| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US07841448B2 |
Automatic ladder for attic access
An access panel is shown in the present invention to provide easy and safe access to an attic space or elevated structure. The access panel is fully automatic. During opening, the access panel only uses gravitational forces for opening a cover. Only during closing is the access panel motorized. The gravitational forces are used to both open the cover and extend the ladder sections, while the motor is only used to retract the latter sections and close the cover. A stow latch keeps the cover closed during non-use. A safety switch keeps the access panel from accidentally opening and the ladder sections from lowering if the stow latch is released. A mechanical lock keeps the cover open when the ladder sections have been lowered. |
| US07841440B2 |
Fuel safety control apparatus for vehicle
A fuel safety control device includes a fuel pump disposed in a fuel tank and coupled to a vehicle engine with a fuel piping system, a fuel system safety controller coupled to the fuel pump for controlling the driving direction of the fuel pump, and an impact detector coupled to the fuel system safety controller for supplying an impact signal to the fuel system safety controller and to reverse the driving direction of the fuel pump, and to draw the fuel from the fuel piping system back to the fuel tank when receiving an impact signal, in order to prevent the impact firing from being occurred. A transformer circuit may be coupled to the fuel pump for increasing the driving speed of the fuel pump when required. |
| US07841438B2 |
Turbocharger activated clutch
A vehicle may have an engine that provides power for locomotion; a plurality of ground engaging wheels; a clutch assembly connected to the engine and connected to at least one of the ground engaging wheels; and a turbocharger assembly connected to the engine and connected to the clutch assembly. The turbocharger assembly is operated to engage the clutch assembly to connect, for locomotion, the engine to the ground engaging wheel. |
| US07841433B2 |
Negative driveline torque control incorporating transmission state selection for a hybrid vehicle
A hybrid propulsion system for a passenger vehicle is provided. The system comprises a first and second electric motor in the drivetrain, in addition to a transmission. When each of the motors are providing braking torque, the transmission state is adjusted in response to the amounts of braking torque provided by the first and second motors. |
| US07841432B2 |
Hydro-electric hybrid drive system for motor vehicle
A hybrid electro-hydraulic drive system is provided for a vehicle and comprises a hydraulic transmission including a first hydraulic machine and at least one second hydraulic machine drivingly connected to drive wheels of the motor vehicle for driving thereof, an electric motor/generator operatively connected to the first hydraulic machine, and at least one energy storage device operable to store and release a hydraulic fluid energy or an electrical energy. The second hydraulic machine is a reversible hydraulic pump/motor unit capable to function both as a hydraulic pump and a hydraulic motor. The energy storage device is operatively connected to either the hydraulic transmission or the electric motor/generator. In a retarding mode the hydraulic transmission and/or the electric motor/generator retard the vehicle, while in a driving mode they supply a supplementary power to the drive wheels to assist propulsion of the vehicle. |
| US07841429B2 |
Hydraulic transaxle
A hydraulic transaxle comprises: a housing having a fluid sump therein, the housing including mutually joined housing parts; a pair of first wheels disposed at one of front and rear portions of the vehicle; an axle disposed in the housing; a center section disposed in the housing, the center section being formed therein with a pair of fluid ducts; a hydraulic pump disposed in the housing, fitted to the center section, and communicating with the fluid ducts; and a hydraulic motor disposed in the housing, fitted to the center section, and communicating with the fluid ducts so as to be fluidly connected to the hydraulic pump. The hydraulic motor includes a cylindrical motor shaft relatively rotatably and coaxially penetrated by the axle and drivingly connected to the axle. |
| US07841428B2 |
Polycrystalline diamond apparatuses and methods of manufacture
Methods of manufacturing polycrystalline diamond are disclosed. More particularly, a mixture including diamond and fullerenes may be provided. Further, the mixture may be exposed to a high pressure, high temperature sintering process. In addition, a volume of polycrystalline diamond bonded to a substrate may be formed by providing a mixture including diamond and fullerenes and exposing the mixture to a high pressure, high temperature sintering process. A drill bit for drilling a subterranean formation is disclosed. Further, polycrystalline diamond compacts are disclosed including polycrystalline diamond bonded to a substrate, wherein the polycrystalline diamond includes less than about 1% by weight or is substantially free of non-fullerenes, non-diamond carbon. Polycrystalline diamond exhibiting an increased diamond volume fraction due to the presence of fullerenes during manufacture relative to polycrystalline diamond formed without fullerenes is disclosed. |
| US07841427B2 |
Optimized central PDC cutter and method
A drill bit, insert and method useful for subterranean drilling, or forming boreholes in subterranean formations is provided. More particularly, a more efficient cutting structure and method is provided in the central portion of a PDC drill bit. The present invention provides a drill bit, insert and method having a central cutting portion with a more normalized angle of attack. The drill bit of the present invention provides for various attack angles much closer to the optimum side rake. |
| US07841426B2 |
Hybrid drill bit with fixed cutters as the sole cutting elements in the axial center of the drill bit
A hybrid drill bit having both roller cones and fixed blades is disclosed. The cutting elements on the fixed blades form a continuous cutting profile from the perimeter of the bit body to the axial center. The roller cone cutting elements overlap with the fixed cutting elements in the nose and shoulder sections of the cutting profile between the axial center and the perimeter. The roller cone cutting elements crush and pre-fracture formation in the weak and highly stressed nose and shoulder sections. |
| US07841425B2 |
Drilling subsurface wellbores with cutting structures
A system for forming a wellbore includes a drill tubular. A drill bit is coupled to the drill tubular. One or more cutting structures are coupled to the drill tubular above the drill bit. The cutting structures remove at least a portion of formation that extends into the wellbore formed by the drill bit. |
| US07841422B1 |
Soil separating systems
A towable apparatus adapted for the separation of rock, stones, or debris from topsoil, having a stationary, non-vibrating sifting screen. A hydraulically powered conveyor belt with paddles pushes the soil across the sifting screen. The system provides features to assist prevention of machine jamming by large debris. A method of use is also disclosed. |
| US07841421B2 |
Ballistic fire protection system
A fire protection device has a panel having a plurality of channels formed there through. A plurality of containers is used for holding a fire suppression material. Each container is placed in one of the plurality of channels. An attachment device is used for removably coupling the fire protection device to a structure to be protected. |
| US07841417B2 |
Use of swellable material in an annular seal element to prevent leakage in a subterranean well
A method of sealing an annulus formed between a casing string and a surface in a well includes: positioning a seal element in the annulus, a swellable material of the seal element being positioned between the casing string and the surface; and flowing cement through a channel formed between the swellable material and the casing string. A method of sealing in a well includes the steps of: positioning an annular seal element comprising a swellable material in the well; and flowing cement into at least one channel formed longitudinally through the seal element. A method of sealing an annulus between two casing strings includes: providing multiple arcuate segments, each of the segments comprising a swellable material; and installing the segments in the annulus, each of the segments thereby occupying a respective circumferential portion of the annulus. |
| US07841409B2 |
Sand control screen assembly and method for use of same
A sand control screen assembly (40) is operably positionable within a wellbore (64). The sand control screen assembly (40) includes a base pipe (42) having at least one opening (46) in a sidewall portion thereof. A filter medium (48) is disposed exteriorly of at least a first circumferential portion of the base pipe (42). The filter medium (48) is in fluid communication with the at least one opening (46). A swellable material layer (56) is disposed exteriorly of a second circumferential portion of the base pipe (42) such that in response to contact with an activating fluid, radial expansion of the swellable material layer (56) causes the filter medium (48) to contact the wellbore (64). |
| US07841404B2 |
Modified process for hydrocarbon recovery using in situ combustion
A modified method for in situ recovery of hydrocarbon from an underground hydrocarbon-containing formation. An “L” shaped production well, having a vertical section, and a lower horizontal leg positioned low in the formation, is provided. The horizontal leg connects to the vertical section at a heel portion, and has a toe portion at an opposite end thereof. Oxidizing gas is injected into the formation in or proximate the vertical section. A combustion front sweeps outwardly from the vertical section and laterally within the formation above the horizontal leg, from the heel to the toe, causing hydrocarbons in the formation above the horizontal leg to drain downwardly into the horizontal leg, which are then delivered to surface via production tubing. A non-oxidizing gas is injected into at least the heel portion and preferably additional portions of the horizontal leg via injection tubing contained within the vertical section of the production well. |
| US07841403B2 |
Rotator for wireline conveyed wellbore instruments and method for rotating an instrument in a wellbore
An apparatus for rotating an instrument in a wellbore includes a non magnetic housing configured to traverse the interior of the wellbore. The housing has an external diameter smaller than an internal diameter of a casing disposed in the wellbore. A plurality of electromagnets is arranged circumferentially about the interior of the housing and is configured to induce magnetic flux through a wall of the housing when actuated. A controller configured to sequentially rotationally actuate the electromagnets. A method for rotating a wellbore instrument in a wellbore includes causing parts of an instrument housing to be sequentially rotationally magnetically attracted to a casing disposed in the wellbore. The housing has a smaller external diameter than an internal diameter of the casing. The sequential rotational magnetic attraction is continued as needed. |
| US07841398B2 |
Gravel packing apparatus utilizing diverter valves
Method and apparatus for gravel packing an open-hole wellbore are disclosed. The apparatus includes a sandscreen disposed in the wellbore thereby creating an annulus between the wellbore and the sandscreen for receiving a gravel slurry. The apparatus further comprises a tubular member or wash pipe which is concentrically disposed in the sandscreen for receiving carrier fluid which passes through the sandscreen and for returning the carrier fluid to the earth's surface. At least one diverter valve is installed in the tubular member for permitting flow of the carrier fluid into the tubular member. |
| US07841394B2 |
Method and apparatus for centralized well treatment
A method of communicating between a central location and multiple well locations is disclosed that includes the steps of stimulating a first well from the central location using a first stimulation fluid through a first fluid line; and simultaneously stimulating a second well from the central location using a second stimulation fluid through a second fluid line. An apparatus for centralized well operations is disclosed that includes a well treatment operations factory which manufactures and pumps a well stimulation fluid; a first connection between a first well location and the well operations factory; a second connection between a second well location and the well operations factory; and means for simultaneously flowing a first stimulation fluid to the first well location and a second stimulation fluid to a second well location. Manifolds for centralized well stimulation are disclosed. |
| US07841392B1 |
Method and apparatus for controlling temperature gradients within a structure being cooled
A phased array antenna apparatus has a plurality of circuit portions which are each coupled to a respective antenna element. Capillary pressure of a cooling fluid within a wick in a loop is utilized to urge the fluid to travel around the loop, the wick being disposed in the region of the circuitry. In a variation, there are plural wicks in respective evaporators, and cooling fluid is distributed among the evaporators through a series of T-junctions. In another variation, cooling fluid is distributed to a plurality of evaporators in a sequence corresponding to a progressive increase in the respective amounts of heat accepted by the evaporators from structure being cooled. |
| US07841390B1 |
Heat exchanger having powder coated elements
Powder coated heat exchange elements for a heat exchanger. Powder coating provides improved protective coating on surfaces of heat exchange elements. In many applications, the heat exchange elements are subjected to harsh operating conditions that promote corrosion. Traditional enamel coating tends to fracture when subjected to mechanical stresses thereby allowing corrosion inducing agents to penetrate and corrode the underlying surfaces. Powder coating reduces breaches in the protective layer. Powder coating may be adapted to withstand high temperatures so as to make them suitable for use in harsh operating environments. One such environment can be found in the processing of flue gas from fossil burning power generators, where the flue gas has a relatively high temperature and high sulfur content. |
| US07841388B2 |
Radiating fin assembly for thermal module
A radiating fin assembly for a thermal module includes a plurality of radiating fins being mounted on a top of a heat radiating base of the thermal module with a heat pipe located between the radiating fins and the base. Each of the radiating fins is provided at a predetermined position with a downward opened curved notch for engaging with the heat pipe. A first extension is outward extended from a top of the curved notch and perpendicular to the radiating fin, and a second extension is perpendicularly extended from an outer edge of the first extension. When the radiating fin assembly is mounted on the top of the heat radiating base, the second extensions apply a downward pressure to the heat pipe, bringing the heat pipe to more tightly contact with the heat radiating base. |
| US07841387B2 |
Pump-free water-cooling system
A pump-free water-cooling system includes a heat-exchange circulating solution container containing heat-exchange circulating solution and vapor of the circulating solution, at least one solution outlet to discharge the circulating solution from the container, and a gas-liquid two-phase fluid inlet to charge into the container gas-liquid two-phase fluid composed of the circulating solution. The system also includes a circulating-solution transporting route in which a first transportation route is linked to a second transportation route which is linked to a third transportation route. A sensible-heat-emitting heat exchanger is provided along the first transportation route. The first transportation route is linked with the solution outlet. Heat exchange is carried out along the second transportation route at least between circulating solution therein and the circulating solution in the container. A heating heat exchanger is provided along the third transportation route. The third transportation route is linked with the gas-liquid two-phase fluid inlet. |
| US07841381B2 |
Heat and energy recovery ventilators and methods of use
An energy recovery ventilator and method for monitoring and maintaining an environmental condition inside a structure such as a house, building, or dwelling is provided. The ventilator may include a housing having mating halves of a molded polymeric material, first and second chambers disposed within the housing to convey separate first and second streams of air, a heat exchanger configured to intersect the first and second chambers, a first fan to circulate the first air stream through the first chamber, a second fan to circulate the second air stream through the second chamber, and a fan motor driving the first and second fans. The ventilator may also be configured to prevent frost build-up in or on the energy ventilator, to provide efficient cooling, and maintain one or more desired environmental conditions. |
| US07841376B2 |
Window covering safety device
A window covering is disclosed that has a safety device that includes a first cord segment having stops spaced along the first cord segment, and a second cord segment having stops spaced along the second cord segment. The first cord segment and the second cord segment extend from respective end caps. The end caps are configured to connect to the ends of a bottom rail. A first anchor is connected to the first cord segment, and a second anchor is connected to the second cord segment. At least one of the first end cap and the first anchor is configured to releasably connect to the first cord segment at a selected stop on the first cord segment and at least one of the second anchor and the second end cap is configured to releasably connect to the second cord segment at a selected stop on the second cord segment. |
| US07841374B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing a shoulder bag attachment
An auxiliary storage accessory for use with shoulder bags releasably attaches to the attachment points of the shoulder strap on the shoulder bag with elastic straps in order to be usable with a variety of shoulder bags. The storage accessory is typically an auxiliary bag. The storage accessory is removable and can include a storage compartment and/or item holders such as pockets, straps, clips, hooks, loops, and combinations thereof. |
| US07841373B2 |
Apparatus for surfacing flitch
An apparatus for surfacing a flitch by cutting material from its radially outer surface to prepare the flitch for veneer slicing or other uses. The apparatus comprises a cutterhead rotatable about a cutterhead axis. The apparatus further comprises a carriage comprising a ring that rotates about a carriage axis and a pivot arm that carries the cutterhead and is coupled to the rotatable ring for pivoting movement about a pivot arm axis. The apparatus further comprises a flitch contour accommodation device coupled to the pivot arm and to the cutterhead to permit rotation of the cutterhead about a device axis that is generally transverse to the cutterhead axis. |
| US07841372B2 |
Apparatus for hardening the head area of a wooden baseball bat
An apparatus for hardening the hitting head area of a wooden baseball bat by compressing of the wooden fibers on the surface thereof which includes a base housing assembly with a track and a carriage assembly with a rail member. The rail member and the track are engageable together to facilitate movement of the carriage assembly with respect to the base housing assembly. A compression roller is mounted to the housing and a bat is retained to the carriage adjacent the roller. The roller is biased into abutment with the bat for compressing the wooden fibers of hitting surface to increase the hitting power thereof as the carriage with the bat mounted thereof is manually powered for abutting movement along the adjacent compressing roller. The bat can be selectively mounted in a bat receiving zone defined by a plurality of U-shaped retaining brackets mounted to the carriage assembly. |
| US07841370B2 |
Foaming liquid material and use thereof for reducing noise in mounted tires
The present invention is directed to a method of reducing noise transmission in a pneumatic tire and wheel assembly comprising an inflation cavity, the method comprising the step of adding to the inflation cavity from about 0.1 to about 1 volume percent, based on the volume of the inflation cavity, of a repeatably foamable liquid. |
| US07841369B1 |
Weaving process for production of a full fashioned woven stretch garment with load carriage capability
A weaving process for constructing weft stretch full fashioned utility garments using a jacquard machine, an electronic loom and highly stretchable elastomeric fill yarns. |
| US07841365B2 |
Apparatus for controlling flow through a conduit
A conduit apparatus includes a slide plate between faces of flanges connecting a first and second conduit portions. Upper and lower fasteners extend through bolt holes in the flanges above and below the slide plate. Right aid left fasteners extend through bolt holes in the flanges and through bolt holes in the slide plate. The slide plate can be located in a first position where the right and left fasteners extend through a first set of bolt holes in the slide plate and where a first portion of the slide plate is between the faces of the flanges, and in a second position where the right and left fasteners extend through a second set of bolt holes in the slide plate and where a second portion of the slide plate is between the faces of the flanges. The slide plate can be configured to allow or block or restrict flow. |
| US07841361B2 |
Electromagnetic hydraulic valve
An electromagnetic hydraulic valve (1), in particular proportional valve, for controlling a device for the rotational angle adjustment of a camshaft relative to a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine, composed of an electromagnet (2) with a hollow-cylindrical magnet housing (4), at least one coil winding (5), an axially moveable magnet armature (6), a first and a second pole shoe (7, 8), a valve part (3) with a hollow-cylindrical valve housing (9) having a control piston (12) which can be moved axially by the magnet armature (6) of the electromagnet (2) via a plunger rod (11). The invention consists of a sleeve (17), composed of a base (18) and a hollow-cylindrical side wall (19), which is arranged on that end of the control piston (12) and situated in the direction of the plunger rod (11), where the sleeve (17) has a greater hardness than the control piston (12). |
| US07841353B2 |
Foldable walking stick with adjustable length and a shock-proofing mechanism
The present invention provides a foldable walking stick with adjustable length and shock-proofing mechanism. The foldable walking stick includes a rod holder containing at least two interconnected rods and a handle, arranged at an upper part of the foldable stick. Each rod connected to the handle is divided into first and second rod sections, the second rod section having a flexible pulling rope and a flexible locating pin. A plurality of locating holes, are arranged on the wall of the first rod section with different heights, allowing for locking by the flexible locating pin when inserting the second rod section. A tapered locating section is arranged onto the flexible locating pin. An inner space, is arranged onto the preset location of a rod. There is a shock-proofing mechanism, assembled within the inner space; and a grounding portion, arranged at bottom of either rod. |
| US07841352B2 |
Cleaning device, a lithographic apparatus and a lithographic apparatus cleaning method
A cleaning tool to clean a surface of a liquid confinement system of an immersion lithographic apparatus is disclosed, the liquid confinement system having an aperture to allow passage of a beam of radiation therethrough of an immersion lithographic apparatus. The cleaning tool includes a sonic transducer, a reservoir configured to hold liquid between the sonic transducer and the surface to be cleaned, and a barrier positioned in the reservoir under the aperture to form, in use, a shield to sonic waves. |
| US07841351B1 |
Coil cleaning machine
A machine for cleaning coils in HVAC installations including particularly the coils located in outdoor HVAC units and coils located in interior ductwork the machine comprising a shell housing enclosing cleaning fluids, an electrical system for line power or battery operation, and a fluid control system for selecting cleaning fluid and the pressure and volume of fluid applied in cleaning coils. |
| US07841347B2 |
Method of performing surgical procedures on patients suffering from hiatal hernia
The invention is a method of lowering the gastroesophageal junction below the diaphragm of a patient with a hiatal hernia during the performance of surgical procedures performed via natural orifices. The method comprises applying positive pressure ventilation with positive end expiratory pressure (PEEP) to the patient. |
| US07841345B2 |
Headgear connection assembly for a respiratory mask assembly
A respiratory mask assembly for delivering breathable gas to a patient includes a frame and at least one locking clip. The frame has a main body and a side frame member provided on each lateral side of the main body, at least one of the side frame members including a locking clip receiver assembly. The at least one locking clip has a main body providing a front portion adapted to be removably coupled with the at least one locking clip receiver assembly and a rear portion adapted to be removably coupled to a headgear assembly. The rear portion includes a cross bar that forms an opening through which a strap of the headgear assembly can pass and be removably coupled with the cross bar, and the front portion includes at least one resiliently flexible spring arm that is flexible within the plane of the main body. |
| US07841342B2 |
Interface accessory for use with an aerosol inhalation system
An aerosol inhalation system includes a single source of gas and a Y-connector having a first port in fluid communication with the gas source via a conduit. The system also has an accessory having a main conduit body that fluidly connected to the Y-connector via a conduit to permit gas from the single source to flow through the main conduit body. The accessory includes a patient interface conduit that delivers aerosolized medication to a mouth of the patient. A nebulizer is sealingly and removably disposed within the main conduit body and includes a gas inlet port that is fluidly connected to the Y-connector to permit gas from the single source to flow into the nebulizer to create the aerosolized medication that is delivered into the main conduit body and to the patient through the patient interface conduit. |
| US07841340B2 |
Inhaler with powder dislodging member
A powder inhaler for administering powder by inhalation, comprising: a flow path defined by a plurality of surfaces through which a stream of air is in use drawn on inhalation by a user; and dosing means (18) for providing a dose of powder to the flow path for entrainment in the stream of air; characterized in that the inhaler further comprises dislodging means for dislodging powder accumulated on a surface of the flow path downstream of the dosing means (18). |
| US07841335B2 |
Nebulizer with flow-based fluidic control and related methods
Various embodiments of a breath-activated nebulizer with flow-based fluidic control and related methods of using such a nebulizer are disclosed. The nebulizer may include a body comprising a reservoir for holding medication, a nozzle for emitting a jet of pressurized gas, and a fluid conduit in communication with the reservoir for delivery of the medication proximate the jet to produce an aerosol of medication. The nebulizer may also include a nebulizer outlet in communication with the body for delivery of the aerosol to a patient, an entrainment passage for providing entrainment flow from atmosphere during inhalation by the patient, and a control conduit in fluid communication with the fluid conduit for delivery of a control gas to the fluid conduit to prevent the delivery of the medication proximate the jet. In some exemplary embodiments, the control conduit may comprise a gas passage proximate the entrainment passage to allow the control gas to flow across the entrainment passage. During the inhalation by the patient, the entrainment flow through the entrainment passage may substantially prevent the control gas from flowing across the entrainment passage so as to interrupt the delivery of the control gas to the fluid conduit. |
| US07841332B2 |
Burner with flame stability
The present invention concerns a burner assembly that includes a burner body having a combustible gas chamber from which a combustible gas is distributed to a plurality of burner ports at which the combustible gas can be combusted and a stability chamber in gas-flow communication with the combustible gas chamber for maintaining the combustion of the combustible gas in the stability chamber whenever the combustion of the combustible gas at the plurality of burner ports is disturbed, whereby the combustion of the combustible gas at the plurality of the burner ports may be resumed upon the cessation of the disturbance. The burner assembly can also include a burner cap for closing off the top of the burner body so as to substantially preclude the escape of the combustible gas from the combustible gas chamber, the stability gas chamber and the burner ports at the top of the burner body. |
| US07841331B2 |
Paintball gun
A paintball gun includes an air valve and a body portion, in which the body portion includes a paintball hole, an axle sleeve and a bolt. By the position change of the air valve, the movement of the bolt is, therefore, controlled between the third and fourth positions, so as to selectively turn the effusion passage open or closed to control the pneumatic air to flow out of the projection passage and projection hole to project the paintball. |
| US07841330B2 |
Paintball gun
A paintball gun includes an air valve and a body portion, in which the body portion includes a paintball hole, a communicator, a piston, an axle sleeve and a bolt. By the pneumatic control of the air valve, the piston is pushed between the first and second positions, and the movement of the bolt is, therefore, controlled between the third and fourth positions, so as to selectively turn the effusion passage open or closed to control the pneumatic air to flow out of the projection passage and projection hole to project the paintball. |
| US07841328B2 |
Paintball gun loading methods and apparatus
Methods, apparatus, systems, and kits for loading paintballs into a feed tube of a paintball gun are disclosed. A loader includes a chamber for holding paintballs, a feed mechanism having a rotational feeder within the chamber that feeds paintballs from the chamber along a feed channel when rotating to fill the feed tube, and a drive mechanism that drives the rotational feeder of the feed mechanism, ceases to drive the rotational feeder responsive to stoppage of the rotational feeder, and periodically attempts to rotate the stopped rotational feeder. Paintballs are loaded from a loader into a feed tube of a paintball gun by driving a rotational feeder within the loader, the rotational feeder configured within the loader to feed paintballs into the feed tube when rotating, ceasing to drive the rotational feeder responsive to stoppage of the rotational feeder, and periodically attempting to rotate the stopped rotational feeder. |
| US07841326B2 |
Method for operating an internal combustion engine
A method for operating an internal combustion engine working according to the Otto principle, in which fuel, particularly gasoline, is injected directly into a combustion chamber and is inflamed by self-ignition. A characteristic quantity characterizing the stability of combustion of an air/fuel mixture located in the combustion chamber is ascertained, and, as a function of the characteristic quantity, a residual gas proportion in the cylinder associated with the combustion chamber is set, in particular minimized, the residual gas proportion being reduced, preferably iteratively, as long as the characteristic quantity does not fall below a specifiable stability boundary. |
| US07841325B2 |
Fuel management system for variable ethanol octane enhancement of gasoline engines
Fuel management system for efficient operation of a spark ignition gasoline engine. Injectors inject an anti-knock agent such as ethanol directly into a cylinder of the engine. A fuel management microprocessor system controls injection of the anti-knock agent so as to control knock and minimize that amount of the anti-knock agent that is used in a drive cycle. It is preferred that the anti-knock agent is ethanol. The use of ethanol can be further minimized by injection in a non-uniform manner within a cylinder. The ethanol injection suppresses knock so that higher compression ratio and/or engine downsizing from increased turbocharging or supercharging can be used to increase the efficiency of the engine. |
| US07841323B2 |
Internal-combustion engine having a cooled exhaust gas recirculation system as well as an exhaust gas manifold
An internal-combustion engine contains at least one piston/cylinder unit containing a combustion chamber, having an intake path leading into the combustion chamber, an exhaust gas path leading out of the combustion chamber, and having an exhaust gas manifold. An exhaust gas recirculation path leads from the exhaust gas manifold into the intake path. A cooling device is provided for cooling the recirculated exhaust gas, wherein the cooling device cools the exhaust gas manifold, and the exhaust gas recirculation path branches off the cooled exhaust gas manifold. |
| US07841321B2 |
Canister and method of manufacturing the same
In a canister and a method of manufacturing a canister, in order to restrain a temperature rise of an adsorptive material owing to adsorption of an evaporated fuel (gasoline vapor) or to restrain a temperature drop of the adsorptive material during purging of the adsorbed gasoline vapor and to increase adsorbing and purging amounts, or in order to improve adsorbing and purging performances of the evaporated fuel, there is disposed a thermal storage material constituted of a phase change substance which absorbs and discharges latent heat in response to a temperature change or a thermal storage material microcapsule constituted by confining the thermal storage material in a microcapsule in a state in which the material or the microcapsule is not brought into direct contact with the evaporated fuel, and especially in the vicinity of the adsorptive material in a heat-conduction state, so that the temperature change is restrained by the thermal storage material in response to the temperature rise or drop of the adsorptive material to prevent deterioration of the adsorbing performance of an activated carbon due to the temperature rise and deterioration of the purging performance of the activated carbon due to the temperature drop. |
| US07841319B2 |
Method of detecting and compensating for injector variability with a direct injection system
A method for controlling an injection of fuel to an engine is described. In one example, the different fuels are injected to an engine during different engine operating conditions. The method may improve engine starting and reduce engine emissions. |
| US07841318B2 |
Control apparatus for internal combustion engine
A control apparatus for an internal combustion engine, includes: a crankshaft; a crank angle detection unit that outputs a crank signal; a generator that rotates in synchronization with the rotation of the crankshaft, and that outputs alternating voltage signals with one-phase; and a control unit, to which the alternating voltage signals are input, that ascertains ignition timings based on the crank signals, performs ignition control so as to spark the internal combustion engine at the ignition timings, determines a polarity of the alternating voltage signal each time the crank signal is detected, ascertains a polarity cycle of the alternating voltage signals based on the determination result of the polarity, and determines that a failure has occurred in the generator when the polarity cycles do not continuously coincide multiple times with the polarity cycles at the time of forward rotation of the crankshaft. |
| US07841316B2 |
Controller for direct injection engine
When an engine is at starting or at cold state, a closing time of an exhaust valve is set before an intake top dead center to close the exhaust valve early. An exhaust residual gas is compressed by a cylinder to raise an inner cylinder temperature. A pre-fuel injection is performed from a time of closing the exhaust valve to a time of the intake top dead center in such a manner that the pre-injected fuel is combusted to raise the inner cylinder temperature. This increase in temperature expedites an atomization of fuel injected at a main fuel injection. A wet amount of fuel is reduced and HC emission is also reduced. |
| US07841312B2 |
Adjustment device for a camshaft
An adjustment device for a camshaft includes a brake system and a superposition gear system connected on a drive output side to the camshaft and on the drive input side to the crankshaft, such that to adjust the camshaft the superposition gear system dissipates part of the energy from the drive side into the brake system. The brake system is a frictional brake system, such that the necessary braking force is produced by a friction lining that operates in a slipping condition. |
| US07841310B2 |
Spool valve for VCT locking pin release mechanism
A spool valve 10 for a variable camshaft timing (VCT) phaser for an internal combustion engine comprises a spool 11 slidable in a bore 12 in a valve sleeve 13, the spool 11 having spaced apart lands 14-17 dividing the bore 12 into chambers 41, 42, 43 between adjacent lands. The valve sleeve 13 has fluid passages 22-27 including a lock passage 26 communicating with a lock pin 31, a vent passage 27 communicating with a fluid sump 35, and a lock pin oil feed passage 22, with the spool 11 being slidable in the bore 12 to interconnect select passages via particular chambers, wherein the vent passage 27 and the lock pin passage 26 are connectable with different chambers 43 and 42 respectively. The arrangement avoids unnecessary operation of the lock pin 31. |
| US07841307B2 |
Cooling fan drive system for travel type working machine
In a cooling fan drive system for a travel type working machine, the rotational speed of a cooling fan is controlled to the optimum rotational speed in accordance with temperature increase of the temperature of an engine cooling water, and the engine rotational speed is smoothly increased when the engine rotational speed is increased under travel acceleration. A fourth fan target rotational speed calculator 35e and a minimum value selector 35f are provided, and under non-operation, the fan target rotational speed is set to a low rotational speed irrespective of the temperature. When an acceleration pedal 12 is depressed to increase the rotational speed of the engine under travel acceleration, the increase of the drive pressure of a hydraulic motor 23 due to increase of the rotation of the cooling fan 9 is suppressed, and the load on the engine 1 is reduced. |
| US07841305B2 |
Heat exchange apparatus
A heat exchange apparatus for use in transferring heat to a heat sink. Preferably, the heat sink is comprised of a natural gas supply line at a pressure reduction station. Alternately, the heat sink is comprised of a storage tank. The apparatus is comprised of a heat exchange vessel, adapted to contain an amount of a heat exchange fluid, and a heat source. The heat exchange vessel includes a sump section at a lower end thereof, and a heat transfer section for transferring heat to the heat sink. The heat exchange vessel further includes a single communication junction between the sump section and the heat transfer section which provides fluid communication therebetween. The heat source is associated with the sump section and adapted to add heat to the heat exchange fluid in order to cause the heat exchange fluid to evaporate in the heat exchange vessel. |
| US07841303B2 |
Extendible lead with an integrated excrement collector
An extendible lead with an integrated excrement collector, with the lead including a casing with a collection drum. The excrement collector includes a tubular body having telescopic sections and having a flexible wire inside. One end of the wire is disposed in an opening of the tubular body and forms a lasso. A second end of the wire extends through the tubular body and out of the other end of the body and is connected to a handle. |
| US07841298B2 |
Wall mountable aquarium or terrarium
A wall mountable tank system for holding live flora or fauna includes an integrally formed tank including a rear panel, a bottom panel, and at least one of a front panel, first side panel, and second side panel. The panels define a tank interior for containing the flora or fauna. The rear panel includes a mounting portion having a receiving groove. A mounting member capable of being fixedly coupled to a vertical mounting surface is provided. The mounting member includes a tongue portion receivable in the receiving groove for engaging the mounting member to the tank. |
| US07841297B2 |
Anti-pest bird feeder apparatus
An anti-pest feeder apparatus whose box contains a hinged lid. The lid and a front compartment of the box are fitted with substantially transverse exposed alternating positive and negative circuits. The remote control provides for instantly initialized current through the circuits, whether lid and box bottom, or bottom only. A master control switch turns the electronic shock potential on and off. |
| US07841293B2 |
Display instrument and method for production and disassembly of a display instrument
A display instrument (1), in particular, for a motor vehicle, has a housing (2) retaining a cover disc (3) and a connector element (10), connecting the housing (2) and the cover disc (3) which engages in a housing recess (11), arranged on the housing (2). A secure connection of housing (2) and cover disc (3) for the display instrument (1) may be achieved, whereby the connector element (10) is arranged in the housing recess (11) and a disc recess (12), corresponding to the housing recess (11) on the cover disc (3), under tension. In the method for production of the display instrument (1), the connector element (10) is introduced under tension into the housing recess (11) and the disc recess (12) such as to connect the housing (2) and the cover disc (3) together. The method for disassembly of the display instrument (1) is based on pressing the connector element (10) out of the housing recess (11) and/or the disc recess (12). |
| US07841290B1 |
Marine shaftless external propulsor
In one general aspect, a shaftless external propulsion system as described herein provides a sleeve configured to be externally mounted over a hull of a marine vehicle. In addition, the shaftless propulsion system provides a rotor and a first stator mounted on the sleeve. The rotor includes a rotor hub that cooperates with a rotor bearing to enable the rotor to rotate about the sleeve, the rotor further comprising rotor blades attached to the rotor hub. The rotor and the first stator are disposed between a collar located at a first end of the sleeve and a collar hub located at an opposite end of the sleeve. |
| US07841289B1 |
Water level and/or sub surface water transporter/storage systems for liquids and solids simultaneously or in single cargo
A lightweight towed submersible water transporter and storage system for liquids and solids, which employs a streamlined towable hull with exterior ballast/buoyancy cells and optional air and liquid storage bladders used not only to adjust buoyancy, but to allow the simultaneous transport and storage of different solids and liquids. |
| US07841285B2 |
Waterborne vessel with loop keel
A vessel (10) for traveling on water comprises a hull (20) and a keel (30) comprising a member (34) depending from the hull, the member (34) comprising two limbs (44) each depending from a respective lateral side of the hull (20), the two limbs (44) defining at least in part an enclosed flow path extending in a bow to stern direction, the enclosed flow path being configured to allow water incident on the vessel to flow over inner and outer surfaces of the limbs (44a, 44b). The limbs (44) each have a zero-lift surface which is angled to generate in use a component of hydrodynamic force directed away from the enclosed flow path when there is a net flow of water along the enclosed flow path. |
| US07841282B2 |
Apparatus, system, and method for operating and controlling combustor for ground or particulate biomass
An apparatus, method, and system for combusting bridging fuel which includes biomass material. The apparatus includes an enclosure having a relatively thin wall defining a firebox. A temperature sensor is positioned on the exterior of the wall of the firebox. A controller is operatively connected to the temperature sensor and the fuel feed conveyor. If the temperature sensor exceeds a set point, the controller automatically operates the fuel feed conveyor to refill the firebox with fuel, which reinsulates the wall of the firebox so that fuel surrounds the combustion. A method according to the invention causes a refilling of fuel into a firebox upon sensing a condition indicative of a collapse of the bridging fuel in the firebox during combustion, losing its insulating effect at that location. The refilling is adapted to reinsulate the firebox with the fuel. |
| US07841281B2 |
Transport pallet
A pallet for the movement of goods includes several individual parts connected to one another, including a loading part, which comprises a loading surface and a reinforcement section. The goods to be transported are placed on the loading surface of the loading part, and the reinforcement section is positioned below the loading part, along with a frame section, comprising a frame center section and a frame floor section. The pallet may be formed from a fire retardant material and may include a transponder for locating the pallet. |
| US07841280B2 |
Drag reducing devices for stacked intermodal rail cars
Disclosed is a series of stacked intermodal containers, being pulled by a locomotive of a train, with aerodynamic drag reducing devices. The series includes at least a first, leading set of containers and a second, trailing set of containers. The first, leading set of containers has an aerodynamic drag reducing device with a drag reducing fairing and an attachment frame attached thereto facing a forward direction. The attachment frame includes at least one mounting device configured to be removably mounted in the tunnel of the top container of the first, leading set of containers. Additionally, the second, trailing set of containers may include a second, aerodynamic drag reducing device, also attached via a gooseneck tunnel. Curtains may also be attached between a plurality of intermediate or adjacent sets of stacked containers to assist in reducing drag on the train when moving. |
| US07841278B2 |
Method and apparatus for treating a re-imageable printing form, machine for processing printing material and method for treating a surface making contact with printing material
A method for treating a re-imageable printing form includes surface modifying a surface of the printing form acting as a printing area in a nanoscopic range by chemically functionalizing the surface through covering with molecules, in particular amphiphilic molecules or polymers. The printing form is subjected to a primary process of imaging by laser radiation, and subjected to a primary process of application of at least one lithographic fluid, for example dampening solution, printing ink and/or varnish. The molecules are fixed in image regions by the primary process of imaging. The molecules are removed in non-image regions substantially by at least one primary process different than the application of printing ink, in particular by imaging, application of dampening solution or chemical developing. An apparatus for treating a re-imageable printing form, a machine for processing printing material and a method for treating a surface contacting printing material, are also provided. |
| US07841272B2 |
Strap welding system and method
Bale strap assemblies for strapping a pressed bale are discussed herein. The bale strap assemblies may include a strap positioning assembly having a plurality of strap assemblies and a return chute assembly having a plurality of return chutes for returning straps to the strap assemblies for strapping the pressed bale. The strap position assembly and return chute assembly incorporate cylinders to move between different positions during a strapping cycle. Exemplary embodiments include provisions for accommodating a press turntable of a down packer and registration means for providing a greater number of straps to strap a bale than a corresponding number of strap assemblies. |
| US07841270B2 |
Flip-over accessory for barbecue grill
An accessory for a barbecue grill which automatically flips food over 180 degrees at desired intervals, and which allows the food to rest essentially on the existing grill rack surface when cooking. The system includes a food support rack, rack mounts, linkage, motor control and motor mount with a motor and an L-shaped drive shaft. The food support rack includes lower and upper racks of open mesh, with the food to be cooked placed therebetween. The rack mounts provide for rotatable movement of the food support rack and are located on an axis essentially coincident with one of the longitudinal edges of the food support rack. The linkage attaches the drive shaft to the food support rack. The linkage attaches the drive shaft to the food support rack and is adjustable to accommodate grills having a varying dimension from the grill rack surface to the top edge of the grill lateral wall. |
| US07841265B2 |
Method for cutting off glass panes from a continuously produced glass sheet
The method includes continuously detecting glass faults in the glass sheet. Based on the results of the detecting of the glass faults an optimized cutting pattern for cutting crosscut pieces from a predetermined sheet section and for cutting glass panes from the crosscut pieces is determined. In order to reduce waste, the cutting lines for the glass panes are placed sufficiently close to fault-containing glass sheet regions, so that the glass sheet regions to be discarded are minimized, while producing a largest possible number of usable glass panes. The crosscut pieces are then cut out according to the optimized cutting pattern and then the glass panes are cut from the crosscut pieces. An appropriate apparatus for performing the method is described. |
| US07841260B2 |
Insulation stripping tool with displaceable knife carrier means
A pliers-type insulation stripping tool includes a pair of blade holders that are removably connected with the pull rod that longitudinally displaces the blades relative to the handle shell when a severed length of insulation is stripped from the insulated conductor. A resilient ejector arrangement in provided for ejecting from the handle shell the length of stripped insulation. In order to permit use of the insulation stripping tool with insulated conductors of various sizes and diameters, a blade depth adjusting device is provided for adjusting the distance between at least one of the blade holders and the associated clamping jaw. |
| US07841253B2 |
Servo-assisted gearshift control device for a motor-vehicle dual-clutch transmission
The device comprises four shift forks, each slidable among a first engagement position, a second engagement position and an intermediate neutral position between the two engagement positions, and an operating unit comprising four double-acting hydraulic actuators identical to each other and arranged to control each the displacement of a respective shift fork among the two engagement positions and the neutral position. The operating unit further comprises a support plate having holes for fixing to the gear case, and an actuator block accommodating the hydraulic actuators. The support plate and the actuator block are integrated to form a single body. In the assembled condition of the operating unit on the gear case, the actuator block is disposed on the side of the support plate facing towards the inside of the gear case. |
| US07841251B2 |
Antiback-lash nut
In a preferred embodiment, an apparatus, including: a first nut half (40) and a second nut half (42) each having internal threads (50, 52) complementary with threads on a screw inserted therein; the first nut half (40) and the second nut half (42) having first and second tapers (60, 62), respectively, defined therearound in adjacent surfaces thereof on proximal portions of the first nut half (40) and the second nut half (42); an annular retaining ring (80, 200, 220) having complementary third (92) and fourth (94) tapers defined therearound, with the first taper (60) engaging the third taper (92) and the second taper (62) engaging the fourth taper (94); and biasing apparatus (110, 180, 266) forcing the annular retaining ring (80, 200, 220) inwardly, thus eliminating backlash. |
| US07841247B2 |
Temperature controller for small fluid samples with different heat capacities
A system for controlling the temperature of fluidic samples includes a device having a first outer surface and a second outer surface which are parallel to one another. The interior of the device contains two or more channels suitable for accommodating samples. The channels lay on a common plane that is also parallel to the first and second outer surfaces. A temperature sensor is positioned between the channels along the common plane. A heater is thermally coupled to one of the two outer surfaces while a heat sink is coupled to the other of the two outer surfaces, thereby establishing a temperature gradient between the first and second outer surfaces. A temperature controller receives sensed temperature input from the temperature sensor and adjusts the heater in response thereto. |
| US07841244B2 |
Apparatus and method for mobile collection of atmospheric sample for chemical analysis
The present invention discloses a portable sampler for collecting an atmospheric sample. In one implementation, the portable sampler includes a portable housing with an interior portion; a sample inlet communicating between an area outside the housing and the interior portion of the housing; a sample cartridge in fluid communication with the sample inlet and adapted to store the atmospheric sample, the sample cartridge being removably secured within the housing; a pump disposed within the housing and in fluid communication with the sample inlet, the pump being arranged to draw the atmospheric sample from the area outside the housing into the sample cartridge through the sample inlet; and a carrier gas inlet communicating between the area outside the housing and the sample cartridge, the carrier gas inlet being configured to couple with a carrier gas source for sweeping the atmospheric sample from the sample cartridge into an analyzer while the sample cartridge is secured within the housing. |
| US07841242B2 |
Deflectable micromechanical system and use thereof
The invention relates to deflectable micromechanical systems as well as their use in which the deflection of at least one deflectable element can be determined. In accordance with the invention, a deflectable element is held with at least one spring element and at least one unit detecting the deflection is present. It is formed as a piezoresistive sensor with contacts arranged at least at a spacing from one another and in a region deforming on deflection. The contacts are connected to an electrical voltage source. An inhomogeneous electrical field is formed perpendicular to the contact surfaces in the depth direction so that the electrical resistance between contacts varying in dependence on the deflection can be detected as a measure for the position. The deforming region is formed from electrically conductive or semiconductive material. |
| US07841238B2 |
Pressure sensor with temperature compensation
The invention provides for a pressure sensor with compensation for temperature variations. The sensor has CMOS layers deposited on a substrate, a conductive layer connected to the CMOS and a passivation layer deposited on the CMOS layers. The arrangement also includes a conductive active membrane spaced from the conductive layer to form an active chamber, and a conductive reference membrane spaced from the conductive layer to form a sealed reference chamber. Further included is a cap which covers the membranes, said cap exposing the active membrane to an outside fluid pressure. The active membrane further defines a foot which is located between the substrate and cap with a leg extending away from the substrate and terminating in a substantially planar deflectable portion, which deflects due to differential pressure stresses so that an active capacitance is developed between the active membrane and the conductive layer depending on the electrical permittivity e of the fluid. The reference membrane provides a temperature compensating reference capacitance. The arrangement also has sensor circuitry configured to determine a charge imbalance indicative of a pressure difference between the active and reference membranes. |
| US07841235B2 |
Superconductive level indicator for liquid hydrogen and liquid neon, and measuring method for liquid level measurement
The invention relates to a superconducting level measuring apparatus for liquid hydrogen in liquid hydrogen vessels, in particular vehicular tanks, a superconductor (1) based on magnesium diboride MgB2 being arranged vertically or inclinedly to the vertical in a liquid hydrogen vessel (5), and a controllable heat source (2) being arranged on the upper region of the superconductor (1), the superconductor (1) being electrically contacted with a controllable current source (3) as well as a voltage measuring apparatus (4) and the level being measured by measuring a voltage. The MgB2 material is preferably employed as a filament wire. Continuous level measurements of high spatial and temporal resolution can be implemented in uncomplicated fashion. The level measuring apparatus and the method are also suitable for level measurement of liquid neon. |
| US07841234B2 |
System and method for sensing pressure using an inductive element
Exemplary systems and method are directed to a sensing device, and to a pressure sensing system and method. An exemplary method includes supplying electromagnetic energy to a transducer which is configured to reflect the electromagnetic energy at a ring frequency determined by an inductance of the transducer, wherein the inductance changes in response to compression of the inductive element. The ring frequency of electromagnetic energy reflected by the transducer is correlated to a pressure value. |
| US07841233B2 |
System for simulating the ground effect for testing vehicles or their simulacra in wind tunnels
A system for simulating the ground effect for testing vehicles or their simulacra in wind tunnels includes a resting surface for the vehicle incorporating a moving belt for simulation of the ground, extending between the wheels of the vehicle, at least from one end to the other of the vehicle, as well as two auxiliary moving belts set immediately adjacent to the two sides of the front portion of the main moving belt, for simulating the ground in areas in front of the front wheels of the vehicle. |
| US07841228B2 |
Method of detecting hydrogen sensor saturation in a hydrogen powered fuel cell
In one aspect there is disclosed a method of detecting a hydrogen leak in a fuel cell system that includes the steps of a) providing a hydrogen sensor, b) determining sensor characteristics, c) measuring a hydrogen concentration, d) determining if a hydrogen leak is occurring, and e) performing an action based on the determination of step d). The step of determining the sensor characteristics may include determining an upper detection limit of the hydrogen sensor, as well as determining a minimum time period at the upper detection limit before saturation of the sensor. |
| US07841227B2 |
Device for passing through a gas mixture
A device for passing through a gas mixture comprises a capillary apparatus with one or more capillaries connecting a first side of the capillary apparatus to a second side of the capillary apparatus, wherein each capillary tapers from one side towards the other side of the capillary apparatus at least in sections. |
| US07841221B2 |
Lock assembly for a storage cabinet
A lock assembly is provided which includes a lock mechanism with cover, and a pair of vertically movable locking rods. The lock mechanism is readily mountable to a liner of a cabinet door by a clamp member which permits initial clamping of the mechanism on an inner liner of the door, after which the inner liner is mounted to an outer finish panel. After assembly of the inner liner to the outer panel, the lock assembly is clamped in an aligned position in alignment with a corresponding lock aperture in the outer panel. The lock assembly further includes a fastener-free connector arrangement between a lock rack of the lock mechanism and the locking rods which is slidably driven thereby. A cover is snap fittingly mounted on the inner liner to guide the locking rod and prevent disengagement from the lock rack. |
| US07841216B2 |
Dry cleaning machine and driving unit compartment
A cleaning machine, such as a laundry cleaning machine, includes a treatment compartment housing that defines a treatment compartment and a driving unit compartment housing that defines a driving unit compartment. The driving unit compartment housing is connected to the treatment compartment housing such that the driving unit compartment housing can be removable from the treatment compartment housing to access the driving unit compartment from outside the treatment compartment. |
| US07841215B2 |
Knitted bandage
A medical bandage consists of a knit fabric made from loop yarns without inlaid yarns. The loop yarns are multifilament yarns having at least one elastic filament, a plurality of synthetic microfilaments and a plurality of cellulose or cellulosic filaments. The bandage has a linear and a non-linear stretching regime, with an operating point lying between them. When it is applied to a patient, it is elastically stretched to the operating point, which allows to generate reproducible, well defined compression forces. |
| US07841214B2 |
Knit material collar for preventing an extension, producing method thereof, and upper garment with the collar
The present invention relates to a method for producing a knitted neck collar, and more particularly to a knitted neck collar prevented from drooping, wherein, when producing a neck collar using a knitted material, a narrow band having excellent elasticity and return force is inserted in the neck collar to prevent the neck collar from drooping, a method for producing the same, and a garment having the same. By the method for producing a knitted neck collar according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a knitted neck collar prevented from drooping even when a garment having the knitted neck collar is repeatedly put on and taken off and washed, thereby maintaining the original shape of the knitted neck collar, due to the fact that an elastic member having the same circumference as a distal end of the knitted neck collar is inserted in the neck collar and can be reliably positioned in the neck collar along the distal end of the neck collar. |
| US07841208B2 |
Method and system for improving the efficiency of a refrigeration system
A compression refrigeration system and evaporator having multiple circuits. Spray nozzles are provided for atomization and expansion of the refrigerant. The atomizing spray nozzles are interposed in each evaporator circuit and the nozzles are sized to distribute atomized refrigerant to the various evaporator circuits based on airflow rates across the associated circuit. |
| US07841204B2 |
Ice dispensing apparatus and refrigerator
Provided is an ice dispensing apparatus. The ice dispenser discharges a predetermined number of ice pieces at a time, and thus malfunctioning or errors caused by bottleneck condition can be prevented. Furthermore, inside a case of the ice dispenser, pieces of ice can be effectively prevented from sticking to each other in a simple way, and thus the reliability of products can be increased. The ice dispensing apparatus includes a case, a driving unit, and a regulator. The case includes an inlet receiving ice and an outlet discharging ice. The driving unit is disposed inside or outside the case. The regulator is disposed in the case at a predetermined side and rotatable by the driving unit. The regulator includes a spiral blade having a predetermined blade interval. A predetermined number of pieces of ice are guided by rotation of the spiral blade to the outlet of the case. |
| US07841202B2 |
Heat packages and methods of their use
The present invention provides a heat package wherein a surface of a generating heat element that generates heat when exposed to atmosphere is placed against or attached to a heat conductive member. The heat element is protected from atmosphere until use. The heat package may include a heat-generating element attached to an insulating member with one or more air spaced there between. An outer surface of the heat-generating element can be exposed to atmosphere to produce heat when desired. |
| US07841201B2 |
Heat pump that evaporates water as a working liquid to generate a working vapor
A heat pump including an evaporator for evaporating water as a working liquid so as to produce a working vapor, the evaporation taking place at an evaporation pressure of less than 20 hPa. The working vapor is compressed to a working pressure of at least 25 hPa by a dynamic-type compressor so as to then be liquefied within a liquefier by direct contact with liquefier water. The heat pump is preferably an open system, where water present in the environment in the form of ground water, sea water, river water, lake water or brine is evaporated, and where water which has been liquefied again is fed to the evaporator, to the soil or to a water treatment plant. |
| US07841189B2 |
Device for adjusting the temperature of a physiological fluid
The invention relates to a device for adjusting the temperature of a physiological fluid. The inventive device includes: a casing (1), a first heat energy generating unit (2), a heat energy receiving unit (3) through which the fluid flows along a passage from a fluid inlet (3a) to a fluid outlet (3b) and which consists of a flat body (3d) having a first large surface (3e) which is made from a heat conductor material, and a control unit (4) for controlling at least the first generating unit (2). According to the invention, the first generating unit (2) includes first units of Peltier cells (5) and at least one first contact plate (6) which is made from a heat conductor material and which is placed in contact with a first side (5b, 8b) of the units of Peltier cells (5). In addition, the receiving unit (3) is removably installed in the first generating unit (2) such that it is in contact with the first contact plate (6). |
| US07841184B2 |
Start flow measurement
A method and apparatus for measuring a start fuel flow to a pilot nozzle of a fuel system of a gas turbine engine using pressure differential between fuel passages leading to fuel nozzles. |
| US07841181B2 |
Gas turbine engine combustion systems
One embodiment is a unique gas turbine engine combustion chamber including primary and secondary burning zones. Other embodiments include unique gas turbine engine apparatuses, systems, methods, and combinations. |
| US07841180B2 |
Method and apparatus for controlling combustor operability
A method for assembling a gas turbine engine includes providing at least one combustor assembly defining a combustion chamber. At least one fuel nozzle is positioned at a forward end of the combustion chamber. The at least one fuel nozzle is configured to inject a premixed fuel/air mixture into the combustion chamber. A catalytic material is applied to at least a portion of the at least one fuel nozzle. |
| US07841179B2 |
Power system and apparatus utilizing intermediate temperature waste heat
System and method is disclosed to increase the efficient of internal combustion engines using to generate electric power, where the system and method converts a portion of thermal energy produced in the combustion process to a usable form of energy. |
| US07841174B2 |
Pilot boss for a torque converter cover and method of forming the same
A torque converter cover including a protrusion extending from an outer surface of the torque converter cover and symmetrical about an axis of rotation for the cover and a pilot boss including a body having a recessed portion matingly engaged with the protrusion. In some embodiments, the protrusion is generally cylindrical, while in other embodiments, the recessed portion is generally cylindrical. A method of fixedly securing a pilot boss to a torque converter cover, the torque converter cover including a protrusion from an outer surface of the cover and symmetrical about an axis of rotation for the cover and a pilot boss including a body having a recessed portion, the method including the step of matingly engaging said recessed portion to the protrusion. |
| US07841172B2 |
Method and system for maintaining aftertreatment efficiency
A method is provided for compensating for variability in ash accumulation rates within an aftertreatment element of an engine exhaust system. The method includes determining flow resistance values through the aftertreatment element and tracking minimum flow resistance values over time. The method also includes correlating the tracked minimum flow resistance values over time, with a model of engine oil consumption rate that is based on predetermined values for model engine oil consumption. The method further includes adjusting the predetermined values based on the tracked minimum flow resistance values over time. |
| US07841170B2 |
Regeneration of diesel particulate filters
Porous ceramic diesel particulate filters are regenerated to combust accumulated carbon particulates trapped therein through a controlled regeneration process wherein heat is input to the filter at a ramped or staged heating rate below that rate at which the particulate combustion process would proceed so rapidly and extensively that filter temperatures would be raised to filter-damaging levels. |
| US07841166B2 |
Jet-type steam engine
A simply constituted steam engine efficiently obtains mechanical energy not only from a heat source of a high temperature but also from the exhaust heat of an internal combustion engine and various kinds of heat sources of a low-temperature state such as the solar heat. In the engine, a rotor (5) having a folded jet pipe (51) is rotatably supported in a sealed container (1) filled with a liquid. A heating portion (9) is inserted in a center cylinder (50) at the center of the rotor, and a fluid of a high temperature is passed therethrough to vaporize the liquid sucked through the suction pipe (52) of the rotor (5). A mixture of steam and liquid is jetted from the jet pipe (51) due to the pressure of the steam that is vaporized to rotate the rotor (5). A check valve (53) for jetting and a check valve (54) for suction are disposed at the ends of the jet pipe (51) and the suction pipe (52). The jetted steam is guided to a condenser (2) disposed on the sealed container (1), and is condensed and is refluxed into the sealed container (1). A vacuum pump (23) is connected to the condenser (2), and the pressure in the sealed container is held at the saturated steam pressure. |
| US07841164B2 |
Direct metering fuel system with an integral redundant motor pump
A direct metering fuel supply system includes a plurality of axial gap motors, a fixed displacement, variable speed positive displacement piston pump, and a gas turbine engine control. Each axial gap motor is configured to be selectively energized and is operable, upon being energized, to supply a drive torque at a drive speed. The fixed displacement, variable speed positive displacement piston pump is coupled to each of the axial gap motors to receive the drive torque selectively supplied therefrom and is operable, upon receipt of the drive torque, to supply fuel at a flow rate dependent on the drive speed. The gas turbine engine control is adapted to receive fuel flow commands and is operable, in response to the fuel flow commands, to energize one of the plurality of axial gap motors. |
| US07841158B2 |
Universal yoke assembly for a turf maintenance vehicle
A universal attachment assembly is operable to couple turf maintenance implements of varying widths to a turf maintenance vehicle. The attachment assembly can include a yoke member that can be attached to a coupling member in various locations. The different locations can accommodate varying widths of the turf maintenance implements that are coupled to the turf maintenance vehicle with the yoke member. The yoke member can also be positioned in different orientations relative to the coupling member in both the first and second positions. The different orientations can correspond to an operating position and a servicing position for the turf maintenance implement. |
| US07841156B2 |
Method and device for sealing a tear-off foil onto a packaging element
Method for sealing a tear-off foil (16) onto a packaging element (12) including a sealing step in which the packaging element (12) is conveyed in a direction of transport (A) and, by a sealing stroke crosswise to the direction of transport (A), is moved towards a stamp tool (28) carrying punched-out foil (16), and is pressed against punched-out foil (16), with punched-out foil (16) and packaging element (12) being sealed together under the influence of heat, and in which the sealing step is preceded by a heating step in which packaging element (12) is heated by non-contact arrangement to at least the temperature required for subsequent sealing, and in that during the sealing step, stamp tool (28) carrying punched-out foil (16) is moved towards packaging element (12) by a feed stroke executed counter to the sealing stroke. |
| US07841149B2 |
Concealed ceiling panel system
A flexible ceiling panel is preferably formed from sheet metal, such as aluminum sheet. Each ceiling panel has a generally rectangular shape (corresponding in width to the spacing between the main runners) and is formed with a hem on all four edges. A series of bendable tabs are formed integrally with the hem of the panel. To secure the panel to the associated grid system, the tabs are folded upwardly and outwardly from the panel along two axes to secure the panel to the grid system. Alternatively, a plurality of separate spring clips is used to secure the panel to the grid system. Each clip includes a first leg adapted to have at least a portion thereof received in the hem of the ceiling panel. A second leg extends generally perpendicularly from the first leg and includes a detent extending toward the first leg, the detent being adapted to secure the clip to the flange of the runner. |
| US07841147B2 |
Mortarless facade system
A method of constructing a building façade comprising, casting at least one plate member; coupling at least one load member to the plate member; aligning a first façade assembly levelly prior to attachment to the substrate; aligning a second and third façade assembly horizontally adjacent and vertically adjacent the first façade assembly, respectively, by interface with the first façade assembly, and repeating the steps of aligning additional façade assemblies to form a facade. |
| US07841145B2 |
Mechanical locking system for panels and method of installing same
Floor panels are provided with a mechanical locking system including a flexible locking element in a locking groove, which during a horizontal motion is displaced vertically. |
| US07841143B2 |
Tower construction
The invention provides a tower construction e.g. for a wind mill and a method of laying a foundation of a tower construction. The tower construction (1) comprises a concrete element (2), and a base flange (3) from which a tower wall (4) extends upwardly. The base flange is supported by an intermediate support structure (5) positioned on the concrete element (2). The support structure (5) is more rigid than the concrete element (2) and comprises a resilient pressure distributing element (6) which is soft relative to the concrete element (2). Furthermore, the invention provides a support structure for a tower construction. |
| US07841142B2 |
Stack-on panel assembly
A stack-on panel assembly is supported on a base panel having tubular uprights disposed adjacent opposite sides thereof with open tops and a fastener end extending into an interior of the uprights. A stacker panel has a bottom portion abuttingly supported on a top portion of the base panel, a vertically extending slot along one side thereof, and a first latch member adjacent to the slot. A connector bracket has a lower portion received in the interior portion of the frame upright, and an aperture shaped to receive the fastener end to vertically locate the connector bracket relative to the base panel. The connector bracket is received in the slot to horizontally locate the stacker panel relative to the base panel, and has a second latch member selectively engaging the first latch member on the stacker panel. |
| US07841128B1 |
Fishing float
Various embodiments of a fishing float are provided. The fishing float has an internal axial passageway for use when a slip-type configuration for the float is desired, and a plurality of divergent passageways for use when a fixed-type configuration for the float is desired. |
| US07841120B2 |
Hand grip apparatus for firearm
A handgrip apparatus for firearm includes a hollow housing defining a handgrip surface and forming an enclosure. A fastener is connected to the housing for removably attaching the handgrip apparatus to a fore-end portion of a firearm. A retractable leg assembly is movable between a retracted position and an extended position and includes a pair of pivoting legs usable as a bipod support when the leg assembly is in the extended position. In one aspect, one or more switches for controlling operation of one or more electronic devices are coupled to the handgrip apparatus. One or more connectors are electrically coupled to the one or switches and are adapted to be electrically coupled to one or more electronic devices. In another aspect, a handgrip apparatus having a pivoting attachment between the fastener and the housing positions is provided. In another aspect, a handgrip apparatus includes integrated conductors in the fastener. |
| US07841119B1 |
Gunstock with modular insert
A gunstock system is disclosed for use with a gun action and a gun floorplate of a gun. The gunstock system comprises a gunstock having a buttstock portion, a midstock portion, and a forestock portion, with the gunstock defining a cavity. The system further includes an insert assembly removably positionable in the cavity of the gunstock. The insert assembly has a top surface contoured to engage a gun action, and a bottom surface contoured to engage the gun floorplate. |
| US07841117B2 |
Kit for signage suspension
A kit for suspending a sign is disclosed herein. The kit includes first and second column anchors operable to be mounted in the ground. Each column anchor has a plurality of fins facing in different directions from one another and a conical tip. The kit also includes first and second columns individually receivable in one of the first and second column anchors and selectively removable. Each of the columns has a plurality of through-apertures. The kit also includes a plurality of sets of eye-bolts and nuts, each individually receivable in one of the plurality of through-apertures. The kit also includes a plurality of cable members having latches or S-hooks at both ends and a stretchable member extending between the latches or S-hooks. |
| US07841115B2 |
Mounting systems
A mounting system for displaying planar articles (13) comprising a plate (10) of a magnetic material, a plurality of fingers (12) projecting from the plate (10), the fingers (12) having co-planar support surfaces, and magnets (14) that can be placed in register with the support surfaces so that corners of the planar articles (13) are sandwiched between the magnets (14) and the support surfaces of the fingers (12). |
| US07841114B2 |
Angled top view printable hanging file tabs
Systems and tabs are provided for labeling a hanging folder having substantially vertical slots. The tab includes three walls. The first wall has a top edge and a flange located below the top edge that is adapted for engagement of the vertical slot on the hanging file folder such that the first wall projects above the file folder. The second wall has a top edge and a flange located below the top edge that is adapted for engagement of the vertical slot on the hanging file folder such that the second wall projects above the file folder. The third wall is located between the first and second walls, and located along a plane that forms an angle with either the first or second walls that is not 90 degrees. |
| US07841113B2 |
Housing for refrigerated dispensing apparatus
A bar-top refrigerated liquid dispenser in which one or more housing walls include integrated back-lighted billboard display panels having side edges with embedded light emitting diodes and other edges with associated reflectors. |
| US07841112B2 |
Soil slicing spade bit and machine using same
Soil is captured into a bowl attached to a frame of a scraper machine by maneuvering the machine while a cutting bit attached to the bowl slices through the underlying soil. The bowl is supported on the frame, and the soil cutting is accomplished via a spade bit attached to the bowl at a cut opening. The spade bit has a cutting edge with a forward protrusion flanked by swept back segments. A top surface of the spade bit may be contoured with a central ridge flanked by a twist contour surface to urge soil towards opposite sides of the bowl. |
| US07841111B2 |
Shooter for snow remover
A shooter for a snow remover has a shooter main body configured to be rotatably mounted on an auger housing of a snow remover for ejecting snow collected by an auger of the snow remover. A shooter guide is swingably mounted on a top end of the shooter main body to undergo swinging movement from an initial state thereof so as to allow adjustment of an angle of projection of the snow ejected from the shooter main body. A torsion spring has a single coil and is connected between the shooter main body and the shooter guide for urging the shooter guide to return to the initial state thereof. Vibration-reducing members are inserted into the single coil of the torsion spring so as to be in physical contact with one another and to surround and support an entire inner periphery of the single coil for reducing vibration and deformation in a radial direction of the torsion spring. |
| US07841110B2 |
Plow quick connect/disconnect hitch mechanism
A snow plow including a quick connect/disconnect hitch. The snow plow includes a hitch frame nose assembly configured to couple to a vehicle. The hitch frame nose assembly includes a chassis coupler secured at each end of a hitch frame tube with each chassis coupler including a traverse pin. A plow frame is included with the plow frame having a front portion and a rear portion. A plow blade is coupled to the front portion of the plow frame. A lift bar assembly is coupled to the rear portion of the plow frame. A lift bar assembly includes a pair of notched members with each notch member aligned with a corresponding chassis coupler of the hitch frame nose assembly. Each of the notched members is configured to engage the traverse pin in each of the chassis couplers, wherein the snow plow is pivotally coupled to the vehicle. |
| US07841108B2 |
Article of footwear with visible indicia
An article of footwear with a sole system including a transparent heel portion is disclosed. The transparent heel portion includes a cavity configured to receive a support member comprising a plurality of support columns and an indicia member associated with the support member. The indicia and the support member are both visible along a bottom surface of the heel portion. |
| US07841106B2 |
Footwear with improved tightening of the upper
An article of footwear including a sole and an upper, a lateral quarter and a medial quarter. A device for tightening the upper includes a first lateral lace strand and at least two points for connecting the first lateral strand to the lateral quarter, as well as a first medial lace strand and at least two points for connecting the first medial strand to the medial quarter. Each lateral or medial strand includes a lateral intermediate portion or a medial intermediate portion, respectively, which extends between two connecting points of the same lateral or medial quarter, without being guided by a connecting point of the other lateral or medial quarter, a connector connecting the lateral and medial intermediate portions of the lateral and medial strands, respectively, the connector enabling the sliding of at least one of the lateral and medial strands. |
| US07841095B1 |
Drafting apparatus
The drafting apparatus has only three parts which are the permanently attached first head and blade, the adjustably attached second head, and the thumb screw. The apparatus quickly adjusts to a given surface. If secure attachment is desired, the thumb screw is tightened against the blade to position the second head firmly against a side of the surface opposite the first head. If desired, the second head is easily completely removed, to aid a draftsperson in a given task. The apparatus is not confined to use only on a drafting table. The transparent bevels provide visual access to indicia under part of the blade. The relatively long length of the elongated slot provides for fit to even narrow drawing surfaces. |
| US07841093B1 |
Household kitchen opening appliance
An under-the-cabinet household opening appliance including an electric can opener, a jar opener mounted on the bottom wall of the can opener housing, and a sheath for a scissors on the back of the housing. A scissors holder in the sheath releasably retains a scissors within the sheath. A bottle opener and a hone are also mounted on the appliance housing. |
| US07841086B2 |
Method of fabricating inkjet printhead with projections patterned across nozzle plate
A method of fabricating an inkjet printhead. The method includes the steps of: (a) forming a plurality of MEMS ink ejection assemblies on an ink-ejection surface of a silicon substrate, each ink ejection assembly being sealed with roof material spanning across the ink ejection assemblies to define a nozzle plate; (b) etching partially into the roof material to form simultaneously a respective nozzle rim for each ink ejection assembly and a plurality of projections patterned across the nozzle plate between nozzle rims; and (c) etching through the roof material to form a respective nozzle aperture for each ink ejection assembly. The projections patterned across the nozzle plate between nozzle rims are useful for reducing stiction between particulates and the nozzle plate. |
| US07841085B2 |
Method for manufacturing liquid jet head
A method for manufacturing a liquid jet head is provided which includes a flow channel board having at least pressure-generating chambers communicating with nozzle holes and a pressure generator above one surface that applies pressure for jetting liquid to the pressure-generating chambers, and a silicon single-crystal reservoir board having at least a reservoir section that communicates with the pressure-generating chambers and that is defined by a through hole passing through the reservoir board and a step with a riser formed so as to open up the through hole at one surface. In the method, a mask pattern having an opening is formed on a reservoir-forming board intended for the reservoir board. The opening has a correction pattern on its wall and a dummy mask pattern is formed in the opening. The correction pattern serves to expose a predetermined crystal plane of the reservoir-firming board to define the riser of the step. The dummy mask pattern has a plurality of separate mask portions and serves to substantially match the etching rate of the reservoir-forming board in the region opposing the correction pattern with the etching rate of the reservoir-forming board in the region opposing the opening of the mask pattern. The reservoir-forming board is anisotropically etched through the mask pattern having the correction pattern and the dummy mask pattern, so that the reservoir section having the step is formed. |
| US07841083B2 |
Method of manufacturing a turbomachine component that includes cooling air discharge orifices
A method of producing cooling fluid discharge orifices in the wall of a part manufactured by the technique of lost wax casting in which a pattern of the part is produced in a wax mold, the orifices each having a first portion emerging at the external surface of the wall is disclosed. The method includes making cavities in the wax pattern that correspond to the first portions of said orifices of the part. Thus, it is possible to produce cooling air discharge orifices without sharp edges. |
| US07841082B2 |
Non-eccentric devices
The present invention is an apparatus that includes a chamber rotor with a chamber and an extension rotor with an extension. The rotors are housed in a rotor case. A pressure cavity is at least transiently formed by the extension rotor and the chamber rotor. The present invention also includes a compressor that includes a chamber rotor with a chamber and an extension rotor with an extension where the extension is adapted to be received in the chamber when the rotors are synchronously rotated. The compressor also includes a power input shaft attached to the extension rotor and a gear assembly attached to the rotors that is adapted to insure the synchronous rotation of the rotors. A rotor case houses the rotors and has an intake port and an exhaust port. The present invention also includes an engine that is similar to the compressor and includes a spark plug. Methods of compressing, pumping and generating electricity and mechanical power are also part of the present invention. |
| US07841078B2 |
Method of optimizing land grid array geometry
Disclosed is a method, system, and computer program storage product for optimizing land grid array site geometry on an electronic assembly mounting. A first member including at least one convex region is aligned with a first portion of an electronic assembly mounting. A second member is aligned with a second portion of the electronic assembly mounting. The second portion includes at least one concave region corresponding to the convex region of the first portion. The second member includes a dome-shaped region having a predefined geometry. Heat is applied to at least one of the electronic assembly mounting, the first member, and the second member. Pressure is applied to at least one of the first member and the second member to reshape the convex region into a substantially flat surface. Applying pressure also reshapes the concave region into a geometry corresponding to the predefined geometry of the dome-shaped region. |
| US07841075B2 |
Methods for integration of thin-film capacitors into the build-up layers of a PWB
Provided herein are devices comprising a printed wiring board that comprise, singulated capacitors fabricated from known good, thin-film, fired-on-foil capacitors. Provided are methods of incorporating the singulated capacitors into the build-up layers of a printed wiring board to minimize impedance. The singulated capacitors have a pitch that allows each power and ground terminal of an IC to be directly connected to a power and ground electrode, respectively, of its own singulated capacitor. Using a feedstock of known good, fired-on-foil capacitors allows for improved PWB yield. |
| US07841074B2 |
Method of fabricating paste bump for printed circuit board
A method of fabricating a paste bump for a printed circuit board, provides preparing a base plate; printing a conductive paste on the base plate and drying the conductive paste on the base plate, thus forming a first paste bump; flattening an upper surface of the first paste bump through coining; and printing a conductive paste on the first paste bump and drying the conductive paste on the first bump, thus forming a second paste bump, wherein the printing a conductive paste on the base plate and drying the conductive paste on the base plate includes placing a first mask having a hole having a first size on the base plate; applying a conductive paste on the first mask, and pressing the conductive paste using a squeegee; filling the hole having a first size in the first mask with the conductive paste, and sticking a bottom of the conductive paste to the base plate; and removing the first mask and drying the conductive paste, thus forming the first paste bump. |
| US07841073B2 |
Electronic component mounting apparatus
The invention is directed to an electronic component mounting apparatus which is applicable to a case in which component feeding devices need not be provided on both sides of a carrying device respectively for reasons of types of electronic components or a setting space and increases an operating rate of a beam to enhance production efficiency. An electronic component mounting apparatus has a carrying device carrying a printed board, a component feeding device supplying electronic components, a pair of beams movable in one direction by drive sources, and mounting heads each having suction nozzles and movable along the beams by drive sources. The component feeding device is provided on only one side of the carrying device, and the suction nozzles provided on each of the mounting heads pick up electronic components from the component feeding device and mount the electronic components on a printed board by moving the mounting heads provided on both the beams between the printed board on the carrying device and the component feeding device by driving the drive sources respectively. |
| US07841072B2 |
Apparatus and method of application and development
Disclosed herein is a development apparatus having a plurality of coating units and a development process unit stacked on each other in a layered direction in a process block which is connected at the rear side of the carrier block. A first transportation unit, which ascends and descends in the layered direction, is provided in the carrier block. Also, in the carrier block, the bottom of a substrate inspection unit is located above a highest position to which the first transportation unit is able to ascend in the layered direction. |
| US07841070B2 |
Method of fabricating a transformer device
A planar transformer or balun device, having small trace spacing and high mutual coupling coefficient, and a method of fabricating the same is disclosed. The method may comprise providing a first and a second inductor on a primary and a second substrate respectively, interleaving at least partially the first inductor with the second inductor, coupling the primary and the secondary substrates to form a unitary structure, and providing electrical contacts to couple the first and second inductors with another device or circuit. |
| US07841069B2 |
Method for manufacturing a thin closure magnetic head
A method of manufacturing thin closure magnetic read/write heads, such as magnetic tape heads is provided. The method provides improved flexural strength of the closure so that the closure breakage during fabrication of the heads is mitigated and closure thickness is reduced. An array of chips is fabricated on a wafer. The array is closed, with a closure strip bonded to each row of the array. Closures span only the length of a row, so that the closures are not subjected to flexure during processing and breakage due to flexure is mitigated. Side bars are bonded to the array to form a column with dimensions similar to prior art columns. This allows columns manufactured by the invention to undergo additional processing using existing processes. |
| US07841068B2 |
Methods of fabricating single-pole recording head having trapezoidal main pole and bevel angle promotion layer
A method of fabricating a single-pole perpendicular magnetic recording head to contain a bevel angle promotion layer that facilitates the fabrication of the bevel angle in a trapezoidal main pole. The bevel angle promotion layer is made of a non-magnetic material that is softer than the material (e.g., Al2O3) that normally underlies the main pole. In one embodiment, the bevel angle promotion layer is formed between an end of the yoke and the air bearing surface (ABS), with the top surface of the bevel angle promotion layer being substantially coplanar with the top surface of the yoke. In other embodiment the bevel angle promotion layer is integrated with a leading edge taper material, which is formed of a magnetic material, to broaden the magnetic flux path between the yoke and the main pole. |
| US07841067B2 |
Method for manufacturing a trailing shield structure for a perpendicular magnetic write head
A method for forming a head having a trailing shield that includes forming a gap layer above a pole, forming a mask above the gap layer, and forming a trailing shield above the gap layer and adjacent the mask, a throat height of the trailing shield being defined between the mask. |
| US07841066B2 |
Method for correcting floating-type magnetic head device mounted in hard disk device
A correcting method for reducing variations in floating height and gram load of a floating-type magnetic head device is disclosed. The correcting method includes a first correcting step of detecting a roll-angle corresponding amount in the free state of the front end of the front end and bending the load beam in the direction where the roll-angle corresponding amount approaches zero, and a second correcting step of putting the floating-type magnetic head device into a temporarily mounted state with respect to the load beam, detecting a roll-angle corresponding amount at the tongue piece of the flexure in the temporarily mounted state, and bending at least one of the left and right outriggers in the direction where the roll-angle corresponding amount approaches zero. |
| US07841065B1 |
Method of manufacturing a load beam to adjust droop angle
A load beam having a bent rail, a suspension that includes the load beam, and a related method for manufacturing a load beam. The method includes providing the load beam before the bent rail is formed, and coining the load beam at a location where the bend will occur in the rail. |
| US07841062B2 |
Method for working a metal slug, sleeve for implementing the method
An upsetting method for working a metal slug of cylindrical shape and provided with a coating is disclosed. The slug is placed, lengthwise, in a sleeve the internal wall of which leaves a space with respect to the lateral surface of the slug, the slug and sleeve assembly is placed in an upsetting container, and an upsetting force is exerted on the slug on at least one of its transverse surfaces until a determined slenderness ratio has been obtained, and the slug is separated from the sleeve. The slug is upset continuously but only the slug is upset because of the space formed by the internal wall of the sleeve. The material of the sleeve, for example made of steel, is not welded or seized to the slug, which means that it need not be machined in order to separate the two after the operation. |
| US07841061B1 |
Method of forming a dead-end anchorage of a post-tension system
A method of forming a dead-end anchorage of a post-tension anchor system includes the steps of positioning a tendon within a cavity of an anchor body such that an unsheathed end of the tendon extends outwardly of the cavity such that a sheathed portion of the tendon is positioned within the cavity, mechanically inserting a fixing element into the cavity, mechanically inserting wedges into the cavity between the unsheathed end of the tendon and a wall of the cavity, and applying pressure onto an end of the tendon such that the fixing element engages the sheathed portion and such that the tendon and the wedges are in interference-fit relationship within the cavity. The fixing element includes a pair of fixing members positioned adjacent an end of the wedges. |
| US07841060B2 |
Method for joining components
A method for joining components comprises locating a region, such as an end region 24, of a shape memory alloy (SMA) material component 10 adjacent to a further component 12, and generating localized plastic deformation of the aforesaid region to create a joint between the components 10, 12. The localized plastic deformation of the shape memory alloy material component 10 is preferably generated by applying a shock load to the shape memory alloy material component 10. |
| US07841059B2 |
Mold attaching/detaching apparatus and mold attaching/detaching method
As cams provided on platen-side attachments move from a lock-releasing position to a locking position while the ball-supporting members of the platen-side attachments remain inserted in the ball-receiving members of mold-side attachments, locking balls sliding in inclined-locking grooves are moved outward in a direction at right angles to the direction in which the cams move, and are set in engaging-locking grooves and abut on the curved parts of the engaging-locking grooves. Therefore, the mold-side attachments are closely attached and fixed to the platen-side attachments. As the cams move from the locking position to the lock-releasing position, the pushing balls sliding in inclined-pushing grooves are moved outward in a direction at right angles to the direction in which the cams move, and abut on the curved parts of the engaging-pushing grooves. In this case, the mold-side attachments can project from the platen-side attachments. |
| US07841054B2 |
Body cavity sealing member, method for manufacturing the same, and corpse treatment device
This invention aims at developing a sanitary body cavity sealing device which prevents leakage of substances in the rectum of a corpse due to anal muscle relax after die, simplifies the postmortem treatment work for persons working on it or nurses and prevents infection to the persons, nurses or those around due to leakage of body internal substances. The body cavity sealing member (10) is made of porous fiber elements that absorb water on contact with body fluids in a body cavity to expand up to approximately 2.5 or more times its diameter, its end part (15) is cut into a tapered shape and the cut surface (15) is processed, for example, by heat treatment, to form a smooth surface. By inserting the body cavity sealing member (10) with the end part first into the anus, it can be inserted into the rectum without being interfered with by the inner walls of the anus and rectum. |
| US07841050B2 |
Folder type hinge device and personal portable device using the same
A folder type personal portable device comprises a main part including a first hinge case having a hollow shape formed at one side of a top; a folder part including a second hinge case having a hollow shape formed on an opposite side of the top to correspond to the first hinge case; a first hinge part including a clamp piece disposed inside the first hinge case and a first T-shaped clamp flange formed in a single body with the clamp piece and fixed to the main part in a single body; a second hinge part including a rotation boss disposed inside the second hinge case and a second T-shaped clamp flange formed in a single body with the rotation boss and fixed to the folder part in a single body; and a hinge connection axis having one end fixed to the clamp piece. |
| US07841045B2 |
Hand-held high velocity air blower
The hand-held air blower has a hollow, substantially cylindrical housing with an open front end, a plurality of air intake openings, an impeller situated within the housing proximate the intake openings, a motor for driving the impeller, and battery means for powering the motor. A concentrator attachment is designed for use with the blower. The concentrator has means for removably attaching the concentrator to the open front end of the blower housing and a hollow shell. The shell includes an intake section with a diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the front end of the housing and an outlet section with an outlet opening substantially smaller than the diameter of the front end of the housing. A truncated football-like shaped balancing member is provided. The balancing member has a central air flow channel. Radially directed elements mount the balancing member within the intake shell section with the balancing member spaced from the interior surface of the intake shell section so as to permit air flow therebetween. |
| US07841044B1 |
Dual-deflector riding blower
A riding debris mover for moving debris on a surface from a first location to a second location comprises a frame coupled to a riding platform adapted to support a user, and a plurality of wheels coupled to the frame comprising at least two opposing traction wheels for driving the riding blower. A power source is coupled to the frame and is operatively coupled with at least the two traction wheels, whereby the traction wheels are rotated independently and the riding blower is propelled. A blower assembly has an air inlet opening and an air outlet opening, the blower assembly being supported by the frame and operatively coupled with the power source, whereby the blower assembly generates a stream of air from the air outlet opening. A deflector assembly is associated with the blower assembly and comprises at least one movable deflector, whereby the at least one movable deflector can be independently moved between an open position, a closed position, and a position intermediate the open position and closed position, to control the air flow and air flow velocity of the stream of air generated by the blower assembly. |
| US07841043B2 |
Latch assembly for wet/dry vacuum cleaner
A latch assembly for a wet/dry vacuum cleaner wherein the vacuum has a fan collector cover disposed between the filter cage and water tank of the vacuum cleaner and the drum lid of the vacuum housing the internal vacuum operating components. The filter cage is assembled to the drum lid or power head without tooling or screws while fixing the fan collector cover in place between the filter cage and drum lid. The power head housing is also attached to the bottom cover without screws or other fasteners. |
| US07841037B2 |
Golf club cleaning device
In various exemplary embodiments, the present invention provides a golf club cleaning device that includes a cleaning portion including an upper and lower cleaning surfaces; a flag portion disposed at a top end of the cleaning portion, the flag portion including a gripping means; and a spike portion disposed at a bottom end of the cleaning portion substantially opposite the top end of the cleaning portion, the spike portion including a support means for supporting the device in an upright manner when depressed into the ground. By grasping the flag portion, the spike portion is selectively disposed in the ground at a predetermined location associated with a golf course, practice range, or the like, thereby allowing a player to clean a golf club by selectively running the front face and/or rear face of the golf club horizontally and/or vertically across the one or more cleaning surfaces/materials of the cleaning portion. Advantageously, the flag portion may incorporate an advertising logo and/or informational text. |
| US07841032B2 |
Bed mattress using permeable reinforcing member and foaming material, and method of manufacturing the same
Disclosed herein is a bed mattress and a method of manufacturing the same, in which a permeable reinforcing member is provided at an upper portion and a lower portion of a spring assembly which is one of frame constituents of the bed mattress, and a foaming material is disposed on the permeable reinforcing member so as to be foamed, so that the spring assembly and the foaming material are integrally formed while the foaming material is expanded through fine holes and/or foam expansion holes of the permeable reinforcing member. |
| US07841026B2 |
Head protector
A head protection system comprises a helmet shell, a visor mounting for pivotally mounting a visor to the shell to enable the visor to be moved between raised and lowered positions, and a retainer for releasably retaining the visor to the helmet. The system includes a visor adapted for mounting on the shell which comprises a substrate of transparent thermoplastic material and a backing substrate comprising a plurality of layers of high performance, ballistic resistant material. The system may further include a second visor which can be releasably connected to the shell using the same visor mounting and which may have a different construction and primary function. |
| US07841021B2 |
EL lighted articles
A safety vest is sized to be worn by a human, wherein the vest has a front and back and left and right sides each having a shoulder portion. An EL strip is provided on each side of the vest extending from the bottom of the vest upwards toward the shoulder portion. A power source is supported by the vest and connected to the EL lamp strips to supply electrical energy to the strips so that they emit EL light, wherein the EL light emitted by the EL strip is a safety yellow color, and wherein other portions of the vest are a safety orange color. Further safety articles of clothing and devices are also described. |
| US07841017B2 |
Glove
A glove comprising a palm-side outer skin, a back-side outer skin, and a back-side inner skin, wherein a finger inserting space part into which a finger can be inserted between an inner surface of the back-side inner skin and an inner surface of the palm-side outer skin is constituted by sewing the back-side inner skin on an inner surface of the palm-side outer skin. |
| US07845016B2 |
Methods and apparatus for verifying modules from approved vendors
A technique verifies a that a module is from an approved vendor. The technique involves obtaining vendor data and a first magic code from a module (e.g., a small form factor pluggable component), and generating a second magic code based on the vendor data. The technique further involves outputting (i) a magic code valid signal when the second magic code matches the first magic code, and (ii) a magic code invalid signal when the second magic code does not match the first magic code. Operation of a computerized device having the module can be based on the valid and invalid signals (e.g., a voltage level, a bit that is set or cleared, a value in a register, etc.). For example, a supplier of the electronic device can configure software running on the computerized device to disable the module if the first and second magic codes do not match. |
| US07845014B2 |
Method and apparatus for implementing digital rights management
A method and apparatus is provided for providing digital content to a client. The method begins by receiving a request from the client to receive digital content. The client is authorized to receive the digital content and the DRM implementation employed by the client is determined. The digital content is then provided to the client in conformance with the DRM implementation employed by the client. |
| US07845011B2 |
Data transfer system and data transfer method
A transfer source gives a challenge key, own public key, an ID for identifying the target data, and an encryption key type to a transfer destination that is authenticated by a certificate. In accordance with the given key type, the transfer destination generates a first session key (and a second session key), encrypts the first session key and own public key (or second session key) with the transfer source's public key, encrypts the resulting encrypted data with the challenge key, and transmits the data encrypted with the challenge key to the transfer source. The transfer source encrypts the target data with the second session key (or the transfer destination's public key) that is derived from the received data, encrypts the resulting encrypted data with the first session key, and transmits the data encrypted with the first session key to the transfer destination. The transfer destination decrypts the received data with the first session key, and decrypts the resulting decrypted data with the second session key (or the own public key) to acquire the license. |
| US07845009B2 |
Method and apparatus to detect kernel mode rootkit events through virtualization traps
Detecting a rootkit in a computing system may be achieved by detecting, by a virtual machine monitor, a virtualization trap occurring as a result of an action by a rootkit executing in a computing system; and analyzing the virtualization trap to detect the presence of the rootkit in the computing system. Action may then be taken to block the rootkit activity to safeguard the computing system. |
| US07845008B2 |
Virus scanner for journaling file system
A method is provided for detecting viruses. According to the method, data is stored in a journal area of memory before changes embodied in the data are written to virtual memory. At least a first portion of the data in the journal area of memory is scanned for viruses. In some embodiments, a second portion of data that immediately precedes and/or immediately follows data to which the first portion of the data pertains is scanned for viruses. Preferably, the virtual memory includes a persistent storage device. Also provided is a system that includes a processor, a memory that includes virtual memory and a journal storage area, and a virus scanner controlled by the processor. The virus scanner scans the journal storage area for viruses. |
| US07845004B2 |
Correlating network information and intrusion information to find the entry point of an attack upon a protected computer
A method for determining the entry point of an attack by a vandal such as a hacker upon a device such as a computer or a server such as a web server that operates under the protection of an intrusion detection system. Intrusion detection information regarding the attack and network information regarding the attack are correlated, and the entry point of the attack thereby deduced. In one embodiment, a source address of a message representative of the attack is found in a router table of a router that provides a connection supporting the attack. Logical ports of the connection are determined, and the corresponding physical ports found, thereby identifying the attack's entry point into the protected device. |
| US07845002B1 |
Modifying digital rights
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for defining rights applicable to a digital object. A set of initial rights and a set of modifying rights are received for the digital object. At least one of the set of initial rights and the set of modifying rights specifies one or more conditions on rights in the respective set of rights. A new set of rights is defined for the digital object based on the set of initial rights and the set of modifying rights. The new set of rights specifies one or more new conditions on rights in the new set of rights. The new conditions are defined based on one or more of the conditions in the set of initial rights and/or the set of modifying rights. |
| US07845000B2 |
Method and device for controlling access to a digital document shared in a communication network of the station-to-station type
The invention relates to a central server stations controlling access to a collection of digital data created by a client station. The server station receives, from the client station, a request to validate a collection of digital data, where the request contains the collection which has a collection identifier and for each data item belonging to the collection, a data identifier designating said data item, and at least one representation of said data item, the representation being chosen depending on said data item and on the collection identifier. For each data identifier received, a representation of the data item is locally obtained depending on the data item and on the collection identifier of the received collection associated with the collection. A comparison is made between the received representation and the obtained local representation and, in a case where the comparison results in a match, the digital data item to be shared is validated. |
| US07844999B1 |
Message parsing in a network security system
Device discovery can be made efficient using certain embodiments of the present invention. In one embodiment, the present invention includes accessing a message in a message log, wherein the message log associates a host identifier with the message, the host identifier being an identifier of a host that sent the message to the message log. Then a list of parsers associated with the host identifier associated with the message can be accessed and parsing the message using parsers from the list of parsers associated with the host identifier can be attempted. If the parsing is unsuccessful, a device type of an originator of the message can be discovered, and a parser associated with the discovered device type can be added to the list of parsers associated with the host identifier. |
| US07844997B2 |
Securing standard test access port with an independent security key interface
A system to prevent unauthorized access to a protected device includes a test access port operable to mate with a test access connector, a security key port operable to mate with a security key and a security device in electrical communication with the test access port and the security key port. The protected device is in electrical communication with the test access port when the security device is enabled based on the security key. The test equipment is authorized for access to the protected device when the security device is enabled. |
| US07844996B2 |
Method and apparatus for constructing an access control matrix for a set-top box security processor
In multimedia systems requiring secure access, a method and apparatus for constructing an access control matrix for a set-top box security processor are provided. A security processor may comprise multiple security components and may support multiple user modes. For each user mode supported, at least one access rule table may be generated to indicate access rules to a security component in the security processor. An access control list comprises information regarding the access rules for a particular user mode to the security components in the security processor. An access control matrix may be generated based on the access control lists for the user modes supported by the security component. The access control matrix may be implemented and/or stored in the security processor for verifying access rights of a user mode. |
| US07844989B2 |
Method and broadcasting receiver for displaying the receiving status of broadcasting program information
A broadcasting program information displaying method and broadcasting receiver are provided. The broadcasting program information displaying method includes checking whether broadcasting program information to be displayed on a screen is completely received when a user selects a broadcasting program information displaying function; and forming receiving state information according to a checking result and displaying the receiving state information on the screen along with each broadcasting program information corresponding to the receiving state information. Accordingly, a state of receiving broadcasting program information on a screen can be easily determined. |
| US07844986B2 |
Method and apparatus for receiving a digital signal and apparatus for recording and reproducing the digital signal
A method and apparatus is provided for receiving and/or reproducing a digital signal, capable of efficiently recording a compressed, packeted digital signal and inhibiting a copy thereof. An input packet signal is added with a time stamp indicating a relative time of an arrival of the packet, and the packet signals of digital information with the added time stamps are recorded at reduced intervals therebetween. In reproducing, a packet interval adjusting circuit restores the original packet intervals in accordance with the time stamps, and then a time stamp change circuit changes at least one bit of the time stamp and thereafter outputs the digital information. |
| US07844985B2 |
Targeted advertisement using television viewer information
A novel multiple channel architecture is designed to allow targeted advertising directed to television terminals connected to an operations center or a cable headend. Advertisements are displayed during commercial breaks in the television programs. Such advertisements may be broadcast on the same channel as the television program. In addition, feeder channels may carry alternate advertising that may be better suited for certain viewing audiences. The operations center or the cable headend generate a group assignment plan that assigns the television terminals to groups, based on factors such as area of dominant influence, household income and other demographic data, and programs watched data gathered by the television terminals. A switching plan is then generated that instructs the television terminals to remain with the program channel or to switch to one of the alternate feeder channels during the program breaks. The television terminals record which channels were viewed during the program breaks, and report this information to the cable headends and the operations center. The reported information is used to generate billing for commercial advertisers, and to analyze viewer watching habits. The invention uses upstream data reception hardware, databases and processing hardware and software to accomplish these functions. |
| US07844983B2 |
Power transmission member for head movement mechanism, and disk device equipped with the head movement mechanism
A power transmission member is provided with which it is possible to lessen the impact force produced when the head of a disk device hits part of a base member or the like. The power transmission member is a power transmission member of a mechanism for moving a head, used for recording on or reproducing from a disk, relative to a base member in a disk device, comprising a fixed component for attaching to a head, a power transmission component for receiving drive from a motor serving as a drive source, a linking component for linking the fixed component and the power transmission component, and a contacting component. The contacting component is fixed to the power transmission component, and comes into contact with part of the base member, or part of a member fixed to the base member, at least one end of the movement range of the head. The contacting component is also linked to the fixed component via the linking component in a state in which elastic deformation is possible only when an impact or the like creates an excessive force in the movement direction of the head. |
| US07844982B2 |
Optical pick-up and optical recording/reproducing apparatus with a protective cover
The present invention provides an optical pick-up device and an optical recording/reproducing apparatus both of which can realize (i) a stable component accuracy, (ii) improvement in productivity, and (iii) low cost, without damaging an optical disk. The optical pick-up device that reproduces/records information from/onto an optical information storage medium by means of a laser beam, includes: a housing, which is a cabinet covering inner components of the optical pick-up device, having an opening section at least on a surface that faces the optical information storage medium when the optical information storage medium is set in place; and a protective cover that protects the opening section of the housing, wherein the protective cover is integrally formed with the housing. |
| US07844980B2 |
Optical disc device having reduced striking sound
To provide an optical disc device in which the number of parts is small, and quietness can be secured with a simple mechanism. The optical disc device includes a main body having a disc insertion/removal port, and a conveying roller for conveying a disc between the disc insertion/removal port and a disc receiving position in the main body, and also includes a swinging lever which is pivotally supported at its proximal end on a supporting shaft within the main body, and has a disc arrival switch fixed thereto, and a detection lever which is pivotally supported at its proximal end on the supporting shaft, and contacts an outer periphery of the disc (which is to be received in the disc receiving position) at its distal end to operate the disc arrival switch, and when the disc is to be inserted into the disc receiving position, the detection lever is projected into the disc receiving position. |
| US07844979B2 |
Disc player
A disc player 10 is equipped with a positioning unit 14 that has step plate 54 and positions a disc 1, a clamper unit 15 that has a clamp plate 66 and carries out a clamp operation on the disc positioned by the positioning unit, a drive unit 16 that has a pickup and a turntable 19 on a drive plate 18, and rotates the disc clamped on the turntable by the clamper unit to take information from the disc by the pickup, wherein the positioning unit and the clamper unit are provided separately from each other, and movable vertically to the drive unit. |
| US07844978B2 |
Artifact management for an extensible runtime environment
A solution for managing a set of artifacts for a runtime environment is provided, which enables improved tooling that supports runtime extensions to a runtime environment. In one embodiment, an extension handler is obtained for a runtime extension to the runtime environment. The runtime extension comprises a program code that can be included in the runtime environment to extend the default capabilities of a runtime engine/framework. The extension handler provides tooling support for extension artifacts that use/require the runtime extension. When a tooling request for an extension artifact is obtained, the tooling request is processed using the extension handler. In this manner, a tooling solution is shielded from needing to know the specifics of the extension artifact or corresponding runtime extension. Similarly, the developer of the extension handler for the runtime extension is shielded from needing to know any specifics of the tooling environment. As a result, the invention provides a tooling solution that is extensible to support the tooling requirements of an extensible runtime engine. |
| US07844977B2 |
Identifying unnecessary synchronization objects in software applications
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for identifying unnecessary synchronization objects in software applications. A computer-implemented method for determining a usefulness of synchronization objects includes, in a multi-threaded application program, tracking threads as they are created and terminated, intercepting application program interfaces (APIs) used to create and destroy thread synchronization objects, in the API wrappers, tracking existing synchronization objects in a list, and associating a list entry for each of the synchronization objects with a unique bit in a bit field. |
| US07844976B2 |
Processing data across a distributed network
A system, method, and related techniques are disclosed for processing data across a distributed network to a plurality of machines. The method may include receiving a first user-supplied transform and generating a first package based on the first user-supplied transform. The method may further include receiving a designated key and generating a second package based on the key. Furthermore, the method may include receiving a second user-supplied transform and generating a third package based on the second user-supplied transform. Moreover, the method may include distributing the first, second, and third packages to a plurality of machines using a cluster API. |
| US07844975B2 |
Mock exceptions in a host add-in environment
Mock exceptions, including mock exception types, are defined by a host to be raised in a plug-in. The mock exceptions might be sanitized. They might be transported from the plug-in to the host. Mock exceptions might also be mapped to real exceptions, which are raised in the host and handled by the host. |
| US07844972B2 |
Resource manager architecture utilizing a policy manager
Resource management architectures implemented in computer systems to manage resources are described. In one embodiment, a general architecture includes a resource manager and multiple resource providers that support one or more resource consumers such as a system component or application. Each provider is associated with a resource and acts as the manager for the resource when interfacing with the resource manager. The resource manager arbitrates access to the resources provided by the resource providers on behalf of the consumers. A policy manager sets various policies that are used by the resource manager to allocate resources. One policy is a priority-based policy that distinguishes among which applications and/or users have priority over others to use the resources. A resource consumer creates an “activity” at the resource manager and builds one or more “configurations” that describe various sets of preferred resources required to perform the activity. Each resource consumer can specify one or more configurations for each activity. If multiple configurations are specified, the resource consumer can rank them according to preference. This allows the resource consumers to be dynamically changed from one configuration to another as operating conditions change. |
| US07844968B1 |
System for predicting earliest completion time and using static priority having initial priority and static urgency for job scheduling
A method for scheduling jobs in a computing system accounts provides for current and future scheduling according to job priority, and system resources expected to be available during a given time period. Resources may be freed by preempting jobs scheduled to execute according to preemption rules specified for the system. Advance reservation and backfilling are accomplished, maximizing system efficiency. |
| US07844967B2 |
Method of allocating computing resources
An embodiment of a method of allocating computing resources begins with a first step of identifying applications which comprise candidates for execution on a shared computing system. In a second step, the method identifies at least one subset of the computing resources for each application. Each subset for a particular application comprises sufficient resources to support the particular application. The method continues with a third step of assigning a value to each subset. The method concludes with a fourth step of determining an assignment of the computing resources to the applications which provides a near maximal overall value. |
| US07844966B1 |
System and method for generating computing system job flowcharts
A system and method for automatically generating flowcharts based on jobs within a mainframe job scheduling system is disclosed. The system may be interfaced through a web browser over a network (e.g., Internet) in order to configure a job flowchart request. The system includes a job flow utility employing rules and logic to execute a Job Control Language (JCL) script thereby invoking the creation of a job schedule based from a scheduling library and generates a delimited set of data that is stored within a database or saved as a delimited text file. The system also enables a user to view a job flowchart online or download the text-delimited file to open within existing charting applications. |
| US07844964B2 |
Network for mass distribution of configuration, firmware and software updates
A network for mass broadcast of update packages to electronic devices makes it possible to efficiently broadcast update packages for configuration, firmware and software updates. A broadcast server in the network employs broadcast means to broadcast update packages. An electronic device capable of receiving these broadcast update packages comprises a listening client that is capable of listening to a broadcast channel and downloading an update package broadcast by the broadcast server. The listening client makes use of a listening parameters that are set by the DM server in order to facilitate the download from the broadcast server. |
| US07844954B2 |
Using branch instruction counts to facilitate replay of virtual machine instruction execution
A method and computer program product for logging non-deterministic events of a virtual machine executing a sequence guest instructions, the method including tracking an execution point in the sequence of executing guest instructions, the tracking of the execution point including determining a branch count of executed branch instructions; and detecting an occurrence of a non-deterministic event directed to the virtual machine during execution of the sequence of guest instructions, and recording information which includes an identifier of a current execution point, wherein the identifier includes the branch count. |
| US07844945B2 |
Software and firmware adaptation for unanticipated/changing hardware environments
A method for producing a fixed-size firmware image for a hardware device, parameterized for a plurality of component environments, includes providing a logical description of aspects of said plurality of component environments; providing a physical description of physical aspects of said plurality of component environments; associating said logical description with said physical description; and providing said firmware image to include a plurality of parameterized functions to support said hardware device in each of said plurality of component environments. The hardware device may be a power supply, bus; fan, disk drives, sensor, or flash part. Actual arguments to said parameterized functions are bound at run time and may be provided as untyped blocks of bits. The firmware image may include an operational block including abstract device driver interfaces for said hardware device; and a description block that includes said logical and physical descriptions. |
| US07844941B2 |
Charged particle beam exposure method and charged particle beam exposure device
When a space, sandwiched by large patterns having a predetermined size or more, is exposed using a charged particle beam, the space sandwiched by the large patterns is exposed using a common block mask having the space and edge portions of the large patterns on both sides of the space, and portions other than the edge portions of the large patterns on both sides are exposed by a variable rectangular beam or by using another block mask. |
| US07844937B2 |
Method and apparatus for making a semiconductor device using hardware description having merged functional and test logic blocks
A processor-implemented method for making a semiconductor device having a test logic block and a functional logic block is provided. The method includes retrieving hardware description for at least one test logic block and mapping the hardware description for the at least one test logic block to logic gates to generate at least one synthesized test logic block. The method further comprises retrieving hardware description for at least one functional logic block and mapping the hardware description for the at least one functional logic block to logic gates to generate at least one synthesized functional logic block. The method further includes merging the at least one synthesized test logic block with the at least one synthesized functional logic block when the at least one functional logic block meets at least one criterion for selection as a candidate for merger with the at least one test logic block. |
| US07844934B2 |
Method for designing a semiconductor integrated circuit layout capable of reducing the processing time for optical proximity effect correction
According to the present invention, a method for designing a semiconductor integrated circuit layout comprises the steps of: arranging basic logic cells which are circuit patterns corresponding to logic components of a semiconductor integrated circuit; arranging wiring between the basic logic cells; searching for a blank area in which none of the basic logic cells is arranged; extracting a rectangular region from the blank area; if the rectangular region is larger than a specified size, arranging fill cells in the rectangular region according to a predetermined rule and grouping the fill cells into pseudo-hierarchical cells according to a predetermined rule to form a hierarchy; arranging fill cells in the remaining blank areas; and performing optical proximity effect correction on the semiconductor integrated circuit pattern. |
| US07844932B2 |
Method to identify timing violations outside of manufacturing specification limits
A method of evaluating an integrated circuit design selects manufacturing parameters of interest which are outside of manufacturing specification limits. Then, the method runs timing tests on the integrated circuit design and successively evaluates the timing test results in an iterative process that considers the timing performance sensitivity to the selected manufacturing parameters of interest. The design is made more robust to each parameter out of manufacturing range. |
| US07844929B2 |
Optimizing test code generation for verification environment
A method of optimizing test code generation is disclosed. The method generally includes the steps of (A) reading from a database (i) a plurality of assertions, (ii) a testbench and (iii) a target code coverage all of a design under test, (B) generating together (i) a plurality of first test vectors to test the assertions and (ii) a plurality of second test vectors applicable to the testbench, (C) identifying one or more redundant test vector sets between the first test vectors and the second test vectors and (D) generating the test code to test the design under test on the testbench using a subset of the first test vectors and the second test vectors, the subset comprising single instances of the redundant test vector sets. |
| US07844921B2 |
Interface apparatus and interface method
An apparatus for a user to interface with a control object apparatus by a posture or a motion of the user's physical part. An image input unit inputs an image including the user's physical part. A gesture recognition unit recognizes the posture or the motion of the user's physical part from the image. A control unit controls the control object apparatus based on an indication corresponding to the posture or the motion. A gesture information display unit displays an exemplary image of the posture or the motion recognized for the user's reference to indicate the control object apparatus. |
| US07844918B1 |
Desktop thumbnails with page controllers
A method, apparatus and computer program product for displaying a graphical element within a graphical user interface is presented. A registration is made with an operating system (OS) to be sent a notification when a predetermined file type is being displayed in a user's desktop. At some time an event notification is received regarding the graphical element. A file to display as a graphical element is determined, as is a location to position the graphical element in the user's desktop. The graphical element representing the file is displayed, as is a segment controller with the graphical element, the segment controller operable to permit a user to select which segment of the file to be displayed in the graphical element. |
| US07844912B2 |
System and method using transformation nodes with enhancement layers
Methods and systems to include transformation nodes in a business system are provided. A transformation node may provide controlled redundancy of data within the business object hierarchy. Transformation nodes may store data from core nodes without persistency, and permit different data presentation modes than for the core nodes. When a service call is placed to a transformation node, the transformation node may call corresponding services from associated core nodes. |
| US07844911B2 |
Configuring a GUI element to publish and/or subscribe to data
A system and method for configuring a graphical user interface (GUI) element to publish data to a data target and/or subscribe to data from a data source. The developer specifies a data source or target The program is executed. If the GUI element is configured to subscribe to data from a data source, then the program receives data from the data source. This data is then be provided to the GUI element, which displays the data to the user. If the GUI element is configured to publish data to a data target, then the program sends or writes data associated with the GUI element to the data target. |
| US07844905B2 |
Information display system
A system and a method for information display that is well adapted to marketing in the current, rapidly changing digital transmission communications setting is described. The invention provides a viewer interface that can be embodied in an inexpensive portable information storage media, such as a compact disc, a mini-compact disc, a business card cut CD, a flash memory card, a DVD, or other such portable information storage devices. When the viewer interface is used with a communications link, such as an interne connection, the interface establishes a connection to an interface management program located on a remote computer. The interface management system enables the user who provided the portable information storage media for the viewer to control the content of the information displayed to the viewer, and change that content without modifying or storing any information on the viewer's display device or changing the content of the viewer interface. |
| US07844903B2 |
System and method of automatically generating animated installation manuals
An information management system is disclosed and includes a bootstrap server and at least one additional component. Further, the system includes an animated installation manual file stored within the bootstrap server. The animated installation manual is configured to be presented to a user upon an initial boot of the bootstrap server. Additionally, the animated installation manual can be automatically generated based on configuration information received from the user. |
| US07844900B2 |
Visual management system
A process for dividing an electronic screen, such as a television or computer screen, into discrete, independently operating sub-screens includes the step of electronically linking the screen to a screen operating system. This operating system is capable of selectively dividing the screen into two or more sub-screens which support audio or visual data in an active mode simultaneously and independently. This is performed through the use of a plurality of data access lines which provide data simultaneously to the two or more sub-screens such that the data can be simultaneously accessed and manipulated in more than one sub-screen such that each sub-screen actively supports data generated from a dedicated software program. Such invention may be implemented in customized encoded hardware or a combination of hardware and software. |
| US07844898B2 |
Exporting a document in multiple formats
Systems and methods are disclosed for exporting a document in multiple formats. The disclosed systems and methods may include creating a metafile including content associated with the document and injecting comments into the metafile. The comments may comprise semantic information corresponding to the document. Also, the metafile may be parsed to create at least one call. The at least one call may be configured to enable an export engine to render the document. Furthermore, the at least one call may be sent to the export engine configured to render the document in an output format associated with the export engine. In addition, the export engine maybe selected from a plurality of export engines based upon user input indicating the output format associated with the selected export engine. |
| US07844897B1 |
Blog template generation
Blog template generation is described, including sending test data to a target, calling the target, receiving a response from the target, wherein the response comprises stylized data associated with the target, identifying the test data in the response, the test data in the response being used to determine a separation between the test data and the stylized data, and generating a template based on the separation and the stylized data, the template being associated with the target. |
| US07844895B2 |
Method for improving the functionality of a binary representation
A method is provided for improving functionality of a binary representation of an XML-based content description, wherein a structure of any instance of an XML document corresponds to a tree-like data structure. The method includes providing that each tree node represents an element of the content description and has a structure defined in a schema; providing the tree nodes in the binary representation with tree branch codes; providing that the respective tree branch code has a schema branch code and, when appropriate, a position code; forming first and second tables for the schema branch codes when each node is being coded, the first table including complex elements containing child elements and the second table including complex elements as well as attributes and simple elements which represent leaves of the tree-like data structure; and forming a complete path by chaining together tree nodes in the binary representation. |
| US07844894B2 |
Starting landing page experiments
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products for defining landing pages to test different landing page designs. User input specifies a landing page having sections, each section having an original version of content. User input also specifies one or more additional versions of content, the original and the additional versions together constituting alternative versions, and the landing page with the alternative versions together constituting an experiment. Page fragments are determined. The fragments are added to the landing page and are operable, when interpreted by a client-side browser, to choose one of the alternative versions of each identified section and make each chosen alternative version the content of the corresponding section before the landing page is displayed by the browser. A designer can insert the page fragments into the landing page to produce an instrumented landing page. |
| US07844893B2 |
Document editing method, document editing device, and storage medium
A document editing device has a editing unit and a supplementary information editing unit. The editing unit edits a manuscript element of a document. The supplementary information editing unit edits the supplementary information of the document based on a result of editing the manuscript element by the editing unit. The document is a electronic document read by a reading device. |
| US07844891B2 |
Method and apparatus for creating, configuring and displaying a widget to display user-generated highlights
A method and system for enabling the display of portions of internet documents that have been highlighted by users of a highlighting service are disclosed. Accordingly, a highlighting service includes a web portal with a web page providing users with a snippet of code, which, when inserted into an internet document, causes the internet document to display highlights from the highlighting service. The snippet of code can be configured to query the highlighting service for highlights that were made by certain users, or, highlights made on documents from certain domains, and so forth. The code associated with the user interface object displaying the highlights can e configured to periodically query the highlighting service to retrieve up-to-date highlights, thereby dynamically changing the highlights appearing on a web page or internet document. |
| US07844884B2 |
Apparatus and method for processing bursts in a wireless communication system
Disclosed is a method for processing a burst by a receiver in a wireless communication system having the burst, which includes at least one Protocol Data Unit (PDU). The method includes performing error checking of a first PDU header from among received bursts; performing error checking of a second PDU header when an error is detected in the first PDU header; and detecting the second PDU header by sequentially performing error checking from an address after the first PDU header when an error is detected in the second PDU header. |
| US07844882B2 |
Resource sharing in a telecommunications environment
A transceiver is designed to share memory and processing power amongst a plurality of transmitter and/or receiver latency paths, in a communications transceiver that carries or supports multiple applications. For example, the transmitter and/or receiver latency paths of the transceiver can share an interleaver/deinterleaver memory. This allocation can be done based on the data rate, latency, BER, impulse noise protection requirements of the application, data or information being transported over each latency path, or in general any parameter associated with the communications system. |
| US07844881B2 |
Transmitting apparatus and transmitting method
A transmitting apparatus and a transmitting method wherein the systematic bit reception quality can be improved and the throughput performance can be improved. An IR parameter control part (101) controls, based on the number of retransmissions, the ratio of systematic bits to parity bits in mapping them to packets, and controls to map a parity bit to an initially transmitted packet, while mapping a systematic bit to a retransmitted packet. An encoding part (102) generates the systematic bits and parity bits and maps them to the packets in accordance with the IR parameters. A transmission power calculating part (105) calculates, based on reception quality information of the initially transmitted packet fed back from a receiving end, the transmission power of the transmitted packet to which the systematic bit is mapped. A transmission power control part (106) controls the transmission power of the retransmitted packet such that it is equal to the transmission power as calculated by the transmission power calculating part (105). |
| US07844880B2 |
Error correction for flash memory
Systems and methods are disclosed to detect and correct errors in a flash memory using an error correction cache that provides error correction information by accessing data from a physical block number (PBN) of the flash memory; and if a data error occurred, applying error correction information stored in the cache corresponding to the accessed PBN to correct the data error. |
| US07844879B2 |
Method and system for error correction in flash memory
A solid state non-volatile memory unit. The memory unit includes a multi-level solid state non-volatile memory array adapted to store data characterized by a first number of digital levels. The memory unit also includes an analog-to-digital converter having an input and an output. The input of the analog-to-digital converter is adapted to receive data from the multi-level solid state non-volatile memory array. The output of the analog-to-digital converter is adapted to output a digital signal characterized by a second number of digital levels greater than the first number of digital levels. |
| US07844877B2 |
Method and device for multi phase error-correction
Data bits to be encoded are split into a plurality of subgroups. Each subgroup is encoded separately to generate a corresponding codeword. Selected subsets are removed from the corresponding codewords, leaving behind shortened codewords, and are many-to-one transformed to condensed bits. The final codeword is a combination of the shortened codewords and the condensed bits. A representation of the final codeword is decoded by being partitioned to a selected subset and a plurality of remaining subsets. Each remaining subset is decoded separately. If one of the decodings fails, the remaining subset whose decoding failed is decoded at least in part according to the selected subset. If the encoding and decoding are systematic then the selected subsets are of parity bits. |
| US07844870B2 |
Method for embedded integrated end-to-end testing
A method and system for automated testing of a system such as a billing module in a telecommunication system is disclosed. In a first embodiment, test APIs, scenarios and configuration information are embedded into the module itself in a way such that, when testing is desired, tests may be conducted without any need for a dedicated test environment. Tests can be run from within the module itself, thereby eliminating the risk, expense and time required to use external testing systems and data to test the module. In another embodiment, operational data such as live operational orders are wrapped in test headers and are used as input data for testing purposes within the billing module. In this embodiment, test APIs may be embedded into all modules of an operational support system so that complete system end-to-end testing is possible without the use of dedicated external test equipment and processes. |
| US07844869B2 |
Implementing enhanced LBIST testing of paths including arrays
A method and circuit implement testing of a circuit path including a memory array and logic including Logic Built in Self Test (LBIST) diagnostics, and a design structure on which the subject circuit resides are provided. Testing of the circuit path includes initializing the memory array in the circuit path with an initialization pattern, switching to Logic Built in Self Test (LBIST) mode and providing a read only mode for the memory array, and running Logic Built in Self Test (LBIST) testing of the circuit path. |
| US07844868B2 |
System and method for implementing a stride value for memory testing
Systems and methods for implementing a stride value for memory are provided. One embodiment relates to a system that includes a plurality of memory modules configured to store interleaved data in a plurality of memory storage units according to a predetermined interleave. A memory test device is configured to perform a memory test that accesses a portion of the plurality of memory storage units in a sequence according to a programmable stride value. The memory test device performs the memory test by writing test data to each of the memory storage units in the portion of the plurality of memory storage units and reading the test data from each of the memory storage units in the portion of the plurality of memory storage units. |
| US07844858B2 |
Method for analyzing program errors
The present invention discloses a method for analyzing program errors, which is implemented on a USB program in a set of BIOS codes, the USB program has some subprograms. Each subprogram represents a processing procedure and consists of some USB source codes. The method comprises steps of embedding output instructions in the subprograms; outputting identified values by the output instructions when executing the subprograms; and providing a set of reference information by the outputted identified values. The reference information allows people checking both the actual sequence that the processing procedures were executed and whether the USB source codes in each subprogram are incorrect. |
| US07844856B1 |
Methods and apparatus for bottleneck processing in a continuous data protection system having journaling
Method and apparatus to provide bottleneck processing in a continuous data protection system having journaling. In an exemplary embodiment, system parameter information is collected and analyzed to output bottleneck information. |
| US07844855B2 |
Stored memory recovery system
Various embodiments of systems and methods for preserving saved memory states to which a computer system can be restored are disclosed. In certain embodiments, the systems and methods intercept write operations to protected memory locations and redirect them to alternate memory locations. Embodiments of the systems and methods include creation of a table for each memory state. Certain embodiments additionally include a recovery capability, by which the protected memory in the computer system is capable of being restored or recovered to a recovery point that represents a saved memory state. Further embodiments relate to systems and methods for preventing protected memory locations from being overwritten that utilize a plurality of memory state values. |
| US07844851B2 |
System and method for protecting against failure through geo-redundancy in a SIP server
The SIP server deployment can be comprised of an engine tier that provides high throughput processing and a state tier that maintains SIP state data in a set of partitions and replicas. Two sites of SIP server deployments can be configured, each being remotely located with respect to the other. A primary site can process various SIP transactions and communications and upon determining a transaction boundary, replicate the state data associated with the transaction being processed, to a secondary site. Engines in the primary site can generate hints for the state replicas which can be in turn responsible for replicating the SIP session state. The replicas can choose to follow or disregard the generated hints. Upon failure of the primary site, calls can be routed from the failed primary site to the secondary site for processing. Similarly, upon recovery, the calls can be re-routed back to the primary site. |
| US07844850B2 |
Broadcast/VOD receiver and viewing management method
According to one embodiment, an information processor comprises a flush memory which stores a main program for executing information processing by using time data acquired through the clock count operation and a sub-program for upgrading a version of the main program of the information processing, a storage memory which stores the time data, and an arithmetic processing unit which executes the main program in starting the processor and executes the sub-program in upgrading the version, wherein the arithmetic processing unit executes the sub-program so as to continue the clock count operation even during execution of the version upgrading, and when the upgrading has completed, restarts the main program so as to restart the clock count operation by using the time data stored in the storage upon an execution start caused by restarting the main program. |
| US07844849B2 |
System and method for identifying and manipulating logic analyzer data from multiple clock domains
A system and method for identifying and manipulating logic analyzer data from multiple clock domains is presented. A logic analyzer receives debug data and determines whether the debug data is a full frequency data type, a half frequency data type, or a crossed data type. Once determined, the logic analyzer reconstructs the debug data such that debug condition-matching logic may process the reconstructed data in a full frequency domain. For half frequency data types, the logic analyzer adds masked data values to the data in order to reconstruct the data into to the full frequency domain before processing the data. For crossed data types, the logic analyzer reconstructs the data into its original format before processing the data in a full frequency domain. |
| US07844845B2 |
System and method for preventing user O.S. in VMM system from deenergizing device being used by service O.S.
A call from a user operating system (UOS) to BIOS to configure a connected device into a reduced energy consumption mode is routed through a virtual machine monitor (VMM). The VMM determines whether a service O.S. (SOS) is in need of the device and if so the VMM informs the UOS that the device has been configured as ordered, while allowing the SOS to complete its task with the device. If the SOS is not in need of the device, or at the completion of the SOS task with the device, the VMM passes the call to ACPI/BIOS to configure the device in the demanded energy consumption mode. |
| US07844844B2 |
System and method for reserving information handling system battery charge to perform diagnostics
A power diagnostics module running on an information handling system initiates a power down state of the information handling system upon detection of a predetermined battery charge that is sufficient to allow the information handling system to recover from the power down state and run the power diagnostics module. The power diagnostics module runs on the predetermined charge to diagnose faults associated with the power system, such as failure of an external AC adapter, and to present the faults to an end user, such as at a display, with LEDs or through a network message. |
| US07844843B2 |
Implementing power savings in HSS clock-gating circuit
A power saving clock-gating method and a power saving clock-gating circuit for implementing power savings in High Speed Serializer-deserializer (HSS) cores, and a design structure on which the subject circuit resides are provided. The power saving clock-gating circuit includes a clock gate signal used to initiate the starting and stopping of the C2 clocks. The clock gate signal is applied to a first latch of plurality of current-mode logic latches in a clock gate aligner block, which provides clock gate aligned signal to synchronously start a C2 clock generator. A power savings logic circuit generates a power down signal to turn off the plurality of current-mode latches and predefined clock buffers after the C2 clocks have been started, and then responsive to a changed state of the clock gate signal to turn on the predefined clock buffers and the plurality of current-mode logic latches to begin another synchronous start operation. |
| US07844842B2 |
Variable refresh rate for power management
A data processing system refreshes a display at a first frequency when operating in a first power mode. The data processing system refreshes the display at a second frequency when operating in a second mode. The first frequency is higher than the second frequency, and the second power mode is configured to consume less power than the first power mode. |
| US07844841B2 |
Electronic device
An electronic device is disclosed herein. An embodiment of the electronic device comprises an electronic component, wherein the electronic component is operated by a DC voltage. The electronic component comprises an AC to DC converter that converts an AC voltage to the DC voltage, wherein the RMS value of the AC voltage is greater than the DC voltage. The electronic device further comprises a power supply comprising an input and an output. The input is connectable to a line voltage and the output is connected to the AC to DC converter of electronic component. The AC voltage is output by the output of the power supply. |
| US07844840B2 |
Arrangements for integrated circuit power management
A configurable power control system is disclosed. The power control system can include a control module, an enable/disable module coupled to a power rail (i.e. an internal power line) to enable and disable power to the power rail. The system can also include a sequencer module coupled to the first and a second power rail to sequence power to the power rail(s). The system can also include a fault detect module to detect system parameters. Additionally, the system can include a memory module to store user input and can store detected faults to be utilized by the control module and other modules to control interrelationships between the enable module, the sequencer module, the fault detect module, power in, and power provided via the power rails. |
| US07844838B2 |
Inter-die power manager and power management method
Devices and methods for managing power on a module are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a module comprises a first die; a second die; and a power manager. The power manager monitors the power requirements of the first die and the second die and allocates power to the first die and the second die based on the power requirements. |
| US07844835B2 |
Systems and methods for secure transaction management and electronic rights protection
The present invention provides systems and methods for secure transaction management and electronic rights protection. Electronic appliances such as computers equipped in accordance with the present invention help to ensure that information is accessed and used only in authorized ways, and maintain the integrity, availability, and/or confidentiality of the information. Such electronic appliances provide a distributed virtual distribution environment (VDE) that may enforce a secure chain of handling and control, for example, to control and/or meter or otherwise monitor use of electronically stored or disseminated information. Such a virtual distribution environment may be used to protect rights of various participants in electronic commerce and other electronic or electronic-facilitated transactions. Distributed and other operating systems, environments and architectures, such as, for example, those using tamper-resistant hardware-based processors, may establish security at each node. These techniques may be used to support an all-electronic information distribution, for example, utilizing the “electronic highway.” |
| US07844833B2 |
Method and system for user protected media pool
The present invention is directed to a system and method for dynamically, segregating storage resources, pooling such resources into groups, assigning and associating security attributes with those groups. The present invention is further directed to protecting storage media within a shared mass storage device in a network computing environment by utilizing the security attributes. The system of the present invention incorporates a client/server and networked storage device infrastructure that allows dynamic and automatic support of access to storage devices from a plurality of client/server systems on a network. |
| US07844831B2 |
Secure memory device for smart cards
A secure memory device which can be used for multi-application smart cards for secure identification in data transfer, or for component verification in a computer system, without the requirement of an internal microprocessor. The secure memory device features a dual authentication protocol in which the memory and host authenticate each other. The secure memory device also includes an encrypted password feature, as well as using stream encryption to encrypt the data. |
| US07844829B2 |
Secured database system with built-in antivirus protection
A secured database system with built-in antivirus protection is described. In one embodiment, for example, a method of the present invention is described for securing a database system, the method comprises steps of: provisioning storage from a storage device, for storing database information; generating an encryption key so that the database information is stored on the storage device in an encrypted manner; generating a decryption key for decrypting the database information stored on the storage device, wherein access to the decryption key is controlled by the database system based on user privileges; receiving a request from a user for access to the database information; determining whether the user has been granted sufficient privileges to access the database information; if the user has been granted sufficient privileges, automatically decrypting the database information to provide the access; and otherwise denying the request if the user has not been granted sufficient privileges. |
| US07844826B1 |
Method and apparatus for communicating authorization data
A permission level associated with an entity's access to a Web server is identified. A relationship ticket is obtained from an authentication server and a request is generated to set the identified permission level. The request and the relationship ticket are sent to the Web server and a success code is received from the Web server if the requested permission level is established. |
| US07844824B2 |
Method of registering sensing device with relay device
A method of registering a sensing device with a relay device is provided. The relay device allowing the sensing device to communicate with a computer system of the system. The method performs registration using a registration form having information relating to an interactive element coincident with tags mapped over the form. Each tag has coded data indicative of the interactive element and an identity associated with the form. In the method, indicating data indicative of the identity and the interactive element is received at the computer system from a sensing device via the relay device which is generated by the sensing device sensing the coded data, the interactive element from the indicating data is determined by the computer system which then causes registration of the sensing device with the relay device using the interactive element. |
| US07844823B2 |
Interactive security control system with conflict checking
An interactive system for managing access via a communications network by one or more Device-Users and Database-Users with regard to at least one secured Location and an entry control Device assignable for use in gaining access to the Location by the one or more Device-Users. The system comprises a searchable database configured to store information on at least one of the secured Location, the one or more Device-Users, the one or more Database-Users, or the entry control Device, and Software stored on a readable medium and configured to search the database and report one or more conflicts concerning the information. |
| US07844822B2 |
Temporally threaded CMI watermark
Disclosed is a temporally threaded copyright management information watermark where fragile watermarks containing CMI are spread throughout a digital work temporally. In one embodiment of this invention, the copyright management information is divided into a multitude of copyright management information subparts; the copyright management subparts are applied to fragile sub-watermarks; and fragile watermarks are applied to temporally separated portions of the digital work. |
| US07844819B2 |
Application authentication system
Since there is a possibility that an application downloaded to a terminal performs an invalid operation, an operation of the downloaded application is very much restricted, and the application can not use local resources of the terminal. With the use of information for authenticating the application, which is held in a tamper resistant region of an authentication module, authentication for the application downloaded to a download section of the terminal is performed to confirm its source or whether or not it has been tampered with. Only an authenticated application is permitted to use the local resources of the terminal or the authentication module, so that an invalid application is prevented from using the local resources. Furthermore, there is no need to make the terminal have the tamper resistant region, manufacturing costs of the terminal can be held at a low level. |
| US07844816B2 |
Relying party trust anchor based public key technology framework
A public key (PK) framework for allowing a relying party to act as a trust anchor to authenticate a subscriber. The framework provides a directory system under the control of the relying party, wherein the directory system includes: a storage system for storing certificates received from subscribers in a database, wherein the certificates are issued by a plurality of different certificate authorities; a management system for managing records in the database associated with subscribers; and a validation system that allows the relying party to retrieve certificates from the database in order to authenticate subscribers. |
| US07844815B2 |
Method and communication system for controlling security association lifetime
An apparatus and method for selecting a security association timer between user equipment and a control entity in a communication system are disclosed. The apparatus includes a transmitter configured to transmit a registration request message to a control entity in a communication system, whereby the registration request message is configured to request registration with the control entity. The apparatus further includes a receiver configured to receive an authentication challenge including a temporary timer, whereby the temporary timer is configured to set a time duration for the apparatus to respond to the authentication challenge. The receiver is further configured to receive an acknowledgement message including a security association timeout value in response to the transmitted registration message, whereby the security association timeout value includes a set time length of a security association equal to a registration time length set for registration of the apparatus. The transmitter is further configured to transmit a registration authentication message to the control entity before expiration of the temporary timer. |
| US07844813B2 |
Method, system and process for data encryption and transmission
A system, process and method for data encryption and transmission are disclosed. By adopting the paradigm of a pre-paid self addressed express envelope end-users will interact with this invention in much the same way they interact with traditional delivery systems. They simply provide the content, and delivery takes place without any further user intervention. The encryption is a “software appliance”. This software already knows the identity of the sender and the receiver and the encryption key that is to be used; all it needs from the user is the information which is to be securely transported. |
| US07844812B2 |
Apparatus, method and program product for initiating computer system operation
A computer system which includes a CPU for performing various processes by program control and storage elements which store at least one operating system and a BIOS, wherein upon starting a system, the CPU recognizes the system's own hardware configuration, and starts a selected one operating system stored in the storage elements in accordance with the recognized hardware configuration under the control of the BIOS. |
| US07844811B2 |
Using chip select to specify boot memory
A synchronous Flash memory device is described that enhances initialization and boot memory device identification in synchronous memory systems. A boot memory is typically a separate device that is tied to a specific chip select line and/or address range of a system, whereas synchronous Flash memory generally can be placed in any available memory slot and assigned one of several possible chip selects and address ranges. This lack of predictability makes installing a boot memory based on a non-volatile synchronous memory device difficult. A synchronous Flash boot memory device of the detailed invention is adapted to identify itself and its chip select/address range to the memory controller at power up, reset, or upon receiving an identification request. This allows the utilization of the detailed synchronous Flash memory as a boot memory in synchronous systems where a reserved boot memory slot and/or chip select are not provided. |
| US07844806B2 |
Global history branch prediction updating responsive to taken branches
A system and method are provided for updating a global history prediction record in a microprocessor system using pipelined instruction processing. The method accepts a microprocessor instruction of consecutive operations, including a conditional branch operation with an associated branch address, at a first stage in a pipelined microprocessor execution process. A global history record (GHR) of conditional branch resolutions and predictions is accessed and hashed with the branch address, creating a first hash result. The first hash result is used to access an indexed branch history table (BHT) of branch direction counts and the BHT is used to make a branch prediction. If the branch prediction being “taken”, the current GHR value is left-shifted and hashed with the branch address, creating a second hash result which is used in creating an updated GHR. |
| US07844805B2 |
Portable processing device having a modem selectively coupled to a RISC core or a CISC core
A processor for a portable electronic device. The processor includes a RISC (reduced instruction set computing) core a CISC (complex instruction set computing) core, a video accelerator circuit and an audio accelerator circuit. Each of the video and audio accelerator circuits are coupled to both the RISC and CISC cores, with both cores and both accelerator circuit being incorporated into a single integrated circuit. In a first plurality of operational modes, the RISC core is active, while the CISC core is in one of a sleep state or a power off state. In a second plurality of modes, both the RISC and CISC cores are active. |
| US07844804B2 |
Expansion of a stacked register file using shadow registers
One or more Shadow Register Files (SRF) are interposed between a Physical Register File (PRF) and a Backing Store (BS) in a shadow register file system. The SRFs comprise dual-port registers connected serially in a chain of arbitrary depth from the PRF. A Register Save Engine has random access to one port of the registers in the final SRF in the chain, and saves/restores data between the final SRF and the BS, e.g., RAM. As PRF registers are deallocated from calling procedures for use by called procedures, data are serially shifted from multi-port registers in the PRF through successive corresponding dual-port registers in SRFs, and are serially shifted back toward the multi-port registers as the PRF registers are reallocated to calling procedures. Since no procedure can access more than the number of registers in the PRF, the effective size of the PRF is increased, using less costly dual-port registers. |
| US07844803B2 |
Configurable data processing device with bit reordering on inputs and outputs of configurable logic function blocks
A data processing device has a configurable functional unit for executing an instruction according to a configurable function. The configurable functional unit has a plurality of independent configurable logic blocks for performing programmable logic operations to implement the configurable function. Configurable connection circuits are provided between the configurable logic blocks and both the inputs and the outputs of the configurable functional unit. This allows an optimalization of the distribution of logic functions over the configurable logic blocks. |
| US07844802B2 |
Instructions for ordering execution in pipelined processes
Ordering instructions for specifying the execution order of other instructions improve throughput in a pipelined multiprocessor. Memory write operations local to a CPU are allowed to occur in an arbitrary order, and constraints are placed on shared memory operations. Multiple sets of instructions are provided in which order of execution of the instructions is maintained through the use of CPU registers, write buffers in conjunction with assignment of sequence numbers to the instruction, or a hierarchical ordering system. The system ensures that an earlier designated instruction has reach a specified state of execution prior to a latter instruction reaching a specified state of execution. The ordering of operations allows memory operations local to a CPU to occur in conjunction with other memory operations that are not affected by such execution. |
| US07844792B2 |
Game disk layout
A software tool automatically places files and folders of a software program within segments of a DVD. The segments are defined by security placeholders, and the disposition of the placeholders is initially randomly determined, consistent with predefined rules. The placeholders are included on the disc to hinder unauthorized copying. A developer generally defines the order in which the files and folders are to be laid out, and the software tool automatically places the files and folders, filling successive segments and shifting the placeholders to accommodate files that will not fit in a current segment. However, any movement of the placeholders must be done by the tool and is only permitted if the new disposition of the placeholder is in accord with the predefined rules. A user can manually modify the automated layout, and in response, the files and folders are automatically shifted to accommodate the changes introduced by the user. |
| US07844790B2 |
System and method for management of external storage medium
An external storage medium management system takes into account the maintenance of data security in case an external storage medium has been taken out on emergency. It comprises an external storage medium device and an enclosure device, which is connected to a host side device and which accommodates the external storage medium device, the external storage medium device reports the result of authentication to the enclosure device in case authentication operation is done. On detection of extraction of the external storage medium device from the enclosure device, the external storage medium device of inhibits access to retained data and allows access to the data only in case the authentication in accordance with a preset system has met success. In case the enclosure device also has detected the extraction of the external storage medium device by a medium extraction detection unit, the enclosure device announces the status prevailing at the time of the extraction (authentication coincidence/non-coincidence/authentication data invalid/no authentication data) to the host side. |
| US07844788B2 |
Mirroring system memory in non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM) for fast power on/off cycling
A computer comprising a processor, a volatile main store, a non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM) mirror store, and optionally a cache for the non-volatile mirror store. While programs of the computer are operational, the contents of the volatile main store are mirrored in the non-volatile mirror store such that when a startup signal is received, the contents of the volatile main store are quickly restored from the contents of the non-volatile mirror store. |
| US07844787B2 |
Techniques for data replication with snapshot capabilities
Techniques for data replication are presented. A snap shot request is processed within an environment associated with a local volume by flushing pending Input/Output (I/O) operations into an event packet. The event packet is sent to a replicated volume and processed against the replicated volume to create a snap shot version of the local volume. |
| US07844781B2 |
Method, apparatus, and computer program product for accessing process local storage of another process
An operating system kernel includes an attach mechanism and a detach mechanism. In addition, processes are tagged with an access attribute identifying the process as either a client process or a server process. Based on the access attribute, the operating system kernel lays out the process local address space differently depending on whether the process is a client process or a server process. A server process can “attach” to a client process and reference all of the client process' local storage as though it were its own. The server process continues to reference its own process local storage, but in addition, it can reference the other storage, using the client process' local addresses. When access to the other storage is no longer needed, the server process can “detach” from the client process. Once detached, the other storage can no longer be referenced. |
| US07844780B2 |
Priority-based memory prefetcher
A method for preforming memory prefetching and scheduling prefetch commands inside the memory controller is disclosed. A set of prefetch commands is generated based on a stream of Read requests intended for a system memory, and the prefetch commands are stored in a low priority queue (LPQ). A set of regular commands is generated based on a stream of Read and Write requests intended for the system memory, and the regular commands are stored in a centralized arbiter queue. One of the prefetch commands is issued from the LPQ depending on the status of the other queues in the memory controller. |
| US07844777B2 |
Cache for a host controller to store command header information
In one embodiment, the present invention includes a host controller having a cache memory to store entries each including, at least, a command header (CH) portion having data associated with a command from the host controller to one of multiple devices coupled to a port multiplier, and a physical region descriptor (PRD) portion to store address information associated with a next address for data transfer with regard to the command. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US07844776B2 |
RAID capacity expansion handling method and system with concurrent data access capability
A RAID capacity expansion handling method and system with concurrent data access capability is proposed, which is designed for use with a RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) unit for providing a capacity-expanding function that allows the RAID unit to add just a single disk to an original disk cluster for expanding the total capacity thereof, and meanwhile allows a network server to concurrently gain access to the data stored in the RAID unit. This feature allows the capacity-expanding procedure for the RAID unit to be implemented in a more simplified manner with enhanced system performance. |
| US07844772B2 |
Device driver including a flash memory file system and method thereof and a flash memory device and method thereof
A device driver including a flash memory file system and method thereof and a flash memory device and method thereof are provided. The example device driver may include a flash memory file system configured to receive data scheduled to be written into the flash memory device, the flash memory file system selecting one of a first data storage area and a second data storage area within the flash memory device to write the received data to based upon an expected frequency of updating for the received data, the first data storage area configured to store data which is expected to be updated more often than the second data storage area. The example flash memory device may include a first data storage area configured to store first data, the first data having a first expected frequency for updating and a second data storage area configured to store second data, the second data having a second expected frequency of updating, the first expected frequency being higher than the second expected frequency. |
| US07844770B2 |
Hub structure for enabling communication with a large number of handheld electronic devices
A system for maintaining a large number of Handheld Electronic Devices (HEDs) includes a drawer having a divider structure configured to define compartments that are sized to hold the HEDs while the HEDs are stored in the drawer. A 20 port USB hub is provided in the drawer so that 20 HEDs may be connected to the USB hub while stored in the drawer. The USB hub allows the HEDs to be charged at a low rate while being synchronized with a computer and at a high rate when not being synchronized. The USB hub is designed using a tree structure of available USB hub chips to enable a larger number of USB ports. A microcontroller is provided to control the manner in which the computer is allowed to recognize the HEDs connected to the USB ports. |
| US07844769B2 |
Computer system having an apportionable data bus and daisy chained memory chips
A memory system having a data bus coupling a memory controller and a memory. The data bus has a number of data bus bits. The data bus is programmably apportioned to a first portion dedicated to transmitting data from the memory controller to the memory and a second portion dedicated to transmitting data from the memory to the memory controller. The apportionment can be assigned by suitable connection of pins on a memory chip in the memory and the memory controller to logical values. Alternatively, the apportionment can be scanned into the memory controller and the memory at bring up time. In another alternative, the apportionment can be changed by suspending data transfer and dynamically changing the sizes of the first portion and the second portion. |
| US07844768B2 |
Blade server system and method of managing same
Each chassis includes a back plane having a plurality of slots and a CPU blade server and CMMs which are inserted in the slots, respectively. The back plane has a storage unit storing a housing number for identifying the housing, in-housing chassis numbers for identifying the chassis in the housing, and in-chassis slot IDs for identifying the slots. When the blade server is inserted into the corresponding slot, the blade server acquires the in-chassis slot ID from the back plane. When the CMMs are inserted into the corresponding slots, the CMMs acquire housing numbers and in-housing chassis numbers from the back plane, holds the housing number and the in-housing chassis numbers, and manages the configuration of the blade server through the back plane. One of the CMMs manages the other CMMs. |
| US07844766B1 |
System and method for location specific computer enabled services/monitoring
A system and method to provide location-specific computer enabled services/monitoring, having minimally invasive reconfiguration/replacement comprises a relationship provider enabling a first relationship between a location and electronic configuration information and a second relationship between the location and an electronic identifier, an electronic service connecting/monitoring component at the location including an electronic component having the electronic identifier embodied therein, and a readable component providing the electronic identifier in an electronically readable format, an accessor accessing the electronic identifier from the readable component, accessing the location associated with the accessed said electronic identifier according to the second relationship, and accessing the electronic configuration information associated with the associated location according to the first relationship, and a server location the associated said electronic configuration information onto the service connecting/monitoring component and enabling modification of the associated the electronic configuration information to reconfigure based on the location. |
| US07844761B1 |
Flexible on-chip datapath interface for facilitating communication between first and second interfaces with different interface properties
Methods and apparatus are provided for allowing flexible on-chip datapath interfaces on a device. Datapath connections allow data streamlining without any knowledge of channels or packet boundaries. Flexible and modular interface adapters are used to allow component designers to efficiently provide interoperable components without having to adhere to a strict datapath interface specification. Interface adapters from an adapter library are instantiated and configured automatically when two components are connected. |
| US07844759B1 |
System, method, and computer readable medium for processing a message queue
A method, system, and computer readable medium for processing a message queue comprises processing messages in the queue in a serial manner, suspending a message, when the processing is blocked for the message, processing a next message in the queue during the suspension, continuing the processing of the messages until the processing is unblocked, placing the message back in the queue, and processing the message. |
| US07844755B2 |
Image forming apparatus, image processing device, control device, and connection device
A disclosed image forming apparatus includes an image processing device including plural image processing units; a control device configured to control the plural image processing units; and a connection unit configured to connect the image processing device to the control device. Each of the plural image processing units is connected to the control device by one of plural channels; the image processing device is connected to the control device by a first bus including the channels; and the connection unit is provided on the first bus so that the image processing device is connected to the control device by a single connection unit. |
| US07844753B2 |
Techniques to process integrity validation values of received network protocol units
Techniques are described that can be used to support integrity validation of protocol data units. An iSCSI compatible logic may establish a memory region to store a header portion of the protocol data unit. In some implementations, the iSCSI compatible logic may read the header and determine a size of a second memory region to store a payload portion of the protocol data unit. In some implementations, the iSCSI compatible logic may set the second memory region as a maximum possible size of the payload portion. TCP compatible logic may include the capability to validate an integrity of the header or data portions of the protocol data unit. TCP compatible logic may request data mover logic to determine an integrity validation value for a header and/or data portion of the protocol data unit in the process of copying the protocol data unit to among the memory region or the second memory region. TCP compatible logic may compare the determined integrity validation value with an integrity validation value included with the protocol data unit. |
| US07844751B2 |
Data transmission and processing system with reliable acquisition of critical states
Data transmission and processing system with at least one input user (1), with a control unit (4) for the reception and the processing of data of the input user (1) and a transmission device (3) of data between the input user (1) and the control unit (4). The input user (1) cyclically makes available the input data values (Z0, Z1 . . . ZX) for retrieval, and the transmission device (3) cyclically calls up the input data values (Z0, Z1 . . . ZX) and transfers them to the control unit (4), to be sent after processing to at least one output user (2). A parameterization device (5) with a monitoring switch (12, 15) is provided at the input user (1) to mark the input data values that characterize critical states as critical data values (FZ1). In the case of the presence of such critical states, only the associated critical data values (FZ1) are made available henceforth for transfer and are transmitted until it has been determined with certainty that the control unit (4) has received the critical data values (FZ1). |
| US07844748B2 |
Method and apparatus for presenting entity not supporting UPnP as UPnP device or content
A method and apparatus are provided for allowing a UPnP control point to recognize various entities. The method includes: generating a device description describing information on the entity in a format according to the standard using the information on the entity; and presenting a role of the device supporting the standard for a control point, which can recognize only devices supporting the standard, based on the generated device description. Accordingly, UPnP can be applied to various entities. |
| US07844744B2 |
Providing server security via a security sensor application shared by multiple operating system partitions
When a hypervisor in a computer server receives input/output (I/O) data traffic, the hypervisor sends the I/O data traffic to a security sensor application shared by multiple operating system (OS) partitions. If the security sensor application indicates that the I/O data traffic meets pre-defined security standards in the security sensor application, and the I/O data traffic is addressed to one of the OS partitions in the computer server, the hypervisor sends the I/O data traffic to the applicable OS partition. If the I/O data traffic meets the pre-defined security standards, and the I/O data traffic is not addressed to one of the OS partitions, the hypervisor sends the I/O data traffic to an external destination in a network coupled to the computer server. |
| US07844742B2 |
Network interface and protocol
A communication interface for providing an interface between a data link and a data processor, the data processor being capable of supporting an operating system and a user application, the communication interface being arranged to: support a first queue of data received over the link and addressed to a logical data port associated with a user application; support a second queue of data received over the link and identified as being directed to the operating system; and analyse data received over the link and identified as being directed to the operating system or the data port to determine whether that data meets one or more predefined criteria, and if it does meet the criteria transmit an interrupt to the operating system. |
| US07844739B2 |
Method for aspect oriented web service invocation
A web service request is received by an intermediary that performs a conversion of the requestor's service interface to the service interface supported by a service provider matching the requested service, then invokes that service. A reverse conversion is performed when passing a reply to the requester. The web serving intermediary maintains a library of each target service in terms of the target service's tModel and on its binding protocol support. The intermediary receives web service requests from requesters including their source tModel and target web service information. The intermediary identifies a mapping aspect to invoke the target web service from the aspect library. The target service tModel is embodied in the mapping aspect which is weaved into the code invoking the target service at runtime. In this way, the interface logic is decided at run time. |
| US07844733B2 |
Content router with multiple forwarding elements instantiated on hardware entities
A carrier grade content router, includes a distinct management plane for housing externally visible management applications, and coordinating and relaying external management requests to appropriate underlying application code in the router; a distinct control plane for running control protocols required within an XML routed network; and a distinct data plane for receiving and forwarding customer data. Some functions can be implemented in software or via a hardware accelerator. |
| US07844729B1 |
Geo-intelligent traffic manager
A traffic manager determines the geographic locations of end points on Internet traffic and routes the traffic in the most efficient manner. A set of analyzers may be disposed to analyze the network, such as the geographic locations of nodes in the network, latency times and speed between nodes, available bandwidth, etc. The traffic manager obtains this intelligence on the network from the analyzers and routes traffic accordingly. The traffic manager considers not only the most direct route but also considers the speed, available bandwidth, and reliability of the routing. The traffic manager can be disposed any within the network, such as part of DNS service or as an HTTP redirect. Thus, the traffic manager can be implemented in routers, switches, sprinklers, load balancers, DNS server, or other servers. In modeling the network traffic and behavior, the traffic manager may simply portions of the network and employ probability and statistics in approximating the network behavior. |
| US07844728B2 |
Packet filtering/classification and/or policy control support from both visited and home networks
A method of supporting access to a selected Internet Protocol (IP) multimedia application via an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) is provided for a roaming mobile node (MN)—i.e., user equipment (UE)served by a wireless telecommunications system. The method includes: includes establishing a first IP tunnel between the UE and a local access gateway of a visited network, the first tunnel being anchored at the local access gateway; establishing a second IP tunnel between the UE and a home gateway of a home network, the second tunnel being anchored at the home gateway; receiving data packets at the local access gateway for the UE; filtering the packets received at the local access gateway to suitably classify corresponding traffic into one of a plurality of data flows supported within the first tunnel at varying Quality of Service (QoS) levels; and filtering the received packets. |
| US07844721B2 |
Method for delivery of software upgrade notification to devices in communication systems
Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate providing software upgrade notifications to user devices that utilize unicast and multicast communication techniques in a wireless communication environment. Bandwidth and power consumption is minimized by permitting determination to be made regarding whether a given software update is relevant to the user device prior to attempting a download or receiving a notification thereof. Additionally, evaluation of version number and software identity facilitates determining whether to employ a unicast software check-up protocol or a multicast software check-up protocol. Software upgrade information may also be transmitted over a multicast channel for a predetermined time period, after which a user device may initiate a unicast check-up protocol to receive software upgrade information. |
| US07844718B2 |
System and method for automatically configuring remote computer
A system and method for automatically configuring a remote computer to establish a VPN connection with a network is disclosed. According to the system and method, a configuration generator determines information necessary for the remote computer to establish the VPN connection, and generate an executable file to be run the remote computer. When run on the remote computer, the executable file automatically updates the remote computer's configuration settings so as to enable it to establish the connection with the network. The information required by the configuration generator can either be extracted from a database automatically, or can be keyed in by a network administrator. |
| US07844715B2 |
System and method for a shared I/O subsystem
A computer system that includes a plurality of servers, and a shared I/O subsystem coupled to each of the servers and to one or more I/O interfaces. The shared I/O subsystem services I/O requests made by two or more of the servers. Each I/O interface may couple to a network, appliance, or other device. The I/O requests serviced by the shared I/O subsystem may alternatively include software initiated or hardware initiated I/O requests. Different servers coupled to the shared I/O subsystem may use different operating systems, and each I/O interface may be used by two or more servers. |
| US07844714B2 |
Intelligent network information server (NIS) server search
An Intelligent Network Information Server Search (INSS) decreases search time required for a client to find a network information server. A cumulative history file stores a history of network information server availability, a number of communication attempts, and a communication success rate. INSS uses a ypservers file list, and orders the network information server search according to a cumulative server success rate. A system administrator may optionally define the search order with a user defined weight given to one or more of the servers. The server link and history may be stored in a random access memory to improve performance. |
| US07844710B2 |
Proxy caching for directory services
Proxy caching for directory services are presented. Requests for directory resources are intercepted and an inspection of cache is made to determine whether a resource being requested is identified in cache. When an identifier for the resource is identified in cache, a corresponding directory service associated with a cache entry for that resource is used to supply the resource; otherwise the resource is supplied by a directory service selected by policy. |
| US07844708B2 |
Method and apparatus for load sharing and data distribution in servers
A method and apparatus for distributing load between a plurality of servers, for handling incoming service requests in a server system. When a service request in received in an access node, a primary server is assigned out of a set of primary servers, using a first scheduling algorithm, for performing a processing task for the received service request. The first scheduling algorithm is capable of selecting any primary server. Further, a secondary server is assigned out of a set of secondary servers, using a second scheduling algorithm, for performing a storing task for the received service request. The second scheduling algorithm is capable of selecting one specific secondary servers for a storing task. |
| US07844707B2 |
Web service multi-key rate limiting method and system
The present invention provides a method and computer system for limiting a number of web service programming calls including intercepting a web request for web service programming from a client and extracting call specific data from the web request. The method and computing system further includes transmitting call specific data to a plurality of rate limiter servers and on the rate limiter servers, calculating a total number of web requests, where the web requests are identified by the call specific data. The method and computing system further includes receiving web request totals from the rate limiter servers and thereby determining accessibility of the client to the web request based on a comparison of the number of web requests for the web service programming relative to a predetermined access limit. |
| US07844700B2 |
Latency free scanning of malware at a network transit point
In accordance with the present invention, a system, method, and computer-readable medium for identifying malware at a network transit point such as a computer that serves as a gateway to an internal or private network is provided. A network transmission is scanned for malware at a network transit point without introducing additional latency to the transmission of data over the network. In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a computer-implemented method for identifying malware at a network transit point is provided. More specifically, when a packet in a transmission is received at the network transit point, the packet is immediately forwarded to the target computer. Simultaneously, the packet and other data in the transmission are scanned for malware by an antivirus engine. If malware is identified in the transmission, the target computer is notified that the transmission contains malware. |
| US07844699B1 |
Web-based monitoring and control system
An event driven, network enabled off-site management listening system (“Listener”) manages remote devices by listening to unsolicited events communicated from devices connected to the Internet, and from a Mission Controller. The Listener listens for messages, decrypts them, and writes the message to the message queue where a Message Decoder retrieves the message. The Message Decoder decodes the messages and updates the database with location and device specific status information. The Listener also takes messages from the Mission Controller to be executed in a specific sequence, and transmits those messages over the Internet to the specific locations and devices as specified by the Mission Controller. Web-based applications allow end users to monitor and control any device or component connected to the Home Central system from any Internet-enabled device or public communications network. |
| US07844697B1 |
Measuring network traffic based on predicted amount of padding
A system measures traffic in a device. The system tracks an amount of data and the data units and predicts the amount of padding associated with the data units. The system determines the amount of traffic in the device based on the predicted padding, the amount of data, and the number of data units. |
| US07844692B2 |
Web server multiplier for analyzing resource leaks
A method of analyzing a resource leak on a first web server uses a second web server. A first HTTP request message is received from a client at a first Web server and includes an identifier of an information component stored on the first Web server which generates a reply to the first HTTP request message including the information component, and sends the reply to the client. Multiple duplicate HTTP request messages for the information component are generated at the first Web server in response to the receiving of the first request, for analyzing a resource leak on the first Web server. Each of the duplicate HTTP request messages includes the identifier of the information component. The duplicate HTTP request are transmitted to a second Web server and multiply any existing resource leak, thereby facilitating detection, diagnosis and/or analysis. The transmitting to the second Web server maintains the first Web server free from receiving the multiple HTTP request messages. |
| US07844689B2 |
Managing configuration request received via network
An apparatus, method, system, computer program and product are disclosed, each capable of managing a configuration request received via a network. Upon receiving a configuration right request form a client, a determination is made as to whether or not a configuration right can be issued. Based on the determination, the configuration right is issued to the client. |
| US07844688B2 |
Apparatus, method, and software for analyzing network traffic in a service aware network
The present invention generally relates to a method for describing network events in a service aware network (“SAN”). In addition, the present invention relates to software that performs the method and has a programming model containing protocol libraries, abstract protocol messages declarations, and network events. The method and software enable a user to define basic as well as complex network events in the application, presentation, session, transport and/or network layers of a communication model, which result in internet protocol (“IP”) level triggers or other triggers. Such triggers will result in actions which may be applicable in all layers of a communication model up to the highest layer. As a result, the method and software allow a user to describe a hierarchy of high level network events through a hierarchy of lower level events. In addition, a development system and an apparatus which utilizes the method and software are also provided. |
| US07844685B2 |
Apparatus and method for performing contents distribution process
An information processing apparatus and method, information management apparatus and method, recording medium, and program that permit efficient use of hardware resources and distribute contents with ease are provided. When communication can be established via a network (when the line is available), clients 11-1 through 11-3, which have acquired contents from a contents distribution server and stored them, transmit the stored contents to remote clients in accordance with destination designation information attached to the contents. For example, client 11-1 transmits the contents, which have been acquired from the contents distribution server and stored, to clients 12-1 and 12-2, which are designated as destination clients by the destination designation information. The present invention can be applied, for example, to a router or a personal computer providing a communication section and a hard disk or other storage medium. |
| US07844684B2 |
Live media captioning subscription framework for mobile devices
A subscription-based system provides transcribed audio information to one or more mobile devices. Some techniques feature a system for providing subscription services for currently-generated (e.g., not stored) information (e.g., caption information, transcribed audio) for one or more mobile devices for a live/current audio event. There can be a communication network for communicating to the one or more mobile devices, a transcriber configured for transcribing the event to generate information (e.g., caption information, transcribed audio). Caption data includes transcribed data and control code data. The system includes a subscription gateway configured for live/current transfer of the transcribed data to the one or more mobile devices. The subscription gateway is configured to provide access for the transcribed data to the one or more mobile devices. User preferences for subscribers can be set and/or updated by mobile device users and/or GPS-capable mobile devices to receive feeds for the live/current audio event. |
| US07844682B2 |
IMS network-based multimedia briefcase
A system for managing multimedia is provided. The system includes an IMS (Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem) network that has a media server and a Call Session Control Function (CSCF) server. The system includes a data store that is in communication with the IMS network. The system also includes an application configured to promote storing multimedia data to the data store. The multimedia data is created by a client. The client communicates with the CSCF and the multimedia server to promote providing the multimedia data for storage to the data store and to promote retrieving the multimedia data stored on the data store. |
| US07844680B2 |
Home network system
The present invention discloses a home network system using an LnCP. The home network system includes one or more master devices, one or more slave devices, and a network for connecting the master devices to the slave devices on the basis of a predetermined protocol. In the home network system, the master device performs one or plural communication cycles with the plurality of slave devices at the same time at a predetermined time point, and each slave device performs one communication cycle with the master device at the time point. |
| US07844679B2 |
Company network using time slot reuse
An arrangement and a device comprises a mobile data and communication network within a predetermined geographical area. The device operates with first and second functions that can consist of, for example, company and/or customers functions and communication and/or slave functions respectively. Two or more units in the first function are synchronized with each other as regards time and frequency in order to act, from the point of view of connection and disconnection functions, as a common first unit for second units that carry out the second function. Time consuming handshaking procedures are then avoided for the second units when these one's are moving and shifting between part areas of said predetermined area and the total system will operate rapidly in this respect. |
| US07844676B2 |
Email attachment management in a computer system
An e-mail management system that includes an e-mail browser having a time variance interface that provides for storage into a storage media of e-mail messages that have been received over time. The time variance interface of the e-mail browser also provides for retrieval, from the storage media, of the e-mail messages corresponding to a user specified date. The retrieved e-mail messages each include an indication of the presence of an accompanying attachment(s) in the e-mail message. An affirmative indication provides the user with an option of retrieving content of the attachment(s) from the storage media such that the content of the attachment(s) is retrieved by the e-mail browser only when specifically requested by the user. |
| US07844674B2 |
Architecture for general purpose trusted personal access system and methods therefor
A method for effecting the execution of an application function on an application server from a client device includes receiving from the client device at a proxy server a first message that pertains to a request to execute an application function, and that conforms to a text-based user-to-user messaging protocol, and that includes a human-readable input parameter. The method also includes authenticating a user associated with the first message origination address by sending an authentication message to the user at a message confirmation address, and receiving confirmation from the user responsive to the authentication message. If the user is authenticated, the method further includes generating a second message using the human-readable input parameter and transmitting the second message to the application server. |
| US07844671B1 |
Communication systems and methods with social network filtering
A method for a computer system include determining a first social distance for a first user with respect to a second user, determining a second social distance for a third user with respect to the second user, determining a first trust-metric for the first user in response to the first social distance, determining a second trust-metric for the third user in response to the second social distance, and prioritizing a first communication from the first user over a second communication from the third user, in response to the first trust-metric and the second trust-metric. |
| US07844662B2 |
Merging instant messaging (IM) chat sessions
The present disclosure provides for merging of instant messaging (IM) chat sessions. At least one embodiment includes a communication method configured for establishing an instant messaging (IM) chat session between a first sender and a recipient. Some embodiments include receiving an IM message from a second sender to the recipient and establishing an IM chat room between the recipient, the first sender, and the second sender. |
| US07844661B2 |
Composition of local media playback with remotely generated user interface
A media server in a home entertainment network coordinates with a media player connected with the network to provide a media presentation with a combined user interface (UI) on an attached display device. Media content is sourced locally on a networked media player. The media player extracts metadata related to the media content and transmits the metadata to the media server. The media server creates the UI to include components related to the media content rendered by the media player. The media server then transmits the UI to the media player for combination with the rendered media content for a composite output to a presentation device. The media server may further develop and transmit compositing instructions and additional media content to the media player for inclusion in the composite output. |
| US07844659B2 |
Process integration persistency
The addition of a datastore to an application system using process agents for communication allows for maintaining a persistent state by storing records of messages sent between process agents. These records may be retrievable by process agents in order to determine the state of the system. This allows process agents to update previous transactions without storing a copy of messages within each process agent or communicating with every potentially involved process agent to determine its current state. |
| US07844657B2 |
System for controlling medical devices
A system for controlling medical devices is disclosed, generally comprising a surgical network, an input device for entering a medical command, a controller for generating medical command data, and a translator for communicating with at least one ancillary device, where the ancillary device is either a device that is not compatible with the surgical network or is a device that generates high-bandwidth data. In some embodiments, the ancillary device is connected via Ethernet for high-bandwidth data transmission or via Bluetooth for wireless control. |
| US07844656B2 |
Systems, methods and apparatus for factoring numbers
Systems, methods and apparatus for factoring numbers are provided. The factoring may be accomplished by creating a factor graph, mapping the factor graph onto an analog processor, initializing the analog processor to an initial state, evolving the analog processor to a final state, and receiving an output from the analog processor, the output comprising a set of factors of the number. |
| US07844655B2 |
System, method and apparatus for multiplying large numbers in a single iteration using graphs
A computer is connected to a memory. The computer to execute an encryption program in the memory. The encryption program including a multiplication portion to perform multiplication of input operands. The multiplication portion includes graph based functions to generate coefficients representing products returned from the multiplication portion to generate encryption keys. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US07844654B2 |
Arithmetic unit of arbitrary precision, operation method for processing data of arbitrary precision and electronic equipment
An arithmetic unit of arbitrary-precision, including: a main processing unit, which splits up the first and the second arbitrary-precision values into N-bit (where N is a natural number) operands respectively in the-least-significant-bit-first order for computing with the arbitrary-precision data and consecutively outputting a series of pairs of the first and second N-bit operands; and an N-bit arithmetic unit, which performs computing with the N-bit operands, while requesting the main processing unit to feed the next N-bit operands each time the computation completes. The carry bit generated by the operation is fed to the next N-bit operation. |
| US07844651B2 |
Equalizer, group delay compensation circuit for the equalizer and method of compensating for group delay in the equalizer
An equalizer, group delay compensation circuit for the equalizer and method of compensating for group delay may improve group delay characteristics in the equalizer. The equalizer circuit may include a first low pass filter configured to filter a received input signal to output a filtered input signal, and a gain control circuit connected to an output terminal of the first low pass filter, and configured to modulate a gain of a transfer function for the equalizer. The equalizer may include a group delay compensation circuit connected to the output terminal of the first low pass filter and configured to compensate for a group delay of the input signal, and a second low pass filter connected to the output terminal of the first low pass filter. |
| US07844650B2 |
Pulse output direct digital synthesis circuit
A clock signal generator responsive to a frequency control word and a reference clock signal having a reference clock frequency fref. The clock signal generator generates an output clock signal having a frequency fgen, wherein fgen is less than fref. A modulo-N counter accepts the reference clock signal as input. The modulo-N counter generates a phase-indication signal of the reference clock. The phase indication signal has N clock phases repeating at a frequency of fref/N. An accumulator iteratively accumulates a frequency control word into a modulo-N adder and produces an accumulated value. One or more bits of the accumulated value is fed-back into the modulo-N adder for adding modulo N to the accumulated value in the next iteration. N of the modulo-N adder is the same integer as in the modulo-N counter. A clock edge selector receives as inputs the phase indication signal and one or more bits of the accumulated value and by comparing the inputs selects an edge of the reference clock signal upon which to toggle the state of the output clock signal. The clock edge selector preferably selects the edge from: (i) only rising edges of the reference clock signal, (ii) only falling edges of the reference clock signal or (iii) both rising and falling edges of the reference clock signal. The clock edge selector selects between a rising edge and a falling edge of the reference clock signal preferably based on one or more bits of the accumulated value. |
| US07844648B2 |
Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and program facilitating editing and checking of data
An image processing apparatus facilitating an edit process and a check process of data. A UMID of material data is added to a composition table. A UMID of the composition table and the UMID of the material data are added to an edit list. The UMID of the material data and the UMID of the original edit list are added to an effect-added edit list. Each terminal references data of the other terminals by tracking these UMIDs. A metadata server produces and manages a reverse reference-related table of UMIDs in order. Each terminal references data using the table. The image processing apparatus is applicable to a network system. |
| US07844642B2 |
Method and structure for storing data of an XML-document in a relational database
A method for importing data from an XML document containing a plurality of elements and a plurality of attributes into a relational database includes: creating an element table for storing data of the plurality of elements and creating an attribute table for storing data of the plurality of attributes. In the element table, element records, each containing a unique element ID, are stored, one record for every one of the plurality of elements is stored. In the attribute table, an attribute record for every one of the plurality of attributes is stored. Each attribute record includes an attribute name, an attribute value and the element ID of the element to which the attribute is assigned. The method provides a fixed database model for different XML documents; allows a simple creation of a database; and allows simple data import and export into/from the database. |
| US07844641B1 |
Quality management in a data-processing environment
A method, system and computer program for quality management of a plurality of documents associated with a data-processing operation of an organization is provided. The documents include several fields, the organization has employees, and the method comprises determination of error rates. Errors are reduced in the plurality of documents by focusing on critical fields. The occurrence of errors is predicted by determining a correlation between the errors and a set of attributes, which is updated. Reducing and predicting errors control the error rate. A method for measuring the quality of a plurality of documents is also provided. The measurement is based on the relative operational impact of the errors and the frequency of errors associated with each field. |
| US07844640B2 |
Data mapping visualization
A method and apparatus, including a computer program product, implementing techniques for providing a context building tool that facilitates the building of a context from an existing model or context. The tool can receive a model specification and generate a storage area structure including multiple nodes, each node corresponding to a model class, multiple attributes, each attribute corresponding to a model class property, and relationships between the nodes and attributes based on the relationships between the model classes. The tool can also receive a context specification and generate a source storage area structure including one or more source nodes, each source node corresponding to a target node, one or more source attributes, each source attribute corresponding to a target attribute, and relationships between the source nodes and source attributes based on the relationships between the target nodes and target attributes. |
| US07844637B2 |
Method for managing keyboard navigation within a tree control structure user interface component via a linked list
A method, data processing system and computer program product for maintaining/updating managing keyboard navigation using a linked list. In particular, a Dynamic Tree Control Linkage (DTCL) utility creates a doubly linked list with list nodes having assigned values based on a tree control structure UI component. Each list node of the doubly linked list corresponds to a visible tree item of the tree structure UI component. Responding to a keyboard event signal, the DTCL utility finds a current list node corresponding to a first current tree item. The DTCL utility finds a next (i.e. previous or subsequent) list node corresponding to a next tree item. The DTCL utility detects a list node exists. The DTCL utility detects whether the next list node is associated with a null value. When the next list node is associated with a non-null value, the next tree item is identified. The DTCL utility returns an identification of the next tree item representing a second current tree item. The DTCL utility also updates the doubly linked list in response to the expansion/collapsion of the current list item. The DTCL utility avoids the need to number all tree items (both visible and hidden tree items) sequentially by adding list node(s) to or removing list node(s) from the linked list to represent the visible tree items. |
| US07844634B2 |
Focused community discovery in network
Techniques for community discovery in a network are disclosed. For example, a technique for discovering a community around a given entity in an interaction graph, wherein nodes in the graph represent entities and edges connecting nodes in the graph represent interactions between connected nodes, comprises the following steps/operations. Nodes in the interaction graph are partitioned into different sets of nodes based on interaction information associated with each node to minimize a number of interaction pairs that need to be considered. An objective function is minimized by moving entities between the different sets such that the community is discovered once a measure associated with the objective function is minimized. |
| US07844633B2 |
System and method for storage, management and automatic indexing of structured documents
A structured document storage and management technique utilizes a generic document model tree, a symbol conversion module and an encoded vector set to store structured documents. The generic document model tree represents a structured document model and contains one or more structured document nodes without storing node data unique to any particular structured document. The symbol conversion module contains untagged data associated with the one or more structured document nodes, and representing node data for particular structured documents. The symbol conversion module also maintains a value code in association with each untagged data element. The encoded vector set includes one or more encoded vectors corresponding to the one or more structured document nodes having associated untagged data. Each encoded vector contains one of the value codes at an index position that corresponds to a particular structured document. The disclosed technique allows structured documents to be efficiently stored, organized, and searched. |
| US07844628B2 |
Method for improving the functionality of a binary representation
A method for improving functionality of a binary representation of an XML-based content description, wherein a structure of any instance of an XML document corresponds to a tree-like data structure, is provided. The method includes providing that each tree node represents an element of the content description and has a structure which is defined in a schema; providing the tree nodes in the binary representation with tree branch codes; providing that the respective tree branch code has a schema branch code; and decoding, via a decoder within a telecommunications device, paths with new elements, which does not conform to a previous schema, by communicating to the decoder one of (a) the associated tree structure nodes beforehand, and (b) a completely new schema. |
| US07844627B2 |
Program analysis method and apparatus
This invention is to present specific information necessary for maintenance of programs in an information system. This program analysis method includes: storing an entity that is an information unit as an object of a processing in a program into a relation table in association with an event affecting a processing for the entity; calculating importance degrees of the events by using data stored in the relation table; and identifying an event affecting a processing for a specific entity by using the data stored in the relation table, and calculating an influence degree of the specific entity by using the importance degree of the identified event. Because the user can grasp the influence degree of the entity, it becomes easy to grasp how much the update of the entity affects other portion in the information system. |
| US07844626B2 |
Method and apparatus for automatically performing an online content distribution campaign
A computer implemented method is described. Data is collected about a number of member entities that have online interaction with a group entity. A predefined state is assigned to a selected one of the member entities automatically, in response to applying a predefined rule to analyze some of the collected data. The rule is defined in part by the group entity. The method automatically determines whether or not online content is to be delivered to the selected member entity, based on the assigned state. In another embodiment, online content that is to be delivered to the selected member entity is automatically personalized for the selected member entity, again based on the assigned state. Other embodiments are also described and claimed. |
| US07844624B2 |
Information delivery system, information delivery method, information delivery server, content delivery server and client terminal
The information delivery system is configured with a media database 1009 which stores media data, a sequence information database 1008 which stores sequence information for specifying the address of media data to deliver, a scene searcher 1005 which verifies the sequence information according to a request of the controlling media received from client terminal 1000 and retrieves appropriate media data from the media database 1009 starting from a prescribed point based on a result of the verification, and an output unit 1006 which delivers the retrieved media data to the client terminal 1000. |
| US07844621B2 |
Method for providing a search request form
A method of enabling users to perform a search by providing a search request form. The search request form is generated by a computer system which determines search information indicative of a visible representation of a search request form including at least one interactive element, and an identity which is at least partially indicative of the interactive element. Coded data is generated which is indicative of the identity and of a plurality of reference points, and a page description determined which is indicative of a layout of the coded data and the search information. The computer system records an association between the identity with the page description and then causes the search request form to be printed by printing the coded data and the search information using the layout, at least some of the coded data being printed coincident with the at least one interactive element. |
| US07844618B2 |
Techniques for managing interdependent data objects
System and article of manufacture for managing modifications to at least one of a plurality of interdependent data objects. A computer-readable storage medium contains a program which, when executed by a processor, performs operations for managing modifications to at least one of a plurality of interdependent data objects. The operations include receiving a request for modification of a given data object having at least one dependent data object and accessing a directory of dependencies containing records for each of the interdependent data objects including the at least one dependent data object. Each record describes an interdependency between at least two of the interdependent data objects. A record for the at least one dependent data object describes an interdependency between the given data object and the at least one dependent data object. Using the accessed directory of dependencies, the interdependency between the given data object and the at least one dependent data object is identified. On the basis that the identified interdependency presents a possible undesired consequence if the requested modification is performed, a predefined action is performed. |
| US07844612B2 |
Method for pruning objects in a service registry and repository
Embodiments of the invention relate to a service registry and repository system, method and computer program product for accessing objects in an object repository. There is provided a method of managing an object database for objects that includes receiving an object query; querying the object database using the object query; receiving a hierarchical collection of objects including a root object; and returning only those objects that are within a specific depth of the root object and that do not represent user-defined relationships. The returning step maps the objects from a proprietary object format into a standard object format and optionally the standard object format is the Service Definition Object format (SDO). |
| US07844607B2 |
Annotation of query components
Methods, systems, and articles of manufacture that may be used to create and share annotations for query components, such as query conditions, in an effort to share domain knowledge, are provided. The annotations may be created by users with particular domain knowledge and may contain information useful to other users when building queries including the annotated query components. An annotation may indicate a particular format or syntax for an associated query component. In some cases, a replacement to the associated query component is suggested. |
| US07844605B2 |
Using natural search click events to optimize online advertising campaigns
A method is described for augmenting sponsored search results in a search engine, which includes extracting attribute data from a plurality of natural searches for a search term linked to a plurality of uniform resource locators (URLs), analyzing the attribute data of one or more attributes for clickers and non-clickers to determine at least one greatest distinguishing factor between the clickers and non-clickers, and integrating the at least one greatest distinguishing factor into a matching algorithm used by the search engine to rank order and display a plurality of the most relevant ads corresponding to the plurality of URLs in response to a search for the term. The method may also integrate the at least one greatest distinguishing factor into a marketer algorithm to enable a marketer of a URL to strategically choose a search term, along with the at least one greatest distinguishing factor, on which to bid. |
| US07844602B2 |
Method and system for establishing document relevance
A search engine that provides search results which are ordered, in part, based on an automated analysis of the organizational structure of a group of documents, as indicated by the address of the documents, is disclosed. In one embodiment, a bot crawls various websites analyzing documents, and their organizational structure, in an effort to identify documents that have an implicit high quality based on their inclusion in an index. Accordingly, the search engine provides a greater weight in ranking document relevance to those documents that have been included in certain indexes, such as top ten lists, and A-Z lists. |
| US07844600B2 |
Materialized views with user-defined aggregates
Systems, methodologies, media, and other embodiments associated with supporting materialized views with user-defined aggregates are described. One example system includes logic for exposing a set of interface actions to support a user-defined aggregate in a materialized view associated with a base table. The materialized view may store both the user-defined aggregate and a user-defined aggregate context that facilitates logically connecting the user-defined aggregate to the base table. The example system may also include logic for supporting the user-defined aggregate. The support may be based on the set of interface actions. Example systems and methods may, therefore, facilitate incremental updating of the materialized view and/or rewriting a query to access the materialized view. |
| US07844590B1 |
Collection and organization of actual search results data for particular destinations
A tracking system passively tracks and records searches conducted by actual search engine users. The recorded data for each search event preferably includes the search query submitted, the search engine used, the search result item (e.g., web page) selected, the position (e.g., page number) of this item, and the user's IP address. The collected data is aggregated and analyzed to generate data regarding the search queries used to locate and access particular destinations (e.g., web pages and sites). This data may be used for various purposes, such as (1) to generate reports showing, e.g., how users reach a particular destination from different search engines and geographic locations, (2) to select content to display on a destination page, such that the content is relevant to search queries commonly used to locate that page, and (3) to update the database of one search engine to reflect searches conducted on other search engines. |
| US07844587B2 |
Web-based user interface for searching metadata-driven relational databases
Web-based user interface systems and methods for searching metadata-driven relational databases. Instead of requiring developers to determine the exact type and number of search criteria for each application, the present invention advantageously provides a user-customizable search interface that, in certain aspects, leverages dynamic HTML, JavaScript, and dynamic SQL. A user may choose the exact type and number of search parameters, enabling the user to build a custom report without requiring the user to write any code. The system dynamically builds a SQL search query based on the user identified search parameters. Once a user has built a custom search using the interface, that search may be saved for re-use, and shared with other users. |
| US07844583B2 |
Method and system for obtaining files from a set of sources
A method and a system are described that involve obtaining information about a plurality of inbox objects, wherein each inbox object is linked to another inbox object via a set of operations, each operation having a priority. The set of operations are executed on a subset of the plurality of inbox objects to generate a modified subset of the plurality of inbox objects. The modified subset is scanned to extract a list of files. The extracted files are used by a maintenance procedure to replace files in a system with older information and thus to update the system. |
| US07844582B1 |
System and method for involving users in object management
Systems and methods for identifying objects in a managed storage environment with a user and involving the user with policy implementations or decisions associated with these objects are disclosed. These systems and methods may allow a single user identity for the managed storage environment to be assigned to a user and associated with a set of user identities, each of the set of user identities corresponding to the user's identity with respect to a particular domain. Previous or subsequent to establishing a user's enterprise wide identity, data and metadata may be obtained about objects residing in one or more of the domains in the enterprise as described in detail above. Objects within these domains can then be associated with a user using the set of user identities and a report generated for the user based upon these objects, including the policies associated with these objects. |
| US07844575B2 |
Method and a system for data migration
A data migration method is provided which can provide a user at a low cost with a function of migrating data from an existing storage when an additional storage is installed. A business application is operated by using a business server and a first storage. When the capacity and performance of data used by a business application become insufficient, a second storage is installed to compensate for insufficiency. In this case, the management server collectively copies data and configuration information of the first storage to the second storage, the data and configuration information are deleted at a later time in accordance with migration command information selected from a GUI screen. It is therefore possible to migrate necessary data and configuration information of the first storage to the second storage, without making a user be conscious of the details of the configuration information of logical devices of a storage. |
| US07844572B2 |
Remote feature activator feature extraction
A database record controls a license to use a computational component. An input receives an order identifier associated with an order related to a computational component and an interface retrieves order information associated with the identifier. The order information comprises at least one material code. A material code mapping agent compares the material code with at least one material code mapping table to identify corresponding computational component information associated with the material code. In another configuration, a transaction record includes first information associated with the order, the order relates to at least a first computational component and/or feature thereof, a configuration file includes second information different from the first information, the configuration file relates to at least one telecommunication switch/server, and a configuration file processing agent compares some of the first information with some of the second information to form a system record having both first and second information. |
| US07844569B2 |
Method and system for electronic negotiation of documents
A method and system for creation of customized documents over a network as well as for negotiation of contents for documents over a network (e.g., Internet) is disclosed. In one aspect, professional documents can be created in an automated manner. In another aspect, negotiation of documents (or their contents) can be performed in an automated manner. In either case, the customization and/or negotiation is efficient, cost-effective and useful. |
| US07844567B2 |
System and method for selecting a training sample from a sample test based on data sample proximity
Described are a system and method for selecting a training sample from a sample set. The method comprises determining proximities between all data samples in a set of the data samples, forming edges between the data samples as a function of the proximities, computing weights for the edges as a function of the proximities, selecting a plurality of the data samples as a function of the weights to form a subset of the data samples, and storing the subset of the data samples. |
| US07844561B2 |
Problem determination rules processing
A context-sensitive pre-evaluation analysis of a set of rules is performed based on the circumstance or the current state of a rule clause directed to an infrequently changing condition. A group of multiple-clause rules are identified which each have a clause defining an infrequently changing condition for evaluating a state of a resource. The current state of the resource is monitored. If the identified group of multiple-clause rules, which cannot evaluate as TRUE under the context of the current state the resource, the identified group of multiple-clause rules are excluded from consideration by the rules engine. The rules engine will then encounter fewer rules to evaluate for a solution. The identified group of multiple-clause rules is further analyzed in the context of the infrequently changing condition for the current resource state. State metrics that are defined by clauses of the identified multiple-clause rules, those that cannot evaluate as TRUE, are identified. Those metrics are then also excluded from consideration by the rules engine. Thus, the rules engine will encounter fewer rules and/or event states that cannot be evaluated to a solution. The context-sensitive pre-evaluation analysis of the rules is performed out-of-band as the rules engine traverses the rule. |
| US07844560B2 |
Personalized prognosis modeling in medical treatment planning
Automated treatment planning is provided with individual specific consideration. One or more prognosis models indicate survivability as a function of patient specific information for a given dose. By determining survivability for a plurality of doses, the biological model represented by survivability as a function of dose is determined from the specific patient. Similarly, the chances of complications or side effects are determined. The chance of survivability and chance of complication are used as or instead of the tumor control probability and normal tissue complications probability, respectively. The desired tumor dosage and tolerance dosage are selected as a function of the patient specific dose distributions. The selected dosages are input to an inverse treatment planning system for establishing radiation treatment parameters. |
| US07844553B2 |
Integrated shipping label and customs form
The systems and methods described herein relate generally to the integration of a shipping label with a customs form to provide a single label having postage, addressing, customs and other information for international shipping. In one embodiment, a method for generating an international shipping a package comprises the steps of providing shipping information associated with the package, the information comprising address information of the origin, address information of the destination, postage information including a postage amount due to a post service and a customs form number unique within the post service; processing a shipping label having the shipping information displayed thereon; and affixing the shipping label to the package. |
| US07844549B2 |
File sharing methods and systems
The present invention provides methods and systems for legally sharing files in a peer-to-peer network on the internet in a manner that compensates the content owners, artists, authors and/or programmers, and the like. Methods of the present invention may include incentive programs, which allow users to earn credits that may be redeemable for later file downloads and/or for merchandise at an online store or other compensation. |
| US07844548B2 |
Techniques and systems for electronic submission of media for network-based distribution
Methods and systems for submitting media to a media distribution site are disclosed. The submission of media to the media distribution site is able to be performed by numerous submitters in a uniform and computer-assisted manner. The submitted media can then be encoded in a largely automated manner at the media distribution site into a suitable digital form and then made available for online purchase and distribution. |
| US07844546B2 |
Online payment transfer and identity management system and method
A payment transfer method for transferring funds from a payer to payee is provided, including designating a payee and specifying a payment amount and an account; debiting the funds from the account and crediting a first trust account; and identifying the payee by verifying responses received in response to one or more challenge-response questions defined by the payer. If the one or more responses are verified, a second trust account may be debited and a payee account credited with the payment amount. The first and second trust accounts may then be reconciled. There is also provided a payment transfer facility for transferring funds., comprising an application server for storing payment data relating to a transfer of funds and a notification server for providing a notification of the transfer of funds. |
| US07844545B2 |
Systems and methods for validating identifications in financial transactions
A method of confirming the validity of an identification presented by an individual in a financial transaction includes receiving transaction information at a transaction device that is usable to perform the financial transaction. The method also includes determining the need for identification information based at least in part on the transaction information. The method further includes receiving identification information at the transaction device. The identification information is obtained from an identification of the individual and the identification information has a format. The method also includes transmitting the identification information to a host computer system. At the host computer system and based at least in part on the format of the identification information, the validity of the identification from which the identification information was obtained is accessed. |
| US07844542B1 |
Multiple protocol trading system
A multi-protocol trading system in which traders preferring different trading protocols may coexist within the same system, and access the same liquidity pool, while maintaining their trading rule preferences. The system supports two protocol preferences: a workup preference and a FIFO preference, and includes a single integrated order book that stores orders received from both workup and FIFO traders. Received orders are matched against orders in the order book in accordance with a FIFO and/or workup protocol, as a function of preferences selected by the traders and/or the system operator. Alternatively, the system includes a pair of order books, a workup order book and a FIFO order book. Customers submit linked orders having a workup leg and a FIFO leg which may be matched against the workup and/or FIFO order books, as a function of preferences selected by the traders and/or the system operator. |
| US07844535B2 |
Computer-implemented method for determining a bid for an auction
A computer-implemented method for determining a bid for a auction. A valuation for the auction, a risk preference, and a rate of change of the risk preference are received. A joint distribution is determined based on historical auction information and at least one updated valuation for an historical auction. A density of the joint distribution is determined. The bid is determined based on the risk preference, the rate of change of the risk preference, the valuation, the joint distribution, and the density of the joint distribution. |
| US07844534B2 |
Using commercial share of wallet to rate investments
Commercial size of spending wallet (“CSoSW”) is the total business spend of a business including cash but excluding bartered items. Commercial share of wallet (“CSoW”) is the portion of the spending wallet that is captured by a particular financial company. A modeling approach utilizes various data sources to provide outputs that describe a company's spend capacity. A mutual fund rating company can use this CSoW/CSoSW modeling approach to predict the performance of funds that invest in a particular industry or sector. In addition, since mutual funds often provide guidelines for selecting stocks, rating companies can use this modeling approach to predict the performance of companies in a fund's portfolio. |
| US07844532B2 |
Method and interface for consolidating price levels on a trading screen
A trading screen may display price and quantity information for price levels in a static axis of prices. The static axis of prices may be divided into two or more different regions. The price and quantity information for one or more of the regions may be consolidated from price and quantity information from plurality of un-consolidated price levels. |
| US07844530B2 |
Apparatuses, methods, and systems for providing a risk scoring engine user interface
The present disclosure describes an approach to constructing and implementing risk rating products that provides a number of advantages. Instead of hard-coding attributes of a risk rating scheme, which requires the assistance of a trained programming specialist for any modifications, adjustments, or new products, the present invention provides a set of modular tools that assist non-specialists in on-the-fly generation and implementation of risk rating products. The modularity of this approach facilitates the modification and/or updating of a system component without affecting the operation of other components. Described herein are embodiments of system tools configured to read a risk rating scheme data-structure and generate a user interface whereby a user may enter information characteristic of an insurable risk and receive risk assessments, evaluations, and/or financial metrics associated with a candidate insurable risk. |
| US07844529B2 |
Apparatuses, methods, and systems for providing a reconfigurable insurance quote generator user interface
The present disclosure describes an approach to constructing and implementing risk rating products that provides a number of advantages. Instead of hard-coding attributes of a risk rating scheme, which requires the assistance of a trained programming specialist for any modifications, adjustments, or new products, the present invention provides a set of modular tools that assist non-specialists in on-the-fly generation and implementation of risk rating products. The modularity of this approach facilitates the modification and/or updating of a system component without affecting the operation of other components. Described herein are embodiments of system tools configured to read a risk rating scheme data-structure and generate a user interface whereby a user may enter information characteristic of an insurable risk and receive a quote indicative of a price for binding an insurance policy to the candidate risk. |
| US07844525B2 |
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. |
| US07844524B1 |
System and method for preventing cross trading
Information regarding the current state in the market is used to prevent orders from crossing. In an example provided herein, when an order is entered into a market, information regarding current positions in the market is taken into account to determine whether the order will cross with other orders. If the orders would cross, appropriate action is taken to prevent the crossing of orders in a way suitable for the person or persons trading. The teachings described herein may be used for any reason to prevent orders from crossing. Moreover, they may be used in other areas of trading to assist the trader in obeying any other rule or regulation that might involve analyzing current positions in the market before taking action. |
| US07844519B2 |
System for automatically transferring account information, such as information regarding a financial services account
A system for transferring a customer's account information from one account to a new account is described. The system utilizes a switch kit application and associated system that can determine services at the old account and facilitate the transfer of these services to the new account. |
| US07844518B1 |
Method and apparatus for managing credit limits
A system and method for evaluating financial transactions, which may involve credit requests, is provided. Credit requests are categorized into three tiers: the third-tier is for requests capable of being processed by computers, the second-tier is for requests that meet predefined criteria and cannot be categorized as third-tier requests, and the first-tier is for requests that cannot be categorized as second-tier or third-tier requests. The first-tier requests are manually reviewed by a credit executive. The second-tier requests are delegated to more junior credit personnel via an inventive pre-approval procedure. The third-tier requests are processed, at least in part, by computers. Additionally, requests that exceed a credit line, or limit, may be approved by reallocating credit from other credit lines. |
| US07844516B1 |
Future value propensity for life-time value financial processing in a relational database management system
A Life-Time Value (LTV) system is a data-driven computer-facilitated financial model that provides accurate and consistent profitability projections using current period account level profitability data stored in a Relational Database Management System (RDBMS). The Life-Time Value system performs Net Present Value (NPV) and Future Value (FV) processing using business-rule and data-driven applications that embrace the current period profit components, defines forecast periods, parameters and methodologies, and applies appropriate growth values, attrition values and propensity values to an object of future value interest. |
| US07844515B1 |
Net present value forecast for life-time value financial processing in a relational database management system
A Life-Time Value (LTV) system is a data-driven computer-facilitated financial model that provides accurate and consistent profitability projections using current period account level profitability data stored in a Relational Database Management System (RDBMS). The Life-Time Value system performs Net Present Value (NPV) and Future Value (FV) processing using business-rule and data-driven applications that embrace the current period profit components, defines forecast periods, parameters and methodologies, and applies appropriate growth values, attrition values and propensity values to an object of future value interest. |
| US07844514B2 |
Table driven accounting method and system
The described embodiments of the invention include a method for maintaining accounting records for a portfolio of investments, comprising accounting records stored on a computer readable medium and providing a table for each event type affecting an investment for generating an account entry, each line of the table designating which accounting record receives the account entry and at least one key designating a data source for the account entry and an operation on the data source to determine the amount of the account entry. In an alternate embodiment of the invention, a data processing system for maintaining accounting records for a portfolio of securities comprises a plurality of accounting records stored on a computer readable medium, the accounting records including tax accounts, a plurality of defined security types and, for each security type, a plurality of tables for each transaction affecting a security for generating an account entry, each line of the table designating which accounting record receives the account entry and a key designating a data source for the account entry and an operation on the data source to determine the amount of the account entry. |
| US07844513B2 |
Method and system for operating a commissioned e-commerce service prover
A method for operating a commissioned e-commerce service provider provides services to businesses on a computerized network such as the Internet in exchange for a small commission on the commercial transactions generated using those services. Unlike most ISPs that provide services to individuals and businesses, the commissioned e-commerce service provider preferably provides Internet services for businesses operating web sites or other application that generate e-commerce transactions for the business. Instead of paying a monthly fee for the Internet services required to host a web site or operate and e-commerce site, the business contracts with the commissioned e-commerce service provider to provide these services based on receiving a percentage commission of the commercial transactions generated using these services. Preferably, the commission percentage is tiered in accordance with the amount of traffic at the site to provide a nominal level of service at a lower commission rate, yet allow for an exceptional volume of traffic to be accommodated by the site at a higher commission rate without having the site fail or the service become overwhelmed. |
| US07844511B2 |
Enhanced trade compliance system: audit processing, payment balancing and amendment processing
Methods and systems for auditing invoice and payment records are disclosed. A computer system may receive a plurality of invoices and payment records, compare one of the invoices to a matching one of the payment records to identify a discrepancy between the invoice and the payment record, calculate an error value as a function of the identified discrepancy, determine that the calculated error value exceeds a tolerance value, and generate an reporting the identified discrepancy. Methods and systems for balancing invoices and payment records are also disclosed. A computer system may compare dates and payment amounts of the invoices to dates and payment amounts of the payment records, and identify matches between the two. The computer system may then display lists of unmatched invoices and payment records for a user to manually examine. |
| US07844504B1 |
Routing based on the contents of a shopping cart
The present invention is directed to a method and system for routing contacts in a contact center based on a number of factors including the value or nature of items in an order of the customer associated with the contact. The invention is particularly useful in E-commerce web-sites in which electronic orders are generated by the customer. |
| US07844502B2 |
Automated shopping system and method for managing a process for selection of human entities
A system and method for automatically managing a multi-step process in which human providers are selected, typically for employment and dating services. The selection process includes background checking, testing, interviewing, and acceptance by the provider and selecting entity, through automated sequencing, coordinating, tracking, status reporting, and an optional human intervention. The invention includes a system and method for automatically scoring and ranking human providers by a set of selection criteria, typically multiple choice options. The system determines the relevance of the questions and answers and stores it in a continuously updating Knowledge-base. The answers may be spoken, written, or entered directly into the system. The system includes testing and interviewing human providers with respect to the selection criteria; and the resulting scoring information is stored and may be used in future assessments. The system requires a charging process for updating information based on usage or subscription to the system. |
| US07844500B2 |
Method for matching vendors with consumers
An online system is disclosed for matching vendors with consumers. Vendors pay a subscription fee to be listed with the system. Software automatically matches vendors with consumer requests based upon the category of goods and/or services described in the request and the geographical area (e.g., zip code) in which the goods and/or services are needed. The system alerts vendors of matching leads and allows the vendors to decide, at their discretion, whether to pursue the lead. The system has built in capacity to grow. If the system fails to generate a match for a consumer request, or a sufficient number of matches, the system notifies customer service personnel, who attempt to find unlisted vendors that match the consumer's needs. The unlisted vendors are then invited to be listed with the system. |
| US07844499B2 |
Integrated solar agent business model
A method of delivering a solar system and related services from a solar system vendor to a customer is provided. The method includes estimating the customer's solar system requirements, delivering the estimated requirements to the customer, providing a sales lead that includes the estimated requirements to a contractor, the contractor contacting the customer to perform a sales close, ordering the solar system products from the solar system vendor, and issuing a payment for the products to the solar system vendor. The method of delivering solar services further includes supplying a first set of solar system components from the solar system vendor and a second set of solar system components from a third-party vendor, configuring all or a portion of the solar system components in accordance with the solar system requirements, shipping the solar system to the customer's site, and installing the system on the customer's site. The method for delivering solar services further includes financing the solar system by providing a loan from a financial institution to the customer, providing periodic payments from the customer to the financial institution, and providing payments from the financial institution to the contractor and from the contractor to the solar system vendor. An optional network monitoring service may also be provided. |
| US07844497B2 |
Method and system for facilitating shipping via a third-party payment service
An integrated shipping scheme enables users of a third-party payment service to facilitate shipment of packages via a shipping vendor. Web pages corresponding to a web site hosted by the third-party payment service enable a sender to enter ship to: information, while ship from: information may be automatically gathered or manually entered by the sender. The sender is also enabled to enter shipment options, such as package size and weight. Corresponding shipping information is generated and sent “behind the scenes” to a selected shipping vendor. The shipping vendor processes the shipping information, and returns shipment data, including data to generate a shipping label. A web page containing the shipping label is then generated and served to a client operated by the sender, enabling the shipping label to be printed out. At the same time, electronic payment transfer operations are performed to effectively transfer payment from the sender directly to the shipping vendor via the third-party payment service in a manner that is transparent to both the sender and the shipping vendor. |
| US07844495B2 |
Method and system for configurating products
The present invention relates to a method and system for configuring products, such as branded promotional products, where products may be divided into items and processes. Item parameters and process parameters may be separately specified and linked together to create a unique product where a product identifier (e.g., SKU) may be dynamically created when the product is sourced, quoted, ordered or otherwise accessed. For example, an item may involve a product to which an imprint or logo is to be affixed. A process may involve a screening printing process or other process for affixing a customer's artwork, logo or identifier. In addition, the method and system of the present invention may be applied to other applications, such as office supplies, furniture, aviation supplies, marine supplies, interior design, beauty salon and spa supplies, medical office supplies, restaurant and bar supplies, gift shops and clothing boutique, and other industries where products and services may be ordered. |
| US07844489B2 |
Buyer-driven targeting of purchasing entities
A method for buyer-driven targeting comprising the steps of: separately receiving from each of a plurality of buyer entities a respective third party proof of purchase record; entering information contained in the received proof of purchase records into a searchable electronic database; obtaining search criteria for the database; searching the information in the database based on the search criteria to obtain a group of buyer entities; and providing an incentive to each of a plurality of the buyer entities in the group. |
| US07844488B2 |
Method of delivery, targeting, and measuring advertising over networks
Methods and apparatuses for targeting the delivery of advertisements over a network such as the Internet are disclosed. Statistics are compiled on individual users and networks and the use of the advertisements is tracked to permit targeting of the advertisements of individual users. In response to requests from affiliated sites, an advertising server transmits to people accessing the page of a site an appropriate one of the advertisement based upon profiling of users and networks. |
| US07844486B2 |
System and method for determining and increasing an accuracy of costing
A method, system, and computer program product for determining and increasing the accuracy of costing including determining possible components of a product; allocating each component at least one costing wherein the costing depends on the current product definition process which may vary over time and wherein different methods for the costing may be applied; assigning an accuracy value for each costing method that is applied; for each component, multiplying its assigned accuracy value with the component's proportion to the total cost of the product, and summing up the weighted accuracies of the costings of the components resulting in an overall accuracy of the costing of the product. |
| US07844481B2 |
Internet package shipping systems and methods
A system and methods for shipping a package (12) from a package sender (16) to an intended recipient (18), utilizing Internet communications (30) to place shipping orders, request on demand package pickup, maintain and utilize prestored profile information, view shipping history, track orders, etc. A package sender (16) with an Internet-accessible computer (20) accesses an Internet site and associated shipping system (10) operated by a shipping service provider (14). The package sender (16) enters information required for shipping the package (12), including shipping options and methods for payment. The options and payment for the shipment transaction are validated. If the transaction is validated, printer indicia are communicated to the customer's computer (20), which is enabled to locally print a prepaid label (25) containing special machine-readable (876) as well as human-readable indicia (904). The shipping service provider (14) acquires the package by drop-off, standard pickup or on call pickup, scans the machine readable indicia, verifies other indicia of authenticity, and processes the package (12) in accordance with information encoded on the label. |
| US07844472B1 |
Method and system for aggregating and standardizing healthcare quality measures
A method and system for aggregating and standardizing healthcare quality ratings includes a process for aggregating and standardizing healthcare quality ratings whereby data representing healthcare provider quality ratings is obtained from one or more sources, i.e., parties offering and/or presenting healthcare provider quality ratings data. The data representing healthcare provider quality ratings obtained from one or more sources is then aggregated. The aggregated data representing healthcare provider quality ratings obtained from one or more sources is then standardized and/or normalized to provide a standardized and uniform ratings format/system. The normalized aggregated data representing healthcare provider quality ratings obtained from one or more sources is then stored, for access by authorized parties. |
| US07844470B2 |
Treatment order processing system suitable for pharmacy and other use
A system links a standardized coded diagnosis associated with a medication order with information in a pharmacy information system to supplement medication utilization data. A pharmacy user interface system includes a user interface processor for providing data representing at least one display image supporting user entry of a coded diagnosis identifier for association with an order identifier identifying a medication order record indicating an order for a particular medication to be administered to a particular patient during an inpatient stay in a medical facility. A repository stores information associating multiple order identifiers and associated multiple coded diagnosis identifiers A utilization processor uses the stored repository information and processing data associating multiple order identifiers and associated multiple coded diagnosis identifiers to determine utilization information indicating usage characteristics of a particular medication for treatment of a condition indicated by a particular coded diagnosis. |
| US07844469B2 |
Genetic profiling and banking system and method
A genetic banking system allows the ability to securely store genetic profile data while allowing access to individuals authorized to access the profile for authorized purposes. |
| US07844466B2 |
Conceptual analysis driven data-mining and dictation system and method
A new approach to speech recognition that reacts to concepts conveyed through speech, which shifts the balance of power in speech recognition from straight sound recognition and statistical models to a more powerful and complete approach determining and addressing conveyed concepts. A probabilistically unbiased multi-phoneme recognition process is employed, followed by a phoneme stream analysis process that builds the list of candidate words derived from recognized phonemes, followed by a permutation analysis process that produces sequences of candidate words with high potential of being syntactically valid, and finally, by processing targeted syntactic sequences in a conceptual analysis process to generate the utterance's conceptual representation that can be used to produce an adequate response. Applications include improving accuracy or automatically generating punctuation for transcription and dictation, word or concept spotting in audio streams, concept spotting in electronic text, customer support, call routing and other command/response scenarios. |
| US07844461B2 |
Information processing apparatus and method
Provided are an information processing apparatus and method so adapted that if a plurality of speech output units having a speech synthesizing function are present, a conversion is made to speech having mutually different feature quantitys so that a user can readily be informed of which unit is providing the user with information such as an alert information. Speech data that is output from another speech output unit is input from a communication unit (8) and stored in a RAM (7). A central processing unit (1) extracts a feature quantity relating to the input speech data. Further, the central processing unit (1) utilizes a speech synthesis dictionary (51) that has been stored in a storage device (5) and generates speech data having a feature quantity different from that of the extracted feature quantity. The generated speech data is output from a speech output unit (4). |
| US07844457B2 |
Unsupervised labeling of sentence level accent
Methods are disclosed for automatic accent labeling without manually labeled data. The methods are designed to exploit accent distribution between function and content words. |
| US07844446B2 |
Method and system for multiprocessor emulation on a multiprocessor host system
A method (and system) for executing a multiprocessor program written for a target instruction set architecture on a host computing system having a plurality of processors designed to process instructions of a second instruction set architecture, includes representing each portion of the program designed to run on a processor of the target computing system as one or more program threads to be executed on the host computing system. |
| US07844445B2 |
Automatic connection to an online service provider from a backup system
A software application is provided for a user to select a backed up data file and specify a task to be performed by an online service provider on the selected file. The application automatically connects to the online service provider and uploads the selected file for the online service provider to perform the task. Tasks that can be performed include printing, sharing, viewing, playing and archiving the selected file. Task preferences, user settings and user information can also be specified by the user and uploaded to the online service provider. Automatic connection to the online service provider can be via default setting, selected file type, or specified task. Alternatively, the user can designate which service provider is to perform the task. Payment for the task can be accomplished via bundled credits or by other payment mechanisms. |
| US07844443B2 |
Network subscriber experience modeling
Systems and methods for modeling a subscriber network experience. In one embodiment, a method includes the act of receiving a plurality of subscriber metrics associated with a subscriber to an access network. The method also includes the act of modeling the subscriber experience by applying at least one transformation to the plurality of subscriber metrics to produce a set of subscriber experience data. The metrics measure quality of service for a subscriber experience with the access network. Each element of the subscriber experience data quantifies an aspect of the subscriber experience. |
| US07844441B2 |
Computer-implemented method, system and program product for approximating resource consumption of computer system
In general, the present invention provides a method, system and program product for approximating/estimating computer resource consumption of a computer system. Specifically, under the present invention, a more efficient or reduced computer work gradient matrix (hereinafter “matrix”) is first built. This occurs by creating load measurements for a set of computer resource metrics of the computer system to analyze dependencies between different computer resource metrics. Then, a correlation matrix between the set of computer resource metrics is created based on the dependencies. The set of computer system resource metrics in the correlation matrix is thereafter clustered into a set of clusters, and a reduced matrix is built based thereon. Once the reduced matrix is built, it can be restored to a “full” matrix using linear transformation or the like. |
| US07844434B2 |
System and methods for implementing a non-linear electrical circuit dynamic fuel cell model
A nonlinear electrical circuit dynamic model for different fuel cells is provided. The model provides a nonlinear electrical circuit equivalent, the parameters of which correspond to the particular fuel cell being modeled. The parameters can be theoretically or experimentally derived from the responses of the particular fuel cell. The resulting model can have impedances that are equivalent to that of the particular fuel cell, thereby capturing or providing a good approximation of the transient behavior of the particular fuel cell. More particularly, the resulting model can have impedances in the low frequency range less than 100 Hz that are equivalent to that of the particular fuel cell. |
| US07844433B2 |
System, method and program for designing a utility facility and method for manufacturing a product by the utility facility
A system for designing a utility facility includes a state analyzer analyzing operational states of tools included in a production line, an extraction module extracting an operational period and a standby period of each of the tools, a calculator calculating changes in a quantity of utilities consumed by the tools in operation and in standby, based on the operational periods and the standby periods, and a facility design module designing at least any of a utility facility for supplying utilities to the tools and a utility facility for disposing of utilities discharged from the tools. |
| US07844431B2 |
Method and apparatus for integrated modeling, simulation and analysis of chemical and biochemical reactions
An integrated system for modeling, simulating and analyzing chemical and biochemical reactions includes a modeling environment for constructing a model of a chemical or biochemical reaction. The system also includes a simulation engine accepting as input the constructed model of the chemical or biochemical reaction and generating as output an expected result. An analysis environment communicates with the simulation engine and displays the expected result. |
| US07844430B2 |
Reservoir model building methods
Disclosed are various reservoir model generation methods. At least one of the methods includes providing a first framework having a plurality of cells, wherein the first framework is a reservoir framework and providing a second framework having a plurality of cells, wherein the volume of the first framework is greater than the volume of the second framework. |
| US07844425B2 |
Finite element modeling of the cornea
A system and method for simulating a corneal reconfiguration in response to LIOB uses a computer-programmed, finite element model. The model has a plurality of elements; with each element pre-programmed with coefficients based on diagnostic corneal data. Collectively the coefficients replicate biomechanical properties of the cornea. In use, designated biomechanical characteristics on a plurality of selected elements (i.e. selected coefficients) are minimized to simulate LIOB in an actual cornea. A computer then measures the resultant reconfiguration of the cornea model to assess an actual cornea's response to LIOB. |
| US07844423B2 |
Component-based modeling of wireless mac protocols for efficient simulations
Channel access delays and reception uncertainty are modeled as protocol-independent generic processes that are optimized for improved simulation performance. The generic process components are designed such that each different protocol can be modeled using an arrangement of these components that is specific to the protocol. In this way, speed and/or accuracy improvements to the generic process components are reflected in each of such protocol models. If an accurate analytic model is not available for the generic process component, a prediction engine, such as a neural network, is preferably used. The prediction engine is trained using the existing detailed models of network devices. Once trained, the prediction engine is used to model the generic process, and the protocol model that includes the generic component is used in lieu of the detailed models, thereby saving substantial processing time. |
| US07844422B2 |
Method and system for changing a description for a state transition function of a state machine engine
The invention relates to a method of optimizing a state transition function specification for a state machine engine based on a probability distribution for the state transitions. For the preferred embodiment of the invention, a B-FSM state machine engine accesses a transition rule memory using a processor cache. The invention allows improving the cache hit rate by exploiting the probability distribution. The N transition rules that comprise a hash table entry will be loaded in a burst mode from the main memory, from which the N transition rules are transferred to the processor cache. Because the comparison of the actual state and input values against each of the transition rules can immediately start after each of these rules has been received, the overall performance is improved as the transition rule that is most likely to be selected is the first to be transferred as part of the burst access. |
| US07844418B2 |
Methods for distributing a random variable using statistically-correct spatial interpolation
Methods for distributing a random variable by spatial interpolation with statistical corrections. The method includes assigning a numerical value of the random variable at each vertex of an array of equilateral triangles formed in a planar coordinate frame and defining a plurality of test points at respective spatial locations in the planar coordinate frame that are bounded by the array of equilateral triangles. A numerical value of the random variable is distributed at each of the test points by spatial interpolation from one or more of the numerical values of the random variable assigned at each vertex of the array of equilateral triangles. The method further includes adjusting the numerical value of the random variable distributed at each of the test points with a respective correction factor. |
| US07844417B2 |
GIS-based rapid population assessment tool
Method of assessing population with a spatially-stratified random sample comprising creating a grid on a study area, the grid being defined by target grid points to form grid cell, dividing each grid cell into a series of sub-grid cells, each of the series of sub-grid cells being identified from left to right and bottom to top within each of the grid cells, identifying and listing each sub-grid cell that intersects the study area, the list of sub-grid cells being sequences in the same order as the grid cells and the sub-grid cells, dividing the sub-grid list into sections, each of the sections being configured to have substantially equal numbers of sub-grid cells, and the number of sections being equal to the number of targeted grid points, and selecting a random sub-grid cell from each section of sub-grid cells to obtain the spatially-stratified random sample. |
| US07844413B2 |
Self-generated test automation
Self-generated automated tests can use a pseudo-random number generator to select one or more arguments that are passed to programs and scripts. The random arguments are driven by a configuration file where the limits for the parameters are defined. Multidimensional functions with multidimensional parameters can be tested. Test duration can be limited by time, number of iterations, or by any of the multidimensional functions or parameters. A pseudo-random seed for each test is recorded so that a test case can be reproduced if a failure is detected or otherwise. |
| US07844411B2 |
Semiconductor integrated circuit
A temperature detector sets the level of a temperature detecting signal to a level indicating a high temperature state, detecting that the chip temperature is higher than a first boundary temperature. The temperature detector sets the level of thereof to a level indicating a low temperature state, detecting that the chip temperature is lower than a second boundary temperature. A control circuit changes its operating state according to the level of the temperature detecting signal. This prevents the operating state of the control circuit from frequently switched even when the chip temperature fluctuates around the boundary temperatures, and accordingly reduces current consumption of the control circuit due to the switching operation. Further, the first and second boundary temperatures set a buffer zone, so that the temperature detector does not detect power supply noises as temperature variation. This can prevent malfunction of the temperature detector and the semiconductor integrated circuit. |
| US07844410B2 |
Field device electronics fed by an external electrical energy supply
The field-device electronics includes an electric current adjuster, through which a supply current flows, driven by a supply voltage provided by the external energy supply and adjusted by the current adjuster. Additionally, the field-device electronics includes an internal operating and evaluating circuit for controlling the field device, as well as an internal supply circuit feeding the internal operating and evaluating circuit. Provided in the supply circuit is a first useful-voltage controller flowed-through by a first component of the supply current, and a second useful-voltage controller flowed through, at least at times, by a second current component of the supply current, and providing in the field-device electronics a second internal, useful voltage. Further, the two useful-voltage controllers are galvanically separated from one another. |
| US07844403B2 |
Temperature step correction with double sigmoid Levenberg-Marquardt and robust linear regression
Systems and methods for improving Ct determination in PCR amplification curves by correcting PCR data for temperature shifts that may occur during the PCR process. A double sigmoid function with parameters determined by a Levenberg-Marquardt (LM) regression process is used to find an approximation to the portion of the curve in the region after the temperature shift, termed “CAC”, the cycle where the temperature shift occurred. A robust linear approximation is determined for the portion of the curve in the region before the temperature shift. Values of the fluorescent intensity for the cycle CAC or CAC+1 are determined using both the linear approximation and the LM process, and a difference in these values is subtracted off of the portion of the data set representing the portion of the curve before the temperature shift occurred to produce a shift-corrected data set. The shift-corrected data set may be displayed or otherwise used for further processing. |
| US07844398B2 |
Path risk evaluating apparatus
A path risk evaluating apparatus includes a secondary collision likelihood direction evaluating unit (108) and a secondary collision likelihood distance evaluating unit (109) which evaluate, based on the relationship between a movement path and a position of objects in an environment where a mobile device moves, the likelihood of the mobile device having primary collision with a first object and the first object further having secondary collision with a second object; a risky attribute combination evaluating unit (112) which determines degree of damage when secondary collision occurs, by referring to information, indicating degree of damage when objects in the environment collide, held by a risky attribute combination information holding unit (111); and a path evaluating unit (113) which evaluates the risk of the moving path for the mobile device, based on the evaluation result from the secondary collision likelihood direction evaluating unit (108) and the secondary collision likelihood distance evaluating unit (109) and the degree of damage determined by the risky attribute combination evaluating unit (112). |
| US07844396B2 |
Method and system for modular data processing for a vehicle control system
The present invention is for a modular, extensible software system for use with multi-modal, autonomous, or semi-autonomous vehicles. The design of the present invention involves the coherent integration of modules with responsibilities for human-interaction, training, path planning, mission execution, navigation, and safety to develop and complete missions. The present invention provides a modular software system that expresses vehicle behaviors through numerous small-grain elements to complete a mission. The system can be easily adapted or modified by adding new software modules or modifying existing modules as missions change or expand, with the smaller-grain modules being easier to adapt and reuse. |
| US07844393B2 |
Vehicle navigation system and method
Route guidance is provided for traveling to a lane opposite to a present traveling lane. If a user operates a return button, a main control unit calculates a position closest to a present position in a lane of the traveling direction opposite to that of a present traveling lane on a present traveling path as a destination, and sets the destination to destination data. Then, the route search unit searches for a guide route to the destination indicated by the destination data. A navigation image indicating the searched guide route along with the present position and the destination is displayed. |
| US07844390B2 |
Method of operating an engine upon occurrence of abnormal combustion and operation control apparatus therefor
A method and apparatus for operating an engine with a plurality of cylinders, which are capable of appropriately controlling the engine after the cutoff of fuel into a cylinder having heavy knock, without at once stopping the engine upon the detection of the heavy knock. The method of operating the engine, which is capable of stepwise or continuously correcting a burning state through fuel regulation including the cutoff of fuel, upon occurrence of abnormal combustion, executes a stop or output limit operation on the engine. The method includes setting a simulated abnormal combustion, and determining abnormal combustion of a cylinder by comparing a detection signal as to a burning state of a cylinder, which is sequentially selected, with the simulated abnormal combustion signal to determine abnormal combustion in order to execute a cutoff of fuel into the selected cylinder. |
| US07844389B2 |
Dual injection type internal combustion engine
A dual injection type internal combustion engine including an injector for in-cylinder injection and an injector for intake manifold injection includes a learning device for learning a background noise level based on an output signal of a knock sensor, and a knocking suppression control device for performing, while learning the background noise level, knocking suppression control by controlling fuel injection of the injector for in-cylinder injection or the injector for intake manifold injection. Alternatively, the engine includes a fixing device for fixing, while learning the background noise level, a start timing or end timing of fuel injection by the injector for in-cylinder injection at a basic timing determined by an operating state of the engine. |
| US07844377B2 |
In-vehicle communication system, on-board terminal, portable device, and in-vehicle communication method
Current position of a vehicle and current time are acquired. A user recognizing unit recognizes a user. A pattern recognizing unit detects location of a portable device and movement thereof. Operation state of an engine is acquired from an engine control mechanism. Based on the information, processes are performed such as switching communication stand-by mode of the portable device to active stand-by mode, notifying the portable device of a transition of an on-board terminal to automatic locking mode, preventing needless unlocking and locking of doors, and setting warning mode of the portable device. |
| US07844375B2 |
Vehicle hybrid power system and method for creating simulated equivalent fuel consumption multidimensional data applicable thereto
A vehicle hybrid power system is provided according to the present invention. The hybrid power system is characterized by applying the concept of minimum equivalent fuel consumption, and then simulating equivalent fuel consumptions based on respective energy consumption or increase of motor and generator of a motor vehicle, and also defining simulated equivalent fuel consumption formula and making a list of system state parameters, system control parameters, and system negative load parameters, thereby obtaining simulated equivalent fuel consumption multidimensional data by entering the system parameters derived from a discretization/transformation process in the defined simulated equivalent fuel consumption formula; wherein, the simulated equivalent fuel consumption multidimensional data are revised to comprise subsystems, such as system engine, motor, generator, and others to determine a system control strategy of holistic optimization, thereby achieving the objective of saving energy. The present invention further provides a method for creating simulated equivalent fuel consumption multidimensional data, which is applicable to the hybrid power system of the present invention. |
| US07844374B2 |
Watercraft steering system
A boat has a propulsion unit and a steering system. The steering system includes a steering device actuated by an electric actuator. A steering wheel operated by an operator is electrically connected to the actuator. Detectors collect data regarding one or more of operation status of the steering wheel, running status of the boat, status of the propulsion unit, status of the electric actuator, and the like. In certain situations, the electric actuator may not be capable of providing a quick steering response. A controller weighs detected data to identify such situations and controls a propulsive force of the propulsion unit so as to restrain the propulsive force if necessary to maintain good steering response. |
| US07844371B2 |
Failsafe remote data concentrator
A remote data concentrator receives signals from a plurality of sensors. The plurality of sensors are for use on an aircraft. Each of the sensors have their signals split between at least two flow paths, such that each of the sensors are provided with redundancy. The remote data concentrator is also utilized as part of an aircraft electrical control system. |
| US07844370B2 |
Scheduling and control in a power aggregation system for distributed electric resources
Systems and methods are described for a power aggregation system. In one implementation, a service establishes individual Internet connections to numerous electric resources intermittently connected to the power grid, such as electric vehicles. The Internet connection may be made over the same wire that connects the resource to the power grid. The service optimizes power flows to suit the needs of each resource and each resource owner, while aggregating flows across numerous resources to suit the needs of the power grid. The service can bring vast numbers of electric vehicle batteries online as a new, dynamically aggregated power resource for the power grid. Electric vehicle owners can participate in an electricity trading economy regardless of where they plug into the power grid. |
| US07844369B2 |
Modular and expandable irrigation controller
Described herein are several embodiments relating to modular irrigation controllers. In many implementations, the irrigation controllers are modular in that various functional components of the irrigation controller are implemented in removable modules that when inserted into position within the controller, expand the capabilities of the controller. Also described are various different types of expansion modules that may be coupled to the modular controller, having as variety of functions and features, as well as related methods of use and configuration of these modules in the controller. In some embodiments, authentication procedures are provided for one or both of a modular irrigation controller and an expansion module to determine if they are authorized to operate together. |
| US07844368B2 |
Irrigation water conservation with temperature budgeting and time of use technology
The present invention provides numerous methods, systems and apparatus that use a novel form of water budgeting technology for water conservation without the use of complex ET (Evapotranspiration) data or methods. Embodiments include incorporating the technology directly into irrigation controllers, into modules added on to existing controllers, or into central units that broadcast a water budget that can alter the schedules of one, many, or selected groups of remotely located controllers or modules. The various methods of the present invention offer the choice of adjusting the station run times, accumulating the water budgets, altering the watering intervals, and/or combining the present water budgeting technology with local watering communities' restricted watering schedules. The result offers residential, commercial, and municipal users a wide range of practical choices for effective water conservation in landscape irrigation with temperature based water budgeting. |
| US07844365B2 |
Field-mounted process device
A field-mounted process device with multiple isolated connections includes a connection that can be an input or an output. The given input or output can couple to multiple sensors or actuators, respectively. The process device can be wholly powered through its communication I/O port. The process device includes a controller adapted to measure one or more characteristics of sensors coupled to an input connection and to control actuators coupled to an output connection. The controller can be further adapted to execute a user generated control algorithm relating process input information with process output commands. |
| US07844361B2 |
Prescription drug compliance monitoring system
The drug compliance monitoring system provides a patient with a portable medication dispenser programmed with medication-taking data. The dispenser alerts the patient to take a dose of medication and gathers compliance data relating to the medication-taking data. The compliance data is accessible to a physician, or other caregiver, etc., via a network database. |
| US07844360B2 |
Systems and methods for processing packaged goods in the nature of cigarettes
Systems and methods for processing tobacco-oriented goods are disclosed. One embodiment of a method includes receiving a pick-up signal from a pick-up sensor. The pick-up signal is indicative of the picking up of a tobacco product unit that has been pre-sorted based on inclusion in an associated order. Also received is a put-down signal from a put-down sensor. The put-down signal is indicative of the fact that the tobacco product unit has been put down. A determination is made, based on a system parameter, whether the pick-up signal is properly associated with the put-down signal. |
| US07844359B2 |
Coating and developing apparatus, operating method for same, and storage medium for the method
In a coating and developing apparatus applied to liquid-immersion light exposure, substrates without an appropriately formed protective film can be recovered without adversely affecting normal-substrate processing efficiency, and in addition, removal of protective films can be simplified. In the coating and developing apparatus of the present invention, abnormal substrates not appropriately surface-coated with a protective film during liquid-immersion light exposure are queued in a queuing module, instead of being loaded into an exposure unit, and after the immediately preceding substrate has been unloaded from the exposure unit and loaded into a designated module, for example, a pre-developing second heating module, each abnormal substrate is loaded into the designated module in order to prevent so-called “scheduled transfer” from being affected, and a protective-film removing unit is also controlled to process the abnormal substrate. |
| US07844355B2 |
Stream reproduction device and stream supply device
A stream playback device for playing back an audio stream including audio frames which are each made up of base data and extension data is provided. The stream playback device includes a decoder and an interface unit operable to receive the audio stream supplied from a stream supply device. The stream playback device notifies the stream supply device whether only the base data or both the base data and the extension data are usable in decoding of the audio stream by the decoder, through the interface unit. |
| US07844353B2 |
Method of communication by relay between a portable remote control and home automation appliances
The method governs the operation of a home automation installation comprising a portable remote control, a relay and home automation appliances, and in which at least some home automation appliances can receive, by wireless channel, control commands sent by the portable remote control. The method is such that control commands can be sent selectively according to a scenario to the home automation appliances over the same communication bearer by the relay when the latter receives a specific command sent by the portable remote control to the relay. |
| US07844352B2 |
Iterative matrix processor based implementation of real-time model predictive control
A system for embedding real-time Model Predictive Control (MPC) in a System-on-a-Chip (SoC) devices is provided. In the system, a microprocessor is connected to an auxiliary unit or application-specific matrix coprocessor. The microprocessor can control the operation of the MPC algorithm, i.e., carry out the tasks of input/output for the MPC algorithm, initialize and send the appropriate commands to auxiliary unit and receive back the optimal control moves or instructions from auxiliary unit. The auxiliary unit can operate as a matrix coprocessor by executing matrix operations, e.g. addition, multiplication, inversion, etc., required by the MPC algorithm. |
| US07844350B2 |
Testing of control strategies in a control system controlling a process control plant
Test cases to test control strategies of a control process are specified in input files. The instructions in the input files are automatically read by a block tester, which interfaces with the control system to issue the instructions. As a test designer can create the instructions in the input files a priori, the tests may be carefully designed to avoid errors, in addition to performing exhaustive tests. |
| US07844343B2 |
MRI-safe implantable medical device
A medical lead is provided for use in a pulse stimulation system of the type which includes a pulse generator for producing electrical stimulation therapy. The lead comprises an elongate insulating body and at least one electrical conductor within the insulating body. The conductor has a proximal end configured to be electrically coupled to the pulse generator and has a DC resistance in the range of 375-2000 ohms. At least one distal electrode is coupled to the conductor. |
| US07844342B2 |
Powering implantable restriction systems using light
Various powering devices are provided for transferring and/or generating energy from numerous sources to a communicating member implanted in a patient. The energy transferred to or generated by the communicating member can be used to provide power to an implantable restriction system configured to form a restriction in a pathway. |
| US07844335B2 |
Implantable medical device and method for LV coronary sinus lead implant site optimization
A device is connected to electrode leads which performs intracardiac impedance measurements, conducts a transient pacing protocol, analyses the impedance measurements, and generates an LV lead position quality factor. The transient pacing protocol includes a repeated change (“transitions”) between ventricular intrinsic rhythm and biventricular paced rhythm and may also include a variation of the atrioventricular delay (AVD) and/or the interventricular delay (VVD). The quality factor expresses the degree to which hemodynamic properties have improved due to BiV stimulation for the current LV lead position compared to intrinsic ventricular rhythm. |
| US07844331B2 |
Method and apparatus for controlling anti-tachyarrhythmia pacing using hemodynamic sensor
A cardiac rhythm management (CRM) system includes an implantable medical device that delivers anti-tachyarrhythmia therapies including anti-tachyarrhythmia pacing (ATP) and at least one hemodynamic sensor that senses a hemodynamic signal. When a tachyarrhythmia episode is detected, the CRM system analyzes the hemodynamic signal to determine whether and/or when to deliver an ATP. In one embodiment, a hemodynamic parameter extracted from the hemodynamic signal is used to predict the potential effectiveness of ATP in terminating the detected tachyarrhythmia episode. In another embodiment, a characteristic feature detected from the hemodynamic signal is used to determine an ATP window during which a delivery of ATP is initiated. |
| US07844330B2 |
Dynamic device therapy control for treating post myocardial infarction patients
A cardiac rhythm management system includes an implantable device executing a dynamic pacing algorithm after an myocardial infarction (MI) event. The dynamic pacing algorithm dynamically adjusts one or more pacing parameters based on a person's gross physical activity level. Examples of the one or more pacing parameters include atrioventricular pacing delays and pacing channels/sites. The dynamic pacing algorithm provides for improved hemodynamic performance when a person's metabolic need is high, and post MI remodeling control when the person's metabolic need is low. |
| US07844329B2 |
Implantable electrical connector
An implantable connector for connecting components of implantable medical devices. The connector comprises first and second connector halves electrically coupled to the implantable components. A sealing membrane is provided to seal the electrical connection between the first and second connector halves. The sealing membrane is configured to be ruptured with a minimal amount of force so that the connector halves may be readily disconnected from each other. |
| US07844328B2 |
Liquid injector for controlling injection of liquid in real-time according to injection graph
A liquid injector displays a plotting chart image whose vertical axis represents liquid injection rates and horizontal axis represents liquid injection times. When an injection graph which represents a liquid injection rate at each quantity of the liquid to be injected is entered into the displayed plotting chart image, the liquid injector controls operation of an injection performing means according to the injection graph and a time which has elapsed from the start of injection of the liquid. The rate at which the liquid is injected can thus be changed as desired with time according to the injection graph. |
| US07844327B2 |
Dosage control electrode for iontophoresis device
An electrode assembly for use in an iontophoresis device for the transcutaneous administration of an active therapeutic species has a base layer of including a linking conductive base material which is consumed (oxidizes or reduces) preferentially to water, a first upper layer of sacrificial material coated on a first portion of the base layer wherein the sacrificial material is consumed preferentially to the linking conductive base material of the base layer. A second upper layer of non-conducting material is coated on a second portion of the base layer, the second upper layer being spaced from the first upper layer, connected by a narrow exposed linking area of the base layer material remaining exposed therebetween. During operation of an associated iontophoresis device, the sacrificial material will be sequentially consumed; the first upper layer will be fully consumed followed by the linking conductive base material of the exposed linking area of the base layer which severs the base layer thereby breaking circuit continuity disabling activity in the device. A visual indicator may be provided allowing a wearer to monitor the state of reaction of the linking area. |
| US07844322B2 |
System and method for correlation of patient health information and implant device data
A system and method for correlating health related data for display. The system includes a medical device recording data and a display producing device which correlates the data and simultaneously displays different types of data or displays two sets of the same type of data along with the circumstances at which the two sets of data were recorded. Such displays aid a physician in prescribing and ascertaining the efficacy of cardiac therapies. |
| US07844315B2 |
Physiological measurement communications adapter
A sensor signal is input at a patient location and a physiological waveform responsive to the sensor signal is generated. The physiological waveform is wirelessly communicated from the patient location to a monitor location. The physiological waveform is adapted to a particular patient monitor at the monitor location. The adapted physiological waveform is output to a sensor port of the patient monitor. Accordingly, the patient monitor derives physiological measurements from the adapted physiological waveform that are generally equivalent to measurements derivable from the physiological waveform by a monitor compatible with the sensor signal. |
| US07844314B2 |
Physiological measurement communications adapter
A sensor interface is configured to receive a sensor signal. A transmitter modulates a first baseband signal responsive to the sensor signal so as to generate a transmit signal. A receiver demodulates a receive signal corresponding to the transmit signal so as to generate a second baseband signal corresponding to the first baseband signal. Further, a monitor interface is configured to communicate a waveform responsive to the second baseband signal to a sensor port of a monitor. The waveform is adapted to the monitor so that measurements derived by the monitor from the waveform are generally equivalent to measurements derivable from the sensor signal. The communications adapter may further comprise a signal processor having an input in communications with the sensor interface, where the signal processor is operable to derive a parameter responsive to the sensor signal and where the first baseband signal is responsive to the parameter. The parameter may correspond to at least one of a measured oxygen saturation and a pulse rate. |
| US07844309B2 |
Exchangeable keymat
A communication device comprising a keymat, a cover, and a substrate comprising a plurality of key switches is disclosed. The keymat comprises a plurality of lips located at the edges of the keymat. The cover comprises a plurality of indentations configured to receive the plurality of lips. The indentations are located at the edges of a recess for removably mounting the keymat. |
| US07844306B2 |
Power transmission network
A network for power transmission to a receiver that converts the power into current includes a first node for transmitting power wirelessly in a first area. The first area has a minimum electric or magnetic field strength. The network includes a second node for transmitting power wirelessly in a second area. The second area has a minimum electric or magnetic field strength and overlaps the first area to define an overlap area. In another embodiment, the network includes a source in communication with the first and second nodes which provides power to them. Also disclosed are methods for power transmission to a receiver that converts the power into current. |
| US07844305B2 |
Method and apparatus for generating power in a mobile communication device
An apparatus and a method of manufacturing an apparatus that creates power for a mobile communication device is disclosed. The apparatus may include a roller integrated into the mobile communication device configured to rotate in a counterclockwise direction when the roller contacts a surface and is moved in a first direction, and rotate in a clockwise direction when the roller contacts a surface and is moved in second direction, gearing connected to the roller, wherein the gearing rotates when the roller is moved, and one or more generator that creates power in the mobile communication device upon rotation of the roller and the gearing. |
| US07844303B2 |
Cable management in an FM transmitter
Several of the components used to implement a wireless transmitter, such as a DC-powered FM transmitter usable for playing media content from a personal media player over a vehicle's FM radio, are organized using an arrangement by which a controller that includes a user interface is removably couplable to a charger plug that interfaces with a power source. An arrangement for removably coupling a device connector in the transmitter to the charger plug is also provided. In an illustrative example, the controller and charger plug are configured with magnetic elements which are used to retain the controller against an end of the charger plug using magnetic force. A portion of the device connector is removably insertable into an elastically deformable connector cap that is configured to removably slide over the charger plug end. |
| US07844302B2 |
Communication terminal, reception notifying method, and computer-readable recording medium
A mobile communication terminal obtains analysis result from analysis of various information included in a received e-mail. The mobile communication terminal determines whether the received e-mail satisfies a notification condition based on the analysis result, and analyzes the importance degree of the received e-mail. If the received e-mail is an important e-mail satisfying the notification condition, the mobile communication terminal notifies the user that the e-mail is received irrespective of whether its cover is opened or closed. If the received e-mail is a non-important e-mail not satisfying the notification condition, the mobile communication terminal limits notifying the user that the e-mail is received until the cover is opened, i.e., the content of the e-mail is checkable by the user. This makes it possible to restrict notifying the reception of the e-mail depending on the e-mail's importance degree, while preventing the user from missing any e-mail of high importance. |
| US07844296B2 |
Video mobile terminal
A mobile terminal includes a camera configured to obtain first image information, and a receiving unit configured to receive second image information from outside. A display unit is configured to display at least one of a first image and a second image. A display control unit is configured to receive a first request for displaying the first image after the first image information is obtained by the camera, and to receive a second request for displaying the second image after the second image information is received from outside. The display control unit is configured to perform control to update a display on the display unit if the first request or the second request is received, at a predetermined updating time, which occurs at a predetermined interval. |
| US07844295B1 |
Using a wireless intercom to talk-around a cellular wireless network
A method and system are disclosed for bypassing a cellular wireless communications system by using a peer-to-peer wireless link for voice communications between BLUETOOTH enabled handsets. In an exemplary embodiment, when a ten-digit telephone number is dialed to place a call from a cellular wireless telephone, the cellular wireless telephone determines whether a termination-point, such as a second cellular wireless telephone, associated with the ten-digit telephone number is within range of the peer-to-peer wireless link. If the termination-point is within range, then a direct intercom session may be established over the peer-to-peer wireless link. Otherwise, a call initiation is requested over the cellular wireless communications system. |
| US07844291B2 |
Method for transferring and applying floor control scheme in PoC session and system for implementing the same
Disclosed is a method and system for transferring and applying a floor control scheme when a Push-To-Talk (PTT) over Cellular (PoC) session is established between PoC clients supporting various types of floor control schemes (e.g., media burst control schemes). According the method and system, when a PoC client providing Open Mobile Alliance PoC multimedia communication service supports a plurality of floor control schemes and there is no floor control scheme appointed to be supported in a session, a floor control scheme requested by a PoC session establisher is transferred through a PoC session establishment procedure and is applied to the session. |
| US07844289B2 |
Method and apparatus for synchronization of base stations in a broadband wireless access system
Synchronization between base stations in a broadband wireless access system is achieved using interfering base stations. Interfering base stations are first identified for a base station of interest (BSOI). One of the interfering base stations is then selected to be a master base station for the BSOI. The BSOI may then establish and maintain synchronization with the master base station. |
| US07844287B2 |
Automatic spread of applications
The present invention relates to a method in a first communications device for sharing an application with a second communication device. The method comprises the steps of: Sending a first short message service (SMS) to the second device. The first SMS comprises a link to a place from where the application can be downloaded into the second device. The first SMS comprises an identity for the second device to use for initiating an IP connection between the first device and the second device and the second device. The method comprises the further step of being connected by the second device for setting up an IP connection between the first device and the second device. The method comprises the further step of communicating with the second device in an IP connection sharing the application. |
| US07844282B1 |
Location based information system
A wireless device-based system provides location-based services by determining the location of the wireless device and arranges for the service and the payment therefor. |
| US07844279B2 |
Method for measuring radio channel quality and related equipment
The present invention relates to a method for measuring radio channel quality in a radio communication system. In the method a modulated signal is received over a communication channel. The modulated signal has been modulated by using modulation parameters. A decoder decodes (305) the modulated signal and forms decoded data. The decoder creates (306) a decoder performance indicator (PS) that depends on the decoded data. Then a radio channel quality indicator (RCQI) is created, the radio channel quality indicator being essentially independent of the modulation parameters. |
| US07844278B1 |
Systems and methods for wireless communications with a heavily-loaded wireless network
Methods and apparatus for congestion mitigation in wireless communication networks are provided. The congestion mitigation can include assignment of a new user class, a mobile station identifier, a mobile station identifier and a reserved traffic channel and/or an alternative access channel in another wireless communication network. These congestion mitigation techniques can be employed for selected mobile stations when an activity on an access channel is above a threshold level. |
| US07844275B2 |
Method and system for providing access to a telecommunications network
A system and a method for connecting a call through a telecommunications network. A base station, connected to a public switched telephone network, includes a call processor, a memory and a transceiver. The memory includes a database containing dialing instructions for a wireless station for a telephone connection through the public switched telephone network to a destination station. The transceiver receives a call request from the wireless station, and the call processor in response to the call request, assesses the database and dials a call for connection through the public switched telephone network to the destination station based on the dialing instructions for the wireless station. |
| US07844273B2 |
System for and method of for providing dedicated capacity in a cellular network
The present invention comprises systems for and methods of providing dedicated capacity in a wireless cellular network. In an embodiment, a system for providing dedicated capacity in a cellular network comprises: a first base station positioned at a first location and being communicatively coupled to a telephone network, the first base station having an outdoor cellular antenna for forming a local coverage area, a second base station positioned at the first location and being communicatively coupled to the telephone network; and an indoor cellular antenna for forming a coverage area at a second location. The second location is geographically remote from the first location and the indoor cellular antenna is communicatively coupled to the second base station such that mobile communications equipment located within the coverage area at the second location are communicatively coupled to the telephone network via the indoor cellular antenna and the second base station. |
| US07844270B2 |
Call transfer for an integrated wireline and wireless service using a temporary directory number
The present invention relates to a communication environment where calls are established with a single mobile terminal through either a wireless network or the public switched telephone network (PSTN) via a terminal adaptor, which is capable of wirelessly communicating with the mobile terminal. As such, the mobile terminal may facilitate traditional cellular calls via the wireless network, or traditional PSTN calls via the terminal adaptor. A temporary directory number for the mobile terminal is provided by the wireless network and used for facilitating calls via the wireless network. The terminal adaptor, supporting telephony switch, and wireless network will cooperate to transfer calls to the wireless network as necessary or desired. |
| US07844268B2 |
Method and apparatus for notifying changed service information according to terminal state in a wireless communication system
A method and apparatus for, upon generation of an event triggering a change in the state of a UE participating in a call, sending service information changed due to the state change to the other participating entity and notifying each user of the service information are provided. When a state change event occurs to a UE, the UE checks its available services and sends a message including service information indicating the available services to the other entity connected to the UE. Therefore, the other entity has knowledge of the actual available services of the UE in a changed environment. |
| US07844267B2 |
Server for providing access by a communication terminal to a communication processing service
A service processing server for providing a communication processing service with an information providing server, to a cell phone belonging to a network capable of identifying subordinate cell phones, and including an application receiving part for receiving first communication terminal-specific information to specify a specific cell phone, and service-specific information in association with each other; a specific information generating part for generating second communication terminal-specific information; an approval requesting part for transmitting approval request information containing the service-specific information and the second communication terminal-specific information, to the information providing server; a result receiving part for receiving approval result information returned; and a registering part for performing a registration process for providing the communication processing service to the specific cell phone in accordance with reception of the approval result information. |
| US07844266B2 |
Wireless network roaming timer method and apparatus
A mobile station in a wireless network includes a roaming timer. The roaming timer is set based on various criteria, and when the roaming timer expires, an attempt to roam is performed. |
| US07844264B2 |
Reception determination method and system of ray, and radio wave propagation characteristic estimation method using them
Reception points arranged inside an observation region are divided into groups for a plurality of reception points, and a hierarchical structure in which a reception point group having a large scale involves a smaller scale of plural reception point groups is structured in advance. In accordance with determination criteria defined in advance, the reception point groups involving the reception points which need reception determination processing with a ray are successively screened from the reception point groups having a large scale to a smaller scale of reception point groups, and the final reception determination of a ray and the reception points is applied only to the reception points involved in the screened reception point groups. Thereby, since a reception point group which is clearly excluded in the reception determination by means of a conventional technique can be collectively excluded by a reception point group unit involving them, the total number of the reception points to which the reception determination is applied can be reduced. As a result, required time for propagation estimation can be suppressed more than a conventional method. |
| US07844263B2 |
Provisioning a user device for multiple services
Systems and methods for provisioning an electronic device for multiple services are disclosed herein. An exemplary embodiment, among others, of a provisioning method includes receiving a first request to procure a user device capable of operating under a plurality of service plans. The method also includes receiving a second request to provision the user device for operation under a first service plan and receiving a third request to provision the user device for operation under a second service plan. Also, the method includes coordinating the first request, second request, and third request to provision the user device under the first service plan and second service plan. |
| US07844259B2 |
Communication method
According to the present invention, the step of requesting of an associated information provision server KS for associated information about contents broadcast in a broadcast program being received is provided. The step of acquiring the associated information corresponding to the request from the associated information provision server KS and storing this is provided. And the retrieval step of transmitting a part of the associated information as a retrieval key to retrieve contents to a CD seller server 31, and obtaining retrieval results from the CD seller server 31 is provided. Thereby, the associated information about the contents broadcast in the broadcast program being received is obtained. The retrieval results are obtained from a contents retrieval server by using the part of the associated information as retrieval keys. Therefore, retrieval results having variety that are not limited to results conceived by the user in a certain degree can be obtained. |
| US07844258B2 |
Method and apparatus to indicate communication is wanted or waiting
An integrated communication system comprises a first communication device connected to a second communication device using a data link. When the first communication device is out of network, a dispatch center can indicate to the use a communication is waiting or wanted by sending a communication request signal to the second communication device. The second communication device transmits the communication request signal to the first communication device over the data link alerting the user of the first communication device to the requested communication. |
| US07844257B2 |
Retrieving a document via a coded surface
A method of retrieving a document using a print medium, comprising the steps of: determining a print media identifier from the print medium using a sensor module of a mobile telecommunications device, the print media identifier having been linked to the document; and, retrieving, using the mobile telecommunications device, the document. |
| US07844255B2 |
Secure PIN entry device for mobile phones
A secure mobile phone-point of sale (POS) system includes a mobile phone integrated with a secure PED module. The secure PED module is integrated with the mobile phone via the phone's serial port or directly to the phone's Printed Circuit Board Assembly (PCBA). The secure PED module conforms to security standards imposed by the payment card industry. The secure mobile phone-POS system has the functionality of both the secure PED and the mobile phone and the look and feel of the mobile phone. |
| US07844250B2 |
Differentiated charging in packet data networks
Method and nodes involving communicating charging information (CI) in a network comprising at least a serving node (SGSN) and a gateway node (GGSN) wherein charging information (CI) relating to a particular PDP context for a given mobile station is gathered in the gateway node and transmitted in a GTP header extension to a serving node (SGSN). |
| US07844235B2 |
RF power transmission, modulation, and amplification, including harmonic control embodiments
Methods and systems for vector combining power amplification are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a plurality of signals are individually amplified, then summed to form a desired time-varying complex envelope signal. Phase and/or frequency characteristics of one or more of the signals are controlled to provide the desired phase, frequency, and/or amplitude characteristics of the desired time-varying complex envelope signal. In another embodiment, a time-varying complex envelope signal is decomposed into a plurality of constant envelope constituent signals. The constituent signals are amplified equally or substantially equally, and then summed to construct an amplified version of the original time-varying envelope signal. Embodiments also perform frequency up-conversion. |
| US07844234B2 |
Device, system, and method of providing biasing power
Device, system, and method of providing biasing power. For example, an apparatus includes a voltage-controlled current source to provide biasing current to a Radio Frequency power amplifier based on a voltage of an incoming signal indicating a command to activate the Radio Frequency power amplifier, the incoming signal received from a Radio Frequency baseband module; and a current-reducing circuit to reduce the biasing current if the voltage of the incoming signal is greater than or equal to a voltage overdrive threshold. |
| US07844233B2 |
Passive amplification of signals
A passive amplifier structure capable of multiplying the voltage of an input signal is provided. In a first stage, a first and a second capacitance are connected between a first and a second input port of a balanced input port in response to a first oscillator signal. In a second stage, in response to a second oscillator signal having a phase different from that of the first oscillator signal, the first capacitance is connected between the first input port and a third capacitance and the second capacitance is connected between the second input port and the third capacitance. An output voltage over the third capacitance is obtained from terminals of the third capacitance. Presented embodiments also describe an automatic gain control feature. |
| US07844232B2 |
Joint space-time optimum filters (JSTOF) with at least one antenna, at least one channel, and joint filter weight and CIR estimation
A wireless communications device may include at least one virtual antenna, and a space-time filter circuit for filtering a communications signal received by the at least one virtual antenna by jointly estimating space-time filter weights and at least one channel impulse response (CIR). The wireless communications device may further include a matched filter circuit downstream from the space-time filter circuit and having a filter response that is provided by a channel impulse response estimation from the space-time filter circuit. |
| US07844230B2 |
Integrated multimode radio and components thereof
An integrated multimode radio includes a multimode receiver and a multimode transmitter. The multimode receiver includes a shared receiver front-end, a receiver multiplexor, and a plurality of receiver IF stages. The multimode transmitter includes a shared transmitter front-end, a transmitter multiplexor, and a plurality of transmitter IF stages. |
| US07844228B2 |
Method of determining transmission rate by controlling adaptive modulation scheme
Deterioration of transmission efficiency due to a change in modulation scheme is prevented. A terminal apparatus determines a line which is to be given the priority between an uplink or downlink, according to an application activating operation from an operator, and then makes a request accordingly to a base station apparatus. The base station apparatus detects a request signal on a downlink or uplink to be prioritized. If the request signal indicates that the downlink be prioritized, the execution of a processing of changing a transmission rate of the uplink involving the stoppage of the downlink is cancelled. If the request signal indicates that the uplink be prioritized, the execution of a processing of changing a transmission rate of the downlink involving the stoppage of the uplink is cancelled. |
| US07844223B2 |
Communication method, communication device, and computer program
In order to solve a problem of an accumulation on the transmission side, a delay on the reception side, and the like at the time of transmission in a communication system such as a wireless LAN system, each communication station in a network transmits a beacon in which information with respect to the network is written and sets a state in which a reception operation is performed during periods of time before and after the transmission of the beacon signal when performing access control not to make communication timing of a packet collide with that of another station by detecting a signal transmitted from another station. With performing such processing, a system can be formed based on minimum level of transmission and reception operation when transmission and reception data does not exist in each communication station in the network, and also a data transfer can be performed with latency as small as possible in a minimum necessary level of transmission and reception operation by making a transition of a transmission and reception state in accordance with a fluctuating volume of transmission and reception data. |
| US07844221B2 |
Reflective communication using radio-frequency devices
The present invention relates to a reflective communication system that allows information from wireless communication devices, such as radio-frequency identification devices (RFID), to be reflectively communicated to a receiver in lieu of using a separate communication system. A transmitter transmits a communication signal, having a carrier frequency, to the wireless communication device to provide power. The wireless communication device modulates a data signal onto the communication signal to form a reflected data signal. The wireless communication device reflects the reflected data signal directly to the receiver. In this manner, the process of communicating information from a wireless communication device is accomplished in one communication system rather than two. If the receiver also directly receives the communication signal from the transmitter, the receiver can determine the location of the wireless communication device relative to the transmitters. |
| US07844219B2 |
Apparatus and method of on-channel repeater
Provided are an on-channel repeater and a method thereof. The on-channel repeater can extract reception channel information from signals transmitted from a main transmitter or another repeater, compensate for channel distortion caused on a transmission channel by inversely reflecting the extracted reception channel information to the received signals, and transmit the channel-distortion compensated signals through the same channel as a reception channel, and a method thereof. The on-channel repeater includes: a receiver for receiving RF signals transmitted from outside; a down-converter for down-converting the received RF signals into signals of a desired band; a channel-estimator for estimating an inverse value of a reception channel based on the down-converted signals; an adaptation filter for compensating for channel distortion by using a filter having the inverse value of the estimated reception channel; an up-converter for up-converting the channel distortion-compensated signals into RF signals; and a transmitter for transmitting the up-converted RF signals. |
| US07844217B2 |
Point-to-multipoint communication terminal having a single RF chain
A communication terminal includes first and second antennas for respectively communicating with first and second remote terminals and a single up-converter that is arranged to up-convert an input signal to produce an RF transmit signal. The communication terminal further includes a switching circuit, which is arranged to couple the single up-converter to the first antenna in order to transmit the RF transmit signal to the first remote terminal during first time intervals, and to couple the single up-converter to the second antenna in order to transmit the RF transmit signal to the second remote terminal during second time intervals, which do not overlap the first time intervals. |
| US07844215B2 |
Mobile audio content delivery system
The present invention provides the delivery of mobile-capable audio entertainment content. More particularly, the present invention relates to the electronic and mobile delivery of various media content, such as print periodicals and print news articles, by converting them into audio format and enabling such content along with other audio content to be delivered to consumers over wireless telephone networks. Particular embodiments of the invention provide interactive classified advertisement features. |
| US07844214B2 |
System and method for broadband digital broadcasting
A system and method are disclosed for providing streaming data information to a receiver. The system accesses one or more information service providers for providing respective information signals, input buffers for storing portions of the streaming inforamtion, a digital broadcast transmitter for broadcasting the contents of the input buffers as transmission bursts, a digital broadcast receiver for receiving the transmission bursts for storage in a receiver input buffer, and an application processor for converting the transmission bursts to an information transmission stream. The digital broadcast receiver is synchronized with the transmitter broadcasts to allow for powering down between selected transmission bursts. |
| US07844212B1 |
System and method for reliably communicating information without explicit acknowledgements
A system and method communicates commands from a command originator to receiving devices, yet the receiving devices do not confirm receipt of the command. The most current command (e.g. the one with the highest sequence number) is rebroadcast by the command originator and the receiving devices, tending to be more frequent upon detection of an event indicating that the most current command was not received by at least one other device, and less frequently upon detection of an event indicating that the most current command was provided with sufficient duplication that if another device could receive it, the device likely did receive it, subject to a maximum and minimum rate. |
| US07844210B2 |
Fixing apparatus and image forming apparatus using it
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a fixing apparatus including: a heat roller that includes: a heat source that generates heat to be supplied on a toner image formed on a recording medium; a cylindrical core; a rubber layer that is formed on the cylindrical core and includes a thermal-conductivity-enhanced rubber, the rubber layer having a thickness of Tg that satisfies 200 μm≦Tg≦600 μm and having a rubber hardness defined by JIS-A hardness of Hg that satisfies 40 degrees≦Hg≦80 degrees; and a fluororesin layer that is formed on the rubber layer, the fluororesin layer having a thickness of Tj that satisfies 80 μm≦Tj≦300 μm and 2 Tj≦Tg≦10 Tj; and a pressure roller that presses the recording medium against the heat roller. |
| US07844209B2 |
Image heating apparatus with control of speeds of rotary member and endless belt
An image heating apparatus includes a heating rotatable member and a belt cooperative with the heating rotatable member to form a nip in which an image on a recording material is heated. The apparatus further comprises control means that rotates the heating rotatable member and the belt when changing means changes the relative position of the heating rotatable member and the belt from a spacing position to a contact position at a lower speed than in a period after the relative position changes from the spacing position to the contacting position and which is before the recording material enters the nip. |
| US07844208B2 |
Image heating apparatus
An image heating apparatus includes an endless belt for heating an image on a recording material in a nip and a pressing pad for pressing the belt from an inner surface thereof in the nip. A sheet-like member is provided to cover the pressing pad, providing for sliding movement relative to the belt. A lubricant absorbing member for suppressing swelling of the pressing pad by absorbing a lubricant applied on an inner surface of the belt, with the lubricant absorbing member covered by the sheet-like member. |
| US07844204B2 |
Liquid separator, liquid mixture supplying system adopting such liquid separator and image forming apparatus
A liquid separator is a device for separating and extracting a dispersoid and a dispersion medium from a liquid sample containing the dispersoid and the dispersion medium. The liquid separator is provided with a liquid storage container capable of storing the liquid sample; an electrode roller including a rotary shaft, arranged to touch the liquid sample in the liquid storage container, capable of conveying the liquid sample along the outer circumferential surface thereof and rotatable about the rotary shaft; and a separating member held in contact with the electrode roller for separating the dispersion medium from the liquid sample being conveyed along the outer circumferential surface of the electrode roller. The liquid storage container includes a first container positioned at a specified distance to the electrode roller and a second container detachably attachable to the first container. |
| US07844203B2 |
Development apparatus and image forming apparatus using the same
A development apparatus includes an anilox roller for supplying liquid developer to a development roller and a supply roller arranged in a developer container and held in contact with the anilox roller to supply the liquid developer to the anilox roller. An AC voltage is applied to the supply roller, and a bias voltage is applied to the development roller. Liquid developer contained in grooves of undulations of an anilox pattern formed on a surface of the anilox roller is applied to the development roller. |
| US07844198B2 |
Electrophotographic photoreceptor, photoreceptor supporting device, imaging device and process cartridge
An electrophotographic photoreceptor includes, a cylindrical photoreceptor pipe; at least one flange which is attached to an opening of one end of the photoreceptor pipe, and which is provided with a shaft part projecting outward from the one end at a shaft center position of the photoreceptor pipe; and an earth member which is arranged to penetrate through the shaft part of the at least one flange, and which is provided on its inward side with at least one first contact part which contacts an inner circumference of the photoreceptor pipe, and on its outward side with a second contact part. |
| US07844196B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes a holding mechanism that holds an optical writing unit such that, at an operating position, the latent image writing unit is supported at three points with respect to the apparatus main body, and the latent image writing unit and the rotation axis are not in contact with each other. |
| US07844193B2 |
Multifunctional machine and method of controlling multifunctional machine
A multifunctional machine includes a first component section that starts up taking a first time period, and a second component section that starts up taking a second time period shorter than the first time period. An operation start prediction information obtaining section is provided to obtain operation start prediction information predicting a time when a user starts the multifunctional machine. A start up control section is provided to start up the first component section in advance of the second component section. A power supply control section is provided to supply power from at least one external power source and drive the start up control section in accordance with the operation start prediction information. |
| US07844190B2 |
Image forming device
An image forming device includes a main body unit; an image forming device disposed in the main body unit; a first structural member capable of dividing and moving relative to a third structural member; a second structural member capable of dividing and moving relative to the third structural member and the first structural member; a first transport path situated between the first structural member and the second structural member; a second transport path situated between the second structural member and the third structural member; a sensor for detecting the medium; a first positioning unit for restricting a movement of the second structural member; a second positioning unit for engaging the first structural member with the third structural member; and a control unit for sending a signal to restrict a movement of the first structural member to a specific position based on a detection result of the sensor. |
| US07844188B2 |
Light collecting device and single-photon generation device
A light collecting device is disclosed that is able to couple light from a light emission structure to an optical fiber at low loss. The light collecting device includes an excitation light source for emitting excitation light to an optical fiber; a light condensing optical system which condenses the excitation light from the optical fiber to a light emission structure, and directs light reflected in the light emission structure and light generated in the light emission structure back to the optical fiber; a reflecting light detector for detecting intensity of the reflected light; a first optical divider for dividing the emission light and the reflected light based on their wavelengths, directing the emission light to the optical fiber, and propagating the reflected light to the excitation light source; a second optical divider arranged close to the excitation light source for propagating the excitation light to the first optical divider, and propagating the reflected light to the reflecting light detector; a position controller for controlling a light condensing position of the excitation light to be irradiated to the light emission structure; a unit for scanning the light condensing position of the excitation light, and acquiring a relationship of intensity of the reflected light and the light condensing position of the excitation light; and a unit for optimizing the light condensing position based on the intensity of the reflected light and the light condensing position of the excitation light. |
| US07844179B2 |
Method for operating transparent node for WDM shared “virtual ring” networks
A system and method for a transparent WDM metro ring architecture in which optics enables simultaneous provisioning of dedicated wavelengths for high-end user terminals, while low-end user terminals share wavelengths on “virtual rings”. All wavelengths are sourced by the network and remotely modulated at customer “End Stations” by low cost semiconductor optical amplifiers, which also serve as transmission amplifiers. The transparent WDM metro ring architecture permits the communication of information and comprises a fiber optical feeder ring, at least one fiber optical distribution ring, a network node (NN), at least one access node (AN) said network node and said at least one access node connected via said fiber optical feeder ring and at least one end station (ES) connected via said fiber optical distribution ring to said at least one access node, wherein said user is attached to said at least one end station. A simple node that supports bi-directional propagation in transparent WDM metro architectures using “virtual rings” is also described. A method for communicating information over a WDM fiber optical ring network architecture in a metro access arena using one or more wavelengths, which can be shared by a plurality of user terminals, each user terminal coupled to an end station comprises the steps of sending downstream data packets, sending optical chalkboard packets consisting of ones and sending control signals. |
| US07844176B2 |
Imaging device, and control method for imaging device
An imaging device comprising a first contrast AF unit that obtains contrast information of a subject image from subject image data, and guides a photographing lens to within a first in-focus permissible based on the contrast information; a phase difference AF unit for receiving subject light flux to detect a defocus amount of the photographing lens by the phase difference method, and guiding the photographing lens to within a second in-focus permissible range in response to the detection results; a release button having a two stage operating arrangement of half pressed and fully pressed; and a control unit for, when the release button has been pressed down halfway during execution of the live view display operation, executing a focusing operation using the first contrast AF unit, and, after that, when the release button is pressed down fully, executing a focusing operation using the phase contrast AF unit. |
| US07844175B2 |
Photographing apparatus and method
A photographing apparatus and method for recognizing an object such as a face in an image. The photographing apparatus includes: an optical system comprising a focus lens; a photoelectric transformation element transforming light information into an electrical signal; an image signal processor outputting the electrical signal as an image signal; a first distance measurer detecting face region data corresponding to a face from the image signal, comparing the face region data with standard face data, and obtaining a first object distance from the photographing apparatus to the face; a second distance measurer detecting a focus position for the face and obtaining a second object distance from the photographing apparatus to the face; and a face recognizer comparing the first and second object distances and recognizing that the face region data includes data corresponding to the face. |
| US07844172B1 |
Adaptive autofocus lens positioning
A method and system for effecting adaptive autofocusing, such as for a camera, are disclosed. The method can comprise obtaining focusing information, such as historic focusing information, storing the focusing information, and subsequently using the focusing information to facilitate a determination of a best position of a focusing lens during a focusing process. The use of such focusing information can result in a better choice for the next focusing lens position to be tested, such that the focusing process can be performed more rapidly. |
| US07844167B1 |
System and apparatus for digital audio/video decoder splitting signal into component data streams for rendering at least two video signals
The present invention provides a system and an apparatus for a digital audio/video decoder comprising a file reader capable of obtaining an encoded audio/video data stream from a data source, a navigator that instructs the file reader to obtain the encoded audio/video data stream, a splitter that separates the encoded audio/video data stream obtained by the file reader into one or more component data streams, and a reprogrammable proxy filter that decodes and converts the one or more component data streams into three or more renderable signals including at least one renderable audio signal and at least two renderable video signals. |
| US07844166B2 |
Reproduction device, video decoding device, synchronization/reproduction method, program and recording medium
In a random access reproduction of a stream in which video and audio are multiplexed, it is difficult to reproduce the video and audio in synchronization. A demultiplexer (110) separate a video packet, an audio packet, and a subtitle packet from the inputted multiplexed stream and supplies them to a video decoder (130), an audio decoder (140), and a subtitle decoder (150), respectively. The video decoder (130) decodes the inputted video packets and calculates PTS of the display head picture according to the PTS of the decoded head picture acquired from the video stream. A clock control unit (120) supplies the PTS of the display head picture as a synchronization signal to the audio decoder (140) and the subtitle decoder (150). The audio decoder (140) and the subtitle decoder (150) decode an audio and a subtitle access unit having the PTS value identical to the display head PTS. |
| US07844165B2 |
Method and device for adaptively estimating remaining video length in real time for user's convenience while viewing at least one program
A method for adaptively estimating a remaining video length in real time for a user's convenience while viewing at least one program, includes calculating an average value of the viewed length of each viewed segment of the at least one program, and calculating the number of index points corresponding to remaining segments to derive a remaining number of index points. The method further includes multiplying the average value by the remaining number to estimate the remaining video length. |
| US07844164B2 |
Method of setting recording end reservation time for instant recording in digital video recorder
Disclosed is a method of setting a recording end reservation time for instant recording in a Digital Video Recorder (DVR) of a received digital broadcast. The method includes steps of selecting an instant recording function, creating an OSD window for displaying at least one preset invariable recording end reservation time to display the preset invariable recording end reservation time, analyzing PSIP information from the received digital broadcast and extracting “available program information” including information about a time to terminate the digital broadcast program intended to be recorded at present, setting the recording end reservation time through the OSD window when the “available program information” does not exist, and adding to the OSD window a setup item to enable setting by a user of a recording end reservation time, and setting the recording end reservation time through the OSD window having the added setup item when the “available program information” exists. |
| US07844161B2 |
Parking in fiber distribution hubs
A fiber distribution hub includes a panel mounted within and pivotally movable relative to an enclosure. One or more connector holders are carried by the panel. The connector holders are provided at a connector storage location. The connector holders have a construction different than a functional fiber optic adapter. |
| US07844160B2 |
Universal bracket for mounting a drop terminal
The present disclosure relates to a drop terminal mounting system for use in a fiber optic network. The drop terminal mounting system includes a drop terminal having a drop terminal housing to which a plurality of fiber optic adapters are mounted. The fiber optic adapters have exterior ports that are accessible from an exterior of the drop terminal housing. The drop terminal mounting system also includes a bracket having a cradle for receiving the drop terminal. The bracket has features that facilitate mounting the bracket to different types of structures such as poles, strands, or to hand-holes. |
| US07844159B2 |
Telecommunications connection cabinet
A telecommunications connection cabinet includes a termination region, a fiber optic splitter mounting location, and a predetermined connector storage region positioned within an interior of a housing. The termination region includes telecommunications adapters, each telecommunications adapter being configured for coupling together two fiber optic connectors such that an optical interconnection is made between the two fiber optic connectors. The connector storage region is spaced from the termination region. The storage region defines openings allotted to removably mount connector storage housings at the connector storage region. |
| US07844153B2 |
Active energy ray-curable organopolysiloxane resin composition, optical transmission component, and manufacturing method thereof
An active energy ray (e.g. UV rays)-curable organopolysiloxane resin composition comprises (A) 100 parts by weight of an organopolysiloxane resin containing epoxy groups and aromatic hydrocarbon groups, (B) 0.05 to 20 parts by weight of a photo acid generator, (C) 0.01 to 20 parts by weight of a photosensitizer or photo-radical generator, and (D) 0 to 5,000 parts by weight of an organic solvent. An optical transmission component made of the above-mentioned composition cured by irradiation with active energy rays (for example, UV rays). A method for manufacturing an optical transmission component by irradiating the above-mentioned composition with active energy rays (for example, UV rays). |
| US07844151B2 |
In-line polarization-state converter
The invention discloses an in-line polarization-state converter. In the polarization converter, a laser beam is radiated onto the side of a photosensitive optical fiber. The laser beam causes the refractive index of an optical fiber core to asymmetrically vary. Birefringence is induced in a core mode of the optical fiber by the variation in the asymmetrical refractive index. An optical fiber segment having the birefringence is generally disposed on a waveguide path of the optical fiber to change the polarization state of an optical signal passing through the optical fiber segment. That is, the phase of the optical signal passing through the optical fiber is changed by radiation of laser beams, which results in a variation in polarization state. The polarization converter disposed on the waveguide path is covered with a metal tube in order to prevent the polarization converter from being bent or broken. In addition, optical fiber connectors are provided at both ends of the polarization converter for easy connection. |
| US07844148B2 |
Linear member
A linear member (10) comprises a first layer (30) and a second layer (40), the second layer being arranged around the first layer. The second layer comprises a series of annular grooves (60). The material for the second layer is substantially stronger than the material for the first layer. |
| US07844146B2 |
All-fiber module for femtosecond pulse compression and supercontinuum generation
An all-fiber optical pulse compression arrangement comprises a concatenated arrangement of a section of input fiber (e.g., a single mode fiber), a graded-index (GRIN) fiber lens and a section of pulse-compressing fiber (e.g., LMA fiber). The GRIN fiber lens is used to provide mode matching between the input fiber (supporting the propagation of chirped optical pulses) and the pulse-compressing fiber, with efficient pulse compression occurring along the length of the LMA fiber. The dispersion and length of the LMA fiber section are selected to provide the desired degree of pulse compression; for example, capable of reconstituting a femtosecond pulse as is used in supercontinuum generation systems. |
| US07844145B1 |
MEMS-based multi-channel Fabry-Perot interferometer system with increased tuning range and resolution
A system includes a first Fabry-Perot interferometry channel and a second Fabry-Perot interferometry channel serially and optically coupled to the first Fabry-Perot interferometry channel. One channel of the first and second Fabry-Perot interferometry channels has a greater tuning range than the other channel of the first and second Fabry-Perot interferometry channels. The Fabry-Perot interferometry channel having the lesser tuning range has a greater tuning precision than the Fabry-Perot interferometry channel having the greater tuning range. The system may be included in a MEMS-based system, such as a MEMS spectrometer. |
| US07844144B2 |
Adaptive optical signal processing with multimode waveguides
Optical signals are passed in an optical medium using an approach that facilitates the mitigation of interference. According to an example embodiment, a filtering-type approach is used with an optical signal conveyed in an optical fiber, such as a multimode fiber (MMF) or a multimode waveguide. Adaptive spatial domain signal processing, responsive to a feedback signal indicative of data conveyed in the multimode waveguide, is used to mitigate interference in optical signals conveyed in the multimode waveguide. |
| US07844142B2 |
Communication methods, methods of forming an interconnect, signal interconnects, integrated circuit structures, circuits, and data apparatuses
Some embodiments include communication methods, methods of forming an interconnect, signal interconnects, integrated circuit structures, circuits, and data apparatuses. In one embodiment, a communication method includes accessing an optical signal comprising photons to communicate information, accessing an electrical signal comprising electrical data carriers to communicate information, and using a single interconnect, communicating the optical and electrical signals between a first spatial location and a second spatial location spaced from the first spatial location. |
| US07844141B2 |
Method and apparatus for photograph finding
Digital image data including discrete photographic images of a variety of different subjects, times, and so forth, are collected and analyzed to identify specific features in the photographs. In an embodiment of the invention, distinctive markers are distributed to aid in the identification of particular subject matter. Facial recognition may also be employed. The digital image data is maintained in a database and quarried in response to search requests. The search requests include criteria specifying any feature category or other identifying information, such as date, time, and location that each photograph was taken, associated with each photograph. Candidate images are provided for review by requesters, who may select desired images for purchase or downloading. |
| US07844135B2 |
Detecting orientation of digital images using face detection information
A method of automatically establishing the correct orientation of an image using facial information. This method is based on the exploitation of the inherent property of image recognition algorithms in general and face detection in particular, where the recognition is based on criteria that is highly orientation sensitive. By applying a detection algorithm to images in various orientations, or alternatively by rotating the classifiers, and comparing the number of successful faces that are detected in each orientation, one may conclude as to the most likely correct orientation. Such method can be implemented as an automated method or a semi automatic method to guide users in viewing, capturing or printing of images. |
| US07844132B2 |
Method for determining a transformation of coordinates of different images of an object
Disclosed is a method for registering images of an object according to which a landmark that is common to the images is first identified, and the transformations in relation to the remaining degrees of freedom are determined by means of a position alignment that is not based on the landmark. |
| US07844131B2 |
Lithographic apparatus, a device manufacturing method and a device manufactured thereby
A method of forming images on a lithographic substrate is disclosed, the method including grouping a plurality of image regions together to form a combined image, determining or receiving a location at which the combined image is to be positioned on the substrate, calculating locations at which the image regions forming the combined image are to be positioned on the substrate, and using a lithographic apparatus to project the image regions at the calculated locations onto the substrate. |
| US07844129B2 |
Information processing apparatus and its control method
Even when a CPU gains higher performance and a distributed computing environment is being put in place, it is not easy to follow the speed of hardware image processing implemented by dedicated hardware. Hence, jobs of filter processing having a heavy operation load and low distributability are selectively and intensively input to a small number of resources having performance as high as possible. On the other hand, since the color conversion processing and gamma processing have high distributability, even when jobs are input to many resources having low performance, an improvement of the processing speed can be expected. Therefor, color conversion processing and gamma processing distribute jobs to many resources. |
| US07844127B2 |
Edge mapping using panchromatic pixels
A method of enhancing a full-color image of a scene includes capturing an image of the scene using a two-dimensional sensor array having both color and panchromatic pixels, forming the full-color image in response to the captured color pixels, forming a reference panchromatic image in response to the captured panchromatic pixels, forming an edge map in response to the reference panchromatic image and using the edge map to enhance the full-color image. |
| US07844125B2 |
Systems and methods for image pattern recognition
Systems and methods for image pattern recognition comprise digital image capture and encoding using vector quantization (“VQ”) of the image. A vocabulary of vectors is built by segmenting images into kernels and creating vectors corresponding to each kernel. Images are encoded by creating a vector index file having indices that point to the vectors stored in the vocabulary. The vector index file can be used to reconstruct an image by looking up vectors stored in the vocabulary. Pattern recognition of candidate regions of images can be accomplished by correlating image vectors to a pre-trained vocabulary of vector sets comprising vectors that correlate with particular image characteristics. In virtual microscopy, the systems and methods are suitable for rare-event finding, such as detection of micrometastasis clusters, tissue identification, such as locating regions of analysis for immunohistochemical assays, and rapid screening of tissue samples, such as histology sections arranged as tissue microarrays (“TMAs”). |
| US07844123B2 |
Orthogonal transformation apparatus and imaging system
A one-dimensional orthogonal transformation device group constituted with a plurality of one-dimensional orthogonal transformation devices performs one-dimensional orthogonal transformation to the pixel data of one block that is inputted to an input device. A memory device stores the one-dimensional orthogonal transformation data of one block. A selector selects either the pixel data that is inputted via the input device or the one-dimensional orthogonal transformation data that is stored in the memory device, and outputs it to the one-dimensional orthogonal transformation devices. When the pixel data is inputted via the selector, the one-dimensional orthogonal transformation devices generate the one-dimensional orthogonal transformation data by performing first one-dimensional orthogonal transformation processing simultaneously to the pixel data corresponding to a plurality of rows of m-pixels, and store the one-dimensional orthogonal transformation data to the memory device. Further, when the one-dimensional orthogonal transformation data corresponding to the plurality of columns of the n-pixels that are stored in the memory device is inputted sequentially via the selector, the one-dimensional orthogonal transformation devices generate two-dimensional orthogonal transformation data by performing second one-dimensional orthogonal transformation processing to the one-dimensional orthogonal transformation data corresponding to the plurality of columns of the n-pixels. |
| US07844116B2 |
Method for identifying images after cropping
Images within an image repository related to a selected image may be located despite cropping, rotating, and/or the application of a variety of other distortions to either the selected image and/or images in the image repository. Described exemplary approaches may use image digests produced using a multi-step process. In a first step, a discrete Fourier transform may be applied to produce an M×N frequency-based image matrix from an M×N image matrix containing elements that represent spatial image pixel values. In subsequent steps, matrix approximations may be applied to reduce the M×N frequency-based image matrix and to produce an image digest that reflects the content of the image. Further, an approach is described for generating a search threshold value that may be used to determine whether images digests associated with images in a repository are sufficiently similar to a search digest to be returned in a search result. |
| US07844112B2 |
Device and method for enhancing image contrast
We describe a device that dynamically increases the contrast of the effective gray level based on the gray level distribution of serial images, performs soft-transfer of dynamic contrast adjustment curve when a scene switch occurs thereby realizing adaptive contrast enhancing while effectively avoiding image flicker. A device and associated method for enhancing image contrast includes a gray level distribution statistic circuit to calculate gray level statistic data of an image responsive to an image brightness signal. An adaptive contrast mapping curve calculation circuit calculates a gray level mapping curve responsive to the gray level statistic data. An inter-frame curve soft-merging circuit performs inter-frame soft-merging to the gray level mapping curve. And a gray level mapping circuit performs gray level mapping of the input image brightness signal. |
| US07844109B2 |
Image processing method and apparatus
In order to allow a user to arbitrarily set color processing parameters which determine the color reproduction characteristics of a digital camera according to user's preference, an image processing unit obtains color data by performing the same processing as that performed by the digital camera with respect to the sensed data of each color patch included in a color chart by using color processing parameters. A changing unit displays, on a display unit, a target data changing window which presents color data and the target data (the target color of color reproduction) of each color patch and allows the user to change the target data. A parameter editing unit edits color processing parameters so as to reduce the color difference between the changed target data and color data. A data input/output unit transmits the edited color processing parameters to the digital camera. |
| US07844107B2 |
Stereo image matching method and system using image multiple lines
Disclosed is a stereo image matching method for re-creating 3-dimensional spatial information from a pair of 2-dimensional images. The conventional stereo image matching method generates much noise from a disparity value in the vertical direction, but the present invention uses disparity information of adjacent image lines as a constraint condition to eliminate the noise in the vertical direction, and compress the disparity by using a differential coding method to thereby increase a compression rate. |
| US07844106B2 |
Method and system for determining poses of objects from range images using adaptive sampling of pose spaces
A method for determining a pose of an object from a range image is presented. A distribution of poses for an object is determined from a model of the object. A set of reference poses is selected according to the distribution, such that more reference poses are selected for more probable poses than less probable poses. A reference image for each reference pose is generated, and the reference pose used to generate the reference image that best matches a range image including the object is assigned as the pose of the object. |
| US07844104B2 |
Method for establishing a data collection and method and device for gripping an object
Disclosed are a method and a device for establishing a data collection with the aid of at least one imaging apparatus (1, 2, 3) and at least one illumination device (11, 12, 13). According to the inventive method, an object is recorded from at least three different directions while being illuminated from at least three directions in reflected light. Each direction of recording lies essentially opposite a direction of illumination such that at least one contour of the object is visible with an illuminated side and a shaded side thereof from each of the three directions of recording while substantially the entire object is recorded from the at least three directions of recording by the at least one imaging apparatus. The directions of recording and the directions of illumination can be moved in a defined manner at several degrees of freedom relative to the object. The recorded images and/or data derived therefrom are stored in the data collection. |
| US07844103B2 |
Microscopic inspection apparatus for reducing image smear using a pulsed light source and a linear-periodic superpositioned scanning scheme to provide extended pulse duration, and methods useful therefor
An automated optical inspection system includes a pulsed light source illuminating an article to be inspected thereby to generate at least one image thereof, at least one camera having a field of view, and a relative motion provider operative to provide relative motion between the camera and at least one image of at least a portion of the article. The relative motion provider may include a first continuous motion provider and a second, velocity-during-imaging-lessening motion provider. The relative motion is a superposition of a first continuous component of motion provided by the first motion provider and a second, smaller component of motion provided by the second motion provider which lessens the velocity of the at least one image relative to the camera, during imaging. |
| US07844097B2 |
Compression and decompression of computed tomography data
A compression method and subsystem for a CT scanner compresses projection data from the data acquisition system. The projection data are classified into subsets of more significant samples and subsets of less significant samples. The subsets are compressed in accordance with compression control parameters so that the less significant samples are compressed to a greater degree than the more significant samples. The bit rate of the compressed projection data can be monitored and the compression control parameters can be adjusted to provide a desired bit rate. The compressed data are decompressed in accordance with the compression control parameters for reconstruction of an image from the decompressed projection data. This abstract does not limit the scope of the invention as described in the claims. |
| US07844096B2 |
Spatially localized noise adaptive smoothing of emission tomography images
A method and system for spatially localized, noise-adaptive smoothing of filtered back-projection (FBP) nuclear images includes smoothing a FBP image on a pixel-by-pixel basis using a shift-invariant kernel such as a Gaussian kernel. The width of the kernel may be varied on a pixel basis, such that the smoothed image contains a constant SNR over the entire image. |
| US07844091B2 |
Optical detection of dental caries
A method for caries detection uses an image capture device (30, 32) to obtain fluorescence image data from the tooth (20) by illuminating the tooth to excite fluorescent emission. A first enhanced image of the tooth is then obtained by illuminating the tooth at a first incident angle, obtaining a back-scattered reflectance image data from the tooth tissue, and combining the back-scattered reflectance image data with the fluorescence image data. A second enhanced image of the tooth is then obtained by illuminating the tooth at a second incident angle, obtaining a back-scattered reflectance image data from the tooth tissue, and combining the back-scattered reflectance image data with the fluorescence image data. The first and second enhanced images are then analyzed to select and display the best-contrast image. This method provides high contrast images for carious regions (58) on all tooth surfaces. |
| US07844090B2 |
Method of deriving a quantitative measure of a degree of calcification of an aorta
A method of deriving a quantitative measure of a degree of calcification of a blood vessel such as an aorta by processing an image such as an X-ray image of at least a part of the blood vessel containing said calcification comprises: taking a starting set of digital data representative of an image of at least part of a blood vessel containing a calcification set against a background; estimating the boundary of the calcification; using inpainting to replace digital data in said starting set representing the calcification with data extrapolating the boundary of the background to extend over the area of calcification, and so generating an inpainted set of digital data; and computing the difference between the starting set of digital data and the inpainted set of digital data to obtain a quantitative measure of the degree of calcification of the blood vessel. |
| US07844085B2 |
Pairwise feature learning with boosting for use in face detection
Systems and methods for training an AdaBoost based classifier for detecting symmetric objects, such as human faces, in a digital image. In one example embodiment, such a method includes first selecting a sub-window of a digital image. Next, the AdaBoost based classifier extracts multiple sets of two symmetric scalar features from the sub-window, one being in the right half side and one being in the left half side of the sub-window. Then, the AdaBoost based classifier minimizes the joint error of the two symmetric features for each set of two symmetric scalar features. Next, the AdaBoost based classifier selects one of the features from the set of two symmetric scalar features for each set of two symmetric scalar features. Finally, the AdaBoost based classifier linearly combines multiple weak classifiers, each of which corresponds to one of the selected features, into a stronger classifier. |
| US07844080B2 |
Image processing system and image processing method, and computer program
An image processing system includes a modified area deciding unit, a modified area correlation deciding unit, a display selecting unit and a displaying unit. The modified area deciding unit executes processing of deciding a modified area containing a pixel area, which is distinguished as postscript information, based on input image data. The modified area correlation deciding unit specifies a related information area corresponding to the modified area, which is decided by the modified area deciding unit. The modified area correlation deciding unit executes processing of deciding a correlation between mutual areas. The display selecting unit selects the postscript information and related information of the postscript information, based on the correlation between the mutual areas, which are decided by the modified area correlation deciding unit. The displaying unit executes processing of displaying output data in response to a selecting mode of the display selecting unit. |
| US07844074B2 |
Optimization methods for the insertion, protection, and detection of digital watermarks in digitized data
The implementations of digital watermarks can be optimally suited to particular transmission, distribution and storage mediums given the nature of digitally-sampled audio, video and other multimedia works. Watermark application parameters can be adapted to the individual characteristics of a given digital sample stream. Watermark information can be either carried in individual samples or in relationships between multiple samples, such as in a waveform shape. More optimal models may be obtained to design watermark systems that are tamper-resistant given the number and breadth of existent digitized sample options with different frequency and time components. The highest quality of a given content signal may be maintained as it is mastered, with the watermark suitably hidden, taking into account usage of digital filters and error correction. The quality of the underlying content signals can be used to identify and highlight advantageous locations for the insertion of digital watermarks. The watermark is integrated as closely as possible to the content signal, at a maximum level to force degradation of the content signal when attempts are made to remove the watermarks. |
| US07844072B2 |
Watermark embedding and detection of a motion image signal
Methods and arrangements are disclosed for embedding and detecting a watermark in a cinema movie, such that the watermark can be detected in a copy made by a handheld video camera. The watermark embedder divides each image frame into two areas. A watermark bit ‘+1’ is embedded in a frame by increasing the luminance of the first part and decreasing the luminance of the second part. A watermark bit ‘−1’ is embedded by decreasing the luminance of the first part and increasing the luminance of the second part. It is achieved with the invention that the embedded watermark survives ‘de-flicker’ operations that are often used to remove flicker caused by the different frame rates of cinema projection equipment and consumer camcorders. |
| US07844071B2 |
Loudspeaker
Voice coil body of a loudspeaker is provided at the outer circumferential wall surface with a supporting section. Diameter of the inner circumference of suspension holder is greater than outer diameter of the voice coil body while diameter of the inner circumference of diaphragm is greater than diameter of the inner circumference of suspension holder for facilitating a gluing of the inner circumferential end of suspension holder and the inner circumferential end of diaphragm on the supporting section and to the voice coil body. By so doing, harmonic distortion of a loudspeaker can be further reduced. |
| US07844064B2 |
Methods and apparatus for transmitting vibrations
Methods and apparatus for transmitting vibrations via an electronic and/or transducer assembly through a tooth or teeth are disclosed herein. The assembly may be attached, adhered, or otherwise embedded into or upon a removable oral appliance to form a hearing aid assembly. Such an oral appliance may be a custom-made device. The electronic and transducer assembly may receive incoming sounds either directly or through a receiver to process and amplify the signals and transmit the processed sounds via a vibrating transducer element coupled to a tooth or other bone structure, such as the maxillary, mandibular, or palatine bone structure. |
| US07844059B2 |
Dereverberation of multi-channel audio streams
A system and process for dereverberation of multi-channel audio streams is presented which uses reverberation suppression techniques. In general, the present system and process builds a frequency dependent model of the reverberation decay and uses spectral subtraction-based reverberation reduction to achieve the aforementioned suppression. This dereverberation system and process can be used to improve automatic speech recognition (ASR) results with minimal CPU overhead. |
| US07844058B2 |
Hearing processing method and hearing aid using the same
A hearing aid device for processing an input sound signal via a microphone so as to output a sound signal from an earphone comprises a signal processing element, a couple of acoustic nerve excitation pattern calculation elements, a couple of acoustic filter shape memory elements, a comparison element, a correction processing element, etc. The couple of acoustic nerve excitation pattern calculation elements calculate acoustic nerve excitation patterns of a normal hearing person and a hearing impaired person based on an output signal of the signal processing element and acoustic filter shapes of the normal hearing person and the hearing impaired person which are stored in the couple of acoustic filter shape memory elements. Each of the acoustic nerve excitation patterns is compared via the comparison element. Then, the correction processing element corrects the input sound signal such that the acoustic nerve excitation pattern of the hearing impaired person is identical with the acoustic nerve excitation pattern of the normal hearing person, so as to generate an output sound signal. |
| US07844057B2 |
Roaming using reassociation
A method and system for handling roaming mobile nodes in a wireless network. The system uses a Subnet Context Manager to store current Network session keys, security policy and duration of the session (e.g. session timeout) for mobile nodes, which is established when the mobile node is initially authenticated. Pairwise transit keys are derived from the network session key. The Subnet Context Manager handles subsequent reassociation requests. When a mobile node roams to a new access point, the access point obtains the network session key from the Subnet Context Manager and validates the mobile node by computing a new pairwise transient key from the network session key. |
| US07844053B2 |
Microprocessor apparatus and method for performing block cipher cryptographic functions
A microprocessor apparatus is provided, for performing a cryptographic operation. The microprocessor apparatus includes an x86-compatible microprocessor that has fetch logic, a cryptography unit, and an integer unit. The fetch logic is configured to fetch an application program from memory for execution by the x86-compatible microprocessor. The application program includes an atomic instruction that directs the x86-compatible microprocessor to perform the cryptographic operation. The atomic instruction has and opcode field and a repeat prefix field. The opcode field prescribes that the device accomplish the cryptographic operation as further specified within a control word stored in a memory. The repeat prefix field is coupled to the opcode field. The repeat prefix field indicates that the cryptographic operation prescribed by the atomic instruction is to be accomplished on a plurality of blocks of input data. |
| US07844051B2 |
Trapdoor one-way functions on elliptic curves and their application to shorter signatures and asymmetric encryption
The present invention provides a new trapdoor one-way function. In a general sense, some quadratic algebraic integer z is used. One then finds a curve E and a rational map defining [z] on E. The rational map [z] is the trapdoor one-way function. A judicious selection of z will ensure that [z] can be efficiently computed, that it is difficult to invert, that determination of [z] from the rational functions defined by [z] is difficult, and knowledge of z allows one to invert [z] on a certain set of elliptic curve points. Every rational map is a composition of a translation and an endomorphism. The most secure part of the rational map is the endomorphism as the translation is easy to invert. If the problem of inverting the endomorphism and thus [z] is as hard as the discrete logarithm problem in E, then the size of the cryptographic group can be smaller than the group used for RSA trapdoor one-way functions. |