at least one of the existing entries from within at least one of the first and second electronic calendars. Electronic calendars may be accessed and overlaid without importing events, thus enabling simple updating. Event information may be imported and source or other attributes may be associated with imported information to enable updating and other sorting functions. |
| US07668773B1 |
Portfolio management system
Methods, apparatuses and systems allowing for optimization of individual client financial portfolios balancing risk, return, as well as transaction and tax costs, based on the inputs of at least one investment style manager. The present invention enables, in one embodiment, allocation of the management of a financial portfolio among a plurality of managers and the simultaneous optimization of the financial portfolio across all managers for after-tax returns. One embodiment of the present invention allows a professional money manager to deliver investment advice to potentially thousands of individual accounts, but tailors actual buy/sell recommendations to each individual investors tax position and preferences. |
| US07668770B2 |
Method of repeatedly securitizing intellectual property assets and facilitating investments therein
The present invention relates to methods of repeatedly valuing intellectual property assets and securitizing such assets. The present invention provides a means whereby holders or owners of proprietary intellectual property may readily determine the value to the business of the securitization of their intellectual property estate and obtain capital by securitizing all or part of their intellectual property estate. |
| US07668768B2 |
Computer-implemented method for evaluating an investment
A computer-implemented method and tool for evaluating an investment includes functionality that generates and stores data representing values/dates of a plurality of inflows and outflows over the investment period. Such data is used to derive first values that represent expected benefits over corresponding intervals of the investment period. A first net present value result is generated by discounting some or all of the first values, and then stored for output as part of the investment evaluation. The first values account for at least one of: i) interest payments and credits on calculated daily bank account balances (CDBAs) derived from the data; ii) tax payments due on CDBAs derived from the data; iii) VAT payments derived from portions of the data corresponding to forecasted sales of the investment, iv) income tax payments derived from said data, and v) allocation of forecasted net income into a plurality of predetermined categories. |
| US07668767B1 |
System and method for dynamic quantity orders in an electronic trading environment
A system and method for dynamic quantity orders in an electronic trading environment are described. According to one method, a dynamic quantity order includes a price, a desired order quantity and a percentage associated with an estimated order quantity that will be filled in an order queue. When the order is received at an electronic exchange, the order is sorted into a pro-rata order queue, and the exchange may estimate a potential order quantity that will be filled in the order queue at the price based on the defined percentage. Subsequently, the exchange may then increase the order quantity of the dynamic quantity order so that if the estimated number of fills occurs, the order quantity of the dynamic quantity order will be filled. |
| US07668765B2 |
Method and apparatus for location-sensitive, subsidized cell phone billing
A method and system for determining a billing rate of a telecommunications connection is disclosed. The method and system may be used in a location aware telecommunications system that can determine the location of a telecommunications unit (TU) being used within the system. The geographic location of a mobile unit (MU) is determined, and compared to a list a predetermined subsidized zones. When the MU initiates or receives a call from within a subsidized zone, and the MU is otherwise responsible for paying a predetermined billing rate associated with the call, the predetermined rate is subsidized for at least the portion of the call made while the MU is located within the subsidized zone. |
| US07668764B2 |
Spending vehicles for payments
A system and method for associating payments with spending vehicles so that an individual who is entitled to receive periodic or special payments such as social security checks receives in place of the payment a spending vehicle such as a discount card, rebate, or coupon for use with purchases of the sponsor's products or services. Sponsors include companies and organizations interested in offering purchase incentives to their customers. An individual who wishes to receive a spending vehicle rather than the regular payment selects the spending vehicle he or she would like to receive. The individual then assigns his or her right to receive the payment to a third party. The third party then arranges to give a spending vehicle to the individual and to transfer the individual's payment to the sponsor of the spending vehicle. The third party may take a portion of the payment as compensation for the service. |
| US07668762B2 |
Supply chain management system determining whether orders related to a family of products can be promised
A supply chain management system processing orders related to a family of products. An user may provide a parameter referred to as ‘aggregate time fence’ (ATF) duration representing an amount of advance time duration after which aggregate supply of all member items is available to satisfy the demand for any member item. For illustration, if an order for a member item is received with a required date being after the ATF duration, the order can be promised even if the required quantity of the first member item is not scheduled to be available at of the required date, provided sufficient number of units of other member items are scheduled to be available as of the requested date. Thus, orders are promised taking advantage of similarities in resource requirements of member items. |
| US07668759B2 |
Method and apparatus for meta-shopping and dynamic setup of B2B ecommerce
A method, apparatus, and computer implemented instructions for generating a customized catalog for an entity or organization. Items from a base catalog are presented to a user located at a remote data processing system. One or more items are selected by a user through a process of “meta-shopping”. The selected items are placed in a set, also referred to as a “meta-shopping cart”, used to generate the customized catalog. Terms for purchasing items in the customized catalog are associated with the customized catalog. Further, a protocol for purchasing items from the customized catalog may be established, and the customized catalog is then placed on a Web site. |
| US07668757B2 |
Methods and system of contacting at least one service provider anonymously
According to the invention disclosed herein, methods and systems are disclosed that proactively and anonymously reach out to potential service providers, through a virtual calling agent, to screen and select one or more service providers for the consumer. Such methods would be time-consuming to conduct manually but are automated efficiently and flexibly as described herein. These methods and systems are not limited to service providers who have pre-registered at any particular web site or directory. |
| US07668756B2 |
Method of providing customer services
A method for providing real-time individualized customer support simultaneously to a plurality of customers in a chat-room environment is disclosed. The method monitors the content of chats or conversations between service representatives and customers to automatically formulate product and service offerings and other services to customers in response to the chat content. |
| US07668755B2 |
Dynamically fabricated store for distribution of media content
A method for implementing a media content store includes providing a set of exemplary storefronts for the media content store; receiving a designation of a selected storefront and media content in an origination format; transforming the media content into a distribution format; and offering the transformed media content to a prospective customer through the selected storefront. |
| US07668746B2 |
Human resource assessment
Methods, devices, and systems are provided for human resource assessment. A resource planning device includes a processor, a memory, and a user interface coupled to one another. The device includes program instructions storable in the memory and executable by the processor to present, in a selectable configuration, organization specific human resource content after processing according to a selectable set of business rules. The selectable set of business rules are process neutral, brand neutral, and assessment neutral between various organizations. The device can track input to the organization specific content and analyze the input. |
| US07668745B2 |
Human resource assessment
Methods, devices, and systems are provided for human resource assessment. A resource planning device includes a processor, a memory, and a user interface coupled to one another. The device includes program instructions storable in the memory and executable by the processor to present, in a selectable configuration, organization specific human resource content after processing according to a selectable set of business rules. The selectable set of business rules are process neutral, brand neutral, and assessment neutral between various organizations. The device can track input to the organization specific content and analyze the input. A participant loading module is coupled to the processor and memory. The participant loading module includes a set of instructions which can be executed by the processor to load a client provided file of personnel information from a particular organization's enterprise database. |
| US07668744B2 |
Method and system for conducting fleet operations
A fleet engine, a crew engine, a passenger engine and an integration engine that communicate with a distributed computer network via two-way communication channels to monitor and repair disruptions to schedules particularly in the airline industry. When a disruption occurs, the method will produce a plurality of solutions that are structurally different for evaluation by the controller or operations manager. The method of generating solutions includes two phases. A first phase with artificially relaxed costs and a second phase with costs that reflect the policies and actual costs of the relevant activities. Upon creating structurally different solutions, the method evaluates the solutions and presents summary information about the solutions to the operations manager. If a violation of a rule occurs in a solution, an alert is generated to notify a user of the rule violation. |
| US07668740B1 |
Method, system, and computer program product for interfacing with information sources
A method, system and computer program product for interfacing between information requesters and information sources. In an embodiment, information is obtained from one or more information sources in response to client requests. In an embodiment, information received from information sources is cached for future use, such as for future client requests. In a caching embodiment, information can also be received by monitoring traffic between an information source and a third party, and/or by proactively querying the information sources. Proactive queries can be generated to populate a cache and/or to update presently cached information. In a caching embodiment, the invention includes methods for determining whether to respond to a request for information out-of-cache and/or with real-time information from an information source. In an embodiment, the invention interfaces with airline availability information sources. The invention also includes, without limitation, methods for interfacing with information sources through proxies, methods for ordering and prioritizing queries, methods for processing queries in a distributed architecture, and time-out features. |
| US07668738B2 |
Insurance claim filing system and method
A method and system for enabling a service provider to file insurance claims electronically directly with the payer rather than through a clearinghouse. The system has two components interacting with an existing practice management system of a service provider and with online claim filing systems of insurance payers. The first is a software application installed on the service provider's computer to seek out billing information and create files suitable for filing of formatted claims with the payer's web sites. The second component is a web portal that interacts with both the first component and the payers' web sites to keep the former with formatting requirements and to facilitate filing of the claims electronically. The system uses a software “cookie” to convey instructions to the first component so that it can automatically connect to the appropriate page of each payer's web site. |
| US07668737B2 |
Method and system for interfacing with a multi-level data structure
The present invention provides a method and system for interfacing with a multi-level data structure by selecting a concept object stored in the multi-level data structure, displaying a first image representing the selected concept object, displaying one or more second images generally above the first image, and displaying a first connector connecting each second image to the first image. Whenever the selected concept object has one or more child concept objects, one or more third images are displayed generally below the first image, and a second connector is displayed connecting each third image to the first image. Whenever the selected concept object has one or more lateral concept objects, one or more fourth images are displayed generally on one or both sides of the first image, and a third connector is displayed connecting each fourth image to the first image. |
| US07668736B2 |
Integrated emergency medical transportion database and virtual private network system
A system and method for providing secure data communications and user access authorization for an integrated emergency medical transportation database. The secure communications and user authorization is provided by a Virtual Private Network (“VPN”), allowing confidential patient medical records to be transmitted via a public network such as the Internet without compromising the confidentiality of the data. |
| US07668732B1 |
Method to improve personalized care at an urgent care facility or a hospital emergency department facility by creating a high-level of quality service
A system for improving personalized care at an urgent care unit by creating a high-level of quality service includes a special care unit in the urgent care unit and a team trained to provide high quality customer care and thereby invoke patient loyalty to the urgent care unit. The urgent care unit has a contract with an association that enables association members to become qualified patients. Qualified patients are provided an indicator to allow the team to accept the qualified patient for treatment. The qualified patients use an interface to request to request a time, the time is confirmed, and an examination ensues within thirty minutes of the time. The team member makes an evaluation to determine whether the patient stays or is transferred to the emergency department. A treatment is devised based on the evaluation. |
| US07668729B2 |
Responding to requests for data
A user information item is associated with a data set selected by a user for delivery over an electronic network. The user's present and previous data selections are analyzed to identify a user information category related to at least one of these data selections, and the user information item is chosen from the identified user information category. User information items can be combined or associated with a video, animation or multimedia data set selected by a user for delivery over an electronic network. |
| US07668725B2 |
Lead distribution system
A method is disclosed for generating a sales referral over the Internet for the sale of an asset. A first and second salesperson is provided with an account that comprises a number of clicks and a first period during which the clicks will be delivered. A click comprises an assignment on a web site of linking information corresponding to a saleperson's web site. A consumer who activates the click is transferred to a web site of the salesperson, and the click is debited from the salesperson's account. |
| US07668724B2 |
Method to use DMV web connection to process traffic tickets, appeals, and court fines
A method, system, and computer program product for processing traffic tickets is provided. In one embodiment, a department of motor vehicle (DMV) server receives, from a portable law enforcement data processing system via a network, citation data and stores the citation data. The DMV server then determines and notifies a court of jurisdiction of the citation data and receives, via the network, instructions from a client representing an accused about how the accused would like to proceed with the case. Based on the instructions received on behalf of the client, the DMV server modifies the citation data. |
| US07668721B2 |
Indexing and strong verbal content
Systems and/or methods (“tools”) are described that enable indexing and storing verbal content, and other techniques. Some of these tools may be enabled using a computer-implemented method that includes receiving events that result from detecting keywords within a stream. In a first operating mode, the tools may create metadata in response to the event. The metadata includes an indication of the detected keyword and a time index indicating where in the stream the keyword was detected. The tools may also merge the metadata with a portion of the stream where the detected keyword occurred. In a second operating mode, the tools may associate data representing the keyword with the time index, and may store a record that includes the keyword and the time index in an output file. |
| US07668720B2 |
Methodology for voice enabling applications
Methodology for voice-enabling an application minimizes code add-ons or code insertions. As an example, in applications used by a plurality of remote devices, the method may include dividing a master wordlist associated with the application into a plurality of wordlists respectively associated with the plurality of remote devices, and then converting the plurality of wordlists to a plurality of grammar lists respectively associated with the plurality of remote devices. Accordingly, the methodology voice enables applications with minimal alteration of the code of the applications. |
| US07668713B2 |
MELP-to-LPC transcoder
A method for transcoding a bit stream encoded according to a mixed-excitation linear prediction (MELP) standard to a bit stream encoded according to a linear predictive coding (LPC) standard, including: decoding a bit stream into a first set of vocoder parameters compatible with the MELP standard; transforming the first set of vocoder parameters into a second set of vocoder parameters compatible with the LPC standard without converting the first set of vocoder parameters to an analog or digital waveform representation; and encoding the second set of vocoder parameters into a bit stream compatible with the LPC vocoder standard. |
| US07668712B2 |
Audio encoding and decoding with intra frames and adaptive forward error correction
Various strategies for rate/quality control and loss resiliency in an audio codec are described. The various strategies can be used in combination or independently. For example, a real-time speech codec uses intra frame coding/decoding, adaptive multi-mode forward error correction [“FEC”], and rate/quality control techniques. Intra frames help a decoder recover quickly from packet losses, while compression efficiency is still emphasized with predicted frames. Various strategies for inserting intra frames and signaling intra/predicted frames are described. With the adaptive multi-mode FEC, an encoder adaptively selects between multiple modes to efficiently and quickly provide a level of FEC that takes into account the bandwidth currently available for FEC. The FEC information itself may be predictively encoded and decoded relative to primary encoded information. Various rate/quality and FEC control strategies allow additional adaptation to available bandwidth and network conditions. |
| US07668708B2 |
Method and apparatus for network planning
A system and method for wireless network planning utilizing raster data, stored and manipulated in raster data planes (204-212) and vector data (522) stored and manipulated in vector data planes (528-532). The invention increases the accuracy of network planning by simultaneously utilizing vector data planes (528-532) and raster data planes (204-212) to perform computations using vector features contained within map pixels (604). The disclosed method makes it possible to perform accurate computations such as propagation loss to vector points (602) contained within map pixels (604). Accuracy is further increased because other characteristics such as received power, elevation, and best server can be computed to the vector features rather than processing them with traditional raster resolutions. |
| US07668707B2 |
Systems and methods for the determination of active constraints in a network using slack variables and plurality of slack variable multipliers
Systems and methods for determining active constraints in a surface facility network, which include the use of slack variables and multipliers in system equations to eliminate the extraneous (inactive) constraints. |
| US07668700B2 |
Adaptive distance field constraint for designing a route for a transport element
Improved methods for designing the route of a transport element, such as a tube, are provided. A method preferably designs the route automatically and, by utilizing constraint objects, including at least one adaptively-sampled distance field (adaptive distance field or ADF) constraint object, in the design of the route, as opposed to during a post design check, ensures that the resulting route complies with the various constraint objects, including the at least one ADF constraint object. In addition, a method may establish an overall cost function to evaluate a plurality of feasible routes of the transport element that each comply with the constraint objects, including at least one ADF constraint object, such that a preferred or optimal route may be designed. |
| US07668697B2 |
Method for analyzing dynamic detectable events at the single molecule level
A method to be implemented on or in a computer is disclosed, where the method includes data collection, calibration, candidate selection, and analysis of data streams associated with each candidate to classify single molecule fluorescence resonance energy transfer events. Once classified, the classification can be related to the nature of the events, such as the identification of dNTP incorporation during primer extension to obtain a base read out of an unknown template. |
| US07668691B2 |
Activity classification from route and sensor-based metadata
Systems and methods that infer and classify user activity based in part on routing data. A storage medium can store raw data collected, and such acquired data can be subsequently be analyzed or distilled to generate abstract qualities about the raw data (e.g., velocity of user during route, level of difficulty, and the like). Various machine learning techniques, artificial intelligence methodologies, decision trees, and/or statistical methods can be employed to supply inference regarding the acquired raw data and/or the abstract qualities. |
| US07668682B2 |
Method and circuit for detecting and compensating for a degradation of a semiconductor device
A design structure and method comprising a degradation detection circuit configured to respond to degradation. The degradation detection circuit is located within a semiconductor device and comprises a process sensitive circuit, a measurement circuit, a calculation circuit, and a control circuit. The method comprises subjecting the semiconductor device to a first operating condition. A first value at a first time for a parameter of the process sensitive circuit is measured by the measurement circuit. The semiconductor device is operated to perform an intended function. A second value at a second time for the parameter of the circuit is measured by the measurement circuit. The second time is different from the first time. A first differential value between the first value and the second value is determined by the calculation circuit. The control circuit is configured to receive an enable signal. |
| US07668677B2 |
Error correction method for a displacement sensor signal
A method and device for correcting an error caused by electromagnetic interference, in a signal of an inductive displacement sensor or angle sensor, in that when known activation of at least one component which causes electromagnetic interference occurs and there is a known error resulting therefrom in the sensor signal of the inductive displacement sensor or angle sensor the error in the measured sensor signal is corrected. |
| US07668673B2 |
Data watermarks created by using an uneven sampling period
Input signals are electronically watermarked using an uneven or non-uniform sampling rate. The uneven or non-uniform sampling may be pseudo-random. The uneven or non-uniform sampling meets the Nyquist criterion so that aliasing and loss of content are avoided. The resulting sampling pattern in the sampled data is detectable by a comparison with the original source data. |
| US07668672B2 |
Optimizing high speed signal transmission
A method and systems for automatically adjusting the parameters of signal emitter in a synchronous high-speed transmission system, is disclosed. According to the method of the invention, the quality of a high-speed received signal is analyzed for a plurality of sets of parameter values and the one producing the best signal quality is selected. In a first embodiment, the quality of the high-speed received signal is determined by analyzing a digital eye characterizing the signal behavior, obtained by over-sampling the high-speed received signal. In a second embodiment, the quality of the high-speed received signal is determined by analyzing the behavior of the phase rotator used for data sampling. Finally, in a third embodiment, the quality of the high-speed received signal is determined by analyzing a digital eye, obtained by moving the position of a phase rotator from one end to the other and sampling data at each position. |
| US07668671B1 |
System for managing resource infrastructure and resource consumption in real time
The present invention provides a system, method and medium for monitoring and managing the resource consumption and resource infrastructure of at least one building in real time. The present invention integrates field studies of at least one building's resource consumption and resource infrastructure with real time resource usage. The integrated information can be operated on by the analytical tools of the present invention to forecast future resource consumption and obtain resource market information. The integrated resource information can also be used to feed back into the building resource management system of at least one building to control the resource states of the at least one building. The present invention provides a graphical user interface for monitoring and managing the components of the resource consumption and resource infrastructure of at least one building. The system, method and medium of the present invention can communicate with a resource trading platform that facilitates the buying and selling of resources. The system, method and medium of the present invention can aggregate the resource consumption and resource infrastructure of multiple buildings which can then be managed through the graphical user interface of the present invention. |
| US07668670B2 |
Tracking vibrations in a pipeline network
Tracking vibrations on a pipeline network includes installing multiple vibration recorders on the pipeline network, with each recorder including a sensor, a processor, and a communication device. At each vibration recorder, vibration signals are received from the sensor at programmed times under the control of the processor of the vibration recorders and processed by the processor. The processed vibration signals are communicated from the vibration recorder to a reader device using the digital communication device. In addition, at a particular vibration recorder, meter readings from a flow meter associated with the particular vibration recorder are received. The meter readings are indicative of a level of flow in the pipeline network, and are communicated from the particular vibration recorder to a reader device using the communication device of the particular vibration recorder. Thereafter, the processed vibration signals from the one or more reader devices are collected at a central computer system. Finally, the collected processed vibration signals and the meter readings are analyzed at the central computer system to determine abnormal vibration patterns and to obtain measures of any leaks present in the pipeline network. |
| US07668666B2 |
Method and device for securely storing data
A method for transmitting data generated by a logger within a concrete mass and for displaying mechanical data to a device for outside the concrete mass. The method includes the step of sensing, processing, and recording the mechanical data generated by the logger within the concrete mass. The mechanical data is protected from alteration while the mechanical data is within the concrete mass. The mechanical data is transferred to an external device with a first protected transference protocol. The mechanical data is transferred to a computer with a second protected transference protocol. The mechanical data is decoded in the computer and displayed on a user interface. |
| US07668664B2 |
Design and selection of genetic targets for sequence resolved organism detection and identification
A computer-implemented method as follows. Providing a list of target sequences associated with one or more organisms. Providing a list of candidate prototype sequences suspected of hybridizing to one or more of the target sequences. Generating a collection of probes corresponding to each candidate prototype sequence, each collection of probes having a set of probes for every subsequence. The sets consist of the corresponding subsequence and every variation of the corresponding subsequence formed by varying a center nucleotide of the corresponding subsequence. Generating a set of fragments corresponding to each target sequence. Calculating the binding free energy of each fragment with a perfect complimentary sequence of the fragment. Determining which extended fragments are perfect matches to any of the probes. Assembling a base call sequence corresponding to each candidate prototype sequence. |
| US07668663B2 |
Levenberg-Marquardt outlier spike removal method
Systems and methods for identifying and removing spikes in data sets representing PCR growth curves or other sigmoid type curves or growth curves. A double sigmoid function with parameters determined using a Levenberg-Marquardt regression algorithm is used to find an approximation to the curve, and a statistical test such as a z-test is then used to identify spikes by identifying data points in the data set that do not fit well with the approximation. The identified spike(s) are removed from the data set and/or replaced with interpolated data points determined by using data points surrounding the identified spike(s). In one aspect, a spline interpolation process such as a cubic spline interpolation process is used to find an approximation to the data set with the identified spike points removed. Interpolated values to replace the spike points are then calculated using the cubic spline interpolation approximation curve. |
| US07668660B2 |
Analysis of DNA
The invention provides methods for providing information on the probability of DNA samples being contaminated over days, weeks and months in relation to collection, processing and analysis of DNA samples. Methods are also provided for analysing the likelihood of a result arising due to contamination and/or determining the analysis protocol to be applied to a DNA sample and/or methods of operating databases, particularly containing DNA profiles.Improvements in accounting for sporadic and undetected contamination and improvements in the operation of DNA sampling of analysis are provided by the invention. |
| US07668659B2 |
Diagnosis and classification of multiple myeloma
Gene expression profiling between normal B cells/plasma cells and multiple myeloma cells revealed four distinct subgroups of multiple myeloma plasma cells that have significant correlation with clinical characteristics known to be associated with poor prognosis. Diagnosis for multiple myeloma (and possibly monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance) based on differential expression of 14 genes, as well as prognostics for the four subgroups of multiple myeloma based on the expression of 24 genes were also established. Gene expression profiling also allows placing multiple myeloma into a developmental schema parallel to that of normal plasma cell differentiation. The development of a gene expression- or developmental stage-based classification system for multiple myeloma would lead to rational design of more accurate and sensitive diagnostics, prognostics and tumor-specific therapies for multiple myeloma. |
| US07668655B2 |
Navigation component modeling system and method
An inertial navigation system includes a navigation component, such as an inertial measurement unit, a processor in communication with the navigation component, and a filter embedded in computer code implemented within the processor. The filter includes a model of the navigation component, and one or more parameters of the model are configured after startup of the inertial navigation system based upon performance characteristics of the individual navigation component included in the inertial navigation system. |
| US07668654B2 |
System and method utilizing non-GPS satellite content in real-time navigation
A navigation device is provided that includes a GPS input that receives GPS information from a GPS satellite. The system also includes a non-GPS input that receives real-time content from a non-GPS source. The real-time content includes updates to travel conditions. The system also includes a navigation module that analyzes the updates from the non-GPS source in conjunction with the GPS information form the GPS satellite. |
| US07668649B2 |
Display method and apparatus for navigation system
A display method and apparatus for a navigation system which is capable of easily and quickly showing the existence of a large structure within which a specific point of interest (“POI”) is located. The navigation system searches a desired point of interest as specified by a user, examines whether the point of interest is located within a large structure, searches an icon representing a type of the large compound in which the point of interest is located, and when a particular point of interest is located within a large structure, displays the icon of the large structure and the POI name on a monitor of the navigation system. Upon selection of the icon by the user, the navigation system displays detailed information on the large structure. |
| US07668648B2 |
Motor vehicle navigation system
The invention relates to a method and an apparatus to display a geographical picture on a screen (36) of a monitor (30), which is connected over a data bus (3) to a first computer (1). The invention specifies that the first computer (1) furnishes abstract data (a, c, f), determined on a geographical basis, to the data bus (3), and that these data (a, c, f) are processed in a second computer (31) situated in the monitor (30), for the visual display of a picture on the screen (36) of the monitor (30). |
| US07668647B2 |
Computer method and apparatus for filling in an entry field using geographical proximity and character criteria
Entering an identifier to select a navigational waypoint requires “head-down” time, resulting in less time for operating a vehicle. Accordingly, a technique for selecting a navigational waypoint for use is provided. The present invention includes receiving a partially entered identifier identifying, in part, a navigational waypoint for use, searching for the navigational waypoint for use from amongst a plurality of identifiers using the partially entered identifier and a search criterion other than a criterion based on a pre-existing ordering of the plurality of identifiers, and completing the partially entered waypoint identifier based on results from the searching. The completed waypoint identifier forms a user-selectable navigational waypoint for use. The present invention uses as a search criterion a geographical relationship between a location of each identifier of the plurality and a reference location/area to reduce the number of user-entered characters needed to select a navigational waypoint, thereby reducing “head-down” time. |
| US07668646B2 |
Navigation device having route guidance to parking spot close to border
A navigation device mounted on an automotive vehicle includes geographical map data, a position detector such as a global navigation system and a device for calculating a driving route from a starting point or a present position to a destination. When the vehicle is going to cross a border such as a national border, the driving route is calculated to include a parking spot close to the border. A driver of the vehicle is guided to temporarily park at the parking spot to obtain local information including traffic regulations in a country he/she is going to enter. Since the local information is given to the driver while he is parking, the driver is able to concentrate on obtaining the local information in detail without sacrificing driving safety. |
| US07668644B2 |
Vehicle fuel informational system
A vehicle fuel informational system is provided with a fuel level determination component, an onboard vehicle positioning component, an onboard vehicle navigation component and a low fuel notification component. The fuel level determination component determines a fuel level of a host vehicle equipped with the vehicle fuel informational system. The onboard vehicle positioning component determines a host vehicle's position of the host vehicle equipped with the vehicle positioning component. The onboard vehicle navigation component provides vehicle route information for a desired vehicle route of the host vehicle. The low fuel notification component provides a low fuel alert notification that is indicative of a low fuel and automatically recommends a suggested fuel provider at least partially based on at least one of the host vehicle's position of the host vehicle and the desired vehicle route. |
| US07668642B2 |
Control apparatus for internal combustion engine
An electronic control unit executes a delay control and a load compensation control. In the delay control, the period from when an engine stop request for an engine is made to when the engine is actually stopped is extended. In the load compensation control, the engine power is adjusted according to the driving load of auxiliary devices. Further, if the engine stop request is made during operation of a compressor, which is one of the auxiliary devices, the electronic control unit executes a power reduction control, in which ignition timing is retarded to temporarily reduce the engine power. As a result, in an internal combustion engine that executes the delay control, sudden increases in the engine speed that are likely to occur when an engine stop request is made during operation of auxiliary devices are reliably suppressed. |
| US07668640B2 |
Cylinder direct injection type internal combustion engine
A cylinder direct injection type internal combustion engine, including a fuel injection device configured to directly inject a first octane-value fuel and a second octane-value fuel into a combustion chamber. The second octane-value fuel has an octane value larger than an octane value of the first octane-value fuel. A controller is programmed to perform a first operation mode. In the first operation mode, the first octane-value fuel is injected from the fuel injection device, and the second octane-value fuel is injected from the fuel injection device toward an ignition flame formed by self-ignition combustion of the first octane-value fuel, so as to cause flame propagation and combustion of the second octane-value fuel. |
| US07668638B2 |
Inter-vehicle distance control apparatus
A disclosed inter-vehicle distance control apparatus for controlling an inter-vehicle distance between a present vehicle equipped with this apparatus and a preceding vehicle traveling ahead of the present vehicle changes a target deceleration of the present vehicle and/or a deceleration gradient of the present vehicle, with which the deceleration reaches the target deceleration of the present vehicle, between when the present vehicle is under a first deceleration condition in which the present vehicle decelerates under the circumstance where the inter-vehicle distance between the present vehicle and the preceding vehicle is relatively short and when the present vehicle is under a second deceleration condition in which the present vehicle decelerates under the circumstance where the inter-vehicle distance is relatively long. The target deceleration and/or the deceleration gradient is increased when the present vehicle is under the first deceleration condition, compared to when the present vehicle is under the second deceleration condition. |
| US07668637B2 |
Technique for determining motor vehicle slip angle while accounting for road banks
A technique for determining a slip angle of a motor vehicle, while compensating for bank angle of the motor vehicle, includes a number of steps. Initially, a first lateral velocity of a motor vehicle is determined, without consideration of a bank angle and is derived from an integral of a first lateral velocity derivative (vy dot). A second lateral velocity of the motor vehicle is also determined, with consideration of the bank angle and is derived from an integral of a second lateral velocity derivative. A third lateral velocity of the motor vehicle is also determined, with consideration of the bank angle and the first and second lateral velocities and is derived from an integral of a third lateral velocity derivative. A longitudinal velocity of the motor vehicle is also determined. A slip angle of the motor vehicle is then determined, based upon the third lateral velocity and the longitudinal velocity or the first lateral velocity and the longitudinal velocity. |
| US07668632B2 |
System, method and computer program product for real-time event identification and course of action interpretation
A system for identifying events includes a memory capable of storing a compressed event table including a number of events, the event table having been compressed by reducing the number of events in the event table without reducing the number of events represented by the event table. Each event of the event table includes a set of state parameters, and may also be associated with an output. The system also includes a processor capable of operating a fast state recognition (FSR) application. The FSR application, in turn, can receive a plurality of inputs, and identify an event of the compressed event table based upon the plurality of inputs and the state parameters of the compressed event table, event being identified in accordance with a state recognition technique. |
| US07668631B2 |
Autonomous lawn mower with recharge base
An apparatus for cutting grass in a cut area delimited by a perimeter, the perimeter being defined by the presence of regions of grass surface, comprises a lawn-mower and a lawn-mower-recovery base, the lawn-mower comprising a motor unit, a cutting device, the lawn-mower-recovery base being disposed along the perimeter with an accessible aperture allowing the entry of the lawn-mower moving along it, the lawn-mower further comprising a proximity sensor able to detect the presence of a grass surface, a control unit associated with the sensor, the control unit being configured to detect the perimeter, the control unit being configured to determine a condition of alignment of the lawn-mower with the perimeter, the control unit being operatively connected to the motor unit to cause a displacement of the lawn-mower along the same perimeter, to operate the return of the lawn-mower into the lawn-mower-recovery base. |
| US07668625B2 |
Lateral maneuverability map for a vehicle and method of obtaining it
This lateral maneuverability map shows the area of movement of a vehicle with the contours of the regions of complete freedom of lateral movement. It is generated from a distance map listing the distances of the points of its regions that can be negotiated by the vehicle to the regions to be circumvented. It may show the area of movement of the vehicle in the form of a subdivision into at least three types of region, namely a first type corresponding to regions to be circumvented, a second type corresponding to bands surrounding the regions to be circumvented and having the width of a maneuvering space arbitrarily considered as necessary for free lateral movement of the vehicle, and a third type of region corresponding to regions of free lateral movement. In the case of an aircraft, said map may be superimposed on the map of a TAWS system in order to specify to the pilot if he has complete freedom of lateral movement or not. |
| US07668619B2 |
Personalized gift card templates
A customizable gift card that may be designed using a plurality of design templates that have modifiable fields and layouts. The gift cards may be designated for use at one or more stores based on contract arrangements between the one or more stores and a vendor of the gift card. The gift card may be adapted to be used exclusively at the one or more designated stores. A point of sale terminal such as a kiosk may be used to reduce shelf space and provide a greater variety of gift card design options to a customer. |
| US07668617B2 |
Method of calibrating an ophthalmic-lens-piercing machine, device used to implement one such method and ophthalmic-lens-machining apparatus comprising one such device
The invention relates to a method of calibrating an ophthalmic-lens-piercing machine, a device used to implement one such method and a ophthalmic-lens-machining apparatus comprising one such device. The inventive method applies to a machine including a piercing tool, a lens support which is associated with a first reference mark (O1, X1, Y1), and programmable tool-control means which are associated with a second reference mark expressing set co-ordinates which define a target piercing point (M). A template is placed on the support, and the template includes pre-applied markings defining a third reference mark (O3, X3, Y3), such that the third reference mark in essentially in line with the first reference mark. The template is pierced at a pre-determined point corresponding to a target point, and an image of the template this point position, and a correction is applied to the set co-ordinates that can compensate for the misalignment. A device is also provided which is used to implement the method, and to an ophthalmic-lens-machining apparatus including one such device. |
| US07668614B2 |
Optimization-based process scheduling method and system
Embodiments of a method of optimally scheduling, in near real-time, workunits for processing on processing stations in a processing system, while accounting for constraints such as processing station qualifications by workunit type and service type, and to meet certain business objectives such as cycle time and demand targets, are described. A method of scheduling the processing of workunits in a processing system comprises defining a plurality of workunits, aggregating the work units by workunit type and service to be performed on each workunit to define one or more workunit type-service type groupings. The method further allocates capacity of one or more processing stations to workunit type-service type groupings, assigns workunits of the plurality of workunits to meet the allocated capacity, and sequences the workunit type-service type groupings and workunits on each processing station of the one or more processing stations. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US07668612B1 |
System and method for efficient manufacture and update of electronic devices
Disclosed herein is a system and method for the efficient manufacture and update of electronic devices that is capable of pre-programming firmware/software into flash units (or other similar memory units) during their manufacturing so as to make the assembly line for the electronic devices more efficient and faster, and thus more productive. Various embodiments of the present invention may provide for an eventual update of the assembled electronic devices, after sales, employing embedded update agents in the electronic devices. |
| US07668611B2 |
Apparatus and method for controlling a wave field synthesis rendering means
For controlling a wave field synthesis renderer arranged in a wave field synthesis system, a scene description, in which not an absolute position or an absolute time instant, but a time span or location span within which the audio object may vary is indicated for a source, is used. Furthermore, there is provided a monitor, which monitors a utilization situation of the wave field synthesis system. An audio object manipulator finally varies the starting point of the audio object to be considered by the wave field synthesis renderer or the actual position of the audio object within the time span and/or location span, in order to avoid capacity bottlenecks on the transmission lines or in the renderer. |
| US07668610B1 |
Deconstructing electronic media stream into human recognizable portions
A system trains a first model to identify portions of electronic media streams based on first attributes of the electronic media streams and/or trains a second model to identify labels for identified portions of the electronic media streams based on at least one of second attributes of the electronic media streams, feature information associated with the electronic media streams, or information regarding other portions within the electronic media streams. The system inputs an electronic media stream into the first model, identifies, by the first model, portions of the electronic media stream, inputs the electronic media stream and information regarding the identified portions into the second model, and/or determines, by the second model, human recognizable labels for the identified portions. |
| US07668606B2 |
Control device for controlling a control object at a ratio of on-time to off-time for a time-proportional output
There is realized a control device capable of speeding up an output response without causing deterioration in the resolution of a time-proportional output. The control device controls a control object at a ratio of ON-time to OFF-time for a time-proportional output. The control device comprises a PID computation unit for executing PID computation of deviation between a set value and a measured value from the control object, an integrator for sequentially adding up control output values each representing the result of the PID computation executed by the PID computation unit, an ON/OFF determination unit for determining whether the time-proportional output is turned ON or OFF on the basis of an integrated value of the integrator, and a time-proportional output unit for turning the time-proportional output ON/OFF on the basis of a determination value of the ON/OFF determination unit. |
| US07668605B2 |
Wireless industrial control user interface
An industrial control system includes a motor drive, a wireless interface module, and a wireless user interface. The motor drive has at least a first port. The wireless interface module is coupled to the first port of the motor drive. The wireless user interface is operable to connect to the wireless interface module and establish a first connection through the wireless interface module to access the motor drive. A user interface operable to connect to a device within an industrial control system includes a display and a processing unit operable to establish a connection with the device and display an image representative of the device on the display responsive to establishing the connection. |
| US07668600B2 |
System and method for telemetry with an implantable medical device
An implantable medical device (IMD) includes a telemetry module to communicate with an external device according to a given protocol. To establish a communication session, the IMD will extend active periods of reception on a given channel when some confirmed data is received from the external device. In addition, once a session has been opened, the programmer transmits a short data set (or preamble) for each cycle which the IMD is set to receive. This data set indicates whether additional data will or will not be sent. If no additional data is to be sent during that cycle, then the IMD powers down the receiver for that cycle. |
| US07668599B2 |
Visual prosthesis wih user interface
The present invention is a visual prosthesis for the restoration of sight in patients with lost or degraded visual function. The visual prosthesis includes a user interface which controls function of the visual prosthesis to optimize operation for each individual patient. The user interface controls functions such as brightness, contrast, magnification, frequency, pulse width, or amplitude. The user interface may also individually control points of neural stimulation. |
| US07668597B2 |
Feedthrough array for use in implantable medical devices
A feedthrough array for use in an implantable medical device is provided including an insulator, a plurality of conductive feedthrough pins extending through the insulator, and a ferrule including a flange extending inwardly from a ferrule sidewall along at least a majority of a length of a first ferrule side. A capacitor is disposed over the insulator and conductively coupled to the ferrule flange. |
| US07668595B2 |
Cardiac rhythm management system with optimization of cardiac performance using heart rate
A method of optimizing inter-site delay is disclosed for a cardiac rhythm management device that includes a dual chamber pacemaker, especially designed for treating congestive heart failure by pacing a plurality of sites. A microcontroller is operative to adjust the pacing mode and inter-site delay of the pacemaker so as to achieve optimum hemodynamic performance. Atrial cycle lengths measured during transient (immediate) time intervals following a change in the mode inter-site delay are signal processed and a determination can then be made as to which particular configuration yields the optimum performance. Performance is optimized when the patient is at rest and when the patient exercises so that a rate-adapted dynamic value of the optimum performance can be applied. |
| US07668591B2 |
Automatic activation of medical processes
Systems and methods involve automatic activation, de-activation or modification of therapies or other medical processes based on brain state. A medical system includes a sensor system having one or more sensors configured to sense signals related to the brain state of the patient. A brain state analyzer detects various brain states, including sleep stage and/or brain seizures. A controller uses the brain state detection information to control a medical system configured to perform at least one respiratory or cardiac process. Methods involve sensing signals related to brain state and determining the brain state of a patient based on the sensed signals. At least one respiratory or cardiac medical process is controlled based on the patient's brain state. |
| US07668589B2 |
Integrated, plural-signal, heart-signal sensor system and related data-presentation methodology
A system and a related methodology for gathering, during a selected time span, and from a common anatomical site, time-contemporaneous ECG-electrical and heart-sound signals including (1) processing such signals to effect (a) time-based, related ECG fiducials, and (b) systolic and diastolic heart-sound indicators, and (2) creating a reportable data stream which communicates such effected fiducials and indicators in a manner whereby time-based relationships between them, and non-time-based differentiation between systolic and diastolic heart-sound indicators, are made visually discernible. The methodology of the invention may also be implemented strictly for the gathering and processing of heart sounds. |
| US07668587B2 |
Optical imaging of induced signals in vivo under ambient light conditions
A method for detecting and localizing a target tissue within the body in the presence of ambient light in which an optical contrast agent is administered and allowed to become functionally localized within a contrast-labeled target tissue to be diagnosed. A light source is optically coupled to a tissue region potentially containing the contrast-labeled target tissue. A gated light detector is optically coupled to the tissue region and arranged to detect light substantially enriched in target signal as compared to ambient light, where the target signal is light that has passed into the contrast-labeled tissue region and been modified by the contrast agent. A computer receives signals from the detector, and passes these signals to memory for accumulation and storage, and to then to image processing engine for determination of the localization and distribution of the contrast agent. The computer also provides an output signal based upon the localization and distribution of the contrast agent, allowing trace amounts of the target tissue to be detected, located, or imaged. A system for carrying out the method is also described. |
| US07668581B2 |
Biomagnetic measurement apparatus
A CAM (current arrow map) 71 and another CAM 72 are obtained from magnetocardiogram waveforms measured from both front and back sides of a subject using data at a point of time of an R-wave peak, then the coordinates of the CAM 72 are inverted in both x and y axis directions to obtain a CAM 73. The coordinates of each of the CAMs 71 and 73 are converted to polar coordinates to obtain CAMs 74 and 75 at both front and back sides of the subject. After that, the CAM 74 is adjusted to the CAM 76 in scale to obtain a CAM 76 , and CAMs 74 and 76 are combined. Then, the CAM data at measuring points on each measuring-points-missing radius vector is inserted through an arithmetic processing by interpolation so that CAM data at every measuring point on a planispheric chart 77 are connected to each another consecutively. |
| US07668577B2 |
Cellular phone
A plurality of operation portions are arranged at a surface on a sub-display side of a cellular phone with a camera so that various kinds of setting, selection and control can be performed without opening the cellular phone in its folded state, and the cellular phone can achieve improved operability and convenience. Cellular phone includes a first display portion at a surface of a first body opposed to a second body in the folded state, and includes a second display portion, an image taking portion and a plurality of operation portions arranged at a rear surface of the first body remote from the first display portion. |
| US07668571B2 |
Speaker system for mobile device
A speaker system for a mobile device includes first and second audio processing units and first and second speakers for reproducing audio signals and outputting the reproduced audio signals. The speaker system also includes a controller configured for transferring the audio signal to the second speaker if a battery is connected to the mobile device. The first speaker is embedded in a main body of the mobile device and the second speaker is embedded in the battery of the mobile device. |
| US07668570B2 |
Information processing apparatus and information processing program
An information processing apparatus comprises a wireless communication unit which discovers wireless devices existing in surroundings, and a display unit which displays a list of wireless devices discovered by the wireless communication unit as selectable objects in which display icons of the objects are based on radio intensities of the discovered wireless devices. |
| US07668567B2 |
Single action audio prompt interface utilising binary state time domain multiple selection protocol
An interface protocol for the functional manipulation of complex devices such as consumer electronic devices without the necessity of the visual feedback via textual or graphic data, wherein the sensor functions change with time rather than placement, so that a user action biases a binary state switch, which is correlated to a timed audible audio data stream, the correlation indicating the desired action selected by the user. |
| US07668557B2 |
Methods for ring tone supression informing and for informing a cellular telephone with configuration data
Methods for suppressing ring tones in cellular telephones and for informing a cellular telephone with configuration data are described. The method for informing a cellular telephone includes detecting a cellular telephone that enters a space time zone associated with the network. A property of the telephone is determined. Information is sent to the telephone that relates to the telephone property and a characteristic of the network space time zone. |
| US07668556B2 |
Communication system, communication terminal apparatus and wireless key apparatus
A communication system including a communication terminal apparatus and a wireless key apparatus in wireless communication is provided. The communication terminal apparatus includes a first communication unit operable to receive a first wireless signal, and a first control unit operable to determine a distance between the communication terminal apparatus and the wireless key apparatus based on the received first wireless signal, wherein the first control unit limits a predetermined function of the communication terminal apparatus based on determining the distance. The wireless key apparatus includes a second communication unit operable to receive a second wireless signal, and a second control unit operable to determine the distance between the communication terminal apparatus and the wireless key apparatus based on the received second wireless signal, whereby the second control unit decreases transmission power associated with the second communication unit based on the determined distance. |
| US07668555B2 |
Method for computing beamforming weighting vectors with collaborated uplink sounding
A method and system are provided for computing beamforming weighting vectors with collaborated uplink sounding in a wireless communications network. The method comprises selecting a designated uplink sounding region and a signal sequence from a set of orthogonal signal sequences; exchanging collaborated uplink sounding information between a base transceiver station (BTS) in a cell and one or more BTSs in its neighboring cells; receiving one or more first sounding signals in the designated uplink sounding region from a first CPE in the cell, which are considered as desired signals; confirming channel-sharing among the first CPE and one or more second CPEs in the neighboring cells; detecting one or more second sounding signals from the one or more second CPEs, which are considered as interference signals; and calculating the beamforming weighting vector using the first one or more sounding signals and the one or more second sounding signals. |
| US07668551B2 |
Two step database interrogation for supporting the implementation of a fall-back at call set-up
The invention relates to methods and devices that enable to request more than one service during call set-up. To this end a new indicator is introduced into a request message sent to a database storing subscriber data, for indicating that at least one further request message is sent and a response indicator that a database is adapted to handle said indicator. Furthermore a set of rules is defined how different responses from the database are processed to enable said request. |
| US07668545B2 |
Maintaining data connectivity for handoffs between compression-enabled and compression-disabled communication systems
Methods and apparatus are presented for enabling data connectivity when a handoff occurs between one communication network and another communication network, wherein the communication networks belong to different air interface standards. The mobile station triggers a Compression Control Protocol (CCP) request message to a tethered device if the mobile station determines that a new PDSN is not enabled to perform the CCP protocol. The tethered device then responds with a CCP request message with or without new negotiation parameters. The mobile station forwards the CCP request message to the new PDSN. Since the new PDSN is not enabled with CCP, the new PDSN responds with a CCP rejection message. The rejection message is passed from the mobile station back to the tethered device. The tethered device then sends uncompressed data packets to the PDSN. |
| US07668543B2 |
Treatment of a location request by a first location request treatment device (a gateway mobile location centre) in a home register (HLR) for retransmission to a second location request treatment device
The invention relates to the efficient treatment of location requests by a home register and GMLCs of various versions by means of a method for treating a location request relating to a subscriber in a mobile radio network. Once a request (SRI) from a first location request treatment device (GMLC-R5) arrives in a subscriber data bank (HLR) in a mobile radio network, relating to switching device address data (MAP (MSC/SGSN)) in a switching device (MSC/SGSN) or location request treatment device (V-GMLC), enabling (MSC/SGSN/V-GMLC) a subscriber (MS) to be currently reached, the subscriber data bank (HLR) indicates the address (MAP (H-GMLC) of another location request treatment device (H-GMLC-R6) instead of a switching device address (MAP (MSC/SGSN)) in an answer (Ack (MSC(SGSN)) if the request is a request from a version (R5) of a location request treatment device wherein said version (R5) includes provision such that the location request treatment device (GMLC-R5) receives switching device data (MAP(MSC/SGSN) from the subscriber data base (HLR) as an answer. |
| US07668537B2 |
Place specific buddy list services
An information service provides search and notifications to inform when certain people (e.g., friends, family, business contacts, etc.) are nearby so as to facilitate communications with those people. Users may define lists of people whose locations may be tracked by positioning equipment based on personal communications/computing devices carried by the people. The information service processes this people and place data to identify those of the listed people that are in the user's vicinity, and provide notifications and user-initiated search results informing the user such as via the user's personal communications/computing device. |
| US07668535B2 |
Notification infrastructure for sending device-specific wireless notifications
A data store is monitored for a change in the data store. A notification communication is generated upon detecting that the change has occurred. The notification communication is formatted based on a wireless device associated with the data store. The notification communication is sent to the wireless device associated with the data store. |
| US07668531B1 |
Provisioning communication services in a communications management network
A communications management network for managing subscribers' communication sessions. The management network includes multiple sets of session management modules or servers (e.g., Intelligent Service Control Points), a services hub and a data warehouse. The network may also include a gateway for routing text messages. Each set of session management modules includes a plurality of modules, and each subscriber is assigned to one set of modules with one of the modules as a primary and another as a secondary or backup. Subscribers are grouped according to geographical area (e.g., by zip code, by area code), service area or other criteria, and all subscribers within a group are assigned to the same primary and secondary modules. Management of subscribers' communication sessions is load balanced by reassigning groups of subscribers to different sets of session management modules. Each module tracks account statuses (e.g., prepaid services balances) for its assigned subscribers. |
| US07668527B2 |
Multi-function passive frequency mixer
A frequency-mixing device performing voltage multiplying and low-pass filtering operations in addition to the frequency mixing is provided. The three operations may be carried out with the same components by designing the frequency mixer appropriately. The frequency mixer comprises a balanced input port to receive a balanced input signal, an oscillator signal input port to receive a first and a second oscillator signal and a first, a second, and a third capacitance. First switching means are arranged to connect, in response to the first oscillator signal, the first and the second capacitance between a first and a second input port of the balanced input port. Second switching means are arranged to connect, in response to the second oscillator signal, the first capacitance between the first input port and the third capacitance and the second capacitance between the second input port and the third capacitance. An output port is connected to terminals of the third capacitance. |
| US07668526B2 |
Frequency mixer using current feedback amplifiers
A frequency mixer includes a semiconductor substrate. An input current feedback amplifier is formed on the semiconductor substrate and receives a radio frequency (RF) signal and a local oscillator (LO) signal. An inverting current feedback amplifier is formed on the semiconductor substrate and connected to the input current feedback amplifier for inverting the LO signal and producing a half-wave signal. An output current feedback amplifier is formed on the semiconductor substrate and connected to an output of the input and inverting current feedback amplifiers and operative as an inverting summer for the RF and LO signals such that the output polarity of the RF signal is reversed. |
| US07668524B2 |
Clock deskewing method, apparatus, and system
An integrated circuit includes clock deskew circuitry. The deskew circuitry includes a loop circuit to align an input clock signal with an output clock signal, and also aligns transmitted data with the output clock signal. |
| US07668523B2 |
Adaptive AGC in a wireless network receiver
An apparatus, a carrier medium storing instructions to implement a method, and a method for controlling the gain of a radio receiver for receiving packets of information in a wireless network. The receiver is connected to an antenna subsystem and has receive signal path including a plurality of sections including a first section coupled to the antenna subsystem and a next section. Each section has an adjustable gain and is able to provide a measure of the signal strength at its output. The method includes waiting for a start of packet indication, providing a measure of the signal strength at the output of the first section and the next section, and adjusting the gains of the first and the next sections using the provided measured signal strengths. In one embodiment, the receive signal path includes a filter, the provided measure for the first section is before the filter, and the provided measure for the second section is after the filter. The gain adjusting sets first section's gain according to the measured signal strength at the output of the first section and sets the next section's gain according to the provided measure of signal strength at the output of the next section relative to the provided measure of signal strength at the output of the first section. In one embodiment, the gain adjusting o is carried out in sequential AGC stages, one stage setting the gain of one or more sections. |
| US07668522B2 |
Ultra wide band, differential input/output, high frequency active combiner in an integrated circuit
A wideband combiner includes a core amplifier for receiving first and second pairs of differential input signals and providing a single pair of differential output signals. The pair of differential output signals are a combination of the first and second pair of differential input signals and a signal gain is implemented between the received first and second pairs of differential input signals and the single pair of differential output signals. The core amplifier is configured to provide a gain value between the first and second pairs of differential input signals and the single pair of differential output signals. The signal gain is substantially constant across the frequency bandwidth of the core amplifier. A bandwidth peaking network is coupled to the core amplifier and includes (a) a first coil and a first resistor connected in series and (b) a second coil and a second resistor connected in series. |
| US07668521B2 |
Method and system for RF front-end calibration scheme using fractional-N frequency synthesized signals and RSSI
Aspects of a method and system for an RF front-end calibration scheme using signals from a fractional-N frequency synthesized and received signal strength indicator (RSSI) are provided. A frequency synthesizer within a wireless receiver may generate a signal for dynamically modifying a gain in an integrated low-noise amplifier (LNA) for each selected receiver channel. The frequency-synthesized signals may be applied to at least one tunable load communicatively coupled to the LNA. The tunable load may be an input load or an output load. The signal generated by the frequency synthesizer may be sequentially applied to the input load and the output load. A logarithmic amplifier may generate an RSSI signal from the LNA output during the calibration process. The RSSI signal may be utilized for controlling a tunable load coupled to the LNA and optimize the tuning of the LNA in a desired channel by adjusting the tunable load. |
| US07668514B2 |
Analog received signal strength indication in an RF transceiver
An integrated circuit radio transceiver and method therefor comprises a receiver front end that further includes a plurality of in-phase and quadrature phase receive processing block operable at first and second frequency bands wherein each of the receive processing blocks defines an ingoing signal path and further includes a plurality of filtering and amplification blocks disposed within the corresponding ingoing signal path, a plurality of RSSI blocks coupled to receive an ingoing analog signal from a corresponding plurality of nodes disposed throughout the ingoing signal path, each of the plurality of received signal strength indicator blocks producing a signal strength indication, and wherein a baseband processor is operable to receive a selected signal strength indication and to produce at least one gain setting to at least one amplification block within the in-phase or quadrature phase receive processing blocks. In operation, the baseband processor receive a signal strength indication from each RSSI block to determine a total amount of gain and appropriate gain distribution within the receive signal path. |
| US07668512B2 |
Transceiver with a test mode of operation
A system comprising a host and a transceiver coupled to the host is provided where the transceiver is configured to receive a request from a host and cause a test mode of operation to be entered in response to receiving the request. |
| US07668508B2 |
System and method for managing wireless connections in computer
A Wireless Connection Utility (WCU) provides a unified user experience for managing various types of wireless connections, including Wireless WANs, Wireless LANs, and Bluetooth networks. The WCU functions as a gateway for a user of a computer to monitor the computer's wireless network status, to switch wireless connections, to configure wireless connection settings, and to diagnose wireless connection problems through a Wireless Helper Utility (WHU). The WCU thus provides a unified U/I layer on the top of the existing operating system components for ease of use. |
| US07668504B2 |
Scanning apparatus and method in a multi-hop relay broadband wireless access communication system
A scanning apparatus and method in a multi-hop relay Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) communication system are provided. In the scanning method, a Mobile Subscriber Station (MSS) sends a scan request message requesting scanning to a Base Station (BS) via a Relay Station (RS). The BS sends a scan response message containing information for the scanning of the MSS to the MSS via the RS. The BS then sends a scan notify message indicating the scanning of the MSS to the RS. |
| US07668503B1 |
Secure remote repeater
Disclosed is a secure remote repeater. The secure repeater includes a first remote control signal detector, a remote control signal processor and an emitter. Among other functions, the secure repeater can forward secure remote signals to an electronic device using non-secure commands native to that electronic device. Additionally, the secure remote repeater can filter remote signal chatter. |
| US07668496B2 |
Laminated body, endless belt, fixing device and image forming apparatus
There is provided a laminated body including a heat generation layer that includes crystalline particles of a non-magnetic metal; and a base layer that includes a magnetic shunt alloy. There are also provided an endless belt, a fixing device and an image forming apparatus using the laminated body. |
| US07668495B2 |
Apparatus and method of heating image on recordable material
An image heating apparatus including: a pressure member; a fixing roller to rotate on the pressure member; a heater to heat an external surface of the fixing roller; and a film to be heated by the heater. While passing through a gap between the pressure member and the fixing roller, the film may form a nip with the pressure member. The image heating apparatus may reduce an initial warm-up time through a film heating operation, and may utilize the fixing roller as a heat reservoir by heating the fixing roller. |
| US07668494B2 |
Fixing apparatus
In an embodiment of the present invention, a pressure application mechanism portion is provided with a pressure-varying link structure arranged so as to be movable in lateral directions along an upper end portion of a device frame, a drive shaft having an eccentric cam for moving the pressure-varying link structure in the lateral directions, a shaft holding structure arranged so as to be rotatable coupled to the pressure-varying link structure, and a coil spring for applying a biasing force to the shaft holding structure in one direction along the upper end portion of the device frame, and a rotational movement is carried out to make a pressure roller approach and move away from a heat roller so as to achieve a relatively low pressure during a color processing mode and a relatively high pressure during a monochrome processing mode. |
| US07668491B2 |
Belt conveyor and image forming apparatus to detect and correct meandering of a belt
A belt conveyor includes: an endless belt that is looped over a plurality of rollers, the plurality of rollers including a drive roller and a meandering correction roller; a drive unit that rotates the drive roller to drive the endless belt; a meandering correction unit that adjusts an inclination of the meandering correction roller to correct meandering of the endless belt in a width direction thereof; a plurality of position detection units that detect positions of the endless belt in the width direction thereof and output detection signals; and a meandering correction control unit that selectively uses the detection signals from the plurality of detection units to control the meandering correction unit. |
| US07668488B2 |
Liquid electro-photography printing device binary ink developer having suction cavities
A binary ink developer (BID) for a liquid electro-photography (LEP) printing device includes a sponge roller to absorb unused ink. The BID includes a squeezer roller to release the unused ink absorbed by the sponge roller for reuse. The squeezer roller releases the unused ink absorbed by the sponge roller by compressing the sponge roller. Compression of the sponge roller results in ink foam. The BID includes a mechanism having a wall, and a housing that together with the wall of the mechanism defines a passageway between the housing and the wall. The passageway is exposed externally to the BID. The BID includes one or more suction cavities defined within the wall of the mechanism through which the ink foam moves back from the passageway. |
| US07668487B2 |
Printed circuit board printing system
The invention provides a printed circuit board (PCB) printing system. In a particular embodiment, the system includes a liquid electrophotographic printing device. At least one supplier of electrically conductive ink supplying electrically conductive ink to the electrophotographic printing device is also provided. In addition, at least one supplier of dielectric ink supplying dielectric ink to the electrophotographic printing device is also provided. The liquid electrophotographic printing device is operable to apply the electrically conductive ink and the dielectric ink to a provided substrate such that substantially immiscible boundary delineation occurs at any points of contact between the applied electrically conducive ink and the applied dielectric ink. An appropriate method of use for the rendering of a printed circuit board is also provided. |
| US07668486B2 |
Rotation speed control device and image forming device
The image forming unit 100 includes a photosensitive drum 11, a rotary developing device 30, and a rotation speed control device 70. Electrostatic latent images are formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 11. The rotary developing device 30 includes a plurality of developing apparatuses 13 having a developing roller 14 disposed in opposition to the photosensitive drum 11, and a distance regulating collar 73 that regulates the distance between the photosensitive drum 11 and the developing roller 14. The rotation speed control device 70 includes a rotation speed control device 71 that controls the rotation speed of the rotary developing device 30 so that for a predetermined period of time until the developing apparatus 13 reaches the developing position the rotation speed of the photosensitive drum 11 and the movement speed in the circumferential direction of the distance regulating collar 73 are equal. |
| US07668485B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes an image forming structure including an image carrier that carries an image and an optical writing device that writes a latent image onto the image carrier in an integral arrangement; plural development devices that develop a latent image carried by the image carrier; a shifting mechanism unit that shifts the image forming structure relative to the development devices; and a shift controller that controls the shifting mechanism unit so that the image carrier is shifted to a development position in contact with one of the development devices in a predetermined order. |
| US07668478B2 |
Image forming apparatus including two toner cleaning members
An image forming apparatus has: an image bearing member which bears a toner image; a transfer member which comes into pressure contact with the image bearing member and transfers the toner image on the image bearing member onto a recording material; a first cleaning member which electrostatically collects the toner on the transfer member; and a second cleaning member which electrostatically collects the toner on the first cleaning member, wherein when a ratio of an amount of toner which is adsorbed by the first cleaning member to an amount of toner on the transfer member is assumed to be α(%) and a ratio of an amount of toner which is adsorbed by the second cleaning member to an amount of toner on the first cleaning member is assumed to be β(%), α>90(%), β>90(%), and α≦β. |
| US07668477B2 |
Cleaning device, process cartridge, and image forming device
A cleaning device has: a cleaning member contacting a body-to-be-cleaned at a predetermined nip width, and cleaning a surface of the body-to-be-cleaned; and a supporting member supporting a peripheral surface of the cleaning member. The cleaning member is supported with predetermined degrees of freedom by the supporting member and a surface of the body-to-be-cleaned. |
| US07668476B2 |
Image forming apparatus capable of reducing disagreeable odor and volatile organic compounds
An image forming apparatus includes a main body, a post-processing unit, a transport unit, a filter and a suctioning/exhausting unit. The post-processing unit is disposed adjacent to the main body. The post-processing unit performs predetermined post-processing on a recording medium on which an image is formed in the main body. The transport unit transports the recording medium from the main body to the post-processing unit. The suctioning/exhausting unit suctions air in the transport unit and exhausts the suctioned air through the filter to an outside of the main body. |
| US07668475B2 |
Method of configuring a print system using a document key
A method of configuring a printing system includes providing a document key having an initial image and providing a printing system that includes a memory storing a first system setting. The method also includes scanning the document key and validating the initial image. The method can optionally include marking a first overlay image over at least a portion of the initial image, scanning the document key, and verifying the marking of the first overlay image thereon. The method also includes configuring or permitting the configuration of the printing system after the initial image has been validated or the marking of the first overlay, image on the initial image has been verified. A printing system that is capable of being configured using the document key is also included. |
| US07668470B2 |
Toner supplying method, toner supplying device, developing device, and image forming apparatus with controlled toner supply
A toner supplying device includes: a toner density sensor for detecting a density of toner contained in a developer tank; a toner hopper for supplying toner to the developer tank; a toner cartridge for supplying toner to the toner hopper; and a control section, when a request to supply toner to the developer tank is made in accordance with a signal detected by the toner density sensor, for controlling a hopper driving motor and a cartridge driving motor so that (i) the toner hopper supplies toner to the developer tank and (ii) the toner cartridge supplies toner to the toner hopper. Thus, in a structure having first and second toner supplying sections disposed on top of each other, toner can be stably supplied to a developer tank. |
| US07668468B1 |
Numerous user laser communications optical system using chromatic waveplates and a common telescope aperture
The present invention relates to a numerous user laser communications optical system. Numerous optical signals comprising a number of channels are simultaneously received and demultiplexed (and/or multiplexed and transmitted) at a numerous access communication device. The numerous access communication device may comprise multiple stages that each include a multiple order waveplate and a polarizing beam splitter. The multiple order waveplate is configured so that it retards a first electrical field component of signals corresponding to certain channels in a frequency grid in an integer multiple of wavelengths with respect to a second electrical field component, and retards a first electrical field component of signals corresponding to other channels in the frequency grid in an integer multiple of wavelengths plus one-half a wavelength with respect to a second electrical field component. Separation can then be performed on the basis of the resulting opposite polarization. |
| US07668460B2 |
Method and system for avoiding amplified spontaneous emission loops in an optical network
Optical communication networks often incorporate fiber rings or fiber mesh topologies for interconnecting its nodes. Both of these topologies can contain closed optical loops at one or more wavelengths within the optical spectrum. In amplified optical systems, the inherent loss of these optical loops is counteracted by the amplifier gain. Thus, the optical loop may have a net loss that is too low to prevent excessive noise buildup resulting in a lasing fiber loop. The noise that builds up within such amplified systems is dominated by the Amplified Spontaneous Emission (ASE) noise resulting in ASE loops. Such loops can have a serious impact on all wavelengths carried by the fiber and lead to a partial or complete loss of end to end communication due to a severe degradation in signal to noise ratio. This invention provides an effective method and system for avoiding ASE loops in optical communication networks. The method deploys optical seams as well as a unique signature for a wavelength instance for achieving an effective solution that is resilient to errors and failures that may occur on the system both during service creation and normal operation. |
| US07668459B2 |
Dispersion monitoring method and apparatus and dispersion slope temperature dependency compensation method and apparatus
In a wavelength division multiplexing optical transmission system, in order to know an influence amount of a temperature dependency of a dispersion slope, a method of monitoring a dispersion variation amount in two or more of wavelength channels is provided. Further, a method of compensating a wavelength dependency of a temperature dependency of the dispersion by providing an appropriate dispersion individually to the channels or summarizingly for all of bandwidths based on the monitored dispersion variation amounts is provided. According to the present invention, in the WDM optical transmission system, a deterioration in a transmission characteristic by influence of a temperature variation of the dispersion slope can be reduced. |
| US07668457B2 |
Image archiving apparatus and method of controlling same
A image archiving apparatus is connected to a digital still camera and acquires the serial ID and product ID of the camera. The image archiving apparatus reads image files from the camera. If a camera folder corresponding to the connected camera has been generated, the read image files are stored in this folder. If the folder has not been generated, a new folder is generated and the read image files are stored in the generated folder. Image files are organized and stored in a folder that corresponds to the model of the camera that applies the image files to the image archiving apparatus. |
| US07668456B2 |
Digital camera
A digital camera in which a recording portion made up of a microcomputer 110 and a card slot 153 performs predetermined processing on image data generated by a CMOS sensor 130 so that the image data takes on the aspect ratio accepted via an operation portion 140 while in live view mode, or performs predetermined processing on the image data generated by the CMOS sensor 130 so that the image data takes on the aspect ratio of an optical viewfinder while in viewfinder mode. The image data is then stored in a memory card 300. Through this configuration, it is possible to provide a digital camera in which an image of a composition that suits the user's intent can be recorded, as well as in which the image can be recorded having an aspect ratio that the user desires, selected from among a plurality of aspect ratios. |
| US07668454B2 |
Photography advice based on captured image attributes and camera settings
A method for providing photography advice, such as in the use of a camera, is provided. The method includes storing image attributes associated with a plurality of images captured by the camera. Camera settings associated with the captured images are also stored. At least one of a plurality of photography pointers is provided based on the stored image attributes and the stored camera settings. |
| US07668450B2 |
Endoscope with integrated light source
An LED based light source unit for an endoscopic imaging system produces illumination for a camera through an endoscope. The light source unit includes an array of LEDs mounted to a thermally conductive substrate. The light source unit is integrated into the proximal end of an endoscope and coupled directly to the optical fibers running to the tip of the endoscope. A plurality of such light source units may be integrated into the housing of an endoscope. Light emitted from each light source unit is directed to a distinctive section of the endoscope's tip and a doctor may control light output of each individual light source unit during a surgery. |
| US07668446B2 |
Automatic photo studio
The present invention enables a user to photograph and edit a photograph suiting one's taste slowly and while having fun. The automatic photo studio of this invention has a counter for a person to receive a user, a plurality of satellites having a function of receiving operations of a user and a function of showing various displays to the user, and a plurality of studios for photographing a subject. The automatic photo studio further includes a counter system provided in the vicinity of the counter for performing visitor processing and checkout processing to the user, a printer system provided in the vicinity of the counter for printing images based on subject images photographed in the studio, a satellite system provided to the satellite for enabling the user to edit the subject images photographed in the studio, and a studio system provided to the studio for controlling the photo shooting conditions and photo shoot timing. The satellite system and the studio system determine whether the user is an authorized user based on information written in a player information storage medium as an information storage medium in the possession of the user, and permit the user to use the satellite or the studio when the user is an official user as the authorized user. |
| US07668441B2 |
Image recording and reproducing apparatus capable of re-compressing and re-recording recorded data and a method thereof
An image recording and reproducing apparatus for re-compressing and re-recording once stored data, and a method thereof. The image recording and reproducing apparatus comprises an encoder for compressing input digital image data by a first compression rate, thereby generating and outputting first compressed data, a storage part for storing the first compressed data, a decoder for expanding the first compressed data of the storage part to restore a digital image data, and outputting the digital image data, and a controller for controlling the decoder such that the digital image data output from the decoder is transmitted to the encoder, compressed by the encoder by a second compression rate into second compressed data, and stored to the storage part. |
| US07668439B2 |
Apparatus for reproducing data, method thereof and recording medium
An apparatus for reproducing data, method thereof and recording medium are disclosed. In reproducing a title configured with data within a recording medium and/or data within a local storage, a method of reproducing data, the present invention includes the steps of checking information of identifying an application associated with the title from an object file corresponding to the title, authenticating the associated application, and reproducing the title by executing the application. Accordingly, the present invention can protect contents provided by a content provider and a user's playback system. Hence, the content provider can provide contents safely and the user can reproduce the contents with security. Therefore, the present invention can provide more convenient functions. |
| US07668438B2 |
Video processing system
A method and apparatus for producing video content. The method includes acquiring video data from a source. If the video data is not digitized, then the video data is digitized. The method includes generating scene indexes for the video data including a representative still image for each scene and combining the video data and scene indexes along with a media player on a video disc. The video player is operable to play the video data in accordance with the scene indexes including playing a scene from the video data on a client computer while displaying the representative stills for other of the scenes available for display on the video disc. |
| US07668434B2 |
Apparatus and method for replaying digital data
A digital data replaying apparatus is connected with a display unit, and includes an assisting section which generates a time bar data relating to a contents data in response to a time bar display instruction; and a replaying section which outputs the contents data and the time bar data to the display unit. A time bar is displayed on the display unit based on the time bar data and include a main section showing a replay time of the contents data; a current set of a plurality of segments provided to divide the time bar main section into a preset number; and a pointer icon which is displayed in association with one of the plurality of segments. The assisting section moves the pointer icon in association with the plurality of segments in response to a pointer movement instruction. When one of the plurality of segment is selected as a selection segment, the replaying section outputs the contents data to the display unit from a portion of the contents data corresponding to the selection segment as a replay contents data portion. |
| US07668426B2 |
Fiber optic cable assembly with integrated compressing member for strain relief
A pre-terminated cable assembly includes: a fiber optic cable comprising a plurality of optical fibers surrounded by a polymeric jacket; the jacket including a transition region, wherein the plurality of optical fibers is broken out into fiber subunits on one side of the transition region; a sleeve fixed to the transition region; and a circumferentially compressing member mounted on the transition region of the jacket adjacent the fixing sleeve. In this configuration, the cable assembly can have sufficient strain relief and protection for the optical fibers as the cable is manipulated into place during installation. |
| US07668425B1 |
Bi-directional cable assembly with bend-improved fiber tether
A bi-directional cable assembly for use with a fiber optic cable that includes at least one cable optical fiber that can carry bi-directional optical signals. The cable assembly is connected to the fiber optic cable at a mid-span location, where the cable fiber is preterminated to form upstream and downstream cable fiber sections. A tether having an upstream and/or a downstream tether fiber is spliced to corresponding preterminated upstream and/or downstream cable fibers at respective one or more splice locations. At least one of the tether fibers is a bend-resistant optical fiber that includes a bend angle equal to or about 180 degrees so that the tether extends in one direction from the mid-span access point along the fiber optic cable. A low-profile protective cover covers the mid-span access point and an end-portion of the tether. A protective tube may be used to house the bend-improved fiber and the splices that connect the cable fiber sections to the tether fibers. |
| US07668424B2 |
Aligner apparatus for connecting optical waveguides
Apparatus which adjusts an optical connection between a waveguide and an optical interconnection component that launches light into the waveguide or receives light emitted from the waveguide. The apparatus includes: an excitation light element emitting light that causes the waveguide to fluoresce into the waveguide via the optical interconnection component; an observation unit that observes the waveguide from a side face, different from the end face into which light is launched into the waveguide or light having propagated through the waveguide is emitted, and which receives fluorescent light emitted by the waveguide; and a connection adjusting component that adjusts the optical connection between the optical interconnection component and the waveguide based on the intensity of the fluorescent light received at the light observing section. |
| US07668421B2 |
Optical coupling lens and light source
The present invention relates to an optical coupling lens and light source module. An optical coupling lens is provided for converging a light flux emitted from a light source to an entrance aperture. The optical coupling lens satisfies a predetermined condition according to a third-order astigmatisms coefficient of the optical coupling lens. A light source module includes: a light source; an optical waveguide; and an optical unit including one or more of an optical coupling lens for converging a light flux emitted from the light source onto the optical waveguide. At least one optical coupling lens satisfies predetermined condition according to a third-order astigmatism coefficient of the optical coupling lens. |
| US07668420B2 |
Optical waveguide ring resonator with an intracavity active element
An optical resonator, a photonic system and a method of optical resonance employ optical waveguide segments connected together with total internal reflection (TIR) mirrors to form a closed loop. The optical resonator includes the optical waveguide segments, an intracavity active element coupled to a designated one of the optical waveguide segments, the TIR mirrors and a photo-tunneling input/output (I/O) port. The photo-tunneling I/O port includes one of the TIR mirrors. The method includes propagating and reflecting the optical signal, or a portion thereof, in the optical resonator, transmitting a portion of the optical signal through the I/O port, and influencing the optical signal. The photonic system includes the optical resonator with optical gain and a source of an optical signal. |
| US07668419B2 |
Evanescent sensor using a hollow-core ring mode waveguide
Method and apparatus enable optical evanescent sensing utilizing a waveguide with an annular core. The annular core can provide detectable sensitivity to a measurand due to optical interactions with contents along an inside surface of the annular core since optical properties of the contents vary with changes in the measurand. |
| US07668415B2 |
Method and device for providing electronic circuitry on a backplate
A MEMS-based display device is described, wherein an array of interferometric modulators are configured to reflect light through a transparent substrate. The transparent substrate is sealed to a backplate and the backplate may contain electronic circuitry fabricated on the backplane. The electronic circuitry is placed in electrical communication with the array of interferometric modulators and is configured to control the state of the array of interferometric modulators. |
| US07668413B2 |
Apparatus and method for measuring convergence using fiber Bragg grating sensor
Disclosed is an apparatus for measuring convergence using a fiber Bragg grating sensor measuring slight deformation, capable of measuring the convergence such as the inclination or the gravitational acceleration of a measurement target including a bridge or a tunnel by measuring the deformation of the fiber Bragg grating sensor when the measurement target is inclined or vibrated, as well as a measurement method using the apparatus. The apparatus includes a main body that is installed on a measurement target; a fixture that is fixedly installed at the front of the main body; a rotator that is horizontally installed apart from the fixture at a predetermined distance and is rotatably installed in the main body using a bearing; an optical fiber that is adhered to upper outer surfaces of the fixture and the rotator so as to maintain a horizontally tensioned state and has optical terminals installed on opposite ends thereof; a fiber Bragg grating sensor that is installed on the optical fiber between the fixture and the rotator; and a bob that is vertically connected with a lower portion of the rotator by a support having a predetermined length. The apparatus is installed on the measurement target after setting a reference value and then calculates a quantity of displacement caused by variation of the ground, so that values of angular displacement and gravitational acceleration displacement are measured. |
| US07668412B2 |
Systems and methods for detecting electric discharge
A distributed sensing system for detecting partial electric discharge along the length of an extended object or objects. An optical fiber having a cladding integrated with luminescent material and a silica core of less than 500 micro-meters in diameter with a first reflective end deployed in proximity to test objects. A photo detector is positioned at the second end of the optical sensing fiber and receives and measures both a direct emission light from an electric partial discharge event and the reflected emission light from the reflection end of the optical sensing fiber. The measured signals and their arrival times are used to determine the location and magnitude of a partial electrical discharge. |
| US07668405B2 |
Forming connections between image collections
A method of establishing a connection between two image collections, the method includes providing a first image collection from a first user; providing a second image collection from a different second user; analyzing the first and second image collections to produce a similarity score between the first and second image collections; and establishing a link for sharing images or collection data between the first and second users based on the similarity score. |
| US07668399B2 |
Apparatus and method for laying out images and program therefor
A layout image is generated by laying out images in a background area according to a predetermined rule. An instruction to edit the layout image is received from a user, and the layout image is edited. Based on a result of editing according to the instruction, user preference information representing preference of the user is generated. The user preference information is fed back in subsequent layout image generation. |
| US07668396B2 |
Method and system for noise reduction in an image
In a specific embodiment of the present disclosure, a source image is smoothed to create a smoothed image, and an edge detector is used to create an edge layer. A blending controller is used to control a blending between the source image and the smoothed image. The blended destination image maintains detail while eliminating unwanted noise. |
| US07668395B2 |
Image processing device, method, and program
An image processing device, method, and a program capable of obtaining processing results which are even more accurate and even more precise as to events in the real world, taking into consideration the real world where data has been acquired. The image processing device may include a computer configured to compute a product-sum coefficient and a recorder configured to record the product-sum coefficient. In another embodiment, the image processing device may include a data continuity detector, a recorder, and a pixel extractor. |
| US07668394B2 |
Background intensity correction of a scan of a document
One exemplary method of the present invention is for background intensity correction of a scan of pixel values of a document, wherein the scan has at least one background pixel area and at least one non-background pixel area. The method includes segmenting the scan into the at least one background pixel area and the at least one non-background pixel area. The method also includes calculating a gray background pixel value of at least a portion of the scan. The method also includes compensating only the pixel values of the at least one background pixel area for background intensity using the calculated gray background pixel value. |
| US07668392B2 |
Block noise detecting and reducing method and apparatus, using comparison of adjacent pixel boundary differences with predicted pixel boundary differences
A pixel boundary difference detector detects a pixel boundary difference across a pixel boundary on the basis of a difference value between pixel values of adjacent pixels across the pixel boundary on a picture plane of an input image frame, and a predicted pixel value on the pixel boundary predicted from at least a plurality of pixels on one side of the pixel boundary, an accumulator accumulates the pixel boundary differences for one image frame, and a block noise detector detects a block noise on the basis of a result of the accumulation. The accuracy of block noise detection is improved, the effect of block noise reduction is improved, and the picture quality is improved. |
| US07668389B2 |
Image processing method, image processing apparatus, and image processing program
High frequency components are efficiently extracted from blurred images, and blur correction is efficiently performed. A blur analyzing means judges whether an image is a blurred image. If the image is judged to be a blurred image, blur data Q, which includes a blur width, is generated and transmitted to a blur correcting means. The blur correcting means extracts high frequency components from the image if the blur width is less than a predetermined threshold value, and performs blur correction by adding the high frequency components to the image. Meanwhile, if the blur width is greater than or equal to the threshold value, a reducing means reduces the size of the image to obtain a reduced image. Then, the blur correcting means extracts high frequency components from the reduced image, and performs blur correction by emphasizing and adding the extracted high frequency components to the reduced image. |